Post by The Divine Empire of Vessia on Jun 20, 2019 10:54:33 GMT -8
Within the realm of Vessia, magic creatures and those that can use magic are feared due to a turbulent history and the general fear of the unknown. Witch Hunts happen often, if not by the secular and government-approved Witch Hunters then by the populace themselves who have been known to take matters into their own hands when a person or persons appear suspect of manipulating the arcane.
But not all magic is prohibited, however. The Clergy and Church are known to use magic, usually for healing but are not above calling for Holy Fire. Inquisitors use even more of said fire, and individuals high in Vessia may receive blessings: a mark from God that gives a person innate divine power, typically reserved for advanced Knights.
There are the occasional Magi, people born with magical prowess. They are descendants of the ancient Magi who intermarried with Vessichers and their once wholly magical blood is now diluted to the point of only distinct magical birthmarks letting them stand out. They married most commonly to nobility, and as such they occur far more often in the affluent but it is not unknown for peasants to give birth to a magical babe. Noble-born Magi will typically be allowed to grow with their family and given a tutor in the arcane arts until puberty when they are taken to the Imperial College for further education. A Magi born to commoners will be kidnapped upon birth and sent to the Colleges, eliminating the delay provided to the privileged.
But not all magic is prohibited, however. The Clergy and Church are known to use magic, usually for healing but are not above calling for Holy Fire. Inquisitors use even more of said fire, and individuals high in Vessia may receive blessings: a mark from God that gives a person innate divine power, typically reserved for advanced Knights.
There are the occasional Magi, people born with magical prowess. They are descendants of the ancient Magi who intermarried with Vessichers and their once wholly magical blood is now diluted to the point of only distinct magical birthmarks letting them stand out. They married most commonly to nobility, and as such they occur far more often in the affluent but it is not unknown for peasants to give birth to a magical babe. Noble-born Magi will typically be allowed to grow with their family and given a tutor in the arcane arts until puberty when they are taken to the Imperial College for further education. A Magi born to commoners will be kidnapped upon birth and sent to the Colleges, eliminating the delay provided to the privileged.
After a Magi graduates, they will typically either go on to be wandering contractors, return to their family to provide services in addition to hired mages, or find work with someone powerful enough to afford their service. Since a person is only allowed to hire one mage at a time for purposes outside of communication, many mages stay on retained service working for the government and continuing studies until the Crown calls for their service.
If there is a desire to not lead such a life, then the only option is to flee.
There is to magic, an inverse: anti-magic and just as magic it is present in many places in Vessia. Many people are born with an innate ability to weaken, entirely negate or even cause suffering to those that use arcane power amongst Vessians. Often, this can be explained with high traces of hagbane silver in the land, a strange natural alloy of iron and silver that burns away most things supernatural. It will hurt fae folk as iron and werewolves as silver, making the heads of mages spin with migraines if even a single kilogram is brought near a mage. To holy magics, it only dims or negates them in large concentrations without inflicting harm upon the user.
In the thick forests that border Swavia and beyond, magic is more "welcomed" if it ascribes to a certain type. Blood magic, necromancy, and the Dark Arts are always hated for their connotations with evil and harm-doing, but only in truly civilized Vessia. The Barbarians of the Swavian Forests have magic that borders on shamanism, with some clans even able to turn into werebeasts. Magical races are also not quite common, ancient crusades driving, elves, fae folk, dwarves, greenskins and beastfolk all into flight.
