After The Magic

[Steve]

The premise of this campaign is that a High Fantasy world had its apocalyptic battle with the Dark Lord and Good won the battle. However, the conflict caused a tidal change in the level of magic available. Magic pretty much dried up, leaving a more mundane world, pretty much overnight. It didn't completely disappear, but what little remained receded into hidden pools that may yet dry up completely.

 

One of the changes had to do with the sentient races on this world.

 

Elves lost their near-immortality and became more mortal (going from a lifespan measured in centuries to one that topped out at 150 years), but their fertility changed to one more like humans. Those older than that new limit aged within hours of the end of the battle and died of old age. Those younger than that aged accordingly. They went from having four points of LS vs. Aging to one point. But another change also happened. Instead of only being fertile in the springtime, it became a monthly cycle like humans. While still having a connection to nature, their magical enhancements faded to nothing. They were now a mortal race, not glowing with supernatural power like before.

 

Dwarves had a similar effect occur, losing lifespan but greatly increasing fertility to more human levels.

 

The race of Orcs also underwent a profound change. The Dark Lord had enthralled them for generations as part of his war machine. After his destruction, they seemed to awaken from a sleep, regaining the ability to choose their lives for themselves, regaining free will. Some remained evil and barbaric, but the majority chose a different path and joined civilization. Their forms became less horrific, becoming more like a more brutish form of Men.

 

The loss of magic also affected the ability of different races to cross-breed. Before, there were occasional mixed race births between humans and the other races. Those half-dwarves, half-elves and half-orcs could only breed with one or the other of their parent races or another of their same kind. That now no longer occurs naturally.

 

Wizards, once seen in every city performing wonders, practically vanished. The few remaining pools of magic could only support a handful of them. They retreated to those hidden places, becoming hermits. The artifacts made of magic were rendered mundane.

 

Creatures infused with magic vanished or died, such as demons and dragons. Drakes, the lesser, more mundane cousins of dragons, survived and thrived in the wilderness.

 

The loss of magic did not end the world, history is still being made, and there are still petty kingdoms feuding with each other. Enchantment still exists, only more hidden away now. Even in some cities, a pool or two might still exist. But for the most part the world is now low magic/swords & sorcery instead of High Fantasy.

 

Some creations of the Dark Lord still survive, such as vampires, but they are greatly reduced in power.

 

 

I am looking for ideas and suggestions on fleshing out this barebones world idea.

 

 

Revision of initial concept: Based on comments in this thread, this is an alternate history version of Earth. Starting in the 8th century, refugees from Faerie began arriving in waves. They were escaping from the Dark Lord, leader of the Unseelie hosts. The level of magic rose in the world, powered by leakage from Faerie. Sometime around 1000 AD. The Dark Lord invaded but was defeated by the Seelie and their human allies. The gates to Faerie were sealed, and Fae on Earth dwindled to mortal levels, save for a few that huddle around a few natural leakage points.

 

It is now 1100 AD on this altered Earth.

[rstehwien]

Re: After The Magic

 

Ever read "The Magic Goes Away" by Larry Niven.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Goes_Away

Magic Goes Away Collection

 

Basically magic was a non/renewable or slowly renewing energy source so it was eventually eaten up by gods and magicians. Gods were first to go when the magic dropped to low and eventually it got to low for even magicians and the world was taken over barbarians (actually magic being used up in an area was the reasons civilizations like atlantis fell).

 

In first story I ever read the main characters wanted to bring the magic back. Seems that magic gets stronger the higher up you go (some renewing from the sun I think) and they get the idea that the moon is basically magic. They waken a lost god who decides that is a good idea, he will crash the moon into the earth and bring about a new age of magic. Not to worry about everyone dying ... he will have enough power to remake everything he wants.

 

The main characters aren't too pleased about humanity getting under the thumb of the gods again.

 

Anyway the books have some good ideas of adventures in a world where magic dwindles... getting old magic items that have the old power, cities crumbling as the enchantments fade, rising of a new form of magic (shamanism), etc.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

Larry Niven definitely had some interesting ideas in this story collection. One of the ideas I am playing with is a sort of magical aftermath kind of campaign. Instead of humans-only, the other races still exist, just dwindled to a level that is more like humanity.

 

Orcs will become more of an honorable warrior race over time, so a step up for them from where they were. Elves and Dwarves will become more mortal. The increased fertility should offset losses of the older members of those races in a few decades.

 

The gods were never very prominent, so they could become more divorced from the world.

 

The feel would probably be more Valdorian Age, but with a few non-human races.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: After The Magic

 

The Valdorian Age was the first thing I thought of reading this concept. The histories have a lot of similarities.

 

I suggest deciding if you want the nonhuman races to remain in their traditional ecological niches (Elves in forests, Dwarves under mountains, Orcs in wilderness), or if you want them to spread into territories previously exclusive to humans. If the long-lived races are becoming more fecund, their populations will likely swell, causing migration pressure. This could either manifest as peaceful immigration, creating more racially diverse, cosmopolitan regions; or as armed conflict over living space. Possibly both.

 

If the gods have withdrawn from the world, so that their reality and presence can no longer be demonstrated through manifestations, miracles, and the like, there could easily be widespread theological upheaval. New faiths and philosophies would challenge the traditional orthodoxy, prompting anything from a Renaissance to an Inquisition, to a Jihad or Crusade.

 

The few wizards remaining might consolidate into schools or orders with common goals. Some might seek to preserve as much of the ancient lore and the surviving pools of magic as possible, protecting them from abuse and exploitation. Others could consider themselves an enlightened elite, attempting to use magic to covertly gain more power in the world.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

Great comments, LL!

 

Regarding the history similarities to Valdorian Age, I purposely used VA as a history basis and then tweaked it.

 

My current notion is to set the campaign 1-2 generations after the final battle with the Dark Lord. The Elves and Dwarves, having lost their oldest and wisest, will start taking a more human-level view of things. The "elder races" will be growing in population, likely outgrowing their prior enclaves and needing to expand to new locations. The younger generations, those born after the wars, will probably have a different view on life than the survivors of the wars do.

 

The Elves will be going through another change due to the alterations caused by the final flare and fade of magic. Since they were more attuned to the essence of magic. For some reason, females are being born at a higher rate than males, about two to one. And one in four births are fraternal twins, usually a brother and sister. This is boosting Elven populations and also changing it into a more matriarchal society.

 

Dwarves are also now more fecund, but they are not as prolific as the Elves are coming to be. No one knows why.

 

Magic has become dangerous to the soul to use. The remaining sources of magic were somehow tainted, and wizards begin to gain a spiritual corruption as they draw on it. Wizards and sorcerers are feared now. The only remaining branch of magic that remains untainted is alchemy, but there are proscriptions on what can be made, which is now mainly healing potionz and love philtres.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: After The Magic

 

If the remaining sources of magic are corrupted, you have an excuse to create all manner of fairy- or ghost-haunted locations like those out of folklore, depending on where the magic pool is centered. These locations would naturally attract whatever supernatural creatures remain on Earth, and perhaps warp native life forms. So, you can have forests stalked by wild monsters, where the trees themselves have the means and will to harm intruders; lakes holding everything from Nessie to Lovecraftian fish-men; fairy mounds with underground realms of near-immortal Elves abducting surface dwellers, or perhaps supernatural Morlocks; ruined castles filled with the unquiet spirits of their deceased inhabitants, resenting the living.

 

The magic pools might also be last refuges for the servants of the Dark Lord, or even the spirit of the Lord himself, hiding and biding their time until the world changes once more.

[Savinien]

Re: After The Magic

 

I would think the remaining pools of magic to be extremely valuable resources left to those that can use them. Possibly inciting some sort of magical war/battles.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

When I was first thinking about how magic now worked in my world idea, I was originally inclined to view it as something like how Ars Magica presented it, as zones of different kinds of power. At one time, the Essence lay spread pretty evenly across the land like a shallow sea that covered everything, allowing magic to work. After the end of the battle against the Dark Lord, that sea of magic evaporated, leaving only small wellsprings of Essence behind. Taking the analogy further, those remaining wellsprings are polluted to various degrees, working a corruption on sorcerers who use it to power their spells. The very worst are haunted places, where unquiet spirits and dark creatures dwell.

 

The centers of these remaining regions would have the strongest magic, able to warp and alter creatures who enter it, and it would fade off in strength as you ventured away from it. The really corrupted places are nightmarish zones with goblins and worse. I'm picturing the world might be something like a cross between Grimm's Fairy Tales and Swords & Sorcery.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: After The Magic

 

What if it's Iron that made Magic go bad?

Iron corrupts the energy, electromagnetism suppresses it?

 

EDIT: Lest it seem like I'm claiming this as an original idea, it sure ain't.

Good examples include Prachett's Lords & Ladies, Tim Powers' On Stranger Tides, and Ray Feist's Faerie Tale

[Lord Liaden]

Re: After The Magic

 

The Dark Lord must have had a lot of followers before his fall. Were they all destroyed in battle? Or could there still be some who revere him, even worship him? Hidden cults who hope for his return, perhaps work to achieve it. (Up to you whether or not that's even possible.) Someone might appear who claims to be the Dark Lord reborn, or perhaps his rightful heir or successor. Again, that may be true or not, but I could certainly see an ambitious warlord trying to capitalize on the DL's reputation.

 

OTOH you could take worship of the DL in a different direction. A "cult" could be established by wealthy, privileged dilettantes who use it as an excuse for debauched "rituals," like the Hellfire Clubs of the 18th and 19th Centuries, or some professed Satanists in the early 20th. Perhaps as time passes some philosophers could even redefine the nature and role of the DL, in a manner similar to how some Gnostics viewed Satan: as the being who brought the freedom and glory of magic to the mortal world, until jealous gods had their slaves cast him down and condemn mortals to their present humble existence.

 

Some of these cults might be relatively harmless or even benign, but subject to persecution by the fearful majority.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

What if it's Iron that made Magic go bad?

Iron corrupts the energy, electromagnetism suppresses it?

 

EDIT: Lest it seem like I'm claiming this as an original idea, it sure ain't.

Good examples include Prachett's Lords & Ladies, Tim Powers' On Stranger Tides, and Ray Feist's Faerie Tale

 

That's an interesting idea. In thinking further on the source of magic in the world, using Faerie as the ultimate source of magic makes sense to me. Elves and Orcs are thus opposing examples of Seelie and Unseelie power warping humans into new species. Instead of having all magic be corrupted, there could be a few springs of Seelie-based Essence remaining, perhaps tended to by one of the very few remaining wizards living a hermit existence. Un-Seelie Essence could be more common, although still rare, guarded by fell creatures who spiritually drink from it and sorcerers and witches who tap it for power.

[Tom Carman]

Re: After The Magic

 

What if it's Iron that made Magic go bad?

Iron corrupts the energy, electromagnetism suppresses it?

 

EDIT: Lest it seem like I'm claiming this as an original idea, it sure ain't.

Good examples include Prachett's Lords & Ladies, Tim Powers' On Stranger Tides, and Ray Feist's Faerie Tale

 

The idea is older than that: Poul Anderson wrote short stories on the concept in the 50s and 60s (collected into Operation Chaos in 1971).

[Lord Liaden]

Re: After The Magic

 

That's an interesting idea. In thinking further on the source of magic in the world' date=' using Faerie as the ultimate source of magic makes sense to me. Elves and Orcs are thus opposing examples of Seelie and Unseelie power warping humans into new species. Instead of having all magic be corrupted, there could be a few springs of Seelie-based Essence remaining, perhaps tended to by one of the very few remaining wizards living a hermit existence. Un-Seelie Essence could be more common, although still rare, guarded by fell creatures who spiritually drink from it and sorcerers and witches who tap it for power.[/quote']

 

If Faerie is the source of magic, logically the remaining pools of magic would tend to collect around portals to Faerie: fairy rings, stone circles, caves, and any other traditional markers to passages to the "other world." These portals may be shut most of the time -- perhaps as an accidental or deliberate response to the chaos unleashed by the Dark Lord -- unless passage between worlds allows a trickle of magic to enter. The key to purging an area warped by a tainted pool of magic may be to destroy a portal completely, or even reverse it to suck the magic away. Conversely, an ambitious wizard could try to rip a portal wide open, flooding a region with magic to restore his powers to the levels of old.

 

Rather than being "warped" humans, some or all of the nonhuman races could originally have been colonists from Faerie, now trapped and condemned to mortality. The gods Men once worshipped may be the greatest among the Faeries, like Ireland's Tuatha de Danann; and the Dark Lord himself mighty in the Unseelie Court.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

Yes, that is a better idea, LL. The mortal world was invaded by Faerie, magic became more common due to flows of Seelie and Unseelie essence flowing into the world through the gates to Arcadia. Now the gates are sealed and only a trickle of power comes through. The colonists from Faerie are trapped in the mortal world and dwindle to mortal levels.

 

That does help me to explain the presence of Dwarves, Elves and Orcs. They are refugees following the end of the war. I could even have the invasion be a recent thing, followed by the war and the sealing of the gates. I could thus use an alternate version of the real world as the setting. Remnants of Faerie power could cause some "fairy tale" effects to remain in the real world.

 

If I set the end of the war in Pre-Renaissance Europe, what might be a good time frame? 1000 AD?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: After The Magic

 

May I assume you mean, "an analogue to Pre-Renaissance Europe?" An actual alternate Europe brings in some tricky issues, notably the presence and influence of Christianity.

 

However, real European history does suggest some interesting parallels with the scenarios you describe. Let's say that, 500 or more years ago, the known world was dominated by a great, civilized Empire. Men were aware of Faerie, and worshipped its mightiest rulers as gods, but actual contact between the worlds was rare. The Empire suddenly came under pressure by a flood of migrants from Faerie, who were fleeing a campaign by the Dark Lord to bring all of Faerie under his rule. The combination of the Faeries' intrusion and the increased magic they brought with them wrought chaos on the Empire, leading to its collapse. [This is analogous to the barbarian migrations which broke down the Roman Empire.] The world entered a Dark Age of turmoil as Men and Faeries struggled to learn to live together, wizards strove to master the possibilities of increased magic, and great heroes fought to destroy magical monsters roaming the land. Gradually order resolved iself as new nations emerged, new social structures came into place, magic took the place of the sciences and arts known during the Empire, and Men and Faeries established boundaries and equilibrium.

 

Then the Dark Lord, who had largely brought Faerie under his heel, invaded Earth. One by one the new nations fell to him. [inspired by Attila and the Muslim wars of conquest against the West.] But a great war leader arose who united the petty kingdoms, and with a combination of military brilliance and wizardly assistance, met and broke the forces of the Dark Lord. [Conflating Charles Martel and Charlemagne.] But in this great war the portals from Earth to Faerie were slammed shut. [Either accidentally, or to cut the Dark Lord from the source of his power.] The Earth leader's realm crumbled after his death without an external threat, or the assistance of magic, to hold it together.

 

And now, a century or two later, we're where your campaign starts.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

For a fantasy version of Europe, I might have to investigate some classic games like Runequest, Harn and Castle Falkenstein. I suppose Ars Magica might be helpful for fleshing out my world concept.

[Markdoc]

Re: After The Magic

 

May I assume you mean' date=' "an analogue to Pre-Renaissance Europe?" An actual alternate Europe brings in some tricky issues, notably the presence and influence of Christianity[/quote']

 

I don't see that necessarily as a problem: our C&S games always ran in pseudo-Europe, and having Christianity in place was never an issue. I've played - and enjoyed the hell out of - a Franciscan monk, a Welsh knight, a Mercian spearman and a French Crusader in different games. I've also GM'ed a game set in a Fantasy Italy, where Christianity was in its rightful historical place without any issues (in fact the players in that game, which was a short one-off campaign were agents of the Church).

 

And the suggestion you made about Færie being the source of magic really has - to me anyway - a nice feeling for it, with færie rings and hills being perilous things, and trolls, werewolves and who knows what lurking on the edge of the civilized world. Obviously, the presence of færie beings and a dark lord means that you are going to be some way off European History anyway but you could otherwise draw on a lot of historical material which make the GM's job easier. You could easily rework the crusades, just pointing them at the Dark Lord instead of Jerusalem - unless of course, you chose to go the whole number of the beast route, where the Dark Lord had his base in Jerusalem. That'd add an interesting spin, with the city becoming 4x holy - not only for religious connotations, but also as the site the last battle. It'd be a natural bone of contention between faith, with all sides claiming that it was their armies which made the crucial contribution to the final victory.

 

Also, I like the idea of a tonsured skinny monk, shaking his crucifix in the face of a troll and trusting his faith to protect him. Who knows, maybe it would. Then again, the roots of the church are fertilized by the blood of martyrs

 

If you were going to go the fantasy-Europe-with-pockets-of-magic route, Holdstock's Mythago Wood series would be worth a look, and there's plenty of other fantasy literature to use as inspiration.

 

Dang ... now I want to run/play in that game.

 

cheers, Mark

[Lord Liaden]

Re: After The Magic

 

You and me both, pal.

 

I didn't mean that Christianity would be an impediment to running this setting; just that some decisions would need to be made about its interaction with the extensive pagan elements that Steve is already looking at using in his campaign.

 

And a Jerusalem analogue is a really cool idea (no surprise, coming from you). Such a city might be the reflection of its counterpart in Faerie, like the medieval European concept of a perfect "Heavenly Jerusalem." Only if Steve wanted to keep the pagan feel, it might be more like Asgard.

 

It strikes me that a Crusade to retake the city, post-magic-disappearance, could go in opposite directions. Perhaps it's in the hands of the descendants of the Faerie-folk who came to Earth, and Humans want to take it for themselves. Conversely, Humans might already hold it, and the Faeries may claim it by right and try to seize it by force.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

Thanks to both Markdoc and LL for the ideas.

 

The initial Faerie invasion could have started small, decades or centuries before the big waves of invaders came. And when those waves came, they came big. Millions of Fae eventually arrived, through locations scattered across Europe.

 

Having different invasion points is also a consideration. Was Europe and that region the only place where crossovers occurred, or were other continents affected? Having China and the East dealing with their own refugees makes it a worldwide phenomena.

 

I think I will stick to Europe being the first invasion point for now, beginning in the days of the Merovingian dynasty. Faerie rings and mounds are the gateways to Europe, even as far east as Russia. Baba Yaga could easily be a refugee from Faerie, either the real thing or an Unseelie that assumed the role.

 

Having the Dark Lord do his invasion point as Jerusalem gives an interesting spin on things. So the Seelie started coming through in different places in Europe in the 5th-7th centuries, mixed with the local populations there for a while and gave rise to a more magical reality than happened in our history. They may have kept the gates to Faerie open in order to allow more refugees, but too well guarded for the Dark Lord to get at them that way. Jerusalem became his beachhead in the 8th-9th centuries.

 

The battles against him escalated until the apocalyptic conflict against him just after 1000 AD. He was thrown back to Faerie or destroyed, leaving millions of Fae as refugees in our world when the gates sealed shut for good. Magic faded back into the shadows, powered by a few Fae sites that still allowed through a trickle of power.

 

The refugees became more mortal, establishing themselves in Europe.

 

And when the campaign begins, it is now just after 1100 AD.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

The Fae integrating into medieval societies offers some explanations for certain fantastic elements to remain.

 

I might borrow from White Wolf's Changeling series for explanations on the origins of vampires and were-creatures, that they are a type of Fae refugees. Vampires are a product of Unseelie magics, able to make more of themselves on Earth by feeding victims some of their own blood. It is a form of Fae curse carried in their blood. Were-creatures could be a race of Fae, analogs of normal humans that are able to turn into animals. If they aren't too powerful, both vampires and werewolves would work pretty well in a swords & sorcery Europe.

 

The largest immigrant population might be the Sidhe, and both nobles and commoners could have fled from the Dark Lord, millions of them escaping to Earth through the portals. They integrated into feudal society over decades, knowing they needed humans as allies if the Dark Lord tracked them down to Earth. After losing the bulk of their Fae abilities when the gates sealed shut and becoming a 'mortal' race, their transition as another immigrant population in Europe has continued.

 

I'm contemplating having the presence of the Sidhe extend the life of the Merovingian Dynasty. Perhaps some Sidhe nobility married into the feudal structure.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: After The Magic

 

The Fae integrating into medieval societies offers some explanations for certain fantastic elements to remain.

 

I might borrow from White Wolf's Changeling series for explanations on the origins of vampires and were-creatures, that they are a type of Fae refugees. Vampires are a product of Unseelie magics, able to make more of themselves on Earth by feeding victims some of their own blood. It is a form of Fae curse carried in their blood. Were-creatures could be a race of Fae, analogs of normal humans that are able to turn into animals. If they aren't too powerful, both vampires and werewolves would work pretty well in a swords & sorcery Europe.

 

The largest immigrant population might be the Sidhe, and both nobles and commoners could have fled from the Dark Lord, millions of them escaping to Earth through the portals. They integrated into feudal society over decades, knowing they needed humans as allies if the Dark Lord tracked them down to Earth. After losing the bulk of their Fae abilities when the gates sealed shut and becoming a 'mortal' race, their transition as another immigrant population in Europe has continued.

 

I'm contemplating having the presence of the Sidhe extend the life of the Merovingian Dynasty. Perhaps some Sidhe nobility married into the feudal structure.

 

"Blue bloods", heh. Actually, if some of the more mythical national treasures still retain some power from Faerie, but they can only be accessed/activated by those with sidhe blood, it'd promote a lot of the royal house inbreeding we actually saw in history

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

Artifacts and tomes were smuggled over from Faerie to Earth during the escape of the Sidhe, so I would imagine some human kingdoms have national treasures that contain a spark of Fae magic. Having them only usable by someone with Sidhe blood is an interesting idea.

 

I would imagine that the Sidhe spread throughout Europe since their first arrival, also mingling with different tribes, from wandering gypsy bands to viking jarldoms. They would become part of the feudal structure. Perhaps their diminishment into a mortal race after the gates to Faerie were sealed shut also reduced or maybe even eliminated traditional Fae weaknesses, such as to cold iron.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: After The Magic

 

Artifacts and tomes were smuggled over from Faerie to Earth during the escape of the Sidhe, so I would imagine some human kingdoms have national treasures that contain a spark of Fae magic. Having them only usable by someone with Sidhe blood is an interesting idea.

 

I would imagine that the Sidhe spread throughout Europe since their first arrival, also mingling with different tribes, from wandering gypsy bands to viking jarldoms. They would become part of the feudal structure. Perhaps their diminishment into a mortal race after the gates to Faerie were sealed shut also reduced or maybe even eliminated traditional Fae weaknesses, such as to cold iron.

I was specifically thinking about The Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann that became the core of the Thirteen Treasures of Britain. A lot of the Age of Magic stuff like the Chessboard that plays by itself would fade, but the four treasures were originally from The Many Colored Land and would probably act as their own magical power sources to those that can touch their Fae spirit.

There are a bazillion interpretations of them, but I'd probably go for the Slaine approach, to whit (at full mythical strength):

The Cauldron of Inspiration: Returns the dead as undead, feeds the hungry, gives visions, acts as a gate to the Otherworld. Quenches the Spear. Associated with Wales

The Spear of the Sun: Always hits what it's thrown at. Always kills. Always red hot, drips blood. sings with it's own battle mad voice. The Cauldron can calm it down. Associated with Ireland

The Sword of the Moon: Silver sword that cuts anything. If sheathed within the Stone of Kingship, only the King may withdraw it. Associated with Britain

The Stone of Kingship: Graven stone that embodies the link between land and king. Sings when the true king stands upon it. Associated with Scotland.

 

Uther conquered the North, and joined Sword and Stone for his son before dying, but Arthur barely completed his quest for the Cauldron, and never won the Spear

 

Just the random thoughts bouncing around my head tonight...

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

If the source of magic is Faerie power, I'm thinking that magic use (what little there is left) requires a measure of Fae blood. By breeding with humans in the century or two they had to prepare for the Dark Lord, they were able to enhance their forces.

 

Now that the gates are sealed, magic has faded back to the darkened corners of the world. To use it, those with a Fae ancestor can learn how.

 

The post-war low magic period has some interesting implications. Legends and myths could have Fae sources.

 

Santa Claus could be an example of Fae magic surviving in the world, and his home could be a spot where Fae power still lives.

 

Demons could be Seelie/Unseelie that were imprisoned in pocket dimensions, able to be released for a time with the proper spells.

[Steve]

Re: After The Magic

 

In thinking further about this altered version of history, the war against the Dark Lord could have a couple of outcomes.

 

1) The gates were permanently sealed, never to be opened again, not even if the stars are right. The dribbles of Fae magic are all the world will ever know now, but it is a permanent change to a previously mundane world.

 

2) The gates were sealed, but not permanently. Once every thousand years, a window of opportunity appears, allowing agents of the Dark Lord on Earth to destroy the seals, allowing the Dark Lord to return with his armies.

 

I'm inclined to go with option 1, and the Sidhe would be considered another race of humanity in the modern day, circa 2012. That altered world could still be fairly similar.