[@CollectorOfMyst] An aristocratic spy, nice! I like it.


[@YourDarkPriest] 

1. Magic is fairly strong depending on the user's ability and their training. A well-trained caster of average ability with ten to fifteen years of experience may be the match for six or so man-at-arms in a straight fight before succumbing to fatigue. A true master with great ability could change the course of a battle. Magical talent is rare and highly sought after, though the cost to properly train someone is often prohibitively expensive, which is why shamanism & hedge magery is somewhat commonplace. Sorry if these comparisons are not exact, but I'd rather keep it vague to allow for more interesting scenarios and creative freedom later on.

2. Woman still fill a mostly subservient role to men in the social fabric of western culture. The rest is as you'd expect, with taboos and exploitation commonplace.

3. Magical talent rarely manifests itself in physical form without proper tutelage. Only the truly gifted suddenly wake up to being able to use their innate talents. For the average mage who is not trained or remains unaware of their power, it crops up slowly over years in the form of knacks and such. For example, a village hunter may over the course of two decades come to realize he can sense/control animals.

4. There are many branches of magic, but most court mages focus on a more holistic form of study, in which they do not focus on any one branch. Necromancy and the like are of course taboo fields. Universities of magic are typically founded, funded, and equipped by the state at great expense.

5. Certainly people may find their talents lie in different fields (i.e. this mage is quite good with shields, the other with illusionwork, etc), but a large part of magic prowess comes from creativeness and knowledge, with a bonus from natural talent.

[@May96] A seemingly-dainty princess to save a dainty princess. I like how it turned out.