Magic

Magic is the name given to the energy linking everything in the world of Thumia. People able to manipulate this energy are called Mages.

Magic on Thumia has very close ties to the environment; the easiest types of Magic to learn are those related to the main four elements; Fire, Air, Earth and Water. However, there have been instances of people being able to manipulate shadows and even light. Others have shown being able to manipulate the state of a living being's body, thusly being able to heal wounds, stop major bleeding, etc.

History
It is unknown how exactly magic came to exist on Thumia, or more exactly, how people became able to control it. At the beginning of magical history, Mages were a rare occurrence, feared in some places and revered in others, but as time progressed, more and more started to appear, until Mages represented 30% to 50% of the world's population.

Information
It's nearly impossible to accurately predict if a child will have magic or not. However, mage children are more likely to be born in families that already have magic.

If a child has magic, it will manifest around the age of 6 years old. Second-class mages, however, will require training for their magic to manifest.

While using energy as a vector, Magic is a physical ability first and foremost, and can thus be trained or worn out. However, should magic be overused, there will be drawbacks and side effects which can range from mild symptoms to severe ailments.

Heredity
The ability to use magic itself is inherited, not the type. However, children tend to choose the type of magic they were raised with, as it's much easier for them to learn. This eventually led to clans being formed in various parts of Thumia. There are, for instance, Earth Mage families in the Ocreshi deserts that have specialized themselves in using sand, or the northern Water families who developed their magic for snow and ice.

Magic Types
Magic has close ties to the environment and manifests as the user being able to control an aspect of the environment. There are currently seven known magic types; Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, Shadow and Doctor.

Etheris
Etheri is the name given to mages who are allegedly able to control more than one element. In the known history of Magic on Thumia, there have been less than a thousand documented Etheris. Yet, the evidence being scarce, most believe they are only a myth.