Magic and Society

The Role of Magic Before the Civil War

In the centuries before the civil war, magic was an everyday blessing woven into nearly every aspect of society. Skilled practitioners offered their abilities as healers, enhancers of crops, protectors of hunters, and performers of magical artistry during communal celebrations.   While some powerful mages established respected workshops or accepted roles as advisors to noble houses, others traveled between remote settlements, offering their talents in exchange for food or shelter. Among the most revered were those with the rare ability to sense emotional truth—unable to read thoughts directly, but capable of perceiving hidden feelings and deception.   Masters of magic—especially those in the service of the crown—were often held in awe and suspicion alike. A few withdrew into seclusion, living in solitary estates or remote towers to pursue deeper magical study. In contrast, The Druids, who practiced a more elven-aligned form of magic, lived in quiet harmony with nature. They were seen as secretive but generally benevolent and wise.  

Magic in the Age of the Church

With the rise of The Holy Dominion following the civil war, all this changed. The Church condemned all forms of magic as heresy, declaring it a corruption of the divine order. The punishment for its use was—and remains—death.   In towns and cities under Dominion control, magic use is almost entirely suppressed. Even the use of herbs for healing is viewed with suspicion, especially if recovery is unusually swift. In the countryside, however, far from The Church's reach, the old ways endure in secret. Magic is still quietly practiced for healing wounds, enhancing harvests, and protecting homesteads.  

What Magic Replaced

Before the civil war, reliance on magic stunted technological advancement. Hunting and agriculture were made easier by magical aid, removing the pressure to develop more efficient tools or methods. The same was true of medicine—why invent treatments when magic could mend a broken limb or cure a fever overnight?   This dependence became a quiet vulnerability. When magic vanished from cities almost overnight, many communities were left unprepared.  

The View of Magic Users

Before the civil war, magic users were pillars of their communities—trusted, respected, sometimes revered. The more powerful, however, were viewed with caution. Crown-appointed mages held political sway, and their presence often stirred unease.   The Druids stood apart. With their deeply rooted connection to nature and their near-elven insight into magic, they were honored in rural areas but rarely seen.   After the civil war, magic users became outlaws. Association with them was dangerous, and The Church's doctrine made no distinction between benevolence and threat. Still, in the wilderness and distant villages, where Dominion eyes seldom reached, the old reverence quietly persisted.  

Magic and Political Power

Before the civil war, the crown sought to control powerful mages—employing those it could, surveilling the rest. Magic was a resource to be monitored, not unleashed. Tensions between mages and rulers were common, especially when magical knowledge ran deeper than political wisdom.   After the war, The Church rose from the ashes with one absolute stance: all magic is abomination. The supreme priest declared a holy edict—any who used magic, or sheltered those who did, were to be executed.