The Basis of Magic

The Energy of Life and the Elements

It is all that is, and yet it is not!
It rules all that is, and yet we can bend it to our will!
It is the strength of our bodies and the power of our souls!
It is magic!
/Eriles the Hooded

The definition of magic

What most call "magic" can be summed up as the energy that shapes and control of all things. Even the wisest of scholars do not know how or why this energy came to be a part of all things. But what is known is that it gives some living things great powers.
It is the thing that grant dragons the power to breath fire. It is the reason elven songs can reshape living wood. The energy force known as "magic" or by some experts "the essence" is what makes goblins capable of creating Bloodsteel. Some plant life also holds some higher traces of magic whit in them.
Magic also flow through the world itself. This veins of magical power are known as lay-lines that crisscross the whole of the globe. Where two, or more, of this lines cross one another circles of stones covered in runes rise out of the earth. There are even reported events where people have removed this stones only to have new stones rise on the same spot.
All living things can gain greater magical power by consuming some essence of magic from another living being that is born whit magic whit in them. This has given rise to the science of alchemy, in which the practitioner mixes the blood of magical beings to gain there powers.

Natural magical abilities and Gained magical power

Both born whit magic and power acquired by consuming magic has its strengths and weaknesses.
Born whit abilities never grow weaker over time. In fact the opposite is often true of inborn magic. They are however also extremely limited in there use. A elven woodsinger can for example not heal flesh, nor can he mutate or harm whit his inborn magic.
Magical power gained by consuming magic is the inverse of inborn magic. When a human drink a Elven Blood Elixir said human gains the power to shape any living thing as he sees fit. He may heal any living thing or harm it or even mutate it by his will. But the strength of his magical power will grow lesser whit time. Unless he drinks more to replenish his magic.

Manifestation

Djins and Maras, also known as lesser and great demons or spirits, are one of tree somewhat common manifestations of magic.
Doppelgangers, mysterious beings only seen whit in rune stone circles, are the second. But the most common manifestation of wild magic most be the full moon glow.
At a full moon the rune stones of all the land glow whit a mystical light. For this reason many magical rites requires said glow to work.

The first of the three laws of magic.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane

The View of Faith

The many faiths of the world often bicker over magic. The debate is mostly concerned whit the morality of its use. How it should be used and by whom. There is also much debate about what magical arts are to be seen as evil and what one should do whit dark magic users.
Most faiths agree that necromancy is indeed a thing of evil. And the dwarven creed of ancestor worship even condemned's all use of magic.