Aes'Thera is widely considered the one true goddess of magic, as she has control of the Weave itself. As the goddess who gave shape to the Weave, she is known as the great Weaver, mother of the fabric of the universe, and mistress of mysteries. Aes'Thera is the mother of the three Astral Gods: Solis'Rae, Nissa'Lune, and Stell'Arya. She is known as the divine partner of Thana'Tomos. She is often depicted as en eternally youthful woman, wearing a dress woven by magical aether. Most groups who dedicate themselves to arcane studies will take her as their patron goddess. In this matter, she often referred to as the Lady of Arcana, goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Some believe that the goddess is as fluid as her Domain, never accepting one champion or people, for anyone has access to her Weave, and so, they have access to her attention.
Aes'Thera's primary Domain is that of the magical realm she harnesses and embodies. Thana'Tomos first formed Aes'Thera from the Primordial as a means to bring order to the chaos of the Astral long before the time of the children. Her association with magic and the weave is easy to understand. She was formed from the Primordial, and was given the aether of our universe as hers to command. She wove the chaos of the Astral as a great tapestry, a "Weave" that she unravels and threads in an eternal cycle.
It is her association with the Domain of Light, that is most fascinating. As the earliest scriptures describe it, Aes'Thera gave symbolic birth to Light in the Dark of the Astral. She manifested forth the great force of Light as a means to unveil her eternal lover. Although there was no success in witnessing the true form of Thana'Tomos, she did bring forth the great Light of our realm, which she then divided between her three divine children that Thana'Tomos fathered.
As the scriptures tell us, the goddess shared the Light with her children, and yet, she is recognized as the goddess of Light. Most scholars believe that this assignment is lended by her association with being a seeker of mysteries. She ushered in the Light to wash away the secrets in the Dark, and this symbolism makes the domain of Light a domain of truth. Seeking truth in the light, or ushering in wisdom, knowledge and truth by casting one's light over their curiosities is what drives her followers.
The goddess, then, contains a dualistic nature, as one who guards the secrets of the arcane, and one who invites the children to seek those secrets. She did gift the children with her own thirst for knowledge, and her teachings drive the desire to learn, but also warn of the dangers that lurk in the secrets of the arcane.
'Light Everlasting', is the title of one of the earliest writings of the gods. It is seen by many as the first mystery unraveled. The goddess of Magic, Aes'Thera, in a desperate attempt to try and look upon the true form of her divine lover, manifested a great force to drive away the Dark of the Primordial and bring understanding, enlightenment. This symbolic act is what drives many to worship her as a goddess of truth, wisdom, and knowledge. In an effort to seek the truth, she acquired knowledge, and gained the wisdom that came from that truth. She unraveled the first mystery, and she would continue to unravel the mysteries of the Astral moving forward.
For this reason, Aes'Thera is also recognized as the having dominion over Wisdom and Knowledge, and her followers reflect this ambition to discover as much of the arcane as possible. The is discussion within many academic communities about just how much of an influence the goddess may have over the domains of Knowledge and Wisdom. There is an argument to be held for individual intellect and the essence of the self, separate from the influence of Aes'Thera's gift to the Children. She gifted them the same curiosity and lust for understanding and discovery. She issued a challenge eons ago, to see if we were worthy of her secrets. At what point do we separate the drive the goddess gives us with our own passion and motivation? At what point do we separate the genius of our own design from the way we were shaped to think?
Some would say that our ingenuity is but another way that her influence expresses itself within us. But many counter that none of the gods seek to make us puppets of their fabrication. Free will is always something that the children have laid claim to. While the gods are tethered to their patterns and domains, we are tied only to our own convictions. I, personally, don't believe that it suits our goddess' best interests for her to drive us to seek knowledge at our own pace, and to strife to be better than the designs of the divine.
One of the most prominent groups of Aes'thera's followers is the Cult of the Magi. This group of magicians and sorcerers act as a form of authority on all things magic related. They were founded in the hallowed halls of the Studium. Their public history explains that the organization was first made by the original faculty of the institution. They made a pact to uphold a high standard for arcane studies and they champion an ethical stance on the use of magic and phenomena of magical properties. Today, the organization has chapters located all over Lumis, and they are recognized as the standard for magical studies and discoveries across the land.
The founders, Jacob Thistlethorn, along side their colleagues: Leona Salms and Erik Pierces, were believed to have held an audience with the goddess of magic herself. It was her decree that drove the founding principal of the organization: "Never rest on your findings." The Studium was established as an institution for the theoretical and philosophical examination of the Arcane. While the group certainly held a focus on contemplating the philosophical questions of the arcane arts, it paved a different path from the theoretical. Together, with a select group of the faculty and advanced students, they forged the formed the first Magi.
It is in this truth that the real record of the cult is found. It is, in essence then, a counter argument to the static studies of the Studium. Choosing not to 'rest on their findings' of theoretical studies, but to instead push for more practical applications of the Arcane. It is the mission of the Magi to push for magical implementations in every day functions of society. It is also a drive of the Magi to seek out all forms of magical arts and disciplines, and to learn as much as possible. While the cult has a public stance of ethical use of the arcane arts, it is no secret that the more inner circles of the organization partakes in morally questionable rituals. The actions of this cult have led many to contemplate the alignment of Aes'Thera, as she herself seems to have approved the sometimes dangerous actions of the cult. Perhaps, it is that she does not intervene, for there are consequences inherently found in the pursuit of knowledge, and she simply proceeds over those punishments, with indifference.
