Arcane Weave
The Arcane Weave is the network of Dunamic power (Mana) made from Arcana energy; the fundamental network from which Arcane-type Magic is drawn. The Weave is both the collector and bonding agent of Arcana energy, allowing for it to establish a usable form within the Material.
The Weave occurs naturally wherever Arcana permeates, forming in a manner similar to that of rivers and streams, though the "flow" of these energies moves in both directions. However the structures that form the Weave take centuries to form, so when they are destroyed they can be difficult to rebuild without Divine Intervention.
Origins of the Arcane Weave
While it is unknown where Arcana itself comes from, the presence of the Arcane Weave within the Material Plane of A'arde is attributed to the Ascension of Arcania to Godhood by the Sleeping Shield, Aegis. Seeing that Arcania was gifted the Domains of Arcana and Law, Aegis supposedly showed Her how to craft the networks as a means of allowing the Gods to call upon forms of magic outside of the Divine Gift they had been granted access to. This forced crafting of the Weave was necessary, as natural Weaves take centuries to form, and the Gods of A'arde did not have the luxury of such a time frame.
While the initial Weave was messy and hastily constructed, it allowed the Gods and their new allies the chance to utilise power that had not been present upon A'arde prior to Aegis pulling down the Anti-Magic Curtain. Arcania then refined the Weave during the Age of Renewal with the assistance of her associate, Aaryav; the Dragon Goddess Xevahire- Xixellore; and the Elven God, Gwynrhi Chrewyrellynhil ap Caradog.
Within the other Planes of the A'arden Cosmology, the general consensus is that the Arcane Weave has always been present, for longer than Sapient entities have inhabited them. It is believed, therefore, that Arcane Weave may have some link to the Mycorrhizal Network, a precursor to known magics and the supposed origin of both the entities known as Ancients.
The Impact of the Fall of the Age of Arcana
The Fall of the Age of Arcana was catastrophic for the Material Plane in more ways than simple, physical destruction. The Arcane Explosions that were detonated as the Floating Cities fell caused chain reactions that ultimately initiated overloads within the Weave, causing raw Mana to explode outward with great force. This resulted in a great deal of damage to the Arcane Weave, as well as the Material world around it, which was further damaged by the influx of Fiends and the mayhem that followed during the Age of Chaos. It was not until much later, late into the Age of Chaos and early Age of Darkness, that the Weave was able to recover from the massive traumas it suffered.
In some parts of the world, the Weave is still relatively fragile, and magic is treated with great care in order to not overload the vulnerable Ribbons and cause another catastrophe.
The Arcane Weave and Anti-Magic
The presence of Anti-Magic Phenomena does not destroy the Weave so much as it inhibits it. While the Weave is still present, the flow is disrupted, which causes a blockage of sorts within the Weave and prevents the energies from flowing. The raw energy within the Weave is unable to change or adapt, and therefore becomes stagnant, before decaying and leaving the Weave Ribbon empty. This makes the Arcane Weave slightly different to Dunamic Organs such as the Mana Pool, as the Arcana within these is purified and does not decay. Weave Ribbons will therefore naturally change their course and avoid such areas in order to preserve and maintain their flow.
Manifestation
The Arcane Weave manifests as a series of Major (large) and Minor (small) Arcane Ribbons that criss-cross across the world. Under normal circumstances, the Arcane Weave is completely invisible to the naked eye; only visable to a See Latent Energy spell or by a creature with Enhanced Truesight.
When viewed by one of these methods, the Arcane Weave is visible as ribbons of purple plasma-like energy. The purple colour of the ribbons represents the "raw" power of the Arcane Weave; when Arcana is purified, it turns blue. Blue Arcana within the Arcane Weave is incredibly rare, as the processes required to purify it do not typically occur outside of living entities.
The only exception to Arcane Weave being invisible is when the Ribbons converge to form a Weave Well. These manifestations are visable as shifting, coalescing balls of vibrant violet to white energy that resemble plasma.
Localization
The Arcane Weave appears across all Planes of the A'arden Cosmology, finding prominence within the Material Plane of A'arde, where it is the most commonly used form of Mana, and both the Border-Fey and Border-Shades. It is also used extensively by entities within Tìr na Sìthe and Tìr nan Dubhar, though Sylvana is the most prominent form of Mana there.
While it can still be found within, Arcane Weave is less prominent in the Primordial and Lateral-Elemental Planes, where Primis is the most abundant form of Mana, as well as the Planes of Empyrean and Navia, which have their own unique form of Mana.
In the Material Plane, Arcane Weave is at its most concentrated at Weave Wells, where the Weave itself coalesces and can be physically seen.
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