Tower of Fang
The Tower of Fang is the penacle of black-magic education on the continent. This institution is said to produce some of the most powerful sorcerers on the continent, and is an ominous shadow in Orphen's past.
It's worth noting that the term 'Tower of Fang' can have several meanings. Though it originated from the conical shape of the World Map Tower it is also used interchangeably with Taphrem city as a whole. The primary meaning refers also to the training facilities.
Location: Taphrem City
Magic Category: Black Magic School
Alternative Names:
- Black Magic Guild (Anime)
Known Teachers:
- Childman Powderfield
- Whurl Karlen (Assassin Teacher)
Known Students:
- Azalie Cat-sithe
- Korgon "Ed"
- Forte
- Hartia
- Comicron
- Leticia McCready
- Orphen Finrandi
Structure:
Floor 1: Warehouse
Floor 2: Executive Offices (Entrance)
Floor 3: Storage
Floor 4: Training Room
Floors 5: Whurl Classroom, Classrooms, Laborities, Etc.
Top Floor: Highest Executive Department (Elders)
* The 2nd floor, as the entrance, is considered the '1st' floor by most. This means in many scenes, the floor referred to is referred to as 1 floor less than it actually is. For example, the training room would be the technical 4th floor, but is referred to as the 3rd.
Appearance
Tower
The Tower of Fang's appearance varies dramatically from media to media. We'll start with the books, in which the Tower is actually a hooked arc, said to be shaped like a fang itself. It is close to a relatively large city, and in instances of emergency, the cities civilians retreat to the Tower of Fang for sanctuary.
Construction and Grounds
Location
The Tower of Fang, or rather, the complex referred to as the Tower of Fang, is located several hours away from the city by foot. It's accessed through a road leading up into the mountains, in dense forest. Near the entrance is a citadel with ochre brick, and the complex is accessed through a single entrance with a steel gate. Though the complex admits second-class citizens, those with no criminal history, donations above a certain amount, and some degree of fame, any sorcerer can simply speak to the guards to gain entry.
Outward Appearance
The Tower complex appears to be more of a fortress than a Tower, earning its name from the World Map Tower. There are high outer walls surrounding the complex. The Tower has only a single entrance located on the second floor (though still referred to as the first), which is accessed through a 5 meter wide staircase. This is referred to as the main gate. There's no emergency exit, as any sorcerer could just jump out of any window and use sorcery to break their flal. Inside each corner is a tall tower, for a total of four in all, with the interior of the wall spacious enough to hide an entire army. The windows are small and mostly on the upper levels. The entire complex, including the 9-story high-rise buildings are made of large compressed bricks.
Inward Appearance
The inside of the Tower consists of a few messy corridors. Each floor has the exact same blueprint, with dozens of rooms on each floor. The room closest to the stairs of each floor serves as a break room or sometimes a waiting room. Typical furnishings include wooden couches, coffee makers and tables, and clocks, all poorly maintained. The first floor is dedicated to executive offices, with rooms for reception, administration, and so on. The actual Executive Department, however, occupies the top floor, leading to a ton of miscommunication. The second floor is used for storage, designed to cushion vibrations and noise coming from the third-floor training rooms. Both the first and second floor have extremely high security, with numerous alarms and security systems designed in an intentionally complex manner, preventing them from being unlocked via sorcery. The remaining floors are dedicated to classrooms, laboratories, etc.
Rooms And Floors
Rooms are very sparce, often decorated with rusted metal window frames - if they have a window at all, a bed, and necessary furniture only. Usually just enough to place your clothes, with few personal belongings decorating them. From the outside, there is no first floor entrance. Instead there's a 5 meter wide staircase leading up to the entrance on the second floor. In spite of this, people still refer to it as the 'first floor' with the actual first floor being used as an underground warehouse, in such a poor state it's regarded as more of a junk yard. Next to the entrance is the security office.
The third floor is a dedicated training area, with a few small benches and as large as a gymnasium. The floors and walls are made of synthetic wood boards placed over the original structure, and all training supplies is supposed to be placed in the storage room at the end of the day.
Community Cemetary
A community cemetary is located near the Tower at the top of a hill. It's said to always seem to have an open grave, which is alarming when you consider that competition between students can easily become deadly.
Student Dormitories
The student dormitory is located in a separate building outside of campus, and mainly accessed through the service door, which happens to lead out through the community cemetary.
Hierarchy
Executive Committee (The Elders)
The Tower of Fang is run majoritively through the Executive Committie, with the members of this group being known in the Tower as 'Elders.' They hold the exclusive right to issue orders to the classrooms, and to punish them. As such, any fight between classes is unconditionally deemed to be treason. These individuals mostly consist of elderly sorcerers and call most of the shots, however, it has been thought for a long time that the Tower's true leadership comes in the form of Childman Powderfield's influence. Once Childman disappeared, the stability of the Tower's upper management quickly began to fall apart. When the assassinations began, Elders started to be escorted by guards, which turned out to be of little help.
That aside, the Tower has always prided its reputation above all else. The Elders are said to view everything through this lense of scrutiny, and won't tolerate stains on the Tower's reputation. They're rumored to fear above all else the loss of the Tower's authority. Status-wise, almost all elders also own properties in Taphrem, as it's just more convenient to live in the city. This is considered a status symbol to most Tower citizens. The Tower was estimated to have roughly 30 Elders prior to the assassinations.
Certain tasks require the sign off of multiple members of the Executive Committee, such as when items were stolen from the Tower by a former researcher. At the time, it'd still been managed by the aristocracy, so the theft was denied until 3 years later, when it officially became the property of the Tower of Fang. At which point they finally admitted that it had happened, but required 12 members of the committee to sign off on it for the case to be closed. They're also responsible for general affairs and office work.
Masters (Teachers)
Within the Tower, Masters / Teachers demand a high degree of respect. They run their classes through all manner of training, from basic education to sorcery composition to militant combat training. This respect runs so deep that students will fight and die for their class, if so commanded by their Master, even if it's over unsavory motivations, such as making a power play within the Tower itself. Many teachers prefer to start training students when they're fairly young, to get the most out of their training, some even taking in students who were born at the Tower facilities.
Childman Class: The Childman Class consisted of seven young and gifted sorcerers chosen to learn skills from their master, Childman Powderfield. Each student learned a different skill, as it was considered impossible for one student to master all of Childman's abilities. This class was more or less disbanded after the teacher's disappearance.
Whurl Class: The one class that focuses on training assassins. The Whurl Class is feared among other students and staff of the Tower of Fang, generally considered untrustworthy and problematic. The students, which can range from a minimum of 10 to dozens, all answer to their master, Whurl Karlen. This class was captured and the group dismantled after they turned against the Tower of Fang and began attacking and killing other sorcerers.
Senior Sorcerers
Senior Sorcerers are those who are age 15 or up, who have become top of their class, or those who have reached a rank higher than Master. The rank is also rarely, but on occasion given to sorcerers who have achieved something incredible via magic outside of the Tower. They're ranked just below Masters, and enjoy certain priviledges. For example, the Tower of Fang is located several hours by foot from the city, or two hours by horse-drawn carriage. A senior sorcerer can call ahead of time, however, and have a carriage arranged by the city.
Security Department
The Security Department controls Tower security, not just within the facility but also patrolling the grounds. However, it's well known to students that patrols are rather lax after midnight, and that it's their best opportunity to sneak out. Nevertheless, typically, all comings and goings of sorcerers from the Tower of Fang are recorded. The department is divided into two groups, which students refer to as 'House Pets' (gatekeepers) or 'Watch Dogs' (indoor security.)
Internal security is, surprisingly, seen as the more senior position. However, while the gatekeepers have a lot of manpower, internal security doesn't. It consists instead of a few elites. In fact, personnel shortages were a chronic issue, with only four full-time guards being staffed within the Tower. The first security office is right next to the stairs leading into the main entrance, meaning no matter how you try to approach the Tower, you'll be visible to the staff. Though, it only has some lockers and a couple of desks, with 8 hour shifts. A single gas lamp hangs outside of the office. This poor lighting creates a magic mirror effect on the glass of the guard station, sometimes preventing passerbys from being able to see the guard inside.
Gatekeepers are a much more robust force, consisting of over 100 men making up four different teams. They patrol not just the Tower and the main gate, but outside the walls of the complex. Dozens of these soldiers can gather at the drop of a hat, making it nearly impossible for intruders to escape.
Regulations
Uniforms
The Tower of Fang has standardized uniforms depending on the task at hand. The most common of these is a black robe made from a glossy, expensive material, which is awarded to Senior Sorcerers (those who have effectively 'graduated'). This robe denotes a position second only to a teacher, however students are also described as wearing robes, which may imply tonal differences. Tower robes have chains around the neck. Black robes with two silver lines along the edges denotes a teacher. By and large, robes are ceremonial in use, and typically worn during every day activities. They aren't meant to be worn during combat, but in case they have to be, they're slit down the side to allow free movement.
Students who train at the Tower of Fang, and those ranked above them wear the Tower's pendant. This same emblem appears on the metal fittings that pin one's cloak, either at the collar or on the shoulder.
In the anime, there is more variation, with low ranking students having pink robes, teenage students having green robes, and teachers and elders having blue robes. Badges on their robes also denote rank, with elders having different badges than teachers.
Hair Length
Both the books and the anime make reference to regulations on hair length. This would presumeably be the same reasons that soldiers have their hair cut, however some students and teachers seem to fly in the face of these rules.
Enrollment
Almost every child at the Tower of Fang was an orphan. This is largely due to their enrollment methods. Sorcery is a strictly hereditary trait, so in order the source students, the Tower reaches out to orphanages all over Kiesalhima with the help of the Damsel's Orisons. They inquire about available children, how complete their records are, and in particular, if one or both parents had a history of sorcery. The most promising children are brought to the Tower of Fang. As a result, the number of new recruits each year is fairly large. Orphen himself is among those numbers. The trade off of being able to learn from the pinnacle of black magic is that students and teachers alike must obey any and all orders handed down from the Elders.
Entry
Entry into the Tower of Fang is strictly prohibited.
Pendant
Each sorcerer who studies at the Tower of Fang, and graduates on some level receives a pendant. A silver one legged dragon, standing on a sword, with its tail wrapping around the blade. This is proof that whoever wears it is a qualified sorcerer of notable power.
What's not so commonly known is that this isn't just any random dragon. The pendant is based upon the Ouroboros, a monstrous beast that was feared for years. It wasn't just any monster though, it was said to be Keshion, the first Vampire, created from aberrant magic when he failed a spell to summon the god Boli. This resulted in his conversion into a monster, which lead to him slaughtering countless members of the dragon race and becoming feared throughout the continent.
Their awe of this power may have been why Childman modeled the Tower's pendant after him. The sword on which the Ouroboros stands is meant to represent the Aurora Circle, a powerful weapon wielded by Keshion.
Study
The Tower of Fang is regarded as the highest peak of black magic on the continent. Suitably so, as it also houses Childman Powderfield, revered as the most powerful black magic sorcerer on the continent.
The school teaches both physical fighting skills and black magic. Competition is fierce, and although the Tower has thousands of sorcerers (if you count just the students), it's seen to have small class sizes of less than ten members in some cases, such as the Childman Classroom. Students of the same class treat each other like family, yet even if they consider themselves friends, they don't necessarily consider themselves allies. In other words, you can't trust that so-called family, and should only look out for your own advancement within the Tower.
Education Standards:
Mind Set:
All students are expected to learn Mind Set to an extent. Mind Set refers to the ability to maintain one's state of mind under extreme conditions, and by extension, allows a sorcerer to deny the effects of white magic that attempts to manipulate the mind (again, to an extent.) Childman's teachings involved facing your most difficult situations.
Basic Combat Training:
Occasionally basic combat training methods are mentioned. One such method is tying the students hands behind their back while others beat them with wrapped-up sticks. The object is to train the student not to flinch when something's flying at their face. Another important aspect of combat training is to learn to talk while running, as your voice would be vital to using magic in high-stress situations.
Court Sorcerer Program:
Each year, students of the Tower of Fang compete to become the strongest student of the Tower. The most prestigous of them are chosen to join the Thirteen Apostles, where they'll become court sorcerers for the royal kingdom. The competition for this achievement is so fierce that many students in the Tower die during training, and to date, the Tower has provided hundreds of sorcerers to the court.
Standardized Equipment:
Field Weaponry:
People on Kiesalhima don't typically carry weapons during peace times, but agents from the Tower who are sent into the field are usually equipped with spears roughly 2 meters in length as well as a sword.
Combat Uniforms:
The Tower of Fang also provides combat uniforms to its soldiers. These look like black leather outfits on the surface, with many belts and buckles, but the suit is actually made of leather combined with blade-resistant fibers. These fibers have too much friction for blades to easily slip across their surface, making it harder for the edge of a blade to gain purchase. The joints of these outfits are made up of three different layers of leather, allowing the wearer to move quite freely. The additional loops and buckles on the outfits are used for attaching additional weapons, armor, and equipment. Because of how these outfits are constructed, it's extremely hard to tell the difference between wearers as long as they're wearing their mask. This even extends to not being able to tell men and women apart.
Secret Projects and Teachings:
Gun Manufacturing:
The Tower of Fang is said to have a number of secretive projects, such as the manufacturing of guns, which are otherwise restricted to the Royal Army.
Spatial Transitioning:
The Tower of Fang is the sole distributor of education on Spatial Transitioning, which allows casters to effectively teleport from one spot to another. This secret magical composition was passed down by Childman Powderfield through his exclusive class.
History
Founding of the Tower of Fang
The Tower of Fang was constructed by the Nornir, who built it for their offspring, the human sorcerers, 200 years before the story began. Though the city would later be destroyed a total of three times, only two of those collapses were actually recorded in the history books.
Introduction of Childman Powderfield
Over the years, the Tower's agreement to provide sorcerers to the court grew sour. The more students they surrendered, the weaker the Tower grew, while the Apostle's power continued to rise. This came to a head when the Royal Capital introduced an incredibly powerful sorcerer, Pluto. Born and raised in the courts, his existence threatened the very foundation upon which the Tower had built its prestige.
In an effort to rectify this situation, the Tower recruited Childman Powderfield, an assassin of unknown origin who would be revealed as the most powerful black-magic sorcerer on the continent, even compared to the Apostles. He was to be their great balancer, with the intent of having Childman mass-produce other powerful sorcerers by taking in talented students and providing them with special training. However, Childman's talents were too vast to teach to one student, and so he trained each student to be specialized in a specific category.
Assassinations of the Elders
When Orphen first returned to the Tower of Fang, the Tower had destabilized following Childman's disappearance. Matters were made worse when Elders of the tower began to be assassinated, with the killer thought to be Krylancelo (Orphen) himself. This was peculiar, as the Elders were supposed to have escorts (none of which were present) and the Elders were killed in remote locations throughout the city. This turned out to be the work of a Killing Doll (Krylancelo) who was working under Azalie's command. Her goal was to interrogate the Elders for information.
Retired Practices
Paid Pregnancies
During the Tower's past, having children was considered a valid job, with the Tower paying a certain amount of money to have children born from sorcerer parents. Even if the child only had one sorcerer parent, they had an acceptable chance of enheriting sorcerous capabilities. These practices stopped around Imperial Redlight 38, not only because it wasn't particularly efficient but because people from both within and outside of the Tower had begun to point out the ethical implications. The Tower switched to instead sourcing child students from orphanages based on their family history.
Assorted Facts
General Facts
• All students at the Tower of Fang are said to be orphans, as good parents would never let them attend.
• Less than 10% of the students who enter the Tower are said to survive until graduation.
• Orphen mentions a grant for teachers who register their students, which would last him 3 months.
• Most people who hold positions in the Tower have the right to own property in the city of Taphrem.
• Owning a house in the city is considered a greater status symbol than being an Elder or Teacher.
• The Tower provides combat equipment to its soldiers, everything from clothing gear to weaponry.
• The Tower has a variety of items that can be purchased by residents, such as clocks.
History
• The Tower was originally planned to be built in the Tower Annex, the mansion district.
Anime Appearance
In the anime, the facility is a more traditional tower, a mix of gothic castle styles. It's surrounded by a stone wall, which has carved teeth along the edge, and a vast graveyard behind the tower. Similar to the books it has very sparce accomodations for the residents.
Dragons
One thing is prevelant in the anime, and that's the dragon motif. With dragons atop every building, on all the doors, the walls, even carved into the pavement, it's clear that this is borderline worship of these creatures. The same kinds of statues are found in the ruins of Heavenly Beings, but not many dragon statues are visible in the books.
Concept Art:
