The Phoenix Tower
"The Chol have reduced the Phoenix Tower to a glorified outpost, the sods have no imagination."
The Phoenix Tower is an ancient elven tower on the northern shore of Kedizlim in the Chol Republic. The tower is likely the oldest surviving building in Massaolo as is was thought to have been built over fifty thousand years ago. Despite its long history, the tower today stands derelict and nearly abandoned.
Purpose / Function
The Phoenix Tower was originally designed as a nexus to collect the magical energy stored in sunlight and provide the elven sorcerers within nearly limitless magical energy. Nearly all of the surviving magical arts were adapted from techniques thought to be developed within the tower's walls. Eventually, the elven queen Vumeya planned to utilize the tower's power in her plan to achieve apotheosis but she was thwarted by the reigning gods and the tower was nearly destroyed, losing all of its magical capacity. Following its capture by humans, the tower served briefly as a military headquarters for the Chol Republic before being largely abandoned as its location became less and less important.
Alterations
Most of the tower's exterior retains its original ancient elven style as even the damaged portions were rebuilt to mimic the ancient styling. However, the tower's interior is vastly altered, with only a few of the lower floors retaining the original elven styles. Many floors were converted into merchant squares, barracks, and palatial housing for military nobles. All of these floors were almost entirely Cholish in style and appearance. As the tower became less and less important to the Chol, the interior itself became largely abandoned, with only a modest Chol town surrounding it, kept afloat mainly by pilgrims who come to see what was once almost the birthplace of a goddess.
History
The Phoenix Tower is thought to have been built at the height of the Serene Era, nearly fifty-thousand years ago. Like other structures built at that time, it is likely that the tower was constructed using human slave labor. The tower was designed to harness the latent magical energy within sunlight and convert it to raw magika within the tower, allowing the sorcerers within the tower practically limitless magical power, allowing them to make astronomical advances in magical arts.
When the elven queen Vumeya ascended to the throne, she harbored ambitions of godhood and planned to utilize the Phoenix Tower to achieve her goal. When the gods sent the Great Rot to punish the queen, she took shelter with her court within the tower, which was able to stave off the disease for those within. This safety attracted numerous elven refugees to the tower, hoping to find refuge from the plague. Vumeya ordered her sorcerers to prepare for her ascension to divinity and to use the life energy of the refugees to speed the process along. The gods, in response, blotted the sun causing a solar eclipse and hurled a meteor towards the tower. Vumeya was able to survive by seizing the life energy of those within the tower to create an impenetrable shield around herself, but the tower was damaged beyond repair and her dreams of divinity were dashed.
In the following years, humans from the outlying islands would invade Kedizlim. The humans who would later be known as Chol captured the Phoenix Tower and converted into their primary military headquarters. However, as the centuries passed, the tower became unimportant as the trade between Ikeyanu and Kedizlim evaporated, negating the tower's strategic position along the trade route. These days the tower serves as host to a modest Chol village which is propped up by elven pilgrims and lovers of history who make the long journey to see the ancient structure.
When the elven queen Vumeya ascended to the throne, she harbored ambitions of godhood and planned to utilize the Phoenix Tower to achieve her goal. When the gods sent the Great Rot to punish the queen, she took shelter with her court within the tower, which was able to stave off the disease for those within. This safety attracted numerous elven refugees to the tower, hoping to find refuge from the plague. Vumeya ordered her sorcerers to prepare for her ascension to divinity and to use the life energy of the refugees to speed the process along. The gods, in response, blotted the sun causing a solar eclipse and hurled a meteor towards the tower. Vumeya was able to survive by seizing the life energy of those within the tower to create an impenetrable shield around herself, but the tower was damaged beyond repair and her dreams of divinity were dashed.
In the following years, humans from the outlying islands would invade Kedizlim. The humans who would later be known as Chol captured the Phoenix Tower and converted into their primary military headquarters. However, as the centuries passed, the tower became unimportant as the trade between Ikeyanu and Kedizlim evaporated, negating the tower's strategic position along the trade route. These days the tower serves as host to a modest Chol village which is propped up by elven pilgrims and lovers of history who make the long journey to see the ancient structure.
Type
Tower, Guard
Owning Organization
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