Magic

Magic comes in many forms in Camora, and each one is slightly different. The basic and most common forms of magic are arcane and divine magic, both of which are described in further detail below.

It is very common for citizens to have only small measures of magic, marking them out as hedgewitches/wizards. They're not powerful enough to graduate from any magical academy, but are able to do some minor magics. Far and away, they form the bulk of arcane magic users.

Such minor power is less common by far in devout, for the gods usually don't grant their power in small measures. Still, it does happen, and is usually considered to reflect poorly on the individual in question.

Arcane magic
Most often simply called magic, arcane magic is more personalised than divine. It is always cast through a mage's skyshard focus, and can manifest itself in many different forms. There is no prepared arcane magic, which makes magical items more difficult to create, and the magi who make them much more specialised.

Spell power is limited by the size and strength of the mage’s personal skyshard. As such, mages that are being punished are given smaller, weaker skyshards to limit their power. Skyshards are hard to break in and of themselves, but taking one from a mage is only as difficult as it is to remove it from their hands.

Arcane training
All young who show signs of magical potential are given training in one of the arcane schools. While every tower has at least one, the better schools are found in the higher towers, and many consider the lower tower schools fit only to make sure hedgewitches don't kill themselves or those around them.

Children are trained until they are considered to have reached their maximum potential, at which point they leave the program. For some, this is a graduation. For those without the potential to graduate, this is a shameful dismissal. While some newly graduated magi simply go to peddle their wares or take on a profession, most of those who do not hit their potential by graduation apply to schools in higher towers, repeating the process until they are satisfied.

Every young mage is taught that they are not to attempt magic without using their skyshard, without question. All arcane magic must be channeled through a heart-focus, and in the absence of the mage's standard one, the arcane energies will channel through an individual's own heart. This causes catastrophic damage at best and combustion at worst.

Likewise, using too small a skyshard for a spell will result in either catastrophic damage to the skyshard, or at worst will turn it into so much shrapnel. There are stories of young magi attempting such things and becoming gravely disfigured in the process - assuming they're not killed outright. Several ghost stories involve the disfigured and dead.

Divine magic
Divine magic is granted directly by the gods. As such, it is subject to their rules and regulations, with different gods requiring different lifestyles from their prospective followers. Whatever the gods' requirements, they will revoke a followers power and privalege if they do not act in a godly way.

As such, not many people fear divine magic users, and they are very rarely implicated in criminal cases. The gods would revoke their power if they were acting improperly, so of course they're fine. The trouble with this is that not every god frowns upon mischief - Eurun, Nua'am, and Saban all continue to bless the less-lawful members of society, and both Eurun and Saban (as well as, arguably, Notos) have been known to power the outright evil from time to time as well.

Most divine magic users of a less-than-savory nature receive their power from one of the above three gods, but pay public homage to a different god so as to keep suspicion implicitly off of them. Due to the amount of devotion necessary to gain a god's favour, it is very rare for magi or Called to also be blessed with divine magic. It is not entirely unheard of, however, especially in the case of Called who don't spend much time on Talamra or neuma. There are one or two cases of powerful magi being blessed by the gods and developing incredibly powerful magics, but they are old enough to have turned into legend.

Nothing can stop a god from granting their followers power, save another god.

Godmarks
Godmarks are rarely seen "tattoos" that are granted by the gods. Different gods provide different markings, and different markings provide different kinds of magical power. Some choose to focus their time and attention on these extra powers, but most do not. Being Marked is challenging enough without making it the focus of your life.

Not all people with Godmarks also have divine magic; one does not necessarily include the other. There is some theorizing out there that not all people can channel divine magic, but may still be devout enough to warrant a Godmark. There is no solid explaination for why some Godmarked do not have divine magic, however - the above is ONLY speculation.

Forbidden magics
You don't know much about these, but there are some magics than even children know to stay away from. Folk villains are often practitioners of one of these dark arts.

Mind magic
Any kind of magic that touches another person's mind is forbidden. A body's mind and soul are between them and the gods alone. They're not meant to be touched by other people, and anyone who violates that sacred boundary will be punished. Severely.

Necromancy
The dead go to Caeciah, and their bodies to the Wastes. Bodies that are not disposed of in this way run the risk of becoming ghosts, so the folklore says. Either way, the dead should stay dead, and anyone who messes with the very well defined line between life and death is insulting the gods and endangering their lives.

Godly magics
These aren't very clearly defined in the folklore. They have something to do with misusing the language of the gods, or the artifacts of the gods, and it's definitely forbidden. At the same time, it's one of the forbidden magics that, unlike mind magic and necromancy, exists only in folklore.

Ritual magic
Rituals are occasionally mentioned in folklore, and they seem to have some kind of effects, but that's about it.