Graymoon Institue of the Empowered

Jack Hawthorne has watched the world change his entire life. Such is the way of things, but the consequence of change is that others must change with it, or resist. For too long has the world struggled to make the Empowered change. The governments of Earth don’t know what to do with them, decrying them as spiritual abominations, demanding they serve in armies that oppress their kin, and exile them from their homes. In his travels, he saw it all and more.

So he decided that if no one else would let them live in peace, he would do it himself.





Graymoon Institute was once the site of an old, neglected castle set against the waves of the Norwegian Sea on an otherwise empty, misty island. It has been renovated to take advantage of the location, and the timeless architecture that serves as the groundwork for construction. Graymoon today is built as a vast, stone complex of which the old castle is merely one aspect. Sweeping walls of stone and mortar line the landscape, giving way to an interior clearly constructed with a mind for both appeal and practicality. When one first sets foot in Graymoon, they are met with the feeling that they truly are welcome to live and thrive in this place. Every room of the main building is bathed in just the right amount of warm sunlight, with high ceilings and open air to accommodate those with an inclination for the sky. The stonework that went into its construction allows a healthy tolerance for students with more volatile powers, with walls and foundations capable of bearing the full weight of a hurricane.



When one walks past the main area of Graymoon, they would find themselves walking down one of several stone pathways that lead outwards. The Institute was made to give students a sense of home and belonging. As such, its borders extend far out into the distance, allowing anyone to fully appreciate the many hidden areas that twist and wind throughout the island. There are countless secret passages to be found, and many are well known as pen secrets. Some lead out into the scenic areas where one can lay under open stars and watch the universe pass by. Other paths lead to lush gardens where crystal clear water flows from places unseen. One can also find easy shortcuts to and from the student buildings, of which there are four. The individual buildings are capable of accommodating up to 50 students, making a year-round residence at Graymoon a perfectly viable option depending on one’s situation.

To the western side of the island, a grand library built in the style of a cathedral looms with its doors forever open to all. Eight floors of knowledge are available for all of the students to enjoy, from dissertations on the occult to the full history of metahumanity. Just a short walk away from the library is a training ground, roughly the size of a baseball field, where anyone can hone their skills into what they desire. Often, the more combat-oriented classes will find space here, for the safety of others. This includes everything anyone could need, and is able to support anything from lightspeed metahuman abilities and divine levels of super strength, to spells that summon horrors from beyond or volatile pyromancy.

The interior of the main building is laid out in a way similar to the island itself. Winding hallways and dizzying turns allow for a feeling of secure separation that, while requiring a firm lay of the land, encourages the use of one’s abilities to navigate if they are inclined. The separation of Graymoon’s layout may seem confusing to an outsider. After all, so much space appears to simply be wasted at a glance, but that is entirely the point. The school was designed with the intention of protecting anyone who calls it home, no matter how long they take up residence. Many of the shortcuts one learns to navigate Graymoon quickly are of a magical variety, leveraging the principles of non-euclidean geometry to make trips shorter, and there are concealed places that even the headmaster himself tends to overlook when traversing the school. Because there are always students coming and going, no one is truly lost so long as they are welcome.




The world is a dangerous place for those who have extraordinary gifts. Monsters claw their way in from beyond the mortal world, governments talk of hounding the Empowered and stripping them of their boundaries. Graymoon serves to protect the Empowered, no matter what form they take, from the government and other entities that would do them harm. Jack Hawthorne founded the school to provide younger generations with a place of safety. Anyone with a curiosity, innate gift or natural affinity for the mystical powers sorcery is free to attend the school. Graymoon Institute exists for the purpose of giving these Empowered individuals a place where they can be their unrestrained selves, free from the dangers of government overreach and acts of terrorism. It was a hidden bastion against danger, to teach the younger generations all they want and need to know about their kind. It is off limits to those who claim to have the ears of politicians, international organizations who talk about brighter futures, and people who want to “invest” in the younger generations by poaching them for some representative campaign.



Only select individuals at Graymoon are told the location of the island. It is easy to make guesses as to where on Earth it is, but one does not simply fly there by plane or helicopter. In the interest of maintaining the safety of the Institute, everyone brought here arrives through the use of an enchanted key assigned to them. Students are responsible for these keys, as they are usually the only way on or off the island unless someone can swim for miles or teleport home of their own volition. The enchanted keys fit into any mundane lock attached to a door. Once that door is opened upon the key’s use, the door will lead into a seemingly infinite expanse of fog. Walking down this path leads to an area of Graymoon known as the Landing Gate. This is a large building similar to a lobby, where people can catch up and get their bearings.

Admission into Graymoon Institute is tricky, but not inherently difficult. The school keeps a close eye on the political landscape of the outside world, and will often find its way into areas where the Empowered are struggling. It’s something of an open secret, among those who are in the know, that the school exists. Often, wayward Empowered and their families are approached in private moments. Late at night, in the comfort of their own homes, or where no one is watching. This is done for the protection of their potential students, and gives families security in knowing their “situation” isn’t public knowledge. There is no monetary cost to enroll, as the headmaster founded the school on the humanitarian principle of helping those in need. Rather, anyone involved in the decision is sworn to secrecy on the matter. To get in comes with the expectation that you take the secret to your grave. Of course, most students are capable of sound judgement, so it is not unheard of for younger students to get in because they knew someone who graduated. Parents of students are given discrete methods of contacting Greymoon, and can arrange to be brought to and from the school if they wish.