Basic Aetherology

See also: Lore

Not only is aether the most basic building block of all creation, but also the life energy upon which the various schools of magic draw. Without knowledge of aether and how it works, scholars would understand significantly less about the world and its inner workings.

Life and Aether

Within all beings—whether it be man, animal, or even plant—does aether flow. It is the spark which grants life to the lifeless. Conversely,death can be said to occur once aether has left a corporeal object. From this it is clear to see why many scholars use the words “life” and “aether” interchangeably. It can be assumed that a young man of sound mind and body will possess a high concentration of aetherial energy in his humours, whereas an older man, or one inflicted with corruption, will not. Some scholars have expanded upon this hypothesis saying that the consumption of food serves not only to fill the belly, but to provide the body with aether lost through exertion.

Aether is not by any means static. It constantly flows through creation, forming currents through earth, water, and air which ensure that life is sustained throughout the world. The stoppage of these currents would be akin to the atrophication of a limb cut off from the heart. Aether is the lifeblood of Hydaelyn, and without it She—and Her children—would perish.

The Source of All Magicks

Manipulation of aether in a manner that deviates from its natural tendencies is what scholars call “magic.” While the various schools of magic such as thaumaturgy and conjury all employ differing methods to achieve this goal, the basic concept is the same.

A similar, yet more primitive type of aetherial manipulation can also be seen in non-sentient beings. A raptor breathing fire or a biast generating, a levin-like shock are all examples of lesser-born creatures utilizing the aether within their bodies or available from the nearby environment to hunt or protect themselves from harm.

There exist some objects which are believed to toe the line between organic and inorganic, gems being one example. Arcanists tip the scales in favor of life by drawing aether into the stones—the result being creatures known as Carbuncles.

The Six Elements

Aetherial energies can be divided into six distinctive elements—fire, wind, lightning, water, ice, and earth. These elements provide nature with “aspects” that govern how they act in the world. For example, a region where aetherial currents are aspected towards fire will generally be hotter and drier than a region featuring primarily ice-aspected currents—a region likely to be characterized by frigid climes. The same can be said for the flora and fauna that populate an area. Seedkin aspected towards wind can navigate the skies as if they were winged cloudkin. Scalekin aspected towards earth will exhibit lithified skin protecting them from sharp-fanged predators. In addition to the six elements, there also exist two polesastral and umbral—which greatly influence the nature of the elements—an astral charge bringing more activity, while an umbral charge resulting in more passiveness. For example, when in an astral state, fire exhibits high volatility, whereas its umbral state is characterized by dryness.

• Fire
• Wind
• Lightning
• Water
• Ice
• Earth

Inter-Elemental Relationships

Scholars have long known about the relationships of the elements, these characteristics documented in the ancient tome Essences & Permutations—A Treatise of the Six Elements.

The Six Activities & Myriad Creations

The spark of Lightning ignites when it strikes, and thus Fire is born.

The heat of Fire renders to ash all that it touches, and thus earth is born.

The density of Earth shuns Sun and harbors cold, and thus Ice is born.

The armor of Ice melts away, and thus water is born.

The moistness of Water mists and rises, and thus Wind is born.

The gusts and sighs of Wind gather the clouds, and thus Lightning is born.

The Three Conquests, Boundless and Unwavering

Earth grounds Lightning. Water erodes Earth.

Lightning boils Water.

The Three Submissions, Timeless and Unending

Fire is extinguished by Wind. Ice is melted by Fire.

Wind is obstructed by Ice.

Dynamic Opposites & the Bifurcation of Polarity

The six elements are manifest in all things great and small, and their polarity deriveth from the Astral heavens above and the Umbral depths below.

Crystals

When a living entity dies, the aether remaining will normally leave the body and return to the world’s aetherial currents (also known as the Lifestream). When a living entity, however, experiences death-inducing trauma, such as a mortal wound in battle, the resulting sudden release of its most heavily-aspected life energy will oft times manifest corporeally before it can return to the Lifestream—a phenomenon we know as crystals. This can also occur when a wound is dealt to the very land itself, and is a reason why crystal deposits are found throughout the land. The elemental aspect of the energy trapped in these crystals can be harnessed and used in a myriad of manners. Applying fire crystals to a forge can increase its internal temperature, assisting in the smelting of ore. The cooling properties of an ice crystal can assist a grocer in maintaining the freshness of meat or produce. That said, due to the extreme concentration of aspected aether within a crystal, direct consumption of a crystal by a living being can severely alter the aetherial balance within its body, ultimately resulting in severe injury or even death.

The Twin Realms

Aetherologists believe that existence occurs on two separate but overlapping planes: the corporeal realm, or realm consisting of objects with basic physical properties; and the aetherial realm—more namely a realm without substance, but containing the essence of all creation. When an item in the corporeal realm dies or is destroyed, its aether passes back into the ever-flowing currents of the aetherial realm (sometimes referred to by the lay term, the Lifestream). When something new is born in the corporeal realm, it is granted life with energy from the Lifestream—thus, a natural balance is maintained between the two worlds.

Each plane exerts influence on the other, the proximity of the two determining the scope of that influence. In places of close proximity, the aetherial plane exerts a great amount of influence on the corporeal plane and vice versa. The corporeal plane benefits from this proximity by becoming rich in “ambient aether” something that promotes life and growth. Conversely, locations where there is distance between the corporeal and aetherial planes are thought to suffer from harsh climes and be characteristically void of life. If, for some reason, one plane were to become irreparably damaged, the other would also suffer, leading to the eventual collapse of both.

Aetherial Travel

As was stated above, when the planes draw close in proximity, they equally exert influence over each other. We have already given an example of how the corporeal plane benefits from this influence, but what of the aetherial plane? One manner of measurable influence is how corporeal will can be maintained while in a state of pure aether. This ultimately allows for the travel of corporeal beings through the aetherial plane without the loss of ties to the beings’ own plane. In simpler terms, it renders possible the phenomenon commonly known as “teleportation.” Magicks are wielded to reduce a body and will to its aetherial components and cross over into the aetherial plane. While there, the will of the host is maintained, allowing him to travel almost instantaneously to other locations in the plane, where he then crosses back, regaining his corporeal form. To accomplish this, however, the host requires special “beacons” that point the subject where he needs to be. Aetherytes (massive concentrations of crystallized aether) serve as the beacons, most often appearing in areas where the corporeal and aetherial planes are the closest. These areas are already teeming with life because of this proximity, which is why centers of population can be found near aetherytes. Without these beacons, an aetherial will would merely drift in the Lifestream for eternity, slowly breaking down into the most basic form of pure aether until Hydaelyn gave those particles new form.

Historically, settlements have been established around existing deposits of aetheryte—areas teeming with life due to their proximity to the aetherial plane. However, the Sharlayans, despite a lack of comprehension regarding the process involved, have succeeded in applying technology from previous ages to the construction of “portable” aetherytes which can be placed in almost any location.

Hydaelyn

Some scholars in the field of aetherology further believe that somewhere deep beneath the land slumbers a mass concentration of aetherial life energy. These aetherologists refer to this phenomenon as the “Mothercrystal.” Still, some take this hypothesis one step farther, stating that the existence of a Mothercrystal proves that the planet itself is alive and represents a heretofore unclassified biological entity. To support this theory, they point to the oracles and heroes of ancient history who claim unexplainable visions of the future or unnatural strength to overcome impossible odds. The scholars believe that it is through these visions that the planet is conveying messages to those she entreats to aid Her, with the reoccurring themes of “Hydaelyn’s will” or the “will of Light” which appear in the myths and folklore of seemingly unrelated civilizations as proof of this belief.

The Aetherial Sea

A focal point of Sharlayan academia has forever been to understand and predict Hy-daelyn’s fate. One intriguing fact that their scholars have uncovered is that the deeper into the planet’s core one ventures, the more blurred the border between the corporeal and aetherial realm becomes, leading aetherologists to believe that if one were able to travel deep enough, they may be able to witness and examine the aetherial realm while maintaining their corporeal form. An attempt by the Sharlayans to test this hypothesis was put into motion with the construction of the Antitower near the Sharlayan city-state in the Dravanian hinterlands. Built deep beneath the surface of Hydaelyn, the tower focused aether into powerful magicks which pried open a window to the aetherial realm, giving mankind its first-ever view into the Pleroma and beyond. Direct contact with the Mothercrystal was the next step in Sharlayan’s research before the scholars were forced to flee Eorzea following the Garlean Empire's invasion of the realm.

Primals

Arcanists have devised methods of tapping into their own aetherial energy to create semi-sentient, yet fully loyal familiars. This, however, is not the sole method available for drawing forth an animate being from the aether. A second method involving the combining of corporeal aetherial energy (usually amassed in crystalized form) with spiritual aetherial energy (usually represented in the form of faith, prayer, or willpower) in an elaborate summoning ceremony has, in recent years, grown increasingly common amongst the beast tribes of Eorzea. Using this method, powerful god-like beings known as primals can be brought to manifest, allowing them the opportunity to enforce their will on the land. The name primal is derived from the beast tribes’ belief that these creatures are deities from which their peoples originate. In addition to primal, the beings have historically also been known as “eikons,” by both the Allagan and Garlean Empires who were adamant in their dismissal of the creatures' deific status.

Once a primal has gained a corporeal form, the creature will oft, as a boon, offer protection to, or empower those who summoned it. With corporeal manifestation complete, a primal can also project its own internal aether upon other weak-minded beings, corrupting their hearts and minds, effectively creating obedient followers. This “tempering” can prove a primal’s greatest weapon, meaning even a victory against one of the creatures will not be had without great sacrifice. And even these victories are short-lived, as once enough crystals are gathered and another ceremony performed, the demigod can be resummoned as if it never were defeated.

Finally, in addition to the chaos wrought by the beings themselves, the very act of summoning can have adverse effects on the land, The aether required in the summoning and maintaining of the creature’s corporeal form will, without fail, draw overmuch from the surrounding environments life energy, turning once-lush areas into wastelands and disrupting the very balance of the world itself.

Tempering

Those tempered by a primal eventually lose nearly the entirety of their wills, leaving only shells that bend to the whims of the beast who hollowed them. Men in this state will give their own lives as easily as they would their names if it is but the wish of their new master. Not only do these mindless followers provide a formidable army, but also provide the faith needed to resummon the primal, should the being ever lose its corporeal form. Countless attempts, both magical and scientific, have been made to restore a tempered mind to its original state; however, all have ended in failure—the only known cure for this manner of aetherial brainwashing being death.

While even a single exposure to a primal’s aether can tear apart a victim’s mind, multiple exposures can lead to an eventual degradation and transformation of his body. Leviathan’s “drowned” followers have been reported to exhibit physical features more commonly associated with wavekin, while Ramuh’s “touched” sylphs will grow extended beards.*

• Proof of this final claim is, at the current moment, severely lacking.

In the years leading up to, as well as those directly following the Calamity, a great number of primals were repeatedly summoned by the Eorzean beast tribes in desperation to protect their peoples from the Garlean Empire. Some believe that this, coupled with the general resurgence of beast tribe activity, are why the realm still remains in a state of disarray.