Magic

Arcane dust is the most abundant magical material component in the world. Some special items require unique objects, but most material components simply require Arcane Dust. For instance, a fireball does not necessarily have to use bat guano and sulfur as a material component. It must have Arcane Dust. If you wanted to create a special magic weapon, then perhaps the DM would require a different unique object (such as monster tongue or eye of newt, etc). The requirement of Arcane Dust makes it critical for spell casters to often stop at major cities to stock up on Arcane Dust (even if you do not track components).

The best way to think of Arcane Dust is as a controlled substance. The Ministry of Magic keeps close tabs on who gets to access arcane dust and who doesn't as it is a precious and dangerous resource. In order to acquire arcane dust, a magic sensitive character must register with their regional Ministry of Magic. Each caster is given a unique magical token that they show to Arcane Dust merchants in order to be authorized to receive it. It is clear that the Ministry of Magic keeps track of how much dust is used and who is using it. Not to mention, the fact that if they wanted, they could figure out where a certain caster was acquiring it from.

Arcane dust can be found and sold at most large cities at the local Ministry of Magic - Magic Emporium store. Smaller villages and hamlets would not have access to Arcane Dust unless a wizard of note had a stockpile, for example.

Arcane dust is commonly known to be mined in The Wilds Portal. Little is known about it's exact origin within the portal. Many merchants have been made rich from the trade of Arcane Dust, especially merchants from Neutrum City.

Players are not necessarily tracked by the Ministry of Magic, but they do want to keep tabs on who is using its substance. They can't have Magic Sensitive Characters go off the rails and light towns on fire, and if they do, they know where to go looking. Tracking Arcane Dust is also important because there are certain Ministry of Magic members who view Magic Sensitive Characters as superior to commoners. They want to know who to go to in the event that the common folk decide to stand up and rebel against them. This type of information gives the ministry power, which is their ultimate goal.

There are several forms of Arcane Dust. First it is mined as a raw divine stone in and around Heroes Welcome. In this form, it is lethal to any creature that is not a Celestial. If ingested, injected, or used in some raw form it is extremely deadly to the subject. The raw stone then needs to be ground up and refined into a tiny powdery stones (or dust). Doing so reduces the potency of the dust, but allows it to be malleable for creatures not touched by the divine.

The Ministry of Magic (MoM), is home to the school of gifted Magic Sensitive Characters. It's a school that teaches potential magic sensitive NPCs the art of magic.There are typically 3 parts of the MoM in any given city. There is a Magic Emporium, School of The Gifted, and MoM magister towers.

Magic Emporium
Any caster looking to purchase Arcane Dust nearly always heads to the nearest Magic Emporium which are located in major cities. At the Magic Emporium, a caster can stock up on Arcane Dust/spell components, but also on other items such as healing potions, antitoxins, and spell scrolls, etc. Magic items up to Rare quality can be found here as well as wizard books that are 5th level or below and below. Wizards who have a background associated with the Ministry of Magic are able to copy spells at a discounted rate of 75 GP per spell level per hour. All wizards who do not have association are charged 100 GP per spell level. The DM will roll up a list every long rest (or whenever applicable). Magic news is often distributed to Magic Sensitive Characters during these visits. The Magic Emporium is typically managed by acolytes from the School of The Gifted.

School of The Gifted
The School of The Gifted is where most Magic Sensitive Characters go to start the process of understanding and learning how to use their abilities. Schools are mostly in the capital city of a culture, but smaller class outposts could be in any major city. If there is a certain magical phenomenon in a region, there might be a satellite classroom dedicated to its study. Classes usually have approximately 30 acolytes total. Casters who do not go to the School of The Gifted often only amount to a commoner who can reach the top shelf with mage hand.


Magister Towers
Teachers usually live on site and are called Magister or Meistr. There is typically only 1-3 Magister per city, but there may be more if there is important political needs. The Magisters are the upper ranks of the MoM. They give critical counsel to the leaders of each culture and assist them in sending out wizards to support national security concerns.

The Circle of Elders
Magic Sensitive Characters is a blanket term. There are those with, and those without magical abilities. On the other hand, each culture is extremely sensitive to the fact that their culture holds a position to advocate for them on a global scale. While each culture has MoM towers dedicated to their own ministry, Neutrum City is the only city where all cultures share a space. There, behind closed doors, they make important decisions that help shape the world. Very few people know what happens there, but it is generally understood that they make important cultural decisions based on the needs of their country's leaders and dictate concern about The Wilds Portal.



The MoM has their own interests, too. They want power for themselves, for their country, and to ultimately gain more power to ensure they always are part of the ruling class, even if that means getting rid of their own rulers in the process. Appeasing world leaders and the commoner masses is not easy balance to strike when you have your own lofty goals of upper class domination. This is not to say that the MoM is evil, but gaining and holding power is their most important goal.

Using The Magic Matrix
The Ministry of Magic uses the Magic Matrix exclusively for travel and secrets. By using the Magic Matrix, they assure that there is no delay in travel, problems associated with travel, timeliness, and special information can be kept secret. Not to mention, some of the biggest guarded secrets are not kept on the Material Plane. Instead, they are kept in pocket dimension, which act exactly like a portal would within the Magic Matrix. These pocket dimensions typically have some sort of wizard designed surroundings once inside to give the space form and typical humanoid organization.

Non-Magic Characters - No-Maj
Commoners or NPCs that have no magical abilities or special talents are called Non-Maj or No-Maj. No-Maj is short for non-magician or no magic. They make up the majority of all cities and people of the world (over 99%).

Often, those who harness magical abilities are held to a higher status than those without. It can occasionally create an uneasiness or class rivalry. There are certain organizations among the commoners that discriminate against magic sensitive characters, while others hold them in the highest regard.

Magic Sensitive | Magic Enlightened
Most NPCs are unable to manifest creations out of magic at all. However, those who are able to successfully dabble in magic are considered to be magic sensitive, but not all who dabble in magic are considered savants of the practice. Magic sensitive NPCs are typically considered to be highly competent/intelligent to embody such abilities. Expertly skilled artisans, musics, etc. are often considered to be magic sensitive.

There is no way to tell who is or isn’t magic sensitive. In the very real sense of the phrase, “seeing is believing.” Most magic sensitive NPCs can only cast simple cantrips and often find themselves praying at religious institutions. Many will attempt to study at the Ministry of Magic School of The Gifted to enhance their skills. Even among the Ministry of Magic, simple Magic Sensitive NPCs make up the vast majority of members even when they completed significant schooling.

Many Magic Sensitive characters actually have no formal training and work directly with a god. Wizards MUST study under another wizard to learn their trade, while sorcerers, warlocks, rangers, paladins, etc. have a more spiritual way of gaining their powers. Such class types still need access to Arcane Dust to conduct their abilities and register with the Ministry of Magic even if they do not ever participate in ministry affairs.

Magic Marked | Arcane Marked | Enlightened Ones
Most NPCs who work in the magical arts are considered Magic Sensitive at best. Those who swear oaths to the Gods gain special powers for their sacrifice to the Gods cause if the god chooses them back. NPCs who have dedicated themselves to a god(s) are said to be marked with a special identifier or symbol on the back of their necks. Magic/Arcane Marked NPCs are said to be infused with unnatural power derived from the Gods themselves. The marks of these individuals can vary vastly, however they usually have the back of their neck in an obvious way identifying god. Most characters attempt to hide such a feature so as to not gain special attention.

God Woken | God Touched
It is impossible to tell the difference between Magic Marked NPCs and God Woken/Touched. There is no visible difference except that God Woken/Touched typically exhibit vastly more power/control/wealth than their Magic/Arcane Marked counterparts. Typically only members of the Ministry of Magic concern themselves with making clear designations of who possesses varying amounts of power.

Demi-god | Bright
Demi-gods or Brights harness the most powerful of abilities said to be infused by the Gods themselves. Not only do they harness some of the abilities of the Gods, but they almost always are either protected or followed by large followers. The major difference between those who are enlightened by the gods and those who are Brights is that Brights can dabble in the most powerful forms of magic, God Magic, without being destroyed. Even the most God Woken of NPCs cannot handle the raw power of God Magic and will die attempting to conduct such spells.

Those who attempt to handle God Magic and are not Brights themselves are instantly exploded with the force of a Disintegrate Spell. God Magic is typically infused in orbs or wands and have the power to create and/or destroy life/elements/alter time itself. The existence of such a power is highly theoretical in the Ministry of Magic circles, but often talked about with those that go to the School of The Gifted.