Mordecai

Back when Edanith was still Connlaoth, the Mordecai were those legendary, coveted people that were born with a unique psychic ability that repressed magic, rendering any mages around them helpless. Today, the Mordecai still exist—but their ability has evolved and changed over the millennia. Now they no longer possess the ability to repress magic—but they do have the ability to control it.

The Mordecai have no magic abilities of their own, but they can control the magic in those that do possess it if the proper link is formed. People born with this ability are in high demand in Edanith and any and all people found with the ability are drafted into the military and, while they gain ranks in the military like any other soldier, they do gain special privileges and treatment because they’re such a valuable asset.

Each Mordecai can control at least one mage, though there are the rare few who can control multiple mages. Mordecai are linked to their mage via matching silver headbands—though the one the mage wears is bolted to their skull and hardwired to their brain. Thus, removal is next to impossible unless done by the proper medic, and even if It wasn’t connected to the mage in that fashion, the mage would still not be able to remove it—they are simply physically incapable of it, unable to even touch the band if they so much as think about removing it. Similarly, so long as that band is on their head they cannot use magic on their own—they can only use it when linked to a Mordecai and specifically ordered to perform a task.

While Edanith gains many of its mages from outside sources, that is not the only way it acquires them. Efficient as ever, Edanith breeds and raises its own mages in special facilities. Thus, not all mages are as eager as one might imagine to be free; for some mages, that lifestyle is all they’ve ever known. And while mages have no human rights under Edanith’s constitution, it really isn’t quite as horrible a life as one might imagine.

The Mordecai tend to treat the mages in their collective well. Mages are a valuable resource so it is imperative that they are kept healthy. Thus, senseless beatings and the like are rare and those who do go overboard in reprimanding their mages are appropriately disciplined. But if anything, the relationship between mage and Mordecai is surprisingly positive; because of the amount of time the two remain mentally linked to one another, it’s not unusual for there to be a certain level of intimacy between the two, even friendship in some cases.