Magic in The Worldwalker Universe

Types of Magic Users:

Almost all magic users use objects of power and focal points to cast their most powerful spells, although this is not necessary.

Magi

Magi or “Natural Born” magi. Also often referred to as sorcerers and sorceresses, occasionally referred to as wizards (although a “wizard” in many academic senses is viewed as greater than a sorcerer or sorceress, much like a title.) These various users may or may not use artifacts to enhance their magical capability. Most “normal people” of the various magically inclined races would also fall into this label, including household magics and simple spells even children are capable of. These magi are capable of casting magic in almost any location. They rely on their own strength and mental fortitude to cast spells. This is both a blessing and a curse.

Witches and Warlocks

Witches and warlocks are bound to a patron entity in which supply them power. This is one of the main ways those unable to wield magic naturally gain access to this power. Most of these deals have trade offs for the user and the entity providing them power. In rare circumstances, even after a contract is broken the unbound individual may keep their abilities, although they often begin to grow weaker in strength. This does not always mean pentagrams and cryptic symbols, as even The Celestial Monks are technically a sort of warlock.

Shamanistic / Druidic

Magicians in this category tap into the natural ley lines and magics of celestial bodies, such as planets and moons. All shamans and druids are magi, but not all magi are shamans and druids. Tapping into the celestial energy around a user takes years of study and practice, which is why this class of magician is often elderly. Shamans and druids are also particularly adept in healing and elemental magics, often in tune with the environment they find themselves in. They are often strengthened by celestial and worldy events such as certain planets aligning, the ley lines surging, specific weather and more.

Magitech Specialists

Magitech uses specialized wiring and crystals which contain condensed mana, or ethereal energy. These are mined from ley lines and extremely costly as well as very difficult to obtain for most nations. Magitech seeks to channel mana via technology, creating specialized equipment to draw energy from leycrystals. This is one of the main way humans have begun using magic in their day to day lives, however these machines and components often require individuals with swaths of magical knowledge to create.

Types of Magic:

Main types:

Elemental (Stone, Metal, Water, Fire, Air, Plant/Wood, Lightning, etc):

Your standard elemental magics, using various elements from celestial bodies and the world around the caster. Encompasses most basic spells.

Ethereal / Arcane /Pure Mana:

Mana and energy taken directly from the ethereal plane or celestial body, mostly devoid of elemental properties. Even normal spells, such as bolts of arcane energy, are often tempered by small amount of for example air magic to control their direction – however these are still labeled as arcane or ethereal energies. Truly pure mana is volatile. It is only driven by the users ability to tap into the ethereal plane or celestial body and is unpredictable due to it's wild state.

Dark / Iniquity:

Dark magic and light magic naturally repel one another until one can overtake the space the other occupied. Dark magic is taken directly from the iniquity, a dimension wreathed in secrecy and danger. Very few tap into the iniquity and live to tell the tale, and dark magic users are seen as omens of doom and despair. As such they are often ostracized, and most do not live long due to the side effects that come along with having this power (such as shadow sickness and the constant leaking of their own magic energy.)

Light / Holy:

Dark magic and light magic naturally repel one another until one can overtake the space the other occupied. Light magic, unlike dark magic, melds extremely well with almost every sentient race. It is thought it comes directly from heaven itself, a blinding array of photons given to the sentient races from the one true god. This has led to certain cultures falling into a sort of religious zealotry around Holy and Light magic. This magic naturally repels undead and helps cure disease and is often seen as a sort of miracle. This is the only magic humans are naturally able to use, albeit in an extremely small amount.

Potion Making:

Potion making is similar to herbalism or creating traditional medicine. There are both liquid and pill-based potions. The difference is potion masters lace their brews with magic, casting magic into their cauldrons or boiling pots to empower the effect of their various concoctions. This often requires magical materials as well.

Enchanting:

Enchanters use their magic ability to imbue equipment with varying effects. This takes a lot of time and effort, and enchanted gear is extremely expensive. Most enchanters will combine their enchantments with runes or inscriptions, as the power in these symbols is fueled in a similar manner to enchanting. Enchanting often requires physical components laced with ethereal energy or mana, including special monsters parts or leystone dust.

Runes, Scrolls, Charms and Inscription:

Empowering the written word or symbol is an art that takes years to master, but is well worth the reward. The Celestial Monks in particular have mastered this via their famous Monk Charms, strips of paper containing entire spells which can be activated by the smallest amount of willpower. Even non-magic races can use them as the actual power of the spell is stored in the symbols via intense concentration on the creator, alongside the funneling of magic into the paper and ink or engraving.

Songsters/Songstresses:

Individuals who raise others with their voices in song, lyrics and tones laced in magic energy. Exceedingly rare and equally sought after. Songstresses are said to be able to return vitality and stamina with the power of their voices. Many songsters and songstresses are also musicians or bards.

Musician / Bard:

Musicians use instruments as weapons, strumming notes capable of piercing the air and striking foes. Their music can also effect cognitive functions and they are especially adapt at trickery and deception.

Illusionary:

Individuals capable of illusion magic are rare, and those capable of doing it to a large degree or even fewer. These spells encompass invisibility, illusions such as making things appear where they are not and more. This also extends to sounds, tastes and touches, although visual illusions are certainly the most common.

Bloodline:

Of note here is bloodline magic, which is magic a specific bloodline has a strange strength with. The shai families in particular are well-known for their bloodline magic, although they are not the only ones with it.

Defensive:

Defensive magic can be any of the above, however it tends to be talked about differently (such as wards) due to their specific functionality.

Enhancing:

Spells which passively enhance the natural body. Stronger bones, faster movements, longer breathing, so on and so forth. One often feels tired after receiving the benefits of these magics.

Healing:

Healing magic stems from many sources, including elemental, songstresses, musicians and much more. This magic specializes in the mending of living things.

Repair:

Similar to healing magic but for inorganic material.

Dreamwalking:

Dreamwalking is the act of entering another's mind while they're sleeping, entering "Dreamscapes" - small pockets in an individual's mind they create via their memories and thoughts. From the outside, Dreamwalkers appear to enter meditative states. But within these spaces they are capable of great feats. Strength within a dreamscape is impacted both by one's mind and one's natural inclination toward Dreamwalking itself. Training this takes many years or requires special equipment.

Rituals: Ritual magic requires various symbols of power and a period of time to complete. Sometimes this is during the lining up of celestial bodies, during specific holidays, inside certain structures or any other number of requirements. Ritual magic may encompass any and all of the previous forms of magic, but they often require far more preparation to set up then casting your average spell. Most rituals are comprised of runes or writing of some sort, a shape or object of power and a constant stream of ethereal or elemental magic.

Other Magics:

Portals and Summoning, Gravity, Reanimation, Necromancy, Puppetry, Mind Control, Dreamwalking, Detection, Scrying and much more - this list will continue to be updated as I have time to concretely pen how each piece of magic works and what it's capable of, but for now this is a very thorough list.

Magic as Phenomenon

Magic generally has specific rules and can be tapped into in specific ways. This helps people understand it. But magic is, of course, magic.

What does this mean?

It means that sometimes, magic is simply a phenomenon that cannot be explained. An anomaly that falls outside of what the average wizard or magi understands. This can include many things, such as randomly appearing dimensional rifts, The Slipstream, entities and beings who break magical norms - and these anomalies can be dangerous or helpful, depending on the region and what they entail. For example, The Worldwalker himself is technically a magical anomaly as any human wielding both light and dark magic would normally be town apart from the inside out. These anomalies draw the interest of organizations such as Trophy or cults such as The Society of the Open Hand.