Mana

Energy has permeated the Cosmos since the beginning, and it flows through all creation in three distinct forms. All beings contain two of them in various amount, Ethos also known as Dark Matter, and Mana, also known as Dark Energy, while only mortal beings have the third, Lifeforce or matter, as well. But only those who are "blessed be mana" or in tune with dark energy (see the Talent Attribute) are capable of wielding "magic" to its' fullest potential as their resonance is in tune with that if the aether. Some materials also possess this property. When a creature dies, the mana within them is filtered back into the ambient field. Most matter contains a miniscule amount of mana that is released if the matter undergoes combustion or ionization, though it may take timenfor that mana to realign to its' aetheric state.

A spellcaster naturally has a container of this unbound energy they can manipulate if talented enough. Some worlds having natural springs of mana, although some worlds possess little natural mana at all. A spellcaster in a mana neutral area will regain their base mana every day while in a mana-infused area they will gain 1.5 times their base mana everyday. A mana depleted area would result in only .5 times their base mana gained every day. In mana-dense areas, a caster would refill their mana every night (12.5% every rested hour, or 3% every 15 minutes of rest), while a manaless area would result in no base mana gained at all.

Rivers of mana exist within worlds called Ley Lines, through the universe known as Ley Rivers and through the Planes known as the River of Souls.

Mana can be shared between those with the capacity to store it within their bodies in what is known as a mages handshake. The dominant color of a mages energy during the handshake denotes how blessed by mana they are.

Mana is measure in Motes. A 1st circle magic spell requires 3 motes of mana to cast. A mote of mana detonated deals about 2 hitpoints worth of damage in a 5ft area (every concurrent motes of mana increases this damage by 2 and every 33 motes increase diameter by 5ft). Any creature that is outside the initial distance up to double the distance away takes half the damage.

The normal commoner contains about 5 motes worth of mana in their body.

A rare subset of mana is known as negative or anti mana. This is an inverted type of mana that negates normal mana at an equivalent rate and the unit is known as a demote.

Mana color is individually dependent on the caster wielding it, or the source of magic that it was used to preform or generated by. Usually the color of a casters mana stabilizes and does not change by the time they are capable of casting 5th circle spells. The color is only altered through dramatic or drastic changes to the caster themselves.

A mote of mana is .777 cubic inches when manifested.

A creatures base mana regenerating is based upon the River of Souls, therefore no matter where they go, they will always regenerate the same amount of mana. In areas with time dilation or other similar effects, mana regeneration of creatures slows down or otherwise adapts to the region where time is different. Their base amount of mana begins stretching through their aetheric connections until it completes its journey into a creatures being as their mana.

## Mana Formula for Base Mana

This formula determines the amount of mana within a creature or being. Items follow rules as set in the Crafting section.

CON Score + INT Score + WIS Score + CHA Score + Talent Score *DIVIDED BY one of the following:*

(13 - (Talent Score - 10)) for positive Talent Modifiers & (3 + (Talent Score + 1)) for negative Talent Modifiers

This is the amount of Base Mana a being has. Base Mana is multiplied by the total levels of the being or creature to determine their total mana pool. Base mana is also the amount regenerated by a being after resting for 8 hours on the Material Plane, or 56 hours on the Outer or other Inner Planes.

## Mana vs. Qi

When a being is able to focus their innate mana to be perfectly in tune with their ethos, they are able to access another way of using the energy known as Qi. While it can not be used in as intricate ways as normal magic, its' basic functions gain the hardness mana and Psychic Force making it a potent combination. Any character can take the feats (known as Qi Feats) in order to unlock the ability to use mana this way, however classes like the Monk gain bonus feats for them. The use of Qi is invisible to those who are able to detect magic or psychic force, unless the Qi is less powerful than what is used for detection.

## Magical Emanation and Strength

This is the distance and duration that each aetheric signature of known mana range of emanation has. This is the farthest out that it can be detected from, and the amount of time after the spell has been cast that it can be detected. Containers of mana use the type of mana stored and distance to determine the detection range. Beings use the base mana for their own detection.

## Dangers of Mana

### Mana Shock

If a caster channels or uses an amount of (anti)mana greater than 20% of their total pool, they must make a fortitude save or suffer from (anti)mana shock. This save is equal to the amount of (anti)mana channeled or spent divided by the Talent modifier of the caster. The Ritual feat may divided the cost of the ritual among other sources of power to suit the above requirement. (Anti)Mana shock can be induced if this amount is used within 6 seconds. **(Anti)Mana shock** results in the caster falling unconscious for a number of minutes equal to three times the motes of (anti)mana used when the shock was induced. Items have a mana shock limit equal to 20% of their hit points, and break should they suffer this amount of internal damage.

If a caster channels or uses an amount equal to 20% of their total hit points + mana pool (or their anti-mana pool - their total hit points this total treated as a positive) then they take a massive amount of damage, a fortitude save as before halving this. This damage can not be negated or mitigated in any way. **Severe (anti) Mana Shock** results in the nerves crystalizing, the damage equal to three times the amount of (anti)mana channeled or spent and usually death.. Failing the Fortitude save from Severe (Anti)Mana Shock results in a permanent loss of a point of Talent. Having a Talent of 10 or 11, makes an individual immune to (anti)mana shock.

### Mana Sickness

Due to the internal nature of mana potions and similar items taking too many, a number of similar items in a rolling week equal to your talent modifier, incurs a fortitude save equal to their Talent score. Each subsequent dose after increases this save by the Talent modifier of the Imbiber. If failed, the imbiber is rendered nauseated and unable to preform magic for a number of days equal to their modifier.

### Ley Sickness

If a creature or object takes in mana equal to seven times their mana or hit point total, which ever is higher within 7 days, they suffer ley shock. Similar to mana shock and mana sickness from potions, this sickness lasts for a number of weeks equal to the total amount of mana absorbed divided by the Talent modifier of the creature or object. The creature thrust into a coma, and unable to be awoken through normal means. Objects gain the Broken condition and are rendered at half hit points until repaired, though they become immune to magical repairing attempts.

## Negating Mana Based Effects

There are six known ways of cancelling out, ending or suppressing magic:

### Suppression

Also known as binding, this floods creatures, objects and locations aetherial connections with active magic, preventing any other magic from functioning by making the affected already "channeling" mana. Spells such as *Anti-Magic Field* function this way.

### Disruption

This causes a temporary lapse in connection to the Aether and Ether, breaking the flow of energy and ending its' effect. This disruption can be permanent or temporary depending on the object, location or creature disrupted. Spells such *Dispel Magic*, and *Mages' Disjunction* function in this way.

### Dispersion

This causes a total loss of mana via vibrational frequencies causing it to be unable to be contained normally. Mana affected in this way is shunted into the aether, unable to be harnessed until it realigns itself with the location, object or creature and redrawn in.

### Cancellation

This is an interaction between two different types of polarized mana, causing both sources of mana to lose any influence and become neutral mana in the aether. Nullium and similar effects also affect mana and mages in this way.

### Irradiation

Similar to cancellation and related to annihilation, these motes are corroded with radiation and become neutral, unable to polarize until the radiation is cleaned or fades away.

### Annihilation

The most dangerous, this is the complete destruction of mana which usually causes a reaction that also destroys other nearby quintessence leaving nothing, and can even damage or destroy ley, aetherial and ethereal connections and networks.

## Common Mana Colors

For the case of "typed" magic, there are 16 defined and known "colors" as divine magic depends on the deity granting the magic:

* Arcane: Electric Blue
	+ Anti: Plum Purple
* Divine: Varies
	+ Negative: Opposite of Original
	+ Natural: Vibrant Green
		- Negative: Dull Yellow
* Radiant: White and Gold
* Esoteric: Navy Blue
* Astral: Blue, Indigo, Red
* Soul: Lavander
* Wild: Sage Green
* Fire: White
* Air: Sky Blue
* Earth: Brown, Dark Green
* Water: Various Blues
* Necromantic: Purple
* Blood: Red
* Lunar: Black and White
* Fel: Lime Green
* Void: Black