in order to obtain an aetherial license from the university of cardmere, an aether user must be classified into one of three schools of aethery (psychogenic, somatic, or siphonic) distinguished by the physical source of aetherial power within her body.
although the bulk of the university’s curriculum is focused on the general study & practice of aethery irrespective of classification, the process is considered to be an important enough rite of passage in the aetherial community that graduation is impossible without it.
there is no specific age at which an aetherial is meant to be classified, though "late bloomers" tend to carry with them a bit of an academic stigma; however, those with particularly potent (and often dangerous) aetherial aspects are usually among the youngest to be classified, and are often given a wide berth as a result. the most respectable age range in cardmere society during which a student is expected to declare classification is between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, though, as always, respectability in cardmere is often a bit of a moving target.
see below the cut for details about each school of aethery!
psychogenic
a classification of aetherial denoting high aether content in the mind. psychogenic aetherials draw energy from their own power of will, and are most adept at general spellwork.
cardmere was founded by psychogenic aetherials, and therefore much of the university is structured towards their skill set; globally, psychogenic aetherials are the most prevalent of the three, as they are the least susceptible to the drawbacks of aethery.
aetherial aspects include aether detection (aura reading), astral projection, persuasion, or hypnotism. very few psychogenic aetherials tend to be born with strong aetherial aspects, and those that do are strongly cautioned against heavy usage, as overusing a particularly powerful psychogenic aetherial aspect can lead to early deterioration of the mind.
somatic
a classification of aetherial denoting high aether content in the body. Somatic aetherials draw energy from their own physical forms, and are most adept at spells which focus on the self.
aetherial aspects include heightened strength or speed, rapid healing of injuries to the self, or minor cosmetic alteration of one’s appearance. somatic aetherials tend to be the most susceptible to physical decay, and those with strong aetherial aspects often have trouble conceiving, making the somatic discipline the least populous of the three.
siphonic
a classification of aetherial denoting high sensitivity to aether content in the aetherial’s surroundings. siphonic aetherials draw energy from the latent aether in the world around them, and are most adept at spells which focus on objects or areas.
aetherial aspects include healing the wounds and illnesses of others, low- to mid-grade telekinesis, the ability to generate minor illusions, or elemental manipulation (focused most often on a specific element, such as air/gas, water/plants, earth/metal, or fire/heat; this often carries over into difficulty with any aethery related to the opposite element).
this classification of aetherial is most susceptible to external dangers, especially illness; many siphonic aetherials tend to live in less densely populated areas as a result, though there is a fairly sizeable population of them in cardmere.
siphonic aetherials are most likely to be overlooked during the testing process, as some claim that siphonic aetherials do not necessarily need to contain high aether content within themselves to practice aethery; this theory directly contradicts many generally accepted scientific principles of aethery, however, and is not sanctioned by the university.
with our first site teaser, i thought we’d jump right into what the people really wanna see: the PROFILE.
lemme tell you guys, when aphelion revealed this profile to site staff, we collectively lost our minds - so let’s talk about it!
as you can see, the site profile features four separate tabs - one for the basics, one for the freeform section (yes, we will be doing a profile application), one for shipper blurbs and plot hooks, and then one for player info.
the profile color will also change depending on your character’s enhancement (yes, enhancement - more on that SOON...).
we are absolutely obsessed with this design and it looks even more amazing on-site with all the moving pieces and gifs!
anne is 28 and started rping at 11, when she was on a site where everyone pretended to be wild horses. she is from long island but she does not have the accent. other than rp, she enjoys hiking, baking, and is a professional candlemaker, which is almost a nursery rhyme. importantly, she has two miniature schnauzers, wilson and molly.
bethi is 28 years old, and has been writing rambling roleplay posts for 16 years. she lives deep in farm country, which means her internet is slow and her neighbors are racist, but her sunsets are A+. bethi is known to spend way too much time putting together gifs and memes for the sake of a joke (please appreciate them). she named her dog after richard armitage’s guy of gisborne in bbc robin hood (2006) because she thought he was dreamy.
diana is thirty (basically) and has been roleplaying since the days of neopets and gaia online. she lives in a domestic partnership with her tuxedo cat, miss piss, in the new york metropolitan area. favorite emojis include relieved emoji, praying hands emoji, monkey covering his mouth emoji, and the eye-lips-eye emoji combo. she enjoys scary movies, tabletop roleplaying, being gay, and Doing Her Best(tm).
lyla (28–i guess we’re doing ages!) has been rp-ing for something stupid like 17 years. she is the proud mother of two incredibly spoiled and beautiful feline children, as well as several unhappy but resilient plants. in real life she lives in chicago, but currently she’s trapped in florida (yuck) pursuing an advanced degree in playing pretend. catch her crying over children, animals, sad acoustic covers of popular songs, fictional and real-life lesbians, and the transformative cultural power of storytelling.
Even non-magic citizens can get their hands on the powers of aether! The ARCH Corporation produces a synthetic chemical aether for mundane use. Whether you’re using the powers of Plethora or the cosmetic line Mystique (or even the more recreational aether Epiphany smuggled in by the underworld)... you can help yourself to a temporary taste of aetherial life.
The ARCHCO Factory may be bad for the environment... but it’s great for the economy!
i’m happy to finally introduce our member group, the regulators! a group of ex-law enforcement and military that attempt to maintain law and order in the post-devastation world.
we are excited to see how everyone writes the members of this group and interacts in the world we’re building. we are so excited for our opening on friday and i hope you guys are too! if you haven’t already, you should totally join us on discord so you can be the first to receive the link to the new site when it finally launches!
love you all,
faye
The Regulators were a faction that should have never existed, at least according to the Peacekeepers. A sect of the PKs that broke off when they found morals that no longer aligned with the safety of the original group. And thus, the Regulators came into existence. Fueled to start fresh and emerge after the war with less blood on their hands from the cold, calculating decisions the Peacekeepers made, the Regulators grew in numbers slowly.
Under Captain Marcus, the group eventually left the Peacekeepers behind altogether, trusting him to lead them to better survival than what the Peacekeepers had deemed was acceptable with their lack of rations and cruel measures if one could not make the group better as a whole.
It did not take long for Marcus to realize where his new group would fit best. Using their black and white sense of morals, the group quickly took on the roles of policing the land. As most of the group was former police and first responders, those that had it drilled into them that everyone deserves a fighting chance, they took their place in society respectfully and responsibly. All the while, attempting to remain as unbiased as possible to each of the other groups, even the Peacekeepers that they clashed with at the very beginning.
The Regulators, however, have their own slew of issues they have been working to overcome. While they excelled with brute strength, medical knowledge, and general safety, they were severely lacking when it came to maintaining their own resources. But, almost magically, they usually seem to have exactly what they need. The observation hasn't been missed by some of the Regulators, as whispers of potential bribes have spread like wildfire through the group. Especially after they watch as certain groups get more favourable outcomes.
Most of the higher ups, including Captain Marcus, work tirelessly to fight these rumours, assuring those brave enough to ask that donations are coming in along with contracted scavengers that are bunkered down with the other Regulators. Still, though, the seed of doubt is there. And some groups and more than happy to continue to water it.
The Regulators do attempt to stay as true to their mantra as possible. Fully believing that everyone deserves a fighting chance and equal footing, despite what they overall bring to a group. This allows them to maintain a very lawful neutral group as they try to do good by all people. But, of course, it will ruffle the feathers of others as squabbles are not always seen through the other's eyes.
The Regulators do have a small ranking system within their unit. Letting those with the most experience and knowledge rise up through the ranks. At the top sits Captain Marcus, keeping his eyes open and his head on a constant swivel. Beneath him are his most trusted, the three Marshals. They work with different divisions within the Regulators to keep things running smoothly. Tasked with Supplies, Medical, and Security. Each Marshal works with their own platoon made up of Sheriffs, Deputies, Patrol, and Technicians.
The Sheriffs hold the most responsibility in their squadron, taking on the jobs of ensuring that the team works well together and keeping infighting to a minimum. They make decisions and they success of their team falls squarely on their shoulders. There are multiple Sheriffs within each team, working as a council at times if things cannot be decided on independently.
Beneath the Sheriffs sit the Deputies. The Deputies have proven themselves in some form or fashion. Earning their stripes, so to speak, can often be found being directly responsible for small task forces of Patrol and Technicians in the field if an outing is needed. Most realize they hold a sense of false power at times, but its an honor all the same to not be Patrol anymore.
Next comes the Patrol. These are the fodder, entry-level ranks without any sort of technical or medical background. Everyone starts as Patrol and if they stay there or not, is up to them. The Technicians and the Patrol are on even footing. The difference between the two couldn't be more obvious, however. The Technicians have some sort of knowledge that is beneficial for the group. It could range from advanced medical to even some type of engineering knowledge. They are the ones that come in and aid when necessary, but lack any kind of brute strength that the Patrol would find useful.
this year has been so chaotic but the staff here at devastation are really excited and hopeful for this new, upcoming year. we hope everyone is doing alright and powers through into this new year with the strength they’ve had all throughout this year. we wanted to give you guys another sneak preview at one of our member groups that i definitely should’ve posted yesterday -- our illusive peacekeepers!
we truly hope this site helps brighten up the start of everyone’s 2021 and that you all take care of yourselves while (safely) partying as this new year rolls in. drink lots of water and be sure to join our discord to start up some plots!
- faye
(ps: a written out version is down below if the picture is hard to read!)
Peacekeepers or "PK's" are a post-war conglomerate that developed shortly prior to The Devastation. With the traditional government scrambling in order to prepare, many states simply began looking out for themselves, becoming city states in order to prepare for impending doom. They are local government officials, top researchers and scientists from many of Oregon’s top institutions and military commanders that stylized themselves as the saviors of state - relying heavily on the promise of safety and protection via technology and collectivism.
Each state in America had already been working on shelter programs for years and Oregon was poised with an abundance of great minds that stylized the ‘Ark Initiative’ which created a singular bunker upon completion. This contrasted greatly to many other states that developed multiple, smaller facilities referred to as 'bunkers' or 'strongholds' by their inhabitants - focusing much of their resources on production and fabrication facilities along with bleeding edge technology.
Upon completion of the facility, Peacekeeper forces moved to hoard technological resources, entrench important energy sites in the area, and began screening for civilian entry into the Ark. It was here that their colors began to shine as a Technocracy Unitary group - only those with healthy, pure genetics passed initial testing and those with desirable proficiencies and skills were fast tracked while those less educated were inducted into ‘work forces’ for menial and physical labor.
This sparked mass rioting and other conflicts with Peacekeepers having to deploy military might backed by their advanced drones in order to defend supply shipments and outright confiscation operations, creating distrust that lingers to this day. They believe that while everyone has a role to play, only the greatest minds can possibly guarantee survival in the new world; Especially when backed by a strong, technologically advanced might, and a compliant labor force.
Lesser in numbers due to their strict requirements for registration within the Ark, Peacekeeper forces make up for this with an abundance of hoarded resources and brilliant tech. Autonomous factories, dozens of large scale fabricators and advanced medical facilities are contained within their bunker along with spanning RnD and science departments that may well make their faction the most advanced left in the fallen states.
This, of course comes at an expense - cramped living quarters, simple flash farms and near zero recreation facilities being the most obvious. While flash farming means that they will never go hungry, it isn’t very diverse and will provide everything a body needs to stay healthy at the cost of taste. The livestock and other luxuries they do have are reserved for the elite or those who have proven themselves useful to Peacekeepers. A citizen for example, may spend a decent chunk of their credit allowance in order to purchase spices, herbs or fresh dairy to supplement the bland, boring water and food rations they are given.
This stark contrast in privilege often causes friction between the civilians and the elite. Each social class is given water, food, and living quarters that they are expected to work in order to maintain and keep, this is used to justify the little pay given out. Civilians are given the option of serving in the Peacekeeper's military forces in order to 'move up' on the social ladder and receive better privilege (slightly increased pay and food rations). Life as a Peacekeeper, despite being rather meager for some, is definitely more luxurious than life outside.
it’s time for another special surprise and teaser for the site. we decided now’s a good time as any to announce one of our most diverse member groups that was inspired by the ‘wastelanders’ of fallout and the ‘nomads’ of cyberpunk 2077. we’ll be posting up our other member groups soon, but we hope you guys love this glimpse at the pioneers!
- faye
(ps: a written out version is down below if the picture is hard to read!)
Pioneers are the rebels, outcasts, runaways and oddities - if they didn’t fit in or weren’t welcome anywhere else, they ended up becoming a Pioneer without ever really realizing it. They don’t follow the strict social make up enforced by more ‘settled’ factions, owning only one real rule to their doctrine: Family is everything. Not bred by blood but forged by tribulation. Pioneers encapsulate a large, diverse social grouping of loosely collected families, clans, tribes and other groupings that agree on common ground yet largely are left to govern, lead and take care of their own smaller parties.
Only during certain times of the year do representatives from each group come together to discuss and plan future endeavors for the best of the collective as a whole, leaving everything else for each smaller section to content with themselves. As such, particular laws and social norms differ from family to family, clan to clan along with each usually having unique social and cultural differences depending on their backgrounds. Despite the looseness of their ties, it is rarely a good idea to mistreat a Pioneer as they are far spread, have long memories and frightening survival skills that have allowed themselves to survive where no ‘city folk’ would dare roam even during daylight.
They are typically pretty relaxed in terms of structure and specialty, depending on the group and as long as the people wish to live free from Peacekeeper influence and aren’t shy to doing honest hard work, it’s easy to find a niche within the largely welcoming group. However, it's best not to expect such treatment from every Pioneer that's met. Despite their love of liberty and freedom, they do agree that some loose leadership is needed; Therefore, representatives meet to discuss anything that affects them all as a whole. This is decided differently with each clan, sometimes the old and wise, others the young and trusted, simply the one that everyone agrees they respect the most and will look after their particular groups interests along with the whole.
Size of the group depends on the title given to them with the smallest to largest being family, tribe, and clan. While this means there is a trickle down effect for families and tribes to join up with a powerful clan, it’s unheard of for a clan to mistreat, cheat or do anything but look after the smaller groups. Tyranny is a thought spat upon between Pioneers.
Between all the groups, they are the most diverse in their technology, equipment and numbers. Considering the entirety of the group would send chills down Peacekeeper’s forces, though singling out groups makes them much less frightening. Some are completely opposed to technology, others activity seek it for salvage and to better their camps. They make due with scavenging and terrifyingly creative ingenuity with a couple clans having access to technology and specialists that even Peacekeepers don’t.
