was a webcomic in the style of a JRPG. It took place in a vast world called Aetheria which is divided up into various "realms", each having its own unique culture and level of technological or magical development. Aetheria is populated by several variations of fantasy race mainstays such as humans, mystics, ferals and mekanics.The twist of Aetheria Epics was that it relied on its community of readers to make important character and story decisions by way of a daily vote. Theoretically, these factor into the character's overall personality, gradually solidifying it until their story is complete and another one begins.
The site launched in April of 2009, but daily updates were quickly cultivating an engrossing narrative as well as a decent-sized archive.
Like all webcomics that reference RPGs, this one's rather trope-heavy.
Some time before November 2013, it vanished from the Internet (having stopped updating for months before): For some time the website only contained the Dreamhost default page, and now it's is no longer reachable at all. However, a fan has reposted some of the pages on Reddit.
This webcomic provides examples of:
- Abandoned Info Page: Averted. The cast page was kept quite current with all party members.
- And Now for Someone Completely Different: After Allete finishes her business in Himmelburg, the viewpoint switches to Frey.
- Black and White Magic: The first party consists of a summoner, a black mage, and a white mage.
- Black Mage: Allete's friend Iris uses elemental attack spells.
- Character Customization: Every once in a while, a new outfit vote will crop up.
- Character Portrait: On the character page, obviously (Status).
- Cool Train: Flying trains are used to travel between different realms.
- Dialogue Tree: A rare webcomic example, as various updates asked the reader to vote on what to say.
- Doomed Hometown: Downplayed. Lariat sets fire to NorthVeil, but there are relatively few casualties.
- Good Morning, Crono: The story begins with Allete being woken up by her friends.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Averted by vote, main character for the first arc is a caster.
- Hit Points: Possibly averted. The characters aren't aware of them if they do have them, and we haven't seen any floating damage numbers.
- Informed Ability: Mute of the Dark Mage Gang is stated to be a time mage, though we never see him use time magic.
- Interactive Comic: Readers voted on what would happen in the next page.
- Isometric Projection: The first couple of comics make homage to this method.
- Left Hanging: The comic stopped updating without a resolution to the story.
- Limited Wardrobe: Averted. Characters in this comic change their outfits frequently and for when the situation calls for it.
- Love Bubbles: When the leader of the Dark Mage Gang meets Allete, she gets a flowery pink background.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Mei the feral slime is a large-eyed Blob Monster.
- RPG Mechanics 'Verse: Things like stats are occasionally mentioned.
- Soft Reset: You can always hit the New Game button at any time in the archives. The run won't change, though.
- Summon Magic: Allete and Lariat are summoners - they can call on magical creatures to fight for them.
