Aetherium

Substance extracted from for example Aetherium Ore.

Aetherium was found in large amounts on the homeworld of the Gear Knights and held responsible for the large mana flows on their world. ^[1] When the Empyrean researchers opened a portal to this world, they discovered these characteristics, and samples of Aetherium were acquired and sent to the Collegium Occultus for further study. Their studies in creating spells to track the materials interaction with their world's Mana Flows have actually identified a few sparse deposits of Aetherium on Auberean, apparently from falling comets colliding with this world. ^[1]

It is sought after both by the Apostate Virindi^[2] ^[3] and the Gear Knights.^[4]^[5] ^[6]

Aetherium is the sustenance of Gear Knights ^[1] and essential to create or activate Gear Knights including Atamarr^[7] ^[8] , with the Aetherium Power Core being described as the "heart of a Gear Knight. ^[3]^[9] Most interesting to note is that though the Gear Knights come from a world laden in magic, they do not use much magic, nor are they reliant on much more than small shards of Aetherium, which seem integral to their function. Though, unlike the Motes in our Golems, these 'Power Cores' seem to only provide sustenance to their body, and are depleted of their power in time. Also to note, if you remove this Power Core from a Gear Knight, it falls into a dormant state, but can be reawakened by applying a new core. They are similar to the Empyrean Golems in that manner. ^[1] Because of the scarcity of the material in Dereth, the Gear Knights erected large walls to direct the mana flows. ^[10]

The Apostate Virindi were looking for Aetherium because they calculated that a mass of Aetherium would retain and diffuse portal energy at a rate a thousand times more efficient than Pyreal. It was determined that a large array of Aetherium could serve as the center of critical mass for the New Singularity.^[11] ^[12]

The properties of Aetherium, and its temporal and portalspace impacts were researched by the Arcanum, Ned the Clever, and two researchers in the underground town of Mar'uun, Wren the Curious and Marcus Manfried. It was found to hold the essence of portalspace and many of the discovered Gear Knight Parts carry some of the resonance of the energies.^[13] ^[14] ^[15]

By researching the ancient writings of Empyrean magic, the Archmages of the Arcanum have unlocked the secrets of a new kind of magic that the Empyreans called Aetheria. In ancient times, powerful Empyrean mages learned to infuse Aetheria in Dereth with pure mana to empower it. By infusing this Aetheria with pure mana stored in enchanted gemstones, they could coerce Aetheria to crystallize into patterns that the ancient mages called sigils. These sigils could be manipulated to increase personal power. The Empyreans found that it was the nature of Aetheria to grow in power as it was used. The more you used these Aetheria sigils, the more powerful they became. ^[16]

Another appearant use of Aetherium is the use of Trinkets. All over Dereth geared trinkets infused with Aetherium began to appear. Creatures have begun finding these in remote corners of the land and carrying them. Many of these trinkets have strong magical properties. People throughout the lands have found that they can find and activate these trinkets and the enchantments they contain, though only one will work for them at a time. Rumors abound that some craftsmen and women have learned a previously unknown new skill that allow them to enhance the magical properties of these geared trinkets to rework them into powerful magical wards and talismans.^[17]