Magic in Society

Magic has been available for mortal use since Senka gifted it to them long ago, thus society has been built around the use of such magic. For example, it’s not unheard of for fire departments to be built entirely out of water users, or construction workers to be adept with earth magic. Magic isn’t omnipotent in society however, it can be unreliable and dangerous if one attempts to apply it for everything. A person who specializes in fire wouldn’t want to use that to cut hair, for example. Thus, the world of Secrets of Arcana functions much like our world does.

Magic and Technology

In the modern world there is a marriage of magic and technology. In terms of how it compares to our own world, all the technology we have, it exists in the world of Secrets of Arcana. This includes computers, television, cars, planes, all that. The main difference is based on how energy is collected and used. Runes and sigils may be used over batteries or wires in certain technology, like how some trains operate in the cities. Magic also has advanced science in different ways. Surgeries are more advanced, especially those that deal with trans individuals, and it’s easier to monitor something like a plant if you have specialists who can talk to them, but in most cases, it is a one to one ratio between the real world, and this world.

The Politics of City States

In the Secrets of Arcana universe, there are no huge overarching countries like there are in our world. Instead, the city you come from matters more than what borders are drawn around it. Afterall, borders are a societal invention, and that invention simply didn’t happen in the canon of Secrets of Arcana. That isn’t an entirely accepted truth however. Bigger cities like Bellevara, Lindellin, or Cresas will gladly police smaller towns around them and act like a country would, but for the most part cities act more independent from the rest of their world, each having their own cultural identity. That being said, if you are from a smaller town that falls in the sphere of influence of a larger city, saying something along the lines of "I grew up in this town, but it’s near Kami-Higashi” can give another person a more specific understanding of where you come from. Plenty of these city states have had history with each other, whether that's through combat, culture, or trade, and their histories can be understood through how our world’s countries can be.

Religion in Society

Most families, and cities at that, had some connection to religion. Primarily due to mortals having concrete and stable connections to the gods, as many gods went out of their way to reach out to communicate with mortals. That fact made temples a huge part of cities, and personal beliefs towards a god, or multiple gods, a huge facet of one’s identity. But over the past 100 years, the gods have cut off all contact mysteriously. This has resulted in temples losing relevance. Some just due to lack of attention or funds, some were torn down out of rage, resentment for being abandoned. To say you believe in the gods now is more personal than ever. Some turned their backs on the gods, just as they have done to mortals, some have faith that this is all some sort of greater plan. What about you?