Pyroc Tower (Landmark)

Location: Any City

The Pyroc Tower is a clock tower built by a wealthy benefactor of the city many decades ago: A man known as Pyroc. The tower is a source of pride for the city’s residents, and is well known in the surrounding area. The clock housed within the tower is a masterpiece of mechanical engineering, powered by a bound fire elemental.

Physical Description

The Pyroc Tower is part of a larger estate on the edge of the river, constructed as the tower on the south-east corner of the walls. It is constructed from grey stone brick, and reaches to a height of 150 feet. At the top of the tower is a metal spire topped by a weathervane. The clock is located about ¾ of the way up the tower, with a silver face 15 foot in diameter and ornately decorated golden hands. A bell tolls each hour, and can be heard all across the city.

The interior of the tower can be accessed only from inside the estate via a large bronze door. It is mostly dark inside, the main light source coming from a glowing red crystal suspended in the center of a huge mechanism of gears, cogs, and pistons. It is very hot inside the tower, and touching any of the machinery will cause burns.

History

Construction began on the Pyroc Tower 70 years ago and was funded by Pyroc, a wealthy benefactor to the city. It was constructed as a part of his estate in the center of the city. Not much is known about Pyroc’s personal life, but his donations built much of the city. Even today there are streets, schools, orphanages, and even a wing of the courthouse that bear his name. He is said to have died only a few years after the tower was completed. Over the past 70 years the Pyroc Tower has become a symbol of the city.

The Bound Elemental

The tower’s clock is run by large machinery housed within the tower, powered by a crystal containing a bound fire elemental. The elemental was bound in a ritual as part of the creation of the tower, very similar to the manner in which golems are constructed. Over the past few months, however, the machinery inside the tower has begun to run far hotter than usual. There are even rumours that some of the workers inside the tower have burnt to death after spontaneously bursting into flames.

The magic binding the flame elemental to the tower is weakening, and if it manages to break out it could burn half the city to the ground. City officials are willing to pay a large sum of money to any adventurers who are able to find a solution, whatever that may be.

Some Possible Solutions:

The crystal that holds the elemental is a fire crystal, sourced from the elemental plane of fire itself, and is weakening with age. If a new crystal could be sourced then the elemental could be transferred, once again safely bound to the tower. A new crystal could be brought forth from the plane of fire, recovered from a dragon’s hoard, or rewarded by a collector in exchange for a favour.

A ritual needs to be completed to rebind the elemental to the crystal which holds it. The city has wizards able to complete the ritual, but while it is being performed the elemental will be free. They need a group able to ensure it doesn’t escape the tower, and protect the wizards while the ritual is performed, all without killing the elemental.