The Infinite Tower

Mar 15, 2024 6:13 pm
Proceeding cautiously you make your way towards the tower. The hills, always somewhat erratic here on the northern shore do not reach to the tower leaving a wide open area around it that stretches for several hundred feet. As you get your first full sight of the tower and look up you realize you can not see the top as it stretches up to the clouds and beyond.

Moving closer you circle it until you spot a doorway on the southern side but nowhere do you see any windows. The massive structure that defies logic as it stands for all to see plainly now. At various points on the tower surface you see strange glows or glimmers of reflected light. The towers base is about 100 feet in diameter and the massive door is at least 30 feet across and 50 tall. Arc wonders if it is truly as tall is it now appears why he had trouble spotting it as he approached the base through the swamp.

As you get near you feel increasing levels of magic. The towers looks be be a simple rough stone structure from a distance but as you near it you realize it is covered in carved and engraved murals depicting lands, creatures, and peoples. You soon realize not all the scenes depicted are of the mortal realm. There are scenes of vast oceans with impossibly vast creatures swallowing ships and dragons. Others show expanses of stars with beings riding vessels through the space between.

https://i.imgur.com/MWFgtVQ.jpeg

Now standing in front of the door you see it has two circles about 3 feet up on either side of a line down the middle. They give the impression of knocker plates. The door is made of an unknown material that vaguely resembles petrified wood. The door is set into a stone doorway that has been carves with a multitude of images of creatures, scenery, plant, and glyphs of all kinds. Above the door is a large paque with glowing runes that twist oddly yet all instantly gain an understanding of their meaning.

The Infinite Tower
Portal XIV.A7


By time you are close enough to touch the door the air and ground seem to humm with magical power. As you approach you note. However even without touching them the two doors begin gliding silently to the sides creating a gap between them. The gap is wider at the ground level and narrow at the top, as if the doors are swiveling to the side and up. The doors stop after creating a gap 8' wide at the base. The interior is pitch black after only a few feet. What you can see is simple stone floors. The light spilling through the open door does not touch any walls.

When the doors finish moving a gentle voice is head
Unknown individuals, welcome to the Infinite Tower. Please enter for evaluation.
A soft light suffuses the interior yet somehow reveals no additional details other than a pathway leading inwards.
Mar 15, 2024 6:17 pm
Blornvid sighs, then says to Skeeve and Ealdwig, "Hopefully, we'll have a better 'evaluation' than the one by the blue ball at the training facility back at the Manor."

Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Psybermagi

Mar 15, 2024 6:22 pm
Siveril Miarona (Tower)
A figure appears walking toward you along the lit path inside the tower. The tall and graceful lady wears flowing robes with ceremonial looking armor over them. She pauses about 50 from you and it is at this point that you are certain the towers interior is much larger than the outside might imply. She smiles at you gently and waves a hand, beckoning for you to enter.
Mar 15, 2024 6:48 pm
Vaun watched the tower silently, trying to make notes and drawings of all the murals on its walls. He no doubt found the tower very interesting, and the fact that he could sense magical undercurrents in the form of latent energy was enough to suggest that this was a place of arcane wonder. Due to his recent exploration of subjects too obscure and alien to comprehend, thus bordering on the magical and arcane, he had started to develop an unsatiated hunger for knowing and understanding the path of magic. Along with the sketch of all the murals, he drew another sketch of the tower and added the party members silhouette in order to approximate a scale.

When the door started to open, he looked up inquisitively. As it parted to reveal the dark interior, he started to proceed close to the doorway. He was surprised to hear the voice about their evaluation and was curious to see the armour clad woman inside the tower. Moving close to the door edge he bowed, "Greetings, my name is Vaun Kaiser and these are my friends. May I know your name, my lady?"

Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Psybermagi

Mar 15, 2024 6:51 pm
Siveril Miarona (Tower)

You may call me Siveril Miarona. I am one of the two tower wardens serving this portal. Welcome.
If you wish to speak I ask that you come in. Do not fear, we have not need to harm or trap you and the Tower is dedicated to the service of the People.
Mar 15, 2024 7:28 pm
Skeeve chuckles at Blornvid's joke, but seems distracted. He is trying to deal with the overwhelming presence of magic. In his normal endeavors, he has accidentally trained himself to always "listen" for magic in a world with so little of it. Now, with magic blaring around him in all directions, he must relearn how to tune it out. As a result, he is quiet and distracted until he does, which takes a few minutes. This does prevent him from taking much of a look at the pictures and murals on the outside walls.

Despite that, he enters into the tower with the others to meet their host. Since Vaun took the initiative, Skeeve is content to wait for his opportunity to speak.
Mar 15, 2024 7:47 pm
Vaun bowed at Siveril Miarona. "Ahh, thank you for letting us enter such a powerful place. Pardon our intrusion, but we are all intrigued by the tower. I can sense magical energies emanating from this place. Did you say a portal? So is it linked with the matrix node that we keep finding in these region? So, if I may be so bold, what is it that you do in the Tower? Studying and researching the arcane arts?"

He entered the tower and waited for Siveril Miarona's action.

Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Psybermagi

Mar 15, 2024 8:08 pm
Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Smiling she shakes her head. No, the Tower is not connected to the matrix. The techniques used to create the matrix nodes were refined in the tower and we have similar functions. Or at least The Infinite Tower does. Currently our Portal is disconnected from the rest of the Tower.

I am glad you asked about the Tower. I would like to go into greater detail but the entry way limits what I can do. However if you all partake of the Tower evaluation you would have access to the higher levels where you could be more comfortable. But for now a short answer
and she launches into an obviously well rehearsed lecture about the Tower

The Infinite Tower

The Tower originated as disparate scholars, mages, sages, and priests. Then when the People first began developing civilization under the guidance of the Mortal Deity the gathered and created the first Tower. The Tower served both as a tool for the People and the Deity as well acting as a center of learning, research, and teaching. With each successive member, and generation, learning from the Tower then again teaching those that came after or working to make the Tower greater. Over time the Tower became more than just a structure as Enhancement, Runes, Glyphs, Alchemy, and many more sciences were discovered and integrated into the Tower itself. This included creating multiple doorways, later called the Tower Portals, to the main tower so that all lands and all of the People could have access. They even created bridges to other realms throughout the planes beyond the Mortal Realm.

With the beginning of the Great War (what the Dawn War was called before the Shattering) the Tower became a bulwark and spear for the People.

Though the Immortals destroyed all existing passages to the other realms from the Mortal Realm they could not stop the tower from making more. This allowed the Mortals easy access to almost any location in any of the realms forcing the Immortals to a defensive role as the Mortal Realm inherently rejected passages from other realms. Thus creating and maintaining a passage from the other realms to the Mortal Realm required greater amounts of energy making the portal easier to locate and destroy.

The Infinite Tower continues in it original intent, to ensure the knowledge of the People is shared and continues to grow, thereby ensuring each generation of mortal kind can grow in knowledge, wisdom, and power until the day that they too can live without fear of death as the Immortals do.
Mar 15, 2024 8:20 pm
Kaarik remained silent during the lady's short presentation of the tower. However, the more she talked about the role of the Tower in keeping wisdom and knowledge of the People, the more he seems impatient to be evaluated.

This place, if it really turns out to be what the lady said, is close to be Kaarik's definition of heaven.
Mar 15, 2024 8:42 pm
Silveril's speech sounded good to Blornvid, but he wondered where this was all leading. Would they be dragged back into a great war like their ancestors had faced? Or would they merely be asked to rout out some local malcontents? Time would tell.
OOC:
Tower artwork looks impressive, btw.
Last edited March 15, 2024 8:43 pm
Mar 15, 2024 8:48 pm
OOC:
I can't imagine Vaun and Barley are any more excited for more tests than are Blornvid, Ealdwig, and Skeeve. (Even though the sets of tests were different.)
His distraction subsiding as he gets used to the magical "noise", he pays attention to Siveril's practiced speech. He's ready to get on with the "evaluation", one way or another.
Mar 15, 2024 9:31 pm
ForeverDED says:
Blornvid sighs, then says to Skeeve and Ealdwig, "Hopefully, we'll have a better 'evaluation' than the one by the blue ball at the training facility back at the Manor."
It can't be much worse. Can it? Can it!?
Last edited March 15, 2024 9:39 pm
Mar 15, 2024 9:39 pm
Ealdwig is only partially paying attention to the woman in silver (or is it gray). He looks around in awe. The sheer size of this place and all the carvings is just unbelievable to him. I wonder how much I can climb?

Realizing that his mind was wondering he focuses back on the woman, but only briefly, as the tower takes his attention again.
Mar 15, 2024 9:46 pm
Barley examines the ancient ruins as he passes under the massive arch of the door. He listens silently to the Tower's guardian.

"A portal to the immortal realm, can you imagine!", he thinks as the speech continues.

When she finishes he bows his head and says with a smile, "That's a very fine speech, very fine. This tower is amazing. What sort of thing do you have in mind for this evaluation? Hopefully nothing too strenuous?"

Malachi fades into view mid stride and slinks silently a little further into the tower. The spirit turns it's cat like body and peers at the group of adventurers with it's quizzical yellow eyes.

Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Psybermagi

Mar 15, 2024 9:54 pm
Siveril Miarona (Tower)

I do apologize but before any access to records requires a minimal evaluation. This has many reasons and much history to support them. The most basic being that information to individuals and people who do not have the wisdom to use it properly can be detrimental.

Historically the evaluation was allowed to be done by a higher ranking Climber, one who climbs the tower for growth of self or the People, or Warden. Initial tests were thinks like proving the ability to read and handle the records properly.

Unfortunately this was changed during the great war and we currently are unable to disable it, even though it is draining our resources. Fortunately we do have some level of control over the types and level of test you will need to complete. But I am sorry to say that the safeguards are there for a reason and our inability to connect to the rest of the tower prevents us from updating the Tower policies.

If you do not wish to access tower resources you may still simply consult with me without restriction. Otherwise you will have to be evaluated.


She explains a bit more about the Infinite Tower rules that she is bound to obey and enforce including the "Evaluation".
The Laws of the Infinite Tower says:

1. Be honest in all dealing with and for the Tower
2. Wisdom must be gained before knowledge and power
3. Mortality shall be respected and protected
4. Gather, preserved and shared Knowledge amongst the People
5. Contribute more than I take from the People and Tower
The evaluation is a series of tests with increasing difficulty and variety. Each correct and incorrect answer leads to the next step. You may quit at any time and will never be in any danger for the initial evaluation.
Mar 15, 2024 10:14 pm
OOC:
Psybermagi says:
You may quit at any time and will never be in any danger for the initial evaluation.
I see what you did there ...
"Is this a group evaluation or a set of individual evaluations?"

After getting that answer, he asks a few more questions ...

"While we're still in the Q&A phase, you said a couple things I want to dig into. The Matrix Node magic is based on the Tower magic, but completely disconnected from it, correct? So, there will be no Matric Node anywhere in the tower? As a separate point, would learning about the Tower provide more understanding of the Matrix Node?

"Also, you seemed to make a distinction between the Infinite Tower and the Tower. So, if I get this correct, there is an Infinite Tower that this individual Tower was once a part of, but is now disconnected from. Am I following correctly? If this specific Tower is disconnected from the Infinite Tower, what must be done to reconnect it? Or is that even possible?"


Skeeve wants to go on, but he'll stop for these answers first.

Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Psybermagi

Mar 16, 2024 12:10 am
OOC:
daryen says:
I see what you did there ...
ummm ok? (innocent whistling and a bemused expression)
Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Barley says:
"That's a very fine speech, very fine. This tower is amazing. What sort of thing do you have in mind for this evaluation? Hopefully nothing too strenuous?"
I am sorry to admit but my involvement in the test selection is limited at the initial levels. But be assures the initial assessments simply tests you as a thinking reasoning person. For example should an illiterate savage come to the tower it would likely fail all reading tests so all tests dealing with the written word would be skipped. However the Tower might test the persons memorization, comprehension, problem solving, pattern recognition, tactical awareness, threat assessment, and so on. As I said you may stop at any point but that also limits what I can help you access from this portion of the Tower.
Skeeve says:
"Is this a group evaluation or a set of individual evaluations?"
Group evaluations are an option that was added later on for Tower agents and expanded on when the military protocols were put into effect. Initial assessments however are all personal.
Skeeve says:
"While we're still in the Q&A phase, you said a couple things I want to dig into. The Matrix Node magic is based on the Tower magic, but completely disconnected from it, correct? So, there will be no Matric Node anywhere in the tower? As a separate point, would learning about the Tower provide more understanding of the Matrix Node?
The Tower itself uses a similar magic to connect all of the Tower Portals, but as I said our is off of that network at this time. The Tower also, as part of the enchantments to protect its repository of knowledge is cut off from all other external transportation and communication magics. Historically, many cities that housed a Tower Portal also had Matrix Nodes for general use. Though we do not have access to the Matrix we do of course have records of it and can help you to rediscover its uses and locations.
Skeeve says:
"Also, you seemed to make a distinction between the Infinite Tower and the Tower. So, if I get this correct, there is an Infinite Tower that this individual Tower was once a part of, but is now disconnected from. Am I following correctly? If this specific Tower is disconnected from the Infinite Tower, what must be done to reconnect it? Or is that even possible?"
The Tower is simple a shorter name for the full and proper name of the Infinite Tower. I do apologize but when one lives and works in any portion of the Infinite Tower we begin losing certain distinctions. Technically I and my companion are trapped in the segment of the Infinite Tower accessible by the Tower Portal, the physical representation that you entered by. Think of it as a wing of a building that has had its connecting hallway collapse. Though we are aware the rest of the structure is there we can no longer travel freely to it or access its vast resources. These smaller Tower sections were established to allow for the replication and distribution of common unrestricted materials. Other topics may only have a single copy on the Tower Library shelves, with the original stored of course in the Tower vaults.
OOC:
Basically the assessment is an aptitude and skills test, with a military twist added during the war.

Please let me know in character or OOC if you plan/want to take the assessment at this point so I can start prepping. With this many I will keep it short and multiple portions will be common among you but yes you still have to do at least a bit before any hand waving or skipping of minutia.
Mar 16, 2024 12:50 am
Blornvid says, "This seems more like a test for scholarly types that dabble in the magical arts and sciences. Not really sure that a mundane chap such as myself would do well, unless there's a section for blacksmiths."

Siveril Miarona (Tower)

Psybermagi

Mar 16, 2024 12:59 am
Siveril Miarona (Tower)

As I mentioned earlier the Tower is a repository of knowledge and skill. I was emphasising the fact that one need not be a warrior to do well in the tests. But remember not all skill can be written in a book. If there are things you wish to learn that are not scholarly in nature then there is still a good chance the Tower has something to share with you should you wish to learn. Great masters of many people have contributes to the tower in a variety of skills and professions including the arts, crafting, natural lore, animal husbandry, martial arts, tactics, strategy, weapons handling and more.
And yes many master smiths have shared their hidden techniques with the tower. I believe we have a couple Soultomes of master smiths. Soultomes are artifacts that possess an echo of a willing individual, including their knowledge and skill. However as it is an active reflection of a master they often have their own tests and requirements about who they share their knowledge with.
Mar 16, 2024 2:04 am
"Huh. Well, when you put it that way... sign me up for testing."
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