The Arcane

The Arcane is the magic system in the world. Users of the Arcane, also known as arcanists, can redirect their physical energy to perform superhuman or magical feats. It is a hard magic system with multiple layers.

Eligibility

Long ago, before The Fall, the Arcane was abundant and every creature could use it. They were masters over the Arcane and were able to infuse energy to elevate their society and technology to incredible heights. It was used so abundantly that people grew reliant on it. Nowadays, and only a select few have an innate ability to make use of it at all. Being able to use the arcane is not genetic, but is instead seemingly random. Furthermore, it seems that the arcane of this day is significantly weaker than the arcane used before the fall; that is to say, arcanists in the past were capable of much more than arcanists now.

Perception of the Arcane

Common folk does not understand it and most of those who have such an ability are therefore admired and seen as super-heroes. Meanwhile, there are always those who oppose the idea, who see it as unnatural and have natural adversity towards it.

Learning to the Arcane

Initially, an arcanist's abilities are weak, and training is required for an ability to improve, which is why many join The Order to become Night Hunters. Because only a select few know how the abilities work and how to improve them, people trained by The Order are significantly stronger than those without training. The strength of one's ability is therefore determined by both talent and training.
There are a few who have learned without the Order, but these self-taught ability users are usually much weaker (except for an interesting character who can be introduced late in the story, whose self-taught ability is stronger than our main character's ability and might become a mentor to the main character).
Training the abilities is a combination of fierce physical training, tedious studying, and inner reflection. Training physically makes users stronger and reduces the amount of energy needed to perform certain actions. Training mentally, through e.g. meditation and other exercises, can allow users to regulate the amount of energy that they spend, and can even decrease the basal metabolic rate of a user. Studying allows the user to learn new abilities or variations of known abilities.
The Order produces potions and concoctions that aid arcanists The potions can be extremely calorie-dense, thus providing much energy, or can increase caloric intake or reduce caloric depletion.

Cost of using the Arcane

• Redirecting energy costs energy in the same way physical activity does. To regain energy, the user must rest and eat sufficient calories. Through training, the amount of energy required for certain actions can be decreased.
• It is not trivial: the users must learn new spells before they can use them. Learning to use new arcane spells takes a lot of time, effort, and practice. Focusing energy is like learning to use a new limb. Perfecting a spell can be a lifelong task.
• In order to change physical objects using their energy, users must possess deep knowledge of the object's material.

Types of Arcanic abilities

By focusing their energy in a particular way, they can
Primary level:

• Enhance senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch)
• Enhance strength
• Create Fire
• Create Light
• Self-Healing

Higher level:

• Healing
• Alchemy