Quote Originally Posted by Vexander View Post
I may be wrong but I don't think that is correct either. Both White and Black Magic drew aether from the world around the mage performing the magic. In this the two arts were similar, and were draining the aether in the world. Only when that drain became dangerous during the War of the Magi did it spark a Calamity.

Conjurers gain their power from the Elementals in part, as well as themselves, while Thaumaturges draw aether strictly from within, using Umbral and Astral attunements to rapidly replenish, and empower, their spells.

What Red Mages do as far as a source for their power, we don't know yet sadly.
Having reread my lore book, you seem to be right that my theory is wrong. It states a few things that we can use to hypothesize how RDM works though:

A few things to note:
- RDM channels aether through the magicked crystal medium
- All elements are astrally or umbrally aspected, and WHM and BLM have the potential to tap into all elements (a WHM could use umbral fire, and it would make sense).
- Both draw aether from the land (explained in an entry about the War of the Magi, saying that both parties began to kill the planet from drawing too much aether from the land)
- RDM is unlikely to be tied to the elementals in any way

My theory is that RDM works more like SCH, and is a sharlayan job which is formed from intense study of aether, using the crystal medium as a way to channel aether, and concetrate it, allowing for massive control over the elements, and their aspects.