Tower of Storms

The Tower of Storms was a lighthouse on the Sword Coast North which became a temple dedicated to Talos, god of storms.

Location
The lighthouse was located atop an rocky outcropping which sat about  off the coast of the Sea of Swords. It was due west of Phandalin and just south of the Thunder Cliffs. During low tide, travelers could descend the coastal cliffs overlooking the tower to a sandy beach and a narrow causeway which connected the tower to the shore.

In the late 15 century DR, a number of ships sat wrecked on the rocks beneath the lighthouse.

Structure
The Tower of Storms consisted of a squat, tall stone building with a lighthouse rising another  from the seaward side. A large lightning rod stood on the building's roof. The lighthouse beacon was open to the elements and surrounded by an iron railing.

Interior
The ground-floor structure contained a shrine to the god of storms, Talos. The high chapel was adorned with frescoes depicting ships being tossed in a violent storm with Talos watching approvingly. The lighting rod on the roof connected through the ceiling to an altar, and when struck with lightning, the altar could be used to bestow a divine blessing allowing for limited casting of the lightning bolt spell.

History
The Tower of Storms was considered old by residents of Phandalin as of the late 15 century DR.

Around that time, the tower became a base for the barbaric Cult of Talos. The tower was maintained by Moesko, an anchorite of Talos, who used powerful magic utilizing his own heart as the lighthouse's beacon to lure ships to the shore so that the cult could pillage the cargo and sacrifice the crews to their god. Several ships were successfully captured with this strategy and came to sit as wrecks beneath the tower, namely the Golden Gull, the Orca, the Sea Urchin, the Star-Crossed Lover, and the Vainglory. Eventually the Cult also used the Tower to capture the death knight-dreadnaught Emberlost, which belonged to a cult of Myrkul led by the necromancer Ularan Mortus.

Inhabitants
A sea elf banshee named Miraal haunted the causeway connecting the tower to the shore, and a tribe of harpies nested on the southern side of the outcropping on which the tower was built. An awakened giant crab was known to make its home on the nearby beach and hunter sharks prowled the nearby wrecks, including the dangerous Daggermaw.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dragon of Icespire Peak
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Storm Lord's Wrath • Sleeping Dragon's Wake • Divine Contention
 * Storm Lord's Wrath • Sleeping Dragon's Wake • Divine Contention