Tower of Arcanum

Prelude

   In the realm of Arcanum there lay four kingdoms: Therefelm, Regalis, Volcanar, and Mandavor. Long ago a legend was told about these three kingdoms and the legend goes something like this.

At the creation of the Arcanum, there was nothing but a blank canvas of rock. One day, a wandering god by the name of Arcanus came by and saw the desolate wasteland and decided that this was where he would start a mighty work. Working day and night this god created Arcanum and all that was in it. It wasn't long before he'd created a lush landscape filled with all sorts of wonderful flora and fauna. Then one day, another god by the name of Versil passed by and became jealous of Arcanus' work. Envious that any god could have something so beautiful, Versil stooped down and created hideous monsters from the clay surrounding the northern border of Arcanum. These lifeless creatures started to wander into Arcanum and wreak havoc.

Arcanus looked at the destruction befalling his beautiful land and created beings of his own to combat these lifeless figures. He created warriors and kings, wizards and warlocks, man and beast alike, and sometimes an amalgamation of both. These creatures of his took up the call and fought bravely against the lifeless monstrosities. They soon overpowered the undead abominations and pushed them back past the northern border. Arcanus himself had fought side by side with his creations, helping banish the undead horde from his beautiful lands. Finally, with the last ounce of his powers, he created a border around Arcanum, with a ravine entrance to the north, a deadly valley to the east, a mountain to the south, and a sea to the west.

It is unknown what happened to Arcanus after that battle. Some say he passed away, others say he went back to wander, and still, others say that he travels around Arcanum, helping his creations at will. But whatever he decided to do, one thing was clear. He would return. For before he left, he left a message for his creations along with a command. A command to relay this message from generation to generation, making sure every son and daughter knew of Arcanus' last warning, his last words before leaving.

His message was a warning. That at some point in the unknown future Versil would be back. He had tried and failed to ruin Arcanum before, and he would undoubtedly try and do it again. Arcanus warned that the attack might not be a physical assault but a game of trickery, and to always keep your eyes peeled. He promised that when the day came that Versil showed his face, Arcanus would return to help once again, but only if the people of Arcanum really wanted him to return. For he would not help those who never believed.

And so centuries passed, the different races going their own ways. The mythical creatures: the immortals and amalgamations of beast and man, went off to the north and created a kingdom called Mandavor. The mortals with no specialties headed off to the west near the sea creating a kingdom called Therefelm. The semi-immortal creatures skilled in magics and archery went to the forest-covered east creating the kingdom of Regalis. And the shorter, sturdier creatures skilled in armory and blacksmithing went south to the craggy and volcanic lands creating the kingdom of Volcanar.

Centuries passed and various disasters happened but every time the inhabitants of Arcanum dispelled the danger. In the north the undead horde has tried yet again to enter, to the east a desert tribe had tried to invade, to the south the volcanoes threatened to cover the land in ash, and to the west, pirates had invaded the coast. But all in all, no threat had posed a danger for the entirety of Arcanum.

Of course, as the years passed, Arcanus' message had been lost to all, save a few royal families and some of the immortal race. Then one day, life for all four kingdoms came to a screeching halt, for in the center of Arcanum, where the four kingdoms met, a large black tower appeared. The tower went up into the heavens and was as large as a castle. It was covered in spikes and surrounded by a thick black fog. The few who had tried to reach the tower never returned.

The tower never left but instead seemed to be growing larger and larger, as though it was trying to engulf all of Arcanum. For most, the purpose of the tower was lost, but for those who remembered Arcanus' message, the tower's purpose was all too clear. Versil was returning and he was coming to destroy the work Arcanus had created