Aether
An omnipresent energy that many have yet to fully understand. It can be used by the studious and the powerful to weave together magics which defy the laws of nature and physics, or be used for various kinds of technological marvels.
Origins
The specific event and point in time from which aether was created remains unknown to all, with the only thing being known is that it comes directly from the Sea of Aether, a plane of existence which overlaps with the Material Plane, causing a fraction of the aether from the Sea of Aether to be accessible and controllable from within the Material Plane.
Presence & Visuals
Aether is everywhere where there is reality, it cannot be escaped from and it cannot be removed, thus making its existence and presence a universal truth. Despite this, most beings tend to be unable to hear, feel, nor see aether without the use of magics when it is un-clustered, only really being able to sensed by those with an aptitude for doing so. The only time it is viewable by the untrained naked eye is when aether becomes clustered—a process which occurs when large amounts of aether accumulates in one area. When clustered, aether takes on the form of a blue-hued particle which emits a glow of the same color, floating around the area or object where aether had accumulated. Some compare it to blue glowing dust floating about the place.
Aetherflow
When unbound from an entity or object, aether follows an ebb and flow—ever moving in an elegant yet simultaneously entropic manner, dictated by the mystical forces of the Sea of Aether. This flow allows aether to be evenly distributed throughout a plane of existence, hence why its disruption has a tendency to cause problems in affected areas—such as:
Disruption and instability of spells and magical effects within the affected area.
Spells taking much more aether to cast.
A sickly feeling to aether-sensitive individuals.
Or in more severe cases:
Outright negation of spells and magical effects.
Death (for some creatures).
In addition to those effects, it is imperative that the aetherflow remain as normal as possible as entities which accumulate aether within themselves do so whenever they are caught within the aetherflow. Any disruption may slow the accumulation process or even outright stop it.
Accumulation & Aether Sensitivity
Majority of individuals as well as a select few objects and materials are able to accumulate aether within themselves whenever the aetherflow passes through them. Seeing as the aetherflow is constant (save for a few locations and situations), those that can accumulate aether do so at a constant rate until their physical form's limit for storing aether is reached. This limit is dependent upon an entity's aether sensitivity, with a higher sensitivity resulting in the ability to store more aether within oneself.
For individuals, aether sensitivity is an innate trait—one which you have upon the conception of your physical form. It is heavily influenced by the aether sensitivity of one's parentage, with higher sensitivity parents having a higher likelihood at bearing a highly aether sensitive child. Having a high sensitivity affects individuals in a few ways:
The ability to store more aether.
Slightly less aether being used for their spells.
More susceptible to having a sickly feeling when in a location with a perturbed aetherflow.
It is entirely possible for an individual to train their aether sensitivity by frequently casting magics.
For objects on the other hand, aether sensitivity is heavily dependent on the materials being used, as some materials tend to have higher aether sensitivity than others. An object's aether sensitivity can also be enhanced (or given if it has none) through the use of magical enchantments.