So we all know by game mechanics that magic is Fire, Frost, Shadow, Nature, Arcane, and Holy. But what exactly is it by lore?
Are Fel, Necromancy, and true shadow the same, or different schools? Is mage fire the same as a shaman's natural fire, or is it "Arcane Fire", is water and frost different? If anyone has some knowledge in this, could you please shed some light for me?
Fel is demonic magic. It is raw, unadulterated Arcane energy, drawn straight from the Nether, and not modulated by the Ley Lines that would keep such ravenous, almost life-eating magic, stable.
Warlock Shadow is Arcane Shadow.
Shadow Priest Shadow is Divine Shadow.
Shaman fire is Natural, so it's the same as real fire, produced by rubbing sticks together.
Priest Holy Fire and Templar Fire abilities are Divine - not natural, however.
Mage Fire is Arcane Fire, in that arcane energy is poured forth to create heat. Due to it being unnatural, Arcane fire can even burn underwater.
Shaman Water is Natural water, speeding healing, recovery and so on. The same goes for Druidic tranquility and other healing rains.
Mage Frost is Arcane Frost, in that it uses Arcane energy to create cold. Death Knight Frost is different, in that instead of creating cold, it sucks all the heat from its designated target.
And Druid and Shaman lightning are both real, natural lightning.
In addition, Druid spells such as Starfall, Moonfire, Starfire, etc. are not real Arcane. Instead, they are Divine in nature.
As for Necromancy, both Death Knights and Necromancers work the same. It's Arcane as a base, but corrupted into becoming Necromancy. However, where one is based on science, study and theory - the Necromancer's art - Death Knights are imbued with the ability to raise dead. Apparently, most Death Knight abilities are innate, as natural to them as breathing is to us, drawn from the same unholy energies sustaining their immortal forms.
This does interest me... The arcane fire part.
Can it supply heat underwater? And does it always remain flaming while underwater? Or only if the mage wants to?
Yes, Arcane Fire can supply heat underwater, and it does remain flaming underwater.
Though I'm certain that a skilled enough mage -could- just leave his pet fireball sans the flames in his broth pot so as not to char the ingredients outright, and rather merely heat the liquid it touches.
Hmm... But by default, will arcane fire be put out if introduced to water? Without the mage's notice.
And if so, does he have to concentrate to maintain it?
Nope. Its default is to do what its master tells it: Burn. Even underwater.
Not any more than it'd take anywhere else. Keep in mind, Arcane oversteps the laws of nature, imposing the will of the caster upon reality. It's basically coming in and binning physics in favor of your own wacky world... Which is why it's been so prone to abuse in the history of Warcraft, -and- why it draws the attention of the Legion: How could such a potent force not be corruptive?
Ah, I see...
Gives me much more possibilities now, as it seems.
Fire morphing and shaping is also possible, correct?
Yes, the Mage can shape their fire into loads of things - see Dragonfire; shaping it into the complex form of a dragon's head.
I've seen people give roses of fire, or draw, or write in fire. But yes, it's possible.
Keep in mind, however, that only an Archmage has the mastery to shape -large- amounts of flame at a time in complex patterns - like big Area of Effect attacks.
That's actually really interesting...
As for Arcane Fire... Would it hurt the mage itself? Or can he manipulate it not to?
Nope. Arcane fire doesn't hurt its caster, provided the caster focuses enough.
In unfocused, erratic and violent blasts, stuff like Warlock's Hellfire might happen, where the caster is burned along with his enemies. But Magi know better than to lose focus of potent spells, usually.
Another thing to keep in mind is that while you're not burned by the fire you create, you may be burned by what that fire heats.
For example, if you've sunken a fireball into a pot of water to boil it, and reach into it for the fireball, while the fireball itself won't hurt you, the boiling water sure will.
Ah! I see... Thanks for answering my questions, Flammos!