Rituals are a very formulaic and easily learned form of magic. A ritual consumes specific (often expensive) components, and it takes time to perform all of the steps of the ritual. However, rituals can produce results that even exceed the power of spells.
Many different rituals have been transcribed by mages from the southern tip of Nilfgaardian Empire to the farthest northern keeps. However many of these rituals are regional and rarely seen past the bounds of their home country or city. There are a few rituals which are universal and are taught in magical academies across the continent.
Many magic users are capable only of a single ritual, or perhaps two. These lesser magic users make up most of the magical population: magical adepts who, perhaps, are hydromancers who can see events of the past or present in pools of water. They are considered magical adepts but not mages.[1]