White Spire

The White Spire is a tower in Val Royeaux used by the local Circle of Magi and as a Templar stronghold.

Purpose / Function

The people who reside in the White Spire are mostly mages associated with Orlais's Circle or the Templars who are meant to reside over them.
Phylacteries of all White Spire mages are kept within the tower in a locked chamber, as well as those of the First Enchanters of every Circle in Thedas.
The White Spire magi are divided into various mage fraternities , the most vocal of which are the Libertarians, who seek freedom from Chantry oversight. The leader of the Libertarian fraternity resides at White Spire.
The White Spire also houses the Knight-Vigilant, the leader of the Templar Order, who commands the templars from within.

Architecture

The White Spire can be seen from anywhere in Val Royeaux, even during the night. The white tower is lit by magic, seen by some as looking like a sword thrust into the sky.
The middle levels of the tower are occupied by the mages, while the Templars reside in the upper floors and have a view of the entire city from that height. The first few floors of the lower levels are kitchens and armories. Below that are ancient archives. Dozens of bards spin stories around the secrets and the contents of the archives, ranging from forbidden Tevinter texts, the Blade of Hessarian, or even the reformed body of Andraste herself.
Initially the tower served as the ruling fortress of Emperor Kordilius Drakon I who founded the Chantry and made it Orlais's national religion. His old throne room is used as the main entrance to the tower now. Some stories seem to suggest that, as a relic from that time, there are numerous dungeons with ancient torture chambers in the lowest levels of the tower. These levels are called "the Pit", and the dungeons lay at the center of the Pit, hundreds of cells on multiple levels. The Pit also houses many lost levels containing flooded chambers, an ancient Templar mausoleum, old passageways, and forgotten relics. Few ever get sent down there except for those that even the Chevaliers deem too dangerous for them to deal with.

Type

Tower