No one knows precisely how magic entered the world of Altsia. Many great scholars have tried and failed to unravel its secrets. What is known is that there are five types of magic: Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Aero, and Cure.
Fire: People gifted with the skill of Fire find it exceptionally easy to summon flames. Untrained, this can lead to untold devastation, and many a village has been burned down because of a novice fire user blindly experimenting with their powers. Trained, however, Fire becomes one of the most terrifying and beautiful forms of magic, able to raze whole cities to the ground.
Blizzard: The polar opposite of Fire, Blizzard magic allows the user to summon ice and snow, change the local weather around them, and create ice structures with their magic. Blizzard magic is as unpredictable as fire magic when untrained, leading to early winters and lost crops in severe cases. Blizzard magic has often been described as the most beautiful form of magic, as, if trained, the wielder can create marvelous structures entirely out of ice.
Thunder: Contrary to its name, Thunder magic focuses not on thunder but on lightning, allowing the user to summon great bolts of electricity. If untrained, Thunder users can accidentally shock other people, often to the point of stopping their hearts, or cause city-wide blackouts. Trained thunder users can cause directed blackouts, sap electricity from a city, and in rare cases have been reported to cause massive thunderstorms.
Aero: Arguably the weakest of the four elemental magics, Aero is often seen as a support magic. Untrained wielders have been known to whip up whirlwinds and tornadoes, leveling small areas of woods or villages. When trained, Aero can be particularly hazardous for foes going against an Aero magician, faced against buffeting winds and, especially on the high seas, damaged equipment.
Cure: Cure holds a special place among the five types of magic as the only true support magic, one that is designed to help allies rather than harm enemies. Cure has few drawbacks, aside from the price in energy paid by the user. A Cure magician left untrained runs the risk of overexerting his or herself, falling unconscious, lapsing into a coma, or, in rare but documented cases, killing themselves. Trained magicians find themselves bound by only two laws. They cannot regrow any limbs that may have been lost, and they are unable to heal truly fatal wounds, such as a stab to the heart or head.