Kitab al-Alacir

The Kitab al-Alacir or Book of Ether is one of the foundational texts of the Sons of Ether Tradition. The text is usually referred to by its Arabic title, as this was the version first encountered by Lorenzo Golo. However, an older version in Greek discovered by Simon de Laurent is more complete and more definitive.

The Kitab was purportedly written by an philosopher named Aretus fleeing the House of Ixion and the fall of Troy. It contains an extensive discussion of science and cosmology based on the existence of a subtle universal element, ether. The Etherites continue to use the book as a source of inspiration and a trigger for Awakenings, though most also accept that large parts of the text are allegorical in nature.

The text largely consists of a dialogue between Aretus and King Priam of Troy, during which Aretus explains the nature of reality and the properties of ether. The dominant metaphor is that of war: the Wall of Troy represents the boundaries of one's perspective, while the Trojan Horse is a symbol of the lies which may be brought into one's worldview unanalyzed just because they come cloaked in a form that confirms our preconceptions. The text ends with Aretus imploring Priam to send out scouts and hunters beyond the city walls, which the Etherites interpret as a mandate to push the boundaries of their Science through experimentation.