Arcane Tower

You know, one look at those things reminds me the Imperium can put some serious effort into using things they don't like for great things. Also tends to remind me to be looking for somewhere else to be - because something is going to happen, and I don't want to be there when it does.

— Semmel Thornhill, Adventurer

The Imperial Arcane Tower is an impressive object to behold when deployed, a spindle of stone held aloft by powerful magic. Around the waist of the structure is a protected walkway, wide enough for people to walk on. Inside the spindle is the heart of the tower, a core made from steel infused with magical energies to act as a power source for the enchantments which make this possible. Accompanying the tower are two controllers, and up to six Imperial Arcanists whose job is to cast battle-magic from inside the protected area. The expense of creating one of these, and the special training needed to learn how to manage the tower or fight on a potentially unstable platform, keep them from being more widely used. The cultural bias against blatantly magical objects also means these are kept from being widely used outside of protecting the Arcanists' sanctuaries.

History

During the recent decades, the Imperial Arcanists have enjoyed a high amount of positive attention from the Emperor's councils, part of a growing uneasiness about the Imperium lacking any real solution to an enemy who used powerful magic. After an attack by an unidentified dragon on Firos, and later Pendelholm, the decision was made to develop something which could perhaps allow battle-trained Arcanists to fight from somewhere other than the ground. The first ideas were more massive, and thus became prohibitively expensive to even attempt a prototype phase. After the desire for an impressive appearance was quashed, the design of a simple floating spindle with a protected area for the spellcasters became more attractive. Thus efforts were put into motion to produce the 'Arcane Tower'.

After getting over initial disappointment, the Legion Captain who attended the demonstrations found the arrangement quite devastating to the unprepared, and became more intrigued with the potential to avoid using spellcasters and employ heavy crossbows instead. The tower itself could float well out of most archers, and a variety of magical wards could render it difficult to damage directly even with other spells. The major factor in the hesitation to back it came in the required a great deal of work from Arcanists to make it work, and there was no way to work it without their support.

Design

The arcane tower is designed to be carved from stone, and steel makes up the fortifications. Some designs were produced with mounted crossbow positions, while a third design was made with less fortification for purposes of scouting or observation during a battle. The outer walls of the ring have shutters which can open to allow spellcasters to quickly cast their spells without leaving themselves exposed. The interior chamber is small, cramped around the core object - which has been designed to be embedded in a pedestal in the middle. The core is made from steel infused with raw magic taking solid form, through a method the Imperial Arcanists are careful to keep secret.

Manufacturer

Rhyliss Imperium

Owning Organization

Rhyliss Imperium