Magic

Magic, generally, is any form of supernatural powers. It can be divided into several categories.

Arcane Magic
Arcana is magic that is, according to ancient religion, derived from the heavenly world of Arcana. Fairies act as agents of Arcana on earth, and speaking to them is the key to unlocking great powers.

True Magic
True magic is derived from the small, spirit-like creatures known as the fae, who must be spoken to in order to channel Arcane energies into the magician. This could only be accomplished by the long-eared, four-eyed elves, with their evolution being uniquely attuned to hearing and seeing the fae. It took a lot of training, and some elves were intrinsically less inclined to magical abilities than others. Thus, castes came to be formed, with magic becoming a pastime of the elvic nobility. A religion, known as the Faith of the Fae, was formed around magic, claiming that 'Arcana' was derived from a heavenly overworld with the fae as its 'angels'. These elvic magicians were known as 'Arcanists'.

Sorcery
Some elves were not capable of true magic, but could exhibit magical powers if they used one of the dead fae as a source. This form of magic, 'sorcery', was viewed as a lesser, corrupt form of magic by the elves.

The elvic race, of course, eventually became extinct. With the elves gone, the fae went extinct soon afterwards. Most fae went to the trees, and died encased in amber. Humans, the former slaves of the elves, found it difficult to grasp their magical concepts. Indeed, the very concept of 'true' magic was now lost forever. The human caste that had been the 'Wise Slaves' soon discovered sorcery, using it to found a new empire, Aedor.

Sorcery continued in Aedor for thousands of years. However, the amberstones encasing the dead fae were eventually drained of their energies, and sorcerors began to lose their political influence, especially with the advent of a new religion that denounced magical practices and declared all men equal before one god. During a period of unrest in the empire, the religious leaders eventually seized control of the imperial government and ordered the 'Magicide' which led to the extermination of most sorcerors, and the destruction of most remaining amberstones. Not only was true magic extinct, sorcery was as well.

Abyssal Magic
The Abyss has many other names, but it is always a dark, incorporal realm, one glimpsed when death is near. It is a source of magical energy, though the Abyss is very deep, confusing and terrifying for most mortals. Deriving magic from the Abyss has been considered taboo in almost every society in existence, with a few exceptions.

Necromancy
The most common form of the abyssal arts. Some refer to it as 'abyssal healing'. Necromancy creates life (or rather, unlife) out of death. Skeletons can be animated, and the fresh corpses (of almost any animal) can be risen as ghouls. Necromancers are sometimes (but not always) able to speak to ghosts or spirits that inhabit the Abyss.

Warlockery
Warlockery involves death, but grants power in a different form than necromancy. The most primitive form of warlockery is simply human or animal sacrifices to influence something like the weather, though a skilled warlock can also do things such as create fire, grow plants, or channel electricity to resuscitate (rather than reanimate) the deceased. Warlockery is more common in the barbarian world, whereas necromancy is a secret society in the civilized world.