Aether: the Basis of the Magic System

In the worlds of the Twinborn Trilogy, aether is the stuff that lends power to magic. But what do we know about it?

Where does it come from?

Aether comes from living things. It is produced by the Source, the mystical being of every creature and plant. It is both a defining characteristic of live and at the same time, a waste product.

What does it look like?

Aether can only be seen by people who are able to manipulate it. Generally, the stronger the ability to manipulate aether, the greater their ability to perceive changes and details in it. It is described by those best able to see it as a miasma or fog, bluish-white in color, densest around Sources and having its own currents, winds, and stagnant pools. Sources look very much like the outline of the creature they originate from, less color, hair, fur, claws, and similar growths.

Clothing, weapons, and all manner of non-living objects are virtually invisible in the aether. This makes relying on aether-vision hazardous in combat and clumsy for walking around. However, it allows a gifted individual to look though obstacles and to see about in all directions.

Very rarely, someone has the ability to see both light and aether at the same time. Creatures take on a look of added depth, and the awkwardness associated with relying solely on the aether is mitigated.

How is it used?

Aether, as far as sorcerers are concerned, is a power source and a raw material. It can be used to power magic, and to form things from magic. The power of a sorcerer is determined by three factors: How quickly can they draw in aether, how much of it they can hold, and how efficiently they can convert that aether into magical effects. There are numerous sub-topics delving into the specifics of how specific effects are created, but I’ll save the minutiae for another time. At its most basic level, a sorcerer is a converter that turns aether into effects on the real world.

Aether -> Sorcerer -> Effect

I like analogies

Think of aether as propane, the Source as a tank that each of us has within us. As the world fills with the gas, enterprising individuals suck it up and use it to power stoves, furnaces, generators, what-have-you. Those are the sorcerers. Then again, the simplest thing you can possibly do with lots of aether and no sophisticated equipment or knowledge of how to make it, is set the stuff on fire…BOOM!
That’s what a Firehurler does…

Have a question about aether and how it works? Something I missed? Drop me a note in the comments section.