Spells of different origins are all created, learned, and cast in different ways. However, arcane, divine, and primal spells form a planar gradient rather than 3 separate categories. Many spellcasters straddle the line between different magic types, and the magic they wield is neither strictly one or the other type.
Arcane
The creation of arcane spells are most commonly known about. The process of inventing them is straightforward, but extremely difficult. Arcane spells are preformed by memorizing a specific formula, and manipulating the Weave to the exact specifications of the spell (this includes verbal, somatic, or material components, or using a spell focus in a specific way to perform the spell). The creation of arcane spells is basically like the creation of a new mathematical formula or proof, but to derive a specific desired effect. For example: Silverlight’s Fleshwarp was a spell created with the specific intention of teleporting the user and a selected number of companions along with their items to a specified destination - an alternative version of the basic Teleport spell. The end goal is to teleport to a destination, and the derivation of the spell flows from that point.
Theoretically, arcane magic should be able to create any effect that a practitioner can think of, so long as they have the capability to derive a formula to achieve it. Some wizards spend their careers in search of one elegant spell which would allow them to create the effect of any other spell they wish, regardless of origin (arcane, divine, or primal). Such a spell could in theory break the bounds or reality, and allow a user to go beyond what precedents other spells have set. Such a great would be considered a crowning achievement of a wizard’s career, and very few have achieved it - or lived to tell the tale after casting it.
Divine
Divine spells (including warlock spells) are created by the entities which grant them to the users. These are usually gods or demigods that psychically ‘download’ the knowledge of how to perform appropriately scaled spells into the user’s mind. As a user becomes more familiar with how to use the spells and how to control them, the patron can send more powerful spells to them to use, trusting them not to destroy themselves using them, or to go against their wishes.
Once a spell is ‘downloaded’ into a divine caster’s mind, it is embedded there. It is not easy for a patron to revoke them.
Boons, channeling of divinity, and other such magical abilities are cast by siphoning power from the patron directly or indirectly, and usually require a patron’s cooperation to use.
Sometimes though, a patron may grant a caster sudden and temporary abilities, using the caster as an instrument of their will - far more powerful than what they could achieve on their own, answering a prayer and empowering them in a pinch to escape a dire situation, or other magical powers that are not necessarily spells. Such instances are very rare though.
Divine spells this cannot be created by mortals due to the fact that they are by definition created by gods, but mortals who’ve been gifted divine spells may attempt to reverse engineer them to create similar effects. The process is extremely difficult as divine magic isn’t simply a formula that mortals can comprehend. They have to create a new, separate, generally arcane spell from scratch to mimic or expand upon the divine (Marrin Liafir is attempting to do this)
Primal
Magic drawn directly from the prime material (or theoretically any) plane. This magic is used by casters like Sorcerers, Naturalists, Druids, and even some barbarians, who bend the Weave and manipulate mana either instinctively or through the observation and study of the mechanics of nature and the world directly.
This magic is usually learned gradually by a practitioner as they gain experience in the world, or learn from another practitioner. No two casters manifest their spells the exact same way, even if they learned from the same teacher.
Primal spells have no formulae, and the knowledge of how to cast is just within the caster’s mind as they learned to do it chemselves. The same way that there’s no formula for whistling, crossing your eyes, or curling your tongue.
All primal spells are created by each caster, but they generally achieve a similar, specific effect. Some things are naturally easier to achieve than others (for example, heating is easier than cooling - so there are plenty of fire based spells. Graviturgy is complex and not generally easily observed, so there are very few such spells). However, through diligent study a primal caster may learn to harness and manipulate mana in novel ways to achieve new effects and effectively create a new spell.
Discussion
So, a bard’s magic could either be Arcane or Primal, but some are a mix of both. In Tira’s case, with her formal education in magic and history, I imagine it falls more in line with the arcane field, with some spells in the divine field
To create a spell like ‘illusory warmth but cold’, she would have to spend quite a bit of downtime reverse-engineering it and trying to figure out how to make it cold rather than warm.
Creating new arcane spells - even simple ones is quite challenging because of all the arcane knowledge required to even begin making it. It’s like coding, and sometimes inventing a new coding function or language to achieve what you want.
Tira was able to learn illusory warmth cause she had someone teach her, and there was already a formula to look at. Making something from scratch is much more challenging. Think getting a baking tutorial and recipe vs trying to invent a totally new type of cake you’ve never had or seen before from scratch, with only a flavor in mind
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