Edicts Arcanum

The Edicts Arcanum were established to maintain balance and peace among mages, nobility, clergy, and common folk. Their primary aims are to prevent the concentration of magical and political power, ensuring fair treatment of legally registered mages, and regulating the use and teaching of Arcane Magic. These edicts seek to avoid the rise of tyrannical rulers who possess both political authority and magical prowess, protect mages from persecution and discrimination, and maintain public safety and ethical standards in the practice of magic.   The Edicts rely on mutual agreement and cooperation to foster a collaborative and respectful approach to governance. Magic is used for investigation, dispute resolution, and enforcement, leveraging the unique capabilities of magic in maintaining order and justice. Terms are non-supernaturally binding, ensuring that compliance is based on mutual agreement and ethical principles rather than coercion.

I. Articles of Disinheritance

The Articles of Disinheritance represent a cornerstone of governance designed to safeguard the balance of power in Duskfall by carefully regulating the intersection of magic and authority. These decrees ensure that mages are excluded from positions of hereditary influence, preventing the consolidation of magical and political power that could destabilize the realm. From noble titles and land ownership to royal succession and transitional governance, the Articles provide a structured framework to maintain order, equity, and transparency in the delicate interplay between magic and nobility.   Noble Titles and Land Ownership. Mages are stripped of noble titles to prevent the fusion of magical and hereditary power, which could lead to an imbalance and potential abuse of power. Additionally, mages are prohibited from owning land, ensuring that land ownership remains within the non-magical nobility and separates magical influence from economic control. Noble houses must declare any mage lineage to maintain transparency and prevent hidden mage lineages from consolidating power in noble families.   Royal Scrutiny. Royal successors are scrutinized to prevent mages from ascending to thrones, thus preserving the balance of power. Monitoring and verification are conducted by the High Council of the Order of Magi, providing an impartial and expert body responsible for the thorough investigation of royal lineages.   Broken Lineages and Heir Readiness. Temporary exemptions are granted for broken lineages or unready heirs to ensure continuity and stability in governance during transitional periods. Approval is contingent upon the Mage Council, Church of the All-Father, and noble houses, providing a balanced and well-considered decision-making process. A non-mage regent is appointed to maintain the separation of magical and political power. Regular audits prevent misuse of power, ensuring that exemptions are not abused and that power is exercised responsibly.

II. Articles of Neutrality

The Articles of Neutrality establish a framework for maintaining the impartial role of mages within the political and economic landscapes of Duskfall. By mandating political neutrality and offering legal protections, these articles ensure that mages contribute their expertise without overstepping boundaries of power. At the same time, they foster a regulated and cooperative magical economy, promoting the free practice and exchange of arcane knowledge across nations. This balance protects both mages and non-mages, ensuring stability while encouraging innovation and collaboration in the realm of magi.   Political Impartiality. Mages must remain neutral in political matters to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure that mages do not unduly influence political decisions or policies. They can serve as advisors but cannot have final decision-making authority, allowing them to contribute their knowledge and expertise without wielding ultimate power.   Legal Protections and Exemptions. Registered mages selling arcane products and services are granted legal protections and tax exemptions, encouraging the legal registration of mages and promoting a regulated magical economy. Additionally, mages have the right to practice magic freely and travel across nations that have signed this document, fostering cooperation and understanding among different nations and allowing mages to share knowledge and services without fear of persecution.

III. Articles of Guardianship

The Articles of Guardianship ensure the responsible development and oversight of magical practitioners from childhood to adulthood. By placing mages’ children under the tutelage of the Order of Magi, these provisions guarantee structured education, ethical training, and the prevention of rogue magic use. Adult mages are also supported through optional integration into mage academies, providing continuous education and fostering a cohesive magical community. Regardless of their affiliation, all mages are bound by the Edicts Arcanum, ensuring that the principles of responsible and lawful magic use apply universally.   Mages’ Children. Mages’ children are wards of a mage academy under the Order of Magi to ensure they receive proper education and guidance, preventing rogue magic use and fostering responsible future practitioners. Mandatory training at a mage academy provides a structured environment where young mages can learn to control their powers safely and ethically.   Adult Mages. Adult mages are invited to join a mage academy to offer further education and support to those who manifest magical abilities later in life, integrating them into the established magical community. Independent mages must comply with the Edicts Arcanum regardless of legal registration, ensuring that all mages, regardless of their affiliation, adhere to the same standards and regulations for the safety and stability of society. I

V. Articles of Enterprise

The Articles of Enterprise establish the mage council as the central authority over all magical guilds, schools, and artifact production. By standardizing practices and pricing, these regulations prevent monopolies and ensure equitable distribution of wealth generated from arcane enterprises. Profits are shared within the magical community to promote fairness and collaboration. Strict enforcement by the council deters illegal activities and maintains ethical standards, while exemptions for merchants reselling magical items encourage trade and the circulation of arcane goods, fostering a balanced and thriving magical economy.   Guild Authority. The mage council has sole authority over magic guilds, schools, and artifact manufacture, centralizing control and ensuring that all magical enterprises operate within the legal and ethical boundaries set by the council. Profits must be shared, and standard pricing adhered to, preventing monopolies and ensuring fair distribution of wealth generated from magical products and services.   Enforcement. Strict enforcement by the mage council maintains order and compliance within the magical community, deterring illegal activities and ensuring ethical practices. Merchants reselling magical items without crafting are exempt from these rules, encouraging trade and the circulation of magical items while focusing regulatory efforts on the creators of such items.

V. Articles of Proscription and Reprisal

The Articles of Proscription and Reprisal outline strict measures to safeguard society from the misuse of magic and to maintain the delicate balance of power. These articles ban the teaching and practice of dark arts such as necromancy, demonology, and Blood Magic, with execution as the ultimate penalty for violations. Forbidden magics are actively sought out and punished, ensuring public safety and preventing underground practices.   To address potential abuses of power by mages in political positions, noble houses are tasked with mobilizing against mage rulers, and vassals are required to renounce fealty to such leaders. This ensures the preservation of political balance and prevents the consolidation of power through magical means.   Judgment is carried out through fair and balanced trials before a tribunal of nobles, clergy, and the High Council of the Order of Magi. The clergy act as mediators, while the High Council investigates violations thoroughly to ensure justice. Even the High Council itself is subject to accountability, with joint purges enacted for gross violations, preserving the integrity of the Edicts and maintaining trust within the magical community and beyond.   Forbidden and Secret Practices. Teaching necromancy, demonology, Blood Magic, and other dark arts is banned to protect society from the dangers and ethical implications of these malevolent forms of magic. Execution is the penalty for mages practicing harmful magic, serving as a severe deterrent against the use of magic that endangers lives and the fabric of society. Forbidden magics are actively sought out and punished to prevent the underground teaching and practice of dangerous magics, maintaining public safety. Thorough investigation and severe consequences are enforced for violations, ensuring that those who breach these laws are held accountable and that justice is served.   Noble Violations. Noble houses must take up arms against mage rulers, mobilizing against any mage who unlawfully gains a position of political power, preserving the balance of power. Vassals must renounce fealty to mage lords to weaken the support base of any mage ruler and facilitate their removal from power.   Trials and Enforcement. Trials are conducted before a tribunal of nobles, clergy, and the High Council of the Order of Magi to provide a fair and balanced judgment process, incorporating diverse perspectives. Clergy mediate and judge, while the High Council investigates to ensure impartiality and thoroughness in the investigation and judgment process.   Consequences for the High Council. Joint purges are conducted for gross violations by the High Council of the Order of Magi to hold even the highest authorities accountable and maintain the integrity of the Edicts.

VI. Special Provisions and Definitions

The Special Provisions and Definitions summarize how the Edicts apply to different kinds of magical practitioners. Drawing on the Four Currents of Power, they distinguish between Claimed magic (Arcane and Artifice) and Gifted magic (Divine and Primal). In broad terms, Claimed practitioners—collectively called mages—are the primary subjects of regulation and suspicion, while Gifted practitioners are treated more as partners in stewardship, governed first by their own temples and circles.   Definition of a Mage. A mage is any practitioner of Claimed power. This includes Sorcerers and Wizards (who Pull upon the Arcane), Artificers and Bards trained by the Order of Magi (who Weave Artifice), and all Warlocks by default. Sorcerers and Wizards are treated as full mages and are subject to the strictest limits on political authority, inheritance, and unsupervised practice. Artificers and Order-trained Bards are recognized as “mage-lite” Weavers whose work is often tied to infrastructure, craft, or morale, but they remain mages in law and fall under Order oversight unless a later Article states a specific exemption. Druids, Rangers, and other Primal workers are not counted as mages.   Definition of Clergy and Stewards. Clergy and Stewards are practitioners of Gifted power. This includes Clerics, Paladins, and other ordained servants of the gods and Titans (Divine), as well as Druids, Rangers, and similar Primal stewards bound to the Worldstream and its spirits. These practitioners are primarily governed by their own religious or Primal authorities rather than by the Mage Council. While they may be held to account for abuses, they do not automatically incur the disabilities of mage status and may hold lands, offices, and honors appropriate to their station.   Pact-Bound Exceptions. Warlocks stand between categories: their power is given by a patron but wielded in Claimed fashion. For safety, all Warlocks are presumed to be mages and must register with the Order of Magi. In rare cases, a Warlock whose patron is a recognized god, Titan, or Celestial may, through a temple, be granted limited recognition as clergy for specific duties and protections; even then, the Edicts treat them as mages for purposes of restriction and penalty.   The Bardic Exception. Bards are treated according to how and where they are trained. Bards who study at bardic colleges and work chiefly through performance, diplomacy, and the preservation of story are registered under a lighter “mage-lite” regimen: they are acknowledged as Artifice-workers but are regulated with an emphasis on their cultural role rather than on raw destructive potential. Bards who swear to the Order of Magi, or whose magic is routinely used in warfare or high politics, are classified as full mages and lose the benefit of this Exception, regardless of their college of origin.

VII. Articles of Integration

The Articles of Integration establish the foundational systems and structures necessary to regulate and unify the magical community under the Edicts. By mandating membership in the Order of Magi and requiring collaboration with the Church of the All-Father and the Order of the Sacred Flame, these provisions ensure that mages are trained, monitored, and guided within a framework of spiritual and ethical oversight. Specialized roles, such as the Templars, and mechanisms like mandatory registration and phylacteries, provide robust tools for enforcement, addressing rogue magic use and ensuring public safety.   From rites of passage like the Mage’s Crucible to the strict prohibition of Blood Magic, the Articles of Integration weave a comprehensive system that balances support, regulation, and accountability. This integration fosters harmony between arcane practitioners and society, aligning magical practice with the broader moral and ethical principles that govern Duskfall. Through these measures, the magical community is both empowered and held accountable, safeguarding the balance of power and trust within the realm.   The Order of Magi. Membership is mandatory for mages to ensure that all mages are part of a regulated and monitored community. The Mage Council provides training, housing, and monitoring, supporting mages in their development and ensuring compliance with the Edicts. Registration with the Order of the Sacred Flame is also required, including a blood sample to maintain detailed records and enhance the ability to track and regulate magical activity.   The Church of the All-Father. The Church influences governance and the regulation of magic, integrating spiritual and moral guidance into the management of magical practices. It collaborates with the High Council of the Order of Magi and serves advisory and mediation roles, providing a balanced and ethical perspective in decision-making processes.   The Order of the Sacred Flame. The Order of the Sacred Flame is responsible for rooting out heresy and ensuring purity, maintaining the spiritual integrity of the magical community. It oversees Templars and enforces the Edicts Arcanum, providing strong and consistent enforcement of the rules. The Order also conducts inquisitorial trials and purification rites to address and resolve instances of heresy and corruption.   The Templars. Templars police mages and have the authority to apprehend, detain, and execute threats, providing a dedicated force for enforcing the Edicts and ensuring public safety.   The Mage’s Crucible. Apprentice mages undergo a rite of passage to test and prove their abilities and commitment to the Edicts. Those who fail are put in a nullification state to prevent uncontrolled or dangerous magic use by those who are not fully trained.   Blood Magic. Practicing Blood Magic is a capital offense, punishable by execution without trial, eliminating a particularly dangerous and unethical form of magic from society. Mandatory Registration. All mages must register to ensure that all practitioners of magic are accounted for and regulated. Failure to register labels one as an apostate, identifying and managing those who operate outside the law. Blood samples are collected for magical phylacteries, creating a means of tracking and verifying magical practitioners. Phylacteries are used by Templars to track and hunt rogue mages, maintaining control and preventing the misuse of magic.   Apostates. Non-registered mages or those fleeing the Order of Magi are considered apostates. Apostates are hunted and offered a chance to return or face capture/kill directives, bringing rogue mages back under control and ensuring compliance with the Edicts.