Magic is conducted in Valdraeth in ways as myriad as the people who use it. You may find people singing amongst the ranks of fighters ready for battle, bolstering their resolve with magical energy. You may find people weaving tales as yet untold into being, pulling on the threads of fate, just a little, just enough. You may find grand works of cooperation in desperate times, projects drenched in story and sealing the remembrance of all who lent their will and wyrd.
Whilst there is no strict magical tradition in Valdraeth, Warlocks tend to be found among the higher classes with lofty ideas and sponsorships, whereas Witches tend to avoid the pageantry of the courts and focus on more immediate practical matters, but that is as far as there is any semblance of order among the magic users.
Circles are groups of Warlocks, Witches and others with a magical inclination formed when many individuals all share the same goal, and work together towards it, as long as they do not mind sharing the story or the gain.
Magical creatures
Wisps
Tiny magical creatures that inhabit the wilds of Valdreath. Themselves so insubstantial as to be considered invisible and incorporeal, they are only detectable by the eerie glow they shed. Little is known about wisps, as their nature makes them difficult to catch or study. Scholar Breac theorises that they emit light via the same bioluminescent mechanism as some of the more mundane living creatures in the world, and moreover that this light is a waste product of a metabolic process, brought about by their siphoning up stray motes of magic. In much the same way we might exhale air from our lungs after we take a breath. The other thing known about wisps, with much more certainty and common sense, is that they are drawn towards magic, in the wild being often found in areas where it is more dense than usual. Wisp glow has long been harnessed in Valdraeth where candles and torches are less convenient. This may seem impossible given their ethereal nature, however whilst impossible to physically catch, they are rather easy to lure and bribe, with a simple solution of magically infused sweetened liquid. Wisps feeding stations are common to find hanging above streets and pathways, providing a light that gently shifts and undulates. In areas where there are no permanent stations hung, people may carry them with them on canes much as you would a lantern.
There is no need to keep an eye on a wisp light, nor to douse it at the end of a long day, no struggle to light it in rain, nor to keep it lit in wind. Simply ensure you have enough of the liquid for your journey, and throw a cloth over it if you wish to conceal its glow.
Giant Moths
These creatures have wingspans as large as you can stretch your arms, and glide through the gloom feeding on certain rare night blooming flowers. Their impressive size, though daunting at first, is of no real concern, as they are placid creatures that do not have the wits or means to attack. The scales on giant moth wings are multifaceted and prized in cosmetics and art, often catching the light in two colours at once.
The larval stage of giant moths are far more worrying. They are equally as oversized as their adult forms, but less discerning in diet and will eat anything and everything in sight. Including anyone who is unable to get out of their way. They are known to attack the injured or sleeping, and must be treated with caution.
Similarly to the chromatic wing scales of the moths, the caterpillars spin cocoons of silk that reflect various colours at once, and are often harvested to make expensive clothing, or the finest of stitches for delicate wounds.
The Talletor
This creature is a horror that feeds on stories, on memories. It will take its time. It will take all you are. Slowly bleeding the memories out of people, it will often follow its victims through its territory, feeding as they go.
No one knows the origins of this beast. Is it only a fable to scare kids in the night? Everyone knows the story of the naughty child that crept out to see the festival but encountered the Talletor on the way back. The story goes that the Talletor ate the child’s memory of where he had just been, so the child found itself confused in the deep woods, not knowing how it got there. Then the Talletor took something personal, like the child’s favourite colour, and as the child retraces its steps, the Talletor takes the memory of the way home, then the faces of the child’s parents, and eventually memories of things like warmth, and a full belly. Depending on the tale teller, the child may or may not be found days later, wandering, clueless, and starving. Having no idea who they were…
Some stories say the Talletor is not a malicious being, but a creature made of abandoned magic, trying to find a form and reason. Perhaps its both? Perhaps its worse…
Grimshadows
Sometimes, lost in the dark, you may see a greater darkness looming, the shadows may distort and writhe, and move towards you with gliding steps and eerie silence. But do not fear, they are here to help or so the old stories go…
Theories are that the Grimward take their name from tales of such creatures, but whether that marks them out as lauded or loathsome, no one knows.
Magical Sites
In terms of magical places, Valdraeth is seeped in them. In the last corner of the nation alone there are the Deepwoods suffused with magic from fable, the Hedge full of its defensive thorns and disorientating turns where who knows what is lost and lurks, and Stumpwallow Bog full of rare ingredients, where few go if they can help it.
Some would even argue the castle beneath Whitescar mountain counts as a magical site, as it is held up by an ongoing pact between a human family and a creature from fable.
The Misplaced Market
If you can find it, you’ll find the misplaced market bustles with activity, some of it even twitches. Traders and brave, curious, patrons from all corners of the land, and some from further still, gather in to peddle their wares. A myriad of items shine from every stall, and some of the stall holders themselves look just as fantastical. Coin may not be as valued here as in the rest of the Crownlands, and bartering is common, but you will find many merchants are enthusiastic to make trades of other natures, and debts are often agreed for future collection.
You can buy anything you want here, at a price…