Aetherial art

**Aetherial arts** are a form of magic used in Azuria. Individuals capable of using arts are referred to as **artificers**. While not everyone has the ability to cast arts, the subject is common enough for it to be taught in many academic institutes.

## Elemental Crafts

In order to use arts, artificers in the world of Providence must draw power from the dominions of Azuria. Each dominion is associated with a particular type of arts, referred to as a craft.

The twelve elemental crafts are as follows:

### Lesser Crafts

* Earthcraft
* Watercraft
* Windcraft
* Firecraft
* Plasmacraft

### Middle Crafts

* Bloodcraft
* Miasmacraft
* Lightcraft
* Shadowcraft

### Higher Crafts

* Soulcraft
* Spacecraft
* Timecraft

Artificers able to use light and shadow arts are exceedingly rare and highly sought after, and those who are able to harness the powers of soul, space, and time are oftentimes both greatly revered and feared due to their legendary abilities.

While there have been few recorded instances of soul artificers and even fewer of space artificers, there is no account in any point of the history of Providence prior to the start of the series of an artificer capable of using time arts.

Generally speaking, an artificer is usually only capable of using one type of craft, though there are rare exceptions to this. There is no known correlation between one's birth month and their craft

## Originator Crafts

While all known artificers in Azuria have only been known to be capable of casting crafts from the elemental dominions, it has been postulated that it is theoretically possible for artificers to draw power from the originator dominions as well. Such crafts are referred to as primordial crafts.

### Primordial Crafts

* Ordercraft
* Chaoscraft
* Zerocraft

It is noted by scholars that a hypothetical zero artificer would possess an absurd level of power, and would be capable of rewriting every world, timeline, and causality in the omniverse according to their will.

## Artificer Levels

In terms of the amount of strength an entity has, there are five levels of power (listed from weakest to strongest):

1. **Godless (Physical Action)**: Artificers categorized into this level have no magical prowess to speak of and are not attuned with any of the dominions. As most people are able to use at least a meager amount of magic, those who are unable to cast any arts at all are often looked down upon and persecuted due to being seen as distant from Father Kamon.
2. **Apprentice (Action)**: Artificers categorized into this level are able to cast the most basic and fundamental arts, such as causing a gust of wind or affecting the movement of flames. Most individuals of Providence are at this level of artistry.
3. **Magus (Formation)**: Artificers categorized into this level are able to cast more advanced arts and are often desired in times of war. They are able to perform more potent actions, such as conjuring a bolt of fire or forming stalagmite lances out of the earth. Individuals who devote their time to studying aetherial arts will most likely be able to attain this artificer level.
4. **Archmagus (Creation)**: Artificers categorized into this level have immense magical power, which defy the known conservation laws of energy, and are often respected by others. They are able to cast very powerful arts, such as causing earthquakes, summoning a flood of water, or conjuring a lightning storm. Few individuals in Providence are able to boast of being archmagi.
5. **Ascendant (Emanation)**: Artificers categorized into this level command power as befits a god and have full control over their dominion. The artificers at this level are also referred to as the Transcendents, with each one ruling their respective dominion. At this level, one is effectively able to wield calamitous levels of power related to their dominion.

## Aetherial Energy

Azurium is the term used to describe the energy that is the source of all existence throughout the realm of Azuria. The souls of all living entities in Azuria also serve as reservoirs for aetherial energy. The origins of azurium have been discovered to be the combination of prima and azoth.

While the fundamental energy of prima represents the passivity and static nature of order, the chaotic energy of azoth is active, dynamic, and sensitive to change.

## Effects of Arts

To cast arts, artificers channel power from the dominions through their soul using latent energy in the environment and the reserves stored within their souls as conductors.

When mages draw power from the dominions for the purpose of casting arts, it is common for great physical and mental strain to occur as their soul’s aetherial energy is depleted. Excessive use of magic can lead to detrimental effects including injury, nerve damage, organ failure, and death.

In rare cases where a soul’s azurium reserves are completely depleted, the user goes into an effectively comatose state. Those in this condition lose all of their fundamental senses and do not respond to stimuli.

As a result, many artificers emphasize proper and safe behavior when using arts to their pupils. The Artificers' Guild, which has its headquarters based in the Free City of Midia, maintains a list of arts forbidden due to their dangerous nature and potential to cause harm to the caster.