Environmental Arcana (Ambient Arcana)

Arcana is a weightless, odorless, usually-invisible type of energy that permeates the living world like wind in the sky and water in the seas. On the rare times it can be seen, it tends to be gently luminescent and defaults to a translucent amethyst color.
Arcana is arguably the singularly most important resource in all of Ysireth. Without it, many kinvari would die out from mana starvation, every arcane creature would perish, and--of course--arcane magic would cease being possible. Arcane magic is the most common and often easiest form of magic to learn and master, and nearly every civilization has grown exponentially greater than they could have without arcana. For many, arcana is exactly as necessary for life as air, water, and food.
Environmental arcana is emanated from the spirit demesne constantly, though its density and consistency are not homogeneous across the world. The slow currents of the densest lines of arcana form leylines, attracting arcane creatures and manabound kinvari to the locale. If all of the local ambient arcana is expended, it will regenerate over time as the spirit demesne radiates arcana into Ysireth like a fire sheds heat.

Mana

Mana is the primary "product" made from the natural resource that is ambient arcana. Mana is a solidified, water-soluble form of arcana that is edible by most living creatures on Ysireth. Most people (and some creatures) that can consciously use arcana in magic can learn to create mana, but the condensing process is difficult and often time-consuming. For as much arcana one can compress into mana, one spends just as much arcana completing the procedure itself; because of that and the nature of the conversion process, the ratio of arcana to mana is roughly 5:1.

The natural state of mana is crystaline, like salt or sugar, and dissolves just as readily in water or in the body. The amount of mana a manabound kinvar or arcane creature requires each day varies by race and by individual, but it is possible for some (usually Aeldvari) to be able to convert their personal arcana into mana and thus become self-sustaining for long periods of time.
Even the most manabound of kinvari rarely need more than 1-2 mana crystals a day (see photo for size reference).

by Alexey Demidov (Pexels)

Mana Foods

Where pure mana is a challenging to create, infusing arcana into pre-existing comestibles is not. It uses the same technique as many basic enchantments or arcane storage to "fill" an edible material--most commonly salt, sugar, or flour--with an excess of arcana. This method is imperfect and very temporary, as overfull objects will passively radiate arcana until they return to equilibrium, but for those who require mana on a daily basis, it is often an easy and less exhausting way to meet one's needs. The raw amount of arcana consumed through mana foods (2:1) is far less than that consumed through the same amount of pure mana crystals (5:1).
To further complicate matters, many kinvari will consume a mixture of pure mana crystals and mana-infused food, brewing it into tea or adding it into wine. Salt, sugar, and mana crystals all dissolve at different rates and have different flavors, but mana crystals are weakly flavored at best, so they hardly ruin even a delicate dish. (It is possible, of course, to infuse arcana directly into a drink or a food item, but salt and sugar remain favorites due to their crystaline structure, which is similar to pure mana crystals and thus easier for arcana to adhere to.)
Pure mana crystals resemble small, finely-faceted pieces of amethyst, whereas mana-infused salt or sugar will have a faintly lavender cast but mostly remain their original color. Upon dissolution, pure mana crystals will tint a clear liquid light purple, but mana-infused salt or sugar will not have an obvious effect after being dissolved.

Aether

Aether is refined, purified arcana--all traces of elemental energies have been removed. When visible, it bears a light pink color, not unlike rose quartz, making it easily distinguished from normal arcana's amethystine appearance.
Aether does not occur in nature, but is the result of an intensive process of distillation that requires exacting methods to complete successfully. Arcana and aether have a roughly 10:1 ratio, not because 90% of arcana is elemental in nature, but because the filtering process itself has limited efficacy.

Aether Mana

It is possible to create mana from aether, rather than from arcana, but this is a rare and highly prized resource. To have the relative wealth and power to afford to consume the most sophisticated form of arcana is similar to merchant-princes eating gold leaf with their meals.

by Ruandom Zhong (Pexels)

Type

Metaphysical