This glossary/intro serves as a brief guide to help you navigate and comprehend the Bloodstained Mana universe. I have prepared this introduction so you can dive right in without feeling overloaded with information in the first few chapters, even though this universe is full of magic, technology, conflict, and intricate structures.
It only offers helpful explanations of the concepts, races, locations, organizations, and terms you'll come across throughout the story—no spoilers. It is yours to read in its entirety or to consult again as necessary.
I appreciate you trying this book. As much as I loved creating this world, I hope you love it too!
— Mr. S.M.
Mana Core: An internal energy source found in every living being with magical affinity. It is the origin from which mana is channeled and transformed. Damage or overload to the core can lead to severe physical consequences.
Elemental Affinities: There are six base elements: fire, water, earth, air, light, and darkness. Each person with a mana core has a dominant affinity that shapes their magical strengths. Some rare individuals develop dual affinities.
Elemental Evolution: Advanced combinations or transformations of base elements, achieved through exceptional mastery or hidden secondary affinities:
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Lightning
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Pure, precise, and destructive energy.
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Soulfire (Feran Only)
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Draws mana directly from the user's spirit. Extremely powerful, with a high physical and emotional toll.
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Fire Mist (With Liquid)
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Generates hot mist or vapor for concealment and confusion.
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Solar Flame (With Light)
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Fire amplified by light, capable of burning even without oxygen.
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(Covers all fluids, not just water)
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Ice
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Control over cold climates and freezing of objects/environments.
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Poison
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Converts water into toxic liquids.
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Blood
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Manipulation of biological fluids. Extremely rare and feared.
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Water Mist (With Fire)
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Dense fog that reduces visibility and creates confusion.
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Healing
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Uses water to regenerate tissue and close wounds.
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Illusion (With Wind)
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Creates auditory and visual illusions to deceive enemies.
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(Control over solids, density, and weight)
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Gravity
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Alters weight and density, capable of creating collapse zones.
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Metal
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Forms, manipulates, and reinforces metallic structures.
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Black Metal (Feran Only)
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A dark magical variant, absorbs mana, extremely explosive and durable.
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Magma (With Fire, Feran Only)
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Fused rock and fire: destructive force with flexible control.
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Plant (With Liquid)
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Generates and manipulates flora for healing or combat.
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Sound
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Manipulates sound waves; can cut, amplify, or disorient.
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Void Wind
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Silent, razor-sharp air that absorbs or nullifies energy and sound.
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Luminous Explosion
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Concentrated light bursts that can blind or disintegrate.
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Mirage (With Wind)
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Uses light and air to create advanced optical illusions.
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Purification
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Removes curses and heals magical diseases.
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Shadow Manipulation
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Creates weapons, constructs, or mobility through shadow.
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Sensory Nullification (With Wind)
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Complete blackout that removes vision, sound, and touch.
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Energy Absorption (With Matter)
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Drains mana or reduces energy in a designated area.
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Reality Distortion (With Wind and Liquid)
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Alters the perception of time and space within a limited zone.
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Magic Classes: A power hierarchy ranging from Class C (basic) to Class S (elite). Classes determine access to licenses, resources, and political or social status. Advancing often involves rigorous or dangerous tests.
Mana Overload: A critical state where the mana core is pushed beyond its limit. Results can include unconsciousness, loss of control, coma, or death.
Combat License: An official permit issued by the WMO (World Magic Organization), authorizing the use of combat magic. Licenses may be civil, industrial, or military in nature.
Unique Spells: Personal or inherited techniques with effects that cannot be replicated. Often bound to bloodlines, enchanted weapons, or rare grimoires.
Magic Circles: Geometric or symbolic diagrams used to channel or amplify magic.
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Required by lower-class mages (Class C/B) to structure advanced spells.
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High-level mages (Class A/S) may summon them mentally or embed them into staves, tattoos, or grimoires.
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Some circles are etched into materials or skin for long-term use.
Class Advancement Exams: Official (often lethal) trials that allow a mage to ascend in rank. Some are individual challenges; others involve real combat or strategic missions.
Magic Contracts: Binding agreements made using mana. They may seal loyalty, silence, or life conditions. Breaking a contract often results in physical consequences—or worse.
Humans: The majority race. Only 30% are born with magical affinity. Despite this, they control most of the world's political and technological systems. Human-led corporations and governments dominate the global structure.
Feran: Anthropomorphic beings with animal ancestry. They possess instinctual magic and often manifest evolved elements. Feran society is clan-based and shaped by exile, migration, and resistance.
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Half-Elves: Hybrids born from unions between humans, elves, or other magical races. Social acceptance varies by region. Some show unstable or unpredictable magical potential.
Dark Elves: Reclusive and mysterious. Masters of shadow magic, illusion, and possession. Their numbers have dwindled, but some remain active in hidden enclaves.
High Elves: Ancient beings, now considered nearly extinct. Believed to be among the first to master mana alongside dragons. Their magic was harmonic, rooted in nature and arcane balance.
Dragons: Immortal, powerful, and wise creatures. Rare and distant, they only intervene in the world when absolutely necessary. Their presence often changes the course of history.
Magical Wild Fauna: These are mystical creatures that roam the untamed regions of the world, often inhabiting areas where mana is unstable or overflowing. Unlike sentient races, they are not part of any civilization, but their presence shapes the environment and challenges those who encounter them.
Nueva Arcadia (The Magical Heart of the West): The world's magical-industrial capital. A massive city of corruption, class warfare, arcane technology, and organized crime. Here, light and shadow coexist in constant tension.
Sombra (Shadow District): A decaying, lawless zone run by gangs. Magic here is unstable, stolen, or brutal. Magical tattoos, incomplete spells, and drug use are common.
Aqua: An ultra-luxurious district inhabited by powerful families and celebrities. Private villas, artificial climates, and round-the-clock magical security define this enclave of privilege.
Crystal: Nueva Arcadia’s premier tourist and nightlife hub. By day, it dazzles with high-end restaurants, cherry blossom markets, love hotels, and serene temples. By night, it transforms into a neon-soaked playground for the elite, filled with casinos, escort clubs, and hedonistic parties. GDS and DragonFire control the district’s underworld, while The Obsidian—the infamous mercenary guild—operates discreetly behind its luxurious facade.
Oriental District: Originally developed as a medical and tech sector, the Oriental District evolved into a vibrant immigrant district, dominated by Chinese street markets and underground trade. It's the largest black market in New Arcadia for implants, drugs, stolen prototypes, and magical enhancements.
Lockwood: A district divided in two: the north is sleek, corporate, and secure; the south is under gang control. A microcosm of New Arcadia's wealth gap.
Financial Core: Home to towering corporate HQs, magical banks, and high-end corruption. This is where global decisions are made—out of reach from the street chaos.
Isla Solara: An elite sanctuary for high-ranking mages and corporations. Known for hosting secret deals, magical rituals, and unauthorized experimentation.
Hikari no Toshi: Japan's most advanced magical tech city. Controlled by Taira International, it's a controlled utopia focused on innovation and surveillance.
Tokyo: A spiritual capital, home to ancient academies, shrines, and traditional arcane orders. Less artificial than Hikari, but no less powerful.
WMO (World Magic Organization): The global institution regulating magic. Oversees education, combat licensing, technological integration, and international arcane law.
AIM (Arcane Intelligence Ministry): WMO’s covert operations branch. Handles espionage, infiltration, crisis response, and elimination of magical threats.
Aurora Foundation: A humanitarian NGO that advocates for magical and non-magical rights. Active in poor districts, often in conflict with corporate or state authorities.
The Obsidian: An independent guild of magical mercenaries. Based in Nueva Arcadia, they only accept morally justifiable contracts. Feared and respected in equal measure.
Golden Dawn: A global criminal network involved in artifact smuggling, magical trafficking, rituals, and black-market operations. Their influence extends across continents and elites.
Zhao Long: A ruthless organization inspired by the ancient Triads. Headquartered in Hong Kong and Shanghai, they control drug production, magical slavery and prostitution, enchanted prostitution, and digital black-market trade. They operate through gangs like Ring and SOT.
GDS: A powerful girls only syndicate operating within Crystal District, controlling luxury nightlife, underground betting rings, and illegal entertainment. Though refined in appearance, their influence is brutal behind closed doors.
Ring: Masters of magical drug production and distribution. Known for their synthetic mana stimulants, enchantment enhancers, and hallucinogenic potions. Their network spreads through Sombra and Eastern Districts. They maintain ties with Zhao Long.
City Dog: A militarized gang specializing in illegal weapons, enchanted armor, and underground security forces. Controls key zones in Lockwood and Barrio Sombra. Often serves as mercenaries-for-hire for external powers.
SOT: Brutal, unpredictable, and territorially aggressive. Involved in extortion, raw magical extractions, and ritualistic intimidation. Operates mostly in the ruins of Sombra. Feared even by other gangs.
DragonFire: Known for human trafficking, dark rituals, and manipulation of unstable magical beings. Their presence is strongest in the Eastern District and Crystal. Rumors suggest ties to forbidden magical arts and black-market genetics.
DeepTech: A tech-based gang focused on enchanted implants, arcane hacking, and illegal mana interfaces. They operate from Lockwood’s industrial fringe and are often hired by corporations for "unofficial" prototype testing or sabotage.
Asher Family (Feran – Lions) Owns Asher Defense, one of the world's largest magical weapons manufacturers. Holds military and political influence across the Americas.
Oakwood Family (Feran – Foxes) Leads Oakwood Academics and Diplomatic Arcane Solutions. They guide magical education worldwide and play key roles in WMO diplomacy.
von Ulrich Family (Feran – Wolves) Controls Ulrich Limited, producer of advanced magical military technology and sole supplier of Black Metal. Power base in Munich and hidden production sites.
Taira Family (Feran – Tigers) Runs Taira International and TairaBank, the world's most powerful arcane financial group. Expansionist and advocates for deregulated magic markets.
Lancaster Family (Humans) The Lancaster family is the leading developer of advanced magical artifacts and technological innovations in the magical world.
Petrova Family (Humans) Manages Petrova Supplies, a global supplier of magical components and raw materials. Known for forming pragmatic alliances, even with criminal groups.
Black Metal: An industrial-grade arcane material with extremely high mana density. Only Class A+ or S mages can manipulate it safely. Used in enchanted weaponry, containment towers, and impenetrable barriers. Exclusively produced by Ulrich Limited.
Mana Crystals: Solidified fragments of compressed mana. Used as batteries, catalysts, or enhancers in grimoires, implants, and artifacts. Their purity depends on origin: natural, synthetic, or corrupted.
Enchanted Obsidian: A volcanic stone capable of storing spells, sealing magic circles, or absorbing residual mana. Considered sacred by some Feran clans.
Ether’s Tears: An ethereal liquid found only in places of massive arcane disruption (e.g., ancient battlefields, magical disasters). Used in the crafting of unique artifacts or dimensional gateways.
Engraved Runes: Fragments of metal or stone marked with permanent magical inscriptions. Embedded into weapons, implants, or shields. Require activation through the user’s core or circuit.
Arcane Soma: A high-performance combat drug used by mercenaries. Greatly increases spellcasting speed but destabilizes emotions. Overuse leads to hallucinations or complete burnout.
Blue Nectar: An addictive liquid that temporarily enhances one’s magical affinity. Illegally produced in slums like the Shadow District and distributed by gangs such as Ring.
Dragon Tears: Allows Class B mages to cast Class A spells for a limited time. Prized by soldiers and illegal duelists. Increases body temperature, causing intense fevers. Can lead to delirium or paranoia, especially in high doses.
Blood Mist: A powdered substance inhaled to detect hidden magical traps or invisible enchantments. Common among saboteurs and thieves. Long-term use can damage the eyes.
Shadow Flower: Induces deep sleep states with intense magical hallucinations. Used by artists and creative magicians to expand their imaginations. It can cause magicians to lose control over their magic during consumption.
Siren's Whisper: Induces a state of euphoria and extreme relaxation. Temporarily suppresses the user's magical ability, making them vulnerable. Can cause severe addiction, similar to heroin. Prolonged abuse erases recent memories, leading to blackouts.
Digital Grimoires: Enchanted books enhanced with chips or arcane screens. Can store hundreds of spells, connect to arcane networks, or even communicate with their user.
Magical Implants: Tech devices surgically installed to boost control, spell output, or mana regeneration. Painful and expensive. Regular recalibration is required.
Enchanted Towers: Buildings with independent mana cores used for surveillance, defense, or magical containment. Equipped with barriers, automated rituals, and arcane lockdowns.
Mana Inhibitors: Portable tools used by law enforcement to temporarily suppress a mage’s access to their core. Leaves the target defenseless for a short time.
Synced Weapons: Physical weapons linked directly to the user’s mana signature. Only the registered wielder can activate them. Some use blood; others respond to runes or biometric triggers.
“Burned”A person whose mana core has overloaded. Could refer to death, collapse, or magical insanity.
“Reactor”Nickname for mages modified to generate mana continuously. Used by gangs or corrupt governments as living batteries.
“Pure Rank”A term of prestige among elite mages, meaning they reached their current class without enhancements, contracts, or implants.
“Circle Dogs”An insult toward mages who rely entirely on magical circles and tools to cast spells. Considered shameful in duels or elite academies.
“Pactbreaker”Someone who has violated a magical contract. Often marked by magic or hunted by entities bound to the pact.
Blood Pact: A magical contract sealed with blood. Creates a binding relationship between two or more parties. Breaking it triggers physical retaliation, pain, or core damage.
Silence Clause: A binding spell that literally seals the mouth of the signer. Used in covert ops, guilds, corporations, and mercenary contracts.
Magical Responsibility Act: An international legal framework regulating the use of magic in public spaces, combat zones, and industry. Violations may lead to arrest, core suspension, or destruction.
Resonance Ritual: A ceremony performed by clans, families, or guilds to test a person’s arcane compatibility. Failure can result in rejection, madness, or death.
Echo Trial: A rare ritual that projects the magical memories of a place or person. Used in legal disputes or arcane trials. Only Class S mages or certified judges may activate it.