Astral Energy

An endless sea of formless white energy spread out in every direction. Nothing else seemed to exist, only him and the infinite, boundless energy that carried him like the swelling tides of the ocean. The time he spent in that sea was but a blur, like a distant and forgotten memory, or perhaps a dream from long ago.

— Arthur Erette's recollection of his time in the Astral Plane.

General Information

Astral Energy, a resource that is present in the atmosphere of all of the planes in the Astral Realm. Originating from the Astral Plane, this energy seeps out through rifts and cracks, invading other planes and worlds like a virus. To those that are incapable of interacting with this strange, invisible energy, it is useless. However, to those with the fortune, or perhaps misfortune, of being capable of manipulating and using the energy, it serves as a powerful weapon and an excellent tool.

Manifestation

Spread throughout the air, clustering in seemingly random locations, this energy hums in a manner that only mages can detect. By manipulating it in precise manners, the mage can invoke any number of strange and bizarre effects. However, care must be taken, for great repercussions exist in exchange for the frequent use of this magic. The purer the energy, the more overbearing and damaging its effects. Over time, responsible and regular usage of magic can increase the body's resistance to the negative effects, thereby increasing the physical tolerance. However, there still remains the mental exhaustion that accompanies usage of the energy as well.

Usage

When using Astral Energy as a weapon, one has a few different methods of approach. Manipulating it to perform elemental magic is one of the most popular and highly understood methods of utilizing the energy. As it's highly effective, easier and more reliable, it is the predominant method of mages throughout not only Adelan and Crinamere but the Astral Realms themselves. A less understood and more dangerous method relies on condensing large amounts of the energy, creating a visible form of Astral Energy. The majority of dangers originating from this method is related to impurities present in the energy mages have access to, making it significantly less stable.
Other than in combat, Astral Energy is also used in various professions, such as Enchanting and Magic Smithery. Various other professions are affected by the use of Astral Energy as well, such as agriculture and construction. There are those who claim to be able to peer into the future and the past, however, it is not plausible to do, nor is it possible to utilize Astral Energy in this manner, and is simply the work of charlatans or the delusional. Moreover, in regions like Adelan this kind of claim is viewed as borderline heretical, particularly if the individual making the claim is not a mage. Thus, it is not very common there.