Firmament Theory#
mind the gap of the absolute nothingness
Spoiler
Article contains spoilers: Full Series
The Cosmic Model#
The model of the cosmos is, in the simplest terms, a lattice of realities suspended above the Void. This lattice is widely referred to as the Firmament. This is not a completely accurate model, but is used for entry level education about firmamental structure. The lattice has variable distances and is three dimensional, with realities existing on multiple layers.
If a reality is destabilized, you can think of it as a part of the lattice having a mass imbalance. This will cause the reality to tilt or shudder on its perch in the lattice, and with enough disturbance, it could tumble out of the lattice entirely and be devoured by the Void. Reality collapse will damage the nearby lattice, and could possibly cause a chain reaction that affects the cosmos as a whole. These worse case scenarios are unlikely but still possible. Therefore, reality mining operations have always been extremely measured and careful.
Firmament lattice is mainly composed of the supports - the long bars that connect realities together. At these connection points rest nodes that uphold the actual realities. Using dimensional vessels, people have attempted to chip at the firmament, but it proves utterly indestructible.
Dimensional vessels are much like realities: pockets of physical reality, but independent of the lattice. They may travel freely throughout the lattice structures, but must maintain that they don’t fall into the Void. Dimensional vessels are kept above the Void by propelling themselves upward with aura, and if that fails, they will quickly succumb to the Void.
Of course, any attempt at an actual physical model of the cosmos will be highly inaccurate due to a model’s need to be understandable by its highly physical creators. There is no actual up or down – these are just the closest approximations that we can still comprehend.
Dimensional Transgression#
A dimensional transgression or intrusion is when external matter enters a reality.
This matter can be anything from stones and rocks to fully fledged sentient beings. Realities are isolated by default, so these kinds of effects have to be artificially created and are extremely unstable, ripping apart anything passing through if done wrong.
An older method uses aura rituals to create a portal. This is costly, one-use, and dangerous. The only reason this is used at all is because it’s instantaneous and can transport infinite amounts of matter if maintained by auramancers, provided the matter can fit through the rip in reality.
An easier way to travel between realities is through a dimensional vessel. These can be any shape, seeing as travelling through purely spiritual space doesn’t exactly involve aerodynamics.
Dimensional vessel technology works by creating a temporary physical reality for the duration of the trip through the metaphorical “distance” in the void between worlds. It’s far more stable than any other method of dimensional intrusion. Due to the nature of the Void, to view the Void with mortal eyes is a death sentence. Because of this, dimensional vessels do not have windows.
Dimensional vessels are sometimes adapted to create pseudo-realities. Interdimensional societies employ these as Void bases. These can often reach titanic sizes, notable instances including the Void cities of the Architects, the universe-sized artificial Amirlith, and the Haelborne's Holy City of Rattesse.
Before the invention of dimensional portals and vessels, some older methods were attempted, none of which worked. These include various devices to increase an object’s speed to unnatural levels. Predictably, this was unable to transcend dimensional barriers. Phasing through matter was also attempted, and would occasionally, with the correct conditions, dump the perpetrating matter into the Void, leaving it to be annihilated. This formed the basis of the systems used to launch dimensional vessels. There was also dimensional tunnelling, wherein auramancers used concentrated aura bursts to dig through the dimensional barrier. This caused cascading negative effects for affected realities.
It's difficult to make different dimensional vessels interact with each other inside the Void. Because of this, many vessels have functions that allow them to conjoin their pseudo-realities with other pseudo-realities. Usually this requires consent from both sides as the mechanics are made far more difficult without access to both realities, but some recently developed military ships are capable of doing this on just one side. This poses possible consequences for the future of dimensional warfare and reality augmentation.
The only way to make separate dimensional vessels interface with each other from different realities is to pack enough of them dense enough so that their forms in metaphysical space are touching. This creates a blockage in metaphysical space.
Reality Composition#
A reality is defined as a section of physical existence in the Void, the space between worlds. They can range from full-fledged universes to single planets or even spaces the size of large cities.
Any realities smaller than this are too small to stabilize on formation and dissolve over time. They can be maintained through artificial means. Anything can vary between realities, from the local species to the laws of physics themselves.
A reality has three main parts. These are the dimensional barrier, the content, and the firmament. All three work in harmony to keep a reality sealed and operating and rarely malfunction without meddling from sentient beings.
The dimensional barrier keeps the reality contained. Dimensional barrier strength also varies across realities but should be strong enough to stop any intrusion or extrusion attributed to natural causes. The barrier is also the limit of the world – the edge of a universe. With some aura magic, it is possible to move past the physical part of the barrier. On the other side are various anomalies that increase in strangeness the further you travel, before the matter gradually opens directly to the Void.
Physical matter inside the reality is called content. The firmament referred to here is the same as the one in the cosmic model. It's the underlying structure of a reality and is composed of nodes acting like genetic code. The arrangement and content of these nodes controls the fundamental laws of that reality (if any).
Content rarely exits a reality naturally; however, the heartbeat of the cosmos can sometimes spike reactions in local aura fields and interact with chunks of physical matter. This can drag content outside of a reality. If it is lucky, the spike reaction may draw two aura fields from separate realities together and allow a physical object passage between realities. More likely, the matter will simply unexist in the Void. This one of the only known ways matter can be truly destroyed.
Reality Death#
New realities are generated by the cosmos to replace old and dying ones, like a body replacing cells. Realities will gradually die out by themselves, though some civilizations have found ways to maintain theirs. Any civilization that discovers such a thing have been visited by minor immortals to receive a warning not to overuse their new power. Any civilization that does not heed the warning is promptly repurposed.
Outside of their natural life cycle, a reality cannot die without external intervention. Poking holes in the dimensional barrier and tampering with the firmament are the most common of these events. Keep in mind that most civilizations in the cosmos are not advanced enough to do such a thing effectively.
A revaluation is an operation conducted by minor immortals. They come down to various realities to perform maintenance. This appears to be some form of cleaning, as they have been spotted coming out of the firmament with many sealed crates.
Whenever a section of reality has too much of its firmamental fabric taken away, it begins to show anomalies, much like something you’d see if you travelled too far in a video game. After this stage, if more fabric is removed, it begins to wither. Here begins the slow and painful decay of all life and the twisting of all matter in that section. The reality seals off the withered sector, freezing it in time as a sort of defense mechanism. Suppose the fabric around a solar system gets removed. That system will wither and be cordoned off like scar tissue.
Reality Mining#
Some groups have taken to harvesting firmamental material out of realities. This material is often referred to (somewhat inaccurately) as ‘reality fabric.’ It usually comes in the form of firmament crystals, condensed metaphysical energy used in the firmament. This stuff is integral to the stability of realities, so extracting it must be done carefully and in moderation. Remove too much, and you have a classic reality death situation.
Reality mining requires many rituals and aura machines to be arranged in exorbitant precision, lest you lose your crystals and your head. Some groups such as the Haelborne have successfully created reality mining machines that can do this automatically. Distribution of these machines is highly monitored as reality mining is looked down upon by most of interdimensional society due to its destructive effects.
The Amirlithic Union has to the best of its ability banned reality mining within its sectors, and many other groups have followed suit. There are even rumours of secretive Amirlithic taskforces hunting through wild voidspace for reality miners – not entirely legal according to the Void Wilds Pact, but not something that would crop up in anything other than the most pedantic and rule venerating of courts.
Voidspace#
The Void is the home of metaphysical beings (non-mortals) and is a metaphysical space in which physical matter can’t exist. The Void is the space between realities (though it’s not a space as a mortal being would see it). It doesn’t have geography like a physical space, and the form of location it does have is incomprehensible to a mortal being.
The Void does not have geography, or at least as mortals know it. Distance and time do not function here; those are physical things. However, for the sake of being able to understand the Void, we still use them as placeholders. The Void (or at least the documented part) is divided into seven uneven regions, one each for the six most prominent interdimensional organizations and multiple small neutral regions for realities that have not yet entered the greater cosmos. There are also smaller territories controlled by fringe organizations such as the Cult of the Aethein.