From conception, the embryo will grow into an Aetherling inside the body of the host. During this stage, the main portion of development goes into forming the skin and organs of the fetus.
Once the egg is the size of about a bowling ball, the mother will bear its young in a protected area created specifically for birthing. The egg is quite soft to the touch and must be handled cautiously as to not harm the baby inside. It's body will continue to grow until the membrane around it stretches thin and tears. Once exposed to the outer air, the Aetherling will start to solidify. |
Egg state |
Aetherling State |
Aetherlings that are fresh from the egg are always squishy and are very gooey, because they've only developed their skin, organs, and blood thus far.
If the birthing den isn't prepared correctly, this can result in permanent damage or death to the baby. In the correct conditions the next parts to grow are the bones and muscle. During this stage of development, they can't move very far so this is the point where they just learn to communicate and are taught various things until they become fully mature. |
Aetherani state
The Aetherling will reach full maturity once their bodies stored aether is released, causing a chemical reaction and literally making them explode with power.
They are quite intelligent by the final stage of the natural growth cycle. Freshly matured adults will still be soft and fairly weak, but the longer they live, the more sturdy they will become. Usually, young adults will be given light tasks or work simple jobs that require more thought than action. The older generations will take the brunt of the physical labor that will almost always be too difficult for the new adults. |