Sanctuary

Sanctuary is a land untouched by time, memory, or war. It exists in the shadow of the Spire, a colossal tower that pierces the sky and hums with unknowable energy. This world has no kings, no borders, and no recorded past. People simply awaken here—adults, alone, and wordless—near the foot of the Spire, with no memory of who they were or where they came from.

And yet, each of them knows one thing with absolute certainty:
They must climb.

The reason is never clear. The feeling is universal. A soul-deep urge that compels all who awaken to begin the journey upward. Some believe the climb is a path to ascension, a divine calling. Others see it as a trial, or a punishment. Whatever the truth, the Spire offers no explanation. It stands in silence—towering, alive, and eternal.

Ascension – The First Breath of Life

At the base of the Spire rests a small town known as Ascension. This is where every soul is born and where every journey begins.

Ascension is built from salvaged materials—wood from forests that don’t seem to age, stone that glows faintly under moonlight, tools forged from metal that resists rust and decay. Despite its humble size, it serves as the beating heart of Sanctuary: a place where new souls gather, train, trade, and prepare for the climb.

No one rules Ascension. The town evolves as those within it do. Elders remain, offering wisdom they can’t explain. Blacksmiths craft weapons they never remember learning to forge. Lorekeepers speak in riddles and metaphors, as though something speaks through them.

Here, death is not final. Souls that fall in the Spire do not return unchanged. Their echoes linger—sometimes in relics, sometimes in whispers. The next life always begins in Ascension, but the path it takes is shaped by what came before.

The World Beyond – Six Paths into Mystery

Though the Spire is the center of all things, Sanctuary stretches far beyond it. Six primary zones surround the tower, each a strange and living mystery. These lands are connected by overgrown trails, forgotten bridges, and twisting paths that resist mapping. Some zones shimmer with light and life. Others brood beneath blood-red skies. All are ancient. None are truly safe.

Each zone holds secrets, trials, and a distinct elemental identity. Creatures roam freely—some hostile, others curious. Hidden within their landscapes are puzzles, ruins, and remnants of souls who tried to climb and failed. These regions seem to shift subtly over time, as though reacting to those who enter them.

And yet, no matter how far one travels, all roads lead back to the Spire.

A Living Land with No History

There are no books in Sanctuary that tell of its creation. No ruins that explain its purpose. The world feels old, but not in decay—in reverence. As though it’s been prepared, or waiting.

Some souls spend years exploring the outer zones, becoming scholars of the unknowable. Others charge straight into the Spire, drawn by the thrill of the climb. Both paths offer danger. Both change those who walk them.

The land itself feels alive. Trees glow in moonlight. Stones hum faintly when touched. Occasionally, the wind carries whispers in languages no one speaks.

Some say the world is trying to speak. Others say it’s trying to remember.

The Climb Awaits

There is no guide. No prophecy. Only the Spire and its pull.

Every soul in Sanctuary is free to choose their path—but sooner or later, they all feel the climb call to them again.

Not because they understand it.
Not because they were told.
Because something within them knows:

This is why they were born.