Towerborne is full of peril and promise, of monsters and mysteries … here’s the first of a few posts detailing the basic story and lore of this every-expanding world…
Humanity’s Hope
The City of Numbers was once a flourishing hub where humans thrived through the use of Mystech, a fusion of engineering and spiritual energy. It was a center of knowledge and prosperity for humanity, safeguarded from the creatures lurking outside its borders… but then, a great calamity struck. Darkness spread. Humanity’s only hope was to seek sanctuary – in the Belfry. As an Ace, you navigate a unique and vibrant, yet dangerous, world. Aces are humanity’s resurrected protectors, venturing beyond the Belfry walls to uncover mysteries, take back what’s been lost, and defend humanity from the darkness.
A World of Peril & Promise
The world of Towerborne takes place in a familiar, yet fundamentally altered world known as Eld—a realm where evolution and geography took different paths. While humans behave much like our own, their history, cultures, and surroundings diverge dramatically. The result is a world filled with unique flora, fauna, and phenomena. Towerborne’s universe is split across two overlapping planes of reality:
- The Shore – The physical realm where humans and monsters reside.
- The Ebb – A mystical spirit realm that exists parallel to the physical world. Beings from the Ebb are known as Echoes, including Umbra and Aces (you!) who’ve been brought back to life from the Ebb and now walk the Shore once more.
For most of human history, the Shore and the Ebb were thought to be completely separate—but rare overlaps did occur, with beings like the Umbra occasionally crossing into the physical realm. As the Ebb and Shore grow ever closer, the blurring boundaries have given rise to strange anomalies. Once-simple creatures are being warped by spirit energy into new, unstable forms. From oversized “Mega Variant” monsters with devastating abilities… to “Corrupted Beasts” who’ve mutated from being infected with Ebb energy … to ominous “Dusk Creatures” who’re neither alive or dead, caught between realms – monsters previously thought extinct are reappearing. Even inanimate things have begun to stir.
Here’s a bit more about those who inhabit this world…
Humans
Humans, driven by the will to survive and thrive, have built cities and communities, and fought to reclaim their world from monstrous threats. They now live in scattered strongholds, the most notable being the once-advanced and secure City of Numbers. The City of Numbers prospered through
Mystech, a revolutionary fusion of advanced engineering and Ebb-derived energy, created by the Mystweavers. Mystech powered everything in the city, from streetlights and heaters to the towering pylons that protected it from monsters. This blend of science and spirit allowed the City of Numbers to flourish until its eventual downfall. Although Mystech has enabled humans to live in relative safety and comfort, fostering cultural and societal growth within protected areas, humanity now exists in scattered strongholds.
Aces
In Towerborne, you take the role of an Ace – represented by various powerful combat roles known as Classes, each offering a unique style of play. Whether your preference is raw strength, speed, or defense, each class provides a distinct experience for both solo and cooperative gameplay, helping you defend the Belfry and battle the darkness. Master your class and readily swap between them to play your way.
- Sentinel: Sword & shield; blend offense/defense; protect allies, timing, counterattacks.
- Rockbreaker: Massive Gauntlets; rapid melee, area damage; aggressive, explosive finishers.
- Pyroclast: Flame Warclub; crowd control, heavy elemental damage.
- Shadowstriker: Dual Daggers; rapid combos, agility, aerial combat; high-risk, high-reward.
Umbra
Enigmatic beings akin to spirits or fae, these entities wield magical powers and are beginning to interact and form connections with Aces (player characters). Despite this, their personalities and reasoning often seem foreign. There are many kinds of known Umbra, and many yet to discover …
Biomes
The world of Towerborne is as diverse and dangerous as it is beautiful. Each biome presents unique environmental challenges, creature types, and narrative lore, shaping both the physical and spiritual journey of every Ace who dares to venture into the unknown. From peaceful-looking meadows to cursed cityscapes, the wilds of Eld are teeming with life—and threats.
Grasslands
Resembling the rolling emerald fields of a forgotten countryside, the Grasslands were once ideal for rural life. With tall grasses, scattered wildflowers, and pockets of quiet forest, these lands feel peaceful—until they’re not. The open terrain hides burrowed tunnels beneath the surface, and monsters here are masters of ambush.
Once dotted with small, self-reliant communities, the Grasslands have always been vulnerable to monster attacks outside the protection of Mystech pylons. With growing threats and dwindling defenses, much of the region has now been abandoned. Though still beautiful and open, the Grasslands are deceptively dangerous—and perilous for any Ace caught off guard.
Common Enemies: Gobos, Boar Beastkin, Pangors (burrowing, dog-sized clawed beasts)
Fungi Forests
These hauntingly beautiful woods have long since transformed into something unrecognizable. Towering mushroom-like stalks replace traditional trees, and the forest floor pulses with rubbery, spongy growths that constantly regenerate over themselves. Veins of fungal matter crisscross the terrain like a living web.
This biome is a recent and alarming development—once a standard woodland, it has rapidly mutated into a suffocating jungle of spores and decay. Corpses of creatures, human and otherwise, are frequently found cocooned in fungal husks.
Common Enemies: Mushboom and Fungobo (living mushrooms that explode into toxic spores when killed)
Mountains
A rugged expanse of wind-carved stone and steep passes, the Mountains are rich in both danger and resources. Partially covered with snow in higher elevations, the region hosts ancient fossils, rare ores, and crystallized Mirus formations.
Despite its striking natural beauty, the Mountain biome is home to some of Eld’s most aggressive wildlife. Travelers must tread carefully through narrow ledges and echoing caverns, where predators stalk from above.
Common Enemies:Snow Howlers, Crowbo, Goboulder, and Yxil
Ruins (City of Numbers)
Once the pinnacle of human advancement and Mystech innovation, the City of Numbers now lies in devastation after a catastrophic explosion rocked its heart. The cause remains unclear, but those who survived—many now living on the Belfry—speak of a sudden surge of spirit energy that tore the city apart.
Now engulfed in an endless spirit-fueled storm, the city’s skyline crackles with unstable energy. Fires that cannot be extinguished burn through the streets, and new, twisted enemies have begun to emerge from the wreckage. Its familiar architecture remains recognizable to survivors, making the fall even more haunting. This is not a long-forgotten ruin—it’s a fresh wound, and its mysteries are still unfolding.
Common Enemies: Smears (toxic gelatinous spirits), Duskers (armored undead animated by spirit energy)
Ace Allies
As with all things in Towerborne, trials and triumphs are taken on together. Here’s a look at your trusted allies—many of whom you’ll find on the Belfry, helping you be your best.
Mirror
A mature Umbra who has advised the Wolfram family for generations, Mirror is deeply attuned to the connection between the Ebb (the spirit realm) and the Shore (the physical world). She is both a scholar and a collector—of stories, of artifacts, of identities. Conversations with Mirror are rarely linear, as she often shifts perspectives mid-thought, drawing wisdom from the many reflections within her namesake mirror. She treats Paloma like a granddaughter and serves as one of the most important spiritual guides in the Belfry.
Courage
A proud and fearless Mature Umbra, Courage is a trailblazer—believing long ago that the future of the world depends on humans and Umbra working together. Though small in stature, he is a towering figure in resolve, having trained countless humans to defend themselves across centuries. Courage is one of the first Umbra to fully dedicate himself to humanity’s survival and is eager to work alongside other mature Umbra like Mirror and Blaise. He is especially fascinated by the strength and potential of the Aces.
Blaise
Blaise is a stoic and brilliant Mature Umbra craftsman who has become an integral part of life on the Belfry. Though he speaks little, his actions convey a deep sense of care and attentiveness—especially toward the youngest residents of the tower. Blaise first began working with Bumble during early experiments with Aspects, and the two have been inseparable ever since. Blaise doesn’t “bond” in the traditional Umbra sense, but he considers Bumble family—like a brother—and treats Bumble’s extended circle as his own. Whether crafting tools or ensuring the tower remains a safe haven, Blaise’s quiet presence is a source of strength and stability for those around him.
Paloma
Paloma is the de facto leader of the Aces in the Belfry—not just by lineage, but because she helped create the very idea of what an Ace could be. With Mirror’s aid, she discovered how to bring souls back from the Ebb, forging a new path for humanity’s survival. Born into leadership as the daughter of Wolfram, she was originally meant to inherit the City of Numbers—until it fell. Now she carries the future on her shoulders, determined to rebuild what was lost and forge a world where humans and Umbra can coexist. Young yet resolute, Paloma stands as a symbol of resilience and possibility.
Wolfram
Once the respected leader of the City of Numbers, Wolfram now commands the Belfry, though his heart remains conflicted. He is proud of his lineage—his ancestors founded the City—and he bears immense guilt for its downfall. Protective and proud, Wolfram struggles to fully pass the mantle to Paloma, not out of doubt in her abilities, but from a deep-rooted fear of seeing her face the same burdens he did. He is a pillar of strength whose internal conflict shapes much of the Belfry’s leadership.
Kraft
A career military general and longtime confidant of Wolfram, Krafft is a veteran leader with a hardened view of the world. He’s devoted to the safety of his soldiers and the civilians under his protection, but remains deeply suspicious of Mystech and the mysterious energy of the Ebb. Despite his misgivings, Krafft respects outcomes above ideologies, and while he distrusts the Umbra, he will work with them if it means saving lives. To him, loyalty, survival, and honor are everything.
Ogden
The former Magistrate of the City of Numbers, Ogden now serves as the Belfry’s logistical mastermind. Calm, methodical, and endlessly practical, he is responsible for rewriting the destroyed records of the great library and keeping the Belfry’s complex operations running. Though he prefers to remain behind the scenes, Ogden’s knowledge and meticulous planning are vital to the tower’s survival. He is the steady hand guiding others through chaos.
Ryx
A hardened fighter with a mysterious past, Ryx is one of the earliest Aces to return from the Ebb. Blunt and often sarcastic, they prefer the company of their Umbra, Nightshade, over most people. Ryx often laments the lack of guidance they received during their return—and now works to ensure new Aces don’t suffer the same fate. Driven by a quiet sense of responsibility and a hunger to rediscover who they once were, Ryx leads by example, even if they pretend not to care.
Bumble
Cheerful, talkative, and endlessly creative, Bumble is the Belfry’s most beloved craftsman. Originally tasked with overseeing its construction, he now works day and night to arm the Aces with the best weapons and gear. He considers Blaise his brother, and their bond extends to the young ones of the tower, including his niece and nephews—Bree, Bleu, and Beau—who were visiting when the City of Numbers collapsed. Despite the seriousness of his work, Bumble is known for his joyful pranks, infectious optimism, and an uncanny ability to make even the worst days a little brighter.
______
Stay tuned for more story and lore – a deeper dive on Umbra as well as the the monsters that roam the world, to come…