Iron Kingdoms question - witchcraft?

[ThomasBJJ]

I've been reading thru the witchfire trilogy modules lately, and I'm a little foggy on one of the main plot points for the first module "The Longest Night".

If the Iron Kingdoms accept Wizards and Clerics and such, why is "Witchcraft" illegal? What constitutes "Witchcraft"? Is being a Sorcerer character class = a "Witch"? How would the locals know the difference between a Wizard casting a spell and a "Witch"?

If anyone could clarify this for me, I would appreciate it.

 

[jaldaen]

Spoilers!!!

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Don't have the adventures right next to me, but...

In the current setting "witchcraft" is not "illegal", but a mere 10 years ago it was... This is because Vinter Realthorne encouraged the practice via his Inquisition... however one year after the Corvis Witchcraft Trials Vinter was deposed by Leto...

As for old prejudices dying hard... well there is a good amount of witchcraft fear and from my understanding the sorcerer class essentially = witch for most IK inhabitants... however as per the Primer both bards and wizards are much less troubling to the IK populace at large... This is because of the "training" that both of these classes go through and thus the view that they are disciplined and rational...

As for locals knowing the difference between a bard, wizard, or sorcerer... I would assume that dress might have a lot to do with it... I sort of see bards and wizards dressing in such a way that others know who they are... sorcerers don't really have any "organizations" like the bards and wizards... in fact the Primer pretty much states that most sorcerers due to past persecutions prefer to dress like bards, wizards to keep others from recognizing them as sorcerers...

Good Night,
Jaldaen

 

[ThomasBJJ]

thanks. I wish it was a little better explained in the module.