There Was A War

There was a war while there was a war.

Even back before the dark ages, the mundane were strong enough to eradicate the scattered and unorganized mages and magi.

So they hid themselves and organized.  The Users of Mana, Order of Mages and Society of Magi, or Guild, was founded.

Eventually coming to live in a parallel society under their own rules, but presenting a front that conformed to societies expectations when they had to be part of society at all.

Then The Great War happened.

Though being a mage meant being a member of supranational organization, the members were still citizens of their respective nations and human.

There were so many simple spells which could, if nothing else, alleviate the suffering and prevent death and dismemberment in the trenches.  There were even spells which could make men whole should they be disfigured.

The decision to come out into the open again was not made lightly, and not without conflict.

A war was literally fought among the mages and magi about it.  Secretly.  The mundanes weren't even aware of it.

Their aid did not change the course of the war, but it did mean that many soldiers came home who otherwise would not have.  Even magical measures have countermeasures.

At the end of the war, the politicians and rulers tried to assert control over The Guild and its members.  It didn't take much of a demonstration of power to show that wouldn't work.  The countermeasures that would stop a powerful mage simply wouldn't be deployed to stop someone under Guild orders.

The Guild presented its rules to the world.  The world acquiesced.

Now they live among us.

Guild law is enforced by The Guild.  Mundane laws will be enforced on Guild members by the mundane courts, and may employ members as specialists.

Harsh but fair.