It is Siadas, 21st of the Month of Cinder, in the year 96

Aether Forms

To help guide and tutor those attuned to the Aether, to better help them understand the power that they hold and the possibilities that can come with it. The standardisation of ‘Aetheric Forms’ has become a common staple among nations that in some way have institutionalised the powers.

Dumanon is a prime example. Having achieved the most aetheric society in known history, and it continues to strive to ensure that those with the gift are not helpless or afraid of what they are. Many Aetheric tutors in Dumanon encourage their wards and apprentices to embrace the change they can create, to imagine far greater than what they can do currently to kindle the ambition of the young to achieve greater heights.

Gallia’s own Palace of Knowledge has taken note of Dumanon’s methods of tutelage and copied it in many respects. They do not teach their own to reach beyond their station nor instil them with ambition, rather to use their abilities to better protect their benefactors and serve the Kingdom.

Both institutions follow Dumanon’s original formatting of the Aetheric Schools, or Forms. From the use of ‘Telekinesis’, to its more abusive kin in ‘Control’. To the exemplar of Imperial evil, ‘Energy’, to the good offered by ‘Mending’. ‘Body’ ensures that the Aetheric can survive in the harshness of the world, while ‘Mind’ gives them the edge they need to navigate the dangers. ‘Tyranny’ on the other hand, much to its naming credit, is often reviled for the maddening depths it desires.

The Aether Sigil

"Papa, why don't I have superpowers?"

"You didn't get past the Creationists, my son." - He then sobs.

Aetheric Forms 1 - 3

Telekinesis

Telekinesis is often considered one of the more basic forms of aetheric power, though this is only because it is one of the easiest to learn and almost every attuned can use it in some form or another. - Despite being regarded as basic among the attuned, normal-born people see it as an unnatural ability to manipulate what shouldn’t be manipulated. Of course, this sentiment varies from culture to culture, but it is often a tell-tale sign of something far greater to come.

The ability to move objects with one will have become a staple among the attuned, in some places such as Dumanon, they often use it for mundane tasks such as reaching for a book or drink. Such flippant use could seem offensive to those who hold the power in much higher respect.

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

Minor Telekinesis - The ability to push, pull and move small objects to, from and around your character.

Flow Control - You can control the flow of wind, and even the speed of it. Allowing you to snuff out unprotected flames, make clothing flutter more or stop it dead.

Major Telekinesis - You are able to lift and move larger objects than before and more than one at the same time! -You can lift many smaller objects compared to big ones and the large objects shouldn’t be too ‘large’. (Think the size of a chest)

Upheaval - You can pull rocks from the earth and cause small disruptions to terrain, in around a radius of 4 sqft.

Immense Upheaval - You can cause considerable disruptions to terrain and control complex substances e.g. making sand, snow, and water move in cohesion. You can lift more than one mid-sized item at the same time.

RR Abilities

Throw

- Throw an object from the environment at the target.

Push

- Push the target away from your character.

Pull

- Pull the target towards your character.

Pulse

- A powerful push that will knock back multiple targets.

Wave

- An even stronger push that will knock back more targets even further.

Repulse

- A strong, omni-directional, wave that pushes everyone away from you a great distance.

Control

Control is a specific use of Telekinesis that focuses on bypassing the natural will of a target's body and seeks to control it. It is considered an inherent misuse of Aether power, and in many cultures users that do it would be quickly turned against.

The form is generally considered more difficult to use and to master, most targets will have an innate inability to be manipulated in such a way until the user improves their command over the Aether.

Control is when Aether is used to form bands of force around the target's body part to enable the user to 'control' that body part. This power, once developed, can enable the user to enact more malicious actions upon the target. Striking against their bones and flesh without even drawing a weapon to do so.

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

Within Grasp - Soft objects can be crushed with a simple thought. (Such as fruit and veg) within view.

Pulled Apart - You can pull soft objects apart (Such as fruit and veg) so long as they're in view.

Precise Control - You can perfectly slice objects in half, or into parts. - This can be rocks, trees, logs etc. (Cannot do so to player builds, armour or weapons without consent OOC)

Benign Destruction - You can crush, pull apart or slice objects with a thought. - This can be rocks, trees logs, furniture, car insurance etc. (Cannot do so to player builds, armour or weapons without OOC consent.)

RR Abilities

(Requires Aether Madness)

Choke

- The use of Aether to form a tight grip around the throat of the target.

Manipulate

- Using the Aether to move the limbs of the target.

Bellow

- Empowering your character's vocal coords with the aether to turn a shout deadly.

Puppeteer

- Using the Aether to not just manipulate a limb or two, but an entire body.

Rend

- Using the Aether to tear open the flesh on the target.

Crush

- Using the Aether to grip part of the target's body and apply immense pressure.

Energy

Energy is perhaps one of the most controversial forms of Aetheric power that have been widely used. Often, when this is encountered the user is extremely dangerous and often ends up ostracized from society out of fear of what they can do. Dumanon on the other hand prizes the ability, considering it an Imperial Preference, and their nobility strives to be practitioners of it.

The form is difficult to use and to master. Its malicious intent can often backfire as the user loses control of the steams and strikes friend and foe alike. The unskilled have been known to accidentally kill themselves with the lack of ability to control their power.

The form uses Aether to violently push through the air with such force and malicious intent, it arcs and burns like lightning.

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

Nifty Trick - You can cause enough energy to spark in order to light a small fire, e.g. for a candle or lantern. It does not quite have the power to grow any bigger.

Boring Company - You can make people feel sleepy, though not enough to hinder them in emergencies. It will not go away until they rest.

Lightning Artist - You can create streams of lightning that take vague but determinable shapes.

RR Abilities

(Requires Aether Madness)

Bolt

- Throw a long-ranged bolt of lightning at the target.

Lightning

- Shoot a stream of potent aetheric lightning at your target.

Siphon

- Drain the target of their strength, empowering yourself in the process.

Chain Lightning

- Shoot streams of aetheric lightning at multiple targets.

Lightning Storm

- Fire a large number of lightning stream all around you, striking a number of different targets.

Destruction

- Manifest the aether into an electrified sphere of destruction and cast it out in front of you.

"How can you stomach to be around someone who can choke you with a thought?"

- A damn fine question

Aetheric Forms 4 - 7

Mending

Mending is a tricky and delicate use of Aether, perhaps one of the most difficult to truly master as it requires a greater degree of control and management over the flow of Aether to prevent undesired mutation.

Those who can use this form of Aether are the most well-received among the Aetheric Attuned. Despite whatever attempts they make to hide themselves, their healing ability will make them highly regarded and sought after.

Due to the nature of this form, those who are tainted by madness find it more and more difficult to keep the flow of Aether under control. So much so that they become incapable of performing Mending as an ability.

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

‘Tis But a Scratch - You can remove pain and reduce the visual appearance of cuts, scrapes and bruises.

Painkiller - You can mildly reduce the pain felt by others for a period of one hour. Agony becomes pain, pain becomes discomfort for this duration.

Soothing Presence - You can alleviate the pain from any extent of injury for another person, as long as you are lightly touching. The relief ends when physical contact ends but otherwise is extremely effective.

Miracle Worker - You can completely heal the appearance of life-long scars. (Ask for OOC permission)

RR Abilities

(Requires that you do not have Aether Madness)

Reinvigourate

- Replenish the target's stamina.

Mend

- Heal the target's HP.

Restore

- Heal the wounds on the Target.

Cure

- Removes poisons and diseases from the target.

Remedy

- Heals and energizes the target (gaining HP and STA)

Coalesense

- Removes Soul Siphon and 'Fed Upon' while also buffing target.

Soul Saviour

- Mend the soul of the target from a grievous scar.

Body

Body is the use of Aether to empower oneself. Often this will come naturally to the Aetheric users when they need to push themselves further and further. Those who practice and train themselves to channel the Aether through their bodies are capable of truly in-human feats of the old stories in myth and legend.

Those who train themselves with this Aether Form are difficult to discover until they push their limits even further. The reaction to such a person is often mixed, while one group might fear their 'natural' strength others might adore them. Usually, it is only when a crowd are convinced they could be an Aetheric Attuned could their popularity sour.

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

Strong Hands - Empowering yourself to tear, crush, and open slightly tougher things than average.

Stronger Hands - Increased ability in empowering yourself to tear, crush and open things; such as being able to crush a pineapple in your palm.

Easy Life - You find general movement easier and less exhausting; climbing and jumping included. Through meditation, you can endure considerable pain for extended periods.

Indomitable Leap - You can get around with great leaps from your empowered legs. (Out of Combat use)

Personal Control - You can survive several days without food or water so long as you can meditate. You can survive underwater without breathing for an hour. You can endure immense pain.

RR Abilities

Passive Buffs

- Body uses a variety of passive buffs.

Strengthen

- Increase the damage your character does for the current fight.

Reinforce

- Harden your character's body with the Aether making it more resistant.

Embolden

- Increase your character's movement tile limit until the end of combat.

Audacious Leap

- Allows your character to leap across the battlefield.

Desperate Measures

- Push your body further than it should go, gaining more stamina and and damage buffs in the process.

Second Wind

- Regain HP and Stamina when on low HP.

Mind

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

Aetheric Connection - Basic compelling of animals: they like you more than average.

Weak Mental Image - You can influence people into seeing a simple image in their mind, e.g a tent, an apple.

Mental Ricochet - You can make your voice echo in the minds of others; it has no bonus influence, but it is unnatural.

Strong Aetheric Connection - An individual animal will follow orders without question, unless their life is endangered or their owner gives conflicting orders

Strong Mental Image - You can influence people into seeing a complex image in their mind, e.g. a map, a burning fire.

Herd Connection - A herd or group of animals will follow orders without question unless their life is endangered or their owner gives conflicting orders.

Mind is a complicated use of Aether, most often those attuned would skip over learning it to focus their attention elsewhere. These abilities encompass an intricate use of power to influence the minds of others, generally in the most subtle of ways.

Due to the nature of what it is, many will never suspect when they have had such an ability used upon them. Interestingly enough, however, once someone is suspected of being able to do such things many become wary of being around them to outright avoid them.

The form either uses the Aether to mould or remould the mind of the target or open a mostly harmless connection between the two minds to allow one into the other.

RR Abilities

Impression

- Be granted an impression of what's on the target's mind.

Calm

- Use the aether to soothe and calm the target.

Minor Illusion

- Use the aether to manifest a minor illusion.

Read Thoughts

- Probe the mind of the target to reveal their thoughts.

Alter Mind

- Alter the target's state of mind, to plant a suggestion or idea into. Or make them more friendly.

Illusion Self

- Allows the caster to disguise themselves with the Aether.

Illusion Other

- Allows the caster to disguise another with the Aether.

Pacify

- Take away the target's thoughts and feelings of aggression.

Telepathy

- One way communication to the target.

Realm of Wonder

- Use the aether to create an illusion scene of your own design. Those within have all their senses effected.

Tyranny

Flavour Abilities

(Each Flavour Ability requires a certain investment into the Aether Tree. Please check the Aether Tree Document.)

Aetheric Nemesis - Animals find you intimidating and unsettling. They dislike you more than average, but follow orders through fear as long as their life is not endangered.

Phantom Pain - You can create the illusion of discomfort for people. A burning itch, a sharp sting, a small cut - it does not physically occur, but they experience the sensation as if it is real.

Strong Mental Image - You can draw people’s worst fears out of their mind and give them glimpses of it. You do not know exactly what they see, but it would be something personal and terrifying.

Tyranny is perhaps one of the vilest miss-uses of Aether possible. Even other attuned who see themselves as bastions of Aetheric power would give pause when they encounter someone who is known to utilise Tyranny.

It is becoming more common among Lords of Dumanon to practice this form and deploy it in battle. With some hailing it as the next Imperial standard.

Originally based on the functionality of the Mind form, Tyranny uses what is taught and then infects its abilities with a healthy serving of malice. What they then become capable of is devastation and fear that descend upon a victim seemingly out of nowhere.

Due to the nature of this form, only those who are tainted by madness can explore its fullest potential.

RR Abilities

(Requires Aether Madness)

Agonise

- Convince the target's mind that they are in great pain.

Horrify

- Break through the target's mental defences and plague them with horrifc images specific to their character.

Obliterate

- Select a memory from the past day in the target's mind and destroy it.

Hysteria

- Warp the target's perception to force them into a fit of hysterics.

Soul Scar

- Dive into the target's mind and rend a deep scar upon their soul.

Author: Hokan

Contributions by: Oakbug

Page Created by: Hokan