The 10 Family Heads

Lore & Background

The 10 Family Heads are Irregulars who entered the Tower from the outside world, alongside Zahard. They climbed together, forming a pact that would grant them immortality and dominion over the Tower's floors. Each Family Head possesses a unique Shinsu quality—a signature attribute like fire, light, or space manipulation—and a distinct contract with the Tower, allowing them to create powerful bloodlines with inherited traits. Their families now control vast territories, private armies, and monopolies on rare resources, making them the true powers behind Zahard's empire. Yet their immortality comes at a cost: they are bound to the Tower's rules, forbidden from leaving, and haunted by the secrets of their climb.

In Their Own Story

In the quiet of a forgotten library, a young Regular traces a mural of the 10 Family Heads. Their faces are serene, yet their eyes hold the weight of eons. A whisper echoes: 'They were once like us, climbing for glory. Now they sit atop the Tower, unchanging, while the rest of us scramble for their favor.' The Regular shivers, knowing that even the mightiest can become distant legends.

Reader's Guide

The 10 Family Heads are the cornerstones of Tower society, each leading a Great Family that spans countless floors. They are Irregulars, meaning they entered the Tower from outside, and they share a unique bond with Zahard, having climbed with him. Their powers are legendary, often tied to specific Shinsu attributes like fire, light, or manipulation. Each Family Head has a distinct personality and philosophy, from the reclusive (like the silent, shadow-wielding Ari Han) to the tyrannical (like the bloodthirsty Lo Po Bia). They rarely descend to lower floors, ruling from the upper reaches of the Tower. Their children and descendants inherit fragments of their abilities, creating powerful lineages that dominate the Tower's hierarchy. The Family Heads are immortal, having made contracts with the Tower's administrators, and they are among the few beings who can challenge Zahard himself. Their history is shrouded in mystery, with tales of betrayal, love, and ambition that shaped the Tower's current order—including the disappearance of one Head, the self-imposed exile of another, and the quiet war of knowledge waged by Gustang.

Did You Know?

• The 10 Family Heads are sometimes called the 'Great Warriors' for their role in the Tower's early history.
• Each Family Head has a unique Shinsu quality that defines their family's abilities, like the Khun family's lightning or the Ha family's physical prowess.
• The Family Heads rarely interact with lower-floor Regulars, maintaining an air of mystery and power.
• Some Family Heads, like Gustang, are known for their vast knowledge and interest in the Tower's secrets.