Thick clouds of purple floated through the forest, gurgling out from a geyser. It clung to plants and rocks, casting purple hues onto nearby surfaces. The immediate area around the source of Aetherbloom seemed desolate, barren of life. But just a couple hundred feet further were twisted trees and bushes with iridescent sheen. It was as though the Aetherbloom had transformed a portion of the forest, filling it with magic.
Aether is a magic system based on dark and white matter. This page contains news about the media based on Aether, as well as some of the brainstorming behind it. BEWARE OF SPOILERS!
– Yours Truly, Malissa
Latest:
Eclipsium
5/28/25
When Eclipsebound or Soulseeds die, and after their bodies deteriorate, the remnants of their infused remains have the possibility to form a gem-like material called eclpisium, known to have magical uses. The conditions in which eclipsium forms is quite extreme. The infused matter must be dissolved by groundwater, then exposed to several hundred years of pressure and intense heat far underground. The rich, mineral water that dissolved the infused matter will slowly evaporate, creating a crystalline structure. The result is the gem known as eclipsium.
Some of eclipsium’s uses are:
> Brief bursts in the strength of magical power.
> Finding other Eclipsebound or Soulseeds.
Eclipsium gems can be infused with Aether magic so that non-magic users can also use magic with the assistance of the gems. This leads to the creation and marketing of magic items.
News:
TBA
World Building (SPOILERS):
Access to Magic
4/29/25
An individual must be born infused with dark matter in order to have the potential to cast magic, but to actually awaken the powers is quite difficult. Dark matter is a substance that seems to have no mass or density, and it moves through planets, people, buildings, and so on. Its movement could almost be described as wind, moving to and fro on cosmic whims of fancy. If this dark matter happens to move through an area of space occupied by a woman with child, the child becomes a Soulseed, infused with dark matter. Considering the seemingly random movement of dark matter, Soulseeds are relatively rare.
When a Soulseed awakens their powers, they are called Eclipsebound.
Animals can also be Soulseeds, but they lack the mental capacities necessary to awaken or cast magic.
Origin and Source of Magic
4/29/25
This magic, commonly called Aether, is a natural force and is inherent to its world and the life that inhabits the world. The source of this magic is dark matter, a largely unobservable natural phenomenon. At certain locations in this world, the dark matter coalesces and becomes dense clouds of what people call Aetherbloom. These pockets of dense, dark matter are quite rare and typically located in hard-to-reach places. They may be found as geysers, pools, or underground wells, among other locations.
Areas heavy with Aetherbloom tend to evolve and adapt because of the influence of the magic. Imagine an Aetherbloom geyser right in the middle of the forest. The substance is almost toxic in its touch, so the immediate area is barren, but the surrounding forest and the wildlife now have minor magical adaptations.
Method of Casting
4/28/25
This magic is an inborn, innate ability that comes to life after training. However, it is only for those individuals who have been born as Soulseeds and have been awakened to be Eclipsebound. It comes as easily to these individuals as backflips come to gymnasts and shooting comes to hunters. The process by which one must be awakened from Soulseed to Eclipsebound involves contact with a thick, cloud-like substance called Aetherbloom. The contact of this substance on the skin causes strange characters of purplish hue to appear, sunken into the skin like shallow scars. The characters and shapes that appear (and the places on the body) help determine the individual’s abilities.
Other:
In-World Glossary
Aetherbloom: A thick cloud-like substance of purple hue, caused by the coalescing of dark matter. It’s dense enough that you could hold it in cupped hands, and it feels somewhat sticky. While it does drift through the air like fog or smoke, it will puddle in holes and divots in the ground. Necessary to awaken a Soulseed to become Eclipsebound.