A SOCERERS PEAK

The world of Velmora a realm where ancient ley lines weave through the land, pushing with raw arcane energy. Its vast landscapes are shaped by ancient forces - towering obsidian mountains hum with latent energy, rivers of liquid silver pulse with arcane currents, and sprawling forest glow softly with bioluminescent flora, their roots entwined the deep - seated stories to tell.

Legends tell of an era when magic was pure and boundless, but now , something stirs beneath the surface - dark omens and fractures ley lines signal a coming upheaval. Velmora teeters on the edge of change, and those who can harness its magic may determine its fate. 

At the heart of Velmora lies the continent of Dravareth steep in magic and history. Its lands stretch from the frostbitten peaks of the Vorthan reaches in the north to the sprawling, enchanted rainforests of the Zyrellian Expanse in the south. Towering citadels, lost ruins, and mystical rift-born anomalies dot the landscape, each whispering secrets of civilizations long past.

The Kingdom of Vaelthorne, known as the beacon of knowledge nestled in the southeastern part of Dravareth, is a land where scholars, artisans, and mages from every corner of the continent gather to share knowledge and push the boundaries of magic and philosophy. Unlike the tradition-bound nations that surround it, Vaelthorne thrives on progress, invention, and the free exchange of ideas. 

It's capital city Auris - the Ever Lit City - bathed in perpetual twilight due to the grand Astral beacon, an ancient crystalline tower that absorbs sunlight by day and releases it in a soft, ethereal glow by night. The streets of Auris bustle with scholars and people of every race, humans, elves, dwarves, and even the enigmatic Sylvari. The Sylvari a race born from the world's very magic essence who are said to have the firmest grasp on the concept of mana even gather in Auris. 

Here in Vaelthorne our story begins with one particular mage seeks to climb the ranks and bring about a magical revolution. In Auris lies a quaint little run down orphanage, Surya's home for children. Where one fated encounter with a grimoire would open Sylas' eyes to the world of magic. Sylas was 14 years old at this point. Tall and slender his presence was felt more than seen, his short black hair made way for his eyes - an unnatural shade of silver- that seemed to gleam even in the darkness to become more noticeable which he hated, but for some reason these eyes made Sylas different than everyone else. Not only could he sense magic he could also see the flow of mana. Something that is said to only be capable of being done by the highest Sylvari mages, but he was incapable of knowing this as he only saw mana as a white glow surrounding him. He also did not have any experience with magic so how could he know. While the world of Velmora was full of magic, not all it's inhabitants were capable of wielding the supernatural force, and humans seemed to have the lowest compatibility rate with mana.

As Sylas lazed around the orphanage library which was meek to say the least he stumbled upon one book that caught his eyes as it seemed to radiate a white glow that none of the other kids seemed to notice. He walked towards it as it felt as if the book was calling to him, his body not being able to resist the curiosity the befell on him, he grabbed the book seeking for some adventure in his life. As he opened the book he read of ancient mages who traveled the world learning of new and deciphering of old. One particular mage caught his attention. Fleur Murcott - the Sovereign Witch. 

The book told of her adventures, how she was able to create one of the most useful magic spells, teleportation. How she managed to decipher the ancient Draconic Runes allowing her to uncover the secrets of the Dragon race, and even detailed the rumor of how she was able to meet with one of these dragons. His eyes seemed to catch a breath of life as he read through the book. 

This was a new feeling for as Sylas never knowing anything else other than the orphanage, never dreaming of anything more. The orphanage caretaker Sophia saw Sylas enthralled by the book, and it was a sight for sore eyes. Sophia Veyne who carries an air of quiet strength, her presence a warm contrast to the cold, calculating minds that often define Auris. In her mid-thirties, with soft auburn hair loosely braided over one shoulder, streaked with strands of silver from years of worry and wisdom. Her hazel eyes, kind yet sharp, hold the weight of untold stories - joy, sorrow, and the unwavering resilience of a woman has made herself a shield for those who had no one else. 

She was the primary caretake of Everhearth, the oldest still-standing orphanage in Auris, where children abandoned by fate find warmth, safety, and most, importantly, a chance at a future. Unlike many of the scholars and mages of the city, she held no great arcane power, but she had a magic of her own - the ability to mend broken spirits and nurture hope in those who have lost it. She is a mother to all who enter her care, whether they are street urchins, war orphans, or children of mages lost to their own ambition. She teaches them not just how to survive but how to find strength in knowledge, in kindness, and in their own potential. Her lessons often blended pragmatism and wisdom: "Magic is not just in books and spells - it is in the hands that build, voices that comfort, and the hearts that refuse to break." 

"WOW Sylas I cannot recall a single time in the fourteen years I have known you, where you ever this focused on reading a book without it being all pictures." 

The grin on Sophia's face said a million words. 

"SHUT UP GRANDMA. I was just bored, and seeing as there was not much else to do...." 

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING GRANDMA BRAT!?

Sophia did not posses any magic but her iron first sure did hurt, and Sylas knew it first hand. 

The steaming red punch mark left by her fist was proof of it. 

"OWW OLD HAG WHY WOULD YOU HIT ME!! I'm gonna report you to the knights of the gate!" 

Sylas tried to soothe the pain dealt by Sophia, but he knew all too well that the only medicine for that was time. 

"GO AHEAD, NOBODY WILL PUT UP WITH YOU ANYWAYS I'M THE ONLY ONE IN THIS WHOLE WORLD YOU GOT!"

This was typical in the orphanage, and the scene always made the other kids burst into laughter, if anybody there Sylas was basically Sophia's child it was him, as she had found him fourteen years ago in a basket on the street of Auris while shopping, nothing in the basket but Sylas himself, a weird crest of a bird soaring through the skies, and what appeared like a normal book. Sylas did not know anything else, despite his daily arguments with Sophia they both knew how much they meant to each other. 

"I will be in my room, now leave me alone Sophia." 

A room was a far stretch, Sylas reaching the age where he would have to leave the orphanage soon was designated to a small dusty corner of the orphanage, his tiny little retreat from the worries of the outside world. There he continued to read this book, and as he lost himself in the book the hours of the day flew by, the sun setting, and Sylas growing hungry by the minute went in search of food. 

As he walked to dining hall in hopes of finding something to eat, he saw Sophia cleaning, and tending to the laundry as she often did in the afternoon as the kids settled down. 

"Sophia I did not mean to be rude earlier, I was just.... well you know. I'm sorry." 

Sophia could not help but to giggle to herself as she could recall this scene over a thousand times. Sylas getting worked up, them arguing, and Sylas crawling back to her seeking a familiar comfort. 

She could not stay mad at him forever she was basically his mother, but she always worried for him.

"Sylas I forgive you, I just worry for you sometimes. Soon you will be fifteen and I will no longer be able to keep you here. My heart aches at the thought of having to send you off into the real world without being able to assist you like I do here at the orphanage. You are the one child I have been there for every step of the way. What will you do? Where will you go?"

"Well Sophia I have been thinking about that, I.. I... I...." The words seemed to be trapped in Sylas' mouth, fearing what Sophia would say at his ridiculous idea. " I WANT TO GO TO THE RUNIC MAGIC ACADEMY!"