Mana Pool

The Mana Pool, despite being referred to as an "organ", does not hold a physical presence within the body. Instead, it exists as an ethereal entity connected to its host entity in the same way that a ghost or spirit may be possessing a body. The Mana Pool is formed from "cells" of concentrated Dunamis (Dunamocytes) that have achieved a stable form through as yet unknown means, though some Scholars theorise that Material Genetics may well be involved. These "cells" are ethereal in nature, but act as a form of containment in the same manner that biological cells do.

The Mana Pool, being made of and filled with Dunamis, cannot be seen by the naked eye, nor is it detectable by Detect Magic spells, which only view magical effects. Instead, the Mana Pool must be viewed by Enhanced Truesight, or by the use of specialist spells which are only available to those of certain Vocational Paths.

When viewed in this manner, the Mana Pool takes on the form of a glowing white orb within the body, with the apparent size usually capping out at the size of the chest cavity. The larger the Mana Pool, the bigger and more vibrantly glowing it appears, with the largest Mana Pools being described as "almost blinding in nature". When magic is used, the vibrance of the Mana Pool depletes until it becomes little more than a faint glow. The Mana Vessels can be seen stretching throughout the rest of the body leading to the Mana Pool, while the Weave Channel appears as a single darker spot upon the Mana Pool, usually located above or as close to the heart as it can be and coloured faintly depending on the type of Dunamis the caster uses. For Arcana, as an example, the spot shows with a bluish hue, as that is the colour of purified Arcane Weave. Sylvana, on the other hand, will show as a faintly green hue. The absence of a coloured area denotes the absence of a Weave Channel.

Structure and Function

The Mana Pool is a permanent structure within the Dunamic System, and is connected to the Mana Vessels via the Prevesical Sphincter and the Weave Channel via the Dunathric Sphincter. Despite being referred to as a "bladder", the Mana Pool does not in fact inflate and contract as Mana enters and leaves; it remains a static size in a generally spherical shape.

The Mana Pool then stores Mana for use in spellcasting.

Theories of Connection to the Material Body

It is not fully understood how the Mana Pool, or indeed the entirety of the Mana System, is connected to the Material body, but has been suggested that some creatures may have genetic markers that act as anchor points for the various parts of the Mana System. These anchors theoretically have a function similar to Gates to the Ethereal Plane, stabilising and locking Dunamis into a specified shape to facilitate the transport and purification of Dunamis, though they have also been likened to the anchors that keep certain types of Ethereal Undead locked to the Material Plane. Those born without the genetic markers required to anchor a Mana Pool will therefore not develop one, even if the rest of the System is present.

Presence within Entities

Any Sapient creature has the potential to be born with a Mana Pool, and Magical Beasts are known to be in possession of one as well, though these are often quite small. Additionally, Celestials, Fey, and Fiends have the potential to develop one, as do some Monsters and Elementals. It is not known how these non-Mortal entities develop them, but is often theorised to be linked to their inherently magical natures and environments.

Amongst the Undead, only the Higher Undead are capable of maintaining a Mana Pool, and this is usually determined by whether or not the creature had one during their life. If a creature with a Mana Pool becomes a Lesser Undead, their Mana Pool simply ceases to function, only becoming active again if they elevate themselves to Higher Undead status.

Possible Conditions and Issues

Mana Pools are generally fairly resilient, but can be prone to Dunamopausal (Mana-Inhibiting) Conditions, as well as Dunamorrhagia (Mana Overload), Hypodunamia (Mana Depletion), or Dunamostasis (Mana Cessation). The Mana Pool can also be impacted by Dunamic Embolisms (Mana Embolisms/Blockages) in other parts of the Mana System.

Mana Pools are not generally effected by Antimagic Conditions as the Dunamocytes are resistant to such effects, though any attempts to use magic will ultimately fail and continue to deplete the Pool. The presence of Antimagic will not typically impact internal Mana flow, however some individuals experience a slight dissonance or sensation of disconnect or loss.

There is an extremely rare condition called Pandunamostasis (Complete Mana Shutdown) eradicates all Mana within the System (including within Innate Vessels) and prevents it from replenishing itself. This type of condition can inflict severe physical and mental trauma on the Material body, often leading to death if the cause is not removed or reversed.