In the eyes of the Corsairs, magic is power, the ability to exert your will directly upon the world without needing to depend on others or the strength of your body. The Corsairs see mages as possessing a great gift, and those who practice magic are respected for their mastery of the arcane and ability to change the world with word and gesture.
Mages amongst the Corsairs are no less drawn to adventure and the thrill of the hunt than their non-magical peers, and so there is a thriving population of adventuring mages in the Alliance. Divers and Cazadores are the most concrete examples of such, but there are quite a few mages who take after the Swashbuckler brand of bravado and reckless courage. These mages join Crews who seek out danger, treasure, and glory, looking for chances to push themselves further and gain more power and acclaim.
The more utilitarian magics are still present throughout the Archipelago, however, and though they may not be the subject of song and story like their more adventurous kindred they are nonetheless critical to the Alliance’s daily life and prosperity. Whether it be fashioning the enchantments upon ships and structures, blessing the fishing boats and orchards, healing the sick and wounded, or just helping ships navigate and sail through the Archipelago’s dangerous waters, the Portsmiths, Greensingers, Shanty Mages, and mystics who ply their magical trades are all valued for the vital skills and services they offer.
Though mages are highly respected in the Alliance, there are only a handful of dedicated schools of magic across the nation, forcing most aspiring mages to apprentice themselves to a more senior practitioner in order to learn the craft. This leads to a wide variety of styles, and a hodgepodge of methods with which Corsair mages actually practice magic, but it also means that there are more opportunities for clever Corsairs to come up with unique and unexpected solutions to stubborn problems.
Given the importance that seafaring has in Jadefang life and culture, it’s no surprise that the most common magical tradition amongst the Corsairs is Hydromancy. Every ship’s Crew is expected to have at least one Hydromancer on board to deal with the Spirits of the sea, and most try to have more than that, just in case. The few schools that the Admiralty has set up for magic all exclusively teach Hydromancy, making it even more common amongst the Alliance’s Navy than it is in civilian Crews. Most Jadefang Hydromancers have a tattoo or embroidered patch of a squid or Kraken somewhere on their person as a token of respect for Lucesia Madre, the Hydromantic patron Spirit of the Amethran Sea and Jadefang Archipelago.
Spellsinging is perhaps the magical tradition that the Corsairs are most well-known for beyond the Archipelago, as the Shantymages who often accompany Crews visiting other nations are anything but quiet. Shantymages sing songs filled with power that resemble classic seafarer shanties. The rhythm of the song is used to keep the tempo of ritual gestures, or to time the strike of an implement if the mage is casting a spell in battle. Greensinger and other mystics in particular favor this method, casting spells and rituals that sound as much like a sailor’s hymn as “proper” magic. In a similar vein, many Portsmith Spellsingers practice their magic via working songs, building up their rituals and enchanting objects through the rhythmic repetition of a handful of verses until the magic snaps into place.
Mages who practice Osteomancy within the Archipelago are called Bonebinders due to their preference for taking the bones of great beasts — the sea monsters lurking in the waters of the Amethran Sea and the predators of the hellish jungles covering the islands — and fashioning them into talismans for use in their magic. They often use parts from amphibious or aquatic beasts in place of the “traditional” ones that Osteomancers of the mainland use; for example, the Shore Tyrant crab, an aggressive species with a shell almost a yard across, replaces the Badger in their lexicon. Jadefang Cazadores and druids are particularly known for using Osteomancy in their spells and rituals, though the practice is widespread throughout all the magical professions within the Alliance.
The Jadeite fascination with Astromancy is ages old, stemming from their need to understand the movements of the heavens to safely navigate the Southern Seas. Many Locker Priests use Astromancy as their primary magical tradition, as it offers them a way to chart a course (either metaphorically or literally) for those who come to them seeking advice when the situation is hazy and uncertain. Mages who are devout followers of Selenir likewise favor Astromancy for their magics, using its connection to the night sky to strengthen their bond with the Saint of Discovery and Navigation.