Jade Tower: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:07, 18 March 2024

The Jade Tower is the capital of the Jade Imperium, home of the College of Mages, and one of the most powerful places in Crescent. It sits on a ley line nexus, one point of the Arcane Triangle, connected by ley lines to the Lighthouse at Windy Point and the Valley of the Magi.

History[edit]

The Tower is, and was, and always shall be, or so it seems. Legend says it was raised from the earth itself whole, a feat of magical construction unequaled in history.

It served as the headquarters of the College of Mages for centuries, center of their power, their discipline, their mystique. Its light, shining brightly in the western sky, was both a beacon to those of Power, and a warning to those who would stand against them, as well as a steadfast navigational point.

That warning went unchallenged for centuries, until the Scarlet War, when the College of Mages fell, seemingly forever.

Recently, however, the Tower seems to have reawakened, apparently in connection with the actions of the Companions of the Rising Sun.

Approaching the Tower[edit]

Multiple wards and magical effects are in place in the area surrounding the Tower, to protect its masters.

Rebounding Swords[edit]

In later years, as the primary enemy of the College of Mages was the Order of the Sword of Malicean, the use of swords and blades was prohibited in the area surrounding the Tower, to a distance of about ten miles. Any blade so used has a strong tendency to rebound upon its user.

Approach and Be Recognized[edit]

Not liking surprises, the Masters of the Tower enacted this collection of wards, which has the following effects in a 30 mile radius around the Tower:

All people are subject to the Faerie Fire spell, as well as Zone of Truth.
No scrying is permitted within the range of this ward.
Bars undetectable alignment and other related spells.
No teleporting, except via teleport circles in the Tower itself.
Sound carries extraordinarily well.

Unfriendly Skies[edit]

Recognizing that a tower is naturally vulnerable to an attack by the air, the Masters harnessed the winds themselves to defend their bastion. Winds around the tower above ground level are wild and uncontrolled, making flying difficult.

Mirage Arcana[edit]

Overland progress towards the Tower is difficult; the land itself seems to shift under the feet of those who approach.

Appearance[edit]

The Tower is hugely tall, an octagonal obelisk stretching to the sky. It stands on a hill in a valley, and fairly pulses with mystical potential. Silver lines stretch up four of the sides, on each of the off-cardinal points.

The entrance, though currently unguarded, will only open to one of Mehana's chosen, which limits it to arcanists (wizards, sorcerers, and warlocks of either Mehana or one of the Sages), clerics of Mehana, and Wardens of the Tower.

Tour of the Tower[edit]

A sampling of the different floors in the Tower, in no particular order:

Labs and experimentation rooms
- Various kinds, one for each of the major schools of magic, except necromancy.
Classrooms
Transport room
- An entire room filled with teleport circles, to multiple places.
- One in particular is notable, if only because it has been violently disabled; those with the ability to read magical writing will be able to tell that it once led to the Lighthouse at Windy Point.
Libraries of general knowledge, in particular Arcana and the History of Magic.
The Grand Library
- This room is huge - a whole floor of the Tower, seemingly carved from the darkest jade. There are tables and work chairs, but no shelves. It's one giant spellbook, with each school's spells (except necromancy) engraved on one of the eight walls in mystical silver runes. It's possible to move the spells from the walls to a work table, and advanced users can even make changes or annotations to them, or add new spells to the collection.
Conference rooms
Personal Quarters
Personal Workshops
Council Chamber
The Spellpool

DM Notes:Jade Tower

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category: Places]]
+[[Category: Locations]]
 [[Category: Ley Line Nexus]]
-The Jade Tower is the home of the [[College of Mages]], and one of the most powerful places in Crescent. It sits on a [[:Category:Ley Line Nexus|ley line nexus]], one point of the Arcane Triangle, connected by ley lines to the [[Lighthouse at Windy Point]] and the [[Valley of the Magi]].
+The Jade Tower is the capital of the [[Jade Imperium]], home of the [[College of Mages]], and one of the most powerful places in Crescent. It sits on a [[:Category:Ley Line Nexus|ley line nexus]], one point of the Arcane Triangle, connected by ley lines to the [[Lighthouse at Windy Point]] and the [[Valley of the Magi]].
 ==History==
 The Tower is, and was, and always shall be, or so it seems. Legend says it was raised from the earth itself whole, a feat of magical construction unequaled in history.
-It served as the headquarters of the College of Mages for centuries, center of their power, their discipline, their mystique. Its light, shining brightly in the western sky, was both a beacon to those of Power, and a warning to those who would stand against them.
+It served as the headquarters of the College of Mages for centuries, center of their power, their discipline, their mystique. Its light, shining brightly in the western sky, was both a beacon to those of Power, and a warning to those who would stand against them, as well as a steadfast navigational point.
 That warning went unchallenged for centuries, until the [[Scarlet War]], when the College of Mages fell, seemingly forever.
-Recently, however, the Tower seems to have reawakened, seemingly in connection with [[Glory Exultation|the actions]] of the [[Companions of the Rising Sun]].
+Recently, however, the Tower seems to have reawakened, apparently in connection with [[Glory Exultation|the actions]] of the [[Companions of the Rising Sun]].
 ==Approaching the Tower==
@@ Line 17: / Line 18: @@
 ===Rebounding Swords===
-In later years, as the primary enemy of the College of Mages was the [[Order of the Sword of Malicean]], the use of swords and blades was prohibited in the area surrounding the Tower, to a distance of about ten miles.  Any blade so used has a strong tendency to rebound upon its user.
+In later years, as the primary enemy of the College of Mages was the Order of the [[Sword of Malicean]], the use of swords and blades was prohibited in the area surrounding the Tower, to a distance of about ten miles.  Any blade so used has a strong tendency to rebound upon its user.
 ===Approach and Be Recognized===
 Not liking surprises, the Masters of the Tower enacted this collection of wards, which has the following effects in a 30 mile radius around the Tower:
 *All people are subject to the Faerie Fire spell, as well as Zone of Truth.
 *No scrying is permitted within the range of this ward.
-*Bars '''undetectable alignment''' and other related spells.
+*Bars ''undetectable alignment'' and other related spells.
 *No teleporting, except via teleport circles in the Tower itself.
 *Sound carries extraordinarily well.
-- 2.1.3 Unfriendly Skies
+===Unfriendly Skies===
-Winds around the tower above ground level are wild and
+Recognizing that a tower is naturally vulnerable to an attack by the air, the Masters harnessed the winds themselves to defend their bastion. Winds around the tower above ground level are wild and uncontrolled, making flying difficult.
-uncontrolled, making flying difficult.  -20 to ride
-checks for airborne mounts.
+===Mirage Arcana===
-- 2.1.4 Mirage Arcana
+Overland progress towards the Tower is difficult; the land itself seems to shift under the feet of those who approach.
-Roll Will Save 1/hour DC 21 (+2 bonus after making first
-save) or make no overland progress toward Tower.
+==Appearance==
-- 3 Outside the Tower
+The Tower is hugely tall, an octagonal obelisk stretching to the sky.  It stands on a hill in a valley, and fairly pulses with mystical potential.  Silver lines stretch up four of the sides, on each of the off-cardinal points.
-The Tower is hugely tall, an octagonal building stretching to the
-sky.  It stands on a hill in a valley, and fairly pulses with
+The entrance, though currently unguarded, will only open to one of [[Mehana]]'s chosen, which limits it to arcanists ([[wizards]], [[sorcerers]], and [[warlocks]] of either Mehana or one of the [[:Category:Gods|Sages]]), [[cleric]]s of Mehana, and [[Wardens of the Tower]].
-mystical potential.  Silver lines stretch up four of the sides,
-on each of the off-cardinal points.
+==Tour of the Tower==
-- 3.1 Yanseldra standing at entrance
+A sampling of the different floors in the Tower, in no particular order:
-- 3.1.1 Wings wounded by Nigel's grandfather, she is bound to this
+*Labs and experimentation rooms
-plane by her pain, and is unable to heal herself.
+**Various kinds, one for each of the major schools of magic, except necromancy.
-- 3.1.2 She guards the entrance to the tower. She will not allow
+*Classrooms
-anyone to pass her and enter the Tower, until such time as
+*Transport room
-she is healed and released.
+**An entire room filled with teleport circles, to multiple places.
-- 3.1.3 She may only be healed by a descendant of the one who wounded
+**One in particular is notable, if only because it has been violently disabled; those with the ability to read magical writing will be able to tell that it once led to the [[Lighthouse at Windy Point]].
-her.
+*Libraries of general knowledge, in particular Arcana and the History of Magic.
-- 3.2 Announce Thyself
+*The Grand Library
-- 3.3 Find the Spellpool (Tour of the Tower)
+**This room is huge - a whole floor of the Tower, seemingly carved from the darkest jade.  There are tables and work chairs, but no shelves.  It's one giant spellbook, with each school's spells (except necromancy) engraved on one of the eight walls in mystical silver runes. It's possible to move the spells from the walls to a work table, and advanced users can even make changes or annotations to them, or add new spells to the collection.
-The Tower is empty, but it isn't the emptiness of a haunting.
+*Conference rooms
-It's the waiting of a theatre before the audience begins to
+*Personal Quarters
-file in - an expectation of the return of vitality.  It is
+*Personal Workshops
-quiet, hushed, but was clearly not abandoned in haste.
+*Council Chamber
-- 3.3.1 Labs and experimentation rooms
+*The [[Spellpool]]
-Various kinds, one for each of the major schools of
+'''[[DM Notes:Jade Tower]]'''
-magic, except necromancy.
-- 3.3.2 Classrooms
-- 3.3.3 Transport room
-An entire room filled with teleport circles, to multiple
-places.  They seem to be deactivated.
-- 3.3.4 Libraries of general knowledge, in particular Arcana and the
-History of Magic
-Regina will undoubtedly raid this section for knowledge
-of Telemore. Determine what she will find.
-- 3.3.5 The Grand Library
-This room is huge - a whole floor of the Tower, seemingly
-carved from the darkest jade.  There are tables and work
-chairs, but no shelves.  It's one giant spellbook, with
-each school's spells (except necromancy) engraved on one
-of the eight walls in mystical silver runes. It's
-possible to move the spells from the walls to a work
-table, and advanced users can even make changes or
-annotations to them, or add new spells to the collection.
-- 3.3.6 Conference rooms
-- 3.3.7 Council Chamber
-Think the Gray Council from Babylon 5
-- 3.3.8 The Spellpool
-At the top of the tower, lies the Spellpool. About 8 feet
-across, 3 feet high, with 18" walls made of solid jade,
-and inscribed with silver and gold runes. The silver
-lines running up the sides of the Tower culminate here,
-connecting to the pool. Note the presence of Segilus
-rooted in the pool.
-- 3.3.8.1 Segilus is the spell
-No one expected that he would retain his intellect
-and reason when he sacrificed his mortal shell for
-the magic.  For all intents and purposes, the spell
-is truly alive... and available to advise.