Hidden deep within the mist-laced mountains of Valemere, Aurelia Academy stands as the oldest and most powerful witching institution in existence. Its marble towers and blackstone halls have witnessed centuries of secrets, blood oaths, and the rise, and fall of those who dared to wield true magic. Founded nearly a thousand years ago by High Witch Aurelia Voss, the academy was created to preserve the purity of witchcraft after the Great Sundering—a catastrophic war that nearly tore the magical realms apart.
Aurelia believed that magic was both gift and curse, and that only discipline could keep it from consuming the heart. She gathered the most gifted witches from across the realms and divided them into seven Houses, each representing a distinct lineage and form of power. Over time, these Houses evolved into schools of specialization, and the academy became the seat of magical governance. Every witch born with a mark of power is tested at sixteen, and those who pass are summoned to Aurelia's gates—where their fate is decided.
Today, the academy is ruled by Headmistress Seraphine Moonveil, a woman both feared and revered.