Mana is found in every part of the world, in different quantities and concentrations, from the smallest pebble to the air itself. It's from everything around life that creatures who spent theirs can replenish themselves.[1] Some things like certain foods, brews, and potions can help replenish mana faster.[2]
Composition
Vessel - every living being has the ability to store their Mana in what's called a Vessel. The amount of Mana one's Vessel can hold as well as the speed with which one can replenish their Manaafter use, grows the more one uses their Mana. The maximum size of one's Vessel can reach varies from person to creature. Normally, the average person doesn't know how to make use of their Mana, and by themselves, can train in order to it as a physical enhancement.
Essence - Within every living being lies something purer, and much more difficult to replenish. Essence is what gives every living creature and being life, it is the most pure and concentrated form of mana, and while unadvisable, one can choose to use their essence for magic, once their vessel is empty.
Mana Burn - Should a person choose to use their essence repeatedly this will cause their mana to decay and burn, which can quickly turn into loss of one's limbs and death. Essence replenishes on it's own with time and rest, light cased of mana burn can heal with rest and proper care, while more severe cases can be prevented being fatal if treated immediately.[3]
Mana Crystals
Not much is known about these crystals despite the extensive research. They form naturally in nature even though there's a wide of variety of colors, they don't seem to be any difference aside from their appearance.
Reshaping, cutting, or breaking them doesn't seem to affect their performance or abilities. The more a single person uses a crystal, the more the crystal attunes to its user's mana, making it harder for others to use it.
Magic Items
For those aspiring to be Mages, Magic Items allow their users to project their Mana and keep control over it in the form spells. These items can be made to cast specific spells when provided with Mana, that people without the knowledge or ability can make use of them.
The method behind their use is relatively simple. By giving an item mana, the item expels it but keeps the link between the user and mana. In the case of single purpose items, the item casts the spell for the user.
Pretty much anything can be turned into a Magic item, for example a decorative knife, as long as they have a mana crystal.
There are stories of mages so skilled and powerful that they could use magic without any outside help. However, even in these stories there was a downside. And that was they couldn't project their magic outside of a short range. For this one reason, it is considered that the amount of focused training required to achieve that level is simply not worth the pay off.
