Sorcery

City mages, tower-dwelling sorcerers and mysterious enchantresses are the source of fear and wonder alike. They practice mysticism to a grander and more mysterious scale than the local hedge-witch. Most interestingly, sorcerers have started to contribute their mystical knowledge to the development of new steam and clockwork inventions.

— Ordall Marvo Nisent, realm guide

Mystical Abilities

Sorcery includes both the acts of activation of dormant magic and transfer of magic from one object to another. This type of mysticism always results in the formation of mystical artefacts, whose abilities can range from protection to destruction. These artefacts can be small: an armlet that protects the wearer against the cold of the north, a wooden goblet which cleanses the drink it holds from disease. With the constant development of natural philosophy, alchemy and metallurgy, artefacts have gotten bigger: a complex construction which protects an entire town against the imminent eruption of a volcano, complex twinned artefacts for long distance communication. Anything seems possible in this day and age.

Apprenticeship

Youth with a knack for mysticism can seek out, or be found by, sorcerers and enchanters to be taught in the craft of sorcery. Many sorcerers are willing to take on an apprentice, especially during their old age—sending a youngster out to go get supplies is convenient, after all. Today, finding a mage is not difficult, for their address can often be found in a city directory, and if asked, most residents of a place know where the local mystical individual resides.
Around the world, a handful of schools exist which specifically teach the mystical arts. Both the number of students and curriculum varies greatly depending on the school, and it cannot be said that a mage with a diploma from one of these schools is a greater mage than one who apprenticed with a sorcerer living in a high tower in a deep dark forest.

Other Forms of Mysticism

Since the transfer of magic, also known as enchanting, is a dangerous form of manipulation of magic, sorcerers are almost always recognizable by a channeler they carry on them through which they transfer magic, preventing personal harm. This can be an amulet, a staff, or another object in which their channeler is embedded.