The Old Ways

With the newfound rise of popularity of pushing the boundaries of magic through the use of Kinetic Engines, so too did the interest in older fields of magic. Although many scholars have long been aware of the existence of ancient magics practiced by elves, it has only been very recently that any serious study has been given to it.   Officially, there are no mages who specialize in "the old ways". The fundamental rules and skills of this style of magic have been lost to time, with the only ancient spells which are still used are in rituals observed by those who are not fully aware of the power associated with it. These rituals involve gathering a large group of people together to sing, dance, and chant in complex patterns and rhythms, and it's impossible to establish what specific task - if any - is casting the spell. These rituals typically result in indirect, but substantial effects, such as changing the weather or causing plants to grow.   Some scholars have suggested that the Old Ways may be a more powerful form of magic than what is currently used today, due to how a group of arcane amateurs can cause such a large effect with minimal effort. I'm fact, some suggest that powerful, ancient spells may have once broke Mystra's Ban. Due to their association with this kind of magic, some historians believe that Alamor may have been destroyed by Mystra as punishment.