As a general overview, the theme is fantasy, set in a world populated by four main races. Each is based on one of the four classical elements, the elements of earth, air, fire, and water, and the theory is that these races provided us with our mythology and folklore. The ocean-dwelling Atlanteans gave us stories of mer-folk, selkies, naiads and sirens; the forest-roaming Sylvans explain the tales of the Fae, the elves and spirits of the woods; the Varati gave us the basis for trolls, dragons, and demons; and the Empyreans became our sun-gods, our storm-bringers, and our angels. Mythology and magic run rampant through the world of Aether, and so do varied cultures of our own world. In the Empyreans, echoes of the great Greek and Roman cultures leave their indelible mark. The Varati are rich with the flavors of India and the Middle East. Sylvans embody the natural spirit of Native Americans, and Atlanteans draw from the most basic fundamentals of true Utopia.

The main setting is an area of the world that has recently seen hard times. Parnassus, a part of the Empyrean nation, was nearly destroyed over twenty years ago in the most recent war between the Empyreans and the Varati. It is the pride of Parnassus that as close to annihilation as they came, they remained the only Empyrean city that successfully repelled Varati attacks. It was a Pyrrhic victory, as the Empyre as a whole finally gave way to Varati aggression.

As victor, the Varati God-King, Khalid Atar, required that as Parnassus was rebuilt it would be welcoming to his people and in fact would become half-Varati. The experiment failed. The city divided upon itself, and while the Varati have stayed in the area, they have created their own city across the river from Parnassus and named it Irha-Esh. As a city-state surrounded by Empyrean lands, it exists in a precarious position, but the threat of violence from across the nearby Varati border keeps it relatively safe.

The past twenty years have been a time of healing and growth, and of cooperation between the races. While the Varati and Empyreans still look across the river in distrust, the Sylvans have come into the area and made treaties to trade their magic in return for use of the land. As well, the Atlanteans have been drawn to the area by trade and the need for diplomacy between the races.

Before embarking on your virtual journey, you must create a character, choose a race, a background, perhaps an affiliation, and decide whether or not your character will have any affinity for magic. The following news files are especially important in making those decisions, though we recommend that you read all of them to familiarize yourself with this world:

[ Characters | Magic | Mongrels | Occupations ]
[ Atlanteans | Empyreans | Sylvans | Varati ]

We also urge you to use the "+terms" files as well, which give concise definitions on many of this world's inhabitants, territories, and materials, and "+help," which explains various game-specific commands.