The Mana Wastes

The Scar of the World

Located primarily on the Western Continent, the Mana Wastes are a terrifying testament to the hubris of mortal races and the destructive potential of uncontrolled Aether.

History of the Wastes

Before the Age of Ruin, this continent was the seat of a highly advanced magi-ocracy. In an attempt to permanently banish the demonic hordes of Mal'Ganis, they attempted to create a localized black hole in the Aether Currents using the artifact known as the Null-Sphere.

The ritual failed catastrophically. Instead of banishing the demons, it shattered the local Aether Node, causing the magical energy of the continent to instantly detonate and then rapidly decay into negative energy.

The Environment

• Gravity Anomalies: Entire chunks of earth float lazily in the air. Walking through the Wastes requires extreme caution, as gravity can shift 90 degrees without warning.
• Wild Magic Storms: Instead of rain, the Wastes experience storms of raw, chaotic magic. A lightning strike might turn a man to glass, summon a swarm of hostile elementals, or reverse his age by twenty years.
• The Crystal Blight: The flora and fauna that survived the blast have mutated. Animals have shards of volatile Aether growing from their flesh, driving them insane with pain and power.

The Whispering Lich

Deep in the center of the Wastes lies the ruined capital city. Here, Kel'Thuz, the architect of the disaster, is bound. The magical backlash stripped him of his humanity, turning him into the world's first and only Lich.

He cannot leave the Wastes, as the anti-magic field of the Null-Sphere keeps his soul trapped. However, he can whisper into the minds of the desperate and power-hungry across Aethervale, offering them forbidden knowledge in exchange for bringing him the blood of a descendant of the Vanguard of Dawn—the only key that can break his chains.