My technomages need some rules, like all good societies of wizards. I have a challenge finding rules that would be applicable to people whose powers break the law, and unlike most urban fantasy, their enemies are also human. To jump start my brain, I thought I’d research what’s been done. Which is exactly what the technomages would do.

The Knights Code of Chivalry

A specific list never existed, but the rules came up often enough in medieval literature. There are pieces of this that might work for wizards.

• Fear God and maintain the Church

• Serve the liege with valor and faith

• Protect the weak and defenseless

• Give aid to widows and orphans

• Avoid wanton giving of offence

• Live by honor and for glory

• Despise pecuniary reward

• Fight for the welfare of all

• Obey those placed in authority

• Guard the honor of fellow knights

• Eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit

• Keep faith

• Always speak the truth

• Finish what you started

• Respect the honor of women

• Never to refuse a challenge from an equal

• Never to turn your back to an enemy

Dresden Files’ Laws of Magic

This series got me into Urban Fantasy, and was the jumping off point for “just like it but completely different” that I strove for. Many of these rules are about things that are presumably not possible in my setting.

• Don't kill humans via magic.

• Don't transform others.

• Don't invade somebody else's mind

• don't enthrall people

• Don't do necromancy, aka raising the dead

• Don't do time travel.

• Don't try to go beyond the Outer Gates.

What’s the Verdict?

This is not an exhaustive list. I wanted to find rules for secret societies, but those people really like their secrets. By the nature of technomagic, it’s inherently illegal in most modern countries. The ATF has something to say about explosives and fireballs count. Not that we want the technomages to be murder-hobos, but most of what’s on the Dresden Files list sounds pretty handy. On the other hand, the Chivalric code shows us an inkling of how to employ that power wisely.

References

Since this article is list-heavy, it's important to note what came from where. You can find the original lists from these sites, I'm just collating my notes with this article.

http://www.lordsandladies.org/knights-code-of-chivalry.htm

http://www.neopagan.net/AT_Laws.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_Magic_(The_Dresden_Files)

#Chivalriccode #DresdenFiles

Find other articles about Alex Rune and Technomages here:

https://www.klforslund.com/alexrune