Cultural Attitudes
Different cultures have radically different attitudes towards magic, magic items, and magic users.
Regnum Sapientium
The people of the human kingdom under Arthur Pendragon's rule is a highly superstitious people.
The Common Folk
The common people believe in (mostly fake) charms and wards to protect from evil spirits, but are fearful of any showy "real" magics. Most will react in fear or anger to any overt magic, even healing that can't be explained by herb use makes them wary. Most will just run and hide, but some will run to the local guards to have any "witches" or "warlocks" arrested for "dark magic". The kingdom is in transition from a vast array of animist and druidic belief systems, towards a monotheistic system mandated by the feudal nobility. The Church is quickly growing in power and influence.
The Royal Court
The lesser levels of the courtiers have seen magics from Merlin and others, but they are not much less superstitious than the common folk, and many are converting to the new Mono-theism phasing out the many gods of the past. The highest levels of the court are much more educated about magic, and know the difference between "good" and "evil" magic, and of course Merlin is the greatest of them all.
High Elf Empire
Rich in magic and technology, the High Elves are probably the most advanced in understanding of magics, but they hoard their knowledge in a complex hierarchy and are unwilling to share anymore with the "lesser races".
Wood Elves
Rich in Druidic, animist, and nature magic, but almost never non-nature-related magic.
Sea Elves
Once very rich in magic and technology, since the fall of their great undersea kingdoms, their magic comes much from the heart and emotional song and dance. They rarely use books or writing.
Drow
Though the Drow are not far behind in magic the Drow due to their core following of Lolth do not have the variety of disciplines in approaches to magic and definitely not technologies.
Grecos Isle
Devout followers of the Olympian pantheon, they believe magic is everywhere, even when it isn't, and blame everything that happens on the gods or magic.
Aridian
A very reserved and disciplined (and also ruthless) culture, they have huge hidden libraries underground and are very literate. Magic is well respected when used in "appropriate" and controlled and "clever" fashion. Showy, flashy, or needlessly destructive shows of power are not respected.
Northrons
Following a Wagnerian-like lifestyle, the Northrons know magic is everywhere, the gods walk amongst them, the Valkyrie ride down from the skies. Though they know magic, they are very fearful of it.
Island Barbarians
Other than their shamans and their animistic beliefs, most of the island barbarians have not trust of magic users.
Lands Where Magic Functions Differently
There are some lands rumored where both the physical and magical laws behave in radically different and unexpected ways....
The Druids of The North
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