Zaurstrom

Zaurstrom is a universe in the multiverse. Zaurstrom is unique in that magic is not an internal process, but rather interacts with invisible strings of aether called leylines which criss-cross the world. In essence, since all magic is accomplished by manipulating aether lines to reshape reality, all magic on Zaurstrom can be considered divine magic of a sort.

Zaurstrom's world is ruled by a magocracy where magical power gives you social standing and non-magical people are looked down upon. Magic is taught in many arcana across the land, and each arcanum seeks to extend its influence over the others. Most arcana hire a private army of non-magical soldiers which they send to defend their territory or fight other arcana over petty squabbles or power struggles.

History
When Hoth, husband of the mage Eria, died unexpectedly, Eria began experimenting with a new dangerous form of magic -- the magic of life and death. This practice was called Animism, and Eria and her students became the first Animists. Eria first unlocked the secret to immortality, becoming known as Eria the Immortal. Over centuries, she continued taking on new students and teaching them Animism as she continued to hone her own art, hoping to be able to use it to return Hoth to life. Eria and Animism in general were frowned upon by the Magocrats, who believed it was foolhardy to mess with fundamental forces of the world like life and death without understanding the consequences, but Eria pressed on and continued her work nonetheless. New forms of Animism were discovered, such as creating small motes of life energy, weaving elementals out of flame, awakening plant life with sapience, and animating corpses.

Finally, one day, Eria figured out how to recall a soul from the afterlife to the world. But in dragging Hoth back to life, she had to rip his soul through the aether which makes up the fabric of the universe, accidentally shattering the world's leylines. The Shattering caused untold devastation across Zaurstrom. Magic went haywire, no longer working reliably. Terrible storms called Spellstorms scoured the land, unpredictably changing or erasing features of the environment as they passed. A sickness called the Spellplague spread throughout civilization, killing many. And living spells, sapient incarnations of magic itself, began appearing throughout the world, exacting revenge on society for the damage that had been done to the leylines.

Factions

 * The Magocracy is the ruling body of Zaurstrom. They are a body of the highest ranking mages, and they are in charge of the Archive and at least nominally oversee the world's arcana. They are elected based on magical power and tend to look down on those with little or no magical ability as second-class citizens. After the Shattering, the Magocrats outlawed Animism and branded all Animists as traitors. They are also suffering from the fact that magic no longer works reliably, and attempting to quell a coup by the Alliance.
 * Animists are a cult of mages who unlocked the secrets of life and death. Animism caused the Shattering, and only Animism can undo what Eria did and restore the leylines, bringing peace back to the world. Unfortunately, the Magocracy outlawed Animism in response to the Shattering and branded all Animists as traitors, forcing those who remained into hiding in the dangerous areas threatened by Spellstorms and the Spellplague. Meanwhile, they are hunted by both the Alliance and the Order Incarnate who blame them for what has befallen their world.
 * The non-magical soldiers who used to guard the arcana formed a single army called the Alliance. They believe that magic is the cause of the living spells, Spellstorms, and Spellplague devastating the land, and they blame all mages -- Magocrat and Animist alike -- for causing it. They hunt mages, especially Animists, wherever they find them in hiding, while also assaulting the Archive and the Alabaster Castle in an attempt to overthrow the Magocracy. Some more radical Alliance members, calling themselves Martialists, also wish to erase all magic from the world forever.
 * The Order Incarnate is an extremist sect of mages who split off from the Magocracy after the Shattering. They believe the living spells are divine instruments of retribution punishing the people for their acts against the gods. While they also hate the Animists for causing the Shattering, they differ from the mainstream in that they don't wish to stop or reverse the Spellstorms and other disasters -- they believe it is right and just for them to punish Zaurstrom for its hubris. The Order uses magic to commune with the living spells, even allowing them to incarnate within Order members so they can speak for themselves directly. The Order has taken up the cause of revenge and uses unsanctioned terrorist tactics to exact revenge on Animists. The Order and the Alliance have an uneasy understanding as their philosophies overlap somewhat, but their goals differ enough that once their common enemies are gone they will likely turn on each other.