Encyclopedia Arcana

Druids- Druids are magic users who focus their attention on the workings of the natural world that surrounds them. They are able to communicate with wild and domesticated beast alike, as well as trees and other plant life. Some Rare and Powerful Druids are able to speak to the wind and stones themselves. Druids are able harness the power of the elements, attacking their enemies with the fury of a bear or defending a village by splitting an oncoming forest fire in half leaving the village on untouched. They are able to coax a gentle rain out of an arid field or destroy an enemy fortress by causing the forest to in which it sits to swallow it whole without leaving a trace. Most magi have some control over the four basic elements, but a druids command of nature is unparalleled.
Shamans- Shamans are another specialized type of magic user who are able to communicate with the spirits of the world around them. The magical nature of the world gives almost every object from the moon in the night sky to the ink in which this book was written, its own unique spirit and personality. These spirits are not always aware of the world but shamans are able to rouse sleeping spirits and communicate with them. By focusing there will, shamans are able to use the spirits in their own surrounding to accomplish there goals. Though this spirit manipulation through magical forces can be an extremely powerful tool or even a weapon, many powerful shamans hold the belief that "True magic flows from your ability to listen to the world around you."
Magi- Mage is a term for any singular student of the magical arts, the plural form is magi. The forces of magic have always flown through the world, much the way blood flows through ones veins of the living. Without that magic energy flowing though the criss crossing surface of the world(in the form of powerful beams of magic called ley lines.) The world would be devoid of any life magic has always been apart of our lives and certain ponies called magi are able to understand, direct and manipulate magic to a number of ends. Some your the power to create and heal while others use it to destroy. Magic is the essence of the rawest power in the universe itself and can be very dangerous in the wrong hooves but simply it is a tool that a mage using to direct his or her will. Its no more evil then any other tool in the hooves of anyone skill in there craft.
Healing Magic- Certain magical Individuals and creatures have a natural affinity for directing the power of magic into restoring health. Creatures with the gift for natural healing such as Hydras and Phoenix's are often sought after for there abilities and prized pets to have. Users of this school whether they are knitting a bone or restoring a comrade who has fallen in battle, magical healing is a very prized skill in equestria. It is often regarded as the most powerful school of magical practice as it is used to manipulate the very life essence that flows through every living thing.
Necromancy- One of the Darker Schools of magic. Unlike healing magic which harnesses the life energy flowing through all living things, necromancers wield the polar oppisite effect...the magic given off by the death of a living being , and the magical aura that surrounds the death. Often evil type of magic often use this type of magic in an attempt to increase there own power. Unnaturally extend their own existences beyond death, or create mindless puppets from the dead. This school is particularly feared and hated, even amongst other magi, for the blatant disrespect it shows for the base forces of nature. to direct the flow of magic is an art, but to flaunt to flaunt that power in the face of death is a dangerous show of pride. Most necromancers eventually meet with unpleasant fates.
Magic vs Science- Its a long standing misconception that magic and science are at war with each other. In reality, most magical researchers consider magic and science two sides of the same coin; Science is the study and understanding of the elemental forces of the universe. Magic is the application of that understanding. Although there are many schools of magic, the basic underlying principals remain the same in most cases. Without Science, magical research would never progress past simple manipulation of the base elements. Without Magic, science would stumble blindly into the unknown with no experimention to move it forward.
Magical Stamina- or Strain/force of will etc, once a mages Strain is depleted they are no longer able to use there skills to control magic, until some or all of there strain has restored by potions, a brief rest of alternate method. Magic is not static by flows in an out like a tide sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker. If a mage happens to stand in magical flow or a magic nexus then they might find there magic increased or halted. Their magic ability might gain a temporary boost or their spells yield unexpected results. The degree of effects varies from mage to mage. Almost all beings have some amount of magic reserves even if they don't have a talent for magic, but a magic user can increase there pool with dedicated practice of the magical arts.
Blood Magic- The first person known to wield blood magic is Archon Tails men , a dreamer. He claimed to learn the art after personally communicating with an Old God Mages of the Church today argue that it is more likely that the blood magic was learned from the ancient Zebras of Elvhenan but there is no direct evidence of either stance being true. It may even have been that Tails men or another mage simply made a deal with a demon. Whatever its ultimate origin, blood magic was used by magisters of the Roman Empire to rule over the whole of the world. History recounts how the magisters used their power to shatter even the mighty Minotaur empire of Arlathan, and force its surviving people into slavery.
Demonology- Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. It is the branch of theology relating to supernatural beings who are not gods. It deals both with benevolent beings that have no circle of worshippers or so limited a circle as to be below the rank of gods, and with malevolent beings of all kinds. The original sense of "demon", from the time of starswirl onward, was a benevolent being, but in English the name now holds connotations of malevolence. Demons, when regarded as spirits, may belong to either of the classes of spirits recognized by primitive animism; that is to say, they may be mortal, or non-mortal, separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body. A sharp distinction is often drawn between these two classes, notably by the Melanesians, several Zebrakin groups, for example, are not reducible to modified pony souls; at the same time these classes are frequently conceived as producing identical results, e.g. diseases

Lich's- using a magical receptacle called a Phylactery to store the lich's soul. In some sources the method of becoming a lich is referred to as the Ritual of Becoming or Ceremony of Endless Night. The process is often described as requiring the creation and consumption of a deadly potion, the Elixir of Defilation, which is to be drunk on a full moon; although the exact details of the potion are described differently in various sources, the creation of the potion almost universally entails acts of utter evil, such as using as an ingredient the blood of an infant slain by the potential sorcerer's own hand, or other, similarly vile components. The potion invariably kills the drinker but if the process is successful it rises again some days later as a Lich. Occasionally, this metamorphosis occurs by accident as a result of life-prolonging magic. Unlike most other forms of undead creatures, the Lich retains all of the memories, personality, and abilities that it possessed in life — but it has a virtual eternity to hone its skills and inevitably becomes very powerful. Like other powerful forms of undead (such as a vampire or mummy), a Lich has unnatural powers owing to its state. For example, it can put mortals in a paralyzed state of hibernation with their minds, making them seem dead to others, and can, through its typically powerful magical spells, summon other lesser undead to protect it. A Lich's bones do not decay. The Lich is capable of sustaining tremendous physical damage, and is immune to disease, poison, fatigue and other effects that affect only the living. However, despite all its undead "gifts", a lich's most valuable resources are its vast intellect, its supreme mastery of sorcery and limitless time to research, plot and scheme. Since a lich's soul is mystically tied to its phylactery, destroying its body will not kill it. Rather, its soul will return to the phylactery, and its body will be recreated by the power keeping it immortal. Thus the only way to permanently destroy a lich is to destroy the phylactery as well. Therefore, the lich will generally be extremely protective of the priceless item. The phylactery, which can be of virtually any form (the default form is a metal box filled with rune-covered papers, but it usually appears as a valuable amulet or gemstone), will often be hidden in a secret place and protected by powerful spells, charms, monsters and/or other servants; the phylactery itself is usually of magical nature, meaning its destruction will generally be no easier than obtaining it.