Lore
The Magic of Imarel - by T.A. Saunders ©2009, revision v2.9, 12.16.14
Magic can be broken up into several categories from which the potential mage can either specialize in or choose a broader course of of study from which several spells from all spheres are learned, but none are focused upon exclusively. Most choose the latter route, preferring to not limit themselves, but those that do specialize have access to some rather potent and custom spells. It should be noted that not all Primary Spheres have a specialization simply because the usefulness of such specialization would be limited.
Below is a list of Primary Spheres and the High Spheres of Magic:
Blood
Blood Magic is the use of one's own blood to increase the potency of magic or use another's blood to control them. This sphere has wide potential for being combined with enchanting or for combining it with charm/beguilement.
Chaos
Chaos Magic is the sorcery of controlling, directing and manipulating Chaotic energy to achieve a desired result. This form of magic is exceedingly dangerous, perhaps more so that Radiant Magic, in that losing control of the primordial power of Chaos can not only kill the caster, and those around them, but cause widespread and long-lasting devastation after. This magic is highly controlled by the Asyndi, who use it to craft their massive Chaos Engines that power airships. Any other race with this knowledge is likely an Asyndi-taught Technomancer for that reason, but this is not always true.
Dimensional
Dimensional Magic is the understandings of the complexities of the Multiverse and how to open gates to different places in other realms and the necessary spells to survive in those realms. Dimensional Magic also allows magi the possibility of dismissing extraplanar beings, but not summoning them.
Fleshcraft
Fleshcrafting magic is not necromancy (which employs a more crude method, of flesh-warping that can only be conducted on the dead), but rather the fusion of two or more living creatures, into a single living agglomeration of beings. This magic creates abominations of nature, mutations in living beings and other such afflictions. This magic can also be used to mend living beings who have been assaulted by such magic, or have suffered unusual damage that otherwise might not be repairable.
Plague
Plague Magic is the creation and manipulation of viruses and diseases in such a way that they increase exponentially in both difficulty to cure, potency and efficacy. This also includes the creation of sorcerous pandemics; such examples include the Crimson Scourge of 1319 AC and the Shei Reaper of 120 BC. These were spells that wiped out whole populations, but are truly the height of this dangerous craft. This knowledge could also be used to cure such terrible maladies as well.
Radiant
Radiance is the direct channeling and controlling of energies from Tala, the Sea of Light*. This includes the calling of creatures that dwell in the Sea of Light. Radiant magic is perhaps one of the most dangerous, for the fact that the unskilled caster can not only be consumed by the very power he or she is calling forth, but could also then become a temporary conduit for such power, effectively blasting a very large area into nothingness.
Shadow
Shadow Magic is the direct channeling and manipulation of entropic energies from the Shadowlands**. This encompasses mastery over spectral creatures that exist in the Shadowlands as well as spells that drain both life-force and mana from their opponents. The strongest shadowmancy spells are capable of reducing buildings into crumbling ruin, simply by exposing them to massive entropic forces. In many ways, this sphere is the diametric opposite of Radiant Magic and contests between Radiant Magi and Shadowmancers are often spectacular.
Spiritism
Spiritism Magic is a very intimate form of High Magic, that involves creating bonds between people to make both stronger for the bonding. The very primitive form of this is Hedge Magic involving blood pacts or spirit bonds, however Spiritism takes this to a far greater level. It can be used to link allies together, through positive camaraderie reinforcement and morale boosting, create spiritual bonds of closeness between a mother and her children, so she may instantly know if those children are in danger and the like. Crudely, Spiritism has been referred to as sex magic, for some of the strongest sorcery involving intercourse between two people seeking a particularly potent bond of protection. While normally used as a strengthening magic, it could be used for breaking such bonds as well, or cause the Spiritist to gain influence over a person they have bonded themselves with, much like a vampire controls their blood-slave. Spiritism is exclusively taught by the Shei, who are quite selective as to who learns it.
Temporal (Chronomancy)
The temporal sphere includes travel, halting, slowing and accelerating of resident temporal flow. This sphere is by far the most dangerous, for the great possibility of causing temporal paradox if the caster is in the least bit careless with even the most minor detail, but it is also considered the most powerful of all the High Spheres.
Transmutation
Transmutation Magic is the alteration of one thing into another thing. Living matter can be transmuted into inert matter, but inert matter cannot be transmuted into living matter, save in instances where the inert matter was previously altered from living matter (i.e., reversing a flesh to stone spell). To transmute one thing, into another thing, the Transmuter must have a good understanding of both things (i.e., a transmuter cannot turn rocks into Vocorium if he or she has never studied the metal at length, or through a tradeskill). Barring these limitations, Transmutation has an extremely versatile range of use.
* Tala, the Sea of Light is an Outer Plane of pure energy and Mana.
** Lyth, The Shadowlands is an Outer Plane of entropy and a place where all shadows are linked.