Aether

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**.

### **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**

#### *Aura Awareness*

When training to cast Magic one has to gain control of their Aura, by first hindering its leakage to the environment, then controlling its flow around the body, and then extending it and exerting influence on the surrounding Aether.

**Aura Strengthening** the first step in casting Magic, while important to it it's not exclusive to it. Martial Artists can subconsciously become aware of their Aura and then train to strengthen it, benefiting from slightly increased physical abilities to extended longevity.

**Aura Control** is the second step to casting Magic and is crucial in its development. The more precise the control is, the more complex the Magic cast will be. Martial Arts that have Aura Strengthening as their hidden core will eventually develop Aura Control, as they'll increase the flow of Mana to further augment their abilities and eventually be able to use Aura to directly inflict damage.

**Aether Control** is the third, last and tantamount step in casting Magic. Mana as it diffuses from the Aura to the Aether creates an interaction between the two, and with practise this interaction can be strengthened. As Aura flows, the same motion is imparted on the surrounding Aether, cascading its effect.

#### *Flow Control*

When controlling Aether there are many ways it can flow.

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

#### *Density Control*

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

* Thin - a state in which Aether becomes less dense than the background Aether and allows for the manipulation of immaterial energies like Minds and Spacetime.
* 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 - the hardest concentration to achieve, but at this state the Aether not just simulates matter but becomes it permanently.

### **Techniques**

#### Utility

* Hard Pool - a technique that allows for the gathering of Aether and its precise control.
	+ ⌈Torch⌋ - ball of radiant energy used for illumination.
	+ ⌈Shield⌋ - disc of compressed energy used for protection.
		- ⌈Barrier⌋ - semi-sphere used for omni-directional protection.
		- ⌈Aegis⌋ - hexagonal plates with reinforced protection that can be used for attacking.
	+ ⌈Cage⌋ - sphere used to imprison targets.
		- ⌈Prison⌋ - compressed energy sphere that stops all internal movement.
	+ ⌈Sword⌋ - sharp energy-blade that can be widened or extended.
	+ ⌈Spear⌋ - piercing energy-lance that can launched towards a target individually or in mass.
	+ ⌈Ice⌋ - crystal-like attribute used to reinforce other techniques.
		- ⌈Stone⌋ - hardened ⌈Ice⌋ for increased physical properties.
			* ⌈Diamond⌋ - compacted ⌈Stone⌋ for superior physical properties.
	+ ⌈Bubble⌋ - fluid energy-bubble used for chemical mixing or separation.

#### Support

* Hard Vortex - it allows for more precise control over energy and matter.
	+ ⌈Flash Step⌋ - compressed disc that is used for fast 3D maneuvering.
	+ ⌈Furnace⌋ - chained-reaction that gathers more Aether with time, increasing the Aether the user controls.

#### Combat

* Hard Stream - focused projection of Aether mainly used for attacking.
	+ ⌈Blast⌋ - short discharge of dispersed energy.
	+ ⌈Shot⌋ - short discharge of focused energy.
		- ⌈Edge⌋ - flattened ⌈Shot⌋ for increased cutting damage.
		- ⌈Bullet⌋ - compressed ⌈Shot⌋ for increased damage.
			* ⌈Beam⌋ - continuous ⌈Bullet⌋ for superior damage.
	+ ⌈Fire⌋ - attribute with combustive thermal effect to reinforce other techniques.
	+ ⌈Lightning⌋ - attribute with electrical effect to reinforce other techniques.
	+ ⌈Frost⌋ - attribute with numbing thermal effect to reinforce other techniques.
	+ ⌈Wind⌋ - attribute with kinetic effect to reinforce other techniques.
		- ⌈Water⌋ - attribute with increased kinetic effect to reinforce other techniques.
	+ ⌈Explosion⌋ - short discharge of dispersed energy with thermal and kinetic effects.

#### Creation

* Dense Pool - permanent solidified energy that mimics material properties
	+ ⌈Forge⌋ - generation of a persistant object.

#### Recovery

* Soft Vortex - precise control of biological energy.
	+ ⌈Mend⌋
	+ ⌈Heal⌋
	+ ⌈Cure⌋
	+ ⌈Transform⌋

### Talents

While some techniques require a lot of time to master, others, because of geneology or race, have an inherent ability to perform certain techniques, this ability is called **Talent**.