Mana

A magical energy flows through all living things. Often it goes unobserved, but the flower that blooms amidst a snowstorm is proof enough that there is magic in all things. It is fuel for many different things. The exact science of mana is yet unknown. But what is known is that living things generate mana, and souls generate even more. When mana is used for something, the body is able to regenerate more simply by resting.

When a mage is connected to the Void, he/she may imagine things in this Void; however, a mage must use mana to either draw this spell into the world, or apply it to someone/something. Mana is sightless and is as invisible as the air in our world (See Auras and Arcane Evocation for more details on this). It flows through our world like streams, and is in every living thing, whether it is plants or animals. Although mana comes at a cost, since it flows through people, Void users have gained the ability to use this mana to draw from the Void. Void users often get fatigued when over using mana, and have in rare cases died due to the use of large amounts of mana. Another draw-back with the use of mana is the effect (or lack thereof) on our mortal plane, when you draw on the Void for magics such as Evocations, this element which has been evoked must eventually return to the Void. However this can become complicated with such magics as Alteration, as it has the ability to prolong the existence of Void based elements in our world.

An unknown fact to many is that mana is not only used by mages of the arcane, but as well by all other types of magic, be them necromancy or clericism. It is through the use of mana that other types of powers (be them from deity or mortal existances) may be used. Some powers even change mana so that it can be used directly in other ways.

States of Mana

Passive

This is found everywhere, in everything. Souls produce passive mana, too (every sort of soul, including those of dogs, liches and every other soul-holder). Souls can only directly manipulate passive mana produced by themselves. If passive mana is produced by a soul, that soul can convert it into active mana. Thusly, a ‘mana pool’ is how much passive mana a soul has produced. Typically, a soul never uses its passive mana pool, and the excess passive mana seeps away as aura. Passive mana is not found on one’s physical person, and is instead found around their soul. When passive mana is produced by a soul, it is specific to that soul, and thus when it seeps to become aura or is converted to active mana and burned, it has a specific aura colour. All soul-bearing individuals require passive mana to survive, and thus converting all of one’s passive mana into active mana results in death (the death occurs due to being unable to do anything, be it breath, think or move). Passive mana is capable of being manipulated or changed, though this is an ability that only magics can do. Shade magic, for example, may convert passive mana into Amber, whilst alteration may manipulate passive mana and alter the properties of objects.

Active

This is passive mana that has been given a task, and is thus active. All magics use active mana, and active mana is used to fuel all sorts of magical actions. Thanhium produces active mana when converting heat into mana, explaining why it is so useful. Active mana may not be reverted to passive mana, and burns away (instead of seeping away, like passive mana does) into aura when used or when in excess. Active mana may be stored in gems, which prevent it from burning away as quickly, effectively powering enchantments. Active mana gems, however, may run out, though this would take many centuries to occur. Anti-magic works by tearing active mana away from spells and other forms of magic and disposing it into the void, effectively nullifying the spells. Wards work and abjurations in a similar way, though one must understand exactly how the active mana is applied in order to ward a spell. The active mana is then redirected away from the purpose of fueling the spell, thus causing the spell to vanish.

Aura

The ‘smoke’ of mana. Passive mana slowly degrades to become aura if it is in excess (such as when it is in a soul that produces lots of passive mana, such as a mage’s soul). Active mana, when used to perform actions, is spent and burned, becoming aura. This is why a mage’s aura is most visible when they perform magic, yet this does not mean it is always visible or that is must be visible when magic is cast. In fact, it is usually invisible, but the use of magic makes it more likely to be in large enough quantities to be visible. Aura can be considered the ‘smoke’ if mana being used is the ‘fire’. If aura forms in vast quantities, the colour it takes is entirely dependent on the Mage producing it, which is dependent on the active mana and thus dependent on the passive mana and finally the soul. This means that the aura colour of an individual is a good representation of their base character. Aura colour does not change under typical circumstances, however, and is a constant throughout one's life unless great change happens to them or their soul (such as becoming a Shade or binding one's soul to a soul tree). The colour of aura can mean many things, where blue could mean anything from a cool, analytical mind to a cruel, heartless one, or red meaning bravery or wrath. It is usually very difficult to be sure of a person's nature solely by their aura. Auras are typically monotone, though magical alterations to one's soul may cause unique effects to appear. This only occurs when a soul has been warped to such a level that it can no longer be considered a descendant soul.

Genus

Genus is a form of dormant, powerful mana that is found in the blood of all creatures capable of magic. Through forbidden, ancient techniques, Blood Mages have found a way to manipulate this form of mana and use it to empower their magics. When manipulated, it may be used in a similar way to active mana, albeit it is far more powerful. Because it is not naturally under the domain of the Blood Mage’s soul, it is far more difficult to control or manipulate. Genus does not count as active mana; it is merely Genus. Genus does require active mana to manipulate, however.

Amber

A corrupted form of passive mana that has become an entirely new state of its own, this is produced by the Shade Gem and Daeva and used by Shades to create a great manner of things. It is incredibly versatile, capable of changing temperature, density, state and many other physical and chemical properties whilst still remaining the same substance. Only those with a corrupted, Shade-imbued soul may manipulate it, but even then the process requires active mana. Amber naturally deteriorates into a flaking, black aura, though this can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours.

Ectoplasm

A mixture of lifeforce and active mana, this substance glows an eerie, deathly colour and is found in all types of ghosts and spectral beings. It is typically manipulated by Mystics and Wights to perform their magic of mysticism. Mixed and made by the unnatural souls of ghosts and the spectral dead, this form of mana is the only one which blends with lifeforce, and thus its presence is largely unnatural and it is almost never found in ordinary life forms. The binding of lifeforce and active mana makes both useless to use, where the lifeforce cannot be manipulated by necromancer sand the active mana may not be used for magic. It is for this reason that, to manipulate ectoplasm, queerly enough, one requires active mana.

Mana Pools

Mana pools are how much mana we have in our person, and this determines how grand our spells can be, along with the duration a spell can be held in our world. Mana pools are governed by two things; Skill level and Magic type. Skill level is simply how skilled you are at manipulating mana for your specific Sub-type. For example; the longer you train in the use of Evocations, the better and more efficient you are at manipulating mana for that sub-type. Magic type is a little more complicated, different magic Sub-types are naturally more mana consuming then others, a few examples of very draining Sub-types are as followed: Alteration, Arcane Evocation and Conjuration. Although far more difficult to learn if one of these are your first Sub-type, you will naturally get a bigger mana pool then someone who's first Sub-type was Illusion, or perhaps an Evocation.