So the magic in this setting is inspired by "The Second Apocalypse" series of books. I don't necessarily recommend anyone go out and buy the books, they're not for everyone. That said, the magic system has some interesting traits.
Arcane Magic in the world is the use of language to forcibly influence reality. Or put another way, it is the practice of making the world conform to language, as opposed to philosophy, the practice of making language conform to the world. Arcane languages seek to grasp the conceptually perfect ideal of a word, the perfect meaning.
The words don't necessarily have to be spoken, they can simply be thought, or part of your movements or spell components.
Bardic magic is more anagogic, meaning that they perform analogies. Wizard magic is more absolute and literal use of arcane words, a logical system. Neither is truly more powerful, they do things different ways. Sorcerer's may be more unique in that they understand some inner truth to things, either way they have their own unique method. Warlocks may be more of an exception as they perform spells in a similar way, but their access to these things was granted by something "outside".
Clerics and Druids exalt the world as the gods (or whatever they are) created it and use it. Their magic is
more supernatural seeming than arcane magic. Where the wizards spells kind of make sense and have a system, divine magic is willed by something other. The gods may be real things, and they may not even care about their followers, but they grant supernatural magic to some select few.
These things work better the closer you are to Ashwell, like that place sits upon a rip where reality was still being shaped, and the ancient architecture that was built on top of that rip was done to suture the wound.
A musical character or party could be interesting in some ways because the ancients that lived in the ruins lived their life through song. Their entire language was song.
