A variety of beasts both wondrous and terrifying inhabit the aetherspace between planar dimensions, all of which may be hunted for experience, dust, and essence by those who possess an algontherine aethership. Much like hunting the normal creatures of the Basin of Life, each creature in aetherspace possesses a certain quantity of health that may be partially destroyed by a blast from an algontherine turret module. When their health is decreased to zero, the creature explodes and releases glaetherial dust, which may be scooped up by aetherships equipped with an aetherhold module.
Most creatures in aetherspace are drawn to the wake of passing algontherine and will appear randomly as a ship travels through their particular region, however they may also be attracted when the ship siphons power from an energy vortex. Depending on their might, different creatures will track and follow nearby algontherine at different speeds, and attempt to destroy ships using a variety of both close-range and distance attacks.
Generally speaking, there are four types of attacks that a creature will use in order to destroy an algontherine:
Close-range:
- A ripping attack that does moderate damage to the hull of the ship, as well as causes light damage to a few modules.
- A shredding attack that does heavy (2x) damage to the hull of the ship.
- A shearing attack that does light (1/3) damage to the hull of the ship, as well as causes extensive damage to multiple modules.
Long-range:
- Flinging aetheric energy, which upon impact causes anything from minor to extensive hull damage, depending on the size of the creature and its distance from the ship. (There is also a chance for this attack to miss the ship entirely.)
Dragon
The black dragon is one of the most dangerous creatures found in Aetherspace, the combination of unusually fast movement and heavy damage causing most Aethership commanders to avoid them. They may be remnants of the dismembered Soulless God Draxbaylock.
Found
- Floating in Aetherspace near the Void. (Primespace, Elementalspace, Cosmicspace)
Appearance
- Eyes glowing red, a black dragon slowly circles around the aethership.
- A black dragon enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a black dragon shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 2000 hull damage, no module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a black dragon rips apart her hull.
- 1000 hull damage, minor module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a black dragon swiftly shears through her hull.
- 333 hull damage, heavy module damage
Speed
- Extremely fast.
- As an example, they move about as fast as a 50 room ship with wheel diamonut and maximum power distributed to chair speed.
Enraged Spirit
An Aetherspace beast found near to the Realm of the God Shikari in Etherealspace and likely altered by His thought, the Spirit is possessed of a frightening and violent demeanour but poses only moderate risk to Algontherine.
Found
- Amidst violent scenes. (Etherealspace)
Appearance
- Wreathed by churning shadows, a tenebrous spirit rages through the aether, its impossibly crafted limbs poised to hunt.
- A luminescent ufanq enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
- The form of an enraged spirit comes into view from some hiding place.
Attacks
- $ship reels as an enraged spirit shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 800 hull damage, no module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as an enraged spirit rips apart her hull.
- 400 damage, light module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as an enraged spirit swiftly shears through her hull.
- Causes 133 hull damage, heavy module damage.
- An enraged spirit twists about itself in the aether, creating a churning sheet of aetheric energy that flies out towards $ship. Upon impact, the aethership shudders and screeches in pain as a concussive shock rips through the hull.
- Causes around 240-280 hull damage depending on distance, as a ranged attack.
- An enraged spirit twists about itself in the aether, creating a churning sheet of aetheric energy that flies out towards $ship, narrowly missing.
- Missed attack
Gargantuan
Forestal gargantuans are large Aetherspace beasts found only on the Etherealspace plane, and pose a moderate threat to passing Algontherine.
Found
- Meandering in the ethereal. (Etherealspace)
Appearance
- A forestal gargantuan strides among the emerald here.
- A forestal gargantuan enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a forestal gargantuan shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 560 hull damage, no module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a forestal gargantuan rips apart her hull.
- 280 hull damage, minor module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a forestal gargantuan swiftly shears through her hull.
- 93 hull damage, heavy module damage
Glittering Starbeast
An unusual denizen of Aetherspace, the Glittering Starbeast is found only near the vicinity of Celestia in cosmicspace, and poses a low to moderate threat to passing Algontherine.
Found
- Cruising in the Celestial Realms. (Cosmicspace)
Appearance
- A glittering starbeast ominously swishes back and forth here.
- A glittering starbeast enters from the north on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a glittering starbeast shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 560 hull damage, no module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a glittering starbeast rips apart her hull.
- 280 hull damage, minor module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a glittering starbeast swiftly shears through her hull.
- 93 hull damage, heavy module damage.
Gruul
Gruuls are a common denizen of the slipstreams in Aetherspace, possessed of multiple pairs of wings and a frightening appearance. They pose a moderate risk to passing ships.
Found
- Sliding through the slipstream (Primespace)
Appearance
- Flapping its noxious wings, a razor-clawed gruul soars on the aether currents.
- A noxious, many-winged gruul enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a noxious, many-winged gruul shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 320 hull damage, no module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a noxious, many-winged gruul rips apart her hull.
- 160 hull damage, minor module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a noxious, many-winged gruul swiftly shears through her hull.
- 106 hull damage, heavy module damage.
Hamsa
An Aetherspace beast found near to the Realm of the Goddess Maylea in Etherealspace and likely altered by Her thought, the Hamsa has a colourful and unique appearance but poses only moderate risk to Algontherine.
Found
- A burgeoning rift. (Etherealspace)
Appearance
- Floating along the aether currents on massive wings, an iridescent hamsa is trailed by motes of multicoloured light.
- A white hamsa enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a white hamsa shreds deep rents through her hull.
- Causes 800 hull damage, no module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a white hamsa rips apart her hull.
- Causes 400 damage, light module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a white hamsa swiftly shears through her hull.
- Causes 133 hull damage, heavy module damage
Lixin
Horrifying lixins are fire-breathing Aetherspace beasts that like many of its denizens have multiple appendages. They pose a moderate threat to passing Algontherine.
Found
- Sliding through the slipstream. (Primespace)
Appearance
- The massive form of a lixin beats its wings here, spewing out wild flames from its three heads.
- A horrifying lixin enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a horrifying lixin shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 480 hull damage, no module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a horrifying lixin rips apart her hull.
- 240 hull damage, minor module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a horrifying lixin swiftly shears through her hull.
- 80 hull damage, heavy module damage.
Mulotoque
An Aetherspace beast found near to the Realm of the Goddess Viravain in Etherealspace and likely altered by Her thought, the Mulotoque appears to resemble a gigantic insect caught in the spiraling nebula.
Found
- Within a spiraling nebula. (Etherealspace)
Appearance
- Darting across the unseen currents, the dragonfly-like mulotoque moves with the rapid beating of its wings.
- An insectoid mulotoque enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
- The form of an insectoid mulotoque comes into view from some hiding place.
Attacks
- $ship reels as an insectoid mulotoque shreds deep rents through her hull.
- Causes 800 hull damage, no module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as an insectoid mulotoque rips apart her hull.
- Causes 400 damage, light module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as an insectoid mulotoque swiftly shears through her hull.
- Causes 133 hull damage, heavy module damage
Slanikk
Slanikks are beasts native to Aetherspace that appear to have features similar to that of a scorpion. They pose a low risk to Algontherine travel along the slipstreams.
Found
- Sliding through the slipstream. (Primespace)
Appearance
- Tail the size of a house, a scorpion-like slanikk drifts by here.
- A scorpion-like slanikk enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a scorpion-like slanikk shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 320 hull damage, no module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a scorpion-like slanikk rips apart her hull.
- 160 hull damage, minor module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a scorpion-like slanikk swiftly shears through her hull.
- 53 hull damage, heavy module damage.
Ufanq
An Aetherspace beast found near to the Realm of the Goddess Lisaera in Etherealspace and likely altered by Her thought, the Ufanq has a stunning appearance but poses only moderate risk to Algontherine.
Found
- Within a spiraling nebula. (Etherealspace)
Appearance
- Gifted with thousands of luminescent wings, a silvery ufanq drifts through the aether, baring innumerable rows of crescent-shaped teeth.
- A luminescent ufanq enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a luminescent ufanq shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 800 hull damage, no module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a luminescent ufanq rips apart her hull.
- 400 damage, light module damage
- $ship shudders and shakes as a luminescent ufanq swiftly shears through her hull.
- 133 hull damage, heavy module damage
Viaead
An Aetherspace beast found near to the Realm of the God Charune in Etherealspace and likely altered by His thought, the Viaead appears sleek and beautiful and poses only moderate risk to Algontherine.
Found
- Diverging emerald trails. (Etherealspace)
Appearance
- Spiraling through the aether on emerald wings, a horned viaead lingers briefly here.
- A horned viaead enters from the $dir on the aetherways.
- The form of a horned viaead comes into view from some hiding place.
Attacks
- $ship reels as a horned viaead shreds deep rents through her hull.
- 800 hull damage, no module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a horned viaead rips apart her hull.
- 400 damage, light module damage.
- $ship shudders and shakes as a horned viaead swiftly shears through her hull.
- Causes 133 hull damage, heavy module damage.
- A horned viaead twists about itself in the aether, creating a churning sheet of aetheric energy that flies out towards $ship. Upon impact, the aethership shudders and screeches in pain as a concussive shock rips through the hull.
- Causes around 240-400 hull damage depending on distance, as a ranged attack.
- A horned viaead twists about itself in the aether, creating a churning sheet of aetheric energy that flies out towards $ship, narrowly missing.
- Missed attack