EPT
Each of the spellcasting classes in D&D 5E maintain a unique relationship with the Tiroth. In particular, their methods of obtaining the secrets of the language vary as widely as their skills and abilities. This is also why the classes’ spell lists differ so significantly: which words of the Tiroth can be discovered depend greatly on how they were sought.
Clerics were the first mortals on Iris to learn of the Language of Truth. Theirs is also the method of casting that most resembles that of the gods. This is because Cleric spells are composed of words their gods grant them and are given strength by their gods’ own stores of power. Only the most loyal and devout worshippers (which is to say, all Clerics) earn enough of a god’s favor to acquire the holy words of their spells and the energy needed to cast them. Through prayer, Clerics hear the whispers of their deities intoning glorious phrases that, when uttered by the faithful, will heal the sick or smite the accursed. Through devotion, Clerics are permitted to draw from their masters’ fonts of power so that miracles can be wrought through the vessels of worship.
Paladins share the Cleric’s method of obtaining the knowledge of the Tiroth if they are beholden to a single god. However, some Paladins are dedicated purely to strict codes of law and order. Such Paladins tap into the Null like other unaffiliated mortals and typically learn the words of spells from similarly-aligned and more-experienced Paladins. Some Paladins are so dedicated to order and the destruction of evil (or good) that even intense meditation will reveal words of the Tiroth. By visualizing the essential truths of their guiding ethos, the sacred incantations that warp reality emerge.
Warlocks receive the Tiroth from the beings that established their Pacts, much like Clerics do with their gods. However, Patrons rarely view their Warlock contractors with the same trust or respect with which most gods view their Clerics because Patrons know that they are not the subjects of worship but merely represent paths to greater knowledge and power. Sometimes Warlocks will hear the words of their Patrons in a twisted yet beautiful dream or read them when the letters of the books they are perusing rearrange themselves or find that they’re repeatedly muttering them under their breath. Other times, a Warlock’s Patron will simply possess their contractor and speak the words in their own voice, sharing little. Patrons are also conservative about lending their spellcasting power sources to their Warlocks. Most Warlocks learn to harvest the energies of the Null instead of relying upon their Patron’s unlikely charity. Besides, Warlocks frequently view their Pacts as marriages of convenience, so the more knowledge and skills they gain for themselves, the better.
Druids discover the words of the Tiroth nestled in flower buds, reflected in the shimmering waves of the sea, or woven by wind into the sun-kissed dunes. Iris herself reveals the language of magic to her Keepers, and she does so in subtle and silent ways that only a chosen few comprehend. Iris is also the wellspring of the Druid’s arcane power, the power of a living world rife with growth and death and change. This is the contract Iris makes with her faithful guardians and warriors: revere me and protect me, and you shall receive my bountiful harvest. As such, a Druid’s dedication to Iris is not always entirely selfless, for should the planet fall to curse or disease or the wrath of her enemies, so too would the Druid’s abilities fade.
Rangers, who spend nearly as much time in the wilds of Iris as Druids, also find the words of the Tiroth within the wonders of nature. They divine them from the entrails of slaughtered beasts or the patterns of the stars that mark their paths or the splatters of their own blood drawn in battle with a fearsome foe. However, Iris does not open her mighty heart to the Ranger, who must instead seek out the Null’s energies. A Ranger often attunes to that realm through meditation upon their hallowed homelands or introspection during their solitary wanderings.
Bards maintain a curious bond with the Tiroth because when it is spoken aloud, the Tiroth sounds like music. As such, Bards rarely speak the language directly, but instead utter melodies that evoke the essence of the Tiroth and cause magic to spring forth. Furthermore, Bards pay little heed to the requirements of “intentionality” in their casting, for that facet emerges naturally through the sincerity of their performances. Instead of reaching the Null through discipline or training, Bards allow the emotions and narratives of their acts to guide them to that place of power. Of course, these incredible talents don’t prevent Bards from learning the Tiroth in their own studies and many (particularly those of the College of Lore) seek hidden tales or music in search of greater words of power. In fact, there are many lost songs and legends rumored to contain arcane secrets, works that every Bard hopes to some day find… or write.
Sorcerers are magical savants, blessed by birthright, bloodline, or biology to carry within themselves innate connections with both the Tiroth and the Null. The words of the Tiroth come to Sorcerers as suddenly-recalled memories that are unlocked when their souls recognize that they command the powers to use them. They draw from the Null effortlessly, often because they’ve done so with little thought through their whole lives. Sometimes this means that Sorcerers withdraw the Null’s powers carelessly or overindulgently, which typically results in Wild Magic Sorcerers. Sorcerers are also prone to magical addiction because they never need to master a skill or discipline to wield the Tiroth’s powers. A Draconic lineage is a frequent catalyst for Sorcerous blood, as Dragons are far more connected to the Tiroth than the rest of the Animata.
Wizards possess the most regimented approach to learning the Tiroth, which is why they are among the most plentiful magic users on Iris (second only to Clerics). Wizards learn the Tiroth through complex and challenging studies. The aptitude for magic is relatively rare among the mortal races, but all who possess those abilities can become Wizards with enough dedication. Academies of Magic on Iris maintain a tightly-knit alliance and commit to preserving as much knowledge of the Tiroth as possible, as well as passing on that knowledge to those individuals talented and trusted enough to become the future generations of Wizards. Studies of magic begin with exercises designed to help connect an initiate to the Null and eventually lead to practicing the Tiroth itself. During this intense training, a Wizard’s spellbook quickly becomes both a prized possession and a living record of that Wizard’s exposure to the Tiroth and what it has to offer.
You can read this excerpt on magic and quite a few other things (mostly D&D related) at the N3rd Dimension.
