Adventures in a Magic "Utopia"?

[SangoProduction]

Brief Rundown of the Setting:

So, the characters have grown up in a town advanced far in to time by sheer force of magic, governed by the High Council of Mages, and everyone is trained to build their magic. You'd go as far as to say the citizens were bred to be mages, as any who can't complete the magical schooling within the allotted number of years has their memories wiped, and is exiled...basically sent to die.

Oddly enough, this actually resulted in a high number of Half Orc Clerics, compared to the rest of the races, and created a subgroup of "High Born", who are Half Orcs who have enhanced magical abilities. And exceptionally few Dwarves and Elves, who are actually viewed with a mix of disdain and awe, if they are a citizen.

Taxes are taken in spells and service to the government; gems and precious metals are mostly worthless, and were replaced with paper; Craftsmen use Unseen Servants; Farmers tend to be Druids; etc etc.

But, despite the prosperity and Diviners who act as the backbone of the magical police force, there's been a recent crime spree, which no one can predict and is getting past all magical defenses. Even the High Council can not track them down. And it has fallen to the party, who all, already, have been a group in their schooling years, to track down the ones who are perpetuating these crimes, and bring order and peace back to the city.

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After coming up with this, I just let the idea simmer down, since, after posting it, no one seemed to want to play. But...I'm here now...mostly because I don't want to go to bed. Then I started typing, and thought "this idea kinda sounds like Psycho Pass."

So, just fishing for ideas, as I kinda feel like bringing it back. What sorts of adventurers do you feel are appropriate for this type setting? Clearly, "crime thriller" genre comes to mind. I could probably watch an episode of FBI Files or whatever the hell it's called, and sprinkle in bits of the overarching story in between cases...of course...magic could simplify things quite a bit more easily than even the magical senses of these detects. But still. Could be cool. Perhaps have a riot in the streets eventually?

Anything else to offer?

[Crake]

With plots like these, my first question is: Why does it fall to the players, relatively inexperienced newcomers to the scene of wizardry, to solve this crime? What do the players have that the magical f***ing police lack? It always just kind falls short for me as a player, because it makes the rest of the setting out to have fat mall cop syndrome, but hey, if your players are happy to blindly accept the premise, go for it. I just figure it's worth mentioning.

[Fouredged Sword]

As I see it you have two different types of conflict in such a setting

A) - Internal conflict - A setting like this screams factions. Powerful individuals pressing each other for more power. This is no utopia. The farming union opposes the fabricator general opposes the head of healing opposes the head of magical law enforcement opposes the janitorial cabal. Ruthless powermongers face off in a society that the rule is be useful or be gone. Fill your world with people who want opposing things and let them generate conflict.

B) - External conflict - And there is no way this society lives in a vacuum. They interact with other societies and someone is picking up all the mindwiped exiles. Gods are involved on some level and each of them wants to convert/corrupt this society. Actors outside the society want in and or want to see it end.

[SangoProduction]

With plots like these, my first question is: Why does it fall to the players, relatively inexperienced newcomers to the scene of wizardry, to solve this crime? What do the players have that the magical f***ing police lack? It always just kind falls short for me as a player, because it makes the rest of the setting out to have fat mall cop syndrome, but hey, if your players are happy to blindly accept the premise, go for it. I just figure it's worth mentioning.

In my quick overview, I guess the explanation was rushed lol.

This is their year of service for being citizens, and so are *part* of the police force. They aren't the only ones dealing with it, but they are dealing with it. Citizens can choose their service, but the game is focused around the group that all chose to be part of the police force.


As I see it you have two different types of conflict in such a setting

A) - Internal conflict - A setting like this screams factions. Powerful individuals pressing each other for more power. This is no utopia. The farming union opposes the fabricator general opposes the head of healing opposes the head of magical law enforcement opposes the janitorial cabal. Ruthless powermongers face off in a society that the rule is be useful or be gone. Fill your world with people who want opposing things and let them generate conflict.

B) - External conflict - And there is no way this society lives in a vacuum. They interact with other societies and someone is picking up all the mindwiped exiles. Gods are involved on some level and each of them wants to convert/corrupt this society. Actors outside the society want in and or want to see it end.

Interesting. Those could definitely work.