Dread Magic

[Yeorl Oakenleaf]

After the Dread wars, the host of foul beasts at his (The Dread Father) command for the most part disappeared from Darasum; however, there remained a few creatures and foul gifts of the Dread father. One of those lovely gifts of the lord of all things truly evil and chaotic was Dread Magic.
Since the Father had been able to gain enough influence in our realm of existence, his taint had left behind a foul residue of magic - which we simply know as Dread magic. While it is punishable by death in every single realm of Darasum to be a practitioner, that of course doesn't stop the odd Hedge Wizard from learning things he shouldn't, or coming across artifacts bearing glyphs,mortals were never meant to read. The scars of course of the war are still fresh in the minds of many - those that weren't broken by it at least. Some seeing this new and powerful form of magic sought to seize it and advance themselves past the deluge of the early post-war years. They were greeted by madness and death. After that most people just shied away from it, since the power of the Dread had no place next to ambition.
Dread magic gives power over fear, time, madness and other things held in 'his' dominion. A Dread mage can easily be spotted for the hollow or crazed look behind his eyes, the seclusion which he lives in and the environment around him (More often than not completely destroyed). While it gives one control over madness it doesn't let you master it. Only the Father claims dominion over insanity
Fortunately most who practice Dread magic don't last very long as they die of the taint, succumbing to the madness.