On a granite outcrop jutting from the plains near Iceholt, in the lands to the east of the Iron Mountains, lies the Tower of Noon, the waystation to the Long Strait. In times long ago, goliath pilgrims would occasionally leave their sheltered lands in the Valley of Endon to travel out into the wider world.
The Tower of Noon is an imposing and melancholic landmark, a remnant of a grander era. Perched on a rugged granite outcrop east of the Iron Mountains, near Iceholt, it once served as a vital waypoint for goliath pilgrims departing the sheltered Valley of Endon. These travelers, driven by the call of wanderlust, duty, or devotion to the Elder Giants, would pass through the Tower on their way to the Long Strait, marking their transition from the familiar to the unknown.
Now weathered by centuries of disuse and conflict, the Tower of Noon is a ruin, its walls broken and its stories eroded. Yet, for those who visit, its presence remains a testament to goliath ingenuity and their enduring connection to their heritage.
On entering the Tower of Noon
"The centuries weigh heavy in this ancient structure: the curved walls, built of stone blocks fitted together tight enough that the cracks almost disappear, once bore murals and carvings telling the history of the giants. Now, the weather has scattered soil and debris through the caverous interior, and worn away at the stone."
Now, the Tower of Noon is a ruin.
It has been centuries since a local tumult between a roosting dragon and the army of the nearby city-states tore the walls of the Tower apart and laid waste to the interior. The hard defenses have been cracked like an egg, and the once-proud carvings on the inside, telling the history of the giants and the goliaths, have been lost to the passage of time.
An Intact Celestivere
One of the Tower's most remarkable features is its celestivere, a massive bronze wedge embedded into the Tower’s interior that reflects the sky above with uncanny clarity.
Despite the Tower’s ruined state, this celestivere remains almost entirely intact—a rarity outside the goliath homelands of Endon. Its polished surface still gleams with the stars' reflections on clear nights, offering scholars and adventurers a glimpse into the wonders of an ancient and mystical world.
Succour for the Exiles
Occasionally in goliath society, some small group – as in any society – decides that the extensive traditions and history of their people is in urgent need of reevalution. These upstarts generally gather a small group and turn their feet down into the greener lands beneath the mountains.
In goliath society, these few who reject their culture are made outcast, too proud to beg to return. Unlike those who leave for specific purposes, such as pillgrims or questers, these outcasts are not welcome to return, and wander the lowlands for the rest of their days.
One such band has made its camp in the shelter of the Tower of Noon. They are mercenaries and hunters, longing to return to the families and friends that they left in the mountains near Agduvar.
The Worn History
Stepping inside the Tower of Noon is to step into history itself. The structure’s curved stone walls were once adorned with intricate carvings and murals, depicting the rise of the Elder Giants and the founding of the Himminin’s paths. Time and weather, however, have eroded these depictions into faint whispers of their former grandeur.
Debris and soil have crept into the Tower’s cavernous interior, blending the natural decay with the remnants of civilization. Though much of its history is lost, fragments of carved script and symbols still endure, hinting at the Tower's former glory and the deep connections between the goliaths and their giant ancestors. For adventurers and historians, these remnants offer tantalizing clues about a bygone age.