Amati

Amati is a natural force that exists throughout the universe, particularly concentrated in living things. Most beings are not consciously aware of its existence and cannot directly interact with it; the dalar are unique in that every dalar can do both. The origins and function of amati are obscure to even the dalar, who have studied it extensively, in much the same way that gravity remains mysterious despite the amount of study devoted to it. However, when manipulated, it can warp reality in various ways. Typically this manipulation takes one of two forms: altering perceptions (in a way that appears very similar to telepathy) and affecting the space-time continuum. As might be imagined, anything aside from small, temporary effects is extremely difficult to do. Two of the most obvious and visible uses of amati are the creation and maintenance of enclaves and portals.

Biological impact
Amati exists throughout the entire physical world, but is concentrated in living things. The more intelligent/sentient a being is, the more amati is concentrated in their body--while rocks or water have very little, a plant would have a slightly larger amount, animals would have more, and humans and dalar have the most. Humans and dalar actually have roughly the same amount of amati on average; the distinction is that all dalar can consciously sense and manipulate theirs, while only a very small number of humans can. Thus, while a human may internally have the same amount of amati as a dalar, their external "presence" is much more subdued.

While the mechanics are not entirely understood, exposure to high concentrations of amati significantly lengthens lifespan by causing the body to be more resistant to disease and heal faster. It also has mental impacts, presumably causing the characteristic dual mind structure of dalar. This is seen in both dalar themselves (who often naturally live to over four hundred years old) and in kadeda, humans who live among the dalar. While most kadeda live normal human lifespans, kadeda families that have lived among the dalar for several generation live significantly longer lifespans than humans living elsewhere (the record is 192 years), and even second- or third-generation families have much higher rates of amati-sensitive individuals than ordinary humans do. Furthermore, a dalar who loses all of their amati will have a significantly shortened lifespan and usually will suffer severe mental effects, thus demonstrating the process can be reversed.

It is widely believed that a child's sensitivity to amati is significantly shaped by their mother's usage and exposure during pregnancy. Thus, a dalar mother who actively uses amati will imbue their child with amati, while a human mother who lives in an enclave will have a child with a high sensitivity to amati, while a human mother living in the human world will have a child with little to no sensitivity to amati. Furthermore, half-dalar born to human mothers in the human world typically have low (although not non-existent) amati sensitivity and humanlike lifespans, while half-dalar born to dalar mothers or to human mothers in enclaves will have much higher amati sensitivity and longer lifespans. Clearly there is a biological component, but the evidence does suggest environment plays a large role as well.

When manipulating amati, a person can only use the amati within themselves; it is not possible to consciously pull amati from their surroundings. (although there is a very small unconscious exchange ongoing at all times)

Practical use and effects
Unlike unconscious effects of amati, which can have many odd impacts, direct manipulation of amati (by either a dalar or a sensitive human) generally extends only to minor alterations of perceptions. With practice and greater effort, small, temporary warping of the space-time continuum can be done as well. While the amati used to

Other effects
Theoretically, amati could be used to alter virtually any aspect of the universe, so long as the fundamental laws of the universe are not violated. (e.g. true faster-than-light travel or the creation/destruction of matter) In practical terms, however, any such uses would require such large amounts of amati and effort that they could not be performed. One common example is something like shapeshifting; while there's no specific reason why it would be impossible to alter one's body, it would likely require more amati than exists in the world, and would require more minds to shape the amati than the entire dalar population. Thus, it is impossible on a practical level.