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Kou · **02-19-2015, 03:25 AM**

So, I'm more or less searching for answers. Perhaps I'm simply terrible at finding them myself, but I can't seem to get a solid understanding of how aether works on a personal level, and how individuals tap into it to cast spells and such.

What I know so far:

Conjurers and Thaumaturges (I think?) draw upon the elements
Aetheric levels can be low enough to prevent one from being able to cast spells
Drawing upon your own aether (aka, your life force) can lead to death.

NOW. I don't know anything beyond that, and I'm eager to learn. I'm also apologizing in advance if this is a thoroughly-researched topic that someone has written about in detail somewhere (Google is notÂ my friend, and I'm somewhat challenged in the art of the Google).

What I'm alsoÂ curious to know about is:

How do yourÂ characters use aether? Is it easy or difficult for them?
How do they react? Are they all fine and dandy, or are there some negative side-effects that go along with it?

Edit for teh ModBros â€” I realize after posting this that this may technically be the wrong forum for this? If it is, I apologize. Move it if it is. Imsorrydontgroundmeplz.

WhiteLycanXII · **02-19-2015, 04:09 AM**

Arcanima - Using symbols and math to weave the aether around you into specific effects. The acute, proximate nature of this method is what allows for summoning.

Conjury - Communing with spirits that dwell within aether, and drawing upon their natural forces to heal, or use the earth to harm.

Thamaturgy - Alligns the nature of one's own aether to the astral or umbral aspect, and projects destructive force through it.

That's about how I understand the differences between the three current DoMs.

Nira herself is well studied in each method, but is predominantly an Arcanist. Conjury comes a close second, and Thamaturgy a distant third because reasons.

Aduu Avagnar · **02-19-2015, 04:52 AM**

(02-19-2015, 03:25 AM)Kou Wrote: So, I'm more or less searching for answers. Perhaps I'm simply terrible at finding them myself, but I can't seem to get a solid understanding of how aether works on a personal level, and how individuals tap into it to cast spells and such.

What I know so far:
Conjurers and Thaumaturges (I think?) draw upon the elements

Aetheric levels can be low enough to prevent one from being able to cast spells

Drawing upon your own aether (aka, your life force) can lead to death.

NOW. I don't know anything beyond that, and I'm eager to learn. I'm also apologizing in advance if this is a thoroughly-researched topic that someone has written about in detail somewhere (Google is notÂ my friend, and I'm somewhat challenged in the art of the Google).

What I'm alsoÂ curious to know about is:

How do yourÂ characters use aether? Is it easy or difficult for them?
How do they react? Are they all fine and dandy, or are there some negative side-effects that go along with it?

Edit for teh ModBros â€” I realize after posting this that this may technically be the wrong forum for this? If it is, I apologize. Move it if it is. Imsorrydontgroundmeplz.

So, Aether, the source of all life. For some reason massively abundant in Eorzea.

In game we know of a few different styles of magic:

Conjury: focuses powers from the elements
Thaumaturgy: focuses power from within
Arcanima: focuses power through arcane sigils (unsure if it is external or internal aether)
Succor (White Magic): Power derived as a gift from the Elementals of the Twelveswood
Black Magic: power gained through draining aether from the land.
Summoning: Allagan art focuses essence of a defeated primal, and calls upon an aspect of said primal
Scholar(ism?): Nymian art of battle magic.
Void Magic: Magic drawn from the void, seemingly similar to thaumaturgy/black magic.Â

stuff we don't know much if anything about:
Astrology: draws powers from the heavens?
DarkKnightism: powers of darkness.

Sounsyy can elaborate on these, as can some others. I probably could but I am about to collapse from working a night shift

Can my character manipulate it? Yes, he is skilled in the three base schools of magic, and has theoretical knowledge on all of the ones listed. however, he can't cast high level magics, and he struggles with healing and teleportation.

As to downsides, I tend to think Thaumaturgy has one of the biggest, if you draw too much power from within yourself you will die. You are litteraly using your life force to make things go boom. there is also the issue of aether poisoning. Being in an area with a high concentration of aether can cause significant harm to someone. in 1.0 I believe the dungeon timer was a way to represent this. You can also contract aether poisoning through the consumption of ethers I believe (as per the alchemist story line)

Edit:
clarification over black magic

Kou · **02-19-2015, 10:48 AM**

(02-19-2015, 04:52 AM)Nako Wrote: So, Aether, the source of all life. For some reason massively abundant in Eorzea.

In game we know of a few different styles of magic:

Conjury: focuses powers from the elements
Thaumaturgy: focuses power from within
Arcanima: focuses power through arcane sigils (unsure if it is external or internal aether)
Succor (White Magic): Power derived as a gift from the Elementals of the Twelveswood
Black Magic: Power drawn from the void and draining the land (iirc)
Summoning: Allagan art focuses essence of a defeated primal, and calls upon an aspect of said primal
Scholar(ism?): Nymian art of battle magic.
Void Magic: Magic drawn from the void, seemingly similar to thaumaturgy/black magic.Â

stuff we don't know much if anything about:
Astrology: draws powers from the heavens?
DarkKnightism: powers of darkness.

Sounsyy can elaborate on these, as can some others. I probably could but I am about to collapse from working a night shift

Can my character manipulate it? Yes, he is skilled in the three base schools of magic, and has theoretical knowledge on all of the ones listed. however, he can't cast high level magics, and he struggles with healing and teleportation.

As to downsides, I tend to think Thaumaturgy has one of the biggest, if you draw too much power from within yourself you will die. You are litteraly using your life force to make things go boom. there is also the issue of aether poisoning. Being in an area with a high concentration of aether can cause significant harm to someone. in 1.0 I believe the dungeon timer was a way to represent this. You can also contract aether poisoning through the consumption of ethers I believe (as per the alchemist story line)

This... is significantly more helpful than what I've been doing.

Huh. I'd been thinking this whole time Thaumaturgy uses surrounding aether, but I guess thinking back on it, that wouldn't make sense, thinking back on the THM storyline again.

Hrm. So aether in high concentrations is bad. Thaumaturgy can't be used with people who have low aetheric levels because it uses lifeforce.Â

What about the melee classes (GLA/PGL/MRD/ROG/PDL/MNK/WAR/NIN)? Don't they kind of use aether as well? As far as I know, MNK uses Chi (which I think is compared to aether?) and NINs use Mudras (which are... ?????? as far as I know).

Sorry If I'm reading too much into this, I'm something of a lore junkie.

Warren Castille · **02-19-2015, 10:51 AM**

(02-19-2015, 10:48 AM)Kou Wrote: What about the melee classes (GLA/PGL/MRD/ROG/PDL/MNK/WAR/NIN)? Don't they kind of use aether as well? As far as I know, MNK uses Chi (which I think is compared to aether?) and NINs use Mudras (which are... ?????? as far as I know).

Sorry If I'm reading too much into this, I'm something of a lore junkie.

Chi is probably the closest we get to martial classes using aether. Mudras are basically element-bending powers from Doma, calling upon the spirits of the elements to do stuff.

Beyond that, there's nothing to confirm that other DoW classes use aether. One could make the argument that animations prove aether, or that they're simply flashy because video games. Abilities could be using aether reflexively, or a bit of martial polish and skill. Dragoons jumping could be aether-fueled, or could just be because dragoons have always jumped.

There's plenty of room to argue for and against.

reinadancer · **02-19-2015, 11:11 AM**

One of my characters is a monk, and I went through the monk storyline. I suppose I take the class/job abilities very literal and apply them to RP. For instance, my monk character can disrupt aether, can concentrate his chakra into power 'seals' to unleash in aetheric forms that correspond with job abilities.

I suppose I take liberties, but it seems to me that most monk aetheric manipulation is personal-ranged. Only usable via touch on others or in one's immediate (3-4 feet max?) vicinity before the aether loses it's concentrated form/purpose and disperses. So far people have not called me out on this, even though I've taken part in several large events with him.

Sophia_Grave · **02-19-2015, 11:26 AM**

I think its safe to say that nonmages can use their own aether. At the very least, its something simple and easy to adapt to when RP preferences clash against others'. Its a good explanation for all the superhuman or absurdly skillful things that this game gets away with, such as Dragoon Jumping or blocking explosions, or hell, even something simple like Flash. I get that its a game and that its bound to be "game-y", but I find that a lot of RPers have their characters do crazy things. Not that its a bad thing! I just find that "cause Aether" is easy to work with.

Aaron · **02-19-2015, 11:37 AM**

I associate most DoW using aether as a variation of THM without the staff lol.

reinadancer · **02-19-2015, 11:39 AM**

(02-19-2015, 11:26 AM)Apl_Juice Wrote: I think its safe to say that nonmages can use their own aether. At the very least, its something simple and easy to adapt to when RP preferences clash against others'. Its a good explanation for all the superhuman or absurdly skillful things that this game gets away with, such as Dragoon Jumping or blocking explosions, or hell, even something simple like Flash. I get that its a game and that its bound to be "game-y", but I find that a lot of RPers have their characters do crazy things. Not that its a bad thing! I just find that "cause Aether" is easy to work with.

Yeah, it's good to be flexible and casual about it. Unless one is running a specific plotline that will be set off course by a certain overpowered ability, or unless something is truly absurd, I prefer to simply be chill. Mellow, even.

Cato · **02-19-2015, 11:58 AM**

My character isn't very capable of manipulating aether. Even making use of an aetheryte crystal is something he struggles with and it usually leaves him feeling disorientated and ill after doing so.

This is directly tied to his heritage, since his mother was a Garlean and they're unable to use magic at all. Which is something a lot of Garlean role-players seem to overlook, unfortunately!

Granted he's only half-Garlean so his ability to use aether isn't gone completely but he is by no means capable of doing anything but the most simple of feats with it. I strive to make his heritage more of a drawback than a perk given just how much weight such a fact carries within Eorzea.

reinadancer · **02-19-2015, 12:05 PM**

(02-19-2015, 11:58 AM)Graeham Ridgefield Wrote: My character isn't very capable of manipulating aether. Even making use of an aetheryte crystal is something he struggles with and it usually leaves him feeling disorientated and ill after doing so.

This is directly tied to his heritage, since his mother was a Garlean and they're unable to use magic at all. Which is something a lot of Garlean role-players seem to overlook, unfortunately!

Granted he's only half-Garlean so his ability to use aether isn't gone completely but he is by no means capable of doing anything but the most simple of feats with it. I strive to make his heritage more of a drawback than a perk given just how much weight such a fact carries within Eorzea.

Oh, that's a really good point! I have two characters, a Keeper male and a Midlander Hyur. My Keeper has very low levels of aether, but uses it very well with chakra seals and precise/efficient manipulation, as I said above. My Hyur (Reina) is from an old gridanian family and naturally has vast reserves of aether that she can call upon. She's got psychological issues that generally keep her from doing so, but it's there. I'd forgotten all about that.

Kou · **02-19-2015, 12:07 PM**

(02-19-2015, 11:26 AM)Apl_Juice Wrote: I think its safe to say that nonmages can use their own aether. At the very least, its something simple and easy to adapt to when RP preferences clash against others'. Its a good explanation for all the superhuman or absurdly skillful things that this game gets away with, such as Dragoon Jumping or blocking explosions, or hell, even something simple like Flash. I get that its a game and that its bound to be "game-y", but I find that a lot of RPers have their characters do crazy things. Not that its a bad thing! I just find that "cause Aether" is easy to work with.

I suppose there is that. I just like learningÂ and I'll be honest, the XIV RP community can make me a tad nervous sometimes. I never know if something I'm doing is such a big No-No or if people simply don't care (admittedly, a problem that is a WIP).

Thank you to the rest of you. I'm enjoying reading a lot of this, even if I don't have much to say. ^-^

Graeham Ridgefield Wrote:My character isn't very capable of manipulating aether. Even making use of an aetheryte crystal is something he struggles with and it usually leaves him feeling disorientated and ill after doing so.

This is directly tied to his heritage, since his mother was a Garlean and they're unable to use magic at all. Which is something a lot of Garlean role-players seem to overlook, unfortunately!

Granted he's onlyÂ half-Garlean so his ability to use aether isn't gone completely but he is by no means capable of doing anything but the most simple of feats with it. I strive to make his heritage more of a drawback than a perk given just how much weight such a fact carries within Eorzea.

The Garlean tidbit, I learned very recently. I also don't RP a Garlean nor do I know any Garlean RPers, really. ( ;w; )

I'd always thought aetheryte crystals were rarely used by anyone that wasn't, like... a mercenary or adventurer or what have you, since it makes most normal people sick.

Gegenji · **02-19-2015, 12:29 PM**

Another valid point for non-caster types to use aether is the fact that all the PCs can use Teleport and Return, which involves using your aether for "fast travel." I doubt the common citizen can use it (otherwise, why bother with carts and the like?), but most adventuring sorts seem to have enough control over their personal aether to make use of them.

It's actually almost all that Chachan can do, beyond his super-simplified Physick that only really works for cuts and bruises. I like to believe he actually has a decent wellspring of aether to draw on, but he can really only use it in times of great stress or importance. So... basically when the plot needs him to be something more than the dorky little smith-turned-heroling he is.

Berrod Armstrong · **02-19-2015, 12:49 PM**

(02-19-2015, 10:51 AM)Warren Castille Wrote:
(02-19-2015, 10:48 AM)Kou Wrote: What about the melee classes (GLA/PGL/MRD/ROG/PDL/MNK/WAR/NIN)? Don't they kind of use aether as well? As far as I know, MNK uses Chi (which I think is compared to aether?) and NINs use Mudras (which are... ?????? as far as I know).

Sorry If I'm reading too much into this, I'm something of a lore junkie.

Chi is probably the closest we get to martial classes using aether. Mudras are basically element-bending powers from Doma, calling upon the spirits of the elements to do stuff.

Beyond that, there's nothing to confirm that other DoW classes use aether. One could make the argument that animations prove aether, or that they're simply flashy because video games. Abilities could be using aether reflexively, or a bit of martial polish and skill. Dragoons jumping could be aether-fueled, or could just be because dragoons have always jumped.

There's plenty of room to argue for and against.

I believe monks use aether as well -- in the monk job questline, Eric and Widargelt argue over what the 'chakras' are. Widargelt's thoughts were mostly in the side of spiritual mysticism while Eric was convinced that the chakras were simply related to aether.Â

His version of the explanation of what opened chakras made it somewhat clear that there needed to be a lot of excess aether in the area.Â

For more details on that stuff, check out the monk job quest stuff! It's actually pretty cool.

Inessa Hara · **02-19-2015, 01:05 PM**

Most people have touched on what you can find out by playing the MSQ or the class quests.

I really want to touch on void magic though because its often misrepresented or understood in the wrong context.

Void magic is pretty bad news and really shunned on but it doesn't require extensive studies into thaumaturgey and whatnot to summon voidsent or actually use void magic.

The only time that you would need extensive studies is if you were using Black Mage powers or if you were summoning a greater voidsent.

Back during the 5th era, during the fall of amdapor and during the great war of the magi, a master void magician, who new the most about void magics, summoned the Voidsent Lord Diabolos and pretty much ripped a hole into Amdapor before it got sealed away.

So if your looking to employ some of the most powerful void magics, it requires a very deep understanding on void magics and the void in general.

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Aether â€” How's it work and how do your characters use it?

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes