Read Mana Fundamentals

You read several passages from the book.

“…Magic is an art form derived from one’s innate potential to manipulate mana. What, then, is mana? It is an energy within all living things, that flows through our bodies much like the blood in our veins. Since ancient times, magic users have been able to manipulate that flow, then expel the mana from their bodies: this act is known as spell casting…”

“…Think of mana as a muscle. While the manipulation of its flow exercises the mental fortitude of the magic user, the sheer amount of mana generated by a person is something which must be improved through constant training. Many adventurers who utilize spell casting find that their mana generation slowly improves over time. While this is certainly the case, those more inclined to research magic typically have less opportunity to develop their mana. Some of history’s most accomplished magic scholars could only perform up to two Grand Magic level spells a day…”

“…Incantations have been developed over the ages as an aid to manipulate mana toward the desired outcome. They are not strictly necessary for spell casting, although only the most skilled magic users are capable of complex mana manipulation without the use of incantations. The incantations inscribed herein have been condensed for ease of memorization, although they are far from efficient…”

It then goes on to list several short incantations, along with brief descriptions of the spells they create. Two in particular stand out to you:

“Roar, searing blaze. Ignition.”

Generates a small ball of fire in the palm of caster’s dominant hand and propels it forward. Useful for starting fires.

“Flow from the mountains, sacred water.”

Fills a held vessel with potable water. Incredibly useful for farmers and adventurers alike.

You stand and try both of these out. The fire spell seems to make more of a spark than an actual fireball, and the water spell can only fill your canteen half-way before you fall over. Suddenly you feel incredibly fatigued, and you realize that this must be what it’s like to be out of mana. You did use that dowsing spell earlier, so that makes it three spells you’ve done in one day. Makes sense I’d be tired, then, you think. Crawling over to where you dropped your book, you close it and lay down {if BKnowsUrDL = 2}with Blythe{endif} to rest for a while.