I like psionics, namely the power of ones own mind to alter reality by means of intention and wish.
Psionics is autonomous and doesnt rely on the Weave.
The Weave is the ambient magical potential that is inherent in all that exists. Wizards exploit the Weave analogous to how reallife scientists exploit physical properties such as molecular bonds and radio waves. Clerics exploit the Weave by means of language and symbols, namely the power of cultures and the meaningfulness of creation.
The Sources of magic are Arcane, Divine, Primal and Psionic.
• Arcane and Divine rely on the Weave.
• Primal and Psionic rely on the existential and transcendent aspects of ones own Mind.
In the case of Primal, inanimate objects such as a river, a mountain, a tree, have minds in an animistic sense. Their minds arent human − the river wants to flow like a river − but they entangle the properties of consciousness and have a kind of will.
Regarding the term for more powerful spells, I find myself using the term spell "slot" instead of spell "level". For example, Fireball is a "slot 3 spell".
Yaarel, I've read lots of your posts about your home game's lore and underpinnings of your universe, and I can't help but clearly recognize that they are personal ideas that you seem to call out as truths, or state as facts for the game. What you are describing is not the lore of D&D to me, so I just look at your ideas and consider them on their own merits and what potential value they bring to me. Maybe because D&D has tried all kinds of potential lore, and I view that old lore the same way. What can it add to my own game?
For example, I see that magic alters reality, and Sorcerers alter reality even further by altering magic itself. (Which is why a psionic sorcerer subclass appeals to me. It has built in mechanics to use "subtle spell," for instance.)
Where does it say again in 5E that Psionics is a different source, rather a different way to access one of the known sources? Also, Primal does not seem to me a "Mind" power, any more or less than Divine is. Primal is the Primal forces of Nature.
Also, because this thread is about in-game narrative, what is a sorcerer actually saying if they use the word "slot"? A slot of what? To me, that word has no relevance to me in magic lore, rather it is just rulebook jargon.
In fact, just off the top of my head, I would rather call Bard spell levels "grooves" because at least thematically, grooves are slot-like, and records have grooves that the needle follows. Why doesn't a bard synch with a "groove" of magic, join the melody, and manipulate magic from those metaphysical vibrations? ... That's actually pretty cool to me.