The Campaign Builder's Guild

Dilandri is infused with magic; it is, literally, everywhere. It infuses and cohabitates life, so much so that its entire absence is an effective, though particularly cruel, way to end a life.

The Great Arcana Field marks the end of magic; beyond its furthest extent, there is no magic. It serves as a firm, though terrifying end of the world's extent. Though there is land and ground beyond the edge of the field, no life grows there. Similarly, any life which extends beyond it is quickly killed.

Magic within the Great Arcana Field exists as a layer of latent energy called the Aura. It settles on the surface of the land, sticking to it like mist. The aura persists about a mile into the air, and permeates as deep as the deepest dwarves dwell.

It is the source and product of all life. Life maintains and creates the aura, and without the aura, life does not exist. In general, the greater the concentration of life in a particular area, the deeper and denser the aura tends to be.

Magic flows around the world similarly to a liquid. It moves from high areas of density to low. Typically, this means that the aura tends to flow off of the jungles and the oceans onto the land. This movement can cause magical 'storms,' which can interfere with magic.

Arcana Fields are areas of aura affected by places of extreme magical power. this creates a radiant field that extends for some distance beyond the origin of the field itself. While this doesn't create magical potential or aura, it makes the aura within its effect circulate in eddies. Near the ground, aura tends to move towards the center of the field. Once there, it moves upwards towards the clouds, and back out, creating a doughnut-like pattern of circulating aura.

It is this circulation that cartographic crystals pick up on. In addition, sails which are laced with the proper crystals and enchantments can actually catch on this movement; it is these currents which move windships and keep them aloft.

Whereas life and arcana fields tend to make the aura flow and move, crystals act as a block and a damper to these motions.

Crystals are minerals, typically quartz or other similar gems, infused by magical potential. This infusion and their relationship to regular gems is similar to that of magnets and magnetic materials. All crystalline gems have a potential to become a magical Crystal, and artificial Crystals can be made. However, the most powerful Crystals are the natural ones mined from the earth, created by the Great Arcana Field.

Crystals act as friction to the Aura, slowing and blocking it. The large amount of crystal in the ground, even though most of it is very weak, prevents the normal motions of the Aura from blossoming into massive magical hurricanes that would shear all life into oblivion.

In addition, crystals act as a link and a conduit, allowing the races to use magic. Almost all magic-users use crystals (the most powerful can actually turn their bones into makeshift Crystals, negating this need). It is what channels Aura into the magical effects that casters can create.

Arcane magic is drawn directly from the Aura, utilizing the magician's sheer force of will to produce the desired effect. Although most casters can do this to a very limited extent unaided, crystals greatly amplify their abilities. This is the method that most arcane casters use. There are some, though, who do not utilize this method, instead using the emotional and mental states of those around them to produce a desired effect. Most manipulate the aura that beings have already put out; these manipulate the beings that produce it.

Divine magic works in a completely different way. Divine casters receive their spells 'prepackaged' from various sources; from their Deity through special artifacts, others from an effect of the arcana fields themselves. This requires less force of will to perform, but is limited in its creativity and diversity. Getting the energy takes a comparatively long time, and the bundles of energy can't be altered once received.

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The magical tradition of the people of the central regions of Dilandri are very, very similar. It is based on a system of organized schools, with teachers and students, similar in form to the traditional education systems of the nations the schools co-exist with. These academies are loosely connected, governed over by a congress of senior mages from several countries. They police themselves as often as possible, keeping rogue magicians in check and preventing them from becoming major problems for civil authorities. Although specifics vary from area to area, there are 5 laws which, with some variations, are universal to where the academic congress holds sway.

1. Thou shalt not invade the mind of another. This is a prohibition of mind-influencing magic, magical lobotomies, or other similar actions. This does not prohibit magically lying, but direct mental attack.
2. Thou shalt not interfere with Death. This is a ban on necromancy. Primarily, bringing the dead back to life, creating necromatic constructs (zombies, skeletons, etc.), and using life-draining magic to kill.
3. Thou shalt not move against time. The law prevents moving back or slowing in time. This is a fear against causing paradox or otherwise altering the world on a major scale.
4. Thou shalt not control another. This bans magical forcing, such as body-taking, brainwashing, or other means of making unwilling persons submit to your will.
5. Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Edge. This law prohibits altering or tampering with the Great Arcana Field, either in attempts to extend it, shrink it, or safely move beyond it.

These laws apply uniquely to magicians, and is not specific to magical heritage; a magician trained outside of the reach of academies is expected to follow these laws when in territory as well. The congress also polices magicians in other, civil crimes, with cooperation from local authorities.

The congress' trained arcanist-hunters, the Aedilis, can sometimes act as a sort of borderless police force. They never hunt those with no magical talent, but their authority is recognized, if not unchallenged, in most of the Core. These hunters are highly-trained, and very good at tracking and nullifying an acranist's abilities.

Beyond law-enforcement, those who come from an academy-dominated culture find themselves in a supportive, though strict support network. Additional training is easy to come by and tutelage, if not nearby, is at least easily located. Magical knowledge is structured and well-documented. Libraries of spells and methods are easy to come by, but face multiple layers of red-tape and formalities to access. Magical accouterments, such as crystals and low-level, common magical items are in high demand.

In exchange for their freedom to study and practice all the magic they wish, those in the area of the academy's influence benefit from some of the most common and accessible magics in all the world.

The Aedilis are the Arcane Academy's internal lawkeepers and bounty-hunters. Composed of magic-users of all description and training, they form a disorganized but highly effective policing force for arcanists. They are respected almost anywhere they go within the Core.

Tradition and Society:
Aedilis officers are typically arranged into groups of four or five, for safety's sake. They are recruited at a younger age, before they can establish a life and career, and provided with training and housing in exchange for their service. Most Aedilis train in special academies for roughly two years as a team, fostering cooperation and trust, before they are made full officers.

Organization:
The Aedilis have safehouses across the civilized lands, which each house a number of officer groups at a time. Their work operates on an assigned bounty system; Aedilis officers are not paid unless they bring in a criminal, at which time they receive the agreed-upon bounty from the Arcane congress. Bounties are only placed for confirmed criminals, so they are moderately rare. However, most bounties, when they are approved, are in the five digit range, setting up Aedilis for years.

Non-officers - the ones who run the safehouses - receive a yearly stipend from local authorities in exchange for using Aedilis officers for investigations and scouting, occasionally as backup for more dangerous criminals.