Motivations

	What motivates someone to learn magic?

	Well, it's different for every field, of course.

	The Arcanist would tell you one of a few things—most common would be the words 'power', 'obligation', and 'fascination'. Arcane magic is uniquely driven by a sort of curiosity and scientific intrigue; perhaps the most successful Arcanists come into the field without some kind of ulterior motive, keen to learn the secrets of the Cosmic Clockwork, and to accept anything else as pleasant surprises. But, Arcane magic's reputation as a 'noble' and 'intellectual' pursuit means that many also seek the field because they are expected to, with long lines of wizards gathering increasingly greater power with each generation, or with peasants seeking an escape through mastery of the Arcane. Then, of course, there is the matter of power—Arcane magic asks nothing but devotion, and unlike Divine magic, that devotion is only to the pursuit of power itself. A man without the capacity to self examine, the empathy to connect with his world, the vision to shape Ichor, and the loyalty to devote himself to a God may still find power in Arcane magic. Above all else, though, the most common users of Arcane magic are those who do not treat it as a profession at all; the aging farmer who has learned but one spell, Telekinesis, to compensate for his frail body, or the adventurer who got tired of carrying around torches and learned to cast Arcane Light. In this sense, there are countless Arcanists all over the world.

	Almost all Divine mages would offer one of two answers—power, or faith. Power is a reoccurring theme, of course; almost all forms of magic offer a sort of power in a world as uncertain and anarchic as Var Sarlir, but it is especially important in Divine magic. Gods are separated into two primary roles, that of Transactional gods, and of Iconic gods. Transactional gods are those most likely to be sought purely for power's sake, with examples such as Kharuhex, the Khesili god of the Cycle. Kharuhex asks simple things of its followers, prayers, sacrifices of magic, and adherence to a very loose set of ethical guidelines. In exchange, it offers battle prowess to those who observe these requests. Few place their faith in Kharuhex because it represents something important to them—instead, it represents the straightforward transaction of power for faith. In this, Transactional gods offer one of the most effective routes to power... but their power is conditional, and may come with heavy prices or strings attached. The other answer, Faith, is quite simple: these Divine mages use their magic to advance in the goals of their gods, and to expand their worship and connection with them. The power is almost immaterial unless it serves some important purpose in protecting a god and its followers; instead, it is emblematic of a trust and relationship that is of great import to many religious folk.

	Ichor mages do not so much learn magic as the magic comes to them. Most often, Ichor magic is sought for one of two purposes; utility, or fulfillment of a creative vision. Much like Arcane magic, thousands of people across the world use Ichor magic without even thinking about it; entire villages rely on it to form tools and important structures, but would find the idea of being considered 'Ichor mages' strange, save for their elders and trainers. These people advance in the medium only as much as they need to to get by in their daily lives. True Ichor mages, however, are motivated by a creative spirit; they see potential in the Ichor that they are deeply driven to fulfill, or they envision things that only Ichor can bring to life. Whether it's sculptors carefully molding it into gorgeous works of art, or Thrallmasters who dream of strange and wonderful creatures, or even Ichor battlemages who envision fantastical and gorgeous weapons. Ichor is the quickest route to creating things that would otherwise be time consuming, a manifestation of one's creative will in the physical realm. Some may choose to seek Ichor magic primarily for the strength it can offer, but there are far quicker paths to power than Ichor magic; those who choose to battle with Ichor magic often have strong creative faculties that allow them to pull wild and dangerous things from within it. Many mages may never see its combat uses in their lives, happy to use it for art and nothing more.

	Nature mages will offer some of the most varied answers. Power, culture, connection, and self-reflection all play key roles in Nature magic's popularity. Power is the most obvious; Nature magic's elemental forces are some of the most destructive for how easily they can be accessed, and the raw might of Druids is harrowing to behold. However, few mages who seek Nature magic for power alone succeed, as it has rather complex requirements compared to all other fields of magic. Many mages are instead raised into Nature magic—while some humans would have you envision covens as evil cabals cooking up dark hexes, in truth, many see them as loving and accepting families. These covens train young Nature mages, and see the teachings of Nature magic as indispensable in teaching important lessons to their children. Some do not seek Nature magic at all, as it comes to them instead; those with strong empathy and an emotional connection to nature may find the elements gently bending to their whim with no training whatsoever, and true Nature magic may simply arise as this connection deepens and develops. An equally strong draw is its therapeutic uses. Nature magic is heavily meditative and requires careful emotional management, nurturing specific traits that one finds most important; perhaps one places importance on keeping their fire and passion alive, and so use Fire magic to aid in that goal. Air mages might enjoy spontaneity and living in the moment, scared of becoming stuck in their ways or settling when there's so much more to explore; and so, they cultivate a connection with Air.

	Spirit magic tends to come with a few specific answers: wisdom, knowledge, healing, self improvement, and control.  Many find important insights in what they see in the Astral plane and in the souls of others, and studying the composition of the soul may help one come to better understand themselves and others. These insights can help people like Shamans heal others' souls, a fresh pair of eyes to glimpse into one's complex inner workings. Likewise, there is plenty of study to be done in the Astral plane, useful things to be gathered and odd sights to see, and some learn a degree of spirit magic purely out of curiosity about what lies just beyond their vision. By far the most common answer, though, is self improvement; there is much to learn about yourself as long as you have the strength to confront and truly examine what you see in your own soul. Sometimes, it is possible to learn things about yourself that you never could have known otherwise. In nearly all of these matters, the primary driving force is the pursuit of understanding; there is so much to gain from truly understanding and recognizing souls, whether the aim is better empathizing with others or greater awareness of one's own weaknesses and strengths. This understanding is not always wielded with good intent, though; a keen-eyed spiritualist with a penchant for manipulation can use these very insights to help, rather than harm... although this form of magic is one of the most shunned in the world, it is also one of the hardest to detect.

	Also, magic lets you do sick fuckin' stunts, dude. I mean, what else do you need?