Monvesian Culture: Veldi Madjiq

The magic practiced in Veldistan is not the tower wizardry (ie. Schools of Magic) of other human cultures, but something more closely related to early human practices in Desolation.  It was the form of magic once taught by the HMDJVNW known as ENSHZRYD.  During the Exodus, humanity developed the Old Ones' arts into their own.  This was the form practiced by the saint Mohas--writer of the text that would form the basis of human religion in Monvesia. 

Practitioners of astrology, alchemy, and theurgy, they distinguish their arts from those of other wizards by calling it Madjiq, and themselves Madji (singular Madj; or Madjos [male], Madjah).  These are proper nouns that relate to a particular Veldi order that considers itself priests, not mages.  Once an integral part of the Cult of Human Perseverance, they slowly became divorced from that tradition with the rise of the Temperamental Orders.

The common word magic is considered a corruption of the Venldi form madjiq.  Mechanically, Veldi Madjiq is Lore Mastery as presented in Unearthed Arcana.  While the term "theurgy" may be used in-game for the arts of this order, it is not the same as the arcane tradition of the same name from another installment of Unearthed Arcana.

Madjiq is considered a corrupt practice by the Universal Orders--only those schools of magic which are taught at the Towers and Academies are permitted.  While the opinions of the local Ancient Orders are not as dire, they still do not condone the practice. Modern magical traditions are seen as  structured, stable, and safe; while madjiq is seen as unpredictable.  Manipulating the inner workings of the arcane, as is done by madji, is considered a holdover from humanity's domination by the HMDJVNW. 

Indeed, the madji were once the priests of ENSHZYRD.  Breaking away from their dominator, their ranks came to form the priestly caste of the Cult of Human Perseverance.  The tradition as a whole has proven adaptable to changes in political and religious ideology--maintaining its own ideals throughout each successive upheaval.  Should the Temperamental Orders fall, madjiq will live on.

In the Veldi language, "madjiq" is an archaic synonym for wisdom.  "Madji" are wise ones:  wise men and wise women.