Magic on the Zoasfier
There are wonders on the Zoasfier beyond what anyone can explain. Some individuals have discovered that they can see and feel in ways other cannot, and even manipulate the world around themselves. This is called magic.
Other authors have gone to great lengths to explain the rules of magic for their worlds and develop an intricate magical system. Not me. On the Zoasfier, humans and elves have been trying for millenia to figure it out, to no avail. It can't be explained. If you have it, you have it, and if you don't, you don't. Concentrate hard enough, and it just works.
Any of the five endowed species can develop at least some magical ability. The distribution of magical talent is not equal, however. The most magical of the endowed species are the elves. At least 80% of all elves have some degree of magical abilities, and all of the most powerful magic users are elves. Humans come next with about 15% having some magic, and only a very few having a wide array of abilities. For the brocca, mayom, and boar-trolls, magic is much rarer and usually comes as just a single ability, like enhanced senses or moving around small nearby objects.
Over the years, there have been a variety of trends among human magic users. Since magic requires concentration, humans created ways to focus themesleves while using magic. For a while, it was popular to carry some object, and imagine that you were channeling yourself through that object. This gave rise to the fad of magic wands, staffs, and scepters. Others found they could concentrate better if they made themselves translate what they wanted into another language. Suddenly a bunch of magic users were wandering around mumbling "spells" in ancient elven. Amulets, arm waving, made up symbols, and more came and went through the human magic community. Some were legitimate aids to concentration, others mere bluff to impress and baffle non-magical people. The elves found this all to be complete nonsense.
Note: What follows is a spoiler. Hover your mouse to read, if you really want to.
The black dolphins are actually the most magically sensitive beings on the Zoasfier. Every black dolphin can use magic, and most are extremely powerful. They have an amazingly detailed connection with the entire world, and even the entire universe. When an elven ship enounters them for the first time, the elves will be humbled.