YMMV / The War Gods

• Fridge Logic: Although it's frequently emphasized in the text that no form of power is inherently evil and that it's only the methods that make dark wizardry evil, there seems to be no incentive for wizards to stay "white," since there are no benevolent institutions to counterbalance the Church of Carnadosa. The only representative of white wizardry is Wencit of Rum, and he seems to have no interest in taking apprentices or forming a new White Wizard academy (even though a similar institution exists for magi) — he's much too busy going around and executing black wizards on the spot without any opportunity to reform. The practice of wizardry is also described as so seductive that those born with the talent cannot resist using it. And since it's illegal in every country in the world, you can't exactly join a support group for it. So essentially, if you are born with any kind of wizard power, you have no other options besides joining the Church of Carnadosa, practicing blood magic, and eventually getting killed by Wencit of Rum. Nice.
  • To be fair, it is apparently possible for someone to have the wizard gift and not consciously use it (both Leeana Bowmaster and Trisu of Lorham are implied to be gifted without actually being wizards). This still doesn't excuse Wencit failing to make any attempt to start an academy, take an apprentice, or do something to revive the art of white wizardry.
  • It's noted that after the Fall, wizards in general are pretty much feared, distrusted and loathed everywhere in Norfressa, with Wencit being the sole exception. So while Wencit might be willing to take on some apprentices or open a school, he would understandably have to be concerned about the public reaction should he choose to do so.
  • It's hinted he has decided not to, and most people who would be wizards may become mages. But it's heavily hinted a new wild wizard is coming and that will change things.
  • In the books, at least one of the magi has the opinion that Wencit has decided not to try and train any new wand wizards on the grounds that the Art in general is simply too powerful for anyone to be trusted with. To put it another way, the more people who know how to practice wizardry, the easier it becomes for someone who would misuse it to get training. The one group he does share the information with are the magi, since apparently it's impossible for magi to become wizards.
  • It's possible Wencit can't take an apprentice — not because he's too busy hunting dark wizards, but because wild wizardry is inborn rather than taught. (And if his spellcasting style is too different from that of wand wizards, he might not feel capable of teaching wand wizardry.) We may find out more if we ever get that sequel to Sword of the South, what with all the hints that another wild wizard will be showing up.
• Strawman Political: The third and fourth books in particular consistently portray any Sothoii opposed to either allying with the hradani (especially the Horse Stealers) or supporting the war maids as, at best, unable to get over grudges about legitimate but now historical grievances, and at worst hidebound reactionaries solely concerned with whatever personal power loss they fear from the changes. While a few such hostile individuals (Trisu of Lorham, most notably) are shown to be intelligent, fair and decent people all the same, their antipathy is always depicted as being in spite of these qualities, not proceeding from them, and any character development always involves abandoning rather than strengthening these positions — there is never any suggestion that such opinions could have any grounds not ultimately reducible to bigotry (e.g. the dangers of a hradani losing control to the "old Rage" at the wrong time while among the Sothoii, or the effects on Sothoii families of wives or daughters who leave to join the war maids for selfish reasons rather than desperate ones).