The world was young. Haxxors held the northwest while humans were content in their southwestern kingdoms. There was little death and less deliberate bloodshed, and so evil gods were unknown. Even the Forumites, known as keepers of secrets from many worlds, were ignorant. Shosa was born a human in the Kingdoms of Dance. Young and ambitious, he used his skills in reading and writing to become magistrate. His duty was to deal out rulings and justice. But life rang hollow for him. Perhaps, he often thought, I could do more if I had time. Mortality wore heavily on him. He began accepting bribes. Eyes turned from him in disgust. He threatened and cajoled those in power. Wealth accumulated, and with it leisure.
He became obsessed with the secrets of life and death. He spent many days in the gleaming tower of the king, surrounded by wealth. Aware that it was not his. He communed with unclean forces. Demons from hell spoke to him with tongues of flame. Haxxors spoke their dreams of Undeath. Slowly, he forged his own path. And one night in the still summer of 58 he communed with a power greater than any before. Nagnod the Putrid Pulp. She appeared as a woman. Skeletal, bound in coils of linen. She whispered to him over many days about disease, blight… and death.
And then she gave him a book.
He studied it with devotion. He became careless and acted without thought. The Kingdom of Dances imprisoned him for five years on charges of embezzlement. For all his sophistry, Shosa did not contest the claim. Over those years he nurtured a hatred for life. And mulled over the words in Nagnod’s book. Once released he travelled the human kingdoms and became a scout. He gathered power and became lord of Obscurespices, ruling from the Fair Sword. A magnificent tower, golden-white. But the light of it hurt his eyes. Here he stored his precious book.
But he did not age. The people noticed, and whispers grew. Haxxors gathered in his audience chamber, a loathsome race. Their lord was dark and did not laugh. Something was wrong. Shosa fled and came into the Drowned Lands. Here he felt the presence of Nagnod strongly, and founded a new tower. Channelpepper. He took apprentices. The first was the Haxxor Booroz Equaldevils.
Over time, four more towers were made. These formed the shape of a rough diamond. And one of them was in the northeastern territories held by the Forumites, where ancient memories were stirring. Shosa dwells in Channelpepper still. He writes and he teaches. And so Nagnod the Putrid’s teachings are spread into green lands. Towers grow. The threat increases. And so the Forumites plan to make their own tower in rivalry of Channelpepper and its daughter towers. One of life and light. But where will it be founded?
Embark 1Stream: The Aching Vale
Temperate, Wilderness, Woodland. Light Aquifer.
Placed on the edge of the Forumites' land, staring down a tower. There are legends which speak of dead things fearing to cross water. The confluence warrants consideration.
Embark 2Stream: Not sure of name
Temperate, Woodland, TERRIFYING.
This location is in the Desolation of Shosa itself. It is a terrifying, twisted land far from the Mountainhomes. But a fortress here would be a dagger into the heart of the enemy.
Embark 3Stream: Lulllistened
Tropical, heavily forested, warm, HAUNTED. No metals mentioned.
Let the gentle waters of this haunted landscape sing our enemies into a sleep. One from which they will not stir.
Note: For Embark Three the tower is not listed among the neighbours. I am not sure whether this is because there are so many neighbours or for some other reason. If, for some reason, we don't get sieged we can always build our forces for an offensive and wait for retaliation. All sites have flux.
Also, thank you for pointing that out EnemyPost. I've edited the rules.