Contrasting a high magic society to the rest of a setting

[aglondier]

Played Ilien in a long running 3.x Birthright campaign years ago. While all the other nations jockeyed for position, I focused on becoming a high magic realm.

• Developed a feat that was tied into the general education of my people, Arcane Dabbler, grants one Cantrip slot and a "spellbook" containing 3 cantrips of their choice. Another feat granting Find Familiar was also fairly commonplace.
• Set up the capital main roads as a prayer wheel, the general daily foot traffic grinds out mana for the ruler to use.
• The capitals streetlights had three effects set on them, Light, obviously. Disrupt Undead, would activate once per round in response to any undead within its range. And Dancing Lights, which would float decoratively around the lamp, and which were responsive to the will of passersby with arcane talent...particularly children...
• The County hosted three military units, the Ilien Rangers, a very well equipped advanced scout unit. The Crimson Guard, a heavy infantry unit trained in basic magecraft and able to collectively cast a Rain of Magic Missiles. And a the Crimson Corsairs, a marines unit gifted with a pennant that controlled the wind, making them dangerous at sea...
• Minor magical trinkets became rediculously commonplace, with a small College of Wizardry, and the apprentice magecrafting encouraged. Most craft and profession journeymen could expect to own something that would add +1 to +3 at least, most guards would have some sort of once per day evocation or conjuration enchantment, and ensorcelled monsters were fairly common as pets, guards, or for utility...
• Most of the permanent settlements were transfigured, turning the buildings into huge hollow crystal dwellings, no actual stat change, but looked impressive as hell...
• The people had more leisure time, more artists, bards, theatre, the capital had sculpted parks, plant life was common, literacy was very high...
• We relied on visible, and frequent, use of Realm scale magics to dissuade hostile political and military actions. As such, we were the Neutral party, and a favoured location for diplomatic events. Nothing like throwing a Raze Castle spell down a ley line at an uppity lordling with delusions of security...
• A near neighbour would intermittently send giant spiders downriver to plague us...so we captured and farmed them for silk, chitin and meat...
• Street sweepers guided gelatinous cubes around town, while sewerage found its way into a rather large black pudding...