Aetherologist

Prerequisite: Intelligence or Wisdom score of 13 or higher.
Aetherologists are scholars in the field of magic, otherwise known as aether. It is the essence of existence and the very lifeblood of our star, so it is a demanding task, one of constant diligence to safeguard a delicate ecosystem.

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Investigation

Languages: Two of your choice

Tool Proficiencies: Aetherologists’ tools

Equipment: A set of travelers’ clothes or fine clothes, a set of aetherologists’ tools, a pouch containing elemental crystals, a book containing your notes, and a purse containing 1,000 gil

Feature: Preternatural Forensics

You know how to further use aetherologists’ tools to read the ambient aether around you, yielding additional, imperceivable information. Making an Intelligence (Investigation) check with an aetherometer will allow you to reliably predict, in an area, who or what may have been present, the events that may have occurred, how recently it may have been, and any consequential effects.
You know that the information you glean with an aetherometer is not conclusive proof of a matter, only supplementary to physical evidence at best.

Suggested Characteristics

Aetherology is perhaps the most vast and diverse field of study on Etheirys, so many of them are simply regular people with a curiosity to view our Star, quite literally, through a different lens. They understand the importance of their work well, but some become rather narcissistic and haughty.

d8	Personality Trait
1	Everything is written upon aether like it were a tome.
2	I make sure to affix my business card to all reports.
3	You gotta tap my aether compass a few times, or else the needle might spin around really fast.
4	I went to an All Saints' Wake party one year, actually used my aetherometer as part of my costume.
5	Aetherology is not "just pulling a nutkin out of a hat!"
6	Any report less than 10,000 words is just a blurb.
7	I'm like an agent of inquiry, an inspector extraordinaire!
8	Nothing escapes my eyes...err, lenses.

d6	Ideal
1	Life. All I think about is using my knowledge to help people, or better yet, help all of Etheirys. (Good)
2	Duty. Aether is our star's very lifeblood, I and others like me made an oath to safeguard it. (Lawful)
3	Greed. Services such as mine are in high demand and because of that, they're far from free. (Evil)
4	Knowledge. There's always more to learn, and the more I learn the better off I will be. (Any)
5	Work. Watching aether is mesmerizing and it happens to pay well. That's why I went into this field. (Neutral)
6	Fun. I always put these on when everything goes to shite, 'tis like a damned light show! (Chaotic)

d6	Bond
1	Aetherologists' tools are like their own badge of office.
2	I was once aided by an aetherologist. Now so am I.
3	The people are counting on me to do my job properly.
4	There's a persistent disturbance I'm trying to solve.
5	The study of aetherology runs in my family.
6	My mentor taught me everything, and I'm thankful.

d6	Flaw
1	I don't need any Sharlayan accreditations to use these. Besides, tuition fees are all a godsdamned scam.
2	Don't ask me how many of these I've accidentally broken. And I'm dreading the day I break this set, too.
3	I feel like I haven't the faintest idea of what I'm doing.
4	This is both sensitive and expensive equipment here. So unless you're me, nobody touches or else!
5	Sometimes I get so lost in the moment with these on, I don't know what's going on around me.
6	I don't really see anything wrong with fluffing up my report to sound a little more engaging, it'll be fiiiine.

Variant Aetherologist: Chirurgeon

With this background variant, the skill proficiency of Investigation is replaced with Medicine.
If you decide that your background in aetherology specializes in medicine and healing, you must choose the Chirurgeon feature below instead of the Preternatural Forensics feature.

Variant Feature: Aetheric Ministrations

You instead use your aetherometer for use within the medical field, properly being able to diagnose and treat aether sickness and other magical illnesses. Additionally, you know how to create remedies for these ailments using crystals as ingredients in place of traditional medicine.