I think Donald has more or less the right explanation. Spells applied to ones own person are just as effective aswhen applied to another, IMO. Individuals who are able to cast powerful spells on their own weapons and armour and use them in battle abound among the Irensavalists etc. And probably also are known among the Arkati heretics and other heretics who do not observe correct caste strictures. Individuals who break caste laws are still powerful individuals.
But magics that use community support, whether used to empower the appropriate members of the community (blessing all the defenders of the community, for example) or for other great magical efforts, work correctly only when caste rules are being followed. When it comes to conflict between communities, communities that follow caste rules correctly are able to muster far more powerful magics.
One example of such a magic might be Brithini rituals for immortality. It is, of course, possible that the Irensavalists etc areable to find magical formula in their own holy books that mean their community support magics work perfectly fine for them, too. The same goes for other non-orthodox groups like the followers of Valkaro. They've managed to research and find magical formula to access community support appropriately, and perhaps even have useful spells in their grimoires, in support of their own heterodox beliefs about caste.
And the more powerful magics those available to those who follow caste strictures correctly are thus the enforcement mechanism used for commanding unruly wizards or others who might challenge caste restrictions. If all the zzaburi decided to take over from the talars, they would be able to do so (and arguably this has taken place in some places). But if some wizards rebelled against the talars, but some remained loyal, the loyalists would probably be able to much more easily muster a big spell to crush the rebels, empowered with community support and the correct formula for Let The Talar Rebuke the Unruly Caste-breakers.
Note also that the spells available generally favour the status quo. The Abiding Book contains spells that enforce caste restriction (based on the various stories of Malkion instructing the castes in their right duties). There are no spells in any Orthodox Grimoire for zzaburi to instruct talars. So wizards who wish to enforce the orthodoxy through magic already have appropriate spells either readily at hand, or easily discoverable. They are right there in the one book everyone knows. Wizards who wish to overthrow the status quo, on the other hand, have to first learn or research such a spell, which may take considerable time and effort. While that is no guarantee of victory for the orthodox (spells designed to command might take into account caste lines, but spells designed to incinerate, poison or otherwise injure do not), it is an advantage.
Cheers
David
Powered by hypermail