In the realm of Magistera, magic once flowed freely through ancient ley lines, nurturing covens that served as guardians of natural balance. These sisterly circles dwelt in sacred groves, their magic intertwined with the cycles of nature- until the rise of the Iron Crown Dynasty. Led by King Aldrich the Purifier, the royals embraced a doctrine that painted wild magic as a threat to their ordered civilization. The land now exists in stark duality. In royal territories, copper- spired cities gleam with mechanized marvels powered by refined, controlled magic- stripped from captured witches and processed through steel chambers. Crystal- powered streetlamps cast harsh light over cobblestone streets, while royal inquisitors in polished brass masks patrol for signs of "unauthorized" magic use. Beyond the city walls, the wilderness bears scars of the purge. Burned groves stand as blackened memorials, their ash nurturing blood- red flowers that bloom in mourning. The few surviving witches have gone into hiding in the misty borderlands, where ancient trees still whisper secrets of old magic. Hidden caves and overgrown ruins serve as sanctuaries, their walls etched with protective wards. The common folk are caught between worlds. Many secretly keep old charms and seek out hedge witches for remedies, while publicly displaying compliance with royal edicts. Markets that once openly sold magical reagents now operate in shadows, their wares hidden beneath mundane goods
