Arcanism

Arcanism is the practice of accessing the power of the world-soul by means of esoteric conventions. It is essential for the practitioner to have vispanifica. For ages, arcane spellcasters have divided their ilk very broadly into the classical wizards who rely on canonized spells thought to correspond to ancient spell matrices and into the demotic spellcasters who rely on instinct and discovery. Most mages apply both techniques to some degree, but usually lean to one side of the spectrum or the other.

Arcanism differentiates itself from hieratic methods of spellcasting. Hieratic or priestly spellcasters claim that their power derives from a god or family of divinities. Some skeptical schools of magical accuse priests of using cryptic arcanism, but most scholars of magic simply accept that hieratic powers rest outside the province of arcanism.

See Also

• Magic
• Vispanifica