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Worldbuilding

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    $\begingroup$ Is the ability to use magic genetic? It would then make perfect sense for descendants of a magic-using ruler to also be able to use magic, thus the power and the crown are both inherited together. If this is true of all neighboring kingdoms as well, intermarriage between royalty of different nations would effectively breed the trait into future generations. Basically, exactly how royalty has always worked, plus magic. $\endgroup$
    – Darrel Hoffman
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 16:39
  • $\begingroup$ One's ability to use magic is not genetic, but the limits of one's magical strength are. It takes special training to learn to harness that power. $\endgroup$
    – Frostfyre
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 16:41
  • $\begingroup$ Do magic users need any physical objects to aid their power? Like a focus or catalyst? If so, them being very expensive to make could put magic outside the reach of anyone but the filthy rich. $\endgroup$
    – Muuski
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 16:54
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    $\begingroup$ Okay, so the point still applies - if a given king or queen is a particularly strong magic-user, it stands to reason that their descendants would be as well, especially if they have been married to a member of another royal family who are also strong magic users. In addition, being royal and thus presumably wealthy, they can afford to give their offspring the best training money can buy. $\endgroup$
    – Darrel Hoffman
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 16:56
  • $\begingroup$ I don't think this matches the empire-setting you mentioned, so I'll put it in a comment instead: The simplest thing I can think of is the same thing as why a king is ruling a people, because of divine right; you can easily apply the same reasoning to magic and the lower people that accept the king's ruling as a fact will accept their ability to magick as a fact $\endgroup$
    – dot_Sp0T
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 19:58