The Basics of Quintessence: A Philosophical approach to Magic Written by Merlin the First Chapter 3: Ambient Energies

Ambient Energy

  Around us no matter the location is energy. The plants and their sun and wind with its push and pull ambient energy is all around us. This energy may be what refreshed a mage, taking from what is around into his soul and re-purposing it to his will. We call the ambient energy Mana. Not always is an area immediately lively to be full of Mana, but can be immediately sensed the by the maturing mage. While knowledge of what creates and disturbs these areas is unknown and subject to conjecture among my peers, laws of ambient energy are as followed.  

High to Low Movement

Energy will naturally move from an area of high energy to an area of low energy. The movement of energy across many zones is called a Ley-Line.    

Mana Zones

Ambient energy can be categorized into the following zones.  

No Mana Zone

Through some accident or folly the area has been completely drained of all Mana. Spell casting will be completely prevented in said zone, as Magical Threshold used in the area is lost to Entropy in the area. Like wood to sandpaper. Caution is advised to the Mage who has extended their lives through magical means who enter these areas, as magic is ground down back into its base components hence known as the Magic Particle or mP (used for singular and plural). Given enough energy back, the zone can be replenished to a Low-Mana Zone and begin to take in energy from Ley-Lines once more.  

Low-Mana Zone

The Mana in this area has been drained faster than it could replenished, resulting in an area where spell casting will be difficult as the area destroys spell to Magic Particles to refill the zone.  

Normal-Mana Zone

An area that can take in as much energy as mages can pull out, or an area that can support itself without mages. Like a ship using water to slide along the ocean. Makes up a majority of the known world.  

High-Mana Zone

A Mage has released to much energy into the surrounding environment, and has not had time to feed out it excess to other zones. While usually able to sort themselves out on their own, it may attract creatures that will leech off the excess energy. Excess magical energy or energy in motion is known as Flux. Continued discharge of a careless mage may result abnormalities dependent on the Aspects of the Flux, or in most cases a Cancer.  

Aspects

An area of Mana will have both pure and Aspected Mana. Aspected Mana is more easily restored and used with a College Mage who specializes in said Aspect. While Aspected Mana can be divided more thoroughly, the basic categories of use are as follows.   Red: Fire, Freedom, Emotion, Activeness, Impulsiveness, Destructive   Green: Nature, Wildlife, Connections, Spiritualism, tradition   White: Peace, Law, Structure, Selflessness, Equality, protection, healing   Blue: Water, Cold, Knowledge, Deceit, Caution, Deliberate, Plots   Black: Power, Death, Self-Interest, Sacrifice, Amorality, Unlife   A College Mage will more often than not specialize in an General Aspect of Mana, and call himself a mage of that color. A Red Mage would be a practitioner who perfects usage of a single type of Mana. Of course, a Red Mage may specialize still more into the Fire aspect of Red Mana, becoming a Pyromancer.