Questions on neverborn hunting license, also manifested/magic abilities

[011121]

1) Neverborn Hunting License Uses?

The players guide says that the guild allows basically anyone to get licensed as a neverborn hunter.  So what exactly does this license allow for?  I would think it would allow for entry into the quarantine areas and sewers, since that's precisely where you'd want to root them out from but doesn't that make it awfully easy for any group of players to completely circumvent guild restrictions on such areas?  It can't just be like a hunting license since nobody is going to complain about a non-licensed person killing a nephilim.  For it to make sense it must confer some kind of additional rights similar to letters of marque.  

 

 

 

2) Manifested Powers Verbotten?

Clearly the Guild heavily cracks down on unlicensed magic users.  It's unclear (at least to me) whether a manifested power is also cracked down on or simply viewed as "weird ^%$# happens."  But if manifested powers are not forbidden how exactly does one tell the difference between a spell and a manifested power that does the same thing?

 

 

 

3) Sanctioned magic use?

So how hard is it to become a sanctioned magic user?  Is it allowed only to specific branches of the guild, basically the special services, or is it allowed for anyone who works for the guild, so there may be the occasional guild guard spell slinger, or can non-guild members get sanctioning in some manner that is likely intrusive and annoying?

 

 

 

I'd really like some more details on how this all is supposed to work.

[Claymore65]

1.) I assume it doesn't actually allow access into the Quarantine Zone. I assume it allows access into the outside of the city, like where the Ortegas are at. It probably allows more access into the sewers, but then again pretty much anybody can go down there already. I also assume it's a combination of a Weapons Permit and a Hunting License. While you might have trouble walking around carrying huge rifles and shotguns normally, as a Neverborn Hunter you can carry much higher calibre weapons with no problems. In the core book, it describes certain types of ammo as "Only to be used against the Neverborn", so a licensed Neverborn Hunter can easily buy that sort of thing.

 

2.) On the second part, Manifested Powers are definitely illegal. This is more from the Tabletop Rulebooks, but that's part of the reason the Arcanists exist. Random people can suddenly gain powers, and thus the Witch Hunters have free reign to target and kill them. Getting Magical powers like that is absolutely terrifying in Malifaux, since suddenly you're a target. The Arcanists are seen as saviors at times like these, as they give you a way to avoid the Witch Hunters. By joining the MS&U, you're a lot safer. However, then the Arcanists have you "prove your loyalty" by committing theft, extortion etc. It's what makes the Arcanists awesome, since they combine freedom fighters with the mob.

 

3.) On the Last Part, the Guild is supposed to control most magic in the world. I assume that lots of divisions have spell-casters of many types. However, the vast majority of them use the Thalarian Doctrine, which teaches that creating Magic Items is better than Fireballs, so they rarely train their mages in combat magic like that. However, plenty of divisions include spell casters (Witch Hunters, Death Marshalls, Hoffman's group etc), so I assume as long as you have a Guild License and Guild Training, most Guild Personnel can use magic.

 

Non-Guild Mages can get sanctioning, especially if they focus on Magic Item or Construct crafting. That's literally not illegal, even though it definitely requires magic to do. It's the fireballs and stuff that's a lot harder to get sanctioning for.