Magic Regulation

Spellcasting Licensing Process
In the Alviren Empire, it is illegal to practice magic without a spellcasting license issued by the Weavers Conclave, an extra-governmental organization of powerful mages responsible for advising the governing bodies of Materi on matters of magic.

To obtain a spellcasting license from the Weavers' Conclave, an applicant must first find a patron - a sponsor who will vouch for the applicant and administer the required tests. A patron must be a licensed spellcaster, and must have maintained good standing with the Weavers' Conclave for at least a year. Most often, a patron is a teacher or mentor in the use of magic. However, some spellcasters will provide patronship for a fee - a practice that is somewhat frowned upon by the Conclave, but not expressly disallowed.

Once the patron feels that an applicant is ready to receive their license, they submit an application to the Weavers Conclave, along with an application fee of 25 GP. This fee is generally paid by the applicant, but some philanthropic patrons pay for their applicants' licenses.

After receiving the application, the Conclave send back a written test, as well as instructions for a practical test to be administered by the patron. The tests vary based on the type of magic being performed (arcane, divine, or natural), but generally require a demonstration of aptitude with casting at least first level spells, a basic knowledge of arcana, and an understanding of the safe and lawful use of magic. The written test also contains questions from history, related to the Gods’ War and the Age of Arcana - meant to reinforce the potential dangers of magic.

Notably, there is no test or licensing procedure for warlocks. The Weavers Conclave deems pact magic to be inherently dangerous, and its practitioners to be susceptible to the whims of self-interested extraplanar powers. As such, pact magic is not endorsed by the Conclave.

The patron administers the tests to the applicant. Once testing is complete, the applicant is required to swear the August Oath - a vow to never bring harm to their fellow mortal, unless in self defense. The applicant verbally swears the oath, as well as signing a corresponding document, which is also signed and witnessed by the patron.

If the patron feels that the applicant is deserving of their license based on their performance in the tests, they return the tests to the Conclave along with a letter of recommendation. Often, the applicant also includes their own cover letter, but this is not required.

The Conclave reviews the tests and the letter of recommendation, and then makes a determination to approve or deny the application, by majority vote. If the application is approved, a license is send back to the patron to be given to the applicant. If the application is denied, the applicant's fee is returned.

A spellcasting license expires annually, and must be renewed at a cost of 10 GP. Licenses are also subject to revocation at the discretion of the Conclave - generally for criminal behavior, behavior not in keeping with the Conclave's code, or failures to uphold the August Oath.

Magic Item Regulation
Within the Alviren Empire, all magical items are required to be registered with the Weavers Conclave. The magic item registration system is intended as a tracking and cataloguing mechanism; less for the purpose of controlling the use of magic items, and more for the purpose of recording the locations and owners of magic items.

By imperial law, an individual that comes into possession of a magic item must register that item with the Weavers Conclave within 30 days. The magic item registration process is fairly straightforward, involving a simple form that describes the magic item's effects, where it was obtained, and the name and location of the person in possession of the item. These forms can be obtained and filled out with local representatives of the Weavers Conclave or the Alviren Empire, who forward them to the Conclave.

A one-time registration fee must be paid to register any magic item with the Weavers Conclave. The fee varies based on the power level of the item, as shown on the Magic Item Registration Fees table below. Notably, "rarity" is a gameplay mechanic, but not a known in-world classification. The person who accepts the registration form evaluates the power level of the item on a five-point scale, and assesses the appropriate fee. This evaluation is made using an identify spell. Assessors without access to this spell generally have access to a wand of identify to accomplish the task. Items of legendary rarity or artifacts cannot be registered through a liason, and require an in-person interview and evaluation by the Weavers Conclave.

If an individual is unable to pay the registration fee for a magic item, imperial law requires the item to be surrendered to the Weavers Conclave. The Weavers Conclave retains the item until the registration fee is paid.

Once the registration fee is paid and the item is registered, the registrant receives a permit indicating that the item is registered, which is marked with the seal of the Weavers Conclave. The item also receives a minor illusory enchantment that identifies the item as registered, which can be detected with an identify spell.

Notably, there are some exceptions to the magic item registration requirements. The Weavers Conclave reserves the right to confiscate a magic item that is suspected to be cursed or sentient, or that otherwise poses a public threat. Some common, minor, and/or consumable magic items do not require registration with the Weavers Conclave. A few examples are given below. These are samples of magic items that would not have a registration requirement, but not an exhaustive list.


 * Most Common Items
 * Cosmetic Items
 * Potions of Healing (any rarity)
 * Spell Scrolls of 5th level and below (after cross-referencing against Weavers Conclave's spell collection)
 * Bags of Holding