The Chronicles of Caylor: Book One: The Stillmire Tower

Four disparate souls come together to seek their fame and fortune. They soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery beyond their abilities.

Morganna is a newly-graduated member of the Mages' Guild. Confident she is ready to adventure on her own, and find her place in the annals of history, she joins the Protectors' Guild and forms a group to begin her career.
Giovanna left the forest and mountains to find her own place in the world. Having studied under a ranger since she was a small girl, she is now ready to travel into the world and find a place to call her own. She takes a detour to Thule, where, on a whim, she signs up at the Protectors' Guild.
Lance is a Brother of Thor, and is ready to adventure through the world spreading the word of Thor. Hiding his half-elven heritage hasn't been easy, but he has managed to do so from all but his Father Hammer. Now ready to gain glory and fame in Thor's name, he joins the Protectors' Guild.
Frizzle was an odd gnome, even among the gnomes. He'd never been good with mechanics or machines, but he'd always been drawn to magic. Following a visiting illusionist one night, he is taken away on a journey by the old illusionist and taught the ways of magic. Alone on his own after his tutelage, he finds himself in need of adventure and income. He signs up with the Protectors' Guild in hopes of finding treasure and magic.

Together, these four newly-minted adventurers find themselves neck deep in adventure, perhaps only to sink in over their heads and drown in the swamp-or perhaps to rise to the occasion and reach their goals of success, fame, glory, and a place to call home.

Their first job for the Protectors' Guild is to investigate the grisly deaths of several workers in the Stillmire Swamp. Their investigation leads them to a dangerous creature, and after some difficulty, they manage to destroy the foul thing. In the process, they discover an abandoned tower deep in the swamp. While beginning to explore it, they find themselves outnumbered by the undead and in need of assistance. They return and are victorious against the horde of undead, but ridding the tower of its unsavory residents is only the beginning. Inside, the tower seems to have only one story, yet from the outside there are windows visible high in the walls. A strange object hangs from the ceiling in the center of the tower that puzzles even the mages. While it has clearly been abandoned for decades, there are settings on the tables, as if the residents never left. There are no windows on the ground floor, nor are there any torch sconces or other sources of light. And how can it be warm inside when there are no fireplaces?
Eventually they find the way to the upper floors, only to find many more mysteries, and more adventure than fits within the tower's walls.
While exploring the tower, the new friends must also learn about each other, and how to get along in order to survive.
Who built the strange tower? And why in the depths of a swamp? Why did they abandon the fantastic structure? And why is it linked to other towers in distant lands?
And someone is watching them, manipulating their fates. Not only to bring them together, but to control their actions and decisions, and those of the people around them. Who, and why?