Fiction:The Firmament/Magic

Magic, also known as the arcane, is a supernatural and fundamental force which permeates the Firmament. It can be manipulated by living beings in the form of souls, spells and enchantments, as well as magical items, potions, rituals, curses, and other powerful or unusual events.

Characteristics
Magic is a fundamental force of the universe which can be manipulated and given shape by living beings in order to fulfill certain functions. An individual who can use magic is called a spellcaster or mage, with more specified magical professions gaining specific names.

Magic is a neutral force and can be shaped into both positive and negative aspects, split between a number of Lores which represent the different ways that spells take effect. Magic is usually cast using catalysts which include wands, staves, runes, tomes, glyphs, familiars and tattoos; generally, only the more experienced spellcasters are able to cast spells bare-handed.

Certain creatures, like some magical beasts, dragons, fey, and undead are inherently magical. Outsiders, who have their bodies and souls as one of the same, are essentially sentient magic. Other species require training to be able to manifest magical powers, and in many cases, these come at a cost; extensive or reckless use of magic can backfire in the form of mutations or even death, meaning successful spellcasters are generally well studied.

While all deities are fundamentally magical, some are more heavily associated with it than others. Deities can grant magic to their worshippers, allowing them to use the god's divinity as a catalyst for their power, at the cost of depending on them for it; a displeased deity can strip a follower of their magic altogether.

Types of spellcaster
Clerics and paladins are spellcasters who gain their magic from a divine patron, with the former serving as priests and the latter as magical knights.
 * Clerics and paladins

Masters of nature, druids are spellcasters who are able to manipulate the power of nature itself. Such individuals tend to be disconnected from wider civilization due to being forced to spend much of their time in the wilderness in order to achieve the perfect connection needed to cast druidic spells.
 * Druids

Spellcasters who dedicate themselves to the creation of undead are called necromancers. These mages may or may not be undead themselves, generally using such dark powers for the sake of achieving eternal life by all means necessary.
 * Necromancers

Invented by the dwarves, runemages practice the art of rune magic, creating powerful magical runes and using them to cast spells. Runemages tend to not be as powerful as other spellcasters, but their magic is considered the safest to use, as it almost never backfires.
 * Runemages

Certain individuals are born with magical abilities due to magical meddling in their bloodlines, and are generally given the name of sorcerers. Most require training in order to control their powers or risk self-destruction.
 * Sorcerers

The most common form of spellcaster, a wizard learns magic through years of study and practice. Wizards are generally educated figures of great age and prestige, who dedicate themselves to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
 * Wizards

Witches gain magical powers by a combination of familiar animals and the practice of hexes, a form of spellcasting generally considered shady and suspicious and which is heavily associated with curses. Witches are rarely welcomed in civilized society, though some are capable of passing as common wizards depending of the extent of their power.
 * Witches