Xaethu

**Xaethu**, (properly **X'æth'u**) or **Khsæithu** or **Khsaeithu**, also known as the **Bane of Avarice**, or simply, the **Bane** (by non-followers), and the **Augur** (as referred to by followers), is a primordial being of immense power who came to life during the First Primordial's emanation that led to the creation of Amserbild

While Xaethu is the progeny of the First Primordial, it does not conform with her Cycle which is firmly grounded on balance of things; beings are of aether. As long as they live, they borrow a part of Pthoneia's being and power as they shape aether in their own image. Pthoneia is everything; existence is a privilege and it is borrowed, so it must be returned. During existence, beings shape aether and this produces minuscule amounts alternum, or black aether; soot of aether. When beings "die" they actually return to Pthoneia's being as pure aether. However, Xaethu strives for complete freedom as it is a being of alternum; no living on aether, no borrowing, no payback. As long as beings are part of aether, their lives are forfeit; they are bound to be given back. When it comes to Xaethu's own being of alternum, nothing is borrowed, nothing is a privilege, and nobody has to die; everyone is free.

This notion has actually never been communicated to anyone but it has become a doctrine in the belief system and philosophy of the Xaethuan Pledge which is followed by the Disciples of Umbri.

## **Etymology**

The dunn spelling of Xaethu derives from the Primordial Tongue, while the pronunciation in both languages is significantly different. As the Primordial Tongue is considered to be specific to Aetheans and Isætheans. Speakers of the Common go with /xathu/ while the proper Primordial pronunciation is believed to be /χɐɪ:θu/.

Xaethu's repeated utterance of the sound /khsaithu/ during the Second Reach, led Umbri the First Shaper to believe that it was its name. According to interpretations and research into the Primordial Tongue, the transcription of Xaethu has the meaning of "of the first Aethean" or "the first of the Aethe" which has led to controversy among historians. Some Primordial Tongue researchers also state that Xaethu actually means "the one that is out of Aethe" which can be interpreted as "the one that actually came out of Aethe" or "the only one that is not of Aethe." However, Umbri and the Disciples believe that Xaethu is actually Khsæithu and firmly state that Xaethu actually means "Being, being here, being now."

## **Origins**

### **Creation**

The legends tell that Xaethu came to life from alternum, the efflux of Pthoneia's aether, after her emanation to give life to Amserbild. Since this soot directly came from Pthoneia's being, it actually gave life to Xaethu.

Historians of Amserbild differ on two schools of thought here. While some of them think that Xaethu is still a part of Pthoneia as everything is, the others believe that Xaethu is actually of alternum, which is not aether.

### **Gaining power**

While he was very weak in the beginning, Xaethu started gaining more power as beings in the world used aether to progress. The miniscule amounts of soot from every time aether was used by beings on Krona fed Xaethu each and every day, giving him enough power to finally communicate with beings through aether.

### ***The Reach***

> *"I am. Here. Now."*
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> - Umbri's interpretation of Xaethu's *Reach*, making itself known, Book of Umbri, The Reach, 1:1
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Xaethu first communicated with Umbri, who was the First Shaper during her efforts in shaping the aether according to her will. Umbri's extensive labor into shaping caused her to manipulate the aether so much that the dense amount of alternum produced channeled Xaethu to her. According to Umbri, the first moment of contact was "... coursing through a turbulent sea of chaos, with no order, no dimensions, no sign of boundaries, or anything anyone has ever experienced and... it was thrilling." This moment would later be called ***the Reach***. Apparently, during the Reach, Xaethu sowed his being into Umbri's being, manipulating the aether. At this moment, according to Umbri's records,

> *"It was not necessarily spoken but rather the feeling of an existence that caressed my very being. It was here. It was now. It just, was. And it felt good. Chaos is freedom. Freedom is being. Being is all."*
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> -Book of Umbri, The Reach, 1:12
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After *the Reach,* Umbri dedicated herself to follow that feeling of existence again by shaping the aether religiously which ended up producing massive amounts of alternum. However, Xaethu was not able to reach Umbri for a long time. This led Umbri to believe she was not enough and worthy so she started to look for people who would devote themselves to be reached again.

### **The First Being**

*Original article: Disciples of Umbri*

As Umbri started looking for others who experienced the same thing, she also continued her studies. She focused more alternum or black aether, as some would start calling it, to channel her will to Xaethu again. At this moment, she did not even know that the being who reached her was called Xaethu.