Mana Classification

For a great period of time, the essence of magic, or mana, was thought to simply be a force which emanated from all things in the universe. Certain individuals possessed the ability to use this mana and form it into various uses and effects, thus spells. During the Age of Magic, the Great Council spent extensive time researching the powers and effects of mana. During this research it was found that natural mana was much like natural light. As light appears to the eye, it is seen as a general whiteness bathing all. However, when exposed to a crystal, the light is broken down into a spectrum of many colors. Mana as well, appears to a wizard as a radiating power, yet when channeled through the wizard it is broken down into various spectrums (in fact their auras have individual colors when concentrated upon by those with magic sight.) These various known spectrums have been catalogued and each governs a particular genre of spell. The schools are as follows:

Abjuration

The Abjuration school is the sister school of Evocation, drawing upon the same raw energies, but applying them in more controlled applications. As with Evocation, Abjuration magics consist of pure energy, but are reactive to their environment and are very powerful. It’s spells are exemplified by auras of protection and damaging fields of energy. As with Evocation, the aura is rarely pure, as elemental presences often taint it (rich golden aura)

Divination

The Divination school draws upon mana to gain hidden knowledge and reveal secrets of the universe. It’s spells are exemplified by clairsentience and seeing into the future (pale purple aura)

Elemental

The Elemental school is not truly a school but rather a subclassification of mana based on the origins of the mana itself. The actual spells of the Elemental classification span multiple schools yet bear the trademarks of their sub-classification. The Elemental classification does not have a particular aura, but rather each of the sub-categories do. The most widely known individual auras by sub-classification are as follows: Elemental Air (extremely light blue aura) Elemental Earth (amber aura) Elemental Fire (bright red aura) Para-elemental Ice (pale blue, often mistaken for elemental air) Para-elemental Lightning (yellow white aura, often mistaken for raw mana or evocation) Elemental Water (aqua aura, often mistaken for enchantment or transmutation)

Enchantment

The Enchantment/Charm school draws upon mana to infuse items or creatures with magic power, enhancing them physically and/or mentally. Such changes are not visible, but are infusions of power and energy which affect the behavior of the item or creature. It’s spells are exemplified by mind affecting charms and the infusion of weapons and armors with magic power. The sister school of Enchantment is Illusion (medium blue aura)

Evocation

The Invocation/Evocation school draws upon raw mana, pushing the boundaries of controlled magic formulae. When summoned, it’s physical presence consists of volatile, nigh unmanageable, purely magical energies focused primarily for causing damage and destruction. It’s spells are exemplified by the explosive power of raw energy and the irresistible forces of kinesis. All spells of this classification are proactive, aggressively striking out at their intended targets. It’s aura is rarely pure, since such energies are often tapped from elemental sources. Invocation/Evocation is the sister school of Abjuration. The pure form is a near white aura ura)

Illusion

The Illusion school is the sister school of Enchantment/Charm, drawing upon energies similar to charms to bend reality and fool the mind. It’s spells are exemplified by phantasmic forces and self-masking auras (magenta aura, sometimes confused with Divination)

Necromancy

The Necromancy school draws upon mana primarily from the Negative Material Plane. The power is focused to manipulate life forces, the dead and the undead. It’s spells are exemplified by animation of the dead and drawing power from or otherwise manipulating the souls of the living (blacklight aura)

Summoning

The Conjuration/Summoning school draws upon mana to create matter and bring it into existence and/or to appropriate existing matter or beings from elsewhere in the universe for the wizard to utilize. It’s spells are exemplified by the summoning of creatures and the creation of mundane materials from thin air. Spells of this classification cannot alter what it created or summoned, that is the domain of it’s sister school of Transmutation (orange aura)

Transmutation

The Transmutation school draws upon mana to alter existing matter and creatures to better suit the wizard’s needs. It’s spells are exemplified by shape shifting and the transformation of one material into another. Transmutation is the sister school of Summoning (deep green aura)

^* Raw mana glows a faint yellow-white when detected, it is generally undetectable except when there are extreme concentrations (like mana wells)