Spoiler ((OOC note: Sasha's research log will be based on things Sasha takes a scholarly interest in, most of the things here will be based on the game's lore and IC experiences. Note that I may or may not bend lore depending on IC experiences. This will also include research based on books ICly and information based on OOC playtime. For example, I learned  a lot about black magic in the thaumaturgy storyline, and while Sasha did not do that ICly, I will apply some of the knowledge regarding thaumaturgy icly to avoid breaking lore. If there are any mistakes on lore, feel free to correct me on this thread, however, I will likely ask for background info, as I will do the same to defend my position. Any logical flaws will also be looked into and corrected provided that there's a good argument.

This is NOT a journal, as she will only be writing about findings in her research, some entries might include her personal opinion, but not to the degree it would be considered a diary.))

The War of Magi and the end of the Fifth Astral Era: A summarized review.

Nowadays there are three major branches of magic practiced in the realm: Arcamina, Conjury, and Thaumaturgy. While other forms of magic exist, these are by far the most prominent schools in Eorzea. However, these forms of magic have their roots.

It was around three thousand years ago that Eorzeans began to manipulate aether, and thus, the rise of Amdapor began. The Amdapori civilization of magi was thriving with magic. I dare say it was a golden age for mages. People speak of white mages able to restore and bring back the dead, able to bring both devastation and restoration in a snap of their fingers. 

Another magic civilization that began to emerge and rise to power at this time was the Nym. Unlike the Amdapori, however, whose magicks were based on Conjury, theirs was based on Arcamina. They say that there were great scholars, able to summon faeries to aid them in battle as they summoned  beasts to  do their bidding for them. However, while Amdapor retained an aggressive position, striving to achieve power, the Nymians remained defensive, only seeking the survival of their own people. 

The third group, which unfortunately did not have a civilization, were the Black mages. The fathers of Thaumaturgy. These were mainly nomad groups of sorcerers and casters alike that would focus solely on destructive magic, able to channel the deepest aether within themselves and the void to bring devastation to those who opposed them. The black mages were the rarest of the three, but unlike the other two, there are rumors that Black Magic is still very much present today.

Their power was overwhelming, and unsurprisingly, they began to abuse it. Those who couldn't control aether began to become oppressed, and the ones who COULD cast magic began to engage in petty battles for power that would often result in massive destruction. People began to take sides, and hence the great war of magi began, an event triggered by the great powerful mage's thirst for dominance. The abuse of aether ushered in the Sixth Umbral Era, and while the Fifth Astral era ended with a fizz among mages, the Amdapori made the following era end with a bang.

Old texts speak of the White mages as the Greatest Civilization when it came to magic, however, this thirst for power was their undoing, as they managed to cause a great flood during the Sixth Umbral Era that devastated many parts of Eorzea. The fear of the power and destruction brought by white mages caused their art to begin to die out and trickle down to the basic Conjury we know of today. It is said only elementals can teach white magic, and only the Padjal have access to this knowledge, as they are the only entrusted not to abuse it's potential. Additionally, the City of Nym had their inhabitants completely disappear... As if they simply vanished into thin air. Some speculate that they attempted to temper with the void and ended up vanishing into it, others claim that they were slaughtered, however, no remains were ever found to prove these claims, and even today, it is still a mystery. Meanwhile, black mages began to use the void as a source of their power indiscriminately, causing them to become corrupted and killed by the voidsent energy they would bring into the realm. With the combination of the great flood, the disappearance of the Nymians and the dying dark arts, the Sixth Umbral Era could also be known as the death of the great mages. 

Quite unfortunate.

There are still remains of the Nym and Amdapor, but they are off-limits to visitors, which allowed nature to flourish in their halls. Now it seems like going into them would be rather risky, considering the beasts that even today seem to be affected by the Aether trapped in there, and they do not seem to take kindly to strangers who choose to explore the ruins.

I will dwell more deeply into the subject later this week.