Wizards are possibly the most common of the Magician rankings. They do not need complicated rituals and rhyming incantations to use magic as that is not how true magic is performed. Instead, they use magic through the means of concentration, through symbols and spoken incantations. They channel their power through their body and then cast it out into the world around them. This energy takes the form of a spell by the particular words that are used in correlation, such as creating a basic shield with the word Defendum.
Don’t be fooled by stereotypes; wizards are not always old men with long beards - some of the famous wizards throughout history were women, such as the Druid lady Cicel, a wizard of great power and skill. Back in ancient times, wizards lived in middle and northern Europe and were considered to be wise people and conduits of great power. Nowadays they have spread all over the world and taken further inspiration from other magical cultures.
Wizards can by nature be greedy; searching for ways to gain greater power and knowledge can result in them attacking others for their knowledge of spells and lore. Often, their greatest hate is that they cannot take away the power of others and use it to become stronger - that ability resides only with a Warlock.
Druid
Druids are an old and powerful form of Magician whose powers reside mostly in nature. During the times of the Roman conquest the Druids were a feared and mighty fighting force wielding their powers to curse and destroy the invaders. Originating in Britain and becoming influential in what is now France, they masterminded the building of stone circles and often travelled from place to place living like hermits, apart from when they entered the “civilised” world to perform rituals and healing.
Druids have little inner power of their own, unlike Wizards and other Magicians, and so they use the power that comes from nature all around them. Because of this they can command great power early on, but this also acts as a setback as they cannot use more power than that which is around them and once it is used it is gone. For instance, if they were to use a very powerful spell that required a lot of energy to cast then they would not be able to use it if there were not enough power around to fuel it.
Having a natural talent for feeling the energy around them and inside others, Druids, like Shamans, have a natural command over animals. The most famous Druid was Merlin (Ambrosius), subject of one of the world’s greatest legends.
Chi-Tau
The esteemed Wizards of Asia, spanning across the Far East through China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Thailand and the east of India, Chi-Tau have remained virtually unique to that part of the world, rarely cropping up elsewhere in the last three hundred years. They use magic through the use of charms and talismans, doubled with the powers of incantations and physical movement. Most study the art of Tai Chi, meditation in motion, which helps them channel their Chi energy to use in spells with inner magical power. Chi-Tau, better known as Chi Wizards, are swathed in mythology - mostly revolving around the Elixir of Immortality and the Fountain of Youth within Shangri-La. The most famous legend of the Chi-Tau is the story of the eight immortals who used their magic to vanquish eight Demon Kings, before sealing them away in the underworld. One the most famous of Chi Wizards was the Chinese master Zhuge Liang (Kong Ming), considered one of the world’s greatest tactical minds.
Sorcerers
Sorcerers are a rather uncommon form of those who can use True Magic. They cannot use spells like others though; instead their powers manifest in kinetic ability over the elements, and should they master this, they can wield a truly destructive power. Through meditation and the force of will and energy, they command the six elements of fire, water, earth, air, light and dark.
Sorcerers cannot summon these elements into being though, as their power only works if that element is already present. If they have a fire then they can manipulate that fire to grow or shrink or move around, become hotter or colder or even extinguish itself. This applies to all of the other elements and is done with thought and concentration. And though they cannot use spells like others, they can use symbols to focus their power more and help with concentration.
It is unknown where the Sorcerer originated from but it is reasonable to assume they came from areas around Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
Shaman
Shaman are an odd form of magician as they do not have a direct link to the forces of magic. Instead their powers reside mostly over seeing and communicating with beings of spirit that help them divine the future. This power also allows them to feel the flow of life within all things, much like a Druid. The nearest they can get to performing spells is when they compel those of the spirit realms to manifest and perform tasks such as healing or harming.
The Shaman originated in the plains of Africa and moved out across the world to settle in India and what is now the Americas. And though Shaman have travelled across the world they remain the same and have the same core function in their own particular society.
Warlock
The Warlock is one of the most feared and respected forms of magician in the world, mainly for their innate ability to command and steal the powers of others and thus become stronger. A long lost art, the only reason Warlocks can still do this is because they use instinct rather than spells. One of the rarest forms of magician, they use their powers through thought alone, meaning no action, word, tool or symbols are needed for them to unleash devastating power. And as their power comes from within, like Wizards, it can be particularly draining for them if they use too much.
The reason Warlocks are so unique in that only they can use magic like all others. They use spoken words like Wizards, command animals like Druids, use their minds to manipulate elements like a Sorcerer and commune with spirits like a Shaman. And if they take the power of another then they become that form of magician by being able to use their powers.
Warlocks also have the natural ability to commune with and command demons and the souls of the dead, making them naturally gifted in the Dark Arts. The most famous Warlock in history was Morgan Le Fay, an enemy of Merlin and teacher to the great Dark Wizard Mordred, the son of her and her brother Arthur Pendragon. No-one knows where the Warlock originally came from as they have always been present throughout magical history. It is my own personal belief that all magicians were descended from the Warlock.
Being a Warlock comes at a cost; as they can easily sense the power of other magicians and are able to steal it and become stronger, they are often plagued by a hunger for power. This can result in the Warlock hunting other magicians for their power.
Magus
The Magus is a long lost form of magician and almost extinct. They may go through life not even knowing what they are as there is hardly anyone who can show them their powers. With the ability to make you see what they want you to see, their powers of illusions and the mind are potent. This extends to seeing them shape shift, which is not an actual physical transformation but an illusion. No-one knows where they came from as they exist in all cultures mythology.