Written by Alistair Crim
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Aether is a subject still not fully understood, and information about it is scarce, if not difficult to understand to the common person. This is why I have taken the time to write this; to fully explain our understanding of Aether and how it interacts with our world, in as simple terms as possible. More advanced studies of Aether will be published in subsequent books, as our studies move forward.
Common misconceptions when beginning to study the aether stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of how this energy interacts with our world. Some assume that by casting spells, we are expending our life force in exchange for arcane wonders. Others might conclude that life was conjured by a higher arcane power, and our existence is merely a symptom of some grand spell. Hundreds of years ago, it was thought that Crystals were the source of magic, and all things arcane were the result of Aether.
In our current understanding of Aether, these assumptions and conclusions cannot be true. One must understand that Aether cannot be bound by the same rules as material things, nor the same limitations of energy which is always conserved.
Aether is something far more complex and fascinating, and I invite you to open your mind and understand it.
All things, living and unliving, are connected through the Aspect of Arcana, Aspect of Life, and Aspect of Realms.
Aether is a force that the living manipulate in order to perform wonders that would otherwise be impossible. The wonderful part about this is that it comes very naturally for many of us. Some are born with an innate ability to weave Aether and command wonders beyond our imagination. Others require time and effort to study the ways of this arcane force, developing their skills for a lifetime.
In short, if you are a spellcaster of any kind, you already know how to use Aether, even if you did not have the terminology before.
Interestingly, there is ample evidence to suggest that sentience is not a requirement to utilize Aether. Animals and plants alike have shown to have similar abilities. Some examples: A dragon can use Aether to conjure flames and other elements. Carnivorous plants in Peteleka can use Aether to cast illusions or enchatnments to lure in their prey. The sacred forge in Mt Agony utilizes Aether to forge weapons capable of wondrous feats, as well as Aethersteel.
Aether is the energy that gives us life in a spiritual and biological sense; the Aspect of Life grants us both Body and Soul. The Body is the physical container that hosts the Soul. Though the Body can exist without the Soul, the Soul will always remain tethered to a Body while it persists in the Somatic Realm.
The Body is not limited to organic bodies as one would commonly know it. A Body can be the body of an elf or dwarf, an animal or carcass, a flower or fruit, a simple stone, a weapon; truly, a Body can be anything that you can touch.