On Tellus, all things live in the shadow of the Spires. Massive, gleaming, mechanical structures that stab deep beneath the earth and stretch far into the sky, the Spires have been there as long as Tellans have walked the planet. Within the Spires live the Mages, who wield the unlimited power of the Spires to create technological wonders and rule the lands that surround them.

The Mages gift their technology only to those who have proven their loyalty and worth. People of all classes and stations, warriors, craftsmen, academics and even farmers can all prove themselves worthy of these wonders. They are spirited from their homelands, trained, tested, and after a final oath they are given an artifact, and the title of Spire Sworn. Their artifacts take as many forms as the people that wield them, each aiding in the task they were Sworn to. Artifacts can be centuries old with a long list of users that came before, or they might be brand new, custom made for their current user. 

For everyone else, the use of artifacts is forbidden. Most Tellans live at an approximately Medieval level of technology (with exceptions made for medicine and assistive devices). Peasants farm with simple iron tools under feudal lords, appointed by the Spire Mages. Merchants and craftsmen travel between the various regions on horse and wagon. 

Though they may not use it, low class people see artifacts used every day. Apothecaries distill vital tinctures, academics may store information behind shining screens, farmers are assisted in their harvest by buzzing drones, warriors fire bright beams from gleaming lances. These are the everyday miracles of the Spire Sworn. The power of the artifacts is so great that many would try to steal it from their owners (though they don’t tend to survive very long, even if they are successful).

The relationship between Spire Sworn and the common folk of their distinct lands is complex. While all Lords are Spire Sworn, not all Spire Sworn are Lords. Instead many spend their days working alongside the lower folk, or secret themselves away to do their strange work. Some are seen as valiant heroes and defenders, some as hermits and madmen, others little more than corrupt technocrats that squeeze those below them for greater profit and position. 

This is exacerbated by the fact that Spire Sworn tend to be rather unique folk, even before they are whisked away for years to train, far from the norms of everyday living. It requires a certain kind of person to become talented in the use of artifacts, and that kind of person is…. odd.

The Spire Born rise and fall in the pursuit of nobility, honor, and conquest. They are the heroes of legend, lifting up the innocent and making their lives a fraction easier. They are manufacturers, scientists, soldiers and technicians in a land held in the shadow of the Spires, the last light of hope for a better tomorrow.