Lysisday, Yahataidh 23, 1133 LE
Magic refers to the practice of manipulating or otherwise interacting with odhir, more formally known as spiritual energy under Sequential Quadrant Cosmology. While many groups teach magic as specialized branches or sects, there are really four main methods of performing magic, which are referred to with corresponding celestial alignments. These alignments are not literal, but they help to understand the nature of the power.
All magic has costs to it, and the learning processes for them all are different. Preparation of single-use things may take ochts, and learning any method of magic may take many years (save for Sunstep, which is generally the most intuitive to learn; dragons are born already knowing how it works).
Magic is often called a shortcut to power, a crutch that people rely on instead of technology. The truth is that magic is a skill that, while anyone can theoretically learn, takes incredible dedication to get any experience beyond the very basics.
Each method of magic has a few branch applications, but knowing and memorizing these is not necessary. They are in no way objective, and the way they formed and exist is not indicative of anything besides Keppel’s unique history with magic. The underlying workings of each celestial alignment are all one needs know. Using the principles of each, one may make a new chimerical art of their own design if they so wish.
Celestial Alignments
The four celestial alignments are based on the celestial makeup of the universe. They are Sunstep, Voidstride, Starstep, and Moonstride. Sunstep and Starstep are called the Luminary Magics, and their rules and drawbacks apply directly to the caster themselves. This is of course in exchange for being readily available whenever the mage has use for them. The Umbral Magics, Moonstride and Voidstride, have much stricter sets of rules and limitations, and are much less immediately available even for experienced mages. However, the risk is usually not centered on the caster for most disasters and accidents.
Sunstep
Sunstep represents the suns, in that it is the magic of identity and command. It refers to magic that projects odhir from within the caster outward onto the world to change it. The bodies of most sapient races have properties that can be used with self-targeting Sunstep to produce set effects. The main cost and risk of Sunstep is that low internal spiritual pressure leaves the caster susceptible to soul corruptions, and that odhir is slow to recover if not actively focused on.
Starstep
Starstep represents the thousands of tiny stars in the universe, and it is the magic of connection and redirection. Starstep uses various methods to resonate with other objects and energy and get it to act per the caster’s will. This can take in just about any form of energy, including the endlessly abundant starlight that exists in the universe. Starstep is very dependent on its environment and the mental state of the user, and is generally thought to be the least reliable form of magic.
Moonstride
Moonstride is the opposite to Starstep, and is the magic of variety and personality. It takes advantage of the way odhir interacts with different materials and uses their properties to its advantage. Moonstride is the most involved with creating magically active materials and consumables, and makes the most use of exotic materials like sunstuffs. Moonstride’s main complication is the fact that it is a deceptively scientific magic, and it works with dangerous processes and materials that are both expensive and hard to come by. Each new material and discovery, however, may come with its own unforeseen rules, properties, and paradigm shifts.
Voidstride
Voidstride, opposed to Sunstep, represents the empty space between all things. It is the magic of unlimited potential and omnipresence. Voidstride calls upon the Silent Song itself to produce forth specific amounts of refined odhir by moving itself. Voidstride magics need proxies to accurately visualize these commands, which is almost always done through runic inscriptions. Voidstride needs a source of physical energy to power these spells, however, and they are usually painfully tedious to make and nigh-impossible to modify. Its main drawbacks as a magical discipline are the precision and memory required to craft spells with it, as well as requiring a readily available source of physical energy.
Alignments in Detail
While the above descriptions are apt enough to grasp the general themes of each alignment, further below are more advanced studies on the uses of magic. The majority of mages have a primary celestial alignment they use most, but within that they may employ tools and skills learned from practices of others.
Sunstep
Sunstep is the magic of identity, command, and projection. It is named for the suns, which themselves house immense wells of refined odhir that affect their solar systems. Sunstep relies on an impetus of power held within the user’s soul. While the vast majority of Sunstep is done using only odhir, spiritual energy, as this power source, Asperypathy shows that there are potential alternatives out there.
Running out of odhir means that a person’s soul has less spiritual pressure built up in it, and so depleted users of Sunstep are highly susceptible to soul corruptions. There are methods using Starstep and Voidstride to reduce the risk of this. Sunstep can only access odhir in the Fount, not the rest of the soul. By integrating high soul-component materials into the body or enhancing soul component by being hit by an eclipse ray, Sunstep users can access more of this energy, at the cost of being more vulnerable after “bottoming out“.
Sunstep generally relies on the refinement of odhir. In its raw form, odhir is “white“ – that is, it isn’t representative of any particular concept. If used in Sunstep, this raw form of odhir will do little more than agitate physical energy, causing a slight glow. There is an exception to this (see sorcery). Refining odhir to align it with a concept is something every aspiring Sunstep user (save for dragons, as their souls do this automatically beyond their control) learns early-on.
The concepts that can be called upon for refined odhir are limited to physical laws, the “Big Elements“ bound to draconic disciplines, and other esoteric ideas that can be neatly visualized by the user. The more specific a concept, the less likely it will be able to be refined, but the more potent odhir refined into that will be. However, this odhir lingers in the soul until used, and takes up capacity in there. Broader refinements of concepts are generally more useful to create for Sunstep. The waste energy that gets pulled out of the odhir being refined radiates out as a noticeable aura.
Sorcery
Sorcery refers to the inborn Sunstep capabilities some races have. For the dragons, sorcery refers to their clan-given abilities. Other races define sorcery as the effect that takes place when raw odhir is channeled back into the user’s physical body. For example, the Cindurans' sorcery allows them to transmute parts of their bodies into flame.
Asperypathy
A Sunstep that represents potential in the magic for more sources of power. When a ghost is bound to a living person in a Draznachi contract that doesn’t expire, the ghost’s asperyplasm is transferred to their contracted person as an extension of their own body. Asperypathy uses raw odhir in low amounts to control and project out this asperyplasm.
Spellslinging
A hybrid Sunstep-Moonstride magic that relies on the properties of certain alloys, namely Xanderized Gunmetal, a form of gunmetal made using Xanderine. The user requires a gun, an incredibly rare form of miniature personal cannon manufactured by only 12 smiths across the High West mountains and mesas of Remna, as well as the skill both to wield such a weapon and to use Sunstep effectively. Xanderized Gunmetal bullets and accessories are only available at 6 smelteries in the entire world.
By concentrating refined odhir into a Xanderized Gunmetal bullet, it retains the magical signature of the spell for a few seconds after release. Gunmages, more commonly called called Spellslingers, can only concentrate simple effects into these bullets, but the relative speed and range of "casting" gives them an extreme advantage in combat. This is also not to mention how deadly bullets tend to be even without magic. Spellslingers often create their own demise, as the nature of their weapon often gives refined odhir the chance to penetrate the souls of their foes. If not fatal, the effects can cause soul corruptions, turning ordinary wildlife into legendary beasts or worse. Against humans, gun magic may induce their special sorcery, causing them to be permanently changed into a completely new type of being. To fight this, at least in theory, Spellslingers get their bullets consecrated at local temples and tend to say short prayers while infusing them with odhir.
Phtheromancy
A truly abhorrent type of Sunstep, inspired by the adapative capabilities of Canids and the eclipse-sorcery of humans. Refined odhir being forced into the body and soul in great amounts can cause the soul to warp, dragging the body and its properties along with it. Phtheromancy relies on intentionally doing this, causing soul corruptions in oneself in a bid for higher power, usually in the form of a new sorcery the user can then access with little to no mental effort. This is the riskiest power-seeking method, and a very very fringe magic. Ex-humans who have undergone an eclipse to become something else are not technically classed as phtheromancers, despite similar – albeit more predictable and safe – results.
Many would-be phtheromancers perish on their first attempt, and every successive attempt to corrupt themselves comes with more complications. Mental issues, physical deformation, new conditions they must survive under, and damage due to chaotic rituals are all common side effects from a soul corruption. There comes a point where one must really ask themself whether the power is worth the cost.
Starstep
Starstep is the magic of connection and distortion. It is represented by the stars, which are numerous and release abundant energy that they collect from their travels through the universe. Starstep is performed by establishing a sort of bond with other matter or energy and either convincing or commanding it to bend to the caster’s will.
There are generally two known methods to using Starstep. The more authoritative route requires a trance that erases a person’s ego, their distinction between themself and the rest of the world. The more variable collaborative route requires more spiritual exertion by the user and a profound appreciation for their targets in manipulation.
Starstep's limitations are mostly on the user for learning it and controlling themselves. No way of using it leaves the user entirely lucid while they do anything intentionally. Additionally, if their ability to persuade or command the world around them is lacking, then their magic may just fail.
Druids and bards are the main sects of Starstep users, taking on these two routes as general doctrine. They tend to take magic more as an art form than a science, and users are often rather religious as well.
In the world of magic, Starstep is often thought of as a secondary or supplementary discipline. It is true that use of Starstep reduces the burdens on other magics by wearing down environmental resistance and helping to focus the caster. But one must be wary of downplaying a mage for their choice of magic. An experienced Starstep user can overpower a thousand novices of any other magic. The same is true of any of the celestial alignments, of course. As Starstep is seen as the weakest magic, though, I include this warning here.
Druidry
Druidry relies on trances and the dissolution of the users' egos. Most druids utilize psychoactive substances to enter this trance state, and it renders those with the constitution for it able to manipulate any object they physically touch like a part of their own body. Some have called this a sort of proxy-Sunstep.
Druidry relies on the user’s ability to exert authority over themselves. Self-discipline is necessary to maintain one’s druidic power, as the trance state renders the druid indistinguishable (from their perspective) from the rest of the world around them. Deflecting other spells relies on self-preservation instincts and extremely quick reflexes.
Druidic trances at lower degrees are incredibly useful for other forms of magic, as it lowers the resistance exerted on the caster by their immediate environment and/or the tools they use.
Bardics
Bardic Starstep relies on the idea of resonance. Sound is projected with a little bit of odhir, spiritual energy, from the user’s body or an instrument. This is imbued with a thought or order. Each object hit by this sound has the potential to “resonate“ with the message and obey the bardic spell. Incantations and/or music especially help with persuading the environment.
Bardics rely on the user’s ability to appreciate and care for the world around them. To move anything, the bard must be moved by it first. Cynics and pessimists are better off seeking magic elsewhere. Bards are also very limited by the artistic expression needed in each spell. A command put into lyric or prose, or even a sustained song to hold captive a massive range of magic. While bards can alter anything within earshot, they cannot change anything they cannot learn to love. To be loved is to be changed, after all.
Bardic incantations and the trance of inspiration are incredibly useful for other forms of magic, from focusing a Sunstep user to enhancing certain methods of Moonstride.
Moonstride
Moonstride is the magic of personality and variety, and that of the material and present. It is represented by planets and moons, which are made of all sorts of unique combinations of matter with differing properties. Moonstride is the most material-oriented magic, usually focusing on properties present in nature. It is the most scientific of the magics, in a sense.
Moonstride’s subsets are numerous, based both on the materials used and hoe they are utilized. Some simply use magically active materials as they are, for their own properties. Others take and apply these properties to create desired effects within compounds. Some focus on consumable and practical uses, whilst others seem to be carving out a new branch of metachemistry.
Moonstride's costs should be fairly obvious. Materials are required to perform it, which may take a lot of time, money, and/or effort to acquire. These resources may also be dangerous or toxic, as well as any of their byproducts. Soul corruptions are sometimes deliberately caused as part of the process, and if these happen to the user then disaster is sure.
Astremancy
Astremancy has elements of Starstep within it, but is ultimately a Moonstride application. By using Azurate gems, astremancers capture energy into a liquid form (called a “flux“), and then use subsequent Azurate filters to alter the flux in a process similar to Sunstep’s refinement of odhir.
Anhyetal gems first take the energy (usually starlight, as it is most neutral) and convert it all into a flux. Annebular gems, carefully tuned by etching current star maps into them, refine the flux to give it properties (outgassing the waste energy as opposing physical properties). Finally, an Anheliacal gem releases the flux back into the form of raw energy. A relatively simple process that allows for simple pseudo-spells to be stored and released as needed, as well as light and crystals providing the foundation for most settlements in the Ocean of Flame.
Heliamancy
Heliamancy is a type of Moonstride that is defined as the use of sunstuffs for their properties. This tends to have a large overlap with Lunar Artifice, but not always. Because the seventeen different sunstuffs have vastly different properties, Heliamancy can’t exactly be briefly summarized.
For example, Night Ink has its own miniature system of powers guided by incantations and the subconscious. Crystal Flame seems to be built for bards to handle. Radiant Honey can’t exactly be used, except to sacrifice people (even oneself) to the Radiant Hive permanently. Fulminating Shards can be used as power sources or high-grade explosive weapons. The list goes on, but the uses of each sunstuff, and combinations thereof, are incredibly varied and inconsistent.
Witchery
Witchery spends much of its energy enhancing and corrupting organic materials. Rendeline to cut and splice souls together, well-known mixes of Elixirs that force living matter to become enhanced things. Witches are generally secretive and keep to their close circles, as their work requires careful cultivation of many plants and resources.
Witches brew stews and soups more than potions, and their work often takes the form of foods. This is mostly done with the aim to heal people. Witches are well known for being pillars of their communities, even if they are a bit eccentric.
Alchemy
Alchemy is the most scientific magic by far. It is the study of soul corruptions and effects of certain Alkahestine Elixirs. It focuses on finding new manually-induced corruptions and new magically-charged materials for the advancement of magic and technology. Alchemists have an extensive catalogue of what materials refine odhir, spiritual energy, into which Elixirs that is over 20,000 entries long.
Alchemy has become something of a backbone for artificers and engineers worldwide. The material catalogues and synthesis of new ones can bring great benefits worldwide. Automation of alchemical processes is extremely inefficient, though, and requires a vast miscellaneous set of resources and a lot of time for the more advanced compounds.
Lunar Artifice
Lunar Artifice is any artifice that makes use of the properties of materials themselves rather than utilizing a Focus. The most well known lunar artifacts are also technically products of Heliamancy, making use of the incredible powers within sunstuffs to produce legendary effects. Starmetal is also a common material used in lunar artifacts.
Lunar Artifice tends to be used for a lot simpler and more durable artifacts. The lack of need for electric mechanisms or knowledge of runes is a huge advantage, even if the overall magical potential of these artifacts is stifled some.
Voidstride
Voidstride is the magic of emptiness and unlimited potential. It reflects the nature of the void, that of the Silent Song itself. Voidstride relies on materials, though not nearly as much as Moonstride does. Voidstride’s main appeal is the fact that its products can be transferred and used by anyone regardless of skill. Voidstride works by drawing odhir, spiritual energy, out of the empty space around the casting device, and then releasing it in set ways to execute a spell. This energy can actually be pulled out in an already refined state.
Voidstride’s main difficulty is the entirely new language required to use it. The objective written language of the universe, runes. It’s not known when or how runes were first discovered. Learning the runes and their syntax is the basis of those who work with Voidstride.
Runes
Runes are geometric patterns that connect to each other, similarly to cursive, that define a series of actions done with odhir. Combinations of discovered runes are used to define specific refinements of odhir to draw upon, and combinations of logical operator runes string together spells that define the usages of each type of odhir. Theoretically any spell is possible as long as space is allotted for the runes.
The translation of runic (a linear format) to a circle is known as harmonic. Harmonic defines everything within its radius as a single pseudo-soul, and enacts its effect on everything within. Harmonic circles are more difficult to read and modify in writing than runic is, but they have their uses.
Runes have to be charged with physical energy (usually through whatever object they are inscribed or written on) in order to be activated. The sources of physical energy for these vary depending on user preference, but the beginning of a Voidstride spell is almost always sensing for a threshold of a chosen variety.
Abyssal Artifice
Abyssal Artifice is a lot more involved than its Moonstride counterpart, Lunar Artifice. It relies on crystals as foci, and a more complicated (usually battery-powered) device as a Receptacle for these foci. When activated, these artifacts perform a pre-set spell at the cost of energy needed to charge the focus.
Crystals are typically used for foci, as their structure is regular enough to carve runes into them without much fear of chipping. Their typically high melting points and the range of hardnesses they come in are also merits for their use. Crystals are actually the best thing to use for foci because of their abnormally high capacity for odhir. Perhaps it is their regular structure and scalable growth, which resembles spiritual matter. In any case, crystals can handle much more odhir, spiritual energy (especially refined), than any other material. Most improvised foci break or corrupt on their first use. Crystals bathed in celestial light and cared for in religious practices also have their odhir capacity and floor-density increase like living beings. This tends to flatten out after a few decades.
The spell on any given focus will start with the activation sequence. These are relatively well-optimized and tell the spell to begin when a certain threshold of energetic excitation (electrical, kinetic, thermal, etc.) is imposed on the focus' physical body. This then tells the crystal expel all of its raw odhir, and then whatever spell was written follows. It’s almost universal that every focus also has a “charge-rune“, a secondary passive spell that transfers electric charges the focus brushes into down into whatever the focus is touching (besides air and liquids).
Specialized “charge foci” exist, inscribed with a larger and more powerful charge-rune spell multiple times. They accumulate electric energy at a rate 13 times as quickly as standard foci, but do not have an active spell.
Because the energy is stored in the receptacle, the receptacle’s own batteries are the limit of total available charge. Different foci may consume more or less depending on their complexity and potency. Some city models pull from the energy grid of their city directly through wires, allowing constant effects from massive artifact structures called pylons.
Choosing a gem to soulcarve is the first step to creating an artifact. Ideally, you will want a large and pure one. Depending on how much you want to channel at once, a period of 5 lythryds to 37 years of soaking in celestial lights on a mountaintop is recommended. The This allows more powerful spells to be created without risk.
Polishing and shaping the raw gem isn’t necessary, but a large shiny orb does tend to be easier to soulcarve. The second step is to extensively practice the runes on mundane stones and paper. The accuracy of the thin lines is required, and any margin of error reduces the efficiency of the spell, making the designated effect take more time to draw in odhir or outright reducing its output. The energetic threshold for activation is always higher in reality than written on the focus due to these inefficiencies. It’s recommended to optimize the runes, as fewer symbols leaves less room for error and wasted power.
Once you have burned the runes into your brain enough to see them when you close your eyes, the next step is to– no, not actually soulcarve. That is still not cautious enough. Take a piece of stretchable cloth and draw the runes on that with an erasable medium. With extreme corrective precision, draw out every rune until it is perfect.
Next, use a mundane needle to poke as accurately as you can into the crystal through the cloth. The ideal effect is that once you remove the cloth, you will have dots that you can connect when actually soulcarving.
The fifth step is to soulcarve. Using rendeline tools, spare no room for error as you connect your runic dots. The more accurate, the more efficient your spell will be. More complicated spells tend to skimp on efficiency for space optimization, so be extra diligent if the spell goes beyond simple elemental release.
Separately from all this, but preferably after, the receptacle creation is done. This is a much less intensive process, only really requiring a battery, a holster for the focus, and a switch to send a current into the focus from the battery (preferably a trigger, though a pressure switch from a specific motion type works well). Plenty of creativity to be had, though staves and scepters tend to be the most popular receptacle types. Gauntlets, hammers, swords, entire vehicles, and backpacks have also been sighted as artifacts.
Spellwriting
Spellwriting is a resource-intensive use of Voidstride that allows for the testing and compact use of runic writings. It is usually done on a temporary medium like paper. There are few Voidstride mages that do spellwriting as their main use of magic.
To spellwrite, one must first acquire arcane ink. Arcane ink requires rendeline, which is common enough, criosidium, which can only be reliably sourced from New Aegis on Remna, and azurate gems, which can only be sourced from Koeya’s Ocean of Flame. Putting all of these in precise ratios into an ink will allow it to seep into the soul of what it writes on and be activated. This is only efficient on paper or related materials.
Arcane ink is used to write runic inscriptions on paper. There are minor irritants with connecting the runes together, since multiple lines of runes may be required. This is usually solved by writing boustrophedon, though writing backwards runes is not always intuitive. When energy is put into the paper, the spell is activated, destroying the paper in the process. It’s a simple enough concept, and its uses make obtaining the ink worth it for artificers.
By casting a spell once, artificers can test the efficacy and syntax of their runes before committing it to a crystal focus. Many fatal mistakes (particularly on Criosis, which by all rights should be the world hub of spellwriting) could be avoided if abyssal artificers had the ability to test and tweak their spells. Mages could lend working copies of their spells for non-mages to easily use. Spellwriting could be a pillar of society if its resources were just more accessible.
Crystallophany
Crystallophany is relatively simple. Foci recognize their receptacles by being physically bound to them in some way. They automatically adjust slightly to account for the shape of their receptacle. This is difficult when implanted into living beings, since their anatomy is so complex. The less removable, the more these foci understand the body they are in. There are exactly three locations in the brain where foci can be inserted safely, but not removed without killing the patient. These are the three potential “Gem Slots” used in crystallophany.
The gem slot nearest the emotional processing center of the brain increases efficiency and/or output of its spell when the user’s emotions are heightened. The gem slot nearest the verbal cortex increases output when incantations related to the spell are recited. The one nearest the tactile and pain processing area of the brain scales with the user’s current level of physical (and very slightly emotional) pain.
Once a focus is inserted into the brain, and physical recovery is complete, the user can activate the focus by condensing odhir in that location in their brain. Crystallophany foci are programmed to activate when a density threshold of odhir is reached. More training and experience means that crystallophants can use this with little more than a thought. In this way it is similar to Sunstep, though the actual effect is achieved through Voidstride.
The costs of crystallophany are mostly the permanence and limitations of the spells implanted. Only three can be used at full potential with intuitive control, and the enhancements they get from their location cannot be switched out. If a malformed focus is implanted, the mistakes made are forever bound to that spell. Each implantation takes at least a year of recovery through physical therapy after normal brain surgery recovery.
The younger one becomes a crystallophant, the more they grow alongside their spell(s). Children with implanted foci can seemingly circumvent some of the limitations of the spell, or at least they know how to get creative enough with it to appear that way.
Unfortunately, prolonged use of crystallophany does tend to wear down on the user’s mind. This is likely due to the surges of odhir through the caster’s brain. If not carefully managed with regular cooldown breaks, meditation, and knowledgeable management of symptoms, this can take an immense toll on the user’s mind and neurological functions. Mania, depression, malfunctioning of senses, memory loss, hallucinations, muscle spasms, numbness or paralysis, and heart attacks are common side effects for reckless and aged crystallophants.
Ritual Harmonics
Harmonics are based off of the harmonic transliteration of runic. Instead of carving into the soul of an object, harmonics rely on sectioning off an area to have its own aggregate soul and marking runes additively. The geometry and positions of every relevant material within the “circle“ create and modify effects. Harmonics are known as a folk magic, and are usually used alongside other alignments of magic instead of purely Voidstride.
Some harmonics are based on molecular geometries of various salts. Solutions used by Moonstride elixirs can “exalt“ these salts to give them minor soul corruptions, giving them a set of basic properties that can be mixed and matched in basic circles. Other Starstep trances are sometimes used to activate the circle. These are the simplest rituals of Harmonies.
More advanced Harmonics use reagents and other ingredients (usually harvested from nature) to tell the outer circle to target certain materials within it for further instructions. If used properly, a dynamic effect can be achieved with talismans or even just regular furniture within a domain.
Harmonics generally have pretty weak effects, but with enough alchemical experience and knowledge of how runes work, advanced Harmonics can achieve great things. The biggest advantage is the ability to compound and modify effects, as well as the generally larger area to “write“ runes than on any Focus. The effects of Harmonics can reach into esoteric territory much easier than artifice can, and it’s often associated with the psyche because of this.
Thaumaturgy
Thaumaturgy is a hybrid between Sunstep and Voidstride, though its final activation and ultimate effect is determined by the Voidstride aspect of it. The tricky part is that knowledge of runic and harmonic spells is required, and a specific type of Sunstep has to be used to accomplish the setup.
If air is stabilized in a crystalline structure with the precision of a pen, the odhir keeping it structured remains inside. Writing runes will not do anything, as they are not carved into anything. Writing in harmonic, however, creates a gestalt “soul” inside the magic circle. Harmonic circles are usually written for sustained rites rather than instant effects, but they are capable of everything regular runes are.
When a spell is written with stabilized crystal air in harmonic, and then activated like one would use a focus, the energy contained within gets rerouted through the harmonic runes, breaking the structure and casting the spell. This one-time use spell is perfect for testing spells, provided the thaumaturge in question knows runic and its translation to harmonic.
The main limiting factor with thaumaturgy is not knowledge, but rather something that can solidify air so precisely. Most foci of this effect are set to create wide shields, and their Receptacles are too large to use like a pen. Some Sunsteps can accomplish this effect, most notably that inherent in tundra dragons. Complex Azurate arrays can be used as machines to print out thaumaturgic circles, though moving them may be an issue. In the end, learning a Sunstep that can solidify and crystallize air while keeping it suspended is the most accessible route.
Titles
Most magic users tend to just call themselves "mages", though the haughtier prefer to use the more formal "magus" for themselves. There are many single-field magic users who lean towards their specific title, such as "witch" or "bard" or "artificer". One calling themselves a sorcerer would be a particular embarrassment, however, as sorcery is by definition built into the body. It is only through great mastery of such power that the title wouldn't elicit a laugh of pity from more well-read mages.
Wizard
The title of "Wizard" is only given to a scant few mages in any given age. It requires, at least formally, deep understanding of the principles behind all the celestial alignments and advanced experience in at least one magic from each of the aligned partitions. Wizards are recognized with a certain privilege by most major institutions of magic across the world, and often take the honorific title Wir (Wr. abbreviated). Most Wizards have some form of Enlightenment, though it is not required.
Sage
One who dedicates their time to one specific field of magic, who masters it beyond most or all of their contemporaries and receives the Enlightenment relevant to their magic's celestial alignment, can take on the title of Sage. For example, a Sage in witchcraft would require Enlightenment to the Lunar Truth. Sage itself is an honorific title that some take (Sg. abbreviated), though it is not officially recognized as a qualification by most magic institutions. They tend to be folk leaders and pillars of their respective communities.