Aether

Aether--or quintessence, or akasha, or dark matter--is the most abundant element in creation. It is the element of belief, raw and untamed.

And yet without life, or anima, it is nothing. Aether is called dark matter because without the energy of life, it lies inert, unacceptable to the mundane eye. The Milky Way Galaxy is filled with aether, but it only flares to life around planets where anima flows--where life exists.

Earth is one of those rare planets where life has survived, and aether has formed into a protective shell around the Earth--the Astral, the metaphysical plane of belief. Shaped by the flows of life, aether provides the substance of magic, just as anima provides the power for it. The supernatural is made, in part, by aether--it is what makes the paranormal just as real as the normal, the preternatural natural.

The four terrestrial elements represent the natural world, and it is the addition of aether which creates the fantastical and the mythical. Aether protects humanity from the things which dwell Outside, and creates for us a world filled with magic and wonder. We only have to open our eyes and see the truth for ourselves.

And yet, while aether has ensured life on Earth can survive, it can also be a danger. During instances known as Dark Tides, the amount of aether on Earth increases, with all sorts of unxpected--and dangerous--effects.

Starting in 2012, a dark tide began rising again on the Earth.