Today's exercise is to look at another speculative element and to establish limits and boundaries for it. Works of fantasy often have fantastic intangibles that we cannot dream of encountering in real life, and they should act in a consistent way, as if governed by imaginary rules of physics. Internal consistency is what makes or breaks willing suspension of disbelief.
An obvious story element that needs examination is magic. Magic always comes at a price or otherwise it would be ubiquitous. Alchemical magic has the cost of components in addition to the proper education necessary to perform it. Theury as practiced by priests and clerics is limited by the faith that the practitioner has alongside whatever fickle limitations the granting entity decides upon. Device magic has the same limitations as alchemical magic. Inherent gift magic has fewer limitations, but it limited by the restrictive nature that grants the magic (ex: a magical bloodline). Magic that taps into ley lines is by nature geographically limited.
All parties involved will obviously attempt to use magic to their advantage, but magic using beings may also see advantage in restricting access to magic so as to increase their own value. Why spread arcane knowledge if that means you have a weaker bargaining position when it comes to the use of your magic.
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