Tower of Erudites
"I think you all know what to do... Reborn, slay the guests." - Archaeologist Hieronomous Bontar of Deepburrows
Purpose / Function
The Tower of Erudites seemed to have been built for some strange insectoid-like creatures, serving similar masters that the ancient elves served. While it's purpose is debatable at best, one line of text stands out from the underground towers strong, metallic doors.
"Welcome to Those, who are loved by the Masters.
Know Servant, that beyond these gates there lies no return.
Show honour through thine knowledge, prove your place
through thine wit. For inside the Tower there is no
room for a mind of the ignorant.
..."
Architecture
The base material of the tower seems to be of dark metal, worn by the ages. Smaller details and obelisks outside have been crafted from obsidian-like, dark stone.
The tower itself seems to hint at it having a larger courtyard in history, a courtyard from which only six obelisks remain. These obelisks seem magical in nature, but their magic only springs to life as the doors are opened.
Metallic, large door of the tower is embellished with art and with a mysterious poem that must be solved in order to gain entry to the tower. It is unknown if the text and the poem was always the same, or if they have been altered with time. Around the poem, there are five silhouettes above which there are five empty slots for five skulls laying dormant inside. One skull, near human with horns and pincer-like teeth. The second, similar to the one before but with etchings and runes covering the majority of the skull. Third, smaller than the rest with runic etchings around it and the skulls shape deeply inhuman, but without horns. Fourth, covered in spikes and bony protrusions but with no visible horns, this skull inhuman as well. Fifth with massive horns, and the skull molded from silver-like metal, clearly belonging to a large insect.
If approached correctly, the door would reel itself open by lifting high above from the ground. This opening would activate some form of an magical presence within those stepping inside, and between the obelisks.
The tower consists of four seperate floors. Most of these floors contents and original purpose are lost in time, but there remain artifacts and sketchings that hint at the purposes this tower might've once had.
First Floor -The Entrance. The Entrance to the tower lowers itself after a few minutes, locking inhabitants inside with no clear way of escape. Two slots for disc-like tablets are found on left and right side of the door. The room itself is a round room, with minimal decor in the form of obsidian-crafted benches and small desks. A large stairway hugging the left-side wall of the room curls up, but is missing a 15-feet section.
Second Floor - The Stores. Original purpose of this room is lost to time. The only item argumentably belonging to the tower is a trapped, silvery chest presenting the image of a mantis with its blades extended upwards towards the chests lid. Inside of these blades were hidden cylinders, containing forenymphlings that would attempt to slink beneath the skin of anyone who opened the chest and to slowly turn their mind to the nymphlings own use. This chest held a powerful artifact of a dagger that would with a flick coat itself in unrecognisable venom. In addition to this, three barrels of dead mantises (or forenymphlings?) are found here. All of them contain beneath the crunchy corpses small platinum sylinders, holding even more still living forenymphlings inside.
After this, the room continues with another stairway leading up.
Third Floor - The Gate. The third floor of the tower was transformed into a makeshift laboratory by the infected archaeologist Hieronomous Bontar and his crew. Only object original to the structure of the room was a silvery gateway, now scratched and ruined not to work properly. This gateway was fixed by Ayla Faezorwyn by a metallic rune that she claims to have found from the stairway. The tower has not been visited since, so whatever this rune did with time was left unexplored.
Fourth Floor - The Altar. The gigantic altar of an odd praying mantis with eight blades can be found in the attic of the tower. This altar held the strange ability to summon forenymphlings from the tips of its blades each time a creature would shed blood, or die inside of the room.
Outside
The tower itself seems to hint at it having a larger courtyard in history, a courtyard from which only six obelisks remain. These obelisks seem magical in nature, but their magic only springs to life as the doors are opened.
Metallic, large door of the tower is embellished with art and with a mysterious poem that must be solved in order to gain entry to the tower. It is unknown if the text and the poem was always the same, or if they have been altered with time. Around the poem, there are five silhouettes above which there are five empty slots for five skulls laying dormant inside. One skull, near human with horns and pincer-like teeth. The second, similar to the one before but with etchings and runes covering the majority of the skull. Third, smaller than the rest with runic etchings around it and the skulls shape deeply inhuman, but without horns. Fourth, covered in spikes and bony protrusions but with no visible horns, this skull inhuman as well. Fifth with massive horns, and the skull molded from silver-like metal, clearly belonging to a large insect.
"...
Acheron could not abide the man-faced Beel Niezar in life, their skulls cannot be adjacent in death.
Crinn the Heretic, infested by his human side and marked by the priests for a tormented death, trusted neither Drahkan nor Beel Niezar and so his skull may not be placed next to either of theirs.
Echaraz fought against both Beel Niezar and Crinn the Heretic; his decorated skull may not sit next to theirs.
Drahkan the Hornless, however, was Echaraz’s first lieutenant, and thus his skull must be placed immediately to Echaraz's right.
When the skulls are arranged correctly, turn Acheron’s face to the door and you will receive your prize. Welcome your last welcome."
(Credit for the puzzle goes to vaz_de_firenze on Reddit)
If approached correctly, the door would reel itself open by lifting high above from the ground. This opening would activate some form of an magical presence within those stepping inside, and between the obelisks.
Inside
The tower consists of four seperate floors. Most of these floors contents and original purpose are lost in time, but there remain artifacts and sketchings that hint at the purposes this tower might've once had.
First Floor -The Entrance. The Entrance to the tower lowers itself after a few minutes, locking inhabitants inside with no clear way of escape. Two slots for disc-like tablets are found on left and right side of the door. The room itself is a round room, with minimal decor in the form of obsidian-crafted benches and small desks. A large stairway hugging the left-side wall of the room curls up, but is missing a 15-feet section.
Second Floor - The Stores. Original purpose of this room is lost to time. The only item argumentably belonging to the tower is a trapped, silvery chest presenting the image of a mantis with its blades extended upwards towards the chests lid. Inside of these blades were hidden cylinders, containing forenymphlings that would attempt to slink beneath the skin of anyone who opened the chest and to slowly turn their mind to the nymphlings own use. This chest held a powerful artifact of a dagger that would with a flick coat itself in unrecognisable venom. In addition to this, three barrels of dead mantises (or forenymphlings?) are found here. All of them contain beneath the crunchy corpses small platinum sylinders, holding even more still living forenymphlings inside.
After this, the room continues with another stairway leading up.
Third Floor - The Gate. The third floor of the tower was transformed into a makeshift laboratory by the infected archaeologist Hieronomous Bontar and his crew. Only object original to the structure of the room was a silvery gateway, now scratched and ruined not to work properly. This gateway was fixed by Ayla Faezorwyn by a metallic rune that she claims to have found from the stairway. The tower has not been visited since, so whatever this rune did with time was left unexplored.
Fourth Floor - The Altar. The gigantic altar of an odd praying mantis with eight blades can be found in the attic of the tower. This altar held the strange ability to summon forenymphlings from the tips of its blades each time a creature would shed blood, or die inside of the room.
Discovered by
Hieronomous Bontar
RUINED STRUCTURE
Unknown
Unknown
Skull 1
Skull 2
Skull 3
Skull 4
Skull 5
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