Once the crown jewel of magical education, the Emberfield Academy of Arcane Arts was renowned for producing generations of powerful mages.

Its catastrophic fall from grace, however, was a direct consequence of the heroism of its own Head Archmage, Ariel Bannister. To save the city of Emberfield from the demonic hordes pouring from Stonewatch Island, Ariel orchestrated a massive, desperate ritual. The Academy itself was designated as the primary conduit, serving as a magical fulcrum to channel immense power drawn from the distant Bukhara Spires.

The ritual proved a resounding success, sealing both the demonic hordes and Ariel herself upon Stonewatch Island. Yet, the sheer, unimaginable volume of arcane energy channeled proved far too much for the Academy's ancient foundations to bear. The resulting backlash shattered its very structure, instantly killing many within its hallowed walls and tearing a localized rift between the mortal and ethereal planes.

This catastrophic event cursed the grounds, trapping the spirits of the deceased faculty and students within its ruins. They are now condemned to a spectral loop, eternally forced to relive their final, horrifying moments.

Now, with Ariel's horrifying return as a lich, her malevolent sights set once more on Emberfield, the dormant spirits of the Academy have become violently agitated. Drawn to the call of their former, now corrupted master, the ruins are no longer merely haunted. They are an active, dangerous extension of the lich's growing and malevolent power.