Winds of Magic

The Winds of Magic perforate most of existence. It is believed to be the most general source of magic, used by the lowliest apprentice to the greatest wizard and in some ways even the gods.
== Nature of the Winds ==
The underlying nature of the winds of magic are hotly debated. Imperials scholars and mages established various models. They can be roughly separated in three groups: the Planarists, the Kineticists and the Naturalists.
=== Planarists - The Abstract View ===
Planarists, as the name suggests, believe that the winds of magic is a plane of existence, adjacent to all other planes. They believe the winds to be a fundamental law of the universe and to be infinite. Living beings and magically imbued items cast a shadow onto this plane which then interact with and manipulate the winds of magic. These interactions then can flow back into other planes causing various phenomena like spells, magic items or even gods.
The Planarist faction is arguably the most influential faction in most imperial mage societies. In particular, it is heavily favoured by those studying planar magic and teleportation magic. 
Most Planarists are so called moderates, believing the winds of magic to be largly static and unchanging over long periods of time. They do not have a strong opinions on the Stormrift with some thinking its an unrelated phenomena and others thinking its a strong magic storm that will subside with time.
The Planarits faction contains a small extremist group who call themselves the Rifters. They believe that the winds of magic are actually growing stronger over time and that the border between it and other plane began to weaken. At a critical point, the winds of magic grew so strong that it ripped the separation between realms, causing the Stormrift. Headed by the Magisterium of the Shattered Sky, its members are seeking to open a massive rift in another plane, letting the pure winds of magic flow into the sacrificial plane, hopefully alleviating the pressure on the planar barriers and thus lifting the Stormrift.
=== Kineticists - The Dead Magic View ===
The Kineticists believe that the winds of magic are a physical phenomenon and exists on each plane of existence separately. They believe that all the wind that exists was created during the birth of the universe or a plane. Mages and magic items then consume some of the ambient winds of magic to turn it into spells and other magic effects. Similarly, sentient creatures consume a small amount of wind at all time, sustaining complex minds and giving power to believe, thought and emotion. As such, as the winds of magic are used up, its concertation will dwindle over time. The available magic energy weakening overtime, explaining the relative weakness and complexity of modern mages compared to those during the times of the Old Empire.
The Kineticist faction is the smallest but fastest growing faction. It is usually not well liked by most established mages, instead primarily attracting scientists, scholars, mechanists, artificers, and industrialists.
Like the Planarists, the Kineticists has a moderate faction, but here it is a small minority. The moderate Kineticists believe that eventually the winds of magic will be used up, but there isn't much that can be done about it. Instead, the moderates are focusing on studying the effects of magic dead zones on the mind and behaviour of living things.
Most Kineticits are so-called Radicals. They advocate for the abolition of magic schools and mages, replacing them with machines and industry. They want to restrict access to magic to a purely a research capacity to preserve as much of the winds of magic as possible. Unlike the Planarist and Kineticist moderates, Radicals act more like a political movement than an academic grouping. Arguing their case before the nobility and public, hoping to enact actual change."... After all; Isn't a cannon just as destructive as a fireball? Isn't a line of musketeers just as destructive as a group of mages with magic missiles? Isn't a health potion just as effective as cure wounds? The solutions to the problems of the world are not outside of our reach! Mages give us their medicine whilst they suppress the cure. All for their own benefit! ..." - Manifesto of an unknown Radical who burned down a spell book library. 
=== Naturalists - The Living Magic View ===
The Naturalists started as an offshoot from the Kineticits and started out believing that the Winds of Magic are a physical phenomenon inherent to each plane. They later diverged from the Kineticits and today believe that, while the Winds of Magic aren't a proper plane, they aren't a physical phenomenon either. Instead, they describe the winds as a sort of field or ocean. The term “Winds of Magic” was first coined by Naturalists. Mages and Magic items can exploit the waves of the winds to cast spells and sustain magical effects. Notably, Naturalists believe that the winds of magic are not static. Instead, each living thing puts some energy into the winds. With larger and sentient creature creating more power. In this way, when sentient creatures believe or worship a deity or saint, they channel some of the energy they create directly to the target of worship, empowering them.
The Naturalist faction is smaller than the Planarists but slightly bigger than the Kineticists. It primarily attracts druids, cult leaders, clerics, and priests.
The Naturalist faction can be mapped onto a spectrum between the Urbanists and the Primitivists, though few people are on either extreme.
The Urbanists state that since all sentient creatures create some magical power, it is most advantageous to have the most amount of people possible settled in great dense cities. The winds of magic they generate can then be used for the good of the citizens. They dream of a world dominated by a few mega metropolises with the land between them used only for farming or transportation between them with as few people as possible living there. Most priests and clerics tend to be more Urbanist leaning.
The Primitivists argue that since more powerful and larger creatures will produce more powerful winds of magic, it is most advantageous for society to go out and find powerful beings then construct small towns and settlements centred around them. Then grouping several settlements to protect and preserve whatever patrons gives the settlements power. They dream of a world dominated by countless small towns, shrines, and dungeons, each with a powerful creature or spirit at their centre. Most druids and cult leaders tend to be more Primitivist leaning.
== Keys of Magic ==
Though all magic is ultimately based on the winds of magic, it can take many shapes and forms, not all of which are equally accessible. These types are called “Keys of Magic” and seem to be layered on top of each other, together constituting the totality of the Winds of Magic. 
Many things can create keys. From powerful beings, such as the gods, natural wonders and even artefacts, the sources are quite varied. Most of these are highly localised and dissipate quickly with distance from the source. Some have far greater range, and these few are generally considered the Major Keys of Magic.
=== Major Keys of Magic ===
* Raw Magic, often called Arcane Magic
* Divine Magic
* Silent Magic
=== Minor Keys of Magic ===
* Primordial Magic
* Living Magic
* Decay Magic
* Psionic Magic