Aethaumaturges 

A person born with a surplus of aether, known as a Divine Spark, is an Aethaumaturge. They can only be born if an Aethaumaturge is in their family, usually requiring at least one parent be an Aethaumaturge.

​

Dr. Xavion Bryte was a sympathizer to the common people during the Archaic Age and, being a Normal himself, felt personally threatened by the existence of genetically altered humans who were asserting dominance and superiority by means of genocide. He was a brilliant inventor and scholar, a physicist obsessed with the idea of some unseen force existing in and between all matter. Over the course of the End War, he eventually had a magnificent breakthrough and learned of the existence of aether. Using this discovery, he was able to harness its power for himself by consuming a specific set of plant ingredients that he devised through a formula that each had a high amount of aetheric chemical compounds in them. Because he was his first test subject, he discovered his calculations were too high for the dosage, and so he became consumed with aether, which radiated from him visibly at all times. It proved difficult for him to contain and control, but he was determined. Rather than being a deterrent though, the Normals saw him as their savior when he offered voluntary aether pills to any interested Normal party in order to defend themselves from the CURSE. Thus was born the Aethaumaturge. Hundreds of brave, desperate, and eager souls were given aether to possess and manipulate, and over the generations, many more Aethaumaturges were born, since it became hereditary. Doctor Bryte lived an unnaturally long life thanks entirely to his excess aether, and he used his gift of life to further his research, introduce it to contraptions and into automata as a power source, and to help reintroduce some innovative technology back into the dark period following the war. He wanted his legacy to be one that fueled the eradication of the CURSE. He died at the age of 273. 

​

Ranks:

1. Neophyte

2. Adept

3. Expert

4. Master

5. Arch-Aethaumaturge

​

Ascendants

term for genetically modified humans / designer babies / altered human embryo DNA. Society’s elites. Endogamous. 

• Edited embryos have genetic changes carried down to future generations

• protected against diseases

• improved traits like intelligence, beauty, and strength

• various unconventional skin, hair, & eye colors

• mutants

• considered nobles/highborns/aristocrats

• Genetic engineering relies on a knowledge of human genetic information, made possible by research such as the Human Genome Project, which identified the position and function of all the genes in the human genome. Germline modification is typically accomplished through techniques which incorporate a new gene into the genome of the embryo or germ cell in a specific location. This can be achieved by introducing the desired DNA directly to the cell for it to be incorporated, or by replacing a gene with one of interest. These techniques can also be used to remove or disrupt unwanted genes, such as ones containing mutated sequences.

​

​

Aeons

• Created by Eximia Industries in Novus Mundus during the tail end of Archaic Era. The company was so successful, they remain in business through to this day. 

• The aether used in Aeon cores is pulled and extracted from the cosmos - the ambient Divine Spark energies, the same aether that resides in Aethaumaturges, is anchored into a single point. Each Aethaumaturge has their own Aeon that they are therefore connected to, almost like a true love. Their Aeon's form represents them.

• They’re extremely high tech automata, and most are winged. Eximia Industries was the first to use synthetic fur, feathers, scales, and such, along with covering all their inner workings so that they appeared to be actual animals rather than machines. This made their automata stand out and in a league entirely their own. They were advertised as the most superior automata the world has ever seen and have become status symbols for the rich and powerful. Ascendants buy and enslave them.

• Aeon hunters search and collect the Aeons who have escaped and live in the wild, selling them off for unbelievable amounts of gold. There are menageries in Brume where nobles can browse exhibits and make purchases. They then control the Aeon through special collars that release powerful, electric shocks, frying their circuits or whatever, any time they act out. 

• Archaeons - a name Nell made up for all free Aeons

• Known Aeons and Archaeons:

  • Velganos the osprey

  • Agkivorus the cottonmouth with iridescent black wings

  • Glaceanix the beautiful white ermine with graceful, angelic wings and tiny, twisted markhor horns

  • Rubex, a magnificent red deer stag zebra-printed hindquarters

  • Venandi, a tall and mighty serval with elegant patterns

  • Mordrala a rather intimidating-looking red, yellow, and black hornet 

  • Magnima a beast of a grizzly bear with tusk-like teeth 

  • Ferox a nimble red fox with antlers

    • Previously magnificent with his eight-pointed antlers, vividly-colored fur coat, and red and white feathery wings, Ferox was now reduced to a troubling sight to lay eyes on. The fur on half his face had been blasted off, exposing a large, white, glowing optical socket, a brass and iron skull with copper wiring, and even partially its segmented neck plates. One leg was also indecently exposed, with thin metal rods visible that connected the robotic joints of the ankle and elbows, which Elvira thought looked very much like bones.