.: Aether :.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE ETERNAL FANTASY USER HELP ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***** Aether describes the energies that comprise the natural world *****
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The natural world is cold and lifeless. It is through the energy known as
aether that life can be sustained. All living beings are part of the
interconnected flow of aether known as the lifestream. Indeed, a living being
is nothing more than a body in which the flow of aether has concentrated enough
to animate what would otherwise be an inert piece of matter. When that being
dies, the aether within them is released back into the lifestream, scattered
through the cosmos, nurturing all life to be born in the world.
The presence of aether is the source of consciousness. Yet both a surfeit and a
shortage of aether can corrupt and even destroy that very consciousness.
Mysidian scholars posit that consciousness is nothing more than a term for
sufficiently accumulated aether, and that the body exists separately from the
aetheric self. However, even if one's aether is preserved after the death of
one's body, it is impossible to bring back the dead. Should disembodied aether
be placed in another body, a new entity is created. The old one is not
restored.
There are those who see the mortal ability to control aether as proof of
mankind's dominion over the world. There are those who see the mortal ability
to control aether as proof that mankind is only one small part of a greater
whole. However, both worldviews incorporate the use of aether deeply into their
cultures. Martial traditions far and wide make use of aether in their own ways.
Aetheric control focused on life and the natural elements is given the name of
"magic."
Aether isn't only used in combat, however. By tapping into a world's
lifestream, its inhabitants can use aether for any number of day-to-day tasks.
Societies grow through both aether and technology. Infusion of aether into
technology is called magitek. In the world of Final Fantasy 4, this technology
has become increasingly common in the years following the Crystal War. In the
world of Final Fantsay 6, the second War of the Magi culminated in the
destruction of the Warring Triad. The world's aether shifted to flow through
the would-be god Kefka Palazzo, and his death damaged that world's lifestream
such that magic mostly vanished from the world.
The Nexus of the Worlds is the overlap of four different lifestreams.
Please note for roleplaying purposes that while aether in The Eternal Fantasy is
based on the concept of aether as described in Final Fantasy 14, it is distinct
in several ways. For example, light and darkness are elements in this game, not
aspects of elements. Furthermore, there is no distinction between the aether of
the body and the mind in The Eternal Fantasy. Reincarnation as it appears in
Final Fantasy 14 is also impossible in The Eternal Fantasy, as aether does not
function as a "soul" in this game.
See Also:
help rp - General roleplaying information for The Eternal Fantasy
help magic - Information on the forms of aetheric control mortals call "magic"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |