County · Duchy of Alshar
Minalan's county palatine, carved from the ruined northern Wilderlands to serve as a magical frontier state and the last line of defense against the Penumbra.
The Magelaw is a county palatine created by Duke Anguin II of Alshar and ratified by King Rard, granting Minalan the Spellmonger near-sovereign authority over the depopulated lands north of Vorone. Its core lies on the upland plateau surrounding the new city of Vanador, extending east to the Kulines, north to the jevolar-affected wastes near Anghysbel, and west toward the Penumbra. It was carved out of the old northern Wilderlands after the gurvani invasion left the region a patchwork of ghost villages, abandoned castles, and traumatized refugees.
As Count Palatine, Minalan holds unusual powers: the right to coin his own money (the Nut and Tree tokens stamped at Pentandra's direction), to raise his own armies, to make foreign treaties subject to the King, and to legislate through the Magelaw charter drafted by Brother Bryte the Wiser. The province was deliberately populated with Kasari rangers, resettled Gilmorans, fleeing magi, Tal Alon from the Danz Valley, and even refugees from Anghysbel. Vanador Town, built on the old Anferny plateau, serves as capital, supported by subsidiary holdings at Megelin (held by Azar) and numerous baronies granted to Minalan's war councillors.
The Magelaw's defining strategic role is as a bulwark against Korbal and Sheruel. Terleman's arcane defences, Carmella's fortifications, and Sandoval's steel-armed legions turned back the invasions of Gaja Katar and Shakathet, and the province has since become the leading magical power in the Kingdom of Castalshar. Azar and Noutha serve as its Viscounts, Mavone as its intelligence chief, and the Tower of Sorcery in Vanador as its arcane heart.