The Veil is a metaphysical barrier that separates Runera from the Heavens, the Void, the Beyond, and all other worlds. It was created by [[Alor]] during the [[Coalescence]] to prevent Balcorion's passage into the Heavens after he destroyed the [[Mantle]]. While the [[Mantle]] shielded Runera from all forces save those of the Heavens and the Void, the Veil is imperfect; [[Magic|Chaos]], the [[Magic|Gift]], and lesser beings from other realms may all pass through if certain conditions are met. Neither the [[gods]] of [[Alor]]'s Hands or [[Maloth]]'s Black Hand may exact influence on Runera as they did before the [[Coalescence]], but their mortal conduits blessed with the [[Magic|Greater Gift]] may draw power through the Veil, often at great cost. [[Magic|Chaos]] from the Beyond may also pass through the Veil, most commonly in the form of [[Spell List|spells]] summoned by magicians and sorcerers for their own ends. The Veil is suffused with malignant powers originating from the Void, the Beyond, and perhaps the Heavens, making any passage through it a perilous ordeal that typically results in unintentional disaster. There are certain places in Runera where the Veil is weak and these passages are made easier: spirits of the dead might come to haunt a lichyard or crypt; daemons may be summoned by cultists in a temple consecrated to a dark god; [[monsters]] from other worlds or horrors from the Beyond might be conjured by powerful magicians. Regardless, passage is typically difficult: [[monsters]] do not pass through the Veil with the same frequency as they did during the [[Coalescence]], when entire hordes of draconids, giantkin, and ogroids appeared through manifold tears in reality. While passing through the Veil to Runera is possible, making a return trip is not. All such attempts at piercing the Veil and travelling to other worlds have resulted in magical catastrophes in the worst cases, or simply deafening silence from forever-disappearing travellers in the best. Perhaps those who have disappeared beyond the Veil do arrive in other worlds, but as of yet any who have done so have never returned. It is yet undiscovered how one might successfully pass through the Veil and live to tell the tale, if such a thing is possible at all. Nearly all tears in the Veil are visible to the naked eye. They typically appear as strange wavering and hazy streaks, similar to what one might see on the crest of a desert dune under the blazing sun. However, most [[magic]] only creates small tears in the Veil that mundane mortals cannot easily see. However, those who have studied [[magic]] in great detail may focus intensely to perceive tears. Those able to wield [[Magic|Chaos]] or the [[Magic|Gift]], however, can see tears with greater ease, and may also perceive a strange tingling in their spines when they grow close to them, even if they do not immediately see physical evidence of their presence. Thankfully, the Veil is self-healing, and all tears no matter their size will eventually close. Some tears, however, are incredibly large, and may take decades or even centuries to heal on their own; in these instances, sorcerers may intervene with their own magics to close such tears and prevent years-long influxes of malignant and unpredictable magics.