There are two disctinct types of Faen magic mentioned in the Kingkiller Chronicles: glammourie and grammarie.
Glammourie[]
Glammourie is a type of Faen magic that is the the art of making something seem. This is distinct from Grammarie which is the craft of making things be. The Faen don't think of glammourie or grammarie as magic, rather they think of them as arts or crafts, or of seeming or shaping.
Glammourie is described by Bast in The Lightning Tree as being the easier of the two. This is because it makes a thing seem like something else, as opposed to grammarie which changes the inherent nature of a thing. Faen folk using glammourie can make a white shirt seem blue, or white hair seem black, but not change the actual nature of the thing. This enables the Fae to hide their distinct appearances from mortal eyes, enabling them to travel to the mortal world unrecognized by people. Most Fae folk are skilled enough to perform at least a scrap of this art.
Faerie gold is another example of glammourie. Faen folk can make stones or acorns seem to be gold, both in appearance and weight, although the magic wears off after a time leaving mortals with stones or acorns in their pockets.
Glammourie does not just change the appearance of something. It changes all of the physical characteristics of an object, like weight and smell.
The level of difficulty of glammourie depends on the similarity of the object or person to the glamoured one. For example glamouring water into wine is easier than glamouring water into a stone.
Grammarie[]
Grammarie is a type of Faen magic that is the craft of making things be.
An example provided by Bast in The Lightning Tree is making a knife that is the best knife for someone (i.e. sentimental reasons) into the best knife for anyone. A really skilled Fae in this craft could make a fire more of what the fire is. He can make it hungrier and hotter. Someone truly powerful can make a shadow into a cloak. Since a shadow conceals and protects, the craft of grammarie makes it do more than its nature. This is how Felurian created a shaed for Kvothe. She made the shadow into a cloak that conceals and protects the wearer.
Combined Uses[]
It is implied by Bast that grammarie and glammourie can be used at the same time. Felurian uses glammourie and grammarie to make herself seem and be the most beautiful for everyone.
Speculation[]
From Bast's conversation with a young boy Kostrel, it is heavily implied that glammourie can be made by humans and that it is possible to break it. In his conversation he fears that Kostrel will ask the questions of “How do they make their glammourie?” or “How might a young boy break it?” and thus he deliberately tricks Kostrel into asking the a different question lest he would have to answer one of those.
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