After the humiliating defeat at the hands of a long-gone Arcanist's ancient design, Altha had stopped trying to decode the Golden Tree.
Its enigmatic glow still haunted the corners of his mind, pulsing behind his eyes like an afterimage—a riddle with no mouth, and yet, it mocked him.
Dawn's first light crept across the desolate temple, painting the crumbling spires in hues of bruised gold. The warmth was thin. Cosmetic.
He walked in silence, sneakers scuffing softly against the stone.
---
On his way there, his eyes fell on the remains of the Rusted Rose Butcher, sprawled across the cracked floor like a broken machine.
Its metallic limbs, pitted and scorched, glinted faintly in the dawn light, and its flower-like core—once pulsing with ember-red fury—now lay dull and lifeless.
A strange pang twisted through his chest—not grief. Not relief. Something murkier. But amidst that sea of unmarked guilt, an idea bloomed forth.
He slowed, then stopped, his breath catching as he stared at the creature he'd felled.
"Still here," he murmured, crouching beside the body. His fingers hovered over its rusted surface—cautious, like the touch might reignite something best left dead.
"Not a speck of ash. You haven't dissolved yet."
His eyes narrowed.
"Which means you weren't born from the Ashen Pyre," he said, his voice low. "But you had come from there."
He stood, slipping his hands into his pockets, circling the body with slow, calculating steps. His eyes sharp with curiosity.
"But you've got Ash and Fire Aspects," he continued, speaking to the corpse as if it could answer.
"Classic Ashenai traits. So, what's the truth then? Did you have those Aspects before you entered the Ashen Pyre? or did it Alter you? Can both be true simultaneously?" He paused, as his mind drifted to the description of the Petalbrand Ring.
"A Promise To Return. A battle fought and lost. The ring said you fought in a war, lost, and chased a storm of fire, I thought it was just being metaphorical…"
He tapped a finger against his chin, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"But what if that war was in the Ashen Pyre? How long did it rage? Years? Centuries?"
His gaze turned slowly toward the blurred barrier on the horizon—glowing faint, hiding whatever waited beyond.
"Regardless the fact remains that you're here and that's hopeful enough."
"Still... you made it out," he said. "That means others could, too." He murmured. "If another creature escaped the Pyre and made it here... maybe they'd be addable."
The word left his mouth like a mistake.
"...or valuable," he corrected softly. "Maybe both."
---
Stomp
Stomp
Stomp
Heavy footfalls echoed from the far stairwell.
Altha's thoughts scattered like birds from fire.
"Nope."
He turned. Fast. Not fleeing—just leaving faster than usual.
He passed by the fragmented statues, the strange Arcane device, and slipped into the library chamber. The heavy door creaked shut behind him, cutting off the sound.
Now he stood before the three doors.
Each one led to the same place.
The library.
But now, it felt like the only place that might offer answers before something worse offered questions.
He took a seat and flipped through his Eidolomancy Script for a couple of hours and eventually wound up at the appendix.
Scanning through, he realized he'd skipped a few chapters.
Then he remembered Cecily saying he would be able to fo those freely on his own time.
"I suppose that time is now then. Let's get to cracking then, maybe I'll be lucky enough to find something to shed some abstract form of insight on this whole mess I'm in."
---
Chapter 1: Foundations of Aethear Theory
"To walk the path of the Eidolomancer is to dip one's soul into the tide that birthed the stars."
— Aranwe Lethis, First Writings of the Foldless Weave
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1. What Is the Aethear?
The Aethear is not merely the source of magic—it is the very substrate of potential. It is described as the foldless weave of reality, an ever-present, seamless lattice beneath all that exists, untouched by the bends and fractures of time or substance. Unlike the tangible laws of nature, the Aethear is pre-law: a proto-medium of will and essence, unbound by causality yet capable of shaping it.
Analogy:
Imagine existence as a great tapestry. Where ordinary cloth is woven from threads and knots—intertwined strands defining patterns—the Aethear is the loom itself: invisible yet omnipresent, defining the structure and possibility of all woven forms.
It is not visible, but it can be felt—by those attuned. It is not fixed, but it can be shaped—by those with will. To the uninitiated, it is silence. To the trained Eidolomancer, it is a quiet song sung by the soul of the world.
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The Trinity of Forces: Ether, Cogni, and Athar
Ether is raw essence—the primeval energy found in all things, like the fuel in a lantern waiting to be ignited. It saturates the natural world and flows along Ley lines, especially dense in Leydrithia.
Cogni is intent made form—the mental and spiritual structure by which mortals understand and impose their will upon the weave. Where Ether is passive, Cogni is active—an algorithm written by thought and belief.
Athar is the resultant reaction—the crystallization of shaped Ether through Cogni. It is reality reborn through deliberate expression. Athar is the spell, the effect, the phenomenon made real.
Analogy:
If Ether is clay, Cogni is the sculptor's hand, and Athar is the statue formed. The Aethear is the space in which all this occurs—the permissive fabric that allows the clay to exist and the sculpture to have form.
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2. The Four Pillars of Magical Interaction.
These are the immutable steps by which magic becomes manifest. Each spell, ritual, or enchantment follows these four principles—consciously or instinctively. A failure in any leads to magical misfire, decay, or chaos.
• Resonance
The alignment of the self with the unseen.
To wield magic, one must first resonate with the Aethear. This is done by harmonizing one's spirit—and therefore one's Ether—to the frequency of the Weave. Without resonance, intention slips off the fabric of reality like water off oiled parchment.
Analogy:
Just as a tuning fork vibrates in harmony with a struck note, the mage must attune their inner essence to the silent hum of the Aethear.
• Confluence
The blending of intention with potential.
Once resonance is achieved, the practitioner must channel Cogni—their intent, vision, and belief—into the flow. This moment is called Confluence, when the mage's will begins to ripple across the weave, changing its shape and currents.
Analogy:
Imagine ink dropped into clear water. If dropped carelessly, it disperses without pattern. But if carefully guided, it forms art within the fluid—patterns, shapes, even words.
• Manifestation
The shaping of Athar from the raw.
This is the act of taking Ether, shaped through Cogni, and forging Athar—raw magical effects. Whether it be fire, illusion, telekinesis, or temporal anchoring, Manifestation is the crystallization of the Weave's response to will.
Analogy:
It is not unlike casting molten metal into a mold. The mold (Cogni) defines form; the metal (Ether) provides substance; the casting process births the final tool (Athar).
• Stabilization
The anchoring of the unreal within the real.
Even the most potent magic means nothing if it cannot persist or behave predictably. Stabilization is the process of binding the Athar to the material plane, enforcing rules, duration, and limits. It ensures the spell doesn't unravel or fracture the weave.
Analogy:
Imagine tying down a balloon in a storm. Without anchoring, it will be swept away by entropy—or worse, lash back with chaotic backlash.
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3. Vectors & Vortices
The Aethear does not exist in stasis. It flows—with direction, momentum, and intensity. Understanding this flow is essential for Eidolomantic control and precision.
• Scalar vs. Vector Flows
Scalar flows represent passive energy densities—the amount of Aethear present in a space, akin to pressure or weight. Useful for measuring leyline saturation or spell fuel.
Vector flows, however, describe directional movement—where and how Aethear moves. These are essential for high-level casting, especially when anchoring a spell to move or shift.
Analogy:
Think of a river. The scalar is how deep the water is at a point. The vector is how fast and in what direction the current flows.
Mages who fail to account for vector flow often find their spells pulled off-course, inverted, or amplified dangerously by natural Aethearic drift.
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• The Concept of Vortical Nodes
In areas where flows intersect or spiral inward, Vortical Nodes are formed—points of exceptional arcane potency and instability. These places act as wellsprings or eddies, amplifying or distorting magic.
In nature, they often occur near Spires or leyline nexuses.
When artificially created (via glyphcraft or ritual), they allow for spell nesting, dimensional dilation, or convergence rites.
Analogy:
Picture a whirlpool in the ocean. Not only is the water deeper here, but it pulls all things toward it. Such is a Vortical Node in the Weave—dense, drawing in essence, and sometimes, consciousness.
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4. Awakening the Channel: Cultivating Ether and Cogni
"The Ether lies within us all, like the first breath we took beneath the stars. Cogni, however, is the act of remembering how to breathe with purpose." — Maeralis Rin, Master of Aetheric Foundations
The journey of an Eidolomancer begins not with grand incantations or cataclysmic power, but with the internal discipline to channel. The channel is not a conduit in the physical sense, but a cultivated state of being—the synchrony between Ether (essence) and Cogni (intention). Mastery of the channel is mastery of one's self.
• Learning to Channel Ether
Ether is emotive and responsive. It is shaped by instinct, but directed by discipline. Students begin by learning breathwork, bodily posture, and mnemonic trance-states to stimulate the Etheric field within them. This is known as Priming.
> Exercise Example:
Priming Flame: Students imagine a small flickering fire in their chest and use rhythmic breathing to "fan" it—heightening bodily warmth and visualizing radiant energy in their palms. This conditions the Ether to respond to thought.
• Learning to Shape Cogni
Cogni is structured intent. It is shaped by memory, will, and logic. Students train through Mental Constructs: imagined diagrams, symbolic language, or geometric patterns that codify their will before release. Early training emphasizes visualization, concept chaining, and emotive anchors (e.g., casting from a place of protective love vs. hateful vengeance).
> Exercise Example:
The Glass Thread: Students imagine a single thread connecting their mind to a future moment—an event or effect they desire to cause. They then trace that thread backward, moment by moment, forming a chain of necessary causal steps. This is early Cogni crafting.
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The library maintained a gentle quiet, undisturbed by any force beyond the turning of a page or the whisper of breath. It was like an isolated system, sealed off from chaos—a controlled experiment in stillness.
Altha often thought of it that way. He had studied systems, once. Energy transfer, closed cycles, theoretical physics. Only when he had time. Only when duty didn't call.
Which, of course, was rare.
That was always considered a flaw—or so they had said.
Time spent on unnecessary knowledge was time wasted. A soldier needed tactics. Not theories.
But even now, seated cross-legged in a library of towering shelves, dust motes spinning in the highlight, he could never quite see it as a flaw.
What began as curiosity had slowly turned into a kind of guilty pleasure.
And now?
Now, he didn't feel guilty at all.
"If they could see me like this…" he muttered, pausing mid-page.
He imagined their expressions: silence sharpened into judgement, disappointment disguised as discipline.
A soldier you could be, they'd said. But a person? Gods forbid!
The thought clung to him, persistent, almost stubborn.
"Not here. Not now. I need to focus."
He turned the page.
---
5. The Elemental Aspects & the 24 Standard Runes
Each spell is composed not only of energy and intent, but of aspects—fundamental resonances of the world that give shape and texture to Athar.
The four classical elemental aspects—Water, Earth, Fire, and Air—are the primary frameworks through which students begin to understand magical expression.
Basic Elemental Aspects in Spellwork
Fire (Flame Rune) – Passion, destruction, transformation. Fire is fast, volatile, and excels at short-term manifestation. Combined with the Force Rune, it becomes an explosive burst; combined with the Duration Rune, it becomes a sustained burn.
Water (Tide Rune) – Fluidity, adaptability, memory. Water spells are flexible and difficult to predict. Mixed with the Whisper Rune, it may carry voices across distance. Blended with the Vital Rune, it enhances healing and bodily recovery.
Earth (Stone Rune) – Stability, protection, strength. Earth provides armor, walls, and grounding. With the Mass Rune, it can increase weight and density. With the Stillness Rune, it forms nearly immovable barriers.
Air (Gale Rune) – Movement, speed, clarity. Air allows for travel, quick casting, and perception enhancement. Paired with the Sight Rune, it reveals distant visions. With the Kinetic Rune, it creates gusts, levitation, or even tornados.
> Spell Example: Razorwind Bolt
A quick-cast offensive spell utilizing:
Gale Rune (air as base)
Force Rune (to weaponize)
Range Rune (for projection)
Duration Rune (to maintain cutting edge for several seconds)
Fast. Silent. Deadly.
---
Altha skimmed the final lines again, mouthing the combinations. His fingers traced invisible runes against his knee, mimicking the etching sequence.
"Gale. Force. Range. Duration…" he whispered.
---
The Importance of Runic Geometry
While elemental aspects define a spell's nature, the Runes and their geometric arrangement determine its structure. Placing the Range Rune at the apex of a triangular array, flanked by Gale and Force, creates a spiraling outward effect—ideal for tornadoes. A square base formation might anchor spells, while circles create perpetual loops.
Students learn not only the meanings of Runes but how to combine and position them to harmonize aspects and effects. Each runic structure is a sentence in the language of the Aethear.
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6. Foreshadowing the Eidolomantic Path
This chapter has laid the groundwork—but it is only the primer glyph on the scroll of the Eidolomancer's journey. In the chapters to come:
Chapter 2 will explore the Runic Language in depth—its phonemes, syntax, and semantic resonance.
Chapter 3 unveils the Geometry of Spellcraft—how shapes, ratios, and angles in drawn spells affect reality's response.
Chapter 4 discusses Attunement & Affinity—the personal resonance a mage has with elemental and conceptual forces.
Chapter 5 will guide you through Charms & Enchantments—semi-permanent magical effects tied to objects and places.
Chapter 6 teaches Constructs & Circuits—the building blocks of persistent magical machines, glyph-towers, or self-sustaining rituals.
And finally, Chapter 7 opens the door to Eidolic Conjuration—calling forth spirit-forms and reflections of deeper realms.
Each piece of theory, from elemental shaping to runic geometry, is part of a grand puzzle. Only by mastering them all can one ascend from caster to Eidolomancer—a speaker of echoes, a shaper of names, and a sculptor of possibility.
"You are not just learning spells. You are learning the tongue of creation, syllable by glowing syllable." He read out loud.
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7. Closing Note: A Soul's Reach
There are few who touch the Weave as it truly is. Most see through runes, incantations, or devices.
Some—rare, fractured, and fated—feel the Aethear raw. These are the Eidolomancers who move the world not by casting spells, but by becoming the Arcane itself.
---
Altha sat in silence.
The final words of the chapter echoed in his mind, even after the page had stilled.
"...becoming the Arcane itself." He mumbled.
He stared down at his fingers. At the lines in his palm. The skin was still warm from the ring. His eyes still burned faintly from contact with the tree's light.
Many minutes passed as he committed the definitions to memory.
And all they could mean.
Every branching possibility. Each too vast to comprehend—And yet always just a step away from reach.