Göetic

"Whomsoever reads this tome in pursuit of the hidden art shall be availed of its secrets. As you master the secrets contained within, you shall pass the gift to another. You will bind this tome anew, exactly, and you will add your wisdom to this lineage of the hidden art. You will keep your tomes secure until a suitable recipient arrives. Then, you shall gift your work freely, as was done for you. This is your compact, so the secrets of our lineage may never be lost."

— Foreword of an untitled göetic text.

Unique among the magical traditions, göetics are not tied to a specific faith or religious organization. Rather than drawing power from their faith in gods, göetics summon creatures from the Borderworld to gain power from them. In general, the borderworld demon will help a prospective göetic in exchange for being able to use the göetic as a pathway into the world of mortals. Incapable of bridging the gap themselves under most circumstances, many of these entities are eager to escape the chaos of the Borderworld for a time.
What the demons want from this exchange varies. Almost all of them demand that their hosts create more passages into the world of mortals by writing down the rites used to summon them and granting this information to other mortals that might wish to do the same. Some are relatively benign, simply wanting to experience the world through the eyes of the göetic. Many others are truly evil, delighting in the suffering of mortals and compelling their summoner to perform the worst atrocities to satisfy them.
The powers of the göetics are much more varied than those of magicians relying on providence. Drawing on the knowledge of demons rather than a historical tradition collected by mortals, göetia can be thought of as a shortcut to a more complete understanding of magic. Most göetics have some understanding of summoning, as calling a demon and allowing it to possess them is often the first spell invoked by the practitioner.

Perception

Social Status

Göetia is considered a heretical practice in practically every realm where a religious organization holds sway, and is culturally proscribed in many others. Göetics are known as deviants who consort with extraplanar evils for power. It is believed that their wills are not their own, and they wield the powers given to them by their demon masters in service of those same demons, working towards towards the ruin of mankind.
Consequently, göetics must work underground in loose cabals or as lone magicians. Hunted by inquisitors and hated by the general population, göetics must hide their true nature or live on the fringes of society. Even the criminal elements in a society often shun göetics, believing their practices to be beyond the pale or simply not trusting the göetic to act in a predictable fashion due to the demon influencing them. Only the truly desperate will seek the aid of a göetic despite their strange and varied magical powers. Some göetics will attempt to pass themselves off as followers of a foreign tradition, knowing that even though being known as a foreign cleric does not engender trust, it is still infinitely better than being known as a göetic.

Type

Arcane