Myth Maker 2.1: The History of Five Towers: The Tower of Names part 1

Called one of the Wonders of the World, the Five Towers School of Wizardry is perhaps the most famous educational edifice in the known world. It lies at the heart of the city state of Five Towers, but there is much more going on in that city than the mere education of the daring, though the Towers are central to understanding the city.

If legend it to be believed the Towers predate any other settlement in the Emerald Peninsula, which makes since considering the inhospitable climate and terrain, doesn't make it very conducive to every day life without a lot of effort.... or a lot of magic.

At least half a millennium ago a flotilla of daring sea captains, at the urging of both filling of their coffers and the maintaining of their lives, made a perilous journey across the Gulf Tropical to the Bay of Crystal. The Gulf, always storm tossed and dangerous was, as it still is a domain for hurricanes and sea monsters, and the Bay of Crystal had no settlements worth visiting, so even the terrain of the shore line was somewhat a mystery. 

The voyage hailed forth from the southern point of what is now the Imperial Domain of World End, though at the time the reach of the Iron Empire didn't stretch so far.  Perhaps it was fear or at least a healthy caution of that growing power that inspired the voyage. If so that is lost to time, but was said to be in the age of the mythic first Emperor Geoff the Conqueror, who though a devoted man who venerated God, his Angels, and Saints, was no friend to wizards and wonderworkers.

Through magic and very fortunate timing, learned from many years of observation, the ships containing a cabal of wizards, of the kind called Chanters, and their retinue arrived at the still Bay of Crystal and dropped anchor within sight the many rivers that pours from the peninsula into that bay. The ships couldn't get closer because there were deep keeled vessels, but they had aboard barges to take the Chanters to their desired destination. 

After a consultation the Wizards reported a specific river, now known as the Chanters Gate, to carry them inland. The Bay was calm as glass that day, whether from magic or simple good fortune, and wizards, body guards, experienced woodsmen, and supplies were loaded on three barges rigged for crude sailing. Mage winds carried the barges to the silty mouth of the river, and then  the long hard work of poling up stream of the semi placid river began.

As soon as they entered the river the Chanters, the full number of which is unknown, began to Chant sonorous and sibilant words that seem to match the mood of the river well. The poling was long work, and many was the time some vegetation snagged a barge and skilled men had to hack and pole to keep the company in motion. All the while the Chanters chanted. Some of the time their chant was as one unified chorus, and other like a group of babblers whose voices bounced off of each other and was displeasing to the ear. 

As the slow miles passed, one at a time the wizards ceased their chanting save for the leader of the order, was and still is known only as the Nameless One. He continued to speak words of power that were so  intent that they seemed to vibrate in the air for moments after his mouth had moved on.

As the party reached sharp curve of the river accompanied by a slightly hilled clearing in the swamp the Nameless made a gesture with his hand which was the signal to ground the barges. As soon as he stepped foot on dry land he stopped his constant droning chant. Though the magic that were being performed had sapped all of the Order the Nameless soft spoken voice still carried strength.

As the barges were unloaded the wizards rested on the high ground, while well trained lackies removed ritual tools such as incense burners, wooden staves of great length, bundles of herbs, and shrouded idols from the barges and arranged them hither and thither around the clearing. As the sun was setting a mass of dark clouds began to form from the west, but a single sharp word from the Nameless scattered those clouds. There would be no interference from nature or Angel in the work that was to be done that night.