Aether-Currents

“The Invisible Rivers”

“You can’t see them. You can’t hear them. But you can feel them—if you’ve sailed long enough. They’re the difference between a three-day voyage and a ten-day drift.”
—Captain Jorah “Ironwind”

Quick Reference

Aether-Currents - The Invisible Rivers

Overview

Aether-Currents are invisible flows of force that move through the Aether like ocean currents move through water. They are one of the most important and least understood phenomena in the post-Shattering world—critical for navigation, dangerous when misread, and utterly mysterious in origin and mechanism.

A skilled pilot riding a favorable current can cut travel time in half. An inexperienced pilot caught in a storm current can be swept hundreds of kilometers off course—or into The Deeps. The difference between successful voyage and disaster often comes down to current-reading skill.

Unlike ocean currents, Aether-Currents leave no visible trace. They can’t be seen, heard, or measured with instruments (except the most expensive and rare Aether-Needles). They must be felt—through subtle changes in air pressure, temperature, the way debris drifts, or simply pilot intuition developed over years of experience.

The Sky-Guild maintains maps of known currents, but these maps are incomplete and constantly outdated. Currents shift. New ones appear. Old ones vanish. The Aether is not static, and neither are its invisible rivers.

Discovery and History

Early Post-Shattering (0-5 S.)

Initial Confusion: Early survivors didn’t understand why islands drifted at different speeds

Accidental Discovery: Year 5 S., an island suddenly accelerated—first documented current encounter

Observation: Pilots noticed debris moving faster than wind could explain

Theory: Something invisible was pushing objects through the Aether

Systematic Study (5-50 S.)

Experimentation: Pilots deliberately sought currents

Mapping Attempts: Early charts created (mostly inaccurate)

Terminology: “Aether-Currents” coined by Star-Reader Kelvin (Year 12 S.)

Guild Formation: Sky-Guild founded partly to standardize current knowledge (Year 12 S.)

Breakthrough: Discovery that experienced pilots could sense currents (Year 18 S.)

Modern Era (50-287 S.)

Trade Routes: Major currents mapped and named

Navigation Standard: Current-reading becomes essential pilot skill

Guild Monopoly: Sky-Guild controls most current maps (valuable trade secret)

Ongoing Mystery: Despite 287 years of study, fundamental nature remains unknown

Types of Currents

Trade Currents

Characteristics: - Stable flows connecting major settlements - Predictable direction and strength - Heavily trafficked - Well-mapped by Sky-Guild

Speed Boost: 10-20 km/day

Examples: - Ironhold Run: Eos to Ironhold (3-7 day journey becomes 3-4 days) - Eos Stream: Circular current around Bright Reaches - Farming Circuit: Connects agricultural islands - Market Flow: Leads to Floating Market

Usage: Cargo haulers, passenger ships, regular trade

Danger Level: Low (well-known, stable)

Drift Currents

Characteristics: - Slower, meandering flows - Cause islands to gradually change position - Can separate settlements that were once close - Responsible for island drift patterns

Speed: 2-5 km/day

Effects: - Islands drift apart over years - Trade routes must be constantly adjusted - Settlements lose contact - The Hollow’s expansion spread by drift currents

Danger Level: Low (slow enough to avoid)

Historical Impact: Murky Chasm’s two fragments drifting apart (2m/year)

Storm Currents

Characteristics: - Violent, turbulent flows - Associated with Aether-Storms - Extremely fast but dangerous - Unpredictable direction changes

Speed Boost: 30-50 km/day (or more)

Location: Howling Expanse, storm zones, unstable regions

Usage: - Smugglers (fast but risky) - Desperados (no alternative) - Storm-Sailors (specialized skill) - Emergency escapes (last resort)

Danger Level: Extreme - Can tear apart poorly-built ships - Sudden direction changes - Crushing pressure fluctuations - Hallucinations common

Survival Rate: ~40% for experienced pilots, ~10% for novices

Deep Currents

Characteristics: - Found in The Deeps - Pull downward (or what feels like downward) - No known way to escape if caught - Possibly lead to “The Bottom” (if it exists)

Speed: Unknown (no survivors to report)

Direction: Always “down”

Danger Level: Fatal

Theories: - Lead to bottom of Aether (if such exists) - Circular flow returns to upper Aether (unproven) - Dissolve ships and crews (horrifying possibility) - Gateway to another dimension (speculative)

Avoidance: Stay out of The Deeps

Detection Methods

Pilot Intuition

Most Common Method: Experienced pilots “feel” currents

Sensations: - Subtle air pressure changes - Temperature shifts (1-2°C) - Tingling sensation on skin - “Pulling” feeling in specific direction - Instinctive knowledge (hard to explain)

Development: Takes 5-10 years of regular sailing

Reliability: 70-80% accurate for experienced pilots

Limitation: Subjective, can’t be taught directly (must be learned through experience)

Best Practitioners: - Captain Jorah Ironwind (legendary accuracy) - Storm-Captain Kiera Windcaller (storm current specialist) - Storm-Sailors (born into it, natural talent)

Observation

Debris Watching: Observing how floating objects drift

Indicators: - Debris moving faster than wind - Objects drifting in unexpected directions - Clusters of debris following same path - Island drift patterns

Reliability: 50-60% accurate

Advantage: Objective, anyone can learn

Limitation: Requires visible debris, slow to detect

Aether-Needles

Description: Compass-like devices that vibrate near currents

Mechanism: Unknown (pre-Shattering technology)

Effectiveness: 80-90% accurate

Availability: Extremely rare (only ~50 functional needles in Aetherium)

Cost: 5,000-10,000 Coins (if you can find one)

Ownership: Mostly Guild officials, wealthy captains, explorers

Limitation: Detects presence but not strength or exact direction

Star-Reader Methods

Technique: Some claim to detect currents through constellation positions

Reliability: Highly debated (20-40% accurate?)

Practitioners: Star-Readers, mystics, some clergy

Theory: Currents align with constellation patterns

Skepticism: Most pilots consider this superstition

Reality: Unclear if it works or is coincidence

Navigation Techniques

Riding Currents

Basic Principle: Align ship with current flow for speed boost

Technique: 1. Detect current (intuition, observation, or needle) 2. Adjust sails and rudder to align with flow 3. Let current carry ship 4. Monitor for current shifts 5. Exit current when reaching destination

Skill Required: Moderate to high (depending on current type)

Risk: Low for trade currents, extreme for storm currents

Current Jumping

Advanced Technique: Moving between multiple currents for optimal route

Process: 1. Ride first current to intersection point 2. Exit first current 3. Coast through zero-g zone 4. Enter second current 5. Repeat as needed

Advantage: Can create routes that don’t exist on maps

Skill Required: Expert level

Risk: Moderate (easy to miss intersection, get lost)

Practitioners: Captain Jorah Ironwind, experienced independent pilots

Current Avoidance

When Necessary: Avoiding dangerous currents (storm, deep)

Technique: 1. Detect current early 2. Steer perpendicular to flow 3. Use wind power to escape 4. Monitor constantly (currents can shift)

Difficulty: High (currents are strong)

Emergency: Dump cargo/ballast to increase maneuverability

Storm Current Riding

Extreme Technique: Deliberately entering storm currents for speed

Requirements: - Reinforced ship (storm-resistant design) - Expert pilot (Storm-Sailor level skill) - Desperation or necessity - Courage (or foolishness)

Process: 1. Enter storm current at edge (not center) 2. Ride turbulence (don’t fight it) 3. Constant adjustments (every few seconds) 4. Exit before reaching storm center 5. Pray to The Voyager

Success Rate: 40% survival for experts

Speed: Can cut travel time by 70%

Usage: Smugglers, emergency escapes, Storm-Sailors

Theories on Origin

The Flow Theory

Hypothesis: Aether itself is flowing (currents are the flow)

Evidence: - Currents exist everywhere - Islands drift with currents - Consistent patterns

Problem: Why does Aether flow? What drives it?

Proponents: Alchemists, natural philosophers

The Circulation Theory

Hypothesis: Aether has circulatory system (like blood in body)

Evidence: - Currents seem to loop - Deep currents pull down, others push up - Balanced system

Problem: No center or “heart” detected

Proponents: Those who believe Aether is alive

The Remnant Theory

Hypothesis: Currents are echoes of pre-Shattering world’s rotation

Evidence: - Some currents follow predictable patterns - Might be momentum from old world

Problem: Why haven’t they dissipated after 287 years?

Proponents: Archivists, historians

The Artificial Theory

Hypothesis: Currents are artificial (created by Luminar or pre-Shattering civilization)

Evidence: - Too organized to be natural - Some currents seem deliberately placed - Aether-Needles suggest technology

Problem: No mechanism or control center found

Proponents: The Returners, conspiracy theorists

The Dimensional Theory

Hypothesis: Currents are flows between dimensions

Evidence: - Deep currents lead “somewhere” - Mysterious nature - Connection to Aether Phenomena

Problem: Completely speculative

Proponents: Mystics, Rot-Touched philosophers

Dangers and Challenges

Getting Lost

Risk: Currents can carry ships far off course

Cause: Misreading current direction, unexpected current shifts

Result: Lost in featureless Aether, supplies run out

Prevention: Constant monitoring, backup navigation

Rescue: Rare (Aether is vast)

Current Shifts

Phenomenon: Currents sometimes change direction or strength suddenly

Frequency: Unpredictable (can happen anytime)

Warning: Usually none (instant change)

Effect: Ship suddenly off course, crew disoriented

Danger: Can push ship into storm, Rot-cloud, or Deeps

Adaptation: Experienced pilots constantly monitor for shifts

Current Collisions

Rare Event: Two currents intersect, creating turbulent zone

Effect: Violent churning, unpredictable forces

Danger: Can tear apart ships

Avoidance: Difficult (intersections not always mapped)

Survival: Dump cargo, emergency maneuvers, luck

Deep Current Entrapment

Fatal Scenario: Ship caught in deep current

Process: 1. Ship enters current (often unknowingly) 2. Current pulls “downward” 3. No escape (too strong) 4. Ship descends into The Deeps 5. Never seen again

Survivors: None

Prevention: Stay out of The Deeps, monitor constantly

Economic and Social Impact

Trade Dependency

Reality: Modern trade depends entirely on currents

Without Currents: Travel would be 2-3x slower (economically devastating)

Guild Power: Sky-Guild’s current maps are valuable trade secrets

Competition: Independent pilots who discover new currents gain advantage

Knowledge as Currency

Value: Current information is extremely valuable

Secrecy: Pilots guard knowledge of good routes

Trading: Current maps traded, sold, stolen

Guild Monopoly: Sky-Guild tries to control current knowledge

Pilot Status

Skill Hierarchy: Current-reading ability determines pilot reputation

Legendary Pilots: Those with exceptional current-sense are famous - Captain Jorah Ironwind: Never lost, perfect current-reading - Storm-Captain Kiera Windcaller: Storm current mastery

Training: Apprenticeships focus heavily on current-reading

Mystique: Good pilots seem to have supernatural sense

Quest Hooks

1. The New Current: Discover unmapped current (valuable information)
2. The Current Map: Steal/recover Guild current charts
3. The Storm Ride: Must use storm current to escape danger (survive?)
4. The Lost Ship: Vessel swept off course by current shift (rescue mission)
5. The Deep Pull: Ship being pulled toward Deeps by current (escape?)
6. The Current War: Rival factions fighting over newly discovered trade current
7. The Needle: Find rare Aether-Needle (valuable artifact)
8. The Training: Learn current-reading from legendary pilot
9. The Shift: Major current suddenly changes (affects all trade routes)
10. The Mystery: Investigate what causes currents (discover truth?)

Related Topics

• The Aether - The medium through which currents flow
• Aether-Storms - Storms create dangerous currents
• Airships - Vessels that navigate currents
• Sky-Guild - Controls current knowledge
• Captain Jorah Ironwind - Master of current-reading
• Storm-Captain Kiera Windcaller - Storm current specialist

“Currents are like invisible roads. Some are highways—safe, fast, well-traveled. Some are back alleys—dangerous but useful. And some are cliffs—one wrong turn and you’re falling forever.”
—Pilot’s saying

“I’ve sailed for thirty years. I still don’t understand currents. But I can feel them. That’s enough.”
—Captain Jorah Ironwind

“The Aether has structure. Invisible structure. We navigate by faith and feel, hoping we’re right. Usually we are. Sometimes we’re not. Those times, we die.”
—Storm-Sailor proverb