The Floating Towers located over the village of Arcanix in Aundair is a magical university that doubles as the home of the Arcane Congress.[1][2] As Khorvaire's most prestigious school of magical learning, it is home to the most powerful mages in the Five Nations as well as the premiere training center for magewrights and wizards.[3]
Description[]
Much like the towers of Sharn, the Floating Towers levitate high above the village of Arcanix, with much of their interior being devoted to student dorms, laboratories, libraries, and classrooms, as well as homes of Arcane Congress faculty.[4]
The following are among the known towers:
- Glarehold: One of the two towers devoted to training future spellcasters, including student residences.[5] It is also home to the White Arch, where new students will often enter the academy for the first time.[6]
- Amberwall: The second of the towers dedicated to students.[4] In its lowest depths is the Maze of Shadowy Terror, a maze whose purpose is to teach students humility by testing their powers. The maze often serves as a final test for would-be graduates, though it is also used informally by students looking to prove themselves.[6]
- Nocturnas: This is one of two towers that serves as a home and personal study for members of the Arcane Congress, including their personal laboratories and libraries. They often live here while advising Aundair on matters related to magic and their rivalry with the Twelve.[4] In its center is Adal's Demesne, which houses Adal ir'Wynarn, Minister of Magic to Aundair and Queen Aurala's brother.[6] Near the top is the tower's observatory and a series of menhirs known as the Gate of Xabra.[7] Finally, Nocturnas is the location of secret labs where Adal ir'Wynarn and his staff attempt to create weapons of war.[8]
- Skyreach: Much like Nocturnas, Skyreach is home to members of the Arcane Congress.[4] Unlike Nocturnas, it is also the location of the Five Nations' greatest store of arcane lore, the Library of Robideur, which takes up four stories of Skyreach's tallest tower.[6]
- Tower of Alchemy: The Tower of Alchemy is home to Tzandro Kavalant, a senior mentor who teaches pupils in the art of alchemy including the secrets of alchemical golem creation.[9]
A mage of a flying broomstick loses their hat on the way to the floating towers.
Generally, the Towers tend to be lit by everburning torches, though these can be darkened if one of the faculty prefers. These torches can light and extinguish themselves in the presence of others, and they can form different colors depending on the room.[4]
The towers have a strong aura of transmutation about them as a result of eight hundred years' worth of magical tinkering. Among these magical changes is that the rooms are always mild in temperature, some areas contain extradimensional spaces not confined by the size of their exteriors,[4] and some areas even contain manifest zones to other planes.[3]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, & James Wyatt (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 139–140. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 37–41. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 37. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 38. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 40. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ Andrew Finch, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Chris Perkins (August 2004). Monster Manual III. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 0-7869-3430-1.