Etherspace

**Etherspace** refers to the alternate dimension which starships access through the use of quantum breach drives, the only means of faster-than-light travel in the Aoshtai Universe. Traveling through etherspace does not allow a ship to travel faster than light in the literal sense. The speed limit of objects with mass in the Aoshtai Universe is still approaching the speed of light. Instead, starships transport themselves to an alternate dimension where distances between points are smaller relative to their realspace counterparts.

The plane has many names - notably **Akurinar** among the Aoshanti.

## Mechanics

### Distances in Etheric Space are Shorter

Reaching etherspace is a crucial component of space travel in the Aoshtai setting. Etherspace is mapped to our reality in the sense that that there are equivalent points between locations in etherspace and realspace. In other words, entering and leaving etherspace at a specific location in etherspace will always cause a starship to arrive at the same location in realspace.

However, the distance between points in etherspace is shorter than their equivalents in realspace, which means that a ship traveling in etherspace can make a trip in a few hours which would take a starship in realspace traveling at the same speed decades to complete.

### There is no Etheric Plane in Intergalactic Space

Etherspace starts and ends within the boundaries of galaxies. It forms a disc which closely contains the galactic disc in realspace, with a "ceiling", "floor", and boundaries at the edge of the disc. This means that intergalactic travel using Quantum Breach Drives is impossible, but also that the galactic halo and most globular clusters of any given galaxy are also inaccessible as they are outside of the main disc.

### Etherfog, Etherwalls, and Etheric Terrain

Etheric fog, commonly referred to as “ether,” or “etherfog,” makes up the plane’s geography. Etherfog is a gaseous substance which appears to be little more than a handful of noble gases drifting in space. However, the presence of these gasses, especially in high concentrations, causes ships to experience turbulence, countervailing currents, and even etheric storms. Many starships have been lost forever to the etherfog.

Etheric walls, commonly called "etherwalls", are vast structures of solid etheric matter which outright forbid the passage of ships in etherspace. They touch, or very nearly touch, the ceiling and floor of galactic etherspace, meaning attempts to navigate over or under them are impossible. These form the most solid parts of etheric geography (etherography) and represent solid strategic boundaries.

Only in areas devoid of ether can ships move unimpeded, and to clear a path is as complicated as it is costly, and constant maintenance is required. Nonetheless, to the farthest reaches of the Aegis Cluster reaches a vast network of these etherlanes.  Where these routes exist, travel within a small region might take hours at most, while voyages across a galaxy as large as Aoshtai can last for months.

### Etheric Currents and Etherstorms

Etherfog is not static, but flows in currents throughout etherspace. It is therefore possible to ride an etheric current to a destination, though it is fairly slow. It is also possible to be delayed by an etherwind when traveling through the fog, or to encounter an etherstorm, a tumultuous and unpredictable current of fog which can carry away and damage ships.

## Combat in Etherspace

Combat occurs in etherspace just like in realspace, although there is far greater opportunity for stealth by traveling through the etherfog in regions heavy with fog. These regions are often prowled by smugglers and pirates and require merchantmen to travel in convoys along major routes for security.

## Construction in etherspace

It is possible to construct permanent structures, such as stations and spaceports in etherspace, although all the building materials have to be breached into the etheric plane aboard freight ships and assembled there. Subsequently, resources from the outside need to be brought in to keep the station alive. These structures serve as great spaceports and fortifications sitting astride major space lanes.

## Mysteries

### Why was Akurinar described differently in ancient chronicles?

The ancient Aoshanti of the middle imperial period described the etheric plane as a great web of golden and silver threads, illuminated by countless swirling lights that drifted through the void like massive flocks of birds. But to the present-day observer, the space appears as a dark and cavernous fog, lit only occasionally by a wandering streak of light or a lonesome silver string.

### Quantum breaching was invented by the mid-imperial period; what did the ancients use before?

The Aoshanti Empire went through a major convulsion at the end of the early imperial period, a civil war which saw the destruction of most records from any time before. Records and accounts from the mid-empire mention the invention of the quantum breach drive as occurring much later than the early period, but makes no mention of the kind of FTL which the ancients used prior.