The Magic of the World

Magic is a fickle thing in this world. Just because the Archon of Decay exists, magical creations will never be able to remain consistent and eternal. No matter how powerful a Weaver (a 'mage') may be, all of his creations will sooner or later be lost to the teeth of time.

Arcane Weaving
The World is satiated with the Arcane, the fuel required to sustain spells. While there are many theories about the who, what and why of the Arcane, all Weavers agree that it requires a large amount of concentration to tap into the Arcane and 'weave it' into a spell.

How this 'weaving' is done is for everyone different. Some Weavers literally weave a tapestry, others do a little jig. Some feel the need to shout the name of their spell, as if the whole world was deaf to their intentions, and there are those who care little for words and flamboyant manoeuvres, sending doom upon their adversaries with a flick of their wrist. It matters not how it is done. What matters to Weavers is if it is done. The general rule of thumb here is that practice makes perfect.

The result of this weaving comes in many forms.

• The most fleeting of forms is usually tied to combat. Brief, heavy laden Arcane energy given shape with a single purpose, for a single use. These effects are quickly woven and quickly disappear as well.
  
• A second result is layering. This layered weaving is used in the creation of resillient barriers and the enchantment of items. The first layer serves as the base and requires the most time and energy to be created if one wants it to last for a while. Usually, a Weaver spends 12 hours, for the most basic of solidity, and up to 36 hours, for a truly solid layer. Do note that these hours only allow a minimum breaks. Toilet breaks, sure, but sleeping and copious meals will have to be skipped.
  After said basic layer has been woven, anyone else with some knowledge of weaving can enhance and refresh it by adding more layers of Arcane energy. Surely, the base will decay over time, but as long as the other layers maintain its shape, the barrier or enchantment will hold.
• Lastly, there are rituals. Rituals are the dangerzone. By making preparations and meticulously executing the ritual, one can amass a large amount of Arcane energy in a short and efficient time. They generally serve as huge project on a small scale, and, for ultimate success, must include a form of self-sufficiency if the Weaver wishes the effects to remain in place. A successful ritual is no small feat to achieve.
  Examples of rituals are: the Mortiari Ritual, the Tan'Rathil Ceremony, Golemancy rituals, city-wide barriers.

The Membrane
The mortal races are still unaware of its existence. Only the transcended race know of its nature. The Membrane is the thin layer between the World and the Netherworld. It prevents the chaotic energies from ravaging and consuming the World above. There is a form of magic associated with it that allows someone to resist most, if not all, effects of the Nether - Void Magic. Only the transcended races are able to use it, and actually require to make use of it, if they wish to descend into the Netherworld with their life intact.