Combat is featured, and plays a big role, though there are other significant elements to it such as politics, the supernatural and of course the chase itself.

That all depends really. There are certain limits. One of them, perhaps, is social/contextual. People have developed a lot of mistrust towards magic and magi are sometimes shunned (although certain bodies hold a lot of sway in the world). The Mother's homeland was completely destroyed by something called the Second Sundering, where a group of magi (in the midst of a very brutal war) caused a leyline to sunder and tear apart a large chunk of the continent. So, as you would expect, mages are quite often 'closeted', particularly in rural communities. I'm not quite sure if this answers your question so maybe specify a little more for me? :)

No. The vamphiir are children at this stage and lack self-control. This is why they are such a threat. The Mother is the exception to this.