An aether-what?

[Camate]

Ever wonder exactly what an aetheryte is? I mean, you use them every day to get around.

Luckily we have some cool information from the lore team to share!
* Updated at 8:00 p.m. with the help of the Localization Team!

What is an aetheryte?
Aetherytes are colossal structures comprised of crystallized aether. So that they may serve as waypoints for aetherial travel, these crystals have been amplified through the use of advanced Sharlayan technology.

Why doesn't everyone use aetherytes?
To traverse the Lifestream safely with Teleport and Return requires a great deal of spiritual energy, known as anima. While many individuals, such as adventurers, possess the fortitude to endure such travel, some individuals do not. What’s more, even if one has the ability to use aetherytes, the frequency with which one can do so varies. In essence, for some, the recast time for these spells can be far longer than for an adventurer.

As a result, only a fraction of the populace can utilize aetherial travel habitually, which is why chocobos, airships, and other forms of transportation still play a major role in Eorzea.

Why does it cost gil to use aetherytes?
Many aetheryte camps were destroyed during the Calamity, which necessitated their reconstruction. However, this came at great expense, and so teleportation fees must be collected to repay the as yet unpaid debt.

However, the gil doesn’t just magically disappear from your purse! Though it's not shown in the game, it's collected by the guards keeping watch of the aetherytes.

On a side note, guards posted by each city-state's aetheryte can tell you about aetherytes and teleportation magic. If you're interested, see what they have to say!

[Airget]

If that's true, it would of been fun if SE made a tally of all the gil gathered at each teleport node just to see how often/how much "profit" the nations have gained from those active teleports.

[TemprusofTime]

Well with my usage of Teleport, I probably pay the salaries of several platoons of guards. ^.^;

[Dschlitz]

I wish they implemented some type of way of putting that money back in the community. I spend a crap load of money on tele.
Weekly lottery maybe?

[Psun]

I'd like to see some NPCs that could use Aetherytes. Would be cool to have a couple that randomly ported around doing duties. Surely there is an adventurer NPC that can do this, we can't be the only ones?

[Phaylis]

So maybe instead of Tele-port it should be called Toll-a-port.

[Enkidoh]

I'd like to see some NPCs that could use Aetherytes. Would be cool to have a couple that randomly ported around doing duties. Surely there is an adventurer NPC that can do this, we can't be the only ones?

During the main storyline

Y'shtola uses a beastmen-made aetheryte system to access Titan - after the fight she also clearly disappears via Teleport as well.

Not to mention there's a FATE in Eastern La Noscea involving a merchant who lost his chocobo, and for some reason at the end the frightened man shouts "Return!" or something, before disappearing.

Also it should be mentioned during the original 1.0 storyline during one of the Path of the Twelve story quests the player's Path Companion appeared out of an original-style aetheryte (Gridania's original one) too - they were shown just kind of appearing from out of thin air, with a slight shimmering effect at ground level when they appear.

Anyway, thanks for this info dump Camate - hopefully this should now put all those old threads about 'why do we pay gil to teleport/where does the money go?' finally to rest.

[Catapult]

/carefully files this information away

I was considering the implications for use of an aetheryte network in military tactics a while back. This puts a new spin on things. (Erik would be proud?)

[Klutz64]

I was actually just theorizing the other day with my RP linkshell how it makes sense for gil to vanish upon teleportation, thank you for the clarification!

[lebirath]

So maybe instead of Tele-port it should be called Toll-a-port.

best comment of the day... lol... THANK YOU!!!

ps. yeap.. agree that i ll be nice to see some kind of report of what the gov is doing c that money.. e.g. see some contruction "happening of the fence" to make road more secure".. lol