The difference between science and magic is less clear than most people realize. In the real world, "magic" is simply a term for anything not currently understood by the person speaking. Something as "primitive" as a radio is "magic" to an isolated tribal community who does not understand electricity outside the context of lightning.
In the world of Aedeva, magic and science are similarly intertwined, with "magic" being the term for anything not commonly understood. However, unlike the real world, in Aedeva, there are many sources of power that do not exist in the real world. As a general term, "magic" in Aedeva refers to several discrete systems. Some of these systems are highly predictable, while others are volatile and seemingly random. As such, each "system" of magic in Aedeva is unrelated to the others, following (or ignoring) different rules about reality. But at the end of the day, each "system" of magic is ultimately just a way to tap into a power source of some kind and control the flow of its power.
The 5 Systems of Magic
In Aedeva, magic comes in 5 different flavors: Arcane, Divine, Primordial, Psionic, and Occult. Each kind of magic functions completely differently from the others, and knowledge of one magic does not help you understand the other magics.
Arcane Magic
The magic of scholars and engineers, arcane magic bends the fabric of reality to cause its effects. Learning arcane magic requires years of study, a deep understanding of complex mathematics and physics, and a fantastic memory.
At its core, practicing arcane magic requires the memorization and utilization of complex mathematical calculations. Practitioners use these calculations to discover and codify "spells". Once a spell is discovered, the practitioner can cause the effect of the spell by essentially drawing it out in the world around them (a.k.a. cast the spell). Much like an engineer might draw out an equation's associated curve on a piece of graph paper.
There are many ways for an arcane caster to cast a spell. The most common way is to draw the entire spell out into their own mind, leaving only the last tiny portion of the spell uncast. This process is known as "spell memorization". Once a spell is memorized like this, the caster can finish the spell at any time to trigger its effects, guiding the result with sheer force of will toward their desired target. Powerful arcane casters are often able to memorize many spells at once.
Arcane casters can also draw their spell out in the physical world, in the form of arcane shapes drawn with special materials that vary depending on the spell in question. Doing so triggers the spell in the spot or on the object that it was drawn on, as you might expect. However, with a few modifications to the drawing, the effect can be delayed, contained, or even set to activate on a particular trigger. In fact, it is even possible to craft special objects that can "memorize" spells for the caster. By drawing all but the last portion of the spell on an object, an arcane caster can complete that spell at a later date, effectively casting it just as if it was memorized. Most wizards use staves for this, but it is far from the only option.
Divine Magic
Magic powered by devotion to a deity and adherance to their rules. Many deities bless their most devout followers with divine magic, both as a reward for good service and as a means to accomplish their ends in Aedeva. The exact nature of the magic granted is entirely dependent on what gifts the deity wants for their followers, and it never comes without cost.
In order to gain the blessing of divine magic, a priest must prove their devotion over many years of service to their god. Once they are deemed worthy, usually by other, higher ranking members of the priesthood, they are ordained and granted divine power. This power grows in relation to their service to their deity and their religion, and is removed in an instant if they act against their deity's will.
Divine power is an immense power source, and it can do things that other magic practitioners can only dream of, such as bringing back the dead or levying curses the likes of which mortals can only dream. But such great power does not come for free. Practitioners of divine magic must follow strict rules set by their deity, and can only gain powers that their deity wants them to have. They are far less versatile than practitioners of most other kinds of magic, but within their deity's realm of power they are unmatched. Divine magic does not follow the same rules of causality that other forms of magic follow. If an arcane practitioner changes the weather with a powerful ritual, the local climate will be devastated for a time as the natural and unnatural weather take time to re-stabilize. A divine caster does not need to worry about such things. Their deity handles that complexity for them.
Priests do not memorize spells into their mind in the same way that arcane practitioners do. Instead, nearly all divine magic is triggered by small or large ritualistic communication with their deity. At its simplest, these rituals can take the form of a holy chant, a sprinkling of incense or another blessed substance, a malediction, a blessing, or the like. Practiced divine practitioners can use these simple rituals to achieve great versatility within their deity's domain of influence, but they rarely have long-lasting effects.
For more concentrated divine power, divine casters can memorize specific prayers or practices granted to their religion by their deity. These, when performed correctly, have reliable, but not very versatile, effects. And unlike arcane casters, these rituals must only be memorized in the normal way. A set of prayers, offerings, or purification rites that always grant a specific blessing from their deity. Of course, larger, more complex rituals cause larger, more complex effects. The level of complexity ranges from a blessing of alertness to help with keeping watch, to laying a curse or blessing on an entire nation as penance for the acts of their ruler.
One other aspect of divine magic that sets it apart from the other magics of Aedeva is that of divine blessings. Many deities grant their most prevalent followers permanent effects to assist with their work. This can range from immunity to aging, to forcing all nearby to tell the truth, to the ability to see through magical disguise.
Finally, unlike other forms of magic, divine magic is often able to affect other forms of magic, as long as the magic in question is within the deity's domain of influence. A follower god of fire might be able to see and understand the underlying weaves of an arcane practitioner's flame spell, while the arcane practitioner would see a similar spell from the divine caster as little more than an untouchable, fiery blob of magic.
Primordial Magic
Magic drawn from the raw, elemental forces that make up the foundation of the material plane, primordial magic is the magic of what most people call "nature", though it goes well beyond that. Primordial magic taps in to the raw, unfettered power of the planes and channels it into magical effects. Where arcane magic requires mathematical knowledge and a strong memory, primordial magic requires an innate bond with the natural world. A tie to the forces of nature that underpin the "material" of the material plane.
At its core, primordial magic draws power from other planes of existance. Luckily for primordial casters, the material plane, the one on which Aedeva exists, is made up of a mixture of all the other planes. Earth, fire, water, air, lightning, dust, ice, magma, wyld, mirror, shadow, and aether, all swirled and mixed together to form the matter of Aedeva. Practitioners of primordial magic do not need to understand this to use primordial magic. All they need is some kind of connection with these planes. Once a bond with this planar power is established, more powerful magic is only accessible through deepening of that bond.
The bond of a primordial caster with the elements determines what kinds of powers they can draw upon. Usually, a person's bond with primordial powers has a "dichotomy". A theme composed of two opposed but complementary concepts within nature that, when used together, provide balance. For example, the Dichotomy of Life is bonded with Growth and Decay.
A primordial caster can draw upon their dichotomy by becoming a channel for the primordial powers to flow through, guiding and shaping the flow of power to get a desired result. The more power is channeled, the more powerful the effect, ranging from causing a bud to open into a flower, to redirecting a river or causing an earthquake. The exact effects, and side effects, of primordial magic depend on the dichotomy they draw power from.
The actual casting of a primordial spell differs significantly from the other forms of magic. There are no equations involved, and rarely an official ritual, though some casters may implement rituals to help them memorize specific spells. Because casting a primordial spell requires the caster to become a channel for primordial powers, the skill of casting is mostly down to instinct and self control. Instinct to guide and manipulate the flow of energy while it passes through you. Self control to avoid being overcome by the immensity of the powers that flow through you.
Because of this, primordial magic is uniquely dangerous when not properly controlled, or when used with no concern for maintaining the natural balance. An uncontrolled spell harnessing predator energies might transform the caster into a monstrous predator such as a werewolf. An uncontrolled spell harnessing water energies might cause a flood. Uncontrolled earth energies might cause an earthquake. When an arcane practitioner botches a large spell, they may cause an explosion. When a primordial practitioner botches a large spell, they may create a new volcano.
Psionic Magic
Magic drawn from the power of one's own psyche, psionic magic is the power of the mind. It is rarer and less understood than most other forms of magic in Aedeva. Psionic magic can only be gained in two ways: transferred by birth, or by implantation by a psionically gifted being.
At its core, psionic magic draws its power from the caster's mind and soul. Because of this, psionic magic is extremely intimate and unique to the individual practitioner. Even if multiple practitioners are born with approximately the same powers, they are likely to manifest those powers differently.
Because each psionic caster's magic is unique to them, this kind of magic is far more limited than other forms. Psionic magic ultimately does one of two things: enhance the caster, or extend the caster's natural abilities beyond their own body. Psionic spells are the simplest to cast of any form of magic. All the caster has to do is focus on the effect they desire to create. Sometimes gestures or words may also be required, but these are usually to help the caster focus rather than to actually cause the magic.
Occult Magic
For those who do not want to bother with years of arcane study, devotion to the devine, training to withstand the primordial forces of nature, or self discipline and mastery, there is the occult. Pacts formed with powerful beings to gain unearned power. These pacts are usually very powerful, but at great cost to the caster, whether that is made apparent at the formation of the pact or not.
Occult magic allows the caster to gain another kind of magic, but the exact rules for how they cast it are determined by the pact. As the caster casts more spells from their patron's power, they accrue debt to their patron. They can pay back the debt by performing tasks for their patron, called superstitions, on a regular basis. If they are too slow in doing so, the patron can collect the debt in other ways...
