Harnessing Magic

Using magic is the process of shaping magical energy into patterns that manifest the desired results.
Magic is an energy that flows from all life forces as well as certain natural mechanisms, such as the flowing of materials within the core of the planet, the interaction of the planet with other bodies in space, and the movement of objects through space. This is why various lunar and planetary alignments are significant to the availability of magic.
Magic can be harnessed and shaped to create physical manifestations. Shaping magic is often referred to as patterning, as the process tends to work by the user forming a pattern in their mind representing the manifestation. How the mind is guided to the pattern varies by the user. Strictly speaking, any user of magic need only use their mind to pattern the magic. In reality, most people are not capable of the discipline needed to do so. In those cases, they use various means to aid in their ability to find and control patterns. These techniques may also be used by those who have the discipline to work without them, simply to make it easier for them to use magic.
There are many patterns for a given result, although each pattern induces variations in the result. There can be multiple paths to a given pattern. Each user of magic has their own set of paths and patterns.

Typical Methodologies

There are a number of broad methodologies available to the typical user of magic. While this list is not exhaustive, it covers the majority of cases.
Some use their intellect to shape the patterns. They must learn each pattern they use before using it. This means they are generally limited to the patterns they have learned. As these patterns can be complex, they often record each pattern they learn in a book containing their known patterns, often called a spell book. They often can only have a few patterns memorized at any given time, although some (e.g. with didactic memory), can keep most if not all of the patterns they know memorized. However, this can be dangerous, as when a high number of magical patterns are held in the mind, there is a tendancy for them to interfere with one another. This means that the more spells one has memorized, the less likely it is for any single spell to succeed exactly as desired.
Some tap into their creativity to shape magic. Much as an artist paints a picture, these users of magic shape the raw magic from scratch each time. These users are very flexible in what patterns they can use, but each pattern is slightly different from all other similar patterns, leading to unknown variations. Some variations may be more useful than intended while others are less. They are also more easily interrupted or distracted. This makes them easier to defend against in combat situations.
Some draw on existing shapes, plucking the magical patterns based on the life forces around them. This means they are limited by the environment they are in. For instance, in a forest setting, one could draw on the life force pattern of a nearby vine to wrap an opponents legs and feet in rapidly growing vines, making it difficult for them to move. But if there are no vines in the vicinity, this cannot be done. These magic users often carry living patterns with them where they can. For instance, a living circlet of a familiar vine may be worn as a bracelet, which can then be used as a pattern for entangling vines.
Some draw on the abilities of some partner to pattern their magic. This could be a god, an other-realm being, or simply a more powerful wielder of magic. In these cases the user siphons individual patterns from their source as needed. However, the source is in full control of what patterns are available to the user. In most cases, the source need not expend any energy, or even any thought, to the creation of the pattern by the user. There is a form of psychic link between the two beings that allows the user to directly access a limited set of magical patterns. The limitations are usually decided upon by the source when said access is initially granted, although it can change at the will of the source.

Specific Techniques

The techniques and tools that can be used to help focus patterns include (but are not limited to) the following. Any of the above methodologies can use one or more of these techniques. The specific actions of a user may not be covered by any of these techniques: it is not an exhaustive list.

Reciting an incantation

Moving the hands in particular patterns

Combined incantations and semantic actions

Using an object as a focus, such as a wand or talisman

Saying a prayer to their god

Holding a conversation with their benefactor

Drawing patterns in the air (or paper, canvas, or the dust of the ground)

Picturing the results in their mind, or just the raw pattern.

Advancement of Skills

As a magic user improves in their abilities and skills, they may change to a different means of pattern mnemonics, generally moving over time to less physically taxing methods. And as their techniques may change, so may their basic methodologies. As one learns magic, one's understanding may change, so the way a magic user thinks about and thus utilizes magic may change of time.

Storing Magic and Magical Devices

While magic is an ambient energy, it cannot be used without being focused through patterns. Sometimes necessary to use more magical energy to form the pattern than is readily available through the environment. Sometimes it is desirable to enhance or completely power some item (a weapon, a source of water, an animated construct) without having to be present or to be constantly funneling energy into it. In these cases, its necessary to store magic and construct means of discharging it through controlled patterns governed by something other than the mind.

Joto Crystals

Joto crystals are a well known type of crystal that can store magic in their natural state. Then can store even more when shaped by gem smiths. And more skilled gem smiths can even form the crystal in such was as to allow the magic to either be focused through the crystal or discharged by it (or both). In this respect, joto crystals are key components of magical storage devices as well as other magical constructs.

Fonaj

Fonaj, also known as nöžaŗö, is a metal that can be refined and used to channel magical energy. It is extremely durable and radiates faint magical energy on its own. It can be forged by itself or alloyed with other metals for different material properties. It can be used for blades and for bludgeons, woven into cloth, or pulled into wire for conduction magical energy.

Biological Components

Many things from nature can be used to store or use magical energy. For instance, When a käro'ath sheds its scales, many become Forest Sprites. But those that do not can be used to store small amounts of magical energy. They can also be arranged on a substrate in such a way as to provide the pattern need for utilizing the magic. Most biological components can only store patterns, but some can store energy or both.

Storing Patterns

It is possible to lace fonaj into or around joto crystals in order to form the patterns necessary for spells. This is a delicate process that only a few have mastered. It is also possible to use runes or other writings etched into either fonaj or joto (or a combination) and utilize the written language to replicate the patterns necessary. Most often, Thevan is used for this, as the language of the gods is uniquely suited for it, but any language that the magic user carving the runes knows sufficiently well can be used.
There are some (e.g. käro'ath scales mentioned above) biological components that are known to be capable of storing patterns. This is not the same as the druidic use of components; although that type of component can be used, it is consumed by the magic as there is no intellect guiding the pattern duplication. Rather, magical biologicals can feed patterns into a properly constructed device. Biological components can be restricted to a single purpose (feathered giraffe feathers can only be used for long distance communication) while others can be "programmed". Some are naturally occurring, such as certain plants, horns and other long-lasting parts of some animals, and even some more bizarre creatures such as brain beetle. Others require the magical corruption of biological materials.
Indeed, followers of Árak, and especially Vontshy, have been known to corrupt intelligent and semi-intelligent beings to use as batteries, effectively destroying their intellect and personality. Similarly, necromancy corrupts dead flesh into a construct that acts as a battery and pattern, causing the dead flesh to serve the purpose of the corrupter.
Finally, patterns can be stored on more mundane materials. However, they usually require a magical component to read them. For instance, a pattern can be simply written on a sheet of paper, usually in Thevan. However, the pattern must be activated with the some use of fonaj, or focusing energy onto and through the paper with a joto crystal. In these cases it is generally difficult to get all the components to work correctly together, leaving much room for error. Hence, this method of storage is usually used only as a last resort or when prototyping a device, as it tends to be less expensive.
An alternative is writing the pattern on paper, but rather than focusing raw energy onto the paper, the user of the so-called scroll can use the words as a guide to forming the pattern themselves. In most cases, this is done by the writer of the scroll, using it as a means to quickly access a spell that they may not use often. However, some individuals can be trained to form the magical patterns based on someone else's writing, even if they are unable to pattern magic without the third-party aid. Their likelyhood of success varies depending on their experience with reading scrolls, the language the scroll is written in, and their familiarity with the creator of the scroll. The scroll itself does not provide any magical energy, however, in nearly all cases, the scroll is consumed by the patterning. The paper itself is not destroyed, but the writing either fades to nothingness or becomes jumbled and unreadable. This is a byproduct of the magic being pulled through the scroll.

Examples of Magic Use

Lightning

Omasloonletl grew up on LIghtning Island, a place where, for nearly three hours a day, lightning formed continously in a bay with unusual rock formations. It was one of his favorite places to visit. He could watch the lightning for hours.
Now, fighting a tenacious lion, he remembered those storms, the lightning vivid in his mind, the pattern forming. Then, lightning struck down upon the lion from the evening sky.

Long distance telepathy

Shaiqi really need to send a message to her sister, all the way back in Kaukalaik. And she needed to send it now. Thankfully, she had a portion of the feather from a feathered giraffe. She had collected it from a giraffe she befriended several months ago. Shaiqi pulled the feather from one of her pouches and held it in her hands. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feather, her sister, and the message she wanted to send. She formulated a pattern in her mind from her internal image of the feather, letting the pattern mix with the message and the image of her sister. Then Shaiqi felt her sister's presence and then her response. She relaxed, releasing the pattern from her thoughts, and put the feather away.

Magic Arrow

Pearl learned to hunt with her father and brother. She was a natural. If she could see it, she could shoot it. She frequently went into the woods alone, always with her bow and quiver, her bow held down, but with an arrow notched and ready to go.
One night she found herself out in the woods, somehow without her bow. There was a sound behind her and she turned to see a monstrous beast, one she had seen in her dreams before. So she pulled back the arrow and let it fly. But there was no bow, and no arrow. Yet a glowing blue bolt shot out, hitting the beast in the shoulder. It didn't do much more than moan from the pain, looked at Pearl almost wistfully, then turned and loped away.

Type

Metaphysical