PlaneShift
Gameplay => General Discussion => Topic started by: Suvok on February 26, 2007, 11:44:36 am
-
This is something i've never wondered before...but...what is the windowless tower for.
I'm not sure whether this is common knowledge or not. I did a search but nothing came up. There arn't any rooms in it. There's not much point.
Well, the people of Hydlaa didn't build a giant random tower for no reason did they? So what is it?
I'm probably being a complete idiot with the answer probably staring at me in the face but...I'm posting anyway
-
I did hear a rumour about it being connected with all the guard towers, which only have underground access routes that are off-limits for us city folk. You must have noticed all the smaller round towers with no doors .. those are the guard towers. They're placed all over Hydlaa to watch over us. Perhaps the large windowless tower serves a similar purpose.
Jefecra is watching you! ;)
Another guess is that it is a Megara and Pterosaur landing platform but one would suspect access to such a platform to be much easier.
-
http://hydlaa.com/smf/index.php?topic=23986.msg308603#msg308603
Specifically,
NPCs give this description when asked about The Windowless Tower
The great windowless tower is largely an enigma. No one knows who built it, or why it exists. The priests of Laanx are quite upset that this tower is taller than their temple. I've heard of secret attempts to bring it down, but all have failed. The fact that it seems to be made of iron lends to the theory of a Xacha sect who don't follow Laanx...
And the description of The Windowless Tower itself is
This gargantuan tower rises above all other structures of Hydlaa, but its purpose remains unknown to the populace. The structure is obviously a masterwork of Xacha design and Stonewielder architecture. The rumor is that this structure houses the meetings of a Xacha scientific institution known as the Octarch's Engineering Academy who are rumored to report to the Vigesimi, Amidison Stronghand, but no one has offered proof of this, and it is generally dismissed as an urban myth.
That's just doing a quick search of the forums, however.
-
Ahhh. So they really do not know why it was built. Thanks. I obviouly didn't search around enough.
-
To neko: What race is StoneWielder? I know only about StoneBreaker and HammerWielder ??? Or is StoneWielder some word that means both dwarven races???
EDIT: wrong name mentioned :-[
-
Good question. Is that an error in the settings? I search the forums and only find 1 other reference to the name stonewielder and that appears to be by someone who is unsure if the race is called hammerwielder or stonewielder.
So, @Anyone, What are Stonewielders?
-
yep my error i conflate i conflate :D
-
So, @Anyone, What are Stonewielders?
People wielding stones well.
-
Well I have absolutely no idea whether this is true or not, ..., but I have this lil dib of info somewhere in the back of my head telling me that it is called "The Obelisk".
-
So, @Anyone, What are Stonewielders?
People wielding stones well.
I think the proper name is Stonebreakers.
-
So, @Anyone, What are Stonewielders?
People wielding stones well.
I think the proper name is Stonebreakers.
But he asked for Stonewielders.
-
Perhaps then it is the name given to the sons of a stonebreaker father and of a hammerwielder mother and vice-versa
-
Or prehaps an error?
/me points at Xillix's post..
-
Let’s look at this logically (even if the dev who made it hasn’t ;) )
There are three reasons (off hand) to build a tower.
One: More living/working room in less space. Crowded cities are a good example. However, the tower is hollow, so this must be false in this case. No meeting can be held in it, and no one can live there.
Two: A monument. This could be to a god, or your own greatness. I have been in the tower, and the structure inside is not very great. There seems to be no markings of any kind saying “All fall before <whoever>“ Also, I have not seen any markings on the outside of any nature. I fear we mush cross this off the list as well.
Three: Simply put, to get higher. Now, there are several reasons to get higher.
----A: is to see further. The tower would make a very good guard tower…if it was designed at all like a guard tower. There are no railings, and the peaks leave much to be desired in the way of protection from the wind or enemy fire. It would be very hard to get any weapons to the top. The tower would make a very poor observatory as well. So, we must deem the use of the tower as not the ability to see further. Sorry.
---B: When all else fails, take the last option as the truth. The tower is build to get higher, period. Now we come to the quandary. Why do you want to get higher, if it is not to see further? The answer to that quite simple. You do so to….
/me is grabbed suddenly by a group of dark-cloaked men, and rushed into the shadows without a trace.
-
---B: When all else fails, take the last option as the truth. The tower is build to get higher, period. Now we come to the quandary. Why do you want to get higher, if it is not to see further? The answer to that quite simple. You do so to….
/me is grabbed suddenly by a group of dark-cloaked men, and rushed into the shadows without a trace.
In other words, the Windowless Tower in Yliakum is something like "Area 51" in Real World(No aliens/ufos inside the tower of course though).
-
I would think it mearly in a logical sense to be a lookout tower. Sure the guard towers are good for close range, but in the windowless tower you can look over all the borders (in idea anyhow) and see of any problems in case of a siege of Hydlaa. Other than that it makes for a great tourist attraction (for the brave ones to go there) as well in peacetime. "Come one, come all and see Hadlaa spread before thee". Above all it's just a nice place to get some peace and quiet to meditate.
-
for now let us go with lordaliegh's verson, the typo is fixed ;) this and other developments as the cone turns.
-
StoneWeilder sonuds still better than HammerBreaker ;D
-
In addition to UtMs proposals, I have two more possible reasons:
1) Study the crystal. Hydlaa is as near to the center, and thus to the crystal, as one can possibly get without flying. Building a tower to study the crystal more easily seems plausible if we are only looking to eliminate surrounding light sources and possibly also surrounding magical effects that one would have in the streets, while at the same time not being in the wilderness (not in danger and possibly comfy) and in close range to the institutions supporting the research.
The tower isn't very high compared to the distance to the crystal (20km according to the geography book), so there's not much benefit gained from the additional proximity, though.
2) Warning fire / relay. The first level is the only one that has access to the stone labyrinths (via the bronze doors), so all danger must pass through it. One can also see from one corner of the level to the other, but that certainly depends on weather. It therefore makes sense that the fortresses that guard the bronze doors light an alarm fire when there is an attack, and the Hydlaa tower relays that alarm so not only all fortresses, but also all settlements are informed, even those with no direct line of sight to any given fortress.
Edit:this and other developments as the cone turns.
Does that mean the Yliaki know that the planet they live in turns? Or is there some mechanism that turns the stalactite, like in The Cube?