The Strands
The Strands are what mages use to weave magic.
There are nine types of Stands, each unique and powerful, pure energy and essence of what they represent. They can be woven into patterns, designs that have be researched and taught for thousands of years by practitioners of the art. If a mage gets a pattern wrong as he or she creates a Weave, there can be unanticipated results.
Most of the population of Terrene have will never be able to work the Strands. Those that can are born with the ability but may not come to realize it until later in life. If a person has been gifted with the ability to sense or touch the Strands, they are often limited to two, three, or rarely four types. Throughout the recorded history of the nations of Terrene, there have been only a handful of times anyone can touch all nine. Such a person is a Masterweaver.
Strands of Air - Brilliantly white Strands of Air easily accessible from everywhwere. Used alone, they can be woven into patterns to summon gusts of wind or send sounds over distance.
Strands of Soul - Silver Strands of Soul come from within a person. They can used to give a Weave a soul of its own, free will. Rarely are they used alone.
Strands of Will - Glowing gold Strands of Will are some of the most dangerous Strands on Terrene. A talented weaver of Will can combine them into patterns to twist others' will to the mage's own.
Strands of Charge - Dancing, sparking yellow Strands of Charge be reached most easily during a lightning storm. Often used alone, they can be combined with Soul and Will to create great creatures made of lightning.
Strands of Fire - Flickering orange Strands of Fire are some of the more difficult Strands to control, contsantly moving and shifting. Fire mages often carry torches with them to aid in the gathering of Strands of Fire to use.
Strands of Life - Bright green Strands of Life are perhaps the most potent Strands there are. They can make fields of crops grow faster or aid the sick and injured. But a Life mage must be careful, Strands of Life take a great toll on the weaver if they are not careful.
Strands of Water - Flowing, deep blue Strands of Water are most often found near rivers, lakes, ponds, and seas. Great weavers of Water are invaluable in dry and desolate areas, called upon to pull water forth from the air or earth.
Strands of Stone - Thick, stable, brown Strands of Stone are as easily accessible as Air Strands, providing the mage can sense them. Used to craft great works or earth and stone - or destroy - Strands of Stone are potent and powerful.
Strands of Void - The least understood of all the Strands, colorless, black Strands of Void are difficult to reach for as no one understands where they come from. Void mages are quite uncommon.
Just beyond arm’s length, a glimmering, glittering string of white faded into view before her, hanging in the air. It dangled there, light and airy, waving as though a soft breeze were teasing it, blowing ripples through it. Slowly pulsating with bright white light, it fluttered before her, almost beckoning Kenders to reach out and take it. The strand appeared to be only a few feet long, although when she tried to judge the true length, she found she could not. As her eyes traveled up or down the string, the part she had just surveyed diminished, weakening and fading from sight. She could not say whether she ever saw the start or end of the string.- Chapter 6 - Strands
