Rites of Sovereignty
Magic has been part of the world since time immemorial, and magical transportation has long been a subject of study. Even during the period when Magic was banned by The Church across most of Elbid, there were still those who could provide such services - for a price. However, it wasn't until 1687, with the publication of the Principia Arcana, that magical practice became truly widespread.
The Principia outlined the principles of Universal Magic: magic that could be performed by anyone. Prior to this, all magic was idiosyncratic - the components required to cast a spell varied from practitioner to practitioner, forcing each to essentially reinvent the craft for themselves. Few had the time or capacity to undertake the long and arduous process of developing spells from scratch, and so the world contained only a small number of working magicians.
Universal Magic changed everything. In the decades following the Principia's publication, hundreds of Universal spells were developed - spells that could be taught and cast without requiring a personal, idiosyncratic system. While many branches of magic remained difficult to standardize, transportation was not among them. By 1710, the field had advanced so far that Parliament issued a charter to the Wayfarer's Guild, granting it a monopoly on magical transportation throughout the Empire. Outside Albion, other organizations soon emerged, and the foundations of a global magical travel network began to take shape.
The Specter of War
As magical transportation became more prevalent, nations quickly turned their attention to its military potential. Strategists speculated on the possibility of deploying large numbers of troops directly into enemy territory - bypassing border defenses entirely. Small squads could materialize inside sensitive locations, complete their missions, and disappear without a trace.
In response to early incidents of magical theft, localized wards were developed to block transportation spells - but these protections were limited in scope, effective only at the scale of individual rooms or buildings, not entire nations. A spell capable of delivering whole armies en masse had not yet been devised, but thaumaturges around the world were working to change that. The first sign of success, it was feared, would be a sudden invasion deep into a nation's heartland.
Amid such uncertainty, many generals began advocating for preemptive action. Rather than risk being caught unprepared, they argued it was wiser to strike first and eliminate rival magical programs before they could mature. Throughout the 1700s, as magical transportation grew increasingly accessible, the belief that a major war was inevitable became widespread - and deeply unsettling.
A Stabilizing Force
At this critical juncture, the Pharaoh Undying chose to intervene. The oldest magician in the world - a living god who had ruled the land of Kemet for millennia - he had long come to prize stability above all else. And the mounting tensions on the northern continent threatened to plunge the world into chaos.
In a series of letters addressed to the leaders of every magical nation in Elbid, the Pharaoh revealed the Rites of Sovereignty: a magical process designed to shield a nation's borders from magical transportation, scrying, and a variety of other arcane intrusions. To the astonishment of many, the Rites were formulated as a Universal spell - contradicting the widely held belief that the magicians of antiquity had never discovered such principles. Yet rigorous analysis by contemporary thaumaturges confirmed the Pharaoh's claims, and one by one, nations across the continent adopted the ritual.
With the threat of magical invasion greatly diminished, calls for preemptive war quieted. The looming conflict dissolved, and peace endured - perhaps only for a few decades more, but longer than many had dared to hope.
The magical rites which protect nations from magical attacks. Its primary purpose is to prevent magical transportation over borders, but there are variations of the Rites designed to block many other types of magical attack as well. The Rites are keyed to the Sovereign of the nation, and sustained by the connection between subject and ruler to spread to every place where the population acknowledges their ruler.Effect
The Rites of Sovereignty establish a magical border that resists many forms of arcane intrusion. This border is defined not by geography alone, but by the people who dwell within it - and is keyed to the individual or body recognized as their legitimate ruler.
In The Empire of Albion, for example, the key is Empress Charlotte I, and the protective border encompasses all lands where the populace truly acknowledges her as their head of state. In other nations, the key may be shared among co-rulers or even vested in a legislative body. But the underlying principle remains the same: the Rites are anchored to the figure or institution perceived as rightful by the collective belief of the governed.
This has led to some curious side effects. In newly conquered regions, the Rites often fail to extend their protection for a generation or more. The province of Arvoringia, for instance, remains outside the Imperial wards fifteen years after its annexation. Similarly, when a population begins to lose faith in its rulers, the magical border may recede - sometimes serving as a subtle warning of political unrest or eroding legitimacy.
Despite these gaps, the Rites have proven remarkably effective. They persist through lines of succession - though clearly established protocols for the transfer of power have become a critical security necessity. The Rites prevent a wide array of invasive magical acts, securing nations against both espionage and attack. In short, they work - and they work well.
It makes sense that this exists. I like that it doesn't automatically extend once a place is conquered, but it takes a while to do.
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It gets really interesting when pockets inside the wards start losing protection; becomes a barometer of public faith in the monarch.