Aye. Primals are beings made of aether. Usually they're created when enough people get enough aether in one spot and start praying for their god to come down to... well, usually smite their enemies, that sort of thing.

[ You know, like gods do. ]

Aether is very reactive to the right sort of things, and sometimes prayer and desperation work just as well as any incantation. The Primal isn't truly a god, but it usually has the shape of one, and some version of their powers. In addition to that, a Primal can temper others, bending them to its will and making them thralls.

Those who are Echo-blessed can't be tempered. That's part of the reason I joined up with the Scions -- they have a hand in dealing with summonings, when they occur.