Raw magic

Raw magic was the basic essence of magic.

It was described as the frozen stuff of creation or as the mute and mindless will of being. All kinds of energy and all kinds of matter everywhere in Toril—every stone, river, creature, and the very air—were suffused or infused with raw magic and its potential energy. It was a form of energy that permeated all levels of the world.

Raw magic was manifested in the form of the Weave, but raw magic was present even in dead-magic zones where the Weave was absent. If the Weave were to be damaged or destroyed, raw magic would escape, causing disruption to existing magic and striking magical conductors in the vicinity, causing widespread havoc. This happened twice: after the death of Mystryl during Karsus's Folly and after the death of the first Mystra in the Time of Troubles, the two goddesses of magic. The passage of many avatars of gods during the Time of Troubles also stirred loose bits of raw magic. The death of the second Mystra and the ensuing Spellplague was one of those events as well, although this event was more catastrophic than earlier ones, affecting reality itself at a multiversal scale.

Mortal beings were unable to directly use or shape raw magic—it was locked away in matter and almost inaccessible to them. Typically, they could only access wisps of raw magic released during Weave-devastating events. Those who did attempt to harness it found it a potent but very dangerous force, easily able to obliterate them whatever their cautions. They also found that magic was less malleable than when used through the Weave, more akin to throwing out energy than to molding it into a spell with specific desired effects.

The Weave, thus, served as a barrier or gate between raw magic and the world, and as an interface between raw magic and a spellcaster's will, allowing them to tap into the refined energy of raw magic and shielding them from its injurious effects, making magic relatively controlled and relatively safe. Thus, the majority of spellcasters used the Weave to cast spells.

Nevertheless, raw magic came in various forms that could in some way be wielded by mortals:
 * Spellfire, and its lesser form silver fire, was pure raw magic refined and controlled and was the raw energy of the Weave. A rare few people could wield spellfire. When used in battle, it was a radiant blue-white jet; when used to aid, it was a pure silver font.
 * Mana, also called "spell power", was a form of raw magic utilized by bloodforges and mages of the Utter East to create golems and fuel their powers. It appeared as a golden light and was gathered through meditation.
 * Incarnum was another form of raw magic, appearing as a misty and radiant blue energy. Meldshapers used the Weave to craft incarnum into physical objects.
 * Through the study of wild magic zones, wild mages learnt to tap into raw magic independent of location, but their spells always included elements of randomness.
 * All spellcasters on Toril who learned (or relearned) how to use magic after the Wailing Years and until the full restoration of the Weave in 1487 DR, learned how to use raw magic to cast their spells.
 * As there was no Weave on Abeir, raw magic was the only way to use magic on that world. Only magic items, or beings who could produce magic on their own (such as dragons or sorcerers) were able to easily tap into raw magic, however.