Magic Discipline: Arcane Magic

Effect

Arcane Magic mimics the elements of the natural world, with each of those elements composed of Mana controlled directly by the caster, instead of by the normal laws of physicals. Similar to Nature Magic in that many of its applications are nearly interchangeable, Arcane represents a trade-off of speed vs efficiency. Nature Magic costs relatively little mana to invoke compared to Arcane, but Arcane is able to produce the same effects much faster and often in a more controlled manner. The main difference lies in Arcane's tendency toward combat applications, where speed and ease of use are the ruling measure of effectiveness. Arcane Magic cannot coax a seedling into maturity, but it can produce a fully functional tree out of nothing but energy if the caster is diligent enough to mold their mana correctly to form it. Conversely, Nature Magic would have difficulty reproducing the contained combustion reactions necessary for a large and destructive explosion, but a fireball is a stock spell of any mage practiced in Arcane Magic.

Manifestation

Similarly to Nature Magic, the effects of Arcane Magic can be felt in a plethora of ways depending on how the caster brings them into being. However, the casting itself is only detectable if an inexperienced mage allows some of their mana to slip free from the rigid form they are conjuring. Otherwise, there is no particular manifestation of the magic's use outside of the conjured effect.

Source

The caster draws on their mana and shapes it into the desired form, whether that is a physical object or a spectacular effect. Mana spent in this way is severed from the caster after being released as a spell and cannot be retrieved unless the spell is intercepted and converted back to pure energy. Whatever form it takes, the spell dissipates rapidly once it leaves the caster's control. Some methods of forming a spell retain their controlled form long after the caster stops concentrating, even indefinitely.

Effect Casting Time

Since the mana physically becomes the object or effect, the larger the spell, the more time it takes the caster to gather and arrange the mana. Regardless, it is a much faster method of casting than most other disciplines.

Applied Restriction

The innate resistance to magical interference that comes from Lifeforce has very little effect on most effects of Arcane Magic. The mana takes on the properties of the object or effect it is being formed into and a target reacts to those properties instead of the mana's presence.