Aetherial Fragments Content . By Lady Cinnabar of Taneth Many novice students find the study of the planes difficult to approach . Unlike my contemporary , Phrastus of Elinhir , who alienates readers with his self - serving agenda , I find that starting with an unbiased , concrete example works best as an introduction . Studying Aetherial fragments naturally leads to the broader topic of the planes . Surely you have seen a shooting star . This occurs when a piece of Aetherius , spirit - plane and source of magic , becomes dislodged and falls to Nirn . Two types of materials , meteoric iron and glass , may be found after such an event . The magical potential of both is extraordinary . In this text , I focus on the rarer meteoric glass , including its uses through history and its various manifestations . The Ayleid s , the Elves that ruled Cyrodiil until the early First Era , made extensive use of these sky - stones . With their advanced understanding of the magical arts , they created blue Welkynd and Varla Stones to harness the power of starlight from Aetherius and store magicka , power enchanted items , or provide unending light . Some even held Destruction spells as a type of automated defense . The secrets of producing these stellar vessels have been lost . The Ayleids were able to create them in considerable numbers by replicating and enchanting meteoric glass . Attempts to synthesize new Welkynd or Varla Stones , or even to reproduce uncharged meteoric glass , have failed . Frequently , the original stones crumble to useless dust upon experimentation , further frustrating research and necessitating dangerous expeditions into Ayleid ruins . The modern Malondo and Culanda stones , golden in color , are similar to blue Ayleid fragments . A product or discovery of the High Elves , they are most frequently found in the Summerset Isles . Malondo Stones , which can be recharged , can be tapped by spellcasters as a source of magicka replenishment or to restore a charge or charges to enchanted items . Culanda Stones provide a bright golden light . They can trigger magical effects or store magicka , but are always destroyed upon use or depletion . You may read claims by Phrastus , who is blindly enamored of Elven culture , that the Altmer have unlocked and improved upon the secrets of the Ayleids . He even suggests that they are cultivating Malondo and Culanda Stones as a farmer might grow wheat . The more reasonable theory is that , through tinkering with existing Ayleid stones and raw meteoric glass , a more reliable method of recharging has been discovered . Sky Prisms , another type of Aetherial fragment , can be seen splitting into shards as they fall to Nirn during specific lunar alignments . When three shards meet , they re - form into a silvery prism by some unknown process and confer the power unlocked by the merger to a nearby being . Like other sky - stones , they are relatively rare , and it is difficult to obtain specimens for investigation . Though they originate in the heavens they are often found underground , brought there by denizens of the depths who find their light - emitting properties useful . With enough study and experimentation , it is my hope that the keys to producing these useful items will be uncovered , and a more full understanding of the planes and their power will be achieved .