Lifetime

Magic is utilised by sacrificing years of one’s life. Mages are identified by a blue line along the palm of their left hand indicating the years they have left (therefore the mana they have available). Older mages are able to do more with less time.

Life can be given freely to a non-mage to heal an injury/prevent death, however cannot be given to one who has already died. Life can be given to a fellow mage as a gift and is represented as a green line on top of their own; this is a common practise amongst mages killed before their time. Life can be stolen from a mage resulting in a red line. The process of taking life was common in earlier years where slaves were sacrificed to give mages power, this is outlawed nowadays.

The world is just entering industrialisation and mages are becoming more niche. Newer safety regulations prevent large spell work. Due to this many mages are pursuing other careers which are indirectly involved in magic. Mages have their own political council which is losing power in the parliament to merchants.

Protagonist is a younger child of a merchant’s house. As one of the younger children he would have little say in the business, having a mage in the family is considered ‘quaint’. Encouraged to go to the college and become a practising mage and then return to work for the family business. On the way to the college the caravan is attacked by bandits and the talent scout is fatally wounded, he gifts his years to the protagonist as no-one is available to heal him.

The villain of the story is a member of the mages council who is killing off mages and stealing their life. His plan is to become powerful enough to take control of the land.

Political system: each profession has a guild and each guild has a council. Depending upon the influence of the guild the council places a number of members into the parliament. Traditionally mages dominated the council, however as industrialisation has increased other guilds have gained more places in parliament forcing mages out. M