Akashic

All living things can become Akashic as a result of overexposure to Aether. The Celestine refer to the process of becoming Akashic as "purification", as they view Akashic lifeforms as being closer to divinity. A typical way to turn Akashic is from being exposed to The Lifestream or otherwise becoming engulfed in an Aetherflood for too long. Those with Aethereal Tolerance, such as spiritualists, are less likely to turn Akashic-- though none are believed to be totally immune.

The Akashic tend to be stronger than average, and may spontaneously gain the ability to use magic (even if they did not have such powers previously). They usually experience mutations of their body, mind, spirit, and life -- and usually in that order -- with their natural Tesseri gradually reformed or replaced by other substances such as Aether Crystal, Blood Crystal, or Rapturous Ash. Over time, Akashic entities are gradually stripped of any intelligence or sense of self, and typically become ferocious and single-minded in their aggression towards any non-akashic creature. As one's will is eroded, the afflicted may also begin to move more stiffly or erratically, as if unable to wholly control their own body. When the afflicted die, they dissipate into raw Aether and leave no corpse behind. At any stage an individual may become aware of the process happening, but there are no known methods to reverse the process once it has begun.

Once an individual has become fully "purified", a burst of Aether surges uncontrollably around them and they suddenly transform, usually taking a new, more monstrous shape. There have been a few documented cases of the purified still exhibiting some level of autonomy, though the causes for this resistance are not yet known; in most cases, this leads to the Akashic individual attempting to commit suicide on the spot as their last desperate act of free will to escape their cursed new existence.