Common Laws of Magic

The Common Laws of Magic, otherwise known as the Mystica Obscura are a widely discredited series of books purporting to outline the laws that govern magical usage, and outlining the various subtypes of magic in a reader-friendly manner. The books were authored by Delan Maton and published by the University of Rekkan in the middle of the Lords Era, and gained some level of popularity before being entirely discredited by all reputable sources. The Mystica Obscura is now commonly used as a teaching tool for prospective magicians throughout the world, with many schools including a complete analysis of the 752 factual inaccuracies in the book as part of their entrance exams. 

Schools of Magic

Among the known and lesser known schools, there are known to be at least ten. They are Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Illusion, Light, Dark, Ancient, Psychological, and Kinetic magics.

Fire

One of the more often seen schools, it is considered to be part of the family of magic known as the "Common Elements". Fire magic often behaves like any normal flame, though it can be manipulated into hotter versions to an unnatural degree by a skilled mage. Often flames can be created at the mage's will, but in a case where the main source of magic in the world is lowered (See Kutaric Invasion), fire magic is one of few that can survive with little magic-power. Though weakened substantially, it has been known to be created in conditions with air, like a regular flame. This kind of fire draws from the mage's lifeforce to keep itself stable, however. Fire-breathing Dragons are known for their mastery at a sub-type of Fire magic, Dragonfire, which is far more powerful and is almost as difficult to learn as another school itself.

Water

Water, like Fire, is a common school and is also classified among the Common Elements family. The behavior of water can vary, mostly due to what the mage intends to do with it. Water can be used in an array of way, anywhere from shooting steam, to firing icicles at record speeds. Usually, water can be easily frozen by a mage, but such a technique takes devotion, as ice magic is almost an entirely different school. Steam is even harder to master, as, like many gas-related magics, it is extremely hard to control. Not to mention, it can be extremely dangerous.

Air

Air magic is simply the manipulation of air, and is one of the more philosophically-related magic schools. It is often used in combination with other magic, such as ice to make icicles fly further and faster. Steam magic also is defined as the combination of air and water, and such requires mastering of both schools to use. Air behaves and moves in swift, but smooth "tails". These tails behave much like light magic, but are not explosive and are nearly impossible to see. Air magic has been used as a propellant, as well as a means of telekinesis and sometimes even flight. Flying dragons and bird-based animals are known to be "Windmasters", and are often consulted as masters for the air magic school. Some believe air magic has something to do with Transcendence. The Kerah and their people are known to be masters of the element as well, and have formed a philosophical bond to the practice, as a means of meditation and relaxation.

Earth

Earth is often deemed as a purely defensive school, and joins Fire, Water, and Air among the Common Elements family. Typically, mages learn this school to defend themselves from armed opponents, rather than other mages, of whom they can defend themselves from with magic schools via a counter attack. Earth magic tends to be slow and clunky, and is seldom thrown toward enemies as a method of defense. Rock walls can be lifted from the ground and left idle without magical suspension, as opposed to many other magic schools which require constant suspension to remain in position. Earth-based magic often is used to build structures as well, but is rarely used for mining, as this can result in the loss of ores in the chunks of earth used in the process.

Illusion

Often classified by magic that tricks the mind, such as invisibility and life detection, Illusion is a fairly standard school. It usually behaves much like ancient magic when cast, though has specific effects tailored to assisting the caster in some way. Most illusion magic has been synthetically created, by powerful mages looking for assistance in their various ventures. Therefore, there are few laws that illusion magic abides by, and there could be an infinite amount of different spells floating around the universe. The most common ones are invisibility, life detection, muffling, calming, waterbreathing, and paralysis.

Light

Light magic, often classified under the "Pure Magic" family, is a highly lethal and extremely difficult form of magic to master. Most mages who have learned touse light magic need a source of pure light... And the only currently known source is the Juruna Lightwell. It is possible to take small, portable vials of light, but it is expensive and not necessarily the most wise. Some master wizards can craft pure light entirely from the sun's rays. Light, when concentrated to a pure form, appears and behaves much like a thick, glowing mist. When fired at a non-maintaned speed, it is highly explosive, and is one of the few schools of magic that works best against Demons. Light, being one of the two original elements in the universe, has strong reactions with other materials, and those reactions have been manipulated by mortal races like the Lyrians to make contraptions utilizing the concentrated substance.  The most reactive substances toward light are classified as Reflectors (i.e. Mithril), Repulsors (i.e. Ebony), Conductors (i.e. Deonite), and Splitters (i.e. Aureus). Reflectors do what they sound like they do: they reflect light off of their surface in a 90 degree angle. Repulsors are substances that cannot handle contact with concentrated light whatsoever. These substances typically explode when they come in contact with concentrated light, and such reactions prove a useful weakness for military tools such as the Dramer Vakir. Conductors often either contain light inside themselves or conduct it across their surface. Typical conductors are usually used for a noble-style light source, or a driving mechanism in technology like a Light Cannon or Lightblasting forge/mine. Finally, Splitters are used mainly for technological purposes, namely in the Juruna Lightwell itself and other replicants of it. Little is known about why spiltters separate light into air-like tails, but one of the only known materials to be a splitter is Aureus. Known masters of Light magic are Lagois and the Kerah.

Dark

Dark magic is one of the two original elements in the universe, along with Light. This magic school joins Light and Ancient magic in the "Pure Magic" family. Known to be extremely rare among mages, Dark magic is particularly lethal and very difficult to master, if one is not born with the gift of its mastery. As opposed to Light, this school's concentrated form can be drawn from any place that is dark or where shadows thrive. Most dark magic behaves as simply a blacker form of light magic. However, dark magic is known to behave in a "heavier" sort of way when it comes into contact with anything, usually acting almost as a dye dropped into a glass of water.