There are two main centres of learning for Magical skills in Morvalis; the Shrouded Rock Academy in Stormfront’s Vigil and the Morvalis Obscurum situated in Nocturne. The former is more for practical arts – combat and defense magic, for example – while the latter is directly connected to the Necroarcanum, a repository of knowledge and learning, and tends to more scholarly explorations of magic. Regardless of where one trained, or whether a Morvalin took advantage of the many personal tutors that exist in Morvalin society, magic permeates Morvalis much as it does other nations.
Those who wield magic often find a home in Shadow Companies or working directly for their Family in some capacity. No distinction is made when it comes to respect; someone using their magic to better their own life, to create beauty or to inspire others is just as well-respected as someone wielding mighty forces to crush their foes or defend others.
The Shroud
This concentration of Athrian Magic in this region is so great that it manifests physically. Locals refer to this magical dust storm as the Shroud. Coalescing in the hills and forests of Morvalis and slowly drifts through the land, eventually dissipating before it reaches the nation’s borders. The Shroud is harmless to plants and undead creatures but can be deadly to humans and some animals as it saps them of a will to live. Temporary exposure can make someone feel weak, depressed, and apathetic, whilst prolonged exposure can cause a living creature to enter a fugue state, where it cannot be roused by any means. In such a state, the creature eventually dies of starvation or dehydration if unaided.
Some places in Morvalis seem unaffected by the Shroud naturally. Ancient civilisations used such locations to build cemeteries of various sizes, and today, they are the location of Morvalis’ settlements.
Special wards and enchantments on enclosed buildings, wagons, or other structures can deter the Shroud, though such wards rarely last long and need to be constantly replaced.
Magical Creatures
The Shroud is considered by many to be the result of Athrian magic mingling and coalescing with something that gives it a bestial sentience – not enough for true intelligence, but enough for it to pose a threat. That it is drawn to expressions of magic is not in doubt – the Shrouded Rock is proof enough of that. As a result, it is not unheard of for creatures to haunt the mists, preying on the unwary. Dreadguard pay special attention to such creatures, and are often called to investigate rumours or folk tales in case they have a grain of truth to them.