In the novel I am writing, there is a lot of mention of different forms of Magic. For funsies, I'm going to show you how much work I've put into it!
The Arcana is the most commonly known
form of magic, and Magi (Male Magister or Mage, female Magistrix or
Mage) , Wizards, Sorcerers, Binders, and other Arcanists are heavily
trained in the proper, responsible usage of the Arcane.
Arcane magic draws its power from a specific kind of energy called
Ley, that envelops and penetrates all things. When the Ley energy is
drawn into the individual and stored there, it is then referred to as
"mana". The amount of mana one can store can be increased through
rigorous mental training and intense focus.
The Ley is everywhere, but certain areas contain a higher
concentration than others. These create"Ley lines" that crawl all over,
through, above, and below the terrain, ocean, and air of the world that
pulse with intense amounts of energy, quite similar to blood vessels of
an animal. Indeed, through the eyes of the Arcanist, the world is a
living thing because of the Ley.
The Ley governs many, if not all, of the natural world's laws,
including (but not limited to) gravity, time progression, color
perception, and heat. For this express reason, because Magic bends (but
not breaks) the laws of physics, it is VERY risky to cast arcane magic
around a Ley line.
Contrary to popular belief, very few people are completely incapable
of learning to perform Arcane magic. Although it is more than uttering a
few words and waving your hands around, simple spells can be learned by
just about anyone, given enough time (and, of course, access to the
information). The average spellwork requires a spoken component, a magic Circle, and in some cases certain hand gestures.
Arcane Magic can be divided into 7 separate Classes of magic.
-Etymology
Etymology is the study of the phenomenon of Language. Equal parts
spellwork, linguistics, and philosophy, Etymology examines how bindings
can be made between certain words or phrases and energy in order to
construct a spell. Etymology is the most convoluted and complex of all
the Classes.
-Illusion
The sudden fog rolling in, the black cat that just crossed your path
twice, the wall your hand passes through... All are the work of the
Illusionist. Illusion seeks to trick the senses in any way possible.
This said, it's also the most fragile Class of the arcane because as
soon as the subject realizes that a certain item of spellery is Illusion
magic, it begins to fall apart quickly. However, the more skilled an
Illusionist (and the weaker the mind of his target), the more unlikely
it is.
-Biomancy
The most mysterious and, without doubt, most controversial Class of
magic, Biomancy is the manipulation of mysterious Life energy, called
"Qi" or "Chakra" by some. Skilled Biomancers can pull life from an
ancient, thriving tree and transfer all of that life energy into small
saplings to ensure healthy growth, into himself to heal wounds and cure
disease, or even into dead animals to rewind the mortal coil. Biomancy
requires a source AND a destination-- One cannot simply kill (using
Biomancy) without giving life to something else. It is a very live
question and the subject of many debates whether or not Life energy is
completely separate and independent from mana.
-Sealing
Sealing magic involves binding certain aspects of an object or target
and making it so that if any of those aspects try to change, it is
considerably more difficult. For example, am exceptionally skilled
Sealer could bind a lake in winter so that it doesn't thaw and melt come
Spring, or even partway into Summer. Because such magic bends the Ley
into pretzels, the more complex a Seal is, the more mana must be spent
and the less time said Seal will last. In addition, Sealing is also
heavily regulated, partially because it's the most familiar Class to
non-Arcanists as many Sealers make livings binding Candles that don't
melt, axes that don't dull for some time, and in extreme cases, they
handle what could be perceived by the common man as "demonic
possession".
-Transmutation
Transmutation is the most difficult of all Classes because it seeks
to change the base nature of an item into something else. Not just
magic, but also a science (and in some hands, an art), Transmuters are
able to change pencil graphite into diamond, but also to forge an entire
weapon out of a stone floor they sit on. Transmutation is often used as
an art form, because the skilled Transmuter can sculpt whatever
material they want into whatever shape they want, within reason.
-Warding
Though by definition it means to protect, any spell that enchants,
ensnares, or shields is Warding. Certain Warders may learn to fend off
Illusions, others may grant a weapon an unnaturally keen edge, and still
others may set traps of certain viciousness forseen by few. Warding is
the most practical form of manipulation of Mana because it seeks to
infuse the mundane with the Arcane.
-Evocation
Some faerie tales speak of Arcanists able to breathe fire, call down
Lightning, freeze a lake so cleanly it reflects as a mirror, and even
screech like banshees. All of those tales are true-- At least in theory.
They refer to Evocation, which is manipulation of raw energy to a form
that comes most naturally to Ley energy: Natural disasters, phenomena of
weather and elemental forces. Because the Ley pours energy into such
things without being manipulated by the hands of arcanists, Evocation is
either the cleanest or the messiest spells you can learn to cast.
Because this Class has the capacity for the most destruction, Evokers
have much lower life expectancies than other Arcanists.
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Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends. 
