Aetherspawn
When the Sundering tore through the fabric of Aethria, it was not merely a shattering of land and magic—it was the birth of something terrible and wondrous. As magic ripped itself free from the world’s greatest artifacts, it didn’t vanish into the void. Instead, it embedded itself into the living, twisting the natural order. Beasts great and small warped into terrifying forms, their bodies infused with volatile Aether. Thus were born the Aetherspawn, creatures both magnificent and monstrous, destined to haunt the land forever.
The Sunderlings
The most numerous of these cursed beings were the Sunderlings. They stalk the forests, creep through the fields, and prowl the ruins of once-great cities. For the common folk, these creatures are not distant legends; they are a daily menace. Farmers fortify their barns and villages rally together with makeshift weapons, knowing that a Sunderling pack might descend upon them at any time.
Sunderlings take countless shapes—grotesque distortions of wolves, birds, or even insects—but what they all share is their insatiable hunger, driven by the chaotic magic coursing through their forms. To face a Sunderling is to confront the raw, untamed remnants of the Sundering’s destruction. Many a courageous villager has fallen defending their home, yet tales of triumph do exist. A well-aimed spear, a cunning trap, or sheer determination has allowed a few to prevail. These victories are celebrated in hushed tones, reminders that even against chaos, resilience endures.
The Aethertitans and the Hunters
While Sunderlings terrorize the everyday lives of Aethria’s people, another threat looms far greater—the Aethertitans. These towering colossi are embodiments of pure Aether, monstrous and majestic, walking disasters that leave devastation in their wake. It is not the task of common folk to confront an Aethertitan; that honor—and burden—belongs to the Hunters of the Citadel of the Dawn.
The Citadel was built to stand as a bulwark against these titanic abominations. Within its walls, Hunters train relentlessly, learning the art of identifying a Titan’s Primary Aether—its core magical essence—and mastering the precise counter-Aether needed to bring it down. The Bestiary, a living tome of knowledge, catalogs every known Aethertitan, from their towering forms to their devastating abilities and elusive weaknesses. Every new entry is etched in blood, the result of a Hunter’s hard-won victory—or a comrade’s final sacrifice.
A Divided World
The Aetherspawn have become an inseparable part of Aethria’s story. While the Hunters battle the towering Titans, the common people endure the relentless presence of Sunderlings. Some villages have grown adept at repelling these creatures, employing traps and watchful eyes, while others have crumbled into ruins, overrun by the beasts. The presence of Aetherspawn has shaped daily life, fostering resilience but also fear.
Yet even in this fractured world, hope persists. For every Sunderling slain, for every Aethertitan felled by a Hunter’s blade, the people of Aethria take one step closer to reclaiming their shattered lands. The Sundering may have forever changed the world, but it could not extinguish the spark of life, nor the will to fight against the darkness.
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