Magic

Magic is the term for the transfer, conservation and usage of energy out of the ordinary. Usually, energies are transferred through consumption, conserved through storage and used through release. However, since the Universe split into Earthen and Ethereal as planes of existence, Beings living within the Earthen have experienced a form of energy that they can access from the Ethereal. Such energies are usually neither consumed nor stored, but used instantly upon their receive. This leads to spontaneous events that are considered magical. Elements are summoned out of thin air, Beings are bent to the will of the Magi, life is given to what is of unliving.

There is a distinct difference between users of this craft. Those that are naturally born with the talent to use magic are called Magi, while those that learned to control the energies of the Universe through training are Magicians.

The most effective way to learn Magic is to study spells and abilities that share similarities. These groups of spells are called Magic Circles and allow the experience and knowledge of the arcane to be distributed and taught more easily. Some arcane scholars however are very secretive about their inventions and write simple scrolls, rather than adding them to a Circle.

Studying the arcane arts, learning spells in the Arcana Academia or overall performing with magical attributes are usually written and performed with a dialect of the Language of Old, the tongue of Gods.

The energies that can be used with Magic are called Mana. Mana resources are drawn freshly from the Ethereal or taken from other Beings or Foci.

Environmental Effects
There are numerous ways that Magic is affected by the environment, especially within the Ethereal. Sometimes, there are no sources of Mana, or they have been depleted by strong casts. In some moments, this will perform drawbacks on casters that try to draw Mana from the Ethereal.


 * Manahole - The area lacks any source of Mana. The caster can only perform a spell with Mana drawn from Foci or other Beings.


 * Overflow - Mana radiates in such amounts that casters have a +1 to all casting throws.


 * Overpressure - The energies in the Ethereal are applying massive pressure to Mana and the Caster. It takes them longer to cast spells. This usually extends the duration of casting up one tier. Standard actions become complex ones, complex ones take a second turn etc.etc.etc.


 * Rain - Even in the Ethereal, there is precipitation of some sort. Some energies become denser and trickle downward onto larger entities within the Ethereal. This rain is making it slightly more difficult to draw Mana, but has the odd side-effect that some aspects of a spell might increase in strength.
 * Manacrush - This interesting phenomena is a massive increase in pressure of Mana against spellcaster. This pressure is so powerful that casters have to withstand it or are unable to cast for a while. People getting hit by a Manacrush have to roll a Magic + Arcana check against a DC of 10. Those unable to withstand are thrown to the ground, receive the net-hits as Stun Damage and are unable to cast for a while.