The kingdoms of the world found themselves at peace. Borders that were once stained by war had softened into trade routes. Thus Citadel City was founded. Its marble spires and ancient stone walls were said to have been built upon the bones of empires forgotten by time. The handiwork of civilisations whose names were forgotten.
Citadel City was crowned the shining heart of civilization. This city stood out as a beacon of unity. Life within its streets was steady and prosperous; craftsmen plied their trades, merchants shouted from gilded stalls, and scholars debated under sunlit domes
Without warning, the sky tore apart.
A vast tower as black as iron and veined with molten light– tore through the heavens and fell to earth just beyond the city’s outer ring. The impact shook the very foundations of Citadel City. Waves of dust rolled through the streets, and for three days, a storm of unnatural lightning danced above the fallen monolith. When the chaos cleared, the tower stood unbroken, surrounded by scorched earth and a ring of strange, humming stones.
Those who dared to approach spoke of whispers in forgotten tongues, of stairways that twisted impossibly, and of shadows that moved even when the sun was high. Some claimed to have seen winged figures at its peak; others, clawed beasts crawling from its depths.
The Dragonic Queen Nel’wyn, ancient yet resplendent, was swift to act. A monarch both feared and admired by her people. She decreed that the tower was to be under royal sanction, declaring it a site of study and opportunity.
She extended her patronage across the continent. Adventurers, mercenaries, scholars, and treasure-seekers received a call to Citadel City. Each promised reward, renown, and royal favour should they help uncover the tower’s secrets. Guilds sprang up overnight, competing to be the first to breach its depths or claim its mysteries.
Whispers spread through taverns and alleyways: Was it a weapon? A relic of the old gods? A harbinger of war yet to come? No one could say for certain.
Xib!