Aeterna Caligne
Alternate Dimension
4,000,000,000 Radiant Stars
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Description
The Aeterna Caligne (Pronounced Ay-tur-nuh Cuh-lig-nee, also known as Unreality, Falsespace, Lux Aeterna, (and shortened to The Aeterna) is an alternate plane of existence, residing "outside" the main universe. It is known for being the plane which is most affiliated to Classical Thaumaturgy. The Aeterna is most infamous for being considerably uninhabitable. It is also well known for its vast number of cosmic aberrations and mysteries. There are no permanent inhabitants of The Aeterna as a product of its dangerous nature. Throughout history, The Aeterna was bestowed with numerous names, and includes a myriad of references in the Aeterna Prophecies, as well as other ancient mythoi.
The Aeterna Caligne is a relatively large alternate plane, thought to be the size of the Universe, approximately 10 million light years. However, most of its content is regulated to various pockets, typically surrounding large coagulations in the center. Areas which have no content are often seen as misty purple-colored voids with stray pieces of matter. Nevertheless, all regions in The Aeterna regarded as hazardous. In some regions outside The Aeterna, matter and energy may interact with it. Unstable or otherwise compromised areas, typically disturbed by Magi or high-energy events can cause The Aeterna to 'leak' in. A notable example of such an area is Sydiah's Hinterlands.
Travel in The Aeterna, while difficult, has been achieved in numerous occasions. Travel between two points, exiting and entering physical space, may cause unpredictability between arrival and destination points. Instances of non-euclidean travel are more than common, though they can not be exploited or controlled. Additionally, travel is remarkably dangerous, as spatial or gravitational anomalies may poorly impact any traveler. In many instances, it has resulted in the death of various surveyors or crews. As such, The Aeterna is not possible to reliably travel around. The Aeterna's unstable nature also make practical maps impossible.
In The Aeterna, the "souls" of every sapient being can be found. Souls can be thought of as an emergent property of sapient beings. Each soul has a different "weight" in The Aeterna, which is best thought of as one's level of skill in Thaumaturgy. Individuals with high "weights" are known as Magi. Magi have abilities that hinge on drawing energy from The Aeterna, which relates to Thaumaturgy. The Aeterna is also able to be directly accessed, though only by the most talented of these individuals.
Aeternal Energy
Aeternal Energy is a constant presence of energy unique to the Aeterna. It is thought to have existed since the Aeterna's creation following the Cosmic Primordia. Aeternal Energy is responsible for numerous things, and many have believed that it is the cause of the Lux Aeterna's constant denegeration. Aeternal Energy takes on the appearance of a faint, purple wispy sort of gas. In large quantities, it glows very brightly, exhibiting effects which appear to warp space around it.
Aeternal Energy is thought to come through a user's Pylon to perform Thaumaturgy. It can be morphed in various ways, allowing an adept Magi to do a variety of different feats. Channeling Aeternal Energy is difficult for most people, requiring intense focus and mental fortitude. A learner must also be careful enough to keep their Pylon in a stable state, as too much Aeternal Energy may shatter one as mentioned previously.
Pylons
A Pylon is a manifestation of consciousness within the Aeterna. Every sapient individual (occasionally even artificial intelligences) has a corresponding Pylon In The Aeterna. They manifest as a glowing white orb that appears to move aimlessly throughout space. While unconfirmed, the working hypothesis is that every individual, past, present, and future, has a corresponding Pylon.
Pylons are critical to Thaumaturgy, as it allows a user to channel Aeternal Energy to realspace. Pylons are located all across The Aeterna. Each Pylon has a different "weight" or size, which is directly related to one's ability to channel Aeternal Energy. Individuals with considerably high weights are known as Magi. Extensively using Thaumaturgy causes one's Pylon to grow in weight. The larger the weight, the more energy that can be channeled.
A Pylon gaining weight too quickly may cause Thaumic Insanity, an anomalous condition incurable by physical means. The process is slow, taking many decades for most people. The onset of this disease is harmful, as those effected exhibit unusual physical and mental characteristics. The severity of such effects vary from person to person, but all become extremely unstable. After a certain point, the mind of a person breaks down, resulting in the mental disorder. Mania, hallucinations, and occasional delirium are common. Additionally, symptoms mimicking Ganser syndrome, dysmetropsia, and memory distrust syndrome.
Pylons may also 'shatter' following the overuse of Thaumaturgy. When shattered, Magi lose control of the flow of power, rendering any Thaumic usage impossible unless it heals. Irreparable shattering is often characterized by the complete death of the Magi in question, as their bodies begin behaving much more like material in the Aeterna. These exotic forms of matter are largely incompatible with the physical universe. The afflicted individual often physically distorts into strange shapes.
These shapes are often physically impossible, causing them to fly apart in a burst of energy or, sometimes, to collapse into a singularity. The few survivors of shattering usually develop Thaumic Insanity. Sufficiently large Pylons shatter and cause rifts between the Aeterna and realspace. Such is the center of the Wane of Reality. Overuse is relative to the size of one's Pylon, with smaller Pylons being easier to shatter. As such, this phenomenon occurs less commonly amongst proficient Magi.
If a Pylon is removed or otherwise displaced from the Lux Aeterna, they will be unable to funnel Aeternal Energy. Therefore, the afflicted Pylon becomes useless. Furthermore, Pylons appear to be significantly more fragile and slowly degrade outside of the Lux Aeterna, making displaced Pylons a great risk for any Magi connected to one. Pylons eventually shatter after increased exposure to reality, greatly diminishing or removing one's Thaumic abilities. This risk is rather minor however, as breaching the Lux Aeterna and moving Pylons are two difficult tasks on their own, let alone performed one after the other.
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Cores
The Aeterna is a host to independent entities, called Cores, within its boundaries. Cores hold the appearance of large, white wisps of light which flicker and move quickly. It is thought that these Cores manifest from high-energy events, though this is not entirely proven. Most Cores are found floating aimlessly, typically around large coagulations of matter. It is thought that there are quintillions of Cores in The Aeterna, appearing and disappearing over many years. Independent Cores are hazardous due to their high energy and sporadic movements. Their speed and energy may also result in damage to vessels or people.
Occasionally, Cores merge with one another, creating a conscience with multiple minds. If this happens often enough, a unified sapient core may appear in its place. Such Cores are immune to the degeneration of The Aeterna, being able to thrive for many millions of years. Sapient Cores may combine with others as well, resulting in a collective conscience of two or more Cores. The largest of these have the equivalent of billions of minds in a single body.
Materials
The Aeterna Caligne is a host to unique materials. These materials are known as "Aether", "Souls", "Radiance", "Terrain", and "Vibrancy". Other materials are classified as "Miscellaneous" and are not nearly as numerous as the four broad classes. These materials, if brought to reality, rapidly decay unless there is a direct connection to The Aeterna nearby. They are also violent, being very reactive if handled improperly. Only a small amount of material from The Aeterna has been contained in reality, and they have been the center of study for many years. Corresponding materials are in a list below:
Aether
Aether is the most noticeable material in The Aeterna. It usually takes the form of a violet gas, which sets much of The Aeterna in a deep fog. Twisting clouds of Aether are commonplace, and 'weather' has been observed with these clouds. Aether is usually harmless though it does pose an issue with navigation. As such, large spacecraft have reliably gone through The Aeterna in its history. For this reason, forces of small craft have been employed for scouting missions, at least in most cases. Only a few areas of The Aeterna have had a lack of Aether, making visibility and studying easier.
Souls
Souls are the classification of free-floating conscience in The Aeterna. It is not necessarily commonplace, though it is easily able to be seen, even through thick blankets of Aether. Some Souls hold a very heavy 'weight' in The Aeterna, which connects to a soul or an individual in reality. Souls have been observed to take two forms, 'alive' and 'dead'. Alive Souls are connected to living beings and dead Souls are those which belong to deceased individuals. Dead Souls have no weight in The Aeterna, save for several rare exceptions. Souls are usually docile, though their unpredictable wandering nature makes them a hazard. Souls are also very dangerous if interacted, causing harmful reactions if tampered with. As of the modern-day, Souls have not been contained, and so the only studies of it have been performed by experienced Magi or scientists.
Radiance
Radiance takes form in pinpoints of bright light, typically seen in clusters. Radiance is commonly mistaken for Souls, but it becomes apparent that it is the former if interacted with. Radiance is also less mobile, as most of it floats in stationary locations unless moved. Radiance can also range in many sizes, and are as massive as stellar objects in the most extreme of cases. These are usually referred to as Radiant Stars, and they have extensive properties such as extreme heat, density, and activity. As such, Radiant Stars are classified as very dangerous.
Terrain
Terrain is a rather rare material in The Aeterna. Terrain is best described in the form of 'islands' or asteroids with unusual gravitational fields. As such, much of the Terrain in The Aeterna can exhibit dangerous properties. About half of the Terrain in The Aeterna acts normally, however, and have typical characteristics in their mass and size. Terrain, like Radiance, has much variation in size as well, being as small as pebbles to as large as planetary objects. Other materials appear to fester around Terrain as well, though this is not necessarily proven.
Vibrancy
Vibrancy is the lease numerous material in The Aeterna, though it is not rare by any means. Vibrancy has been known to inhabit all observed locations of The Aeterna, taking form in a fluid or gaseous substance. Light can bend, warp, or otherwise change its properties if it passes through it. Vibrancy is also known to change the properties of all other materials, making them warp as it does with light. Vibrancy is one of the more difficult materials to contain, though it has been done. Even so, Vibrancy is not necessarily understood.
Effects
Many people, most notably experienced Magi, report that their abilities can be heightened or dampened in The Aeterna. Reports show that if next to a floating consciousness or far from an energy source, Magi holds less power. The opposite effect is shown when near a power source or far from floating consciousnesses.
There have been countless reports of hallucinations, extreme disorientation, dissociative episodes, and extended deterioration of the mind and consciousness. Visiting often has been linked to dementia-like symptoms with no known cure, however, this is only a threat to inexperienced users. Negative effects are also known to occur in approaching groups of heavy-weighted consciousnesses. These could temporarily or chronically affect anyone's abilities to retain psychokinetic abilities.
Notable Related Locations
With The Aeterna always changing, there are no permanent notable locations. However, in the realm of reality, there exist many points which lead to or are related to The Aeterna. These will be listed with notable characteristics and go as follows:
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| Description | The Suvaren Field has been known to hold many areas related to The Aeterna, most notably the supermassive black hole at the center. For reasons unknown, it holds a remarkable 'weight' in The Aeterna and is observed to display psychokinetic and more broad anomalous effects. | Holo's Ring is a very large megastructure under the control of the Neo-Terran Intergalactic Hegemony. It was created by the Triumvirate Civilization to allow for their governing artificial intelligence, The Administrator, to exert more control in the region. The Ring allows for a form of Runic Thaumaturgy to be practiced near to it. The usage of runes in the region has contributed greatly to the success of the inhabitants. | |
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| Description | Sydiah's Hinterlands is a region of space in the Suvaren Field, which is most notably affected by The Aeterna. There exist many weak points of real-space, known as The Cracks of Reality, which allow The Aeterna to more or less leak in from its realm. These cracks, while inaccessible from the outside, allow content from inside The Aeterna to spread all across the universe. Sydiah's Hinterlands are most prominent in the Suvaren Field, though other regions may also contain identical phenomena. | Fojura is a very notable place linked to The Aeterna. It is located deep in the Suvaren Field, near B'Kalatala and other prominent sites. It was originally thought to be a standard black hole until its true hazardous nature was revealed by Sedrua. It is known to directly affect the conscience, sapience, and psyche of any individual, no matter how powerful they may seem. These effects include the admission of mental disabilities, given a long enough exposure. Powerful Magi can dampen but not completely stop the effects of Fojura. Most notably, Sydiah, as well as members of the Chosen of Sydiah, have shown great concern for Fojura and its potential. | |
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| Description | The Atomic Place Is a section of The Aeterna, which appears to be accessible by areas in The Aeterna, or by a specific gateway on Ritana. Since the region is in The Aeterna, it is thought to be more dangerous and exclusive. Only a handful of tests have been conducted in the Atomic Plane, which suggests a sort of chaotic nature. It is one of the most unknown regions, and it is not known what sort of aberrations have appeared in it. |
Areas Within
The Aeterna Caligne, while hardly explored, still has notable areas which vastly differ. With modern knowledge, it is understood that The Aeterna contains numerous pockets of space, each containing unique qualities and conditions. With limited exploration, there have been five detected classifications for areas in The Aeterna. They are named "Busy", "Idle", "Warm", "Cold", and "Tangent". These areas usually combine, to create mixed pockets, like an Idle and Warm area, or a Busy and Cold area. Descriptions for all major areas, sorted on commonality are below:
Busy
A Busy area of The Aeterna has a host of matter, typically being Aether, Souls, or Terrain. It is very much hard to reliably navigate through the Busy space of The Aeterna, and so not much is understood about these areas. Souls are seen in the highest density here, as are Aether and Terrain. Vibrance and minor states of matter are not necessarily common, however. Busy space also includes a host of anomalies, which make traversing the area dangerous for any travelers.
Warm
A Warm area of The Aeterna is very hard to navigate as well. Usually, Warm and Busy spaces may combine if they are nearby, creating the most dangerous areas. On its own, a Warm space may have a lot of Vibrancy and Souls, as well as Radiance. Radiance has a higher chance of forming Radiant Stars in Warm space as well, making it very hazardous. With the tendency to combine with Busy space, however, Warm places have been subject to heavy research by Magi.
Idle
An Idle area of The Aeterna has the lack of matter. Places may have a lack or complete absence of Aether or Terrain. Navigation is much simpler, though Idle areas are often seen with Warm ones. Souls are in their highest density, however, as they can roam without interference or danger. Idles also have a high amount of Vibrancy, but it doesn't affect travel much as there isn't anything to warp. The only detrimental danger about Idle space is that it can cause individuals to get lost in its nothingness.
Cold
A Cold area of The Aeterna is the rarest yet safest and predictable region. It is thought that Cold spaces occupy one-tenth of a percent of The Aeterna. There exists a void of matter in Cold spaces as well, with no major clusters in them. Cold spaces are most often paired with Idle spaces as well, which makes travel very straightforward. It is known that Cold space is the most studied, and is the easiest place in The Aeterna to comprehend.
Tangent
A Tangent area of The Aeterna is the least understood of the five regions. It essentially describes any region which does not fall under the known categories. Tangent regions may contain entities, unexplained anomalies, or such a thorough mix of space that it becomes a unique area. Tangents have a completely variable amount of matter, though their densest areas have a surplus of all matter, making them the most dangerous.
Collective Conscience
The Aeterna Caligne is known to have multiple collective consciousnesses, which have been collected in the years since the creation of the Cosmic Primordia. It is thought that this conscience is made up of the deceased souls of those who expire in reality, though this is not entirely proven. These consciousnesses may be accessed by connecting to 'dead' Souls, though this is very risky and is infamous for causing damage. If connected, a collective conscience may be spoken to, though responses are typically incoherent or untranslatable. The collective consciousnesses are also known to be located exclusively in Tangent areas, making contact difficult.
Translating and understanding the collective consciousnesses of The Aeterna is typically done with electromagnetic signals. However, adept Magi are known to pick up these signals, and masterful ones can decrypt and respond on most occasions. So far, there have been many detected consciousnesses that relate to the souls of multiple people. Many more are noted to be solitary, but they are noted to connect if they encounter each other.