Source
The source of all magic in the world stems from mana, an invisible, ethereal energy found within every living being. At the center of every creature's being lies the Mana Heart, a spiritual core located near the solar plexus. This internal reservoir fuels one's magical potential. Long ago, during the Celestial Era, only the gods could manipulate mana, keeping such power away from mortal hands. However, at the end of the Celestial Rapture, Stayne, the highest among the Seven Celestial Gods, offered a portion of their divine essence to mortals. From that moment on, all life inherited the capacity to manipulate mana—marking a pivotal shift in the history of the world. Mana now flows not only through individuals but also through the environment, making it a universally accessible but intensely personal force.
Mechanics
Mana travels through a specialized network called Mana Pathways—a fine, vascular-like system separate from blood vessels, distributed throughout the body. These pathways allow users to direct mana to their limbs, voice, and even their senses. Most mortals can instinctively expel mana from the palms, soles, chest, or back. However, experienced practitioners can expand and refine their pathways, enabling more efficient and creative use of magic. Techniques like "chanting" involve pushing mana through vocal cords, giving form to verbal spells. The more advanced the user, the more seamlessly they can manipulate mana without external gestures or incantations. Repeated use of specific limbs or channels may lead to conditions like "Path Burn," a temporary strain or loss of function within an overused mana circuit.
Access
Following the divine gift from Stayne, mana manipulation became an innate biological and spiritual trait. Every being born after the Rapture—mortal, beast, or spirit—possesses mana to some degree. However, comprehension and control are what separate the capable from the mundane. Even a wild beast might possess immense mana reserves but lack the intelligence to wield them purposefully. In contrast, highly trained mages with minimal raw power can outmaneuver giants through precision and understanding. Awakening to mana usage can be spontaneous or triggered through training, trauma, emotion, or the influence of ancient artifacts, spiritual mentors, or magical bloodlines.
Limitations
Mana may be abundant, but its use is not without consequence. Casting high-level spells consumes large amounts of energy from the user's mana pool. Unlike physical stamina, however, exhausting mana does not cripple the body, but it does weaken defenses, dull senses, and create emotional numbness. The real cost arises when mana is bound to oaths, pacts, or curses. Many practitioners engage in magical contracts that offer buffs like enhanced power, clarity, or speed in exchange for a set consequence should they break or fail the terms. This concept of "Magical Debt" often leads to severe repercussions—ranging from loss of voice to memory erasure or spiritual decay. Additionally, recklessly expanding mana pathways without care may cause permanent Fractured Flow, damaging a person's ability to cast altogether.
Progression
Growth in mana manipulation is achieved through a balance of discipline, insight, and risk. Practitioners develop in three key areas:
Capacity (how much mana they can hold)
Control (how precisely they can use it)
Affinity (what types of aspects they bond best with)
Training includes combat application, elemental trials, meditative focus, and repeated casting of foundational techniques. Students start by mastering basic techniques like Mana-Reinforcement and Mana-Perception, which pave the way toward deeper Aspects like Elemental and Spiritual Magic. Some individuals experience rare phenomena such as Mana Transcendence, in which they undergo a spiritual metamorphosis, becoming partly attuned to mana itself—unlocking legendary or forgotten techniques tied to Celestial knowledge.
Variations
Mana Manipulation encompasses a wide range of schools and styles, divided into primary studies and deeper Aspects. However at its foundation lie two universal techniques:
Mana-Reinforcement, which strengthens the body like an inner armor.
Mana-Perception, which allows users to detect mana sources and emotional auras beyond normal senses.
From there, users pursue one or more of the Four Aspects of Mana-Manipulation:
Elemental – Control over fire, water, air, earth, lightning, and rare elements.
Physical – Enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes.
Transmittal – Enchanting weapons, objects, or runes with mana.
Spiritual – Communion with spirits, detection of curses, astral travel, or soul-bound magic.
Harmonic Techniques, a divine and peaceful art focused on healing, harmony, and resonance.
Discordic Techniques, chaotic in nature, capable of disrupting, nullifying, or corrupting other magics.
However, in the dawn of the New Age—1,200 years ago—Simple Magic was established as a global standard.
Simple Magic – The New Age Standard
Simple Magic was born at the start of the New Age, an era meant to bring peace, unity, and accessibility after centuries of arcane warfare and divine imbalance. It was created with a singular goal: to replace the inaccessible, polarizing arts of Harmonic and Discordic techniques with a unified, teachable, and diluted system. Simple Magic is a blended technique—the product of merging both Harmonic and Discordic energies into a stable, neutralized form that could be safely taught to the general populace.
Unlike its ancient predecessors, Simple Magic emphasizes utility, balance, and consistency over specialization or spiritual depth. Its spells are standardized, reproducible, and regulated across all guilds and academies. Due to this, it has spread to nearly every corner of the world, and even non-traditional magic users such as artificers, soldiers, or merchants are trained in basic Simple Magic.
Yet, this convenience comes at a cost. Once a person is trained in Simple Magic, their mana structure adapts, making it incredibly difficult—if not impossible—to learn or access the raw, unblended forms of Harmonic or Discordic magic. Their pathways are "fused" by the nature of Simple Magic's internal design. Attempts to separate the techniques often result in mana fracture, spell corruption, or identity loss.
Thus, in many magical circles, Simple Magic is seen both as a gift and a curse—a key to peace, but also a lock on deeper, older truths.
Societal Role
Magic plays a defining role in shaping status, identity, and opportunity. A person's ability to manipulate mana is often seen as a reflection of their worth in combat, politics, and even social ranking. Entire professions revolve around magic—combat mages, enchanters, curse-breakers, spiritual mediators & exorcists. Most guilds or cities enforce a certification system that grades practitioners across six recognized tiers:
D – Novice
C – Initiate
B – Apprentice
A – Adept
S – Expert
W – Master
These ranks are standardized by guilds, academies, and governing magical institutions. Graduation from one tier to the next requires trials, missions, or scholarly achievements. In some cultures, marriage, inheritance, and leadership roles are restricted to those ranked B or higher, embedding mana into societal structures beyond just battle.
Role in Magical Industry
In the modern era, mana manipulation has become the foundation of technological and economic advancement, birthing what is now known as the Magical Industry in the middle of the Era of the New Age. From transportation (mana-infused skyships and rail networks) to healthcare (regenerative healing centers), to construction (reinforcement spells on architecture), magic permeates every sector. Mana Artificers specialize in embedding spells into tools and weapons, while Spell-Scribes write living contracts and enchantments for businesses and cities. Guilds regulate the commercial use of magic, protecting trade secrets and licensing spellcasters. The military-industrial complex depends heavily on mana specialists, while mana-mining companies extract crystallized mana from leyline-rich regions to power entire districts. As technology fuses with spellcraft, society marches into an age of Magical Modernization, where even Nulls (those born without mana) may soon wield power via artificial conduits and alchemical devices.