class magic

[marycatelli]

Once upon a time, magic was the province of the powerful.  Whether you had court magicians a la Merlin, or put the power directly in the hands of the rulers.

Then someone discovers how to mass produce it.

Would produce a lot of interesting effects in social upheaval.  And social climbing. Even if it slowly and gradually seeped through society.

I wonder if the high-ranking families would try to preserve some forms of magic for those of high birth.  It would only really work, of course, if there weren't rivals about, or if the magic was not really powerful.  Otherwise you would have to allow it out in self-defense, to avoid losing the arms race.

Comments

[marycatelli]

Culling kind of gives the game away if you're claiming superiority.

[headnoises.livejournal.com]

Declare it proof that the mother was unloyal to her husband, because that can only be found with a noble bloodline?

It would only work if the nobility looks enough like the locals, but it gives an excuse for identified-magic folks to be moved into some sort of group home, and makes sure they wouldn't show anyone.

[marycatelli]

I think they would probably phrase it as young men sowing their wild oats. But yeah, that would work as long as they were willing to accept said "bastards."

[hibiscusrose.livejournal.com]

Not unheard of. How many bastard sons in history and story ended up as their legitimate brother's steward or marshal or reeve or chaplain? Or even as a minor niece/nephew's regent? I believe the thinking is that the blood connection will keep them loyal but the illegitimacy means they are rarely competition for the inheritance.

[marycatelli]

But those are actual bastards, not legal-fiction bastards. Also, there could easily be more of these ones. If reasonably talented commoners crop up as frequently as they do for more mundane talents, a LOT more.

Besides, since it's a legal fiction, the kids would probably resent being bastardized all the more, and there is no blood connection to keep 'em loyal.

[hibiscusrose.livejournal.com]

True, but it's a variation of "Them that got the gold, make the rules." It's also mushroom theory--if you stick your head up, it gets lopped off. It's a hard, cruel way to maintain control. And I wouldn't imagine those doing the culling see that "having" to do it is an indicator the system is wrong--it's "preserving the purity of the race/bloodline."

And culling doesn't have to be killing--children of lower classes who are discovered to have the talents are swept away, raised in some (probably) dispassionate crèche/school, completely disassociated from their birth family and rank yet not necessarily part of the upper classes. Maybe like yeoman squires: this is as close to the honors as they can get. Potentially self-perpetuating and an upper class ally (keep the lowest down so we maintain our rank). However, depending on the situation, and I would say more likely in a non-self-perpetuating situation, this "midclass" might also provide the greatest chance of rebellion.

[marycatelli]

The thing is the "maintain superiority" and "maintain control" may be in serious conflict.