Mana
Mana, also known as manna (in elfish), is the main conduit that makes divine power useable by mortals. It was brought to Myr through the Guenvarish world ship of elves. It is an extremely valuable and varied material. It is also sometimes found in the blood of some magically talented individuals, others must use potions or crystals to channel magic.
The polar opposite of arcane mana.
Properties
Material Characteristics
The main characteristic of all types of mana is a glow, often in a colour that represents its power's diety.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Mana is usually slightly warmer than its surroundings. If it is solid it always crystallises, but it is also often found as a gas, a fluid or as a plasma. Elves and to some extent dwarves can feed on mana, but this also makes them vulnerable to the arcane. Mana sometimes has unusual properties. It is always is overloaded with energy and expresses this in ways such as causing anything flammable it touches to catch heat or having a bright glow. The mana that is most coveted is the kind that can be focused to do anything in the right, rare hands.
Compounds
Magic
Geology & Geography
Found on Lyemyr and in several pockets on Bocklynn (mainly: Hyghlynn and Skyr), but also as a gas and plasma in the mana streams in the sky. Apart from that is is only found in smaller quantities in blood, rain, seas, air and organic matter. There are also some divine creatures that channel divine magic. These also work through a type of mana which never came from Guenvar.
Origin & Source
One can harvest mana from a great many sources. Some are more innocent, such as mining or distilling from seawater, but others are far darker. A practice known as blood magic involves taking the blood from mages, the participant rarely being willing. Another more morally questionable way is to take parts off of magical beings such as dryads, wisps or dragons.
Life & Expiration
However, since the fall of the Deranoran Empire, the gods have become more and more estranged from the world. Therefor mana is also less powerful than ever. It is rare to find truly active forms of mana these days, but even dormant mana is still coveted for its shimmer. This is not to say that magic doesn't exist any longer, just that the gods have to like you a lot and it is so rare that to most it is no more than a myth.
History & Usage
History
Mana was created by Thame as a conduit of his power as to easily control the world of Guenvar. It is supposed that Guenvar's surface is made mostly out of mana. Elves as well are more than 70% mana.
Mana was brought over to Myr in the form of the elven world ship. On Myr, it came to be an extremely powerful thing, as it was and still is the thing that makes magic possible. It is everywhere in small amounts and has a tendency to collect within the veins of living things, making them capable of magic if the gods will it.
Mana has shaped the world, increased the influence the gods have over history tenfold and made the world look very different. In modern times there are many who tend to dismiss the solid proof of magic and divine intervention throughout history, but in truth there should be no doubt about it.
Discovery
Mana was a major and normal material all throughout the evolution of elves. They did discover it in the same way that humans discovered water.
Everyday use
Mana has been the single ingredient for magic all throughout history. With the seclusion of the gods, magic has become very rare, but if one impresses a god or goddess by following their way, one can still use mana to make certain minor prayers come true.
Mana's shiny, glowing and glistening nature still makes it popular for aesthetic purposes such as expensive jewellery.
Cultural Significance and Usage
Many types of mana can be used for ritual purposes. Culturally it defined the elves as a peoples, though these days few still significantly use it. Skyr and the high dwarves of Hyghlynn mine it, but furthermore its significance has faded.
Refinement
Most forms of mana can be refined like any gemstone.
A more dark method of collecting mana is through blood magic, the act of refining mana out of blood. This requires a lot of blood of a recently living being to collect a small bottle of liquid mana.
Manufacturing & Products
- Gems
- Magical items
- Idols and ritualistic items
- Expensive lamps or other luxury utilities
Hazards
Of course all magic used to have big and obvious hazards, but these days it is barely active anymore. The dangers are minimal in most cases, though some rare examples still have a tendency to slowly heat up anything they touch or express similar hazardous qualities.
Environmental Impact
Mana has the effect of fertilising an environment. It does however attract arcane mana, which poisons creatures attuned to mana such as dwarves or elves. It is this phenomenon that made the elves extinct.
Reusability & Recycling
Mana can recharge as long as it is within an area with mana radiation or divine spirit.
Distribution
Trade & Market
Mana is distributed for high prices. Skyr and Hyghlynn are rich through its trade value. It is rare on Bocklynn, so one will only see nobles or kings wearing it.
/Ma
Anywhere from -10kg/L to 100kg/L
Type
Metaphysical
Value
Mana, especially the beautiful kind has very high market value.
Rarity
Mana is rare on Bocklynn. To the East of Bocklynn is Lyemyr, a continent made out of mana, however one cannot survive its high radiation or the arcane mana attracted to it through the mana streams in the sky. Therefor mana stays rare to us.
Odor
Rarely any from itself
Taste
Most mana potions taste metallic, other kinds are tasteless.
Color
Depending on its patron god mana might be blue (Thame), grey/beige (Strike), white/gold (Sarah), purple (Syler), red/orange (Alice), green (Rose).
Boiling / Condensation Point
This could be literally anything. Some mana even solidifies at higher temperatures and melts at lower ones.
Melting / Freezing Point
This could be literally anything. Some mana even solidifies at higher temperatures and melts at lower ones.
Density
Anywhere from -10kg/L to 100kg/L
Common State
Most often crystal
Related Locations
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