Wizardry

## The Science of Magic

*"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science"*

For wizards, the study of magic is equal parts art form as it is a complex equation waiting to be solved.

Using complex systems of rune-script, incantations and alchemy they are capable of studying and bending the natural laws of the world. The laws of magic wizards have studied have let to the development of many spells, rituals and magic items.

While anyone with at least some measure of patience and discipline can be taught to perform simple spells, a true wizard strives to master the art. All over the world there are magic schools and academies passing down the knowledge to the next generation.

## Those Who Are Wise

"Any quack can pick a book of spells and think themselves a wizard, but let me tell you something - ***a wizard is one who prepares***" - Court Wizard Dumat.

The Magic wizards perform, if compared to most other kinds of magic, is very rigid. Once a spell has been written down and learned it is all but laughable to think that it will, at some point in time, produce a different effect from the last time it was used. While this kind of repetitiveness can be inferred as reliability it is also a large weakness that any wizard worth his hat tries to compensate for. And while experienced wizards know how to manipulate and modify a spell within limits they will never become as flexible as a sorcerer's trick.

If each spell does only one specific thing - and you don't want to be caught unaware or off-guard - then you should always have the right spell ready for the right occasion. This, in turn, causes wizards to constantly pursue new spells or new uses for old spells to an almost obsessive (some might even go as far as to say fanatical) degree. Through their studies they uncover knowledge that allows them to create not only new spells but also devices that even non-mages can use with the right know-how.

## Schools of magic

The Magic wizards perform covers too broad a spectrum of topics for one person to study within one lifetime, so most wizards tend to choose a small handful of fields to specialize in, sometimes even going as far as to rigidly specialize in only one such field. Nevertheless, their scientific mindset and knowledge of the fundamental laws allow them to perform research in any school if need be. Some of these fields of study include (but are not limited to):

* Transmutation
* Metamagic
* Enchantment
* Enhancment
* Illusion
* Conjuration
* Object Manipulation

## Magic as a tool

For some Magic is neither art nor science, but simply as a tool. They might complete the full training of a proper wizard with a specific career in another field of work in mind. **Battle Mages** for exampletypically only learn spells that can be used for battle and are often looked down upon by their researching colleagues as "fireball throwing savages". Though they never say this to their face (unless they have at least a few protective spells cast on themselves).

## Warlocks

In some countries, the use of Magic is restricted by law and is the privilege of certified wizards. Those who do not wish to follow these strict rules often migrate to the Underworld where they can freely continue their research and search for forbidden secrets and greater power. These wizards are typically referred to as **Warlocks**.

## Dilettantes and Hedge Wizards

Anyone with some measure of patience and discipline can learn to cast simple spells. And many do in the hopes it might help them with their daily lives or provide them with the one extra edge. These dabblers are usually frowned upon by properly educated wizards as "Dilettantes". It is no wonder that these dilittantes form the biggest group of magic users and certainly the most diverse one.

A special group amongst the dilettantes are the Hedge Wizards, self-taught practitioners of magic who nevertheless act like properly certified wizards. These quacks not only are considered a danger to themselves and others but also threaten to damage the reputation of real wizards.