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AUTHOR NOTES: The way I'm designing magic in this world is to make it akin to a law of how this universe works - aka how physics is in our world. How I describe Magic here may seem unusual or have some odd inconsistencies but this is fully intentional. The system of magic I am describing here is more akin to the laws of physics (i.e. works 99% of the time, and very rarely doesn't work in edge cases, though in this case "99%" may be more like "80% or 70%"), essentially it's an in-universe scientific explanation of how magic works, and it's the main version of it used in the common Terathian cultures. Not all of the cultures in Terathia (and in Exoria as well, there are other continents) may use this sytem, for instance they may have different ways to explain magic, maybe using myths and legends to explain it rather than the scientific explanation, or they may have a differing scientific model, or maybe they might not even use any sort of set way of explaining magic.

All of these models are valid in their own right, as even though Magic is a phenomenon that can be explained to an extent via science, it is still very much unusual and not well understood by the peoples of this world (and even the best scientific models of it fall apart upon close inspection). While some characters in universe may claim their system is better or more accurate than the systems of others that is simply bias on their end.

For now I will be focusing on a model of Magic known as "The Common Magical Model" (shortened to "The Common Model") which is used by many civilizations in Terathia (either directly or with minor modifications). I will be specifically be focusing on the "official" version of it (which is dictated by an organization of academics). This will be the model used by the two major protagonists I have in mind right now, and so I am focusing on it. After I solidify the world more I will add in additional models/myths regarding magic used by other cultures (along with other variations of the Common Model). I will most likely keep this bit in but maybe shorten it or something else.

Mana

There is a substance/energy that suffuses this world, called Mana. It takes the form of something akin to a vapor, but is completely odorless, tasteless, and can only be detected by magical methods. It does not have any mass or volume but cannot pass through organic matter at all (however it reacts with organic matter and seems to coalesce around it), and can pass through inorganic matter (however the rate at which this happens is dramatically slowed depending on what the inorganic barrier is made of and how dense/large the barrier is. Mana can also react and coalesce around certain forms of inorganic matter).

It is constantly generated spontaneously through an unknown mechanism over a long period of time, seemingly from nothing but empty space. Mana is vital to the functions of life, and without it life withers and becomes sickly and much more prone to disease, decay and death. The reason for this is widely unknown, but speculated to be perhaps related to some unknown biological process.

There are two forms of Mana which can be commonly found. First there is "Free Mana" (also known as "Environmental Mana" or "Wild Mana"), which is Mana that is not bonded to any form of matter, it flows about freely and regenerates slowly over time. Second there is "Auraic Mana" (also known as "Bonded Mana"), which is Mana that has coalesced around some form of matter or living being. Any living being - either sapient or nonsapient - has a field of "Bonded Mana" known as an "Aura". When this Aura is depleted it slowly regenerates as more Free Mana bonds to the organic being in question.

Auraic Mana has a unique property that occurs due to an unknown process (currently believed to be some sort of Mana-based reaction). When a small amount of Auraic Mana is detached from a larger whole (such as the Aura of a living being) it becomes charged (scientifically known as "Charged Mana"), and attracts Free Mana nearby. The amount of Free Mana that coalesces around this bundle of Charged Mana depends on the amount and density of the Charged Mana in question. Whatever being wields this Charged Mana can then use the Free Mana that has coalesced for whatever they wish.

Magic

Magic is defined as the phenomenon of using Mana to affect the world. Generally how magic works is this: a "Magus" (add a tooltip here?) expends a small amount of their Auraic Mana to manipulate the nearby Environmental Mana, and then uses that Mana to manipulate the environment. This can be as mundane as creating a light from thin air, to creating structures or buildings that hold themselves upright, to igniting nearby surfaces and creating balls of lightning.