...as I bring far too much baggage to the table.

Having said that, I think you are missing one very big thing here, sir. To wit, what is the most likely practical result of all this? A *benefit* to mages.

Why, you ask?

Well, the way it is being described, magic will either strengthen or weaken (though how much is not known yet, so it might all be a tempest in a teapot no matter how it works out) by action of the players. Meaning, those players who support magic can enhance it. Those who oppose magic, can weaken it.

Who opposes magic? The village.

Who supports magic? Every####ingbody else. Literally.

Where do you think the likely status of magic will be, on a day to day basis, when the entire playerbase but for the small subset of those who are playing villager/villagerwannabe roles uses, depends, wants and generally strongly supports magic?

Frankly, I'm not convinced this isn't a *bad* thing for ragers, and going to end up weakening them and strengthening mages.

I will not judge until it plays out of course, because none of this is terribly difficult to figure out and it's entirely possible that Nep and co. figured out a way to give the villagers some balancing power to make it so they can check magic the same amount the rest of the world can expand it. We'll see.

Bottom line: The whole world (of Thera) likes magic. Not just mages, everyone. Everyone buys their potions, their scrolls, their roots, etc. They all want them to work. Only the village doesn't. Who is going to win that battle? Don't waste too much time thinking on that one...