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* MAGIC *
In this universe, magic is a part of the world inhabitants' everyday lives. Magic is used to cook, clean, and do many other things! Magic is mainly an aid rather than a cure-all. Magic, like all energy, is difficult to understand, and although it is one of the oldest natural resources on Earth, it is estimated that only .039% of its potential has been realized.
i. -- Some limitations... An example.
Knowledge of magic is never complete, and beings have to adjust to new discoveries. One controversial example is the act of making things "disappear." For many years, magic users used disappearance spells without any thought of consequence. However, in the late 1700s, it was inferred by Newasci explorers in their around-the-world expeditions that everything that had ever been set to "disappear" was simply relocated, as the occasional familiar objects were spotted in decomposing heaps they discovered in the wilderness. The issue was finally confirmed in the mid-1800s by corroborative scholarly studies, but not until the 1970s were any consequences established. Some nations that heavily abused disappear spells for their waste, such as the nation of Newas, were brought to global trial to make up for the influx of garbage that would "randomly appear, previously believed to be a part of the area's climate" in other nations. Along with this, the International Council banned the use of disappearance spells.
ii. -- Tech and magic
Technology and magic work hand in hand. For example, magic is often a source of energy for technology. Some models of cell phones or TVs might be magic-powered. Magic can't be relied on to power your electronics all the time, though. Magic is a generic term for an invisible energy source that is spread throughout the universe. Some areas have a greater abundance of magic particles than others. Some nations have almost no magic available to them, an issue that scientists have been studying for centuries.
iii. -- Hand or wands or what?
Magic practices vary according to cultural tradition, although there are no technical restrictions on who can learn what type of magic (although cultural sensitivities often prevent people from practicing "foreign" magic). Some traditions use their fingers, some use "wands" (any object deemed a magic director), others strictly operate in verbal capacities, use the written word, or are motion/signal activated.
iv. Magic licenses
In order to use magic in public, most countries require a being to carry a card proving they are qualified. This card is commonly acquired by first passing a head-knowledge exam and then a demonstrative exam. The age for getting this card varies according to government regulations, although 13 is the youngest out of all country restrictions (with the average being 17 years old). Even at this point, not every type of spell is permitted to be used. For example, someone wishing to practice healing would need a healing spell license. Overall, beings tend to primarily practice specialized magic, just like any being tends to use specialized knowledge to perform their career tasks.
v. Laws and wards
Some laws around magic use are:
* bans on raising the dead (for historical reference, this has never gone well)
* restricted teleportation - especially within cities (teleporters must enter public teleportation areas to travel along established routes)
* heavy restrictions on emotion-adjusting spells (only to be used by those in medical careers)
* bans on casting spells on and around food (making cooking a highly skilled profession, sometimes called an "ancient art")
* if casting a spell on a sentient being then the being must consent - unless the spell was cast for necessary self-defense (the age of consent to magic varies from nation to nation)
* requirement of wearing official identification if form-shifted
Wards are placed throughout nations, cities, and even homes to restrict the use of certain spells within their boundaries.
vi. Time and magic
Magic cannot alter time - that is, it cannot pause, reverse, or accelerate time. Some conspiracies exist that these things may happen every day, but no one knows because they are not within the boundaries of the spell. These are often debunked by leading magiologists. As of now, time is not known to be affected by magic. However, a being's body can be manipulated to regress in aging or to prevent aging. While laws vary from country to country to regulate this, it is very common to meet those with hundreds of years beyond their natural lifespan.
