Finrad's Magnificent Tower is a stark monolith located outside Alchester, rising from the midst of what locals call the Whispering Woods. The structure is a perfect cylinder of seamless obsidian-hued stone, reaching approximately one hundred and seven feet into the sky and measuring forty feet in diameter.
Most peculiar is the tower's complete lack of external windows or openings save for a single door of strange metal—neither iron nor steel, but a dull greenish-black alloy that resists rust and wear. This door bears no visible hinges, lock, or handle, not even a keyhole, rendering conventional entry seemingly impossible. The smooth metal surface is etched with geometric patterns that shift subtly when viewed from different angles or under different lighting conditions.
The area immediately surrounding the tower spans roughly one hundred feet in all directions and remains perpetually barren—no grass, weeds, or even insects venture into this circle. The dirt is unnaturally fine and dry, almost powdery, regardless of weather conditions. Many who approach the tower report a sensation of being watched and a subtle pressure against their eardrums that increases as they near the structure.
At night, the tower exhibits its most unnerving quality: stars visible elsewhere in the sky seem to vanish behind it, creating a vertical void in the night sky extending well beyond its physical height. During specific astronomical alignments, particularly during the summer solstice and winter equinox, witnesses have reported seeing faint, pulsing lights emanating from the tower's crenelated top, casting eerie shadows that seem to move independently of their source.
Since Finrad's death over a hundred years ago, few have gained entry to the tower, and even fewer have returned to tell the tale. The wizard, paranoid in his final years, converted his home into a deadly gauntlet of traps and magical defenses explicitly designed to prevent intruders from accessing his work and possessions after his passing.
Those rare individuals who have bypassed the doorless entry (through means unknown or whispered of only in secretive circles) describe an interior that defies the tower's external dimensions and is riddled with deadly mechanisms. The entry chamber itself contains pressure plates that, when triggered, release blasts of elemental energy. Corridors with walls that suddenly close in or floors that drop away into seemingly bottomless pits. Rooms fill with poisonous gas when specific objects are disturbed. Animated constructs patrol certain chambers, attacking any unrecognized visitors. Mirrors cast illusions designed to lure intruders into traps. Magical wards trigger various effects from temporary paralysis to mind-altering enchantments. And the list goes on. It should be noted that none of these have been corroborated.
Beyond these deadly obstacles, the tower reportedly contains a grand library spanning three floors, its shelves filled with books in languages lost to modern scholarship; an alchemy laboratory with equipment of bizarre design and materials unknown to current artisans; a chamber that appears to be a perfect observatory, despite the tower having no external windows; a room where gravity seems to function differently, allowing visitors to walk on walls and ceilings; several chambers where time passes at different rates than the outside world; a central spiral staircase that seems to extend both higher and deeper than the tower's external dimensions would allow; and, most disturbing are accounts of rooms that appear and disappear, corridors that lead to different destinations depending on the time of day, and spaces that seem to respond to the thoughts and fears of those who enter them. Finrad's Magnificent Tower truly is magnificent and bizarre.
Finrad's origins remain shrouded in mystery. Historical records from Alchester refer to him first appearing approximately four hundred years ago, already an accomplished wizard of seemingly advanced age. He purchased the land where the tower now stands from the then-Duke of Alchester for an unusual payment: a single glass vial containing what appeared to be liquid starlight.
Numerous conflicting accounts exist regarding the tower's construction. The most credible historical documents suggest the tower appeared literally overnight following a strange astronomical event described as "the night of falling stars," when hundreds of meteors streaked across the sky. Local peasants reported hearing a sustained, low humming sound throughout that night, and by morning, the tower stood complete as it appears today.
For nearly a century, Finrad lived as a recluse in his tower, emerging only occasionally to purchase supplies or, more rarely, to consult with other wizards or scholars. His appearances grew increasingly erratic and disturbing over time, with witnesses noting physical changes that defied natural aging—his eyes gradually changing color from brown to violet, his shadow sometimes moving independently of his body, and his voice developing harmonics that caused listeners physical discomfort.
The epithet "mad" became attached to Finrad's name following an incident at the Alchester Midsummer Festival approximately three hundred years ago. After being mockingly challenged by a drunken nobleman to demonstrate his powers, Finrad reportedly caused the nobleman to rapidly age decades in moments, then reverse to childhood, then return to his proper age—all while the victim remained conscious and screaming. When the Duke's guards attempted to intervene, Finrad vanished in a flash of indigo light, leaving behind only a faint smell of ozone and burnt sugar.
In his final decades, Finrad descended further into paranoia and isolation. The few messengers or traders who communicated with him reported increasing eccentricity. He began constructing elaborate defensive mechanisms throughout his tower, often speaking of "them" watching him and of forces from "beyond the stars" that sought his knowledge.
Finrad died approximately one hundred and fifteen years ago, though the precise manner of his death remains unknown. Some theorize he perished due to a magical experiment gone wrong, while others believe he was consumed by the very defenses he created. A particularly persistent rumor suggests he didn't die at all but transformed himself into some other state of being.
What is known with certainty is that shortly after what is presumed to be his death, a series of magical tremors emanated from the tower over a period of seven days. Witnesses described hearing agonized wailing carried on the wind, and strange lights flickered in patterns through the crenellations at the tower's top. When these phenomena ceased, the tower fell silent, and Finrad was never seen again.
In the years following his presumed death, several ambitious wizards and treasure hunters attempted to enter the tower, drawn by rumors of Finrad's vast magical knowledge and artifacts. Most never returned. Those few who escaped did so grievously injured, speaking of horrific traps and guardian constructs that seemed to anticipate their every move.
The tower is a nexus of magical energy, situated at the intersection of several ley lines that run deep beneath the earth. These confluent energies manifest in numerous ways, including compass needles spinning erratically within half a mile of the tower, magic-sensitive individuals experiencing amplified abilities near the tower but often struggle to control them, spells cast within the tower's vicinity often produce unpredictable effects or greater potency than intended, and plants harvested from the Whispering Woods surrounding the tower (but outside its barren circle) exhibit enhanced alchemical properties. Animals avoid the area entirely, while magical creatures are occasionally drawn to it.
The most significant magical anomaly associated with the tower is its apparent relationship with the stars. Astronomical observations made from within the tower reportedly reveal constellations and celestial bodies not visible from anywhere else on the planet. Some scholars theorize that Finrad's tower is a window or portal to other realms or planes of existence, particularly those associated with celestial or abyssal powers.
Today, Finrad's Magnificent Tower stands abandoned but not dormant. Despite centuries of exposure to the elements, the structure shows no signs of deterioration. The Academy of Arcane Studies in Alchester maintains a small research outpost at a "safe" distance of one mile from the tower, where scholars observe and document the tower's mysterious properties while discouraging adventurers from approaching.
Most locals avoid the tower entirely, taking considerable detours rather than passing within sight of it. Parents warn children against venturing near it, and many make protective gestures when the tower is mentioned in conversation.
Periodically, strange phenomena emanate from the tower—nights when the stars above it swirl in impossible patterns, days when shadowy figures appear to walk the barren circle around it before vanishing, or mornings when the tower's doorless entry briefly shimmers with arcane energy before solidifying once more.
Despite numerous expeditions over the centuries, the tower's inner chambers remain largely unexplored, and Finrad's ultimate fate remains unknown. What is certain is that the tower continues to exert its influence on the surrounding land, its mysteries as intact today as they were when the mad wizard last walked its halls.