Arcane magic
From Vanathul Wiki
Arcane magic is performed in many ways, and encompas many traditions. Outside the ones mentioned here, a number of lesser forms of magical practices.
Wizards
Wizards are highly regimented, with a disciplined and often ritualistic approach to life. Most are in their older years before they get any results from their studies, but prodigies exist that excel at a relatively young age.
Most modern wizardry on Orn is connected to The Royal Academy of Wizards in Mendaris in some way, where several generations of rich eccentrics have collected esoteric books and artifacts for study.
While most beings of sufficient intelligence could become initiates in the arcane arts, the effort, time and money required prohibits the common man from doing so. Like a fighter may hurt himself if wielding a weapon that is unknown to him, a wizard may likewise damage their psyche if not taking the proper precautions. There are many tales of unwary would-be wizards who end up in sanatoriums, or even insane asylums, having attempted to perform magics they did not sufficiently master.
Sorcerers
In general sorcerers are in touch with a flow of magical energies that expresses itself as a limited number of spells, but higher degree of freedom in which of them to use at any one time.
Like wizards, sorcerers often live regimented and ritualistic lives, but contrary to wizards this lifestyle comes natural to a sorcerer. They enact stylized rituals unwittingly and instinctively, omitting many of the apparently unnecessary orthodox steps wizards employ in their casting. Their lives are filled with these tiny verbal and somatic pseudo spell components that relate to what the sorcerer is doing at the time.
All sorcerers on Orn were purged many centuries ago during The Destruction of Orn. And what traces of innate magical lineages that is currently on the continent have immigrated subsequently.
Magi
Magi (singular Magus) are similar to wizards in many ways, demanding a proficiency in not only the rigorous studying of a wizard, but also that of a martial artist or master at arms. This blend of arcane and martial mastery is not trivial, and the combination of the two invariably diminishes the heights of both.
It is not uncommon for arcane practitioners to start their lives as Magi to some degree if their lifestyles are ones involving conflict, and then later change their career into that of a wizard when their martial abilities starts to fail them due to old age.
Arcanists
Arcanists do not expend their prepared spells in the same way a wizard do, but rather channels magical energies using the memorized spell as a kind of lens. This relates them peripherally to sorcerers in the way it requires a gift. For this reason, like with sorcerers, there are thought to be no practicing arcanists on Orn, but anecdotal evidence suggest that it occurs on K'Shaal.
Rune casters
The origins of rune magic is tied to the giants of the near-night mountains, and the Nightwalkers that interacted with them. It's often expressed through body paint, tattoos or even branding, for personal effects, and is otherwise mostly carved into stones or weapons and armor for its own brand of enhancements.
Some dwarves use runes, though with dwarven runes instead of giant. They usually incorporate it into the smithing process when making arms and armor to imbue them with magic. Dwarven traditions for runic magic use Rune Knight or similar classes.
It is only in recent decades serious inquiries into the traditional rune magic of the Nightwalkers have been made.This has given rise to the Archivist as a field of study undertaken by some scholars in Mendaris.