Aether Flu is a destabilising arcano-biological illness caused by prolonged or unshielded exposure to unstable aetheric currents or toxic environmental pockets where corrupted aether condenses.
Aether Flu affects both the physical body and the metaphysical components that interact with aetheric energy, such as the natural flow of mana channels, spirit threads, or inner resonance pathways.
Further, Aether Flu induces severe physiological and metaphysical symptoms, including fever, disorientation, flickering auras, and uncontrolled spark discharge.
Common Exposure Sites:
Leyline fractures
Rift-infested caverns
Old battlefields saturated with spell residue
Unregulated aether mines
Temporal rifts and chronal anomalies
Field Signs of Onset:
Subject reports shimmering vision or “glitter fog.”
Iridescent patches visible on exposed skin.
Unintentional spellcasting (notable in trained casters).
Breath carries faint ozone or metal scent.
Emergency Protocol:
Remove from aether exposure immediately.
Apply Frostmoss poultice to reduce energetic inflammation.
Provide Silverleaf tea to stabilise aura oscillation.
If delirium begins, administer Aether Purge Tonic in small sips.
Transport to a licensed resonance healer within 24 hours.
Aether Flu Updates for 7th Edition
Proximity to unregulated ley lines
Magical storms or seasonal aether surges
Regions with heavy ritual aftermath
Unstable artifacts
High-altitude floating isles with thin natural shielding
Temporal fractures, where time is distorted
Overexposure to Raw Aether Flow
Standing too close to leyline fractures, unstable rifts, or high-velocity aether streams.
Aether overcharges the body's channels, leading to energetic burn-through.
Aether Toxicity During Periods of Weakness
Being sick, fatigued, magically drained, or emotionally unstable makes a person vulnerable.
Polluted zones—battlefields with spell residue, collapsed ritual sites, alchemical waste pits—expose weakened individuals to corrupted aether particles.
Temporal Displacement (in time-travel settings)
Crossing time rifts without proper shielding forces the body to repeatedly “sync” with different timeline frequencies, destabilising the aetheric field around the traveller.
Aether Saturation: Raw aether overloads the aura.
Channel Disruption: The body attempts to purge excess flow, causing flu-like inflammation.
Energetic Collapse: Mana pathways destabilise.
Recovery or Corruption: The body either realigns—or becomes semi-permanently damaged.
Herbal Treatments
Silverleaf Tea: Stabilizes aura frequency and reduces fever.
Moonblossom Extract: Repairs minor mana-channel tears.
Frostmoss Poultice: Draws corrupted aether from the skin.
Alchemical Remedies
Aether Purge Tonic: Distilled via charged crystal alembic; induces sweating out corrupted aether (unpleasant).
Leywater Suspension: Bottled from purified fountains; restores mana flow balance.
Chrono-Root Distillate: Used for cases linked to time-rift travel to resynchronize temporal resonance.
Magical/Spiritual Treatment
A gentle Channel Rebinding Ritual
Aura recalibration by trained Resonance Healers
Use of grounding stones like basalt, hematite, or spell-null obsidian
Mild Cases: Full recovery in 5–10 days.
Moderate Cases: Magical ability may remain unstable for weeks.
Severe Cases: Permanent sensitivity to aether, reduced mana capacity, or chronic “Aether Wavering.”
Fatality: Extremely rare—usually only with catastrophic overexposure or temporal misalignment.
Symptom Progression
Early Stage (24 Hours)
Sudden chill or heat waves, depending on alignment
Aether shimmer in vision (glittering specks, faint distortions)
Dizziness or spatial disorientation
Slight metallic taste or “ozone breath”
Low-grade fever
Mid Stage (Day 2–3)
Uncontrollable mana leakage or spark discharges
Muscle aches along energy channels (often described as “thread tugging”)
Nausea, headaches, severe fatigue
Skin develops faint iridescent blotches
Occasional involuntary spellcasting in mages (“arcane sneezing”)
Late Stage (Day 4–8)
Significant weakening of magical ability—can be total mana suppression
High fever and delirium
Periodic phasing or flickering of the aura
In rare cases: temporary loss of identity anchors (memory fog)
Long Term Effects
Persistent shimmering vision in bright light
Occasional mana surges or leaks
Chronic fatigue during aether storms
Increased susceptibility to other aether-linked illnesses
In time travellers: a faint “temporal echo,” causing occasional déjà vu loops
Aether masks or resonance dampeners
Rotating exposure schedules for workers
Stabilised wards around leylines and ritual zones
Adequate rest before travelling into aether-heavy environments
Time travellers use chronoshields or wear anchor bracelets to prevent temporal sickness
Regular use of small Silverleaf doses is considered a safe prophylactic.
Aether Flu Is Most Common In:
Mage academies
Frontier aether-mining settlements
Rift exploration teams
Temporal guilds or chronomancers
Seasonal spikes during Aether Bloom (spring) and Riftfall (late autumn)
Community-spreading is rare unless the contaminated aura destabilises in a crowded space, but even then, transmission is environmental, not person-to-person.
Ancient Era
First documented during the Era of First Ley Awakening, when early civilisations discovered natural aether.
Initially believed to be a curse from elemental spirits.
Age of High Alchemy
Alchemists identified that different regions had varying aether purity.
The first Aether Purge tonic was created.
Age of Time Travel
Widespread outbreaks occurred due to rushed temporal jumps.
Modern chronomancers treat it as an occupational hazard.
Contemporary Understanding
Now recognised as a manageable but potentially dangerous condition requiring respect for aether forces.
Fear (due to stigma around mana loss)
Frustration (especially among mages who rely on spellcasting)
Guilt if exposure resulted from ignoring safety protocols
Resignation among seasoned explorers (“Ah, the flu again.”)
Embarrassment since early mana sputtering is often dramatic and public
Occasional awe or dissociation from vivid aetheric visual effects
Cultural Superstitions
1. The Spark Curse Myth
Some rural settlements believe Aether Flu isn’t an illness but a punishment for overusing magic frivolously.
2. The Shimmering Bride Tale
A popular ghost story claims that if you see iridescent blotches on your skin the night before your wedding, your marriage is doomed unless you sleep with a grounding stone under your pillow.
3. “Never Look Directly at a Ley Storm” Rule
Children are taught that watching a ley storm causes the Flu—even though it’s the exposure, not the sight, that’s dangerous.
4. Aether Knots for Protection
Folk mages tie small knots in blue thread and wear them around the wrist. They believe each knot “catches stray aether before it gets into your blood.”
5. Avoiding the Sick
Despite it not being contagious, many cultures avoid interacting with Aether Flu victims, fearing “aura contamination.”
6. Ritual Bread Offering
In some high-aether regions, people bake a special loaf with frostmoss and silverleaf and leave it on doorsteps during Aether Storm Week as a ward.
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