An overview of scholarly terminology, common speech, and social titles in Aletheia (c. 1302)
Magic in Aletheia is unified in theory but diverse in practice. All known forms of magic interact with the Lattice, yet different traditions describe, teach, and name that interaction in markedly different ways. As a result, most forms of magic — and most magic-users — possess multiple names, varying by education, region, and social attitude. This article outlines the most commonly used terms, from formal scholarly language to everyday speech and rural superstition.
University Thaumaturgy
(Formally: Lattice Thaumaturgy)
The formal academic term for wizardly magic as taught in universities and recognised colleges.
It refers to disciplined, structured spellcasting based on:
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deliberate Lattice perception
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stable, inherited spell forms
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ordered progression of study
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emphasis on theory before application
In everyday speech, this is simply called wizardry.
University Titles
These titles reflect academic standing rather than commercial authority.
Scholar
A formally enrolled student of wizardry.
Scholars are permitted supervised practice but are not recognised as independent practitioners.
Adept
A graduate who has completed formal study and demonstrated reliable competence in structured spellwork.
Adepts are recognised as trained wizards, though they do not yet teach or examine others.
Magister
A recognised teacher or examiner within a university.
The title carries intellectual authority and, in many regions, the right to certify foundational competence.
Arch-Magister
A rare honorific granted to senior figures of exceptional reputation, research, or institutional influence.
The title implies stature rather than simply power.
Graduates
Graduates who wish to practice publicly typically seek Guild recognition.
Some complete a short professional apprenticeship; particularly gifted Adepts may present themselves directly for Guild Interview and Test.
Guild Thaumaturgy
(Commonly: Guild Wizardry)
The professional practice of wizardly magic under guild regulation.
The magic itself is structurally identical to university thaumaturgy, but emphasis shifts toward:
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reliability in application
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public safety
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accountability
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enforceable standards
Guild authority governs who may practice legally and what responsibilities they bear.
Guild Titles
These titles reflect professional standing and earning authority.
Apprentice Wizard
A wizard in supervised professional training under a Guild Master.
Apprentices assist in practical work but may not practice independently. For university graduates, this stage is often brief.
Licensed Wizard
A wizard authorised to practice publicly under guild standards.
This is the baseline professional designation.
Master of the Guild
A senior wizard recognised for reliability and breadth of competence.
Masters may train apprentices, certify work, and represent the guild in formal matters.
High Master
A rare designation for wizards of regional reputation and exceptional standing.
High Masters help set standards and mediate significant disputes.
Informal Commercial Names
While not official ranks, these terms are widely understood:
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House Wizard – routine wards, repairs, minor enchantments
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Circle Wizard – capable of complex, multi-college work
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Grand Wizard – rare, expensive, usually engaged for major civic or noble commissions
These influence reputation and fees, even if never written into charter.
Resonant Magic
(Non-Institutional Internal Casting)
Resonant Magic refers to individuals who possess an unusually stable internal alignment with the Lattice.
Unlike institutional thaumaturges, Resonants:
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do not rely on formal spell ladders
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do not require structured progression
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draw power from internal accumulation and release
Their casting is embodied rather than formulaic.
Lattice-Resonant
The precise scholarly designation used in academic and guild records.
Common Names
Outside institutional language, simpler terms prevail.
Gifted
The most widespread term. Neutral in tone. Used for both children and adults.
Natural
Common in rural areas. Implies untrained but genuine ability.
Raw
Used often in guild circles. Suggests power without refinement. Depending on tone, it may be dismissive or merely descriptive.
Self-Caster
More common in towns with wizard institutions. Reflects the understanding that such individuals draw from within rather than from learned structures.
Materia Craft and Folk Magic
Not all magic relies on direct spellcasting. Many traditions work through physical substances whose natural properties are magically amplified.
Materia Craft
The scholarly term for practices that use herbs, minerals, animal products, and other materials with inherent mundane effects. The magic does not replace nature — it intensifies, refines, or stabilises it.
Common Names
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Rootcraft
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Green Craft
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Folk Craft
Practitioners
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Rootwives / Rootmen
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Cunning Folk
These practitioners are often tolerated or respected locally, and are rarely accused of causing large-scale magical harm.
Divine and Spirit-Granted Magic
Theurgy
The scholarly term for divine magic, understood as power mediated through the gods.
Cleric
A priest who possesses divine magical ability. Not all priests are clerics, but most senior clergy are expected to possess at least minor theurgical power.
Hierophant
A title reserved for senior clerics of great authority. It implies:
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Deep divine favour
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Institutional leadership
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Significant ritual or doctrinal responsibility
The term carries both religious and political weight.
Druids and Shamans
Druids
Often described as practitioners of Natural Theurgy, druids channel divine or semi-divine power associated with nature, land, and living systems.
Shamans
Commonly retain this name across cultures. They are understood as:
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Spirit-mediators
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Interpreters of local or non-divine entities
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Practitioners of dangerous but sometimes necessary rites
Both groups are respected in some regions and distrusted in others.
Enchanters, Charmwrights, and Alchemists
Enchanter
A magic-user specialising in the creation of permanent or long-lasting magical items. Most are trained scholastic wizards or clerics acting under special sanction.
Charmwright
A maker of small, often single-use magical objects such as charms, tokens, or talismans. This term is widely used and socially accepted.
Alchemist
Primarily a natural philosopher and chemist, with little or no innate magical ability in most cases. Alchemists rely on:
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Knowledge
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Process
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Repeatability
Those with greater innate talent are rare, and often regarded as exceptions.
A Note on Language and Attitude
It is important to understand that names do not merely describe magic — they reveal fear, trust, and familiarity.
Calling someone a Resonant suggests education.
Calling them a Hummer suggests familiarity.
The manner in which someone calls them a Twitcher reveals far more about the speaker than the magic-user.
See also:
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Magic Universities and Colleges (forthcoming)
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Clerical Orders and Hierophants (forthcoming)