Aether-Fish

Pisces aetherii / “Sky-Swimmers” / “The Silver Harvest”

“Aether-fish keep us fed. Sky-kelp keeps aether-fish fed. Aether keeps everything moving. It’s all connected.”
—Fisherman philosophy

Aether-Fish - Ethereal Creatures

Quick Reference

Description

Aether-fish are one of the most important food sources in the Aetherium—silver-scaled creatures that “swim” through open air as if the Aether were water, traveling in schools that follow currents and feed on sky-kelp. They range from hand-sized to meter-long, depending on species, and are caught by aerial fishermen using nets, hooks, and traps. Without aether-fish, many settlements would face protein shortages and potential starvation.

The fish are beautiful in their alien way: translucent fins that shimmer with iridescent colors, silver scales that catch light, and graceful swimming motions that seem impossible in air. They move in coordinated schools—hundreds or thousands together—creating living clouds of silver that flow through the Aether like liquid metal. Watching a school pass is mesmerizing: synchronized movements, flowing patterns, collective behavior that seems almost intelligent despite individual fish being simple creatures.

What makes aether-fish remarkable is their complete adaptation to aerial existence. They have no gills (absorb oxygen through skin), no swim bladder (buoyancy through unknown mechanism), and no connection to water (they die if submerged). They are purely creatures of the Aether, possibly evolved from pre-Shattering fish or possibly entirely new species. Alchemists study them obsessively, trying to understand their aerial swimming mechanism, hoping to improve airship design.

Physical Characteristics

Anatomy

Body: - Fish-shaped (streamlined) - Scales: Silver, reflective - Skin: Translucent (organs faintly visible) - Texture: Smooth, slightly slimy - Temperature: Cool (ambient)

Fins: - Translucent, iridescent - Shimmer with colors (blue, green, purple) - Move constantly (even when “hovering”) - Delicate (tear easily) - Regenerate (if damaged)

Eyes: - Large (excellent vision) - Silvery (reflective) - No eyelids (don’t blink) - See in all directions

Mouth: - Small (filter-feeder primarily) - No visible teeth (most species) - Opens and closes constantly (breathing) - Filters Aether

Scales: - Silver, overlapping - Reflective (camouflage in Aether) - Shed and regrow - Used decoratively by humans

Respiration

No Gills: - Absorb oxygen through skin - Entire body surface is respiratory organ - Requires constant movement (water flow over skin) - Stop moving = suffocation

Mechanism: - Unknown (shouldn’t work in air) - Aether has oxygen (somehow) - Skin absorbs it - Efficient enough to support active lifestyle

Species and Varieties

Silver Darters

Most Common: - Size: 10-15cm - Silver coloration - Fast, agile - School in thousands - Primary commercial species

Characteristics: - Abundant (easy to catch) - Delicious (mild flavor) - Affordable (5-10 coins per kg) - Staple food

Sky Tuna

Prized Species: - Size: 50-100cm - Blue-silver coloration - Powerful swimmers - School in dozens - Valuable (30-50 coins per kg)

Characteristics: - Delicious (rich, fatty) - Difficult to catch (strong, fast) - Prized by wealthy - Status symbol

Current Riders

Challenging: - Size: 30-40cm - Streamlined (extremely) - Follow strongest currents - Hard to catch - Moderate value (20 coins per kg)

Characteristics: - Very fast - Excellent eating - Sport fishing (challenge) - Respect among fishermen

Deep-Sky Cod

Rare: - Size: 60-80cm - Dark silver, almost black - Deep-current dwellers - Rarely seen - Expensive (50+ coins per kg)

Characteristics: - Lives in deep Aether - Mysterious - Excellent flavor - Legendary among fishermen

Rot-Touched Aether-Fish

Corrupted: - Size: Variable - Black scales, glowing eyes - Aggressive (unlike normal) - Toxic (don’t eat) - Rare but increasing

Characteristics: - Found in Murk - Dangerous - Spread corruption - Must be avoided

Fishing Industry

Methods

Net Fishing: - Ships trail nets through schools - Catch hundreds at once - Efficient, commercial - Damages some fish (waste)

Line Fishing: - Hook and line - Individual fish - Sport and subsistence - Selective (better quality)

Trap Fishing: - Current-based traps - Passive (check periodically) - Moderate efficiency - Used by small operators

Processing

Fresh: - Gut, clean immediately - Ice (if available) - Sell within days - Premium price

Dried: - Salt and dry - Preserves for months - Cheaper - Common

Smoked: - Smoke over wood - Preserves, adds flavor - Moderate price - Popular

Oil: - Render fat - Lighting, cooking - Valuable byproduct

Economics

Market: - Fresh: 10-50 coins per kg (species dependent) - Dried: 5-20 coins per kg - Smoked: 15-30 coins per kg - Oil: 20 coins per liter

Volume: - Thousands of tons annually - Feeds significant portion of population - Major industry - Essential for survival

Employment: - Fishermen (hundreds) - Processors (dozens) - Merchants (many) - Supports communities

Ecology

Food Web

Aether-fish eat: - Sky-kelp (primary) - Aether-plankton (microscopic organisms) - Smaller aether-fish (some species)

Aether-fish eaten by: - Humans (primary predator) - Storm-serpents - Cloud-hoppers (small species) - Sky-rats (scavenge dead)

Ecological Role: - Convert sky-kelp to protein - Support predators - Indicate current health - Essential to food web

Population Dynamics

Reproduction: - Spawn in stable currents - Eggs drift with currents - Hatch after 2-3 weeks - High mortality (90%+ of eggs eaten)

Growth: - Rapid (reach maturity in 1-2 years) - Size varies by species - Growth rate indicates food availability

Population: - Stable (currently) - Some species declining (overfishing) - Others increasing (less fishing pressure) - Monitoring needed

Threats and Conservation

Overfishing

Problem: - Some zones depleted - Sky tuna declining - Smaller average sizes (fishing pressure) - Long-term sustainability concern

Response: - Some settlements limit fishing - Protected zones (experimental) - Size limits (let small ones grow) - Enforcement difficult

Rot Contamination

Problem: - Corrupted aether-fish appearing - Toxic (can’t eat) - Spread corruption - Increasing in Murk edges

Impact: - Reduces safe fishing zones - Economic losses - Health risks - Concerning trend

Climate/Current Changes

Problem: - Aether-currents shifting - Fish migrations changing - Traditional fishing grounds less productive - Adaptation required

Related Topics

• Sky-Kelp - Primary food source
• Storm-Serpents - Primary predator
• Aerial Fishing - Fishing methods
• The Floating Market - Major fish market
• Aether-Currents - Habitat

In-World Documents

Fisherman’s Wisdom

READING THE FISH

Silver darters schooling = good currents
Sky tuna present = very good currents
No fish = bad currents (or something scared them)
Black fish = Rot nearby (leave immediately)

Fish know the Aether better than we do.
Follow them. Learn from them. Respect them.

And thank them for feeding us.

Recipe (Common)

GRILLED AETHER-FISH

Ingredients: - Fresh aether-fish (any species) - Salt - Oil - Lemon (if you’re wealthy)

Instructions: 1. Gut and clean fish 2. Season with salt 3. Grill over fire until flaky 4. Eat hot

Simple. Delicious. Essential.

“Aether-fish are the Aetherium’s gift: abundant, nutritious, and swimming through the air waiting to be caught. They keep us fed when everything else fails. They’re proof that life adapts, that the Aether can support us, that survival is possible. Follow the fish and you’ll find food, safe currents, and hope. That’s more than most things provide.”
—Aerial Fisherman’s creed