In the Zakharan view of magic, the universal province encompassed a number of spells that were not specific to the four elemental provinces of sand, sea, wind, and flame. Universal spells could be learned by all Zakharan sorcerers and elemental mages, no matter their specialization. The universal province is not to be confused with the much narrower range of universal spells that were not considered part of any of the nine (or eight) schools of magic distinguished by Faerûnian magic-users.