Would you have to go through the lengths of excessive studies, research to wield the light like the same manner for Arcane magic like an academic or is the light a personal-spiritual coming from within one’s faith or willpower?
If Arcane is science, logic and energy then would I assume that light inner, spiritual and…some principles of placebo effect with psychology?
The Light’s only be seen used through the use of Faith or Willpower.
Light is pretty much the Magic of Faith. I don’t think there’s a level of academic progess that would allow you to wield it, it’s all about faith or sheer force of will.
The Arcane and Light are opposites in ways, not in terms of morality, but in terms of the belief system. Arcane requires knowledge, you must know certain facts about it for it to work, the Light however, simply requires faith, believing in something, even if its not true. You can worship the sun, or some dinosaur spirit, and yet still wield the light, you believe the power comes from the sun or dinosaur spirit, but it actually comes from the light. The light only wants faith, doesnt matter if the faith is actually directed toward it.
Arcane knowledge can be learnt, or you can inherit it, while light is entirely based on how much you beleive yourself. A Person who has heavy doubts will be incapable of properly using the light, much like a Shaman who has offended the Elements will have trouble. It also doesn’t really matter what the belief is in, so anyone not affected by some form of the Curse of Sethe should be able to use it. It’s why non-religous people like goblins can use, their belief in themselves allows them to use it.
There was a Priest artifact robe with flavor text attesting to exactly this. I can’t seem to find the exact item and quote but it boils down to,
“Faith is the beginning and end of a Priest’s skill. A mediocre magic student might still become a formidable sorceress but absolute faith is required of all Priests”
I’m really not doing the quote justice but the idea is Priest magic is a completely different animal.
When it comes to magic, I think D&D is a good reference for headcanoning an explanation for how it tends to work in WoW. Until Blizzard comes up with their own explanations, which they likely wont.
There are 5ish main avenues to obtaining magical power. Study, drawing from a source of power, raw faith and willpower, creating a pact to a patron or deity, spiritual transcendence.
Arcane Study: Though the casting of a typical spell requires merely the utterance of a few strange words, fleeting gestures, and sometimes a pinch or clump of exotic materials, these surface components barely hint at the expertise attained after years of apprenticeship and countless hours of study. Example: Jaina, Antonidas, The Kirin Tor.
Fount of Power: No use for the spellbooks and ancient tomes of magic lore that others rely on, nor do they rely on a patron to grant their spells. By learning to harness and channel their own inborn magic, they can discover new and staggering ways to unleash that power. Example: Elisande, Liadrin, Elves who rely on a well of power.
Faith: Harnessing divine magic doesn’t rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast spells relies on devotion and an intuitive sense of a deity’s wishes. Example: Tyrande, Anduin, Priests and Paladins
Patron: Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, one can unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of such beings, one can piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power. Example: Gul’dan, Rastakhan, Cho’gal.
Nature: Druids revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. Example: Malfurion, Thrall, Druids and Shaman.