Talk:Bone Charms/@comment-71.183.102.146-20140403003315/@comment-16241899-20140403051916

I think the magic word is "control" here.

Whale oil is something you can control to a point, expecially with the newer processing methods. Then it is put into a tank and used to power devices of any kind. Plus, it also powers the severe security around the city, and thus also helps the authorities to control the common folks.

Magic, on the other hand, is something that only few people are able to understand or use. And no one knows what people gifted with magic might be able to do. The authorities for sure can't control it, that's why they ban it.