Ivory Tower

The Ivory Tower of Oren is located at the center of a huge crater created by a meteorite impact in ancient times. The first building at this site was constructed by the Athena, an early association of Human sorcerers and magicians, to conduct research on the meteorite's mysterious power. Later its scale became gradually larger and now the tower accommodates a center of learning for all wizards, be it Human, Light Elf or Dark Elf.

The early magicians did indeed find in the meteorite crater a mysterious mineral that they called "nebulite". Soon they discovered that nebulite has the property of amplifying magical power. They realized immediately that such a substance, if it falls into the wrong hands, has an enormous destructive potential and placed it safely deep within the underground recesses of the Ivory Tower. At the moment there is a discussion going on among the magicians how and whether at all the nebulite should ever be used. One faction, headed by the Human Sorcerer Galus claims that in the right hands and for noble causes nebulite can be very beneficial. Specifically for slaying the Land Dragon Antharas, who has been locked up with a magical seal by Emperor Shunaiman but remains a constant threat for the Giran area, nebulite would be of invaluable help.

A different faction, headed by the Light Elf Sorcerer Arkenias argues that nebulite is much too unstable to be used in a real combat situation, that the degree to which it enhances magical power is completely unpredictable and even keeping it in the basement of the Ivory Tower (where there is a shopping area!) is by far too dangerous. Arkenias insists that the nebulite should be destroyed.

Between the two factions, which basically represent the character of the Human and Elven races, or at least how they see themselves - power and technology versus pacifism and harmony with nature - stands the Dark Elf Sorcerer Karmiell. He outwardly supports Galus, but in truth he has his own plans. Karmiell hopes that the turmoil of a campaign against Antharas would provide him with an opportunity to steal a small portion of the nebulite and use it in his private power struggle with Mitraell, the head of all Dark Elves residing in their underground city. If the nebulite was destroyed, he would never get this opportunity, so naturally he is not on good terms with Arkenias, which again reflects the age-old rivalry between Light and Dark Elves.

In fact this rivalry is a cliche, as are all those so-called racial characteristics. Although the Ivory Tower was originaly built by an association of Human magicians whose leader, Shunaiman, later went on to found the Elmoreden Empire, it soon accomodated, albeit on different floors, wizards of all races who all did the same: research the theory and practical applications of magic. Ultimately they all wanted the same thing, i.e. not leave the world as it is, complete with dragons and everything, but influence and change it in ways they considered as "good", or in other words, to exercise power.

During the days of the Elmoreden Empire, the Ivory Tower, through its association with the Imperial family, wielded considerable political influence, which in a way kept the magicians too busy to engage in really dangerous activities. But then, with the demise of Baium and the fall of the Empire, their energies were free again to meddle in things they should not meddle with, increasingly seeing themselves as an elitarian circle aloof of and above the mundane world. The most famous example for such a misguided magician is Beleth.