There are 6 cosmic forces, which oppose each other and produce 7 arcane power sources which are the fonts of all power.
Each force is also associated with a power source:
The Martial power source arises from the balance of these 6 cosmic forces and manifests within each free-willed creature. Many practitioners of arcane arts study these various forces, and attempt to wield or control them for their own ends.
As noted above, the Cosmos is made up of many realms, both physical and metaphysical.
The physical realms, or other worlds, are simply different dimensions or planes of existence which have physical reality but operate by somewhat different rules from the physical world, which is also such a realm. There are two major other worlds, Fairy and Shadow.
The material world, of which Erth is a part, lies at a point of balance between the cosmic forces. This makes it unique. It has equal parts of matter, spirit, life, death, time, and fate.
The Land of Fairy has many names, The Green Lands, Fairyland, Fey, the Hidden Realm, etc. It is a world filled with the magical power of life. So much power that the land and its inhabitants are permeated with it. They are the Fey, powerful, cunning, and fickle creatures who live in a world of light, beauty, and danger. Where the physical world operates in a consistent and logical fashion, obeying rules of cause and effect, Fairyland does not. Travel in the Land of Fairy is quite dangerous and can have various consequences. In particular travelers note that time often flows at very different rates by comparison with The World.
The Land of Shadow also has many names, The Grey Lands, The Shadow, Land of the Dead, etc. It is a grey world filled with the power of Shadow. Much like the Land of Fairy it is permeated with this dark force. All things in this land seem grey, gloomy, and bland. While life exists here, it is difficult to muster the energy to meet the challenges of survival in this realm. The land has an air of decay and endings about it, which even bright sunlight cannot dispel. It resembles the Land of Fairy in another respect, the rules of cause and effect work differently here than in the normal physical realm. It is said that the spirits of the dead congregate in this realm before moving on to their final fates. Sometimes they may manifest here in the form of powerful undead creatures.
These are abstract realms of pure thought, or pure potential. They are accessible only via astral projection, as they do not have literal physical reality. Those closest to the physical world in astral space are the most concrete, containing recognizable objects, personalities, locations, and comprehensible rules. More distant realms are far more abstract, dreamlike, and difficult to interpret or relate to everyday experience. Those visiting such places risk madness, or perhaps even worse fates. Metaphysical realms are of two basic types. Some are realms of thought and ideals, which are sources of Spirit power. Indeed they are usually inhabited by consciousnesses which are termed spirits. Some of these spirits are the elevated spiritual essences of once-living beings, ancestor spirits and such. Others come into existence spontaneously in these realms, or were created by other powerful entities. Within their realms these beings are quite powerful, and they can project that power into the physical realm, but usually only by associating with its living inhabitants. Another type of metaphysical realm are regions of potential, known as chaos or elemental realms. These, while lacking the substance and rules of the physical world, are filled with energy and the potency of raw elemental matter. Each one has its own unique composition, but most feature some mix of different elemental forces and energies. They are fonts of elemental power, and many beings attune themselves to these realms in order to tap into that power. Native elemental beings also exist, who can harness this natural power inherently, assist in its employment in the physical realms, etc. All the inhabitants of the higher realms are dangerous. They are mostly alien to the physical world and their relation to it takes the form of various desires to influence, to gain direct physical existence themselves, or to carry out other less easily understood agendas. Dealing with these beings can be quite profitable, as they are great sources of power, but it is also extremely hazardous.
Spirit realms are realms of thought and ideals. They are the abodes of powerful beings which embody these concepts and ideas. Their wills are manifest in the world and they shape many of the events there, but ultimately they only exist because in relation to the physical world.
These regions of potential and energy are made up of the essence of matter, but without substance. They are ever changing chaotic roiling spaces which change constantly.
Astral space is a sort of medium or dimension which connects the physical realms with the higher realms. It cannot be entered physically, but only visited by astral projection, a process in which a being’s spirit detaches itself from its body and moves independently in an astral form. Because the astral spaces permeate the physical realms it is possible to astrally project and move around the world in spirit form, invisibly. This is obviously a powerful technique which could allow one to view regions and locations which are not easily accessible otherwise. The astral form is not impeded by material objects for instance, so it can pass through walls, etc. One can even move between the Land of Fairy, the Land of Shadow, and the physical world this way, although it isn’t possible to use this as a means of physical travel (barring perhaps some very powerful magic). The other purpose to astral projection is gaining access to the higher realms. By projecting the astral form away from the familiar physical world it is possible to move through the astral spaces and reach these realms. Usually when arriving in such a place a character will experience it through an analog of her normal physical senses, seeing, hearing, etc. as if she were physically present. This is an illusion, there is no physical body present in these places. Powerful beings inhabiting these realms can inflict pain and damage on the character’s astral form. Death while in these realms is just as significant as it is in the real world; the character’s physical body is left empty and will expire within a few days. In some cases it might be possible to recover the spirit, but this is difficult, if not impossible, in most instances.
Beyond time and space lies that which is not, never was, and cannot be. The entire Cosmos is essentially embedded in this greater externality, which we will call the Base. In fact it is not really proper to say that the Multiverse is embedded in this Base. The Base is everywhere and everything. Space and time do not exist in the Base. It is the stage on which the Cosmos is set and thus all that is the Cosmos is also the Base. This can be imagined as being like the relationship between the stage and the play which is set on that stage. Transcendent beings have independent existence in the base, while mundane beings have their existence entirely within the Cosmos itself.
The Cosmos exhibits a certain structure. This is mainly due to the influence of the mighty transcendent Greater Spirits. The Tree and the Serpent are the embodiment/cause/effect of the overall flow of life energy within the Cosmos. This energy takes 2 forms, the physical energy of the elemental realms and the mental energy of the spiritual realms. The world of Erth and similar worlds partake of each type of energy in nearly equal measures. Other worlds have stronger flows of energy or one type predominates. For instance the Fey is a region of strong energy flows. It is characterized by disorganized physical rules, rampant growth and death, powerful magic, and other odd effects. Likewise the Shadow is a region of weak energy flows where the spirits of the dead congregate, the force of life is weaker, magic works in odd ways, etc. Some sages say that the world is a scale on the World Serpent, the Shadow is a scale on the cast off skin of the World Serpent, and the Fey is a scale yet to be fully grown.
There are beings in the Cosmos of two fundamentally different orders or natures. Those which are simply inhabitants of the Cosmos and operate within it are "ordinary" beings. Their nature partakes only of the Cosmos and if they have any impact on the Base at all it is only through actions they take within the Cosmos and in accord with its rules. They may be powerful, even immortal, but they are limited. transcendent beings in contrast are not so limited. They exist and operate on a different level and are capable of remaking or stepping outside the limitations of these rules.
There are very few true transcendent beings. These beings are generally called gods, primordials, or great spirits. Some lesser beings have very limited transcendent capabilities of their own. These are usually on the order of angels, demons, or other immortal beings. A greater number of beings participate in transcendance either by exercising the delegated authority of the greater transcendents or by the more limited process of indirectly influencing the Base by manipulating the Cosmos itself through its inherent magic. Such beings are often powerful mortals such as wizards.
Mortal beings are both spirit and elemental energy, embued with life by their own personal force. When a mortal dies its elemental and spirit energies become dissociated and its spirit fades from existence after perhaps lingering for a time. These spirits of the dead normally collect in realms of low energy flow. The Shadow is such a realm and most of the spirits of Erth's dead congregate there, slowly fading from existence like dying eddies in the cosmic current. Certain spirits may be strong enough willed or powerful enough to fixate themselves almost like the spirits of the natural world. These spirits manifest in many forms, collectively included within the greater category of the Undead. Other undead are fixated by the action of magic in some form, their spirits prevented from final rest by powerful spells.
The World Serpent and the World Tree are Great Spirits. These are transcendent beings which give structure to the Multiverse and embody its fundamental nature. Great spirits are primal powers. They are tied directly into the structure of the world or the entire Multiverse. Unlike traditional gods they do not require or seek worshippers. Their power comes from the primal life energy flow inherent in the Multiverse. While some of these beings are of immense power they rarely act in any deliberate fashion in the world. Lesser spirits also exist and these may from time to time act. Such actions are normally only taken in reaction to the actions of others, such as a lake spirit rising up against mortals who damage or alter the lake. The great spirits might also act in such a fashion, but the provocation would have to be on the order of an attempt to use world destroying magic.
There are also lesser spirits, which lack transcendence. These include the Genius Loci or spirits of specific places such as mountains, lakes, and deserts. They also include guardian spirits which watch over tribes and even individuals. These types of spirits are much more likely to interact with mortals than the great spirits. Specific rituals often exist which allow contact with them and they may grant boons or act for or against mortals who affect their places or interests.
Each living thing also has a spirit. Like other lesser spirits this spirit is held in the world by its place, the physical body of the being. Once a being dies its spirit will usually soon move into the shadow world where it will eventually be absorbed back into the universal life energy. Sometimes the spirits of powerful sentient beings become immortal and take on a divine nature, becoming angelic or diabolic beings. Others may simply hang onto the world and become ghosts or undead monsters. Still others may lurk for ages in the shadow, refusing to disipate and sometimes manifesting again in the world, again usually as undead of some form.
Besides the Serpent and the Tree there are also other Great Spirits. These are mainly associated with the Kinds and are known as the Lords of Kinds. While they are less important to the structure of the Multiverse than the Serpent and Tree they also help shape and maintain the Multiverse and form its rules. Copyright © 2022 Tod G. Harter. All rights reserved. No unauthorized distribution without the express written permission of the copyright holder. This document was prepared using Hairball version 0.5.1 on 2022-02-26 License