The Aether
The Aether is the resource for magic. It's not a substance as we know it. It's got no chemical composition and it has no place in the periodic table. It simply is. In order to use the aether for magic it first needs to be channeled and then woven.
Channeling
This is the process of drawing from the Aether and transforming it into a stream of magical energy that can be split and woven. The ability to channel the aether is much more common than the ability to weave the channeled stream.
It is possible to channel aether for someone else to weave. It is not uncommon at all that mages work in pairs where one of them is the dedicated channeler who provides the other with a steady stream of magical energy.
Channeling the aether prolongs the life span of the channeler and improves their physical health. More details about this can be read in the article about it copied from the blog here.
Storing magic
Magical energy can not be stored, only used. It will have to be woven as it is channeled or it is lost. Magical energy can not be channeled into someting and then retreived later. Using magic is a one way process – the magical energy is channeled and woven into something. Once that is done the magical energy used can not be extracted again.
In the real world the light from a lamp can be used together with a solar cell to generate electricity, but it will not generate enough electricity to power the lamp. A mage can conjure refreshments (food and water), but the nourishment provided will not be enough for the mage to conjure the same amount of food and water a second time.
Enchants
Items can be enchant, given magical properties through magical means. However, all enchants will eventually expire. For more powerfull enchants or for very simple effects it can take a very long time for an enchant to expire, but expire it will.
This rule does not apply to enchants created by a god. Gods can, if they so choose, apply enchants that never expire. There is however some debate about whether this is actually enchanting. Certain theoretical magicians argue the point that the item is given its own life in order to permanently maintain an effect.
From the blog
These are the articles on this topic that were copied from the blog:
- A note on magic - This is the main article about how magic works in the world.
- Magic, targeting and travelling as a mage - More details on how magic works and some of the consequences it has for wielders.
- Cryptography and wizardry - The effects of magic on secure communication.
- Magic and materia - Going into a bit more detail about how magic can be applied in crafting or healing.
- Diets and costmetic surgery - Comments about the use of magic to look good.
- The rejuvenating effects of magic - How channeling the aether makes you live longer.