View source for Aether/en

{{magic system
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=Unknown
}}
<!--Note that the draft version of Aether of Night is not canon, so this article only covers the mention of aether in The Stormlight Archive and associated WoBs-->
'''Aethers''' are a manifestation of [[Investiture]] in the [[cosmere]].{{wob ref|14031}} Their source is unknown, but they presumably originate on an unrevealed planet.{{wob ref|13971}}{{wob ref|8618}} A piece of aether is seen on [[Roshar]] alongside other Investiture-related artifacts.{{book ref|sa3|i|8}}{{wob ref|12314}}

==Mechanics==
It is not known how aethers work or what abilities that they grant. There are supposedly many types of aether.{{wob ref|14429}} Only certain people can activate aethers, and physical pieces of aether are not particularly useful to anyone else.{{wob ref|9288}} Even cosmere scholars such as those in [[Silverlight]] do not yet understand how to control them.{{book ref|sa4|part=ars}}

==Properties==
[[Mraize]] is confirmed to have at least one piece of an aether in his collection of curios on [[Roshar]].{{wob ref|12395}}{{wob ref|12314}} [[Shallan Davar]] describes several of Mraize's trophies; through the process of elimination, it is likely that the aether is an exceptionally delicate pink crystalline substance.{{book ref|sa2|43}}

==History==
Because Mraize is a [[worldhopper]],{{wob ref|1394}} the provenance of his aether is unknown. He owns several items related to Investiture on other planets, such as an [[Aviar]] from [[First of the Sun]]{{wob ref|8900}} and [[Sand (Taldain)|white sand]] from [[Taldain]].{{wob ref|9288}} Some of these items retain magical properties, but the aether does not.{{wob ref|9288}} [[Mem]] was tasked with removing an unusual stain on Mraize's [[Azish]] cavalrylord's suit. She thought it might be a combination of oil and blood and had a great deal of difficulty removing the stain, but eventually cleaned it off without damaging the suit's delicate [[Mycalin]] dye. Mraize was surprised by her success and gave her a bonus, mentioning that the stain was "aether". Mem was clearly unfamiliar with the word.{{book ref|sa3|i|8}}

[[Foil]] is trying to achieve control over the aethers. [[Khriss]] thinks that the discovery of [[anti-Investiture]] may disprove some of his theories about them.{{book ref|sa4|part=ars}}

==Trivia==
* Aethers originated in the unpublished novel ''[[Aether of Night]]''. Elements of the novel have already been repurposed into other works,{{wob ref|8206}} and it would be completely rewritten before the world is introduced to the cosmere.{{sots ref|2017}} Aethers and their home planet are confirmed to exist, but the details have not been canonized.{{wob ref|12512}}{{wob ref|14031}}{{wob ref|13971}}
* Aethers are the only "major" magic system that has not yet been used extensively in any cosmere work.{{wob ref|14031}}
* The planet where aethers originate is not central to the overall cosmere arc.{{wob ref|14520}} Brandon has not decided how many aether novels he will write or where to fit them into the cosmere release timeline. He has considered doing a trilogy towards the end of the cosmere sequence,{{sots ref|2019}} but he may need to introduce the magic system sooner in a novel or novella since it is relevant to other planets.{{wob ref|14457}}
* Aethers are expected to be "relevant to space-age cosmere".{{wob ref|14429}}

== Notes ==
<references />
{{complete|[[User:Big Smooth|Big Smooth]] ([[User talk:Big Smooth|talk]]) 22:30, 6 January 2021 (UTC)}}
{{cosmere}}