Obviously, Edwyrd was more than just a one discipline idiot-savant. While one could specialize enough to become a pyromaster at the expense of other disciplines relatively easily, only a true master animage would have the power reserves to do what Edwyrd had done. Maelen didn’t have those kind of reserves, even if he had known pyromastery. Judging by mana output alone, Edwyrd would have to be a Seated Member of the Society of Learned Fellows, entitled to the Chevroned Robe and Mortar Board.
So why did he look like a lost youth? By all actions, save the use of pyromastery, he appeared to be exactly what he claimed, exactly what Maelen had Seen. This, however, indicated that his aura was actually correct, that he was a master in disguise. Maelen shook his head, he really would have to have a long talk with the lad. If he lived. Maelen began busily scanning the area of the sea with both his eyes and his Sight.
He waved to a crew member to attend him. He’d need help to pull Edwyrd out of the water, if he found him. There, about a hundred feet from the ship, below the surface. A large collection of animus and mana that had to be Edwyrd. Maelen used his limited telekinetic strength to try and lift the lad’s head above water. He only hoped it wasn’t too late.
Animus is the “energy of life” it is roughly speaking the spirit or soul, the “living” part of all living creatures. All things that are alive have animus. Animus inundates every cell and the very molecular and genetic structure of living creatures. It is what separates organic compounds from living organisms. When a creature dies, the animus leaves the cells of its body and either disperses into the world around or in the case of high animus concentrations, may travel to other locations or planes.
Higher levels of animus result in higher-level beings. Plants and non-thinking life forms have the lowest levels of animus, animals considerably higher, and sentient creatures higher yet. Many theorists have hypothesized that it is actually the concentration of animus that causes thought and eventually consciousness. If the animus collects beyond a certain point, thought and instinct become possible, and then, past some other point, true consciousness, or awareness occurs.
Animus is not static. It grows with the thing to which it is attached. Or more precisely it is both generated by the interaction of the elements within the body and also collected from the environment. As something ages, or becomes more experienced, its animus grows. In the case of sentient beings what this means is that as a being grows in life and experience the animus grows with it. Individuals collect it in the process of their daily life, the more they get around, experience the world, the more animus they are able to collect. In particular, at a given time there is only so much animus in any region; thus travel truly does broaden one’s horizons, and one’s animus.
Where does this additional animus come from? Ultimately, it would seem, from mana. Animus by its very nature attracts mana. The more animus a thing has the more mana it attracts. Some of the attracted mana is apparently “consumed” by the animus and the animus grows.
In principle, on the physical plane, animus must be contained or it will quickly disperse. Larger concentrations take longer to be dispersed; thus when a plant dies its animus tends to go back into nature rather quickly, breaking back down to other substances and perhaps back into raw mana. When a sentient creature dies, its concentration of mana is large enough that it usually has time to exit the physical plane, usually with the assistance of some higher being (a god for example). In certain cases, discussed later, it may be possible to contain the animus with mana, and the spirit may stay around on the physical plane for a longer period of time.
Mana is the fundamental energy of the universe. It is a fundamental property that is either created by, or intrinsic to, the elemental forces. All of the elements radiate mana into their surroundings. It is this radiated mana that binds the elements together. Some theorists have thus referred to mana as the Binding Element of the Universe, or the Raw Energy of the Elements. Whatever it is, it is usable by those who understand it.
As mentioned earlier, animus attracts mana to itself from its surroundings. The more animus, the more mana collected. While all creatures collect mana, only those specially trained can hold on to it, or do anything with it. Non-magical, and non-magic using creatures, accumulate mana, and store some of it in themselves to sustain their animus. The rest radiate it away either to the environment, or they can channel it to some other being, such as a god, through prayers, sacrifice, and religious rituals.
