Dustin, Kate, Nat, Cara, and Ian all went to “regular” school - that is to say, non-magical high school - in New York. However, Dustin, Nat, Cara, and Ian’s family’s have quite a bit of money, and Kate’s education was funded by the syndicate, so they were able to afford the best of Manhattan’s private institutions. There they were regarded in much the same way as children of the mafia are- no one would mess with them, but no one really wanted to associate with them either, so they mostly kept themselves to themselves, with the exception of Dustin, who is capable of making friends with anyone.
Avery and Ezra each went to public high schools- Avery in upstate New York, Ezra in Hawaii. Avery was simultaneously popular and disliked for reasons having absolutely nothing to do with her ability to use magic. Ezra is, on the surface, completely unremarkable, and being as he was never popular nor unpopular in high school, had about as average a high school career as can be expected. He did, however, very much enjoy his time on his school’s track team.
Vin made it halfway through his sophomore year of public high school in New York before dropping out.
In general, most non-magical people don’t really know about the underground magical market, other than that it is rumored to exist. You can’t actually tell a witch or wizard from a human just by looking at them, so those with magic can generally blend in with those who don’t in the context of, say, passing them on the street.
Non-magical people do know that magic of course exists, it’s not really a question of whether or not magic is real so much as whether or not said magic is legal. The more illegal a certain type of magic is, the greater lengths those dealing with it will go to keep it a secret.
Selena again, playing around with drawing her shape-shifter magic~
ombrophilia asked: Do you anticipate Avery will own, because I anticipate Avery will own
Avery will own quite a bit, but she may find that she gets in over her head just as often as she owns.
johnwatsonfeels asked: Why is magic illegal in Checkmate?
For the same reason that a lot of things are illegal in real life: it’s extremely dangerous.
Some magics are allowed to be legally practiced, though one must obtain a license to do so, and only the weaker stuffs: charms that change the color of an item, potions that calm stomach aches, spells that will lift the lid on the garbage can when you want to throw something out rather than using the pedal on the bottom- that sort of thing.
If you want any big magic, though, it must be obtained through… means that circumvent the law.
For the same reason that a lot of things are illegal in real life: it’s extremely dangerous.
Some magics are allowed to be legally practiced, though one must obtain a license to do so, and only the weaker stuffs: charms that change the color of an item, potions that calm stomach aches, spells that will lift the lid on the garbage can when you want to throw something out rather than using the pedal on the bottom- that sort of thing.
If you want any big magic, though, it must be obtained through… means that circumvent the law.
ostentatiousverbosity asked: Are there like, wizard speakeasies? Witchy crack dens? Warlock hash cafes?
Yes- in fact the scene that I am working on right now is set at the Open To Late, a bar whose patrons are generally… not so much “undead” as much as they are “not alive in the traditional sense of the term”.
Yes- in fact the scene that I am working on right now is set at the Open To Late, a bar whose patrons are generally… not so much “undead” as much as they are “not alive in the traditional sense of the term”.
johnwatsonfeels asked: Do you learn magic, or are you born with the ability? Do you learn you have it at a certain age, or is it always kind of evident that a child can do magic? Is everyone specialized or can some people be like, “general practitioners”?
Yes and no- anyone can learn wizard magic, but witch magic is something you’re born with. The difference between the two is that wizard magic is study-based (you learn a spell, perform it, and it comes out the same every time so long as you do it correctly), whereas witch magic is intuition-based (it just comes to the user naturally, and while it is stronger than wizard magic, is less predictable and harder to control).
There are classes for those who want to study legal magics. These are generally taught at the high school age, but they are considered to be extra-curricular. There are also night classes for adults.
Most practitioners of magic are specialized, but there are some who don’t have a specialty and can do a bit of everything; Kate is one of these. It’s generally considered to be very difficult to do many different types of magic.
Yes and no- anyone can learn wizard magic, but witch magic is something you’re born with. The difference between the two is that wizard magic is study-based (you learn a spell, perform it, and it comes out the same every time so long as you do it correctly), whereas witch magic is intuition-based (it just comes to the user naturally, and while it is stronger than wizard magic, is less predictable and harder to control).
There are classes for those who want to study legal magics. These are generally taught at the high school age, but they are considered to be extra-curricular. There are also night classes for adults.
Most practitioners of magic are specialized, but there are some who don’t have a specialty and can do a bit of everything; Kate is one of these. It’s generally considered to be very difficult to do many different types of magic.
pursuitofnerdiness asked: Do witches face persecution or tighter government control based on their natural abilities?
Technically, no- theoretically a witch can live just as comfortably as any other person.
However, many witch families end up living in shoddy neighborhoods in Magictown (think Chinatown, except with witches), and generally have fewer employment opportunities because people don’t want to hire someone who is more likely to be criminally inclined.
Some families choose to hide their magical heritage.
Technically, no- theoretically a witch can live just as comfortably as any other person.
However, many witch families end up living in shoddy neighborhoods in Magictown (think Chinatown, except with witches), and generally have fewer employment opportunities because people don’t want to hire someone who is more likely to be criminally inclined.
Some families choose to hide their magical heritage.
daxxglax asked: What are some of the “legal” kinds of magic and how are they used in society?
Legal magics tend to be the sort of things that you can accomplish without magic anyway. Levitation spells that will open and close your garage door, potions that accomplish the same thing as most otc medications, alarm charms that wake you up in the morning and which you always forget to turn off on the weekends and end up accidentally waking up at 7AM on a Saturday.
Many of these are spells or charms which are activated through non-magical means, are sold to the general public, and are considered just another part of everyday life.
Legal magics tend to be the sort of things that you can accomplish without magic anyway. Levitation spells that will open and close your garage door, potions that accomplish the same thing as most otc medications, alarm charms that wake you up in the morning and which you always forget to turn off on the weekends and end up accidentally waking up at 7AM on a Saturday.
Many of these are spells or charms which are activated through non-magical means, are sold to the general public, and are considered just another part of everyday life.
daxxglax asked: What is the most abominable, illegal, and reprehensible kind of magic?
Magic which controls others thoughts is considered the most abominable, however, necromancy is considered the most illegal.
As it so happens, Avery practices the former, and Vin practices a form of the latter.
Magic which controls others thoughts is considered the most abominable, however, necromancy is considered the most illegal.
As it so happens, Avery practices the former, and Vin practices a form of the latter.
juxi asked: Is the use of magic common among gangs/crime rings? Are there any particularly notorious magic-users from those circles?
There are both magical and non-magical gangs and crime rings- the magical ones are the focus of Checkmate.
Orion Latchley, head of the Cloak and Dagger syndicate and father of Dustin, is considered to be an extremely dangerous man. Venith Paradise is also a name which has been buzzing around the magical underground, although not much is known about her.
There are both magical and non-magical gangs and crime rings- the magical ones are the focus of Checkmate.
Orion Latchley, head of the Cloak and Dagger syndicate and father of Dustin, is considered to be an extremely dangerous man. Venith Paradise is also a name which has been buzzing around the magical underground, although not much is known about her.
juxi asked: How would one go about learning magic considered illegal?
Generally by joining up with a wizarding gang and learning from others who practice illegally, as several of our protagonists end up doing.
Dustin, Nat, Cara, and Ian have an edge in that they come from magical families, with older members of the family willing to teach them.
Generally by joining up with a wizarding gang and learning from others who practice illegally, as several of our protagonists end up doing.
Dustin, Nat, Cara, and Ian have an edge in that they come from magical families, with older members of the family willing to teach them.
daxxglax asked: What sort of magical law enforcement is there and do they have access to more dangerous sorts? I imagine if you were trying to take down a magic-wielding criminal, you’d want to have something a bit more on their level.
On the federal level, the is a magical branch of the FBI who are specially trained and licensed to use stronger magics in order to track and prevent magical criminals.
However most local cops are not trained to deal with illegal magics or magical crimes.
On the federal level, the is a magical branch of the FBI who are specially trained and licensed to use stronger magics in order to track and prevent magical criminals.
However most local cops are not trained to deal with illegal magics or magical crimes.
ostentatiousverbosity asked: Is there a black market for magical artifacts?
Yes- not only for artifacts, but for spells, services, and creatures as well.
Yes- not only for artifacts, but for spells, services, and creatures as well.
