High Magic and Low Magic. One can also think of these two distinct types of magic like two different streams or two different frequencies of sound or melodies. If a person can tap into High Magic they can also tap into Low Magic and they, depending on culture/region of the world may be called any of the following: Fully Gifted; High Mage, Major Mage; Sweet mage. For those Gifted that can only seem to tap into Low Magic they may be referred to as the following: Cantripper; Low Mage; Minor Mage, Salt Mage. The descriptors “Sweet” and “Salt” can be heard mostly in Eastern cultures and refer to how those that wield only Low Magic tend to work mostly with very basic utilitarian concerns and mostly with the common folk/peasants or “salt of the earth” people whereas the Fully Gifted tend to deal with much more worldly concerns and deal with the richer and more powerful peoples that enjoy the “sweet life”. Cantripper coming from the word “cantrip” which is a minor magical effect. Sometimes this term of cantripper, although an accurate descriptor, may be used in a demeaning way as in “ . . . you’re just a cantripper.” Those that can only tap into Low Magic may also be referred to as “semi or partially Gifted”. Again, context matters.
It would be unwise to demean a person no matter the extent they have with the Gift as you never know when someone who today can only seem to tap into Low Magic may tomorrow tap into High Magic. So the wise may simply use the term Gifted publicly to describe someone and behind closed doors rank or classify that individual further. Usually, if sometime after early adulthood someone that is Gifted has been practicing/studying magic for a few/several years cannot tap into High Magic then odds are they probably will not ever be able. In some cultures this realization is actually seen as useful – know your place and accept it and be as productive as you can. In the nation of Avenmare and surrounding region if a human can tap into both paths of magic it is not usually publicly expressed as this may put said human into greater danger of harm from elven mageslayers should the elves decide to preemptively strike against humanity for humanity’s past deeds. In some human societies there may be no outward public acknowledgement that a human is Gifted at all for the safety of said Gifted human. Instead, the Gifted human may be said to be “touched by the divine”. This will depend on a specific human society’s history with nearby elven societies. More to be discussed in the section of The Great Theft: of Elves and Humans and Magic.
Depending on skills and reputation, and the society they live in, a cantripper may be valued/ranked as a Fully Gifted individual would be in another society.
Fully Gifted individuals typically seen as higher in rank, or in human societies as more valuable as they are more rare so get more privileges.
In my world, in general across the races, if you can wield magic/have the Gift you are seen as special and automatically are an important and valued member of society. Even someone who can only cast one cantrip can, especially in most human societies, expect to always have a roof over their head, always have food on their table, always have clothes on their back, and always have some coin in the pocket or purse – so long as they don’t violate any social norms or mess up too much. For instance, the cantripper that knows Control Flames is a valuable member of society as they have the ability to quickly put fires out before the whole town burns down. Because magic is rare it is valuable and those that can wield it typically have easy lives, or at least easier than the average person.
There are a fair number of cantrippers out in the magical community. They are not looked down upon, as much, as one might imagine as having any amount of the Gift is rare. Some cantrippers have gone onto to great fame in coming up with ever more useful cantrips than the high and mighty fully Gifted that might look down on such lowly spells. One may forget that many little cantrips grow in power as the person’s command of magic grows – such as Lessanda’s Kiss that packs quite a punch. You will find some cantrippers that have collected and/or created perhaps a few dozen cantrips. They of course cannot remember them all, although some can or come pretty close, as cantrips are mostly little rhymes and simple gestures. Some cantrippers have confounded the most powerful of mages and enemies. It’s not how many spells you know, or how powerful the spell is sometimes that counts, it’s how well you use it. You will find some cantrippers to be more dangerous than many well-practiced, high mages.
It’s also possible, cantripper or more, that just because you have a roof over your head does not mean it’s the one you expected. Let’s say there was some cantripper that was a drunk, but had that one useful cantrip. The town basically puts up with the lush after they do their work for the day, gets drunk, and then is escorted, or carried, or carted over to the town jail to sleep it off until tomorrow and their next day of work begins. In general, having the Gift typically makes your life easier, but you’re not a god and people can still be jerks and haughty and such. Being a cantripper can be depressing however. Knowing that you can tap into the magical energies of the universe, but only to a small degree, can be quite a let down. And for those cantrippers that find that even after years, perhaps decades of training they are only able to cast one humble cantrip, things can be devastating. There is a slightly higher rate of suicide amongst cantrippers – one trick or few trick ponies, than the general population.
Even being able to cast only one, lowly cantrip, and perhaps one seemingly not all that useful such as Gust of Wind, is still a person’s ticket to the middle class in most human societies. One can have their education, vocational and/or academic, fully paid for, plus room, board, and stipend. Even being able to cast the one, lowly cantrip affords the person the opportunity to make it into the professions and go on to have a good, comfortable, financially stable life.
More on cantrippers in the Section about the AAAA – Academy for the Advancement of the Arcane Arts. Having said all the above about cantrippers and the Gift in general, socioeconomics still has its sway in most societies. So whether you are a cantripper or a full caster, if you are the child of a farmer the nobles’ children will probably still look down on you and make fun of you, while the noble parent, if they are wise, will be more judicious and say something like, “Master Peven, it appears you have a new place and new obligations in our society. Let us know if you or your family need anything and we encourage you to go on and pursue formal training. We can perhaps arrange that for you.” The noble wants that farm kid with the Gift to remember who helped them when they were starting out because maybe that farm kid will become some great and powerful mage and what noble wouldn’t want a great and powerful mage on their side?
Up Next: Magic and D & D classes in my realm
