Magic
Magic is simply the transference of energies. Everyone knows that!
The Prime Material Plane is a very special place, standing as it does between the Positive and Negative Material Planes, at the confluence of the four Elemental Planes, whose vertices form the Paraelemental Planes, while the material of the Prime casts the Shadow. The Astral and Ethereal Planes also border on the Prime, connecting it to the Outer and Inner Planes. Thus, the Prime is the most magically active plane of all (with the possible exception of certain Outer Planes).
Surrounded and interpenetrated by the Positive and Negative Material Planes, certain persons are able, by various means, to draw positive or negative energy from these places. Usually, this is deadly, but the form can be controlled through various means, and will knowledge and skill, controlled, to some extent.
The first "Key to Power" is perception. This is a mental ability which must be highly trained in order to be useful. Most beings cannot
see magic, but they
can perceive it... The cold chill down your back, the hair standing up on the back of your neck, inexplicable goose-pimples, or the feeling of "being watched" are all forms of perception.
Some people can do this innately. These Sorcerers can learn to perceive, and then manipulate magic without the long trials others face.
For most others, it is a life-long learning process. While the micro-wormholes allowing power flow exist everywhere in the Prime, the ability to open them and regulate the flow of power is not so common. It is a complex mixture of mental imagery, willful manipulation constrained by degree of control, the "plucking of certain strings" of the warp and woof of the weave of the Universe (sound), and the manipulation of all of these.
In order to maintain concentration and control, certain items, with
meaning to the caster are often required. These materia generally relate to the effect(s) desired, in some way, although others (power components) provide energy or a focus for the same. Likewise, certain motions are meaningful to the desired effect, such as the striking motion of flint and steel to certain fire spells.
These "mental mnemonics" focus the adept's mind, allowing them to more easily manipulate the generally
unseen but
perceived energies of magic. As one's control and perceptual ability improves, the size and flow-rate of energy-issuing micro-wormholes which may be manipulated increases, and greater effects may be achieved.
The problem with developing magic, however, is finding the correct forulae. While certain sounds have specific correspondances with specific effects, the relationships between them are not generally known. The same is true with materia. Likewise with motions. A Sorcerer may instinctively know that, in order to
Sleep a foe, (s)he must cast sand at them while making cartain arcane sounds and passes, but the Wizard will have to construct these.
Again, this brings us back to perception and manipulations... While one Wizard can use sand, another can use rose petals, a third an eyelash coated in gum arabic, and yet another live crickets. All of these can work as materia for the
Sleep spell, and many even work for the same arcane passes and vocalizations (although some require different ones, as the Night Hag's more powerful version). This is because each mage perceives
Sleep a bit differently.
(Note, here, that it is unimportant how the target of the spell perceives anything, only how the mage casting the effect does. Once (s)he has properly manipulated the energies in order for the effect to appear, it is reality, and not perception!)
Thus, a working formula for casting a spell begins with the effect desired. Alchemical references are them checked to determine alchemical correspondances to the desired effects. Then, based upon his or her always-limited knowledge, the mage begins experimenting with words in the arcane language of magic, and various motions (often manipulating the materia) in such a fashion as seems to make sense to them. Through a process of trial and error, they attempt to inch closer to the desired effect.
Once (if ever) achieved, the "important" alchemical, verbal, and somatic "components" are recorder, along with other notes on their usage, what to "watch out for", and the necessary steps in the progression of casting the spell... This explains why learning spells from another's spellbook is such a task!
In 21rst century terms, while I may be slightly better at Computers, Math, and English, I am poor at Spanish and French, and downright lousy at Mechanics. If I were to write a step-by-step set of insturctions for setting the computer clock -
for myself - and you came along and read them, they might say "Boot up, log onto NIST, CT, then shell to DOS and set the time". The steps of HOW to boot up, log on, starting the web browser, how to get to NIST, what it is (the National Institute of Standards and Technology), that CT refers to Central Time, how to "shell to DOS", what DOS is, and how to set the time have all been left out!... I know all these things, and don't need step by step instructions... Now consider the case of my trying to follow a mechanic's instructions for fixing a car, written in the same fashion... What's a valve cover? Where is it? Timing light? How do I hook this up? Huh?
The same is true for various mages trying to follow each other's notes. Just as two mathemeticians might approach a problem from different ends (with different theories and results), so it is with mages. Sorcerers will intuitively jumped to conclusions, while Wizards will have their own ideas, and refine them. Sorcerers can even attempt to use Wizards' ideas, but will have to rework them into a shape more in line with their view of the world... because Perception is the First Key to Power.
Now Bards just use music as the universal language. Other than that, there is little difference. Their spells are a bit more pleasing to the ear, but still magic.
The Divine casters get things handed to them by whatever it is that they worship. No long memorization, no struggles with perception, and generally no materia to aid those. They simply focus upon their deity, and all the work is done for them. Complex formulae are not needed. This has both its benefits and its weaknesses.
Spells are granted, not memorized. You ask for what you want, and if the deity wills, it is granted. You then focus your thoughts on them (through a symbol representing them), make a few arcane passes while speaking arcane phrases, and it is done. The downsides are when they're not willing, or unavailable.
Mages, on the other hand, are as limited without their books, when materia are unavailable, when bound, silenced, unable to see, ad nauseum...
Metamagicians, however, expecially those with Spell Mastery suffer none of these limitations!
Spell research can be likened to a Medieval person learning to operate an invisible car. You feel around it, and try to find the materia "keys". After a while of experimenting (since these are nothing like medieval keys), you figure out that there's one for the trunk (which does little) and another for the door. Eventually, you learn that sitting in the seat aids in finding the invisible ignition, and that inserting the "door key" into it and turning it produces some results. After much more experimentation, you find that the pedals on the floor do things only when the gear lever is moved into a certain position...
Now envision the mage, casting his "car" spell... He squates awkwardly, drawing a small metal "material component". He brings this around in front of him, muttering, and twists it, then it disappears. He then makes a grabbing-and-pulling motion with his hand, moving his feet, whereupon a "varooming" sound can be heard... He then begins speeding about the place, making arcane motions with hands and feet, "running" over things with some inexplicable, invisible force that others cannot perceive!
ACK! RUN!! IT'S MAGIC!!!
Eventually, he might even figure out that the trunk can carry treasue (at least as long as the spell's duration lasts)!
