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[Vexander]

The Sharlayans - at least outside of Astromancy - don't seem like a particularly magic-focused culture, but a learning/scholarly one (not to be confused with all things Scholar-related).

Don't seem like a particularly magic focused culture? Have you -been- inside the Great Gubal Library? Or the Anti-Tower? Minfilia herself stated that the only reason the Garleans never invaded Old Sharlayan is because they fear the Sharlayan's magical might. In the Warring Triad series, Urianger sets up a barrier that would take any mage over 20 hours to unmake, with its only weakness being those with the Echo.

Sharlayan likely could've existed alongside the likes of Amdapor and Mhach and held its own. Its -the- magical nation of the modern age (as far as we're aware).

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

Don't seem like a particularly magic focused culture? Have you -been- inside the Great Gubal Library? Or the Anti-Tower? Minfilia herself stated that the only reason the Garleans never invaded Old Sharlayan is because they fear the Sharlayan's magical might. In the Warring Triad series, Urianger sets up a barrier that would take any mage over 20 hours to unmake, with its only weakness being those with the Echo.

Sharlayan likely could've existed alongside the likes of Amdapor and Mhach and held its own. Its -the- magical nation of the modern age (as far as we're aware).

I should've clarified better. Sharlayans use magic; seems like all cultures except the Garleans use it (because they can't), and the Sharlayans have developed powerful schools of magic of their own. But they are not definied by being a magical powerhouse much like Amdapor and Mhach were. Until the actual fighting broke out, the "war" was a cold one; an arms race to deter the other, and other countries from trying anything. Sharlayan - as a modern magical nation - opted instead to go the scholarly route so as not to repeat the mistakes of Amdapor (screwing with the natural balance) and Mhach (messing with the Void).

Oh, and for the person who asked why White Mages would work with Mhachi survivors: Leave it to a Calamity-level disaster to make people set aside their differences, especially where survival is concerned.