Magical Theory and Classification

Magical theory is a very broad term for what is an endlessly deep and complex study: the study of magic itself, and the ways in which mages of all disciplines use magic throughout the known world. While a large population of magic users cast spells their whole lives without delving into magical theory, many more wonder (and then investigate) where their magical abilities come from and how they might be better understood. From the most bookish scholar to the worldliest druid, new hypotheses and discoveries are constantly being made as the boundaries of magic are discovered, recontextualized, and (perhaps most importantly, and constantly) pushed. This document is meant to outline the basic principles and lessons of magical theory, while leaving a good amount of the more theoretical (or boring, depending on who you ask) details to one’s own research (and/or to the imagination).
Categories of Magic

As taught to adventurers at Nightcrest Academy (and as understood by scholars throughout Raen’dor and beyond), magic is most broadly separated into three categories: Arcane, Primal, and Divine. What spells should be listed under each magical category is an ongoing debate among more quibbling mages, but these categories as a whole allow the many ways in which magic manifests to be clearly understood.

1. Arcane Magic is the broadest of the three categories; the universe itself hums with magic, and Arcane spells simply draw from that universal well of magical energy. To those who are more strict in their classification, any spell that is not Primal or Divine would be considered Arcane; however, most would rather consider Arcane magic to be the most widely applicable. Arcane magic is not anchored to any specific location or limited to any sort of being; it is simply pure magic, an element as fundamental as any to the universe. Arcane magic is used and studied by both mages throughout the Material Plane and the various denizens of the other Planes.
2. Primal Magic is the magic of the Material Plane; some say it is the magic that formed the Material world, while others say the world influenced all the magical energies that flows across its leylines. Practitioners of Primal magic draw on the forces of nature, both to deepen their connection to the world and to bend its elemental forces to their will. Primal magic is native to the Material and Inner Planes (particularly the volatile Elemental planes, which are known to constantly surge with Primal magic). Primal magic is more narrow than Arcane magic in terms of known spells, but is also likely the oldest category of magic practiced by the mortal denizens of the Material Plane.
3. Divine Magic is the magic of gods, and of the Outer Planes where many such deities reside. It is the least understood, and often most wondrous, of the magical categories; the gods and their home planes are by nature shrouded in mystery, and Divine magic users are able to perform miracles beyond even the realms of most other mages. Many recent breakthroughs in magical theory have been made regarding Divine magic, however (mostly due to events to the west of Raen’dor, across the Eirion Sea and beyond). It is currently theorized that Divine Magic is the “Primal Magic'' of Outer Planes and worlds/beings that are essentially alien to the Material Plane, although many would still argue that Divine magic is tied more powerfully to faith and divine beings themselves.

Magical Access
A spellcaster (also often called mages) is an individual who is able to tap into and use magical energy to cast spells. As simple as this definition is (the name even explains what it does!), the range of what a spellcaster can be is incredibly broad. Anyone has the potential to become a spellcaster through practice, regardless of what form that practice takes. What many theorists refer to as “magical access” comes more readily to some than others, and the risks of gaining such access vary greatly depending on a variety of circumstances in a potential spellcaster’s life. The ways in which individuals gain access to magic can be highly individual as a result, but over the centuries spellcasters– much like the spells they cast– have been categorized by the primary way in which they access their magical abilities (these are of course the classes we’re all familiar with at this point). The three categories of magic are closely tied to the concept of magical access; each category of magic is accessed in specific ways, and as such different spellcasting classes tend to favor one category over the others. The primary methods of gaining magical access to each category are:

Arcane Magic:

• Practical study (use of material, verbal and somatic components). It has long been known that spells can be cast with the right combination of components, an incredible discovery that has led to generations of new spellcasters. Wizards, perhaps the most common spellcasting class, employ practical study to gain magical access, as do artificers.
• Exposure to arcane forces. This “arcane force” can be the blessing from a powerful entity, a genetic trait from a magical ancestor, or exposure to a particularly intense spell– to name only a few of many possible examples. This category is incredibly varied and can often lead to access to another category of magic alongside Arcane, depending on the nature of the exposure. Sorcerers are the primary example of magical access through arcane exposure.
• Arcane Pacts. Distinct from arcane exposure, arcane pacts are defined by power granted by a powerful magical entity (often, but not always, an extraplanar being) for a price. The most common price is some degree of servitude on behalf of the spellcaster, but “price” is a broad term for any kind of exchange. These pacts are also distinct in that they are willingly made by the spellcaster. Warlocks are spellcasters who gain magical access through pacts of this nature.
• Practice of the arts. This form of access is often glossed over in magical theory, or at least tends to be less understood; what is known for sure is that there is something inherently magical about the act of creation, specifically in creating what would be understood as art. Bards throughout history have been able to gain magical access to Arcane spells through their artistic craft– often leaving scholars confounded as to how, or why.

Primal Magic:

• Bond with nature. Through practiced meditation and exposure to the natural world, spellcasters can tap into the innate magic of the Material Plane. Building up the discipline and emotional connection necessary for this kind of magical access can take time– comparable in some ways to the scholarly practices of a wizard, although quite different in terms of skills and environment necessary to succeed. Druids are the most common type of spellcasters that rely on a bond with nature to cast spells, although Rangers, a few Monks, and other less devoted individuals can gain access to Primal spells simply due to the nature (pun intended) of the path they choose to walk.
• Music. Bards tend to be considered Arcane spellcasters by those who force magic users into one categorical box, but newer theories argue that music specifically taps into not only the magic of creation but also some natural rhythm of the world. As such, bards have been able to access Primal spells that escape more “purely Arcane” spellcasters.

Divine Magic

• Connection to a deity. The most classical examples of Divine spellcasting are tied to the gods and the religions that surround them. Devotees of these deities throughout history have proven to be formidable spellcasters, although even those less devout can gain magical access through a strong enough personal connection to one of more gods. Recent events across the Material Plane (alongside the lack of divine presence throughout the history of Raen’dor) have thrown the exact nature of these connections into question, but history has proven that devotion to the gods usually leads to access to Divine Magic. Clerics and Paladins are the two primary spellcasting classes that gain magical access in this way.
• Use of mortal souls. Even in the modern writings on magical theory, access to Divine magic without direct connection to/influence of a deity remains a mystery. The oldest recorded theories argued that deities were the only source of Divine magic for spellcasters, while less archaic (but still outdated) writings posit that it is the sheer force of will of Clerics that grant them their spells. While the latter may be true, it is not proven; what has been proven is a connection between the life-force of mortal beings and Divine magic. Whether this connection is the result of mortals being created by gods or something else entirely, spellcasters who study and understand this connection have the potential to become incredibly powerful. Clerics throughout history have been able to use both their own life force and the souls of others to gain magical access; some Wizards have been able to achieve similar results through more practical means. There are even a few examples of Monks who have become so attuned to their own life force that they can perform feats that hint at Divine magic. Of note, this method is often unknown due to its darker elements; death releases all of the life force of a mortal being, and some spellcasters are eager to use those necromantic energies to access powerful spells– despite that power’s grave (pun also intended) cost.
• Use of mortal blood and flesh. Closely related to the use of mortal souls is the art of magical access through the mortal body as a component. This manifests often through ritual bloodletting, flesh consumption, or sacrifice; it can produce grand results, but at a terrible cost. It could be argued that this method falls under the “practical study,” of Wizards, but the profanity of such acts and the nature of the spells those acts can cast currently push it into the category of Divine magic. Perhaps even more so than the use of mortal souls to cast spells, these methods are hidden and forbidden throughout the Material Plane; even still, a few Clerics and Wizards (as well as more specialized Blood Hunters) rely on these ghastly methods to gain magical access.

Note that these methods of magical access are broad definitions; many spellcasters end up using more than one of these methods to gain magical access, and even those who stick to one method will likely pick up a spell or two that becomes an exception to their rule. Each method listed above could be parsed and specified to the point of filling pages of magical theory, and there could be more obscure methods that would call for a whole new method to be noted if discovered. Even still, understanding magical access is useful to spellcasters and scholars alike, forming a solid base for which to understand one’s relationship to magic and delve deeper into the mysteries of magical theory.
Spellcasting Classes

As mentioned above, most spellcasting classes are fairly recognizable; even non-spellcasters and others with no magical knowledge usually understand that there is a difference between a wizard, a druid, and a cleric. This section is not meant to be a deep dive into each classes’ relationship to magic (some of this was already covered in the previous section) but it will serve as an overview/glossary for easy understanding of each class and what their relationship to magic is.
Artificer

• Gains magical access through practical study, similar to Wizards.
• Primarily cast Arcane spells.
• Focuses on enchantment and utilization of physical items (be those items weapons, armor, constructs, or any other item). Metal is usually a key component of material spellcasting and physical artifice.
• One of the newest classes of spellcaster; far less historical examples exist of Artificers than any other spellcaster.
• Often known for pushing boundaries and creating advancements in both magical and non-magical technology.

Bard

• Gains magical access through acts of creation; most commonly music, although a variety of art forms can be used.
• Primarily cast Arcane spells, but often use some Primal spells as well.
• One of the most versatile types of spellcasters; powerful bards have been known to gain access even to spells usually beyond their reach.
• Often disrespected (or at least overlooked) in more scholarly circles.

Blood Hunter

• Gains magical access through use of Hemocraft, or the use of mortal blood (or less commonly, mortal flesh) as a spellcasting component.
• Access to magic is usually limited, but abilities are unique. Magic is primarily Divine in nature, although this varies greatly.
• Tend to be rare; methods of learning or practicing Hemocraft are usually forbidden and/or lost to time.

Cleric

• Gains magic access through connection to a deity, or (less commonly) by tapping into the life force of mortals.
• Primarily cast Divine spells, and access Divine abilities through their connections.
• Among the least understood spellcasters, despite how common they are in many parts of the world.

Druid

• Gains magical access through communing with and connecting to the natural world.
• Primarily cast Primal spells; the only spellcasters that are able to Wildshape (shapeshift without casting a Polymorph or similar spell).
• Sometimes clash with other spellcasting classes; laws of nature tend to be important to Druids in ways that they are not to most other spellcasters.
• Some Rangers have been known to gain knowledge of/access to Primal Magic due to their connection with nature, much in the way that Druids do.

Monk

• Not usually classified as spellcasters, but sometimes gain magical access through attunement to their own life force. This can manifest as any kind of spellcasting, although the method is most closely related to Divine magic.
• Spellcasting abilities are usually very limited, but also fairly unique.
• Methods of gaining magical access are similar to Druids, in that they require practice and discipline– and that they tend to abide by certain universal laws of nature (perhaps this is even the reason why examples of spellcasting Monks throughout history are limited).

Paladin

• Gain magical access through connection to a deity (similar to Clerics). Have also been noted to access magic through devotion to non-divine entities, similar to Warlocks but without the existence of a pact.
• Cast primarily Divine spells.
• Spellcasting is more limited than that of a Clerics or other mages; Paladin spells augment their abilities as physical fighters and are not usually the main focus of a Paladin’s training.

Sorcerer

• Gain magical access through exposure to arcane forces; spellcasting is an innate feature of Sorcerers and does not require the practice that most spellcasters need.
• Primarily cast Arcane spells, although the nature of the arcane force that granted a Sorcerer their abilities may lead them to access Primal or Divine spells as well.
• Able to augment or change the nature of spells in ways other casters cannot, due to their innate magical abilities.

Warlock

• Gains magic access through pacts with powerful magical beings (a Warlock’s patron). Powers appear innate once a pact is finalized, but can usually be taken away or otherwise influenced by the patron (depending on the nature of contract).
• Primarily cast Arcane spells, although the nature of a Warlock’s pact may lead them to access Primal or Divine spells as well.
• Usually have limited amounts of magical energy used to cast spells, but that energy replenishes far more quickly than the magical energy of other spellcasters.

Wizard

• Gains magical access through practical study; uses spell components (verbal, somatic and material) to cast their spells.
• Primarily cast Arcane spells.
• Perhaps the most common kind of spellcaster throughout history, despite requiring perhaps the most constant (active) study and practice throughout one’s life.
• Sometimes gain magical access through forbidden means; wizards who use mortal souls or bodies as components tend to fall under the blanket term of necromancer.

For “more quibbling mages:” In regards to classifying known spells, older institutions and their scholars have argued that a spell must have a single origin or category; for example, Fireball must be an Arcane spell because fire is a universal element, found across the many Planes. However, more modern academic theorists argue that many spells might fall into multiple categories, and those categories exist to sort methods of gaining access to a spell (rather than the spell itself). In this example, Fireball could actually fall into all three categories– a Primal spellcaster might call the spell’s from the Plane of Fire, while a Divine spellcaster might pray to a fire god before casting the spell. This becomes even more complex when one considers a spellcaster is not limited to being a solely “Primal” or “Divine” spellcaster at all, which circles back to the notion that perhaps the categories are for spells rather than casters... The arguments around the reason for classification and the understanding of those categories is ever-raging, but regardless of the answer Fireball has been the same destructive spell since the first mage cast it– regardless of who they were, or how they harnessed the magical energy to do so. ________________________________________ On magic items: Between the creation of various magic items and the discovery of various magical artifacts, it would be remiss not to mention the use of items to gain access to magic, both by spellcasters and non-spellcasters alike. This form of magical access is understandably limited, but in some cases items can almost serve as a replacement or shortcut for the methods listed above; with enough enchanted items, or with a powerful enough artifact, even an individual without any practical knowledge or natural aptitude can become a spellcaster in their own right.