The Ether

The ether is the metaphysical realm of thought, a place where intentions are made physical and new gods are born as the old ones die. The ether permeates all of the physical realm, like a thin veil that covers space and time inexorably linking its inhabitants to the arcane. It is a place of vast and tremendous power, home to gods and eldritch beings few even dare to dream of.

Manifestations of Intent

When a person feels an emotion or has a thought, that expression manifests itself in the Ether. A nightmare might become real, so to say, though it depends on the force behind it. It is in this way that gods are born, materializing from the beliefs of people in the material realm. Myths become truths as they are shared amongst generations, growing stronger in accordance to the weight of the myth, in the same way that a lie when told enough times might become a truth to the person speaking it. Individuals aspiring to become divine can do so by amassing devotees, as the beliefs of those who follow them manifest themselves in the Ether, ready to meld with the aspirant once he passes through the veil.

Reflections through the veil

Each material thing has a a sentience to some extent - a soul if you will - that exists in the ether, and each concept in the Ether has a physical manifestation in the material realm. The varying degrees of sentience found on Telandor for instance are an expression of this, because the more sentient something is there, the less sentient it is in the Ether. A humanoid, who is by nature very present in the physical realm does not have a particularly strong manifestation in the Ether, though it is still there. In contrast, a divine being might only manifest in the physical realm as a mountain, or cloud, because the immensity of it's power is in the Ether. It is because of this that gods have limited capabilities to affect the physical realm, having to instead rely on humanoids whom they influence and bestow power too.