The Threfall Magehold

People

 * Ullman


 * The High Enchanter


 * a spi
 * some dogs probably

Magic and Scrolls
Scrolls in Morana, while a convenient way of writing down a spell for teaching to others or for future knowledge, are not in themselves magical and cannot be used to cast the spell set down upon them. Mages with an aptitude for so-called ‘natural’ spellcasting, that is, spellcasting that does not use either rituals or channeled divinity, are extremely rare. Much more commonly, a mage will have a knack for a certain school or type of magic, and gain enough of an intuitive understanding of its workings to cast several spells from that discipline as he or she grows in power. Beyond this, however, spells must be either cast using elaborate and lengthy rituals, often requiring special artifacts or items and draining the spellcaster of energy for an extended period of time, or learned over months or years of study and practice. Items which allow the user to cast a spell at will may indeed exist, but such things would be immensely rare, and even a single-use item would fetch staggering prices among the right people. While there are few Mages who go to the trouble to actually learn new spells, the Mageholds of Arnast are a gathering place for those who have made the study and furthering of magical knowledge their goal. Having spent their entire lives learning and creating new spells, the Peers of the Mageholds are among the most powerful mages in the known world, and their knowledge of the art often allows feats of magical skill that no mere prodigy could achieve, however naturally gifted.