Difference between revisions of "Howling Spire"

Revision as of 14:32, 16 November 2022

Rating: ••• 

Aspect: Air. 

Hearthstone: Wind Jewel

Bearer: Ledaal Saturnia. 

Attuned: Ledaal Cycel, Ledaal Caros, Ledaal Kebok, Ledaal Montegnin, Ledaal Saturnia, 
Ledaal Martia, Ledaal Yupitara, Ledaal Venosa, Ledaal Mercurio, ?.

The Howling Spire is a manse located in the southern Blessed Isle, its location marking the western border of Arjuf Dominion as it meets the coast. It is a tower of Adamantine Glass, its once-blue colour still visible in the light of dawn or dusk, before fading to smoky black in day or night. Whatever heights the tower once rose to are unknown, its current upper reaches jagged and open to the air, its length pierced by great spikes of blacker glass as if some great Behemoth had ripped the spires from a great edifice and stabbed them down through its heart.

The spikes are hollow, taking in and expelling the winds which circle the tower and channeling them within. The chambers of the tower are oft calm, but these winds race through the corridors of the tower. The winds are strongest where they come together in the heart of the tower, the hearthstone chamber, spiraling with the force of a hurricane around the glass spikes adorning the walls, driving essence to birth the stone.

As they move through the tower, the winds oft escape, back up the length of the spikes or through cracked fissures running along its face. From this come whistling howls and haunting screams that echo for miles around, evoking terror in all who hear them. Though much of Arjuf is devoted to agricultural pursuits, the fields at the foot of the Spire lie mostly fallow, peasants refusing to approach the place save when compelled by force. The Dynastic House Ledaal, which controls the manse, uses the land as a hunting preserve of sorts, importing exotic beasts that they might pursue as the creatures attempt to flee the Spire’s howling. Some muse that the Ledaals delight in inviting scions of the Scarlet Dynasty’s other Great Houses to these hunts, well aware that their guests too must suffer through the Spire’s eerie discomforts.

The nature of the Haunting Spire itself, distant from settlement or human activity, means that the manse itself is most often used as residence for Ledaal sorcerers who wish to pursue their studies undisturbed.

Essence Vents: The unique system of essence vents built into the manse releases excess energies in the forms of terrifying howls through the air. Any character within 5 miles of the manse suffers a -1 internal penalty to Valor, and those for miles beyond may still find themselves disturbed.

Source: Inspired by LeumasWhite’s Sharp Manor on the unofficial Exalted wiki.