General Arcane Theory
There is a fundamental energy that flows and connects one thing to another. It exists in all creatures; in all things natural and artificial, concrete and abstract, mundane and arcane; in all planes of existence from the heavens of the Celestials to the lowest Hells and everywhere in between. Even among the vast expanse of the Astral Plane, where all seems empty, the void is fabricated using this energy that interacts with itself across its myriad forms like a giant tapestry in order to define every facet of existence. The air we breathe, or its absence in the ethereal places where air is not needed, is woven into this cosmic masterwork whose complete complexity is unknown even to the wisest of gods. This ever-present network of existence is commonly called the Weave, and by it we are able to do things everyday which were once considered by our ancestors to be the finest works of the strongest gods.
Manifestation
The Arcane Tapestry, generally called "The Weave", is the term used to describe the arcane essence in all things which make magical effects and spells possible. It is not visible or tangible until manipulated in certain ways, and even then the results are what become apparent as an expression of the energy's manipulation but not the energy itself. Casting a spell is like swiping paint across a canvas. What you see is a colorful swathe that can excite the eyes, instill a certain emotion, or summon a familiar memory. But invisible within the paint are millions of individual pigments which give it its essence. In this scenario, each pigment is an intangible section of the Weave. Pigments, like the Weave, exist in everything; left alone, they simply exist by usually going unnoticed and unacknowledged. They need altered, refined, or stressed in order to bring about the desired effect.
Manipulating the weave to cast spells, much like painting, can theoretically be done by anybody who wants to learn. But it takes training, experience, and skill to create the potent or magnificent effects which separate master mages from amateurs.
Manipulating the weave to cast spells, much like painting, can theoretically be done by anybody who wants to learn. But it takes training, experience, and skill to create the potent or magnificent effects which separate master mages from amateurs.
Localization
The Weave is inherent in all things. In our modern age, we understand that everything is made up of molecules and atoms. In Yvard, even these smallest of things contain an invisible thread of energy that can be pulled upon by those creatures that know how in order to connect their personal energy with that of their environment and interact in specific ways. These connections allow a mage to shift the arcane energy around them, pulling more upon themselves or sending their own elsewhere, and manipulating these shifting concentrations of energy in various ways depending on what spell or effect they wish to create.
There are rare instances of "dead magic areas" where the Weave is cut off and cannot be accessed or manipulated. This, in itself, is a from of connection and manipulation between Weave energies. However, these are deliberate and unnatural effects in which someone or something uses their arcane energies to dampen the ability of the Weave to transfer energies from interconnected sources nearby. Such a thing neither occurs nor persists on its own, for nature abhors a vacuum and the Weave's connection to itself can never truly be severed. Its components cannot be separated from each other, but they can be muted to prevent energy flows from being shifted. Objects and spells that create these effects are very rare and very difficult to master. They terrify mages and gods alike, for places where the Weave is restricted from communicating with itself are anathema to the laws of existence.
There are rare instances of "dead magic areas" where the Weave is cut off and cannot be accessed or manipulated. This, in itself, is a from of connection and manipulation between Weave energies. However, these are deliberate and unnatural effects in which someone or something uses their arcane energies to dampen the ability of the Weave to transfer energies from interconnected sources nearby. Such a thing neither occurs nor persists on its own, for nature abhors a vacuum and the Weave's connection to itself can never truly be severed. Its components cannot be separated from each other, but they can be muted to prevent energy flows from being shifted. Objects and spells that create these effects are very rare and very difficult to master. They terrify mages and gods alike, for places where the Weave is restricted from communicating with itself are anathema to the laws of existence.
Type
Metaphysical, Arcane
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