Mana
Mana is the primary, ubiquitous energy of the Manaverse. It is known as one of the fundamental driving forces of the Manaverse, existing as a harmonizing energy that facilitates terraforming in planets and the presence of life. Consequently, it is categorized as the Primordial Aether of the highest order.
It can be harnessed by beings and expended much like a "magical fuel" in order to cast Magic. Mana also acts as the primary energy source for souls, which require the aether for their continued existence.
The study of Mana is known as Mana Theory, or less commonly, Manalogy -- the focus of which pertains to the properties, phenomena, and behavior of Mana.
Contents
Properties
In its natural state, Mana is substanceless and therefore lacks mass, charge, or any notable physical properties. As such, it is normally considered to be aetheric, the name given to the intangible state that Mana naturally occurs in. In small quantities, Mana is invisible to the naked eye. It gains its distinctive, blueish coloration when there is a high concentration of the aether in one location, comparable to the behavior of a gas.
Structure
Quantification
Because it is actually comprised of smaller particles and is not an immaterial force, Mana can be measured and quantified. The basic unit to measure an amount of Mana is called a syel, a Phantasian term derived from the Xharic word "sëlxen", for "essence."
The Principle of Equivalence in Mana states that, no matter the type of process the aether is involved in, the absolute potential of the Magical Function will be directly proportional to the amount of Mana used as a fuel. Due to this principle, the unit serves a dual purpose when quantifying Mana as it enables Manalogists to effectively measure the potential aetheric energy derived from Magic.
While a single syel represents the absolutely minimum amount of Mana that a Magical Function can involve, the exact value of a potent of Mana is estimated to be approximately 2.3 attosyels (2.3 * 10-18 syels).
Behavior
Mana is intangible, and is unbound by the physical rules that govern beings within the Manaverse. Mana is instead considered to be a part of the "metaphysical world," and thus follows a set of metaphysical laws rather than physical ones.
Studies on the behavior of Mana have shown that the aether is actually sentient. Its nature is to harmonize with both the environment and the universe. Consequently, Mana can be compared to an organism whose sole purpose is to propagate itself throughout the universe, conditioning either itself or its surroundings to achieve an ideal level of "harmony" between both. This behavior is what allows Mana to facilitate the creation of new worlds, and later, the creation and evolution of life within them.
Mana Cycle
By actively seeking harmony, Mana establishes cyclical behaviors with nature to varying degrees, establishing what is commonly referred to as a Mana Cycle. A Mana Cycle is a blanket term describing any cyclical system established by or involving Mana. This can vary greatly in scope from an individual level to a planetary level (or greater). Establishing these cyclical processes is a function within Mana itself.
When referring to an individual's Mana Cycle, it refers to the cycle between the soul and Mana. The process is comparable to breathing, except on a spiritual level rather than a physical one. Mana is naturally drawn into an entity's Spiritual Body as a result of the soul's influence being exerted over psions in potents of Mana in the air. This influence is very subtle, and is sufficient for establishing a "working" flow of Mana throughout the Spiritual Body to preserve the soul. This Mana is stored into the entity's Mana Circuits in order to accumulate a small pool of the aether for more efficient access. As such, the term may also be used in reference to the rate at which an individual's body is replenishing Mana.
Much like breathing, it is possible for an individual to have a degree of control over their own Mana Cycle. Individuals who are skilled in doing so, through practice, are capable of lessening or strengthening the rate of Mana replenishment of their bodies for a limited amount of time.
At a greater scope, the Mana Cycle refers to the cyclical systems of all Mana in the universe. These systems are all functionally congruent, but are considered to be versions of one another with various levels of focus. For example, one could be referring to the flow of Mana over a particular region, or the flow of Mana between planets. In the latter example, planetary cores act as 'nodes' of ingoing and outgoing Mana, facilitating supply of Mana throughout the world. A node in this context refers to [...].
Use in Magic
- Main Article: Magiology
- Main Article: Magiology
Mana is the predominant power source of magic and magical processes in the Manaverse. The power derived from the decay of Mana particles is used to transform a part or parts of the fabric of reality, resulting in small-scale alterations of reality.
Elemental Mana
Mana can become elementalized (elementally "charged" or "shifted") because the aether experiences what is classified as a "perfect resonance" with the Elemental Spectrum. Mana accepts all Elemental Wavelengths, and even extraspectral ones. The aether's perfect resonance with the Spectrum stems from its nature as a harmonizing force. The potent of a Mana particle allows it to accept elemental influence and become elementalized.
It is not uncommon to find Elemental Mana in nature, especially in locations with high elemental "influence," or activity. For example, it would be expected due to active exposure to particular Elemental Wavelengths to find a high quantity of Fireshifted Mana in a volcanic area.
Crystallized Mana
In certain environmental conditions, Mana can condense and crystallize. These crystallized instances of Mana are very efficient in storing the energy, although their capacity and efficiency depends on the composition and structure of the crystal. The composition of a Mana crystal is dependent on environmental parameters such as elemental presence or the type of the biome, as well as the density of Mana in the atmosphere.
