The Black Spires
"Ten Spires of black jagged obsidian descended from the sky onto Ordurant in the event that heralded the arrival of the Sammarians, the day Heaven Fell. The destruction from their impact fundamentally changed the world as their descent triggered cataclysmic events that buried the Old Kingdoms and sealed the dream realms away from the mundane.
For the next couple of years Ordurant would be ruled alone by the Sammarian Dynasty until the world was liberated by successful revolts triggered simultaneously following the death of Eslaina, the Last Hero. However the Ten Spires of Jet Black Stone remain as a legacy to their masters, a mystery sealed within their impenetrable walls."
Excerpt from Ordurant Wonders and Mystery - A Chronicle of Observation
Purpose / Function
Used as a weapon by the Sammarian Dynasty the Black Spires triggered natural cataclysmic events such as volcano eruptions, earthquakes, and tidal waves that devastated the populations of the Old Kingdoms making them vulnerable to attack.
However natural devastation was not the Spires' only function. The Black Spires severed the connection between the Mortal Realm and the Architorium disrupting the magic of Oldurant. The Old Kingdoms, already suffering from the natural devastation triggered by the Spires, were woefully ill prepared when their magic was rendered unusable against the Sammarians.
When the Sammarian Dynasty fell the Black Spires remained. If the Black Spires served a purpose beyond the initial destruction they caused, no one has discovered it. The Black Spires now serve mostly as fortified locations and landmarks through out Ordurant. Some of the Black Spires received new names by the people that settled near them:
The Elderstone is the name given to the Spire located on the Harkon Islands. According to legends told by the Island's troubadours, the Ancient Dragon Harkon, for whom the Islands are named, built the Ediface to honor the passing of his companion the Queen Cery Shadowbane, the first and last ruler of Harkon.
Prophet's Point is the name given to the Spire located in Deserts of Dartania, where it is said the Prophet Mzyson received his visions.
The Lance of Artusio is the poetic re-naming of a Black Spire credited to Riddles, the founder of the Bard College in Lanferall. Riddles sought to create a song about of King Artusio's stand against the Sammarians.
Alterations
As years passed, nations built fortifications around the Spires. These fortification towered up the jagged obsidian buildings and served as a sentry lookout for defense. Eventually these fortified areas led to the formations of towns and cities where the Black Spires serve as a mere ornament to the rich landscapes of thatched roofs and cobblestone streets.
Architecture
The Black Spires are constructed like inverted towers. The tip of each Spire penetrated deep into Ordurant extending into the World's Womb and the base extends high into the sky beyond the clouds. Long uniform etchings, line the outside of the Spires, though what they mean is still a mystery.
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