Magic

Poorly understood and nonetheless a core part of most, if not all cultures on the continent of Kashura, Magic is something that seemingly permeates all aspects of the world around us. Magic can be found all around us and within us, it is simultaneously a fundamental law of the universe and at the same time something more akin to a natural resource. Not unlike water, it is something that can be molded, shaped and exploited. It can be nurtured like a plant, run dry like the source of a river, and change as rapidly as the winds.

But seriously, what is Magic?:

According to Aristophane of Thassalophon, one of the foremost experts on this issue in all of Kashura:

“Magic is like a current that flows through all of existence like an infinite network of rivers, which will henceforth be referred to as Leylines.”

These Leylines, as Aristophane describes them, are the conduits through which Magic courses, connecting all things in the world. Just as rivers are interconnected, feeding into one another and branching off in various directions, so too are these Leylines interconnected, weaving a complex web that binds the world together.
Her theory posits that Magic is a dynamic force, constantly flowing and shifting in response to various factors such as natural- and supernatural disasters, the thoughts and emotions of living beings, as well as the presence or active intervention of mythical creatures and entities.
This fluidity allows for the manipulation and harnessing of Magic through various means, though the way in which this occurs varies quite heavily depending on practice and tradition.
Furthermore, Aristophane describes the existence of zones with exceptionally high or low concentrations of Leylines, naming them “High Magic Zones” and “Dead Magic Zones” respectively.
A High Magic Zone, also referred to as a Nexus, is an area where the flow of Magic is particularly strong or concentrated. At these places, the very fabric of reality seems to shimmer with latent energy, and the air is said to crackle with the promise of untold mystical power.
One of the most well-known effects of a Nexus is its ability to amplify the abilities of those attuned to Magic. Mages who tap into these energies often find their spells and rituals bolstered far beyond their usual capabilities, though also much more difficult to control, often resulting in unexpected, though not always unwanted side effects.
In addition, a Nexus can exert profound influence on the world around it. The energies that emanate from these sites can stimulate growth and vitality, causing flora and fauna to flourish in abundance and develop in unusual ways. Some are even said to possess the power to alter the very landscape and weather around them, creating things such as mountaintops covered in perpetual storms, or lush forests in the middle of infertile wastelands.
In contrast, Dead Magic Zones are areas where the natural flow of Magic is severely disrupted or entirely absent. These zones are often characterized by an oppressive sense of emptiness and stillness. Dead Magic Zones can be caused by a variety of factors, almost all of them unnatural and sinister.
In some cases these zones may be temporary, dissipating once the disruptive influence has been removed. More often than not however, Dead Magic Zones persist indefinitely, creating permanent domains that block the flow of Magic and render most forms of casting ineffective.
These places are often devoid of most life, as plants struggle to grow in their presence and most sentient beings find being around them to be somewhere between eerily unpleasant to agonizing.

Practitioners of magic:

Commonly referred to as Mages, Magos or Miracle Workers, they are the people with the talent, training and conviction required to “practice magic”.
The Ability to effectively manipulate Magic, that is to be able to manipulate the flow of magical energies to create desired effects through spells and incantations, is a rare thing all things considered. Of all the people living on Kashura, perhaps 1 in 200 has even the potential to perform magic, and of those few, many will likely never discover it. Before the creation of Arcane magic this number used to be even lower, and it will not come as a surprise that its practitioners are by no small margin the most common.

(For ease of reading, the energies of Leylines will always be written with an uppercase M, while the act of practicing magic will be written with a lowercase m.)

The Practice of magic is generally broken down into 3* categories, further broken down into 7* subcategories:

True magic:

True magic is the category of magic generally thought to be the most powerful, though also the most dangerous. Furthermore it used to be the rarest category until the creation of Arcane magic.
True magic functions by not just controlling, but reshaping Leyline energy to better suit one's needs. While generally harmless, as Leylines have a tendency to return to their “natural state” after some time, True magic has by far the most potential to cause long term harm not merely through its practice, but also through the disproportionally powerful effects it can create.
Most Dead Magic Zones around the world have been the result of either True magic or Forbidden magic (to be explained later), giving True mages, especially powerful ones somewhat of an… undesirable reputation in at least some parts of Kashura.

Ancestral magic:

More commonly referred to as Sorcery, is by most accounts the oldest type of magic in the world, presumed by many to even predate Divine magic. Carried within rare and powerful bloodlines tracing farther back than any man, living or dead, could possibly remember, and even further back than the oldest records could recall, The Power of Sorcery is raw and unbound.
Sorcerers, as the wielders of Ancestral magic are generally called, are both liberated and bound by their blood. They possess the ability to mold the spells they can cast to better suit their needs like no other, and require neither an external focus nor materials to channel their magic through, but are greatly limited by the potential of their blood in terms of the spells they can actually cast. Try as they might, this is a limitation no Sorcerer, living or dead, has ever managed to circumvent. Inherent power with inherent limitations.
As far as magic goes, Sorcery is relatively easy to learn. That is not to say it does not require practice though: Just like a muscle, it needs to be trained to perform reliably, leading to a more intuitive level of understanding. Most Sorcerers perform magic as easily as ordinary people might flex their muscles, they do not need special arcane formulas or the guidance of a greater power to cast their spells, just as we do not need to understand the biomechanics of our body to lift something.
Of all the different types of magic casters, Sorcerers are by far the rarest ones, simply due to the fact that there are only so many ancient powerful bloodlines to draw power from. Some theories, especially in circles dominated by The Draconid Strain also presume that over time, the power of these ancient bloodlines is being diluted, degrading their potency if not carefully planned and meticulously maintained.
Sorcerers are both feared and revered all over the world, though nowhere as much as in The Draconid Empire, where they are more often than not seen as direct descendants of The Ancestral Dragons, The Gods of The Ruumush Amat.

Arcane magic:

On the other side of the spectrum we have Arcane magic, the most recent addition to this list, having “only” existed for give or take 1000 years following its creation by The Ur-Ashaar Arcana. Arcane magic is in many ways the direct opposite to Sorcery, requiring no ancient bloodlines, but meticulous practice, discipline and a sharp intellect to even grasp its most basic concepts. While in theory at least everyone has at least the potential to become a Wizard or Witch, as practitioners of Arcane magic are generally called, things are much more complicated in reality.
The vast majority of people lack the time, resources and natural intellect required to even pick up the basics of Arcane magic, though even that high bar makes it more attainable to the common folk than any other form of magic.
Arcane magic functions through the meticulous study of Leylines and the creation of intricate formulas, incantations and rituals, which Witches and Wizards record in something generally referred to as a “Spellbook”. This grants them on average a much greater, at least theoretical understanding of Magic, allowing them to diversify their abilities much more than most, if not all other mages.
Arcane magic is generally perceived as the magic of the common man (despite still predominantly being practiced by aristocrats and scholars) and not in a good way, peasant magic is one of its nicer nicknames. This however does make it very popular in societies which seek to empower their people, such as Velavastok and Keopsys, one of the city states of The Conflux Tripact.
Of all the different types of magic casters, Wizards and Witches are the most common, though compared to the general population they are still quite rare.
The largest house of learning dedicated to Arcane magic is The Azurite Archive, located in Thassalophon, though access is restricted to those that the Order of Arcana deems worthy.

Pact magic:

One of the older traditions of magic. Pact magic, as the name suggests, is the result of forging a pact with mighty, usually otherworldly and more often than not nefarious entities. While the exact details of these pacts of course vary from individual to individual, it almost always includes an oath of servitude in exchange for power. At least that is the stereotype, though reality is often much more complicated.
It is true that many Warlocks, as practitioners of Pact magic are called, seek out Pacts with dark entities for selfish goals, though just as many enter their pacts for sympathetic or even selfless reasons. Furthermore, not all otherworldly entities are evil or seek to destroy those who serve them, often viewing the Pact as a simple transaction, or their own strange way of helping a sympathetic mortal that has caught their eye, a gift for those suffering through trying times.
Nonetheless, the stereotype of Warlocks suggests them to be somewhere between nefarious evildoer and “foolish dumdum idiot that fell into an obvious trap like the foolish dumdum idiot they are”.
Through their Pact, a Warlock is granted understanding of certain aspects of Magic, allowing them to cast spells in a similar fashion to Sorcerers, Wizards and Witches, though without requiring ancient blood or years of practice. This does not mean that their understanding of Magic is lesser to that of Wizards and Witches (well maybe not that much), they just didn’t have to work as hard for it, or work harder depending on the nature of their Pact.
Contrary to common belief, a Warlock cannot be robbed of the power and knowledge granted by their Pact. There most certainly will be other sanctions for not upholding their end of the deal though. The Limitations of Pact magic are of course rather obvious and usually lined out as part of the Pact itself, though there are stories of Warlocks besting their masters and usurping their power.
Outside of Special cases, Warlocks are probably the most mistrusted mages of all, though most people could not tell the difference between them and other True mages, so they are usually safe so long as they do not reveal the nature of their power. Before the creation of Arcane magic, this was the only way for those without the gift of Ancestral magic to unlock the secrets of True magic. Since then the number has likely somewhat declined, though one also has to remember that most Warlocks hide their true nature.

Devotion magic:

Devotion magic is generally associated with the most devoted followers of faiths and religions around the world.
Practitioners of Devotion magic not so much derive their powers from understanding of Leylines, but rather from their belief, devotion and adherence to a higher power or ideal. Through their thoughts and emotions they can align Leylines to their wishes, more or less willing the desired effects into existence.

Divine magic:

Believed to be the second oldest type of magic behind Ancestral magic, Divine magic is the result of a devotee's unwavering faith in the power, tenets, ideals, laws, words and deeds of their deity. The powers granted to Clerics, those few which achieve their gods absolute favor are truly awe-inspiring, allowing them to mend and tear apart flesh, invoke great rituals and blessings, seemingly acting as an extension of their deities' will in the world.
While Divine magic and Pact magic may seem somewhat similar on the surface they are anything but. While Pact magic derives its power from understanding derived through a mutual agreement, the power of Divine magic is based solely on faith and belief. Furthermore, the gods do not grant their servants understanding of magic, merely the power to enforce their will, and as opposed to a Pact as such can retract their favor at any time, should the devotee fall short of their ideals. That does not mean that some do not seek out such understanding, but it is by no means a necessity.
It is somewhat debated in scholarly circles whether or not the approval of a deity actually matters, or if the only driving force behind Divine magic is in fact the unwavering faith and belief of the Cleric. It would explain why some people have committed atrocities with their powers in the name of peace loving deities, and why followers of the same faith seem to be capable of turning their magic against one another.
The implications of this theory are severe and as such most scholars and pretty much all Clergy reject this hypothesis. After all, would this not mean that the divine cannot truly exert control over their followers, and if so, would this not mean that their faith was ultimately meaningless? That one only need to believe in something strong enough for it to be so? Truly a terrifying thought.
Clerics are generally held in high esteem by the common populace, both as healers of spirit and body, as well as their gods' most devoted followers. Considering that most people in the world are religious in some way, Clerics are still rather rare though.

Oath magic:

Oath magic is, at least in theory, very similar to Divine magic. Like with Divine magic, power is derived from belief, dedication and conviction, where it differs is the source. Paladins, as the practitioners of Oath magic are called, derive their power from an Oath which reflects ideals and tenets they swear to live by. This is however much more than a personal code of ethics, and a Paladin will usually have most of their lives revolve around fulfilling or living up to those ideals.
For a Paladin, breaching their Oath is not just a matter of shame, but a betrayal of everything they stand for, to give up the very thing from which they draw their strength, to which they have dedicated their life.
While many Paladins choose to dedicate their Oath to gods or some other type of deity, this is not a requirement, and just as many simply choose to follow their ideals outside of religious dogma. They still aren’t overly common as far as spellcasters go, but Paladins are generally more common than Clerics.

Primal magic:

Primal magic, also referred to as Nature magic, is viewed by some as the purest and least intrusive form of magical practice. As opposed to True magic and Devotion magic, it does not meld and shape Leylines, but utilize their natural flow “power” incantations, spells and rituals.
Primal magic still requires some understanding of Magic, though what truly sets its practitioners apart from those of other disciplines is the degree to which they have attuned themselves to the natural energies of the world. They sense disturbances within Leyline structures much more subtle than others and are capable of reliably interpreting them almost instinctually. It makes sense, after all one cannot utilize the flow of Leylines if one does not know where they lead, that would be akin to letting oneself drift with the currents hoping to get to a specific destination.
Primal magic is most prevalent in less densely populated regions of Kashura, where the connections between nature, Magic and people have not yet been polluted by the noise and abstraction of developed land and densely populated cities. Primal mages are referred to as Druids and Rangers, though depending on the region, the terms Shaman, Medium and Warden are also used with some frequency.

*Bardic magic:

Bardic magic also known as Melodic magic, Songweaving, Resonance magic and Rhythmicism, is a discipline of magic the nature of which is somewhat under debate. While some are of the opinion that it is in a category all of its own, many other scholars assume it to be either a subcategory of True magic, Primal magic or a mix between the two.
Like with True magic, Bards, also known as Skalds, Songweavers or Rhythmicists, use certain studied and practiced methods and patterns to produce magical effects. Unlike True magic though, it doesn’t use formulas and incantations, but songs, melodies, dances and rhythms.
Like Primal magic, Bardic magic utilizes Leyline energies not by reshaping them, but by following their natural course. Unlike Primal magic though, it does so by bringing those energies into resonance through melody, not quite shaping, but guiding and aligning them to better suit the Bards needs.
Bardic magic is one of the more common disciplines, though it is especially prevalent in the west of Kashura, as many believe that the first Bards originated from The Wildkin societies of old.

Forbidden magic:

Just as most cultures in the world have things such as social taboos and laws criminalizing certain acts, so do they have beliefs about what type of magic is acceptable. The raising of Undead for one is something viewed by most as Taboo, an act of sacrilege defiling the soul, but in the cultures of Upper and Lower it carries no such stigma. Similarly, Arcane magic, as a creation of Hominid gods is looked down upon in The Draconid Empire, and Draconids are generally less likely to become Wizards or Witches than any other Strain.
That is not what Forbidden magic is though, no. Forbidden magic is something universally frowned upon. Dark powers, the knowledge of which is stricken from history books as to not facilitate its spread. Most people know it by the name of Blood magic.
Blood Magic has been described by many great Mages as “A Frontier of magic better left unexplored”. A Boogeyman to many, a last resort to few, and a tool to the truly depraved, Blood Magic is a result of willful sacrifice and hunger for power.
Every mage is technically capable of casting it, though few know how to and of those few, even less are willing to pay the price. Besides the obvious social stigma, Blood Magic always has a price, usually for the caster, and even more often to those around them.
Those that do pay the price however gain power most other mages of their caliber could only dream of: Stories of people exsanguinating their foes with a glare, fraying sanity with a touch, making their blood boil and kill them from inside and even permanently severing a Soul from the cycle of rebirth (if one believes in such things) are amongst the most common. The reality though is that Blood Magic is studied little and poorly understood. Even so-called “Experts” on the matter know comparatively little, as any true experts would likely not out themselves as such.