Shard was a high magic World once, with Mages being able to devastate entire cities with a simple spell, bring back the dead, summon demons to do their bidding and the like. To end the Mage Wars a circle of powerful spellcasters locked the higher levels of Magick, forsaking much of their power to cripple the warlords that were threatening to destroy Shard forever.
A few decades ago the Seals that had once blocked the access to the higher spheres of magic have broken and magic flowed back into the world.