Aether is the energy of Hydaelyn — it is all around and within all living things. All magic on Hydaelyn is derived from aether. It exists in six aspects and two polarities.
Forms of Aether
- Corporeal — the aetherpool within a living body, used for casting spells.
- Spiritual — tied to mind and soul; the aether of consciousness and identity.
- Ambiental / Environmental — unbound aether that exists throughout the world, ambient in air, stone, water, and living things.
- Surface Aether (subset) — the unbound leftover of spent aetherial bodies such as cast spells or the residue of people. Primarily used by Conjurers and Red Mages. Usually too thin to distinguish from ambiental aether.
Aether released upon death returns to the aetherial sea from which all life begins. Only so much can cross at a time — excess remains as glowing mist, crystals, or ghostly apparitions. More violent deaths yield more excess.
Polarity — Umbral & Astral
Polarity describes aetherial frequency. Umbral (Stasis): frequency 1,000–9,800. Astral (Activity): frequency 10,200–20,000.
| Element | Umbral State | Astral State | Natural Tendency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice | Frost / controlled ice | Explosive blizzard | Naturally Umbral — easiest to control |
| Earth | Solid rock | Dust, quicksand | |
| Water | Stagnant lake | Jet that cuts through stone | |
| Wind | Still air | Cutting gale | |
| Fire | Dry haze | Consuming flame | |
| Levin | Electromagnetism / EMP | Lightning | Naturally Astral — hardest to tame |
Character alignment describes which element their aether naturally resonates with. Casting the same element repeatedly causes aspecting — your aetherpool drifts toward that element and becomes unstable. Counterbalancing with the opposite element stabilizes it (astral fire ↔ umbral ice).
Elemental Interactions
Conquests (strong against): Earth grounds Lightning. Water erodes Earth. Lightning boils Water.
Submissions (weak against): Fire is extinguished by Wind. Ice is melted by Fire. Wind is obstructed by Ice.
Diametric oppositions: Fire ↔ Water. Earth ↔ Wind. Ice ↔ Lightning.
Crystallization
- Astral crystallization: Slowly increase frequency to ~1,800 then spike to ~3,600 in under 0.1 seconds. If the spike fails, aether destabilizes and causes an aetherial explosion.
- Umbral crystallization: Bring frequency to 0 — temporary; aether will naturally stir back toward the 1,000 minimal-stability mark.
Aetherial Disturbance / Soul Dissonance
Caused by the body not recognizing its own aether as belonging to it — most commonly when a foreign soul inhabits a body not matched to its aetherial signature. Symptoms: excruciating pain, increased aether consumption, sporadic loss of bodily control, body functions beginning to fail.
Zekito’s version: his demigod soul is too large for the Miqo’te body it was placed in. The body’s aetherial signature rejects the foreign soul. Managed (not cured) by special magitek armour, and later partially resolved by Lunair Blackwind’s procedure.