Magic
Domains, sources, practises, and practicers
This article is less so about what magic itself is, which doesn't really need much of an explanation, but rather about the different types of magic, and the different categories of magic users. While magic is a universally acknowledged part of the world, there isn't magic actively happening everywhere all the time, but there is always the potential for magic no matter where one is. Some places have a stronger magic presence than others. In people, magical ability is sometimes innate, but more often learned. Certain individuals can have more of a natural affinity for it than others, as is the case with any other learned skill and/or innate talent.
Types of magic
Differentiated by the source of their power and how it is used, there are three main types of magic:
Wild magic, Arcane magic, and Spiritual magic.
Spiritual magic draws on faith and/or blessing of a divine, spirit, or fae entity for power. It is different than the kinds of magical powers various actual spirits, deities, or fae inherently have. Wild magic uses the raw material energy of the physical world, with a strong emphasis on the power of nature. It is thought of as more of an innate magic. Arcane magic, by contrast, is exclusively learned, though some people do have a stronger natural aptitude for it. It uses the invisible energies of the world, drawing especially from energy generated by extraterrestrial, celestial bodies, and refining that energy in exact and calculated ways-- more of a scientific practise than an instinctual artform.
Any type of magic can be used in any of the nine empyreal domains-- Light, Dark, Chaos, Law, Life, Death, Secrets, Power, and Creation-- and the outcome can be very different depending on which domain the magic pulls from. When it comes to arcane magic especially, individual practicers will commonly learn how to perform their magic in multiple domains depending on the nature of the spell, but generally have one domain they prefer to cast in over others, which informs their particular arcane specialty. Wild and spiritual magic users, on the other hand, will only ever use their magic in one specific domain-- rarely would they ever dabble in others, and even then would never do so lightly.
Magic Users
Wild Magic Users
Witches
Witches have a bit of a bad rap in most parts of Gilden for being duplicitous curse-crafters. This is a bit of a misconception-- many witches are curse-crafters, or at least have some knowledge in it, but curse-crafting is not exclusive to witchcraft. Witchcraft is also not an inherently moral or immoral practise. Part of the mistake is that often someone will be tricked and cursed by a crone, and believe it was a witch, because when disguised as human, crones often do present themselves as witches. Witches are also stereotyped as being smelly, wizened old hags, but this is also not strictly true. Anyone can be a witch, regardless of age or gender or hygiene, and furthermore, many witches are actually also perfumers on the side.
'Anyone can be a witch' is true in the most literal sense. Wild magic is considered an innate kind of magic, and it is, but not in the way that certain special people are born with the ability and some aren't. Wild magic is rooted in the physical world, and as all living people are part of that physical, material kind of existence, so too do all living people have the potential for that kind of magic. Similarly to arcane magic, though, universal potential ability is not the same as natural affinity, which also of course varies depending on the individual.
Witchcraft primarily involves ritual magic, herbalism, the making of talismans and amulets (which may be cursed or charmed), the brewing of potions, and physical manifestations of spirituality-- chiefly matters of emotions and of the mind. This is why if someone wanted to have a lingering mental stress relieved through magic, or if they wanted a love spell, or a good luck charm, they would seek out a witch for the job. Herbal medicine is a common trade for witches, as is alchemy. Though alchemy (ie brewing potions and elixirs) does not actually strictly require magic, rarely are alchemists ever not also witches. As mentioned, many witches are also perfumers, or soap makers. It could be magic soap, but normal soap does just as well when one needs to buy bread.
Witches' spellcasting is mainly ritual-based, and is more dependent on other worldly factors like the season, phases of the moon, movement of the sun, etcetera. Some rituals are performed alone, but even if a particular witch has solitary tendencies, all witches do have covens, and will frequently gather in groups at certain times of the year for important ritual ceremonies, or one might request the presence/assistance of members of their coven for certain bigger, or more complex rituals, even if it's not based around any particular event.
The domains witches tend to prefer to use their magic in are, in order of popularity, Light or Dark (about equally as common), Secrets, and Chaos.
Druids
Druids, on the surface, seem to many people very similar to witches, but their power and practises are actually rather different. They don't operate in covens, for one. Druids may have circles that convene and keep in contact with on occasion, but they don't separate their practise from their existing community. They also, obviously, have a much greater emphasis on nature and the natural world, and while witches may commonly have knowledge of herbal medicine, druids are almost always also healers, known for a kind of healing magic that is exclusive to druidism and different from a cleric's healing magic. Like witchcraft, druidism does also involve a fair amount of ritual magic, but there is usually some connection to nature or the natural world in general.
A common misconception about druids is that they can turn into and talk to animals. Shapeshifting of any kind is an extremely rare and powerful magical ability, and few mortals are able to do it, period. There are some northern legends of extremely powerful ancient druidic sages that did eventually adopt the forms of animals, however, it was a one-way, permanent transformation. Any druid alive today would insist they can't talk to animals-- but that's a bit of a language nitpick. Many druids can communicate with, understand and be understood by animals, actually, but it's just not the same as talking to one as one would speak with another person, as animals do not communicate through speech.
Centuries ago, there were many druids, but today they are extremely rare and thought by many to even be completely extinct, druidism a lost practise. This is because most druids were from the north of Gilden, and were wiped out in the kingdom of Dymin's rise to power. There are actually still some druids left, but very few, and those who remain typically keep their practise to themselves.
Shepherds
Shepherds are a type of wild-magic-using bard (some bards are also casters, but most are just musicians) who manifest their spells in the physical, sensory world by channelling them through music. Sound, though not necessarily a physically tangible thing itself, per se, is still a very physically experienced thing, and shepherds' magic has most to do with the senses. They tend to be quite adept at illusions, and are known to be able to give their magi-infused music intoxicating, persuasive effects, though the shepherd would have to be very powerful to easily meld the mind of another actual person-- this calming and convincing effect works best on animals and other creatures, and there are many a story of a flute-playing shepherd leading whole herds of happily bounding sheep across verdant fields.
Arcane Magic Users
Wizards
Technically, any kind of arcane magic user is considered a mage, the differences between them having most to with the various methods and results of their magic. The most common type of mage is a wizard. Wizardry is a lawful, logical kind of magistry. Though, as mentioned above, many different domains might be brushed against depending on the type of spell cast, wizards maintain the domain of Law as the central pillar of their magic. To a wizard, magic is a precise, exact, and measured science. Wizards typically have labs rather than lairs, and though they will of course apply and experiment their magic practically, wizards also are famous (or infamous) for the vast amounts of texts they write on the theory of arcane magic.
Part of the reason why wizards are so much more common is somewhat manufactured-- the democratic nation of Sidusimpere is known for its mages of unparalleled power and prestige, advanced arcane technology, and high standards of education. It's governed by a nationally elected council of archmages, and most of its economy and infrastructure revolve around arcane magic. Wizardry is the primary industry of Sidusimpere, and there exist no less than three universities there wholly dedicated to the study and teaching of arcane magic (there are also more general universities that offer courses on wizardry and arcane magic, but it's not their sole focus). This, naturally, produces and encourages a high volume of wizards.
Warlocks
Warlocks are, essentially, unlawful wizards. This could mean that their arcane practise resists and breaks natural, inherent laws of magic or the universe as a whole, or it could also mean breaking judicial laws surrounding magic, especially within Sidusimpere, where the arcane industry is heavily regulated. Necromancy, for example, is an unlawful kind of arcane magic (in both senses-- it defies the natural laws of life and death and is also extremely illegal pretty much everywhere), which would make mages who experiment in necromancy warlocks. Pretty much any form of blood magic, in general. There are warlocks aplenty in the Warlands, where it is much easier to get away with various kinds of criminal atrocities against humankind and nature, even though it is not officially allowed there, either. And they don't just lock themselves away in isolated tower-lairs to practise their dark arts, either-- a fair amount of mages on adventuring teams are actually warlocks. Most adventurers don't care what kind of arcane magic their mage is using, as long as it's powerful. Adventuring wizards in the Warlands get really pissed off about this.
Sorcerers
Sorcerers are mages that cast primarily in the domain of Chaos. This is not the same as being an unlawful mage, however-- it's more like using arcane magic as if it were wild magic, and is to wizardry and warlockdom like what cooking is to baking. You could have a recipe, sure, but you could also just go for it and see what happens. If wizardry and warlockdom is using the same or similar methods to produce extremely different results, sorcery and wizardry is using extremely different methods to produce more or less the same results. Rather than having a degree with honours from a top arcane university and a detailed resume and reputable references proving that they are Good At Magic like a wizard, sorcerers prove they are Good At Magic by going "dude, check this out" and then proving it. It's less like casting the actual spell fireball, and moreso just aiming a bunch of fire magic where you want the ball of fire to be and then just letting loose.
This also pisses wizards off.
Spiritual Magic Users
Clerics
Clerics are the ones who embody the basic definition of spiritual magic-- power from faith and/or blessing from a divine, spiritual, or fae entity-- the most literally. Clerics use their magic in the name of the entity they worship and serve. They are most known for healing magic, as healing spiritual magic is a common ability amongst clerics of many different gods, and gods who have something to do with healing often have many clerics, but it is not universally consistent. A cleric of Paviti, a god of pestilence and plague, for example, probably doesn't run around healing people's wounds and curing their ills. Either way, any cleric's own magic will be generally flavoured in reference to their faith.
Curators
Curators are a kind of magic user who is primarily a summoner, of fae, and lesser demons and spirits. They command and direct their summoned entities, using the entity's power as if it were their own. It is not quite the same as occasionally summoning a random entity of a certain type for various purposes-- curators don't just summon random demons and spirits, they summon specific, individual demons and spirits. Often this is an arrangement that involves some kind of contract or other form of formal or informal agreement between the curator and the entities they summon, but not strictly.
Vessels
Vessels are a bit peculiar-- they are less so a class of magic users and moreso a handful of case studies. Rather than channelling magic power from faith or blessing from any deity, spirit or fae, a vessel channels the higher entity itself, literally a mortal vessel through which the entity accesses and interacts with the physical world, using their own power, not magic as mortals use it. Though, in order for any mortal to be a vessel, they themselves must be extremely powerful on their own to sustain having a god or spirit become one with them wholly, mind, body, and soul, even if only temporarily (vessels are only ever possessed temporarily-- fusing permanently with a god would destroy the mortal). Actual cases of divine or spirit vessels are incredibly rare, and to most, only exist in myth and legend.
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