Magic

An instrinsic part of Kerebos, Magic is more than a system to be studied and channeled, but a building block of existence itself. According to Celestial legend, while Stone and Sea are necessary to provide food and water for life to persevere, the Storm — the manifestation of raw, unfiltered, and uncontained Arcanum — provides the spark itself.

Most cultures of Kerebos have a unique relationship to magic, shaping how they interact with the world and colour their experiences. Even Humankind, once defined for their lack of arcane ability, have since harnessed their gift to create the single largest dominion of magic in the Reach: The Arcane Assembly. Manifestation

Though it is known that the Celestials wield magic, their oral tradition does not speak of it as a concept removed from their very nature: magic is, to them, an integral weave of their existence, an extension of their being made manifest through willpower and faith. It is their children — the Ele'nar (transliterated as magic's chosen) who first wrote on the conceit, and became the first to champion it gain and glory. Tales of the old elven empires speak of a civilization built on the purity of arcanum, leading to the exile of the Ele'sin (magic's forsaken) and the establishment of the human kingdoms across the sea and war with the neighbouring Oro'kyr, who admonished the elves for their hubris. Influence was bought and traded through both subtle spellwork and brute force, when needed.

For centuries, humankind sought desperately to reclaim the gift that had been robbed of them, seeking pacts with devils and turning to long-dead gods to beseech their boons. It was not until the Seven Sisters journeyed to the north and encountered the Celestials that this connection was forged. The first human magic-wielders manifested as divine warriors: paladins and templars swearing oaths in the name of The Vigilant Mother. The Seven were sainted and raised above other humans, offering guidance to all who sought it out. As time passed, this devotion trickled down and the ability returned, though not as inherently as it may for some lineages of the Reach. Many humans still struggle to wield their reclaimed powers: but that is true of most species, albeit in lesser numbers.

Utilization

Tradition is a complex and many-pronged thing, with no singular source for any given archetype. However, major "class fantasy" elements can be traced to specific histories and cultures, as described below.

Artificer — The earliest Artificers were Gnomes, known for their asynchronous technology and love of infusing their machinery with bursts of magical energy. These first tinkers combined feats of engineering with the rigorous study of magic's practical and theoretical applications.
Barbarian — Goliath warriors first developed rituals of blood and battle to imbue their strikes with the natural elements of their home, forging deep bonds with the elements themselves to wield their spirit. In many regards, it resembles Orcish elementalism, only honed to better channel the energy of the natural world, which the Orc had traditionally been wary of.
Bard — All cultures have tradition of song and the magic inherent in the artistry of performance, but the Elves first established a tradition of barding as a means to gain the upper-hand on their political rivals, imbuing their musical tribute with charms and wards to influence the mind and find opportunity to strike.
Cleric — Worship was an integral part of Celestial life, believing themselves to be the children of the gods themselves. This understanding, that through focus and devotion one could create a physical and spiritual connection with the upper planes, created the first clerics: who wielded their magic to protect, heal, and harm their allies and enemies as they saw fit.
Druid — The first druids honed their abilities from the Beastfolk, learning to shift between forms at will and harness the primal forces of nature. The Ferox Obscura was an early relic of druidism, as were many forms of divination and fortune telling.
Fighter — Without magic to augment their skills, humanity instead chose to perfect their battle craft in the form of precision martial warfare, but every culture has some kind of warrior, soldier, or protector which they draw tradition from, with many achieving levels of strength and constitution beyond what should by physically possible. Others augment their craft with magic, from The Arcane Assembly's Eldritch Knights, to an elven blade dancer.
Monk — Though all beings wield the power to harness their spirit and the latent energy within themselves, monks hone that ability to impossible levels through devotion and practice. The Selesi have long traditions of enlightenment through fierce battle, and even the Dwarves have learned to channel bare-knuckled brawling into a rhythmic flurry of blows.
Paladin — Humankind were the first Paladins, following in the path of Freya, the first of the Seven Sisters, and her devotion to the Vigilant Mother. Refined through duty and deeds alike, strong will empowers any paladin's quest, swearing an oath and abiding by that truth granting them divine power, even for those who do not follow any particular religion.
Ranger — To better serve their ties to their home, the Oro'kyr became unparalleled hunters and scouts. They developed bonds with the beasts of their forest, and the fey creatures of those surrounding them. Some honed their skill in primal magic to become avatars of the elements themselves: some cast out for their pride, others becoming emblematic leaders of their people.
Rogue — Though anyone can learn to pick a lock or steal some bread, it was the Infernal who harnessed their connection to the shadows first, with other communities following closely in their (forgive the pun) shadow. Stepping through darkness to emerge unseen, and complex rituals to exploit weakness and craft poisons, a true rogue differentiates themselves from a simple thief without needing to speak a single word.
Sorcerer — The elves first harnessed the magic latent in their creation, wielding impossible spells and performing incredible rituals to push the very limits of their power. All lineages have sorcerous bloodlines, even the once-deprived humans: so long as it flows naturally, even without training, it is considered sorcery, not wizardry. Training still helps, though, to hone the skill and reduce risk.
Warlock — As part of their dark bargains, humanity unleashed the first warlocks upon the Reach: cursed and booned with ill-gotten magic from devils, demons, hags, and fey alike. Their power knows no limits, but they operate at the beck and call of whoever, or whatever, originated the pact, whether that was generations ago or simply a few days prior.
Wizard — Wizards train their bodies to better contain the magic within, casting and ritualizing through focused study, rather than intuition. Their skill is no less great: indeed, in many cases, a highly-trained wizard can outclass someone's natural gift. To some, wizardry is a science while sorcery is an art: but as you witness an elven loremaster paint intricate runes upon the earth or a necromancer's loving reconstruction of a body, it is difficult to believe in this stringent dichotomy.