Elemental magic

"Elemental magic" is a catchall term for four different arcana practiced in the cosmos of Dverelei, one that utilizes each of the four chylic forces. The working of elemental magic is done by subtle and largely subconscious changes in the brain chemistry and configuration, which, since the chylic forces do not decrease with distance, may produce effects vast distances away. The exact relationship between the cause and the effect is not really understood, and no one would be able to calculate how to produce a magical effect, but such effects can be produced without a full conscious understanding of the working of the forces behind them. In fact, many mages are completely unaware that there's any connection between magic and the chylic forces at all—or, in fact, are ignorant of the existence of the chylic forces themselves.

Though there are many mages who specialize in a particular type of elemental magic, there are also some who do learn two or more systems, or even all four. Though they are four distinct systems of elemental magic, there are enough similarities in their working that familiarity with one makes it easier to learn another. A mage who is skilled with all four systems of elemental magic is sometimes called an archmage, though this is not to say he's more powerful than a single-system mage—a mage who is extremely proficient in one system may easily be both more versatile and overall more powerful than one with middling ability in all four.

The four systems of elemental magic are:

• Glamour, associated with the sanguine force, affects living organisms, notably including deceiving or augmenting the senses, but also including effects altering or controlling many other life processes. It also deals with emotions, and with physical shapes. The caster of a glamour spell feels some brief physical sensation—usually tactile, a tingling that runs through his body, but sometimes visual, auditory, or olfactory instead. Mages proficient in this system are called glamourists.
• Necromancy, the magic of the cholic force, embraces dealings with other planes and with the spirits of the dead, as well as affecting the mind and the will of the living. Necromantic magics can also suppress or alter other magical effects. When a necromantic spell is cast, the caster feels either a brief loss of volition or a feeling of separation from his body, or both. A specialist in necromancy is known as a necromancer.
• Sorcery is the magic associated with the phlegmatic force; it involves physical motion and action, as well as the potential for action inherent in setting triggers for future effects and events. The system of sorcery also includes spells that deal with ideas and thoughts; a sorcerous spell causes the caster to have a brief flash of unusual ludicity regarding thoughts about the spell just cast. A mage focusing on this system is called a sorcerer.
• Witchcraft, magic that makes use of the melancholy force, encompasses spells both of knowledge—discovery of secrets and identification of objects and phenomena—and of enchantment—the imbuing with powers that can be tapped and utilized later. Witchcraft also comes into play with transformations between different substances, turning metal into glass or flesh into stone. A witch, as wielders of this system are known, simply knows when a spell has been successfully cast.

There are also two other dubious systems of elemental magic, thaumaturgy and phlogistry. The former of these is supposed to draw not on any of the four chylic forces, but on the interaction between them, while the latter is supposed to draw somehow on the accretionary force. The existence of both of these magic systems may be entirely apocryphal.