Magic in the Marred Mother Setting
This is my working concept for Magic as it stands.
Note: This does not include the special cases unique to different gods.
The usual method of gaining access to magic is via pledging to a God. As Magic is, for all intents and purposes, the ‘blood’ of the planet as an entity, using it is like a mosquito drawing blood from a giant. The more you use it, the more likely the Mother will notice, and drawing the notice of an unfathomable primordial entity that is akin to an Old God rarely ends well. Consequences of drawing the ire of the Mother (Known as The Shriek) are entirely random and can include anything from sudden localized gravity spikes crushing the person, a sudden crack in the earth swallowing them, their soul visibly being torn asunder, a complete mental shattering, etc. However, using the magic through a god negates this risk entirely, as you draw the power from the god (who is a being created by the Marred Mother). Naturally, at this point you are pretty limited in your freedoms.
Anyone can gain access to magic without pledging/being accepted by a god however through the use of a focus. Foci are a part of the living planet and physical content gives you enough of a connection to tap into magic. The actual form and occurrence of foci I haven't decided on but there are different types that work for specific spheres/elements. Like, magic is raw power but the spheres are what that power interacts with to produce results. The elements/spheres are Heat, Light, Water, Earth and rarest of all Gravity. Foci are ordinarily risky to use, they can't store magic so directly draw from the world - risking attracting its attention. You also can't improve in power with them, your individual techniques can improve but a focus will never grow stronger. Unless you meld/merge with it. Taking in a focus essentially turns it into an organ, it can passively absorb a reserve of magic to drastically reduce risk and grows in strength with use. However, mortal bodies are not meant to handle raw power, and gradually mutate over time. The form of mutation changes depending on the Spheres used.
Heat magic: Fire and temperature, can reduce/raise the temperature in the air or anything the user directly touches or conjure flames of varying intensity (fireballs require a fuel source). The most simple and common magic used by Unbound (Mages who get their use without gods), commonly seen powering the steam engines on unscrupulous ships.
Light magic: Versatile, if reliant on daylight. Can bend light to become invisible, however this is very magic costly. Otherwise primarily can create blinding flashes/signal lights of varying intensity, or create lasers, or most commonly create Hardlight. Hardlight is limited in what it can use as it requires conscious upkeep to remain solid, but is very magically economic. There is rumor of more dangerous, unstable forms of light magic, however very few know how to use it. cough radiation cough
Water magic: Can change the state of water at will without changing the temperature, create powerful currents or whirlpools and even use a base of water to propel icicles etc. More skilled water-uses can control fleshy/water-rich plants. Basically waterbending.
Earth magic: Manipulation of stone and minerals, NOT metals. Can create fissures/dig, massive spires, impaling spikes, big ol' boulders, etc. Popular for mining on the down low. Rare Unbounds who've merged with a heat focus occasionally make use of an earth focus to create lava.
Gravity magic: Gravity magic is intrinsic to all forms of magic on a minor level, needed to actually move the element in question. However there are exceptionally rare gravity foci. Proper control over gravity is exactly what one would expect. Telekenisis, localized gravitational tweaking to propel/levitate/fly/crush/lighten/etc. Highly magically intensive, highly rare. Highly dangerous.
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