Ether

Ether, also aether, is a semi-planar medium existing between the Ethereal Plane and the Prime Material Plane. Unlike the inhospitable void of natural space, which is devoid of air, warmth and the conditions necessary for life, ether provides a navigable substance that allows for movement beyond Earth's atmosphere. While the laws of nature prevent most creatures from leaving the atmosphere through mundane means, semi-planar travel allows access to ethereal space, where the density of drifting ethereal matter creates a medium through which movement is possible.

Ethereal space is not entirely part of the Ethereal Plane, but rather an extension where remnants of ethereal matter have diffused into the void. This matter, though imperceptible to most, forms a web of density that can be harnessed to support travel through space. Objects and beings that would normally be subject to the limitations of gravity and vacuum must be magically attuned to interact with ether, allowing them to move as if gliding through an unseen fluid. Some creatures, such as hippogriffs and certain extraplanar beings, naturally possess the ability to navigate ether without the need for magical augmentation.

Knowledge of how to shift from natural space into ethereal space is rare and largely unknown to most scholars. The process requires precise magical manipulation, altering an object's composition to harmonise with the etheric medium. Such knowledge is held only by those who have dedicated their studies to the convergence of planar forces, making interstellar travel through ether the domain of esoteric circles, lost civilizations and rare arcane practitioners. Though little understood, the existence of ether provides a hidden pathway beyond the limits of the Prime Material Plane, waiting to be unlocked by those capable of bridging the boundary between the worlds.

Space Travel

The presence of ether allows for travel between celestial bodies, such as Earth and the Moon, by providing a medium through which movement and survival are possible. Unlike the vacuum of natural space, which is devoid of air and offers no resistance for movement, ether is a dense, semi-planar substance that permeates the void. This allows those who have attuned themselves or their vessels to it to move through space as if swimming through a thickened atmosphere.

Because ether exists as a breathable substance for those who have adapted to it, travelers do not require external air supplies. Instead, they must align their bodies or magical constructs to interact with the etheric medium, allowing them to extract necessary elements for survival much like creatures breathe in the Prime Material Plane. This adaptation is not instinctive to most beings but can be achieved through magical means or specialised training, often found in ancient traditions, lost civilisations or powerful arcane orders.

Movement within ether is different from natural flight. Instead of propulsion through open space, etheric travelers exert force against the dense matter surrounding them, effectively "swimming" through the medium. It is possible to use this motion to travel over vast distances in a surprisingly short period of time, so that the moon might be obtained in the space of just two weeks. Ships or creatures capable of etheric travel manipulate this force either through magical augmentation, innate biological adaptation or specialised devices that generate planar resonance with the ether. The absence of air resistance and gravity's usual hold allows for movement unbounded by traditional physics, making long journeys between celestial bodies feasible with the right knowledge.

Because ether is not fully part of the Ethereal Plane but instead an extension into natural space, it follows different rules than planar travel. One cannot simply shift into the Ethereal Plane at will from ether, as the boundary remains distinct. However, those with precise magical control can manipulate ether to alter their velocity and trajectory, allowing them to travel immense distances without relying on conventional thrust.

While the knowledge of etheric travel is rare, those who possess it gain access to the vast expanses of the cosmos without the limitations that natural space imposes. This hidden network of pathways between worlds is known only to a handful of sages, ancient beings and certain extraplanar creatures, making interplanetary travel a possibility for those who can unlock the secrets of ether.

See also,
Ethereal Plane
The Adventure