The Inborn Gift
Although the world now relies entirely on aetherite, it is not the only wondrous substance. Besides it, the people of Tenebris have always had their own innate magic.
Magic has no single defined form, and it is impossible to say precisely what it is. It simply exists within every living creature on Tenebris, to one degree or another. Some possess so little that they cannot use it. Others have so much that they cannot control it.
While some minds study the new element of daily life—aetherite—others seek to unravel the secrets of the sorcery that has always been a part of everyone. Moreover, there is reason to believe that aetherite and magic share a common natural origin, which gives rise to new mysteries…
Magic and aetherite can be combined. For example, in Aeron, they create enchanted weaponry by fusing technology and spellcraft. However, they can also conflict—a clash that gives birth to either unforeseen catastrophes or revolutionary marvels.
Technological progress has led many to abandon the use of magic, causing it to gradually fade or become depleted. Nevertheless, places still remain where knowledge of the arcane is highly valued and preserved.
Near the citadel of the Cradle of the Mother lies the largest center of magical knowledge: the University of Akanta's Palm. In Astra Vallis, there is a major center of Biomancy—mages who specialize in studying biological forms of magic useful in medicine and cultivating new species.
The First Ones, who never joined the widespread study of aetherite, possess a completely different kind of magic: ancient, primal, and as old as the continent itself.
Elves are not without reason considered the most magical species. It is unknown whether it is divine design or an evolutionary adaptation, but despite their slender (or, as they themselves call it, "graceful") physical form, they possess astonishing aptitudes for sorcery, which grants them a state of near-immortality.
The origin of the beast-people, or as they are called, demihumans, is also deeply tied to magic. The first demihumans appeared due to a susceptibility to external magic, causing them to absorb and incorporate elements of the magic from other creatures—specifically, the animals that lived alongside them.
The more foreign, bestial magic a demihuman possesses, the more animal traits they exhibit—ranging from humans with animal attributes (ears, tail, etc.) to fully anthropomorphic animals.