One of the best parts about building a fantasy world is thinking of what type of buildings to sprinkle throughout its lands. While castles may dominate certain regions, specific structures do the same for where they’re found. Like their brethren, fantasy towers stand tall over the landscape as if lording over all.
Fantasy towers are found pretty much anywhere, from the mountain peaks to the depths of the forest. They command attention from afar and are a sight to behold, especially for those seeing one for the first time. However, it would be most unwise to assume they are merely ordinary buildings, for they are anything but.
One common denominator among all towers is how high they are. Some may be half as tall as a mountain whereas others seem like they’re reaching towards the heavens. This indomitable aspect makes them appear foreboding which can lead to some people wanting to stay as far away as they possibly can.
Only those with great will and fortitude can claim lordship over fantasy towers. These places are not for the faint of heart. People like wizards, dark lords, monarchs, and nobility call these fabled structures home.
When it comes to worldbuilding, towers play several key roles. The role one plays is entirely dependent on its location. Some serve as fortified strongholds whereas others are gateways between realms. In many cases, these roles overlap, thereby giving them a major advantage over many other types of buildings.
This is article number two in the types of fantasy buildings series. For more articles, take a gander at our blog page. Perhaps you’ll stumble across something that catches your eye!
Whenever people think of fantasy towers, the first thing that comes to mind is how tall they are. Indeed, many famous structures across the genre like Orthanc and Barad-Dur are representative of their height. These colossal objects dominate the area they’re found in and are a major point of interest.
Fantasy towers come in a variety of heights. While some are as tall as castles, others are in a whole class by themselves. These ones in this class are so high it looks like they’re practically touching the heavens. Imagine how long it took to make them!
Their massive height more than compensates for how narrow they are, especially when compared to castles. To support such heavy weight, tough and durable building materials such as stone and rock are used. These materials also enable these structures to withstand the passage of time, weather, and wind so they last for an awfully long time.
What kind of design do you expect to see at the top? Some towers use a spire design and others go with simply a flat top. Several ones feature a battlement that goes all the way around, thereby letting soldiers survey the area from a vantage point, keeping an eye out for any potential threats and unwanted guests.
These seemingly impregnable structures are found in many different areas of a fantasy world. Many times, they’re in the land where the villain resides, serving as his base of operations as he schemes to subjugate the world. However, you see them in the desert, jungles, islands, and so on.
Though they may be tall, fantasy towers have different appearances, depending on where they’re found. For instance, one found in a winter wonderland may be blue-white to match whereas one in a volcanic region might be a fusion of both red and black. This enables fantasy writers to think of interesting color schemes that enable them to stand out.
Towers, much like castles, are a symbol of power. As such, only those who wield great power are capable of owning them. This applies to both sides in the eternal war between good and evil and whoever controls them winds up playing a fairly significant role in said war. The decisions these exalted figures make can alter the trajectory of the world, for good or bad.
With how much power they have, it’s no surprise that monarchs are a natural fit to call towers home. Indeed, they have multiple castles and palaces they own and towers are no exception. They do exactly what they do in the other buildings, hold meetings with their group of advisers and make decisions that affect not just those living nearby, but the kingdom as a whole.
Only powerful lords and ladies who possess an unbreakable will can live in fantasy towers. Though they may not own them outright, they were granted the honor of residing in them by the monarch due to their service to the realm. They’re duly expected to follow the king’s wishes though they have a wide latitude to do what they want, as long as it doesn’t conflict with that of the monarch.
Wizards are known to dwell in towers, especially those off the beaten path. They do so to for a myriad of reasons like being able to study the arcane arts or keep their eyes open for signs their enemy is gaining strength. Furthermore, they have ways of communicating with one another that most people are unaware of and they choose to keep these methods private.
Dark lords living in towers is a staple in fantasy. They’re especially fond of those found in lands where no mortal man would dare venture to. These villains primarily use them as their base of operations where they work to bring their dreams of conquering the world to fruition by recruiting and raising armies, diving ever steeper into the dark arts, and so on. The towers controlled by the dark lords are fortified to the hilt; attacking one will prove to be costly.
Due to the number of landscapes fantasy towers are found in, they have a role to play in the world. Additionally, while some only have one specific role to play, a good amount of towers have the potential to play more one in the world. This trait is shared with castles.
The majority of towers are considered military outposts. As such, they’re located in areas strategically valuable to the realm. A garrison of soldiers patrol the area and watch for signs of trouble. The soldiers reside in the barracks which is just adjacent to the tower. They send regular updates to the capital and wait for orders.
In times of war, fantasy towers play a prominent role. Their strategic value to the kingdom makes them a prime target to be attacked like castles. As such, they have entire armies stationed to protect them. Towers are also used as a launching pad for armies to march forth towards their destination.
Those who dwell within towers use them as their base of operations. Since they’re located far from the major cities of the country, they constantly receive news about the latest happenings in both the realm and distant lands and to coordinate with the locals about whatever issues are affecting them so they can resolve them. Also, they communicate with the king or other significant people using a means unknown to the public at large. This method of communication is used only in urgent situations.
Another role fantasy towers play is to act as the gateway to the realm. Found on the border, they funnel traffic going through and act as a check to ensure that nothing is getting in and out that shouldn’t be. Those caught with stolen goods or criminals fleeing the kingdom are apprehended and placed under custody until they can be transferred to the location where they’re wanted.
Fantasy towers are one of the most interesting types of buildings. Their colossal height masks their versatility since they can be placed in just about anywhere on land. Yet, each one brings something to the table that the others don’t.
Their height is the one singular aspect that enables towers to stand out among all buildings. Though they may vary in tallness, whenever you see one, you immediately recognize it’s a tower. They’re found across a wide spectrum of biomes, from the swamp to the desert. Some stand in stark contrast to their environment whereas others reflect their surroundings. There’s no shortage of coming up with great design ideas!
People with great renown reside in these behemoth. People such as monarchs and powerful lords hold sway over all in towers as they hold meetings and formulate policies that affect many people’s lives. They can be used by sinister people and serve as the base of operations for the villain as he endeavors to destroy the world.
When it comes to worldbuilding, fantasy towers have a role to play. Or rather, you can have them serve more than one if you like. Depending on where they’re located, they can be a military outpost or gateway to the realm. You can have fun determining those roles for yourself!
You can’t go wrong with integrating fantasy towers to your world and story since they are among the most versatile type of buildings you can use, so what are you waiting for?
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