In his most recent form, Kokojida is a male Lalafell with purple hair, one green eye, and one blue eye due to the presence of crystal particles in the vitreous body. This eye can see aether typically invisible to the naked eye. He is fourteen, a child prodigy, and an aether scientist from Sharlayan. He knows more than most about primals, as he spend a fair portion of his life as one. He's never without his trusty companion, Chikuma.
He is able to use spells of a scientific nature that manipulate aether in various ways. Nowadays, he studies entities made of aether to better understand the origin of primals, in whose image they are created, and their impact on the environment.
Top left, Kokojida's mortal form; top right, Kokojida's primal form; bottom left, the Dreadshade; bottom right, Koku
Life in Sharlayan
Kokojida Vevejida was born in the city-state of Sharlayan. At a very early age, he was selected by the Circle of Knowing to enter into an advanced scholastic program based on his inherent potential for mastery of the magic arts. Choosing alchemy as his first vocation, Kokojida began his tutelage, always carrying with him the alembic his mother gifted him with on his first day of school.
One day, an errant experiment resulted in an expulsion of an aether enriched chemical into Kokojida’s face. He was largely unscathed, but his right eye had turned a dark blue, which research later confirmed was due to the accumulation of unaspected crystals in his pupil. Physicians hypothesized the origin of the crystals to be from the chemical entering through his eye during the incident. The condition did not cause Kokojida any pain, and was in fact a boon to him, as it granted his right eye the ability to discern the presence of aether normally invisible to the naked eye. Rumors circulated that this event coincided with the updated model of the infamous goggles the archons were known for carrying. Kokojida spent the following year applying himself to the study of aether in living creatures, especially plants.
On the 11th Sun of the 6th Astral Moon in the year 1572 of the Sixth Astral Era, the satellite Dalamud was obliterated from within by the Elder Primal, Bahamut. Kokojida was safe in Sharlayan as he watched Eorzea burn from across the ocean. As the Dreadwyrm erupted from his prison, the crystals in Kokojida’s eye began to absorb the stray aether that radiated from Bahamut across the globe. He experienced excruciating pain as the aether in his body began to convert from life aether to solid aether, triggering a paralytic seizure accompanied by such agony that Kokojida lost consciousness.
After waking up, Kokojida learned that he had been comatose for five days. Physicians diagnosed Kokojida with spontaneous aetherial conversion syndrome-- an extremely rare condition in which aether present in the body briefly becomes solid without provocation. Kokojida committed his life to reversing his condition, and delved deeply into aetherial studies. A prodigy, Kokojida had little trouble catching up with the curriculum of the advanced classes, and within a few years, Kokojida was studying abroad in Thanalan.
Abroad in Thanalan
On a day he was shopping for common supplies for an experiment, Kokojida saw a lesser panda for sale. The creature looked so miserable, Kokojida couldn’t help but purchase it. He intended to release it, but learned that the deserts of Thanalan were nowhere near its preferred habitat. Lonely for the company of even a pet, Kokojida decided to befriend and domesticate the lesser panda, whom he named Chikuma (“little bear” in Hingan). Chikuma became his companion in every endeavor, and it became a common sight to see the two strolling through Ul’dah, Chikuma perched atop Kokojida’s head.
Outside of his studies, Kokojida pursued a position within the Thaumaturges’ Guild. He excelled and found fellowship with the like-minded mages around him. During his brief time with the guild, Kokojida completed his Sharlayan apprenticeship and was free to utilize funds allocated to researchers within the institute to delve deeper into his aetherial research. His interest in the nature of aetherial ebb and flow in animate creatures prompted him to dabble in black magic and study lesser Voidsent. The guild made it clear to Kokojida after his initial study that any practice of black magic and Void magic was not permitted under the guild’s rules, so Kokojida left them for the freedom of independent research. Unfortunately, word of his intents reached the Syndicate in Sharlayan, and his research expense account was frozen.
Bitterly resigning himself to the study of the unique aetherial properties of cactuars, Kokojida remained in Thanalan, too embarrassed and angry to return to either the guild or the institute.
Kokojida’s research into taboo areas of aether resumed when he received an anonymous letter containing several thousand gil and a letter from someone who called themselves a friend to Kokojida. The letter stated that Kokojida would receive illicit funds for his research. The Syndicate would not notice the embezzlement of small amounts of gil relative to their deep coffers. After learning all he could from lesser Voidsent, Kokojida began experiments on participatory human subjects.
After extensive experimenting, Kokojida formulated a plan to reverse the condition that plagued his aether by forcefully expelling all his life aether into the Lifestream and inducing an immediate replacement of untainted life aether. Using methods untested by any but himself, Kokojida performed the procedure. He did not account, however, for the risk of what aether scientists refer to as an “aetherial ricochet” in which a vacuum of aether pulls in much more than the vacuum can contain, saturating the container beyond its limits.
Kokojida absorbed exponentially more aether than was his natural threshold, and his physical body was converted entirely into aether. To him, it felt as if he’d been thrust into a frenzy of adrenaline and shock.
Despite the trauma, Kokojida was able to stumble out of his laboratory and outside, where he became aware of a deep ravenous hunger which he’d never felt before. Driven mad, he dug his fingers into the ground and leeched all life from the plants and grasses around him. At that moment, Kokojida realized his physical body had been converted entirely into animated aether. He’d become a lesser primal.
A Primal Among Pirates
Looking for a place to hide from those who knew of his location, Kokojida fell in with a group of sky pirates based in The Black Shroud. It was here he became well acquainted with a Raen woman named Songe. The two would often take private trips together and teach each other about their own respective worlds. She was the first person Kokojida confided in with his secret.
Moons passed. Kokojida was content to remain outside of the group’s pillaging affairs and instead devoured all the knowledge he could about primals. Even as he did, Kokojida was able to abstain from consuming large quantities of aether as his primal instinct demanded.
On a day of no significance, a black-masked Ascian descended upon the headquarters of the pirates. Though the pirates tried to attack it, the Ascian approached Kokojida unscathed by spell and blade to deliver a verbal message, “The answer in Azys Lla,” before vanishing. Kokojida decided to heed the message and discussed flying to Azys Lla. The leader of the group was against the excursion. But that night, Songe met Kokojida in private and cobbled together a plan to steal the airship and sail for Azys Lla. Under the quiet of night, they executed their plan without a hitch. Upon arrival in the abandoned city state, Songe and Kokojida split up to search for the so-called answer. In the Aetherochemical Research Facility, Kokojida came face to face with the same Ascian who’d visited him back at the headquarters. She introduced herself as Cypterithiim and revealed her hand behind the aetherial ricochet that transformed him into a lesser primal. Her hopes were to provoke Kokojida into combat where he would draw in enough aether to become a primal in full, but Kokojida remained resolute in his abstinence from excess aether. Cypterithiim engage him in combat anyhow, but thanks to Kokojida’s old studies in darker magic, he was able to use his primal abilities to deconstruct her spells into simple aether, which he then fashioned into a barrier allowing him and Songe to escape back to headquarters.
The captain was less than pleased to learn of the betrayal. Words were exchanged, but Kokojida was let off easy, earning pity from the captain for what Kokojida learned about himself. Learning his fate, Kokojida took strides to thwarting the Ascian’s plans. In anticipation of an attack from Cypterithiim, he constructed a counterplan: use himself as bait, lure Cypterithiim into said trap, and wound her enough to discourage future attempts against Kokojida’s life. Afterall, he was merely a lesser primal. As they worked to refine the plan, Kokojida grew weak from his restrictive diet. His skin, clothing, and hair paled as the plan came together. At last, the pirates and Kokojida were satisfied with what they had. Kokojida walked out the door of the headquarters and made off to the location of the trap.
As expected, Cypterithiim appeared to slay Kokojida. The trap was sprung all according to plan. Gouts of fire, vats of acid, crushing spikes laced with poison and barrels filled with gunpowder wreaked havoc upon the Ascian. However, Cypterithiim was merely inconvenienced a moment before striking down Kokojida. Making immediate use of the dwindling aether that once was Kokojida, Cypterithiim summoned him in her image, and a Dreadshade under the will of the Ascian appeared. Suffused with an incredible amount of power, the Dreadshade slew every member of the sky pirates Kokojida had come to know as family. By the time the authorities arrived to investigate the cacophony, the site of the trap was empty, save for the massacred bodies of Kokojida’s former friends.
Cypterithiim vanished, content to let the Dreadshade infect the aether of the Shroud. It stalked the forest for a few weeks, draining it of aether and moving on before anyone could catch on. One evening, a huge pulse of aether washed over from the Goblet. Eager to consume something enormous enough to make such a ripple, the Dreadshade made way for its location.
Cinderglow Tavern
The trail of aether brought him to the door of a building called the Cinderglow Tavern. Barging in, he found himself face to face with half a dozen warriors, each with their own set of weapons drawn. Threatening to slaughter them all, the calmest among them asked him questions about who he was and where he came from. The Dreadshade was flooded with Kokojida’s memories of his life in Sharlayan, happily studying under the watch of the Circle and enjoying a relatively easy life with his parents. While his mind was saturated in nostalgia, the woman who spoke to him slid a dagger into his back, killing him. Distraught and recognizing the sight of a primal dying, a woman named Poki Nbolo summoned him again, using a handful of crystals she had on hand. Kokojida reappeared, free of the Ascian’s influence and free to work on reversing his condition and reclaiming a mortal body.
Kokojida happily fell in with the odd group who called themselves the Cinders, once again staying peripheral in their plans and schemes. Over time, he got to know each of the members individually, drawing especially close to Nbolo, Shion, and developing a crush on Shion’s retainer, Nailo. It wasn’t long before Kokojida completed an experimental procedure to craft himself a new body and force his aether inside. The procedure seemed to work miraculously and flawlessly. Kokojida let his right eye remain aetherial so he could still see and observe aether without the aid of eyewear. He also found himself with the ability to freely draw together and manipulate aether.
Moons passed, and the brother of the proprietor of Cinderglow Tavern succeeded in setting the place ablaze and forcing the group to seek refuge in Ishgard for a spell. During that time, Kokojida got back in touch with the Aetherial Sciences division of the Sharlayan Institute, the director of which was more than happy to hear of Kokojida’s resolution to his problem, and welcomed him back to the team, setting him up with an expense account to be managed by a page with the Institute named Fafaprodo. In a private letter, Fafaprodo revealed himself to be the saving grace of Kokojida’s research back when his account was frozen by the Institute. Kokojida wondered why he’d garnered the help of such a person, but thought it better to not look a gift ally in the mouth.
The Cinders found a new home in the Shroud-- a mansion inhabited by friendly spirits. Soon after moving in, the Cinders had a beach vacation in Shirogane, where Kokojida admitted his love for Nailo. They shared a tender moment on a rock of the shore and kissed for the first time. Life was very good for Kokojida.
It took him awhile to realize his fix for his primal problem was only temporary. His right eye-- still constructed of primal aether-- had begun to convert the surrounding flesh to aether. This process was accelerated whenever Kokojida drew in massive amounts of aether, or temporarily assumed his primal form.
A tragic incident saw the end of Cinderglow Tavern, as the matron and her officers left for Kugane to search for her niece. None of them returned, and all communication ceased. Little by little the Cinders died out. Kokojida seeked out another company to ally with-- a company he could conduct research with and find a permanent fix to his condition. He stumbled upon an organization known as Aether Chapter, where Poki Nbolo had also come to work. The promising facility felt the perfect place for Kokojida to quietly reverse his condition and commit to full time work for the Institute.
Aether Chapter
A fateful evening saw the end of his ambition. Kokojida had been reading in the library when a misplaced dark crystal caught his attention. Engulfing his mind with promises of a power to slay the Ascians and break free of their machinations, Kokojida became enraged and set out to slay his direst adversaries. To his relish, it appeared the Ascians had gathered in the Aether Chapter estate. In reality, he was suffering from hallucinations, and was in fact combating his fellow scientists. Fueled by incredible rage, Kokojida fully assumed his primal form, and was once again a lesser primal entirely. In his transformation, Chikuma had been caught up in the reaction, and the two came to share one body (more or less) and one mind. Thankfully, a man named Asatolf was able to kill Kokojida and end his rampage. Nbolo’s quick thinking allowed her to summon a weakened Kokojida who required nursing back to health using crystals.
Being ruled by primal instinct and lesser panda instinct, Kokojida struggled to survive amongst the Aether Chapter members, seeking to live successfully as a primal/human/panda hybrid than trying to restore his mortal body.
Koko and Chikuma had many adventures with Aether Chapter, but one in particular altered his life in the most unexpected way. While conducting a survey of aetherial aberrations in Dravania, Kokojida and Chikuma fell into a clever trap that melded their aether together. The result was a singular being-- half human, half lesser panda. After noticing Kokojida's absence, Poki Nbolo found him scared and traumatized hiding in the Dravanian Hinterlands. [To be continued]
[UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
Aether Notes: Vol. 1
Aetherial – energy that originates from the material plane (plane 1) and the aetherial plane (plane 2). May manifest itself with other energy types.
Types and Subtypes of Aether
The properties of aether are many, but the classification of an aether is classified by types in the following order: state, concentration, reactivity, decay, manners, alignment, and aspect.
State – aether is either in solid form which can be interacted with like a normal solid object, or it is in original form, which appears gaseous, but can flow between plane 1 and plane 2. Sometimes, aether is invisible while in this state.
Concentration – the ratio of energy to volume, mass, and density in aether. More concentrated aether tends to give off more light energy, though the inverse may be true in dark aether. More research is needed. Concentration is the independent variable in reactivity.
Reactivity – depends solely on concentration. Researchers have argued that the two traits be made mutually inclusive, but there are enough distinctions between the two to make them separate variables. Determines the amount of energy that can be extracted from solid aether, and the strength of the elemental expression (if applicable) to original aether. Aether is never completely inert, as the aether would then cease to exist. However, the word inert is used to describe aether of the lowest reactivity.
Decay – the rate at which aether in plane 1 returns to plane 2 (not measured in aether cycles). Aether decays at higher rates if the reactivity is very high or very low. The most stable aether has a balanced concentration. When solid aether decays, it most always sheds particles of itself as it passes from plane 1 to plane 2. The decay from highly reactive aether is many times more toxic than the decay from inert aether.
Manners – a coined term used to describe the degree of corruption in aether. Corrupted aether is extremely hazardous to living creatures and appears to have an effect on uncorrupted aether of the same aspect similar to the effect of opposite aspected aethers on each other. The decay from highly reactive aether is many times more toxic than the decay from inert aether.
Alignment – only relates to aspected aether. This property is mostly irrelevant to aetherial research, but plays a large role in the way mages use black magic. There are two types: astral aether includes light, fire, wind, and lightning aether. Umbral aether includes dark, ice, earth, and water. Black mages will use aspected spells of either alignment to gather and release large amounts of aether. The alignment of aethers (with the exception of light and dark) seems to be determined by whether the manifestation of the aspect is something that has physical mass. Fire, wind, and lightning have no mass, while ice, earth, and water all have mass.
Aspect – arguably the most important trait. There are 9 in total: light, fire, wind, lightning, dark, ice, earth, and water and unaspected. Each aspect has an opposite aspect. Opposites are always either astral or umbral. The opposites are as follows: light and dark, fire and ice, wind and earth, lightning and water. Unaspected aether is always inert, despite the concentration of aether. However, highly concentrated unaspected aether can serve as the catalyst by which aspected aether releases its element.
Aspect determines what natural effect the aether will produce when reacting (losing its aspect). If aether loses its aspect by means of a catalyst, the aether will release the element of its aspect, become unaspected, and decay almost instantly into plane 2. (The elements released tend to vanish soon after manifesting. We still do not understand why this happens, or the mechanism by which this occurs). If aether loses its aspect by means of reacting to its opposite aspect, it does not release any element, and instead returns to plane 2.
Light and dark aether are very bizarre in contrast to all other types of aether. Firstly, light and dark aether almost never appear in physical form, as neither light nor darkness have mass in nature. However, solid light and solid dark aether has been synthesized by compressing the original aether into a very small volume. As such, lab results have never yielded more than 1 oz of solid aether. Secondly, light and dark aether do not react with hyperconcentrated unaspected aether. Thirdly, light and dark aether do not manifest in creatures, animated or otherwise. And lastly, light and dark aether sometimes accumulate around sentient beings if their conviction, determination, or motivation is strong. The aspect seems to correlate to the universal morals as set by Hydaelyn and perhaps Zodiark.
