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Synchronization

In a more advanced state, Etherealism is not only capable of taking on less rudimentary forms on its own, but able to adopt the form of a host over time - synchronizing with it, so to speak. This entails a few things:

1. If the host form is damaged, the Ethereal form "remembers" how to repair it. 2. In cases where the host's form is absent, the Etherealism still takes on their image.

The way it handles what to synchronize with and repair also proves interesting, in every case entertained! (It is an idea that I have yet to settle on the mechanics of, truthfully! In that respect, there are different versions of synchronization - with slightly different mechanics!)

Synchronized State

Think of it as a formal, automatic "save state" with a side of image burn. Given enough time with consistencies of a given host form, it "burns" that "image" into the Ethereal form and creates a "save state" of that "image." Everything down to a particular nail length, hair length and physical abnormalities, such as scars and amputations.

However, given that Etherealism does intertwine with the host's DNA, it is able to tap into its "scripting." It's how it's able to heal the host form and restore it, whenever it is damaged. Now... where things get a little wacky and the mechanic diverge into two different versions is: whether or not the "heal" script predominantly takes the genetic code or the synchronized state of the host form into account whenever any form of restoration takes place. For the sake of simplicity, we'll simply refer to them as versions A and B.

▫️ Version A: refers to the genetic code to heal. ▪️ Version B: refers to the synchronized state to heal.

I'll also provide an example of how they differ from one another:

▫️ Example - Version A: If one who was missing a limb, long-since-healed, were to take on Etherealism, the Ethereal form would also be missing that limb. Since Etherealism interconnects with the host's DNA, however, if one were to apply a fresh "cut" and trigger the host's healing process, the Ethereal form would refer to the DNA "script" on how to repair it and regrow that limb.

▪️ Example - Version B: Once again, same logic applies. If one who was missing a limb, long-since-healed, were to take on Etherealism, the Ethereal form would also be missing that limb. However, in this scenario, if one were to apply a fresh "cut" and trigger the host's healing process, the Ethereal form would refer to the synchronized state's image on how to repair it and heal only the recent damage; the limb no longer wounded, but still missing.

This has led to interesting cases of hosts being unable to have certain corrective procedures done to their bodies (including implants/transplants, all manner of -ectomies, etc.) If the host takes on Etherealism with these existing conditions in place and doesn't add, remove and/or change them before the Etherealism forms a synchronized state, they will then have to fight the current synchronized state to do so. Yes, it is just as awful as it sounds. Repeated surgeries and procedures, over and over... and over... suppressing either version of the Ethereal healing response accordingly and keeping the body in a "new" state that "outlives" and thus overwrites the previous synchronized state.

And...! Taking both versions into consideration once more... despite all the wonderful features Etherealism has, i.e: it will not fix genetic flaws. I.e: it won't fix your near-sightedness. In fact, it may make correcting it even more difficult. (In which, I do have a confirmed character who wears glasses after having given up on the prospect of correcting his eyes thanks to not wanting to undergo "the horrors" of that process.)

Cycles

The Ethereal lifespan is a curious subject in the sense that, much like has been seen in some forms of cnydarians and crustaceans, Ethereals age forwards and backwards. (If you ever wondered why Ethereal characters have their ages listed as intervals - i.e: 21-24 - that is their aging cycle. They perpetually go back and forth between the numbers listed until the still unknown end of their days.)

In the cases of both version A and B of synchronized states as well, depending on the host form, its age, species, etc. the host's natural cycles are also elongated thanks to synchronization states and the Ethereal lifespan cycle itself. ⚠️ More sensitive material i.e: Menstruation cycles. Which is also just as crumby as it sounds - and taking into consideration the previous information, makes it even more daunting of a prospect for those who may wish to have surgeries to "correct" such things! ⚠️

Something to be noted as well, for Ethereals with host bodies born with Etherealism, who still have periods where their host form ages as it would normally, this is another curious factor to synchronization that is still unknown! There is no determined age marker for when an Ethereal's lifespan cycle may begin and the synchronization states start to come into play. In various humanoid cases: the lifespan cycle can begin anywhere between mid teens to mid forties. This seems to be the most common demographic recorded - and even then, that's still a very wide range!

Certain lifespan cycles themselves are larger than others too, meaning one may be able to see the notable age differences in an Ethereal's lifespan cycle, especially if they're younger or encountering drastic changes within their genetic code at the time their Etherealism officially takes to and synchronizes with their host form.