Everyone is born with mana.

Some people are born with more. Some are born with less.

If they practice enough, they can improve those numbers, but if you don't even have enough to practice with, there isn't much you can do.

Everyone is also born with ether. It is useful, but can't power any spells by itself. It only gives them shape.

You don't normally need much ether. It is nice to be able to summon swords out of thin air, but not really that useful ability in a peaceful country, where enchanted items are so cheap. For people born with bigger ether pool, there isn't much to do except double their efforts to get more mana.

Or reach out for a forbidden power...