Magic in this world is based on all the same rules as DnD 5e and the eight distinct schools provided in the game. Mage training in formal academies and schools in the world teach things in those eight divisions. However for the larger thematically important story purposes, magic in this world is driven by 6 general power areas/types that all the spells and abilities generally fit into. Magical power in this world comes from the planets and solar system itself. This allows every race, religion, and nation in the world to have a universally accepted cohesion when it comes to explaining where magic is drawn from, its sources, and how it is used. Some spells and powers blur the lines between these magic groups, but that is also acceptable since spellcasters who can master more than one type of magic would be able to do such a thing.
These are all the magical powers and forces that relate to stone, metals, and vegetation. These powers come from the planet and draw their energies from there. It is usually represented by the color green, and leaf or rock symbolism.
These are all the magical powers and forces that relate to fire and heat. These powers come from the sun and draw their energies from there. It is usually represented by the color red, and flame symbolism.
These are all the magical powers and forces that relate to water. These powers come from the planet and draw their energies from there. It is usually represented by the color blue, and droplet or wave symbolism.
These are all the magical powers and forces that relate to air and cold. These powers come from the void of space and draw their energies from there. It is usually represented by the color yellow, and wind or ice symbolism.
These are all the magical powers and forces that relate to healing, life, and goodness. These powers come from the sun and draw their energies from there. It is usually represented by the color white, and sun or life symbolism.
These are all the magical powers and forces that relate to corruption, death, and evil. These powers come from the void of space and draw their energies from there. It is usually represented by the color black, and moon or death symbolism.
Religion in this world is characterized by how it is administered not by the specifics of worship. For thematic background the specifics of most of the religions are non-specified to avoid getting too heavy or entirely too deep, and allow players the freedom to craft those details as they see fit. Generally many religions in this world will have some sort of belief in an afterlife and are mostly organizations attempting to shape the moral or spiritual fortitudes of the people who follow their worship. However all the religions will fall into specific categories that allow the world, and GM, to fit them into the larger setting.
Organized religions all have similar qualities. Their doctrines are structured, documented, and have routines or rules for how worship should be conducted. They built churches, temples, and cathedrals as monuments to their deities or belief systems. Clergy are normally formally trained in conducting ceremonies and sermons. Some organized religions have far reaching missionaries and have spread across multiple countries (Vespa’s Light Worship for example) and they are the more formalized and uniform religions in the world. They tend to be monotheist focused on one God or one Source of supreme power.
Shamanistic religions are decentralized religions that are almost always based on the natural world or specific elements in it. Magic is a big part of shamanistic religions as it is their tangible proof of the belief system. They are usually administered by an Elder or Shaman that practices some form of magic in ways that reinforce their lessons. Worship is usually highly ritualistic, passed down through stories or rites of passage, and is centered more around sacred places, or sacred rites. They are the less formalized, more localized religions in the world.
Pantheon religions are religions centered around a group of gods that represent virtues or the lack there of. Many of the deities are organized into a hierarchy and are designed around a particular behavior or cultural reflection. (God of Love, God of War, God of Crafting, God of Motherhood etc.) Clergy are usually devoted to one of the gods at a time but are well versed in the entire pantheon. These religions also like to build temples, monuments, and altars to the gods they serve. They are the polytheist types of religions in the world.
Ancestor Worship religions are focused entirely on the past deeds and records in the physical world by someone that at one point was a real person. Noteworthy heroes, important figureheads, religious reformers, and individuals who have done something to shape their entire race or culture are revered as paragons of behavior and example. Clergy is usually trained to act as interpreters for the lessons and morals that should be learned from these divine examples. These religions like to craft effigies and charm trinkets that represent the particular ancestor being worshipped. Notable ancestors are exalted into mythical status in these religions.
This is the absence of any religion at all. As a group this encompasses people that either don’t believe in any religion at all because it will never be understood, or believe that life is finite and there is nothing that comes after it. They choose not to worship anything at all and see the world and life as just a progression of time. For categorization purposes this group also includes individuals who are vehemently ant-religious.