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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rodrigo Istalindir" data-source="post: 887113" data-attributes="member: 2810">I would think that in any fantasy setting where magic was undeniable and reasonably common, that some sort of ethical system would either be imposed by the rulers of the society, or would be adopted by the practitioners of the arcane arts voluntarily.  If the society were dominated by non-magic users, leaders would be afraid of their power being usurped and the common folk would be afraid of being turned into a toad.  Laws would be passed regulating magic, limiting the size of mages' guilds, etc.  There would be strong pressure for self-regulation as well.  Fearing draconian measures would be imposed upon them, many magical organizations would impose their own rules and regulations, and would deal harshly with transgressors lest the sins of the few cast all in a bad light.In such a society, offensive magic would be usably only in the same circumstances that deadly force would normally be permitted.  Use in self-defense would probably be Ok, but if it resulted in death the use of a fireball would likely  receive greater scrutiny from the authorities than a sword.   Mages serving as members of armies or militias would probably be given carte blanche during combat, so long as they were following orders.  Depending on the culture, arcane duels could even be sanctioned under similar situations as conventional duels.There would be pretty strict regulations on other forms of magic, too.  Unregulated transmutations (of, say, iron into gold) could result in rampant fraud, and would have unpredictable effects on the economy.   Mind-control spells would make such democratic institutions as might exist suspect, to say the least.   Summonings might be banned by more enlightened societyies that frowned on involuntary servitude, and those that did permit it would hold the mage accountable for the actions of the summoned creature.Most utility spells, buffs, and defensive magics would be largely unregulated, although the use of otherwise permissible magic in the commission of a crime (ie teleporting into the bank vault) would probably result in a greater punishment.Lawful good characters would be bound to follow all the strictures of society as well as any magical organization to which they belonged.   They might create magical charities to heal the sick, or form volunteer magic brigades to control fires.  In any event, they would see magic as a double-edge sword, aware of the benefits it could bring but fearful of how the power might be used in the wrong hands.Chaotic good characters would generally go along, but would be especially loathe to use mind-control spells.   They might also be uncomfortable with summoning spells, since depriving a sentient being of free will runs counter to their beliefs.   They would be more likely to save their magic to use to their advantage.LE characters would see magic as a means of power and control.  Less powerful mages would use the law as a shield; the more powerful would use it as a means of regulating competition and keeping less powerful mages from becoming a threat.  Whereas a lawful good magical organization might prohibit members from using the most powerful of spells for fear of the harm that may come to others, a lawful evil organization would use the same prohibition to prevent underlings from becoming a threat to their rule.Chaotic evil mages would be dangerous, and they not probably not congregate in great numbers, fearing each other as much as they feared the law.  They would have few compunctions about using most any spell.   Summonings and mind-control magic would be rationalized as simply survival of the fittest.  Offensive magic would be used pre-emptively against threats both real and suspected.    In worlds where magic was uncommon, lawfully aligned magic users would be far less common, since supersition and distrust would keep them from banding together except under the protection of powerful warlords.</blockquote>

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