Myst Aether
The Myst-vision filled her eyes, making them marble-white. The room looked as it did before, for the most part, but now Ania could see the prismatic ribbons wave and curl around the mirror, reaching out to her outstretched hand as if sentient. The glass reflected a realm beyond. But as she was about to step through she felt that familiar tingle down her spine as if she was being watched.
Turning, her face went pale as the Myst Aberration caught her eyes. If it could grin it would have, its maw of a thousand teeth opening slightly, nine tongues of acid licking at her face.
Myst Aether
Description
The Myst is formless like the realm it is called from. A thick fog clings to any place where magic condenses. The Myst is ever present and transient. It is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It is the substance that links everything in the cosmos and runs throughout.
All magic flows from the Aether. It is ever present, boundless and ever changing. Running through the bounds or reality it seeps into every form and any realm across the cosmos. The Myst transcends all realities and connects all the cosmic planes. It ebbs and flows outside of space and time, stretching out its roots and vines to the outer reaches of space.
The edges of the realm are known as Ripples. Passing into the Aether the traveler will witness glimpses of the realm they touch - whips of prismatic light shimmering and curling at the edges of objects and structures. The more connected to magic, the more the ripples manifest.
Being exposed to the Myst Aether is both mentally and physically draining, and touching it has strange effects on an object or an individual. The effects are as numerous as there are accounts, but this draining effect is the reasons why practitioners of magic can only channel their powers for a limited amount before they need physical sleep.
The Ripple
Section titled “The Ripple”Close to the material realm are places where the Myst Aether can overlap with reality. These Ripples are attuned to magic and often become a Source of Power. They serve as the best gateways into the deeper parts of the Myst Aether or when looking for Ethereal Roots to follow.
Whenever a spell wielder pulls forth the magic of the Myst, Ripples will form around them. To those blessed by magical perception can see the whipping ribbons that tell of the Aether’s presence. Given enough magical intuition, some Ripples can even be observed without the aid of a spell.
Where the Myst Aether Ripples are most strong, its effects can become visible even to the un-attuned eye. Here it will manifest as a strange, thick fog that clings to the land, or tendrils of shadow that seem to reach out to objects within its vicinity.
Features
Section titled “Features”Ethereal Roots
Section titled “Ethereal Roots”The Myst Aether is bound to the World Trees, where its roots and branches pierce through the veil of space and time and entering into the transient plane of Myst. This enables those that are skilled in the way of magic, to channel into the bindings between dimensions and enter the Myst Aether. From here they can skim on the branches of the Trees, traveling to distant lands, or other planes, in a heartbeat. Though finding and following the correct path can be tricky at best.
Staying bound on the Ethereal Roots are dangerous and should only be done in short bursts, lest one attracts the interest of the Myst Abominations that feast on the essences of all things tangible. These strange and mysterious creatures are the only known entities that can survive the mental and physical onslaughts the Myst Aether radiates.
Mystic Pools
Section titled “Mystic Pools”Deeper inside the flows of the Myst Aether are manifest deep pools of light. Anyone traversing on an Ethereal Root may catch a glance of these pools if the surrounding terrain allows it. These pools seem to attract Myst Abominations in great numbers, but it is unknown why this is.
Occasionally these pools erupt, throwing a million sparkling stars into the formless fog. These are called Star Storms. Like most aspects of the Myst Aether, not much is known of its true nature. But what is known, is that such an eruption can spell impending doom to the unwary traveler - throwing them far into unknown and unmapped parts of the realm and onto unmapped pathways.