Elemental Magic

"The lunar-arcane is beyond any of us; why would we confine it to spells or thoughts? We merely free it."

Of the Quadrilunarum, elemental magic (also known as primal magic, to some) is far and away the most raw and chaotic magic. While it is not random (not always, at least), elemental magic taps into the lunar-arcane with pure willpower and does not rely on arcane constraints or divine intent to guide it. Elemental magic is like releasing gates on a dam; there is an intent guiding the initial release which may push it down a certain canal, but one cannot control the minutiae of every droplet of water. Elemental magic shuns the pillars of Alindric magic (arcane and occult's obsession with understanding and intellect or divine's need of blessing) to unleash the lunar-arcane in primordial, raw forms.

The Foundations of Elemental Magic: Willpower and Chaos

Elemental magic requires the most formidable casters of all types of magic, as there is no way to access it unless one possesses a meteoric force of will and an adamantine spirit to back it up. Once one breaches this threshold (described by many elementalists as "the dam of the mind or spirit"), they embrace the chaos of non-Alindric magic. They forgo incantations, runes, intentions, or any other guiding wills and instead harness the lunar-arcane in whatever way they can.
To this end, elemental magic is determined by how the lunar-arcane reacts to your manipulation (and the elements you are most closely attached to). This can be based off your heritage or bloodline, your personality or fortitude, and/or your surroundings. Elementalists tap into and unleash their magic with force of will, and while this can impart a disposition on their magic, they embrace the chaos of how it will manifest without restriction or guidance.

How Elemental Magic is Gained and Furthered

Many elemental casters master a certain type of elemental magic, typically along an axis of one of the eight Titans. This can come from their disposition aligning with a certain manifestation of the lunar-arcane or a concerted effort on their part to learn a certain kind of elementalism. Regardless of its origin, most elementalists specialize in a physical element (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, as well as their children elements) or a metaphysical element (Chaos, Order, Life, and Death), with many only being able to access one or two kinds of elemental magic.

Elemental Spellcraft

Elemental spellcraft takes the form of elemental manifestations caused by a caster calling forth the lunar-arcane. There are no formal "spells," but there are broad categories of elemental manifestations. Many life elementalists know generally how to call forth the lunar-arcane to heal, or to manipulate and/or create life, but they give no names and no real organization to these manifestations.

Elemental Magic: Canon vs. TTRPG Gameplay

Elemental magic, in canon, does not require components or spells; it's a pretty "soft" magic system. This is for my writing; in most TTRPGs like Pathfinder or D&D, elemental casters still require components for the sake of balance, and their elemental manifestations would still be spells for the same reason.

The power of elemental magic is then tied to the abundance of the element(s) that the caster is attempting to wield and the caster's own strength to draw that element(s) forth. The strongest elementalists are those who have the fortitude and mental will to summon forth the lunar-arcane in potent feats of magic, have mastered their element(s) and its many uses, and have abundant access to said element(s).

The Limits and Costs of Elemental Magic

The biggest limit of elemental magic is access to an element. An earth elementalist who is drowning has very little they can do, magically speaking. Meanwhile, a life elementalist in Sylthereth or a planar rift of life will have near-limitless potential for magic. The other limit is thus an elementalist's own strength of mind and body. Tapping into and channeling the chaos of the elemental lunar-arcane is an exhausting affair, and one can only take so much of it. A fresh elementalist may only be able to harness elemental magic a handful of times before risking exhaustion, fainting, or even death---or they may keep themselves limited to small bursts of magic to counteract this. Meanwhile, an elementalist with decades of experience has a body and mind conditioned to the rigor of their practice, and can thus channel fathomless elemental power before they collapse.
In addition, while elementalists tied to the physical elements need only their favored element, elementalists tied to metaphysical ones often use the help of certain components to manifest their metaphysical element better, like a death elementalist using bones and decayed matter.