Sorcerer

Sorcerers call upon their inner arcane power to cast spells, shaped and manipulated by their potent will.

Sorcerers in Arthos

"You speak as though my life has been easy. So what if the arcane comes naturally to me! My family ensured I would never derive any pleasure from it; their expectations, their regiments, their disappointments and punishments when I didn't live up to the damnable bloodline. Worse yet I couldn't seek genuine companionship away from home because the family reputation preceded me. Everyone I crossed either feared and despised me or lavished me with sycophantic praise. I fled to Reovere knowing I would be stranded and alone, but at least people see me at face-value. There's true power in being nobody."

—Azmi, heir of House En-Shaheer to Abjurer Brachius Fairwind

Bloodlines

The very blood that courses through a sorcerer contains within it magical potential. In a sense, sorcerers are conduits. For the first few decades after The Source arrived, arcane fallout was unevenly distributed across Arthos. Pockets of intense arcane energy still had not fully normalized and those who stumbled into them would become infused with its power. These individuals would become progenitors of sorcerous bloodlines, their descendants inheriting the trait.

Practice

There are several misconceptions regarding the practice of sorcery, the most pernicious being that it doesn't require practice at all. Sorcerers cannot draw upon their own magic directly when they are young and inexperienced. They must begin their training by using nearby arcane energy, much like wizards. Over time, should they become powerful enough, the sorcerer will transition to relying exclusively on internal energy to fuel their magic. These mature sorcerers are effectively immune to anti-magic measures because their access to magic cannot be cut off.

Dynastic Heirs

It should be obvious that sorcerous bloodlines would confer considerable political power when exercised aggressively. Some sorcerer families establish themselves as "dynasties", entwining themselves into the political ecosystem if not ordaining themselves rulers outright. These dynasties were very common in the 1st-4th centuries but have fallen out of favor due to the comparatively egalitarian rise in wizardry. A handful of dynastic families remain in some places. Children born into these families are expected to follow stringent guidelines of behavior and lifestyle by their parents as well as rigorous practice of their sorcery. The continuity of these dynasties often hinge on their ability to outcompete wizards and rival dynasties. Entire families have been wiped out by the ensuing warfare.

Progenitors

Since the Age of Revival, Arthos' arcane hotspots have in large part dissipated. Very few bloodlines have been created in the 3rd-11th centuries. However, on rare occasion someone stumbles on a place forgotten by time, places of darkness or of wild magics. From the violent arcane presence of these spaces, progenitors are created. In that moment, the fate of their new bloodline falls to them.

Adventurers

Most sorcerers who become adventurers are making a deliberate choice to abandon their family. Perhaps they resented their lack of control or the bloodline was torn apart by interfamilial warfare. They might even be a progenitor choosing to explore the world rather than kickstarting their own bloodline. Regardless, these adventurous sorcerers generally seek a particular kind of power, power that doesn't stem from generational exploitation. They will likely find warmth and comradery in their new found family.

Resources

• Roll20 Compendium
• D&D Beyond