Just dumping a Sounsy post that I have butchered.
(01-01-2015, 02:09 PM)Sounsyy Wrote: Part 1:
Thaumaturgy is believed to be the original form of magic of the 5th Astral Era, close to 3000 years ago. Thaumaturgy draws from the caster's own aether and focuses the spell through a gemstone medium to cast. Over the centuries, Thaumaturgy took a dark turn and became a magic focused upon death. Skilled wielders of the magic were able to do incredible things, such as return people from Thal's realm. When Ul'dah and Sil'dih rose from the ashes of Belah'dia, Thaumaturgy took on the duality of the Traders, Nald'thal, and became the study of life and death. The religious Order of Nald'thal was formed with the belief that by using Thaumaturgy to more deeply understand Death, they might better be able to understand and appreciate Life.
Black Magic, by contrast, is actually a technique, not a true form of Magic. In the early years of the 5th Astral Era, a young Magi named Shatotto wished to further the limitations of Thaumaturgy, but was ultimately unable to perform the magicks she wished to due to her own limited aether supply. So she devised a method to curb the Lifestream and draw upon the aether of the planet instead of her own. This technique was coined "Black Magic" as it killed the land around the caster, but it afforded Shatotto unlimited power and paved the way for the War of the Magi centuries later. By the time the War of the Magi broke out at the end of the 5th Astral Era, Black Magic was capable of many incredible feats - bringing down stars, animating inanimate objects, and tearing holes in our Physical Plane, opening a portal to the Void and drawing forth unimaginable demons upon the world. However, by the end of the War, Black Mages had drained the world entirely of its aether and had nearly killed the planet. Because of this unlimited destructive force, Black Magic was forbidden and strictly outlawed.
So, taking all that, could one person learn to master multiple forms of magic, perhaps yes? But it'd be extremely difficult as each branch of magic is unique in its own way and in the case of some, diametrically opposed to another. In the case of Black Magic and White Magic, they are both forbidden and forgotten magicks that were created in opposition of one another.
As far as any of the ancient magicks go, they are all but lost to the world for many centuries. Learning one is probably fine, but learning multiple relies on the absolute crazy happenstance of finding out about the magic in the first place and finding someone to teach it.
If you want to do that, I tried to break down who would feasibly know about each of the ancient magicks:
Black Magic: Prelates and High Priests in the Order of Nald'thal would know about Black Magic but most would not be able to teach it. There are also some Beast Tribes which still practice Black Magic to some extent. If your character is friendly with beastmen, perhaps that could be used as an in for Black Magic.