Introduction to the Multiverse

Primeval Forces

There are forces which embody a way of being that exist independent of simple behavior manifestations of creatures, actions, and perceptions. Their vast commonality is the root of their power - a common manifestation in nearly all realities has given rise to a presence. There is no entity seeking advantage for itself, but it will influence behaviors, agendas and goals of those it touches and engulfs - driving them to become a reflection of the perspective it embodies in some way. All of the primeval forces can be represented as a code of conduct. There are six main primeval forces which are universal: good, evil, law, chaos, malice, and virtue. Though the specific labels may change, depending on setting, and the semantics may be argued based on persepctive, their general qualities are universal and eternal.

• The Chaotic Perspective
• The Evil Perspective
• The Good Perspective
• The Lawful Perspective
• The Malicious Perspective
• The Virtuous Perspective

Essence

Essence is the distilled absolute of what a subject is and the sum of its existence - a soul. It is essence which serves as founts of strength in a pattern which keep it connected together. Essence is independant of all other things - eternal - and cannot be destroyed, only its presence can be negated. At worst, memory of an essence disappears and the essence returns to the Aether to await some event which will allow it to manifest somewhere, some way, yet again. Reality and void manifest true essence.

Essence Principle

> When a new essence is created (birth), it is created as the sum of all its parts and the context of the characteristics around it. This includes molecular composition, energy patterns, chemical patterns, species template, etc. It evolves as the personality evolves, uniquely. The strength of that point in the pattern is the “Essence Principle”. Normally, it is not possible to change the pattern principle once its been set at the start of the character. This principle is what is used to determine how much mystical energies the person can safely attune themselves to, as well as the threshold in how much a person may lose the parts which make a unique mark upon the pattern.
(Starting CHA + Starting SAN) x 5

Order of Being

Existence is organized into five levels of complexity or "Orders of Being". The facets of space, time, energy, perception, and other facets, organized into planes within a particular sphere are infinite, but all fall within one of five grades of complexity. Within reality, all beings within these orders are capable of controling the energies (chi, cohesion, mana, and synergy) of the core abilities; the greater the order, the more power they can generally wield (generally less limits on starting and improving abilities). Humans and our known universe of contemporary society, are considered a first order sphere. When dealing with the void, these orders represent greater powers of nullification and annihilation. Player characters generally will be limited to First Order beings for maximum flexibility within the game.

Reality

Reality is made up of infinte possibility. The energies of reality are what most of the game-world experiences are based on.

Void

The stuff of the Void is tied to directly to the primeval force underlying the evil code of conduct. Any interaction with of denizens and the environment there will generally reflect those principles.

Void is the negation of reality. It is the collapse of possibility unto nothingness. The energy of undead and fearsome creatures who negate life forces of reality are based on their connection to the void.

Spirit

Spirit is an ethereal representation of a subject at a given point in time. Spirits are what if left on subjects when the essence has touched them and moved away, or who never manifested and exist only as an idea. Spirits never take solid form per se; they are merely the residual imprint or reflection of a specific essence. Spirits have no inherent way of interacting with reality on their own. The denizens of the realms of Dream and Shadow are spirit.

The lands of non-existence are inhabited by spirits which are no longer tied to reality and the essence or ideals which they once reflected. In the case of the shadow lands, the spirits have used anger and malice to break these bonds but cannot move beyond being a shadow of their previous form; these are known as "broken spirits". Those from the lands of dream have used joy and virtue to free themselves from bondage and the limits of form and perception and make their own way independent of the form they once reflected; these are known as "freed spirits".

Dreamlands

The stuff of the dream lands is tied to directly to the primeval force underlying the virtuous code of conduct. Any interaction with of denizens and the environment there will generally reflect those principles. Denizens of the Dreamlands draw upon their unique Radiance ability and the powers it provides to spread delight and wonderment.

The dreamlands are a place unto themselves where freed spirits live amidst a ever-changing landscape. Generally the dreamlands are non-hostile and benign, espousing beauty, trust, and euphoria.

Shadowlands

The stuff of the shadow realms is tied to directly to the primeval force underlying the malicious code of conduct. Any interaction with of denizens and the environment there will generally reflect those principles. Denizens of the Shadowlands draw upon their unique Netting ability and the powers it provides to spread their mischief and misfortune.

The shadowlands are a nighmarish static landscape populated by broken spirits. These are generally malign, hostile and fearful. The shadowlands often take on a mirror of the reality the visitor is used to, albeit a terrifying and obscene one.

Pattern

The particular details, be it fate, laws of physics, will, or whatever the milieu provides which tie all things together in a sphere is known as The Pattern. The pattern has many names, such as weave and web, and many perspectives and sub patterns which can be perceived. There are patterns within patterns, getting down to molecular levels or simply to the history of two beings together. These patterns are perceived and interacted with on both conscious (Nous) and unconscious (Anima) levels.

Everything fits into a specific pattern in a specific way that represents its natural affinity. When something is forced into a pattern in a manner it was not meant to, it acquires paradox. Conscious entities can try and transcend to a higher order or shift to a different dimension - permanently altering their place in a pattern, perhaps even becoming part of a different one altogether.

Nous

> The conscious power of the intellect to formulate ideas, to gain understanding and control. The end result of Nous is knowledge, and through it, all other things are possible.

Anima

> This is the unconscious relationship with and sense of place within the reality something is part of.

These components ultimately control every way in which the subject interacts with everthing. They have no form or direct manifestation, but tie everything back to the Aether.

Properties of Patterns

Attunement: Attunement is the measure of connectedness between things within the pattern. It happens as part of the natural course of subjects being aware of, in proximity with, in contact with, and by interaction with each othert. Typically, proximity attunement happens in an instant and peripheral (possessing or touching) attunement in a trivial amount of seconds or minutes. Actual use achieves connection in a trivial amount of days - the user and subject become familiar and it is considered to 'belong' to the character. Items designed and fabricated specifically for a character allow them to be precisely attuned instantly, or such a level can be achieved after a long period of belonging.

0. None - No awareness or nearness
1. Proximal - Aware and/or near
2. Peripheral - Touched briefly or prolonged nearness
3. Connected - Conscious but infrequent use or years of nearness; familiar
4. Precise - Constant, frequent use; Belongs to; deeply familiar
5. Exclusive - As Precise; Only a single “owner” relationship is possible with the subject; intimately familiar

[Ability] Measure: This is a indication of how focussed the energies of reality are in their ties to the pattern in regards to a locale in question. Measure is simply rated as a positive or negative adjustment, which is added to the ability of the same name. For example: Faith Measure +1, means all characters add +1 to their faith ability.

[Ability] Prevalence: This is a indication of how prevalent are the energies of reality and their ties to the pattern in regards to a locale in question. It may have a strong magical weave (those with magical ability are more powerful) and weak faith prevalence with inhibits the use of faith ability. Prevalence is rated on the same ability scale of 0 to 4, and indicates the maximum rating at which an ability of the same name may operate at. For example: Psychic Prevalence 2, means all characters having a psychic ability of 3 or 4 have it reduced to a 2.

[Energy] Saturation: This is a indication of how readily accessed the energies of reality are in their ties to the pattern, in regards to a locale in question. This affects the cost to use powers which are based on specific abilities, as well as regeneration rate of energies for pools of power. Saturation is measured as a single value which acts as both multiplier to the cost and divsor to the return rate. For example: Faith Saturation 2, means all characters using a faith ability pay x2 in synergy cost, and it return at 1/2 rate.

Signs of Patterns: Signs are the evidence of The Pattern when subjects attempt to "look into" it.

• Laws: Laws represent all aspects of the observable cause-effect relationships. They are repeatable, understandable through multiple paradigms by conscious, rationale thought, and not dependant on the observer for fact or truth. They are used to understand the present, and set circumstances for improving the future; They provide no intrinsic advantage or disadvantage. They are there whether they are "looked" to or not.
• Omens: Omens manifest pieces of the pattern in a subliminal fashion and are highly interpretable. They are often symbolic, and rely on intuitive sense and contextual clues to make their insights understood. They are used to try and glimpse the probability of the future. Omens can provide insight that will either be beneficial or harmful to those subject to the augury. For omens, one must "look to see" - and such glances at the infinite possibilities and probabilities often come with a cost.

Traveling the Multiverse

There are many ways to travel the multiverse. Powers and ability, as well as natural occurences and means offer a host of possibilities in allowing characters to project their influence outside of their native plane. Sometimes it is only communication possible, sometimes a spiritual journey, and rarer still it is physically possible to move to another plane. Generally, the patterns in one sphere and those in another are more prone to allowing the travel of living, sentient life in exchanges between them. Inanimate items, as a rule, do not survive or are forcibly left behind on such a journey.

Travelers going to places where the pattern is vatly different must beware. It will be down to aspects such as sanity and intuition to cope with the strange conditions - your normal skills and knowledge may be meaningless! You can die just as easily as you can in your native pattern.

The Nexus

The Nexus is the convergence of all things. It is through The Nexus that movement between planes is possbile. The nexus is the gateway, it is both place, and no-place. All travelers must pass through it to get to their destination, few are ever aware of its existence, for no creatures of existence or non-existence possesses the faculties to even perceive it natively.

Paradox

Paradox is what allws patterns to reconcile interactions between objects of alien modlaities. It is truly belonging within the realm of the strange and vastly unknown effects of the cosmos. It allows the perceptions of beings to rationalize witnessing dimensions, speheres, and life forms so utterly alien that they are indescribable. Paradox describes the effect which happens to a creature when they lose their natural affinity within the pattern. It behaves like a barrier, encapsulating the subject, translating the effects and interactions between the realities of the pattern within the subject's experience and the one exterior to it. Paradox is acquired by beings of different dimensions or spheres, which manifest in realities they have no natural affinity to. Paradox allows them to eat, sleep, and breathe - surviving at the bare minimums by translating the realities into something that can be processed. When a higher order being moves into a lower order mode of being, they acquire a level of 'positive' paradox, 1 for each order of difference between their own natural affinity and the order they travel to. Conversely, lower order beings traveling to a higher mode plane gain 'negative' paradox.

Paradox Effects

Lvl. of Positive Paradox Gained	Penlty when Attacked
1	-1 CS
2	-2 CS
3	-4 CS
4	-8 CS

Paradox also allows some creatures to retain some of the unusual properties of their home sphere or plane, as it applies only to them. This can weaken powers, skills, or ability powers of all kinds when they are applied to the target.

Energy

There are many forms of energy which can be manipulated to bring about an effect. Within all things there are the fulcrums of Nous and Anima, through which energy is manipulated.

Chi

> Chi is the energy of kinetics - the physical spatial-temporal relationship between the material world and the body inhabiting it. Though through science it may be perceived as electro-magnetism or some similar effect, it runs much deeper. Control of such power relies on the physical and mental health of the practitioners body. Normally, chi powers are developed through a chi pool and the discipline of Quigong, though those with natural aptitude can tap into cornerstone powers unconsciously. Chi is strongly tied to kinetic ability.

Cohesion

> Cohesion is the energy that bonds the will to reality and is the fuel that powers psychics. This energy is the element which connects all things together in a cause-effect relationship. A psychic uses this reserve when they impose on reality. Cohesion is developed through cohesion pool. Cohesion is strongly tied to psychic ability.

Mana

> Mana is the living energy in all things - living and inanimate - and is the fuel that powers magic. Mana can be tapped through to perform magical feats through the development of a mana pool. Mana is strongly tied to magic ability.

Synergy

> Synergy is the energy that comes from the strength of a bonding of essences. Synergy is developed as a synergy pool. Synergy is strongly tied to faith ability

Powers

Powers use the energies and draw on properties of the places where such energy is generated. A character's abilities will determine what they are capable of. Each type of powers has its own focus. All can be bent to achieve nearly the same thing - just varies in difficulty and effort.

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