Arcane Magic in Vireth

Within the lands of the three continents, Vireth, arcane magic is an old and deeply distrusted force for both good and ill. Arcane magic users called simply Mages are strictly controlled and monitored through-out their lives, and any who attempt to skirt this system face anything from formal shunning, to indentured servitude, to burning at the stake. Most mages are monitored via a tattoo or brand somewhere on their bodies that acts as both a means of monitoring the mage and a way to incapacitate them if the need arises. The names, birthdate, and a swathe of other personally identifying information of all known mages in Vireth is registered within the Bastion of Senix, the former Mage Capital of the Teluna Empire, and current center for magical study within the landmass.

## The Tyraig Rebellion

In PC 782 during the reign of Emperor Tarekles III Teluna a rebellion broke out within the regional capital of Tyraigis at the behest of a battlemage named Torganira. Torganira organized bands of local steppe warriors, gained the support of mages within the city through their alliance with steppe shamans, and raised his banner against the emperor. While a rebellion of this size was a cause for concern, the imperial legions of the time were fully capable and experienced in putting down the steppe nomads of the region. What tipped the scales in favor of Torganira was his focus on magical warfare.

Within the first month of Torganira's rebellion the man had conquered the peninsula, maintained several forward bases within Quizon, held firm against the Orientis Mountains, and made cautious forays into the Alvoran Wildlands. It was only when Emperor Tarekles III himself gathered his retinue of Bloodguard, summoned the forces of his celestial allies, and organized a strict blockade of the entire peninsula that the war returned to favor the imperial forces. Utilizing an old circle of teleportation within the elven capital of Imeana the emperor struck behind Torganira's lines and slaughtered his main army before taking the rebel leader hostage. The war had lasted eight months, seen the slaughter of five full-strength imperial legions stationed in the region, and caused a stagnation of local ley-lines that would take imperial mages decades to ease, resulting in mass chaos storms that would warp the landscape for all time.

### Result

The Tyraig Rebellion was one of the deadliest rebellions in imperial history, with the farthest reaching consequences. In addition to the stagnation of ley-lines, the vast use of magic caused untold trauma to imperial soldiers that would see many of the legions that had survived the initial conflict forced to retire. Tens of thousands of imperial forces were wiped out within the span of a year, and imperial military power would take decades to recover, causing Emperor Tarekles III to reduce his stated intentions for the length of his reign. The Regnum Caelorum, the official church of the Teluna Empire, took on explicit military functions to help ease the burden of defending local provinces, raising religious knightly orders and a standing church military.

Anyone capable of utilizing arcane magic, drawn from ley-lines, was now to be registered with the state and strictly monitored. Deemed "Mages" officially, this new class of citizen was given a formal capital in Senix, the floating city on the island of the same name just south of Irida. Those born with the ability were given a magical tattoo on their right hand or arm, their left if they lacked a right, or the forehead if lacking both. Those who chose to learn magic through study were freeze branded in the same location instead. These tattoos or brands were then used to track and incapacitate mages through the use of an imperial magistrate's sigil of office.

The city of Senix was given over to a cadre of Imperial Mages, those mages who served the Teluna Empire in an official capacity, with the purpose of holding the registration of all mages within the empire, tracking their activities, and enforcing imperial law upon them. All mages within the empire were considered Citizens of Senix, regardless of their birthplace, and eventually could not gain noble titles outside of the city-state itself. While Senix held dominion over the physical island entirely, the land was largely desert with only a single oasis at its heart, and vast ruins of a past civilization besides.

## Notable Exceptions

### Eldritch Knights

Most knightly orders based in the lands of the fallen Teluna Empire take on the responsibility of managing their own mages. A fully trained fighter that is also versed in magic is more difficult for the magehunters of Senix to deal with, and thus their orders are charged with their oversight. Many such orders will have a representative from the mage capital as an advisor to the head of the order to ease communication and clear any confusion on protocol.

### Hedge Magic

Most hedge mages grow into their power secretly from the start, either unknowing or entirely disregarding the laws of the land. Magehunters will often show mercy on such folk, taking them directly to the nearest magister for documentation and, if appropriate, training. If a hedge mage should prove too dangerous to themselves and the general populous, however, the average magehunter holds no qualms ensuring the swift execution of their target.

### Guild Artificers

Those mages who focus their magic through the manipulation and amplification of technology are encouraged to join a trade guild rather than registering with the local magister. This offers them similar protection and legitimacy as serving a lord or knightly order, but with far greater economic freedom and incentives.