Veil Morghula (VAIL Mor-GOO-lah)
Veil Morghula is a stretch of land that straddles the Thenian states of Skanzia, Ieglia, and Keshea. A barren wasteland, no one state owns the Veil, and in fact, every Thenian state discourages their residents from visiting the area.
Theories abound about the Veil, and it's actually a popular topic of conversation during a pub debate or amongst children. Although it's widely agreed upon that the Veil is a result of strong magic, how it was created, why it was created, and who created it are not agreed on. Even the origin of the name, which isn't in a language familiar to Thenians, is a mystery.
Geography
The Veil has no geographic features to speak of: it's a barren wasteland where no plants, animals, or any other life can thrive. It's simply miles of infertile land, with little geographical features to distinguish one mile from another. Interestingly, the borders of the Veil are quite clear, and the desolation stops abruptly when the border ends. This lends credence to the magical properties of the Veil.
Localized Phenomena
Nothing about the Veil is normal. Research by various states over various periods of time have attempted to uncover the Veil's secrets, but has yet to have success.
It's quite clear that humans cannot spend large amounts of time in the Veil, and magicians and witches even less. Although the Veil was most likely created by magic, a magician's or witch's magic is often severely affected when they enter the Veil, and in some cases, is permanently altered. Because of this, only humans conduct research there, and magicians and witches avoid the area for obvious reasons.
Climate
There is nothing pleasant about the climate in the Veil. During the day, the weather is boiling hot, while the night brings a brutal cold. Thunderstorms are common, but the rain does nothing to improve the perpetually parched environment. The thunderstorms often bring tornados, and they decimate anything in its path (although that's often not much). Blizzards can also be a problem, although the snow does not accumulate, and it's said one can freeze immediately in the cold of the blizzards. The weather changes unpredictably and can be a problem for researchers.
There are no discernable seasons in the Veil, but there seems to be a period of time where thunderstorms, and then blizzards, are more common.
Fauna & Flora
As mentioned, no life can thrive in the Veil. Those that have visited the Veil and survive talk of the absolute quiet that envelops the area from lack of fauna.
An occasional tree may manage to pop up, but they die quickly, and their rotted remains are the sole existing blemishes on the landscape.
Natural Resources
Not a single resource comes from the Veil, as there's nothing but stretches of sand and rock.
History
It's unclear when the Veil first appeared, although it began appearing on maps in about the year 3000. It's always been curious to researchers that the appearance of the Veil did not warrant a mention in records, although it's possible the records have just been lost.
Beginning in about the year 3200, research began on the area. The first few groups were killed, either by the weather, starvation (it's quite easy to get lost in the Veil), or an unknown reason. For many years, it became illegal to research there, as well as illegal for anyone to enter the area (this was typically not a law that took much enforcement).
About the year 3800, magic had progressed that more protection spells were available, and humans were able to research the area for short periods of time without succumbing to the Veil. However, the window of opportunity to research are short, and even a millennia of research has done little to further Thenians' understanding of the Veil.
Tourism
Tourism is absolutely forbidden to the Veil, and it would not typically be a place one would want to visit. Daredevils occasionally like to claim they "crossed the Veil," but that's difficult to prove, and most find those people foolish rather than brave. There are a few tours that skirt the edge of the Veil, but again, it's not an area that most people desire to visit.
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