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A great spire stretched high into the sky, reaching far above the clouds.

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The spire exuded warmth and life, surrounding itself with the most fertile of lands within thousands of miles.

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Many civilizations found home in these lands, reaping the benefits of the rich soil that surrounded the spire.

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Eventually, two civilizations rose above the rest. Taking residence in the mountainous region to the north was the Iron Dynasty, which boasted the greatest military of the land — referred to as the Ironclads — and was the center of industrial advancement.

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Taking residence in the foglands to the south was the Serpentine Empire, a massive tribe that placed a heavy emphasis on tradition and religion.

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For decades the two civilizations never once sought to expand their territories, as they had all they needed within their lands.

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One day, however, a great quaking came from the spire and rattled the earth. When the dust had settled, a strange light was seen pouring out of the spire.

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It had opened.

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A team of investigators from the Iron Dynasty were sent to investigate, led by the famous scientist Ranwid. When they returned, they reported that there was an entirely separate ecosystem unique to the spire.

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The creatures there were strange — some would even hover off the ground — but they seemed harmless nevertheless.

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Word of this strange environment spread quickly, and it soon had the interest of Kublai the Great, the ruler of the Iron Dynasty. Handing over leadership to his eldest son, Belmoud, Kublai gathered a large mass of citizens and Ironclad warriors with the intent of colonizing the spire.

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The Serpentine Empire only sent a small group, however. Zoroth, a retired huntress and revered philosopher, grew fascinated by the potential insights into life that could be gleaned from within the spire, and so journeyed there with her students and followers.

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Civilization within the spire thrived, making use of the plethora of unique resources found only within the spire. Kublai founded a new kingdom and built a great city that spanned across all but the upper third of the spire.

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Within the midsection of the spire, a very curious strand of crystal was discovered by Ranwid. This crystal was observed to produce incredible amounts of power. Through this discovery, the spire was plunged into a new technological era.

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With these crystals, engineers were able to power everything from coffee machines to massive cranes. However, the most impressive creations to come from this era were the automatons, often used for construction and protection.

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While Kublai’s kingdom was establishing itself in the lower parts of the spire, the members of the Serpentine Empire were exploring and studying the upper floors.

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Everything here could only be described as mind boggling. Bizarre formations stretched up and down, geometric creatures floated around, but what perplexed them the most was the constant beating they felt.

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Eventually the source of the beating was found — a massive door on the highest floor of the spire.

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As the door was opened, they were met with something that irreversibly changed the fate of the spire.

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What lay before them was none other than a massive, throbbing heart, surrounded by sickly black tendrils.

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And the heart attacked.

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