Aether Torrent

Aether is a fundamental force of nature. Aetherics is the scientific study and control of an element of aether. Any act of aetherical control is magic. One who performs magic is an aetherist.

Nobody calls magic "using aetherics," as nobody calls hammering a nail "using physics." While technically accurate, it's linguistically odd. The colloquial term for what aetherists do is "using magic," or simply "magic" as a verb.

In a religious perspective, magic is a gift bestowed by deities, a practice which allows the faithful to commune directly with the omnipresent forces of creation. In a non-religious perspective, magic -- while rare and special -- is no more divine than hammering a nail.

Regardless of an aetherist's perspective, their magic requires the same two things: a vessel and a conduit.

Vessels

A vessel is a substance naturally attuned to the aether. Vessels reflect only one element of aether like colors reflect only one wavelength of light.

Aetherics works by forming an aetherical circuit between a body and a vessel. Aetherists use that circuit to feel and then manipulate their natural bodily aether, which causes the vessel to release its attuned element into the world as magic. Without a vessel, an aetherist can feel no aether and use no magic. The feeling itself is synesthetic; aetherists, in using magic, know how texture smells or how colors taste.

A defining characteristic of vessels is that they are rare. Either they appear in very small quantities in nature or their refinement is difficult. Industrialization has boosted overall vessel availability to historic highs, but most are still scarce, prohibitively expensive, and/or tightly regulated.

Orichalcum (seen pictured), for instance, is the only known Fire vessel. A brass-like alloy, orichalcum's vital ingredient is naturally-occurring crystals of zinc oxide. Zinc oxide may be chemically synthesized, but only natural crystals of it produce orichalcum. No one knows why that is.

Further experimentation into vessels and the elements they can yield is always ongoing.

Conduits

A conduit is a tool, most commonly a weapon, which either contains or is made of a vessel.

A conduit's shape is as crucial to magic as its vessel. Hand tools direct force by their shape; conduits are no different. An incorrectly-shaped conduit can summon no magic, even if it is made of pure vessel.

Furthermore, each element has its own necessary conduit shape to direct its magic. One cannot summon Water magic with an Earth conduit, just as one would not cut paper with a hammer.

Finally, skin contact with a vessel within the conduit is vital -- without touch, there is no link between the vessel's aether and the user's mind, and no force to direct. For that reason most conduits have their vessel in the handle. Nearly all materials are aether-conductive to some degree, so conduits can be made of many different things. The only true aetherical insulators, through which no aether can pass, are most plastics.

What shape is necessary for which element? After much experimentation, aetherists have found that Water needs a curved edge, Air needs a cylinder, Fire needs a cone, and Earth needs a flat plane.

The Monster Exception

If a living being's body is wholly attuned to an element of aether at birth, that being needs neither vessel nor conduit to use magic, for its body acts as both. Such a being is called a monster.

A normal aetherist may use any element from any conduit they can touch. However, a monster is unable to use more than its birth element, even when presented with any number of vessels and/or conduits.

Monsters' free and easy use of magic has led to much public fascination with them, out of wonder or fear or both. A sapient monster is typically recognized as having certain rights. A non-sapient monster is typically hunted.

Style Guide

Aether (n.): ee-ther. A natural force of the universe, existing alongside and interacting with physical forces such as gravity and electromagnetism. Sometimes "the Aether," especially in a devotional sense.

Aetherial (adj.): Aether-like in quality; powerful, mysterious, often invisible; "an aetherial force," "an aetherial beauty." Used in similar fashion to "magical," or "magic" as an adjective.

Aetherics (n.): The scientific study of aether, its elements, its behavior, and its use. Used in similar fashion to "physics."

Aetherical (adj.): Pertaining to aether itself; "aetherical control," "an aetherical circuit." Used in similar fashion to "physical," and often understood and unstated when speaking of vessels and conduits. The word aetheric is as grammatically incorrect as physic.

Aethericist (n).: One who scientifically studies aetherics, typically as a profession (though many hobbyists exist).

Aetherician (n).: A medical practitioner whose primary means of promoting, maintaining, or restoring health is by aetherical means. Not to be confused with aethericist.

Magic (n.): Any act of aetherical control. Magic is used, or performed, or summoned.

Magic (v.): To control aether. One can magic an object, but never aether an object.

Aetherist (n.): One who uses magic.