Magic is as alive in the Land of Sonū as any of its inhabitants. It is a force of nature and can be unforgiving, abusive, corrupt, and dangerous. Many of the land’s inhabitants see magic as a simple tool that is a means to an end.
While magic is not intelligent, it can be subject to changes in the Land, become destructive on its own, and twist the will of its creator - and that may very well prove to be their downfall.
Like a force of nature, magic takes many forms, manifesting as dark spirits or creatures from the World That Was. In its destructive form, magic is often wielded by a channeler who focuses the raw energy in such a way, including the Warden’s Flame and eldritch blasts. In its raw form, magic can be used to twist and corrupt beasts and intelligent creatures, transforming them into weapons of the magic-user or rampaging beasts of chaos, not unlike the now-banished Darklings.
In the Land of Sonū, there are three primary types of magic: Alchemy, Elemental, and Wyld.
Associated with the Old World, the practice of alchemy in Sonū is a blend of Old World science and Elemental magic. Alchemists are known for constructing golems and creating magic-like effects through compounds and concoctions but are not restricted from invoking Elemental magic energy.
Also known as Primal magic, Elemental magic is the most common form of magic and most subject to the whims of the wielder, as previously detailed. The Wardens use Elemental magic as a means to protect the inhabitants and Land of Sonū, drawing it forth sparingly and fueling their spells largely by their own innate strength. They later spend time in meditation, replenishing Sonū’s power by giving back some of their own.
On the other hand, the Shadow Wraiths and clandestine mages within the Hegemony stand in stark contrast to the philosophy of the Wardens, tempted by power and the ease by which that power can be extracted from the Land. These evil sorcerers and creatures fuel their spells by draining the life force from the very Land itself, bending and corrupting individuals and creatures to their will and becoming addicted to that power until they succumb completely.
The antithesis to Elemental magic, Wyld magic is a balancing force known only to creatures of the World That Was, such as the Emere. It can be unpredictable, yet powerful when wielded by a competent sorcerer. Wyld magic is closely tied to the Land and manifests as enhanced natural phenomena already present in the caster’s immediate surroundings - extended vines, thickening mist, deepening shadows, and the like. Wyld sorcerers channel natural energy but do not consume it, rather bending the natural world to their will.