Magic

Magic is the ability to utilize and manipulate the natural energies flowing around and through Eldris. Every inch of the planet is covered in and permeated by currents of energy, like a vast water system covering the planet, composed of five types of energy. They are categorized as Earth, Fire, Air, Water, and Ether.
Earth can be further broken down into the various components that make up the living world, such as stone and metal. Fire is a catch all term for the various forms heat take. Air deals with the movement of air currents. Water deals with most liquids. The four base elements can be combined to manipulate beyond the basics. Earth and water combined can be used to manipulate plant life, water and air to manipulate clouds, water and earth to manipulate mercury, etc.
Ether is a unique element that is not well understood. It encompasses the forces of life and death on Eldris. It is a very polar force that requires balances. Due to this, it is extremely difficult to manipulate or touch by most magic users. Those who do walk a thin dangerous line.
Creatures can touch the magic currents and utilize the energies within through various means, depending upon the race. Each race has their own rules and abilities with magic. Some races, like Dragons and Elves, are capable to attune themselves and touch the magic directly. Other races, like Humans, Orcs, and Halflings, can wield magic through the use of a familiar. They generally manifest talent in one or more of the four elements. Shadow Dancers however, are not born. They are created through dangerous means by immersing themselves in one of the six natural whirlpools created by the currents. Those who survive lose all ability to touch the four elements and gain the ability to touch the polarity of Ether.

Manifestation

Manifestations of magic vary depending on the user. Some use a focus to channel the energies. Some pull through a familiar and shape it through their own will. Others directly shape it from the energies around them. The currents themselves are rarely glimpsed, though when they are they look like a heat haze rushing horizontally rather than vertically.
Whirlpools manifest visible to the naked eye with various other secondary effects, such as difficulty breathing, disorientation, sensations of feeling heavy or like you will float off the earth, etc. The whirlpools themselves look like a churning of mist and soft pale light spiraling downward toward the center of the planet.

Localization

The currents stream across the world together, sometimes pooling into oceans or lakes of energy. The five are always present together, but in varying degrees depending on the natural terrain. It is unknown if the magic shapes the terrain, or the terrain shapes the flows. A desert has strong currents of earth, fire, and air, but weak currents of water. Conversely, an ocean has strong currents of air and water with weak currents of earth. Ether is ever present in the same strength, only weakening or being completely absent where life is completely drained from the land, such as a blackened wasteland where nothing grows or lives. These areas though are typically devoid of any magical forces.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane