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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Charlaquin" data-source="post: 7919898" data-attributes="member: 6779196">Miracles (sometimes “divine magic”) are the incredible feats performed by the priests of the celestial gods. Their workings are mysterious to the uninitiated, though any who choose to devote themselves to the cult of a God can be taught how to perform them. Holy warriors of the gods, for example, are often taught certain miracles that allow them to smite the enemies of the faith.Druidism (sometimes “primal magic”) is the cult-like practice of the followers of the Old Gods. Very little is understood about it among decent, civilized folk, apart from the so-called “Rangers” who brave the wilds to maintain safe trade routes and the like, many of whom still observe the old faith (and let’s be honest, how “civilized” that lot truly are is up for debate.)Wizardry (sometimes “arcane magic”) is the seemingly inexplicable things the Wise (or “Wizards”) do. Its study and practice have historically been very strictly regulated by the schools of magic, though since the collapse of Bael Turath, those institutions no longer exist. A few wise folk carry on these arcane traditions, though they are highly selective with who they will pass their secret knowledge on to.Bardic music is unusual, in that it appears to have very similar effects to the magic worked by wizards who carry on the tradition of the School of Enchantment, yet its practice was taught and regulated by the Bardic Colleges rather than the Schools of Magic. It is widely believed that the Colleges branched off from the Enchantment School, and were permitted to regulate themselves for complex political reasons, though practitioners of either tradition would deny this, claiming that what they each do is very different from (and superior to) the other. Because the Colleges were far less esoteric than the Schools of Magic, they have come out of the collapse of Bael Turath much more intact. Although the colleges as institutions of higher learning no longer exist, the bardic traditions are very much alive, operating more like guilds now despite maintaining the name “Colleges.”Sorcery is the power certain rare individuals are born with. These poor souls cursed with such abilities are at once feared, hated, pitied, and envied by ordinary folk. Some say that the schools of magic were originally founded by sorcerers who wished to create a safe environment for others like them to learn to harness and control their abilities, though many dismiss this as idle speculation with no basis in fact.Witchcraft is foul magic, condemned as heretical by the cults of the Gods and the Wise alike. It is said that witches sell their souls to Asmodeus, the Fae Monarchs, or other malevolent entities for power. Many of the noble houses of Bael Turath turned to witchcraft, and this is widely viewed as the reason for the nation’s eventual collapse.</blockquote>

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