Spires

Teleportation between 2 spires on the path to the destination.

The Spires play a prominent role in the game's narrative, and also serve as the location for the player's base. While exploring the the Tiers the player has the opportunity to gain access to several of these Spires.

Claiming a spire unlocks several gameplay benefits, amongst them: reduced travel time, spire upgrades and hiring recruits.

Reduced travel time

There are a total of 5 spire the player can claim during the game. Each Spire is magically linked with the others. Once activated, it is possible to teleport between any other claimed spires, reducing total travel time through the Tiers. The act of teleportation is done automatically if there are any spires "shortcutting" the player's path to the desired destination.

The 5 different spires and their locations are:

• Mountain Spire - Vendrien's Well.
• Aurora Spire - Stone Sea.
• Dawning Spire - Stone Sea.
• Ocean Spire - Blade Grave.
• Sunset Spire - Lethian's Crossing.

Spire upgrades

Spire upgrade options.

Once a spire has been acquired, it is possible to build an upgrade on top of it. There are four possible upgrades the player can build. Each upgrade provides different benefits to the party and can only be built once (note: upgrades cannot be removed to be replaced with others).

The different upgrades and their purposes are:

• Mysterious Device - The ancient device, perched atop the Mountain Spire in Vendrien's Well, is the product of a forgotten age. It is unclear what function it once had, or if it can be used again.
• Forge - The Forge upgrade allows you to improve weapons and armor and forge powerful new items.
• Infirmary - The Infirmary allows you to brew potions and other consumables.
• Library - Constructing a Library on a spire allows the player to research magical knowledge, Edicts, and Artifacts.
• Training Grounds - Constructing training grounds allows you to recruit the finest skill trainers in the Tiers.

Note: The Mysterious Device is already built, but listed here for convenience.

Construction & Maintenance

Once an upgrade has been constructed, it has a monthly maintenance cost to remain active for the following month. If the player doesn't have the money for the maintenance cost, then the upgrade is suspended along with any benefits the it provides until payment can resume.

• Construction cost: 10.
• Maintenance cost: 2 50.

Note: The Mysterious Device is the only one not requiring construction and thus no maintenance cost.

Resting bonus

Among the different benefits spire upgrades provide are different rest bonuses. The bonuses are applied to the party by resting in a spire (regardless of the spire they rested in). The actual received bonuses depend on which upgrades were built and are presently maintained.

Each upgrade provides +5 to certain skills as described in the table below (Note: as opposed to the other skills, Armor gains only +1 resting bonus).

Upgrade	Mysterious Device	Forge	Infirmary	Library	Training Grounds
Resting bonus	all skills	Armor Dodge Parry	Endurance defense Magic defense Will defense	all Magic skills Lore	Accuracy Athletics Subterfuge

Resources and Projects

The player can choose to start different projects depending on the spire upgrade, be it forging of new weapons, researching new crafting recipes, or even ways to counter edicts. These can't start without having the required resources on hand and a certain number of recruits currently present in the spire.

Any spire required resources can be found in the spire tab in the player's inventory. These range from general items such as metal ingots to artifact recipes/parts. They can be found throughout the game and can only be used in the different spire upgrades. General spire resources can be also gained by specific item generating recruits in each upgrade.

Any project started on the spires - or even item generating recruits - won't progress unless some time has passed and/or experience been gained by the player.

The general spire resources and their uses are:

• Alchemy supplies - used for brewing potions.
• Bronze ingots - used for upgrading armor and weapons.
• Hides - used for upgrading armor.
• Iron ingots - used for upgrading armor and weapons.
• Scrolls - used for Library research.

Recruits

Once an upgrade has been built on top of a spire, it is possible to begin hiring recruits to work at that upgrade. Recruits provide several functions for the party: they can train party members in skills, they can sell unique weapons and armor, and they can produce new items for the party while they're out adventuring.

Recruits can come from many different factions in the game, including from enemies. With the right price, some members of factions that hate the player are more than willing to work at the player's spires. Some recruits are only available depending on what certain choices were made during Conquest mode.

Mysterious Device

Recruit	Cost	Type	Services provided	Notes
Corpse Eye	20	Merchant	Sells weapons and armor
Isolon	20	Skill trainer (75)	Athletics One-Handed Weapons Parry
Kenrick	25	Item generation	Generates weapons
Lone-Fang	25	Item generation	Generates consumables (food)	Consumables provide temporary boost to skills
Lysandra	5	Skill trainer (75)	Control Atrophy Control Gravelight Control Life Control Vigor Magic Staff	Available thorough Conquest decision
Revos	10	Item generation Merchant	Generates camping supplies Sells general items	Camping supplies are required for resting
Saetus	10	Skill trainer (75)	Dodge Parry Subterfuge Unarmed Attacks
Sword-Breaker	5	Skill trainer (75)	Athletics Dodge Thrown Weapons Two-Handed Weapons
Tanara	7 50	Skill trainer (75)	Dodge One-Handed Weapons Parry Thrown Weapons Two-Handed Weapons
Tychon the Swindler	20	Item generation	Generates "valuable" items	Provides information from time to time Available thorough Conquest decision

Forge

Recruit	Cost	Type	Services provided	Notes
Mire	25	Skill trainer (150)	Control Atrophy Control Fire	Available thorough Conquest decision
Nikostas	10	Skill trainer (75)	Control Fire Control Frost Control Lightning Control Vigor
Pelagus	25	Skill trainer (150)	Control Atrophy Control Stone Control Vigor
Praxis, Master of Smelting	25	Item generation	Generates iron ingots	Ingots are required for upgrading armor and weapons
Ragus	20	Merchant	Sells light armor
Temerin	20	Merchant	Sells armor and weapons
Thantos, Master of Brazing	20	Item generation	Generates bronze ingots	Ingots are required for upgrading armor and weapons
Vollus, Master of Smiths		Item generation	Conducts requested forging	Appears with the spire upgrade
Vora	10	Merchant	Sells heavy armor

Infirmary

Recruit	Cost	Type	Services provided	Notes
Alchemist Ambro		Item generation	Conducts requested brewing	Appears with the spire upgrade
Arasto	10	Merchant	Sells alchemy items
Arina	10	Item generation	Generates rare potions
Bleak Anthem	10	Skill trainer (75)	Control Emotions Control Life Magic Staff
Damiro	10	Item generation	Generates alchemy supplies	Alchemy supplies are required for brewing potions
Enebrus	25	Item generation	Generates potions
Gela	10	Merchant	Sells potions
Nereus	20	Merchant	Sells poisons
Sage Eupheria	20	Skill trainer (150)	Control Life Lore Magic Staff	Available thorough Conquest decision

Library

Recruit	Cost	Type	Services provided	Notes
Eirena	10	Merchant	Sells magical items
Erastus	25	Skill trainer (150)	Control Force Control Stone Magic Staff
Lithos	12 50	Skill trainer (75)	Control Atrophy Control Force Control Stone
Noxia	15	Skill trainer (75)	Magic Staff Subterfuge
Phila	10	Skill trainer (75)	Control Fire Control Frost Control Lightning Lore
Puppet	25	Skill trainer (150)	Control Emotions Control Fire
Sage Garus		Researcher	Conducts requested research	Appears with the spire upgrade
Sage Nerea	25	Skill trainer (150)	Control Gravelight Control Illusions	Available thorough Conquest decision
Velos	10	Item generation	Generates scrolls	Scrolls are required for Library research

Training Grounds

Recruit	Cost	Type	Services provided	Notes
Death-Leaper	25	Skill trainer (150)	Athletics Dodge Unarmed Attacks
Dream Slayer	10	Skill trainer (150)	Bows Dual Wield Subterfuge
Jagged-Claw	7 50	Item generation	Generates hides	Hides are required for upgrading armor Available thorough Conquest decision
Rhys		Skill trainer (50)	Athletics Dodge Lore Parry Subterfuge	Appears with the spire upgrade
Sage Lumosa	20	Skill trainer (150)	Control Force Control Frost Control Illusions Control Lightning
Scar Fist	20	Skill trainer (150)	Athletics Bows Control Vigor Unarmed Attacks
Selina	10	Skill trainer (150)	One-Handed Weapons Thrown Weapons Two-Handed Weapons
Thalla	25	Skill trainer (150)	One-Handed Weapons Parry Thrown Weapons
Torvus	20	Skill trainer (150)	Parry Thrown Weapons Two-Handed Weapons
Verus	20	Item generation	Generates hides	Hides are required for upgrading armor

References

Game concepts