sorcery
Sorcerers and sorceresses wield arcane magic through an accident of their birth.
Usually this means that one of their ancestors was a dragon. Occasionally this means one of their ancestors was a Fair Folk or a Greymoria spirit but this is fairly rare.
Sometimes sorcerers result when a child is conceived near a magic font or random magic surge. Depending on who you ask, Greymoria either manipulates this to create new sorcerers or she has no control over this and merely pretends to consciously create sorcerer.
Sorcery is at least partially hereditary. Sorcerers are not guaranteed to have children with sorcery talent but they are far more likely to do so than the general populace, especially when a sorcerer and a sorceress conceive a child together.
It is possible though fairly rare for sorcerers and sorcresses to develop other supernatural conditions. Other than the fact that both conditions are so rare, no mystical force prevents sorcery from developing in spirit loas.
Sorcery powers usually manifest early in puberty but are not really controlled. Thus everyone around the young sorceress is often terrified, especially the sorceress herself. Sometimes kids like this are viewed as cursed or haunted by their unknowing superstitious families causing the young sorcerer or sorceress to be marginalized or disowned. Sometimes the families know exactly what the young person is and shun them anyway because not everyone trusts and accepts sorcerers.
by me with Hero Forge
by Eron 12 with Hero Forge
Not every sorcerer grows up shunned and hated by people who don't understand him. Other societies treasure and honor sorcerers, especially in Swynfaredia, but this is not limited to Swynfaredia. Most Scarterrans have a complicated relationship with arcane magic and Greymoria. Some societies distrust wizards and honor sorcerers while other societies distrust sorcerers and honor wizards. The more powerful they become, the harder it is to tell a sorcerer and wizard apart, so most Scarterrans lump all mages together for well or ill.
Some societies, especially Swynfaredia, try to create social distinctions between draconic lineage sorcerers and other sorcerers but if telling wizards apart from sorcerers is often difficult, telling different sorcerers origins is almost impossible, unless the person in question has blatantly draconic physical features. Usually the last draconic feature to disappear from a bloodline is the eyes.
by Me using Hero Forge
Brigid's second portrait by Eron12 with Hero Forge
Sorcerers cannot become a wizards but they can become theurgists or be born favored souls. A majority sorcerers who wield divine power in tandem with their arcane power are affiliated with Greymoria with Zarthus a distant second and the rest of the the Nine barely represented at all.
Sorcerers and sorceresses are no more or less likely to become skin changer witches than warlocks or wizards. This doesn't mean mainstream sorcerers will tolerate them, far from it. Most skin changer sorcerers and sorcresses rely on illusion magic to hide their deformities, at least if they want to interact peacefully with their untainted brethren.
by Eron12 with Hero Forge
Definition of Terminology
Mage: Any one who wields arcane magic consciously.
Sorcerer/Sorceress: A mage who wields arcane magic that he or she was born with
Wizard: A mage who wields magic that he or she learned through vigorous study and training.
Warlock/witch: A mage who wields arcane magic obtained by making a pact with an otherworldly power. In Scarterra, this usually means a Greymoria spirit or one of the Fair Folk.
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