Amaranth Legacy:Scope Classification

The Scope tier system consists of three primary categories:

• Domain ("Universe")
• Essence ("Ontology")
• Framework ("Narrative")

Domain

The Domain is what defines the location of the Scope's setting, essentially what universe it is set in. It is divided into three distinct sections.

flowchart TB
    A["Does it exist in our own universe?"]
    B["Does it focus on other fictional universes?"]
    A -- No --> Mythic
    A -- Yes --> B
    B -- Yes --> Hybrid
    B -- No --> Empirical

Empirical Domain

The universe within the Scope exists within our actual universe. This can be confined to a specific region, such as Earth or the Milky Way, or extend to the entirety of the Observable or Assumed Infinite Universe.

Examples:

• Borealis Universe
• Universe 6E
• Thirteenth Assemblage
• Saurian War

Hybrid Domain

The universe within the Scope is primarily set within our real universe but spends most of its worldbuilding and story focus on or within an entirely fictional or invented universal space. This includes settings similar to stories like Narnia, the Matrix, or any "Isekai"-style story.

Examples:

• Distant Worlds
• Vela

Mythic Domain

The universe within the Scope is a completely original creation by the Scope author, with no direct connection to our real universe. (Note: The use of familiar concept names for reader comprehension or allegory does not constitute a connection to the real universe.)

Examples:

• Imagindarium's Creation
• Cosmoria
• Galvyria

Essence

The Essence defines the fundamental ontology of a Scope, encompassing its laws of nature, physics, cosmology, biology, and metaphysical structure. This classification is distinct from the Domain-class, as a setting may take place in the real universe while featuring entirely alien natural laws. Conversely, a wholly fictional universe may still adhere to the natural laws of reality as we understand them.

flowchart TB
    A["Do the rules of the universe mirror our own?"]
    B["Are there additional fictional rules that are non-anomalous in-universe?"]
    A -- No --> Mythic
    A -- Yes --> B
    B -- Yes --> Hybrid
    B -- No --> Empirical

Essence Tiers

The Essence class is what defines the cosmology, rules of reality, ontology, and present concepts within a Scope. It can be determined by analyzing what physical and metaphysical laws govern the universe, regardless of its Domain's fiction class.

Essence is divided into three distinct tiers:

Empirical Essence

The Scope’s natural laws, cosmology, and ontology closely mirror those of the real-world universe. Some elements within the setting may contradict real-world physics, but such deviations are treated as "anomalies" within the Scope’s internal canon.

Examples:

• Silky Way
• Local Universe

Hybrid Essence

The Scope shares many traits with the real-world universe but actively integrates original, fictional elements into its cosmology, physics, or natural laws. These invented concepts are not anomalies but rather a fundamental and recognized part of the setting’s reality.

Examples:

• Cosmoria
• Vela

Mythic Essence

The Scope’s laws of nature, cosmology, and ontology bear no resemblance to real-world concepts of reality. Every aspect of its existence is governed by a unique, self-contained logic and methodology.

(Note: If a concept shares a name with a real-world principle but functions through an entirely different mechanism, it still falls under this category, as its manifestation is fundamentally alien.)

Examples:

• Imagindarium's Creation
• Axocora

Framework

The Framework defines the overarching fictional structure of a Scope—how the storyline of the Scope is presented and experienced. This classification is not tied to genre but rather to the method of storytelling within the Scope.

flowchart TB
    A["Is the storyline focused from a large-scale perspective?"]
    A -- Yes --> Overarching
    A -- No --> B
    B["Is the storyline focused on individual characters or groups of characters?"]
    B -- Yes --> Focused
    B -- No --> C
    C["Is the storyline focused on the universe itself?"]
    C -- Yes --> Esoteric

Framework Tiers

Framework is divided into three distinct categories, as they cannot be put in any order and thus would not fit a system of tiers:

Overarching

The Scope’s storyline is primarily or exclusively told from a large-scale perspective, focusing on universal, planetary, national, or species-wide interactions. The narrative is built around the interplay of vast concepts and entities, rather than centering on individual characters.

Key Traits:

• Focus on civilizations, nations, or cosmic-scale events
• Individual characters exist within the narrative but are not the primary focus
• Expansive worldbuilding with long historical timelines

Focused

The Scope’s storyline is primarily centered on individual characters or small, exclusive groups of characters. While large-scale worldbuilding and overarching events exist, they serve the characters' stories rather than act as standalone focal points. As a result, these Scopes often have shorter, more intimate timelines compared to overarching narratives.

Key Traits:

• Character-driven storytelling
• Large-scale worldbuilding exists primarily in service to character arcs
• Typically set within shorter timespans compared to overarching narratives

Esoteric

The Scope’s storyline is driven by philosophy, speculative physics, or metafiction, where the nature of the universe itself becomes the primary subject of the narrative. Characters and world events exist primarily to explore or highlight the deeper themes and storytelling structure rather than act as conventional narrative focal points.

Key Traits:

• Heavy use of philosophical, metaphysical, or speculative storytelling
• The structure of the universe is a central narrative element
• Often blurs the lines between fiction and reality/metafiction

Diremption

A Diremption occurs when a Scope simultaneously embodies two or more tiers within a single classification, depending on the context in which it is analyzed.

For example, a Scope’s Framework may be Overarching, Focused, and Esoteric at different points within its narrative, depending on the specific subject being discussed within an article related to that Scope.

This means that rather than adhering strictly to a singular classification, the Scope dynamically shifts between multiple tiers based on its internal structure and storytelling approach.

flowchart TB
    A["Do multiple classifications apply?"]
    A -- Yes --> Diremption
    A -- No --> Nondiremption