Mana

Mana is an insubstantial energy that permeates everything. It's generated by the mere act of living, lingering in a living beings' body forming what is called their **Aura** and eventually diffusing to the environment becoming what is called **Aether**.

## **Aura**

Latent Mana that has yet to diffuse to the environment, forming an enveloping shroud around the body. In complex beings it can acquire individualistic quirks that make it distinctive to perceptive observers. It plays a cruial role in performing **Magic**.

### Martial Arts (Warrior)

Aura **Awareness**, the first ability one has to acquire to gain control of their Aura, by first hindering its leakage to the environment, then controlling its flow around the body.

Aura **Strengthening**, the ability to increase the internal aura flow to augment natural abilities and even extend longevity.

Aura **Control**, the ability, to condense aura around the body to increase external resistance, or to emit presurized aura from the body to increase impact damage.

Aura **Manipulation**, an advanced ability, only performed by Martial masters or geniuses, that allows to perform a number of techniques:

* **Sense** - reduce the flow of aura to increase aura sensitivity;
* **Focus** - accumulate flow in a specific body part to further increase it;
* **Suppress** - stop and contain the flow of aura to hide presence and increase sensivity;
* **Expel** - focus and emit a concentrated wave of aura from the body;
* **Temper** - extend and surround a held object with aura to augment its performance;
* **Circle** - further extend the aura outside the body to create a field which allows to sense everything inside it;

## **Aether**

Ambient mana that has diffused to the environment. While mostly neutral, it can retain errant thoughts, memories and emotions of living beings. Mana sensitive beings can perceive disturbances in the flow of Aether and gather extra-sensory information from it. Highly perceptive beings can gather knowledge from the Unconscious Collective.

### Magic (Mage)

To perform Magic one has to complete the two first abilities of Martial Arts, Aura **Awareness** and **Strengthening**.

Aether **Perception**, the abiliyty to perceive the interaction that Aura has over the Aether, as Mana diffuses from one to the other.

Aether **Control**, is the ability to strengthen the interaction between Aura and Aether, and to impart controlled motions on the surrounding Aether.

#### *Flow Control*

When controlling Aether there are many ways it can flow.

* **Pool** - gathering the Aether into one spot increasing its concentration.
* **Vortex** - increasing the flow of Aether into one place.
* **Stream** - focusing the flow in one direction increasing the physical effect the Aether has.

#### *Density Control*

When controlling Aether it's possible to alter its concentration changing how it interacts with the environment.

* **Thin** - by slightly inreasing the density of Aether, one can use it to interact with others' Auras and consequently their minds.
* **Soft**- a state of very delicate and precise concentration that allows one to interact with living matter.
* **Hard** - by increasing the density until the Aether becomes mostly translucid one can simulate different kinds of energy, interacting with physical matter and even alter it.
* **Dense** - by further increasing the concentration, the Aether becomes opaque and acquires physical form and properties.

#### *Techniques*

* Hard Pool: **Utility** Magic
* Hard Vortex: **Support** Magic
* Hard Stream: **Combat** Magic
* Dense Pool: **Creation** Magic
* Soft Vortex: **Recovery** Magic
* Soft Stream: **Transform** Magic
* Thin Stream: **Curse** Magic
* Thin Vortex: **Spacetime** Magic

### Sorcery (Sorcerer)

A more complex practise of magic that requires one to be more skilled and knowledgeable than a normal Mage. While it requires more effort to cast, the applications and power are far greater.

Aether **Manipulation**, is the ability to construct Arrays, which to the use of symbols determines a Spells' effect.

#### *Array*

A construct of **Aether** that is crafted by the **Sorcerer**. There are a number of elements for the configuration of **Arrays**, the main one being the **Circle**, which collects and circulates Aether in the Array. All other elements are inscribred inside the Arrays' Circle.

A **Glyph** is a geometic shape that is used to form a **Conduit**, which will determine how the other elements will interact with each other inside de Array.

A **Rune** is a symbol that imparts Aether with a determined property, be it physical, mental or even immaterial energies. It shapes the Flow and Density of Aether in a local, controlled and systematic manner, and is crafted on the vertices of a Glyph.

A **Sigil** is a construct that is crafted in the center of an Array and determines its Range (by shifting its flow), Output (by focusing it) and Duration (by reclaiming it).

A **Circuit** can be crafted concentrically to the Array to enhance its performance, using Runes and Sigils that don't directicly interact with the Array.

A **Node** (a smaller and simpler Array) can be added peripherally to an Array when the Spell in question is too complex and requires a sub-process.