_"Aether is not meant to break.
But when it does… everything else follows."_
## **What is Corruption?**
Corruption is the result of **Aether losing structural stability**.
Aether normally flows in **balanced patterns**:
- Stable
- Reactive
- Controlled
But when that balance is disrupted—
It doesn't just disperse.
It **fractures**.
And fractured Aether becomes:
> **Corruption**
Corruption
is:
- **Misaligned Aether**
- **Overloaded structure**
- **Broken natural flow**
Instead of supporting reality—
It begins to **distort it**.
## **How Corruption Forms**
There are three primary causes:
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### 1. **Rift Surge Residue**
- Leftover instability after a Rift event
- Weakens surrounding Aether structure
- Can linger and spread slowly
### 2. **Forced Aether Overload**
- When too much Aether is used unnaturally
- Causes collapse instead of output
- Often seen in experimental or forbidden techniques
---
### 3. **Fracture Influence
- Intentional corruption
- Aether is **broken on purpose**
- Used as a weapon, not a side effect
## **Corrupted Entities**
Corrupted beings are not natural monsters.
They are:
- **Overwritten forms**
- **Merged Aether structures**
- **Unstable constructs**
Key traits:
- Regeneration
- Unpredictable movement
- Core-based existence (must destroy the core)