Cosmology
Verse Chronicles is a story about a single world that became many worlds. In the cosmology of Verse Chronicles, many worlds exist alongside each other and not just in a single universe in a vast and possibly infinite number of universes and hyperverses all contained within the Verse. Within this vast Verse are clusters of worlds, entire timelines, and stories that span untold generations and eons without number. Beings from the most classic of tales to the most horrific of nightmares exist side by side and whether they are aware of it or not.
For every world that a Verse Master forms, the vastness of the cosmic dance expands. The minds of the Verse Masters contribute to this cosmology in the realm of the Material Worlds. Every universe of the Material Worlds, regardless of their source or intention, primarily exist within the Astral Realm. All dimensions, planes, and universes exist in their own secluded hyperverse that sits nestled in the Astral Realm. All of these are connected by the great Nexus that is watched over by strange Outer Ones who see all and know all. The Ether is the webbing that connects each together and the source of all existence within the Verse. Any hyperverse that can be conceived of or imagined has a place of its own within the Verse.
Material Worlds
A Material World is an entire reality that holds life, planets, and its own laws that govern it. Every World may have its own pantheon of deities and heroes that uphold its order. Typically, those who inhabit a single world are unable to leave it and are unaware of other Worlds. World Walkers are those capable of leaving their own Material World and traversing the Astral Realm allowing them to enter another world, such as the Akashii. A Material World is layered.
- Universe
A single universe contains a space-time continuum consisting of planets, stars, galaxies, and all forms of matter and energy that are governed by a set of mathematical physical laws. It is on this smallest of scales in the cosmos that most forms of life can be found. Each universe is layered from a macroverse (large bodied objects such as stars and galaxies) to a microverse (very small objects such as on the microscopic scale) all the way to a quantum-verse (tiny bodied objects ranging from atoms all the way down to the Planck scale). A universe can also be layered in planes that exist within and around it. - Planes of Existence
The planes of existence preside within a single universe and are just as much a part of and unique to a universe as its laws of physics. These planes may contain the dwelling places of gods, the afterlife for the dead, or even a chaotic maelstrom of destruction. Beings capable of traveling between planes of existence naturally are known as Planes Walkers. - Alternative Realities & Parallel Universes
An alternative reality is created through either alternative timelines, changes to a time stream, or through other strange means that creates a universe that is similar to but not exactly the same to another universes. Such a universe is known as a parallel universe and all of such parallel universes exist together in a single multiverse. - Multiverse
A multiverse contains the whole set of parallel universes that exist alongside each other either through alternative timelines or realities. Most parallel universes share similar or even the same planes of existence or laws of physics and as such, planeswalkers or deities may be capable of traversing through the parallel universes via the multiverse that contains them. - Parallel Multiverse
A parallel multiverse is like a parallel universe except with an entire multiverse parallel to another. In such situations, a parallel multiverse will have similar realities but may have completely different sets of timelines, laws of physics, or pantheons and therefore be incapable of crossing with other inhabitants of another multiverse through natural means, unlike a multiverse and their parallel universes. - Megaverse
A megaverse contains all sets of parallel multiverses within it. Creatures that are capable of accessing a megaverse also have the capability of traversing the parallel multiverses within it. - Parallel Megaverse
A parallel megaverse is like a parallel multiverse except with an entire megaverse parallel to another. A parallel megaverse may have little to no similarities to the other megaverses within it despite existing side by side. The laws of physics, pantheons, timelines, and inhabitants do not need to be similar in any way and more often than not are completely oblivious to each other’s existence. Physical and natural means of travel between one megaverse to another is near impossible, without the ability to see outside of one’s own megaverse and requires meta-knowledge. - Metaverse
A metaverse contains all sets of parallel megaverses within it. It a creature were to access the metaverse they would have access to all parallel megaverses within it. A creature that is aware of the metaverse and that which is contained inside it is said to have meta-knowledge. - Parallel Metaverse
A parallel metaverse is like a parallel megaverse except with an entire metaverse parallel to another. Parallel multiverses have no connection to each other in any way except being shared in a single World unless a creature capable of accessing the hyperverse either traverses between the parallel metaverses or specifically chooses for an interaction to happen between them. - Hyperverse
The hyperverse is the layer of a World that contains all parallel metaverses and all within them and acts as a protective shell that buffers the metaverses from the rest of the Verse. Every World has an Akashii that watches over it and they dwell within the hyperverse making them capable of looking down through all layers contained within their metaverses. Any creature that access the hyperverse can also access all parallel metaverses contained within it.
The Verse
The Verse is an infinite void of existence in which all sets of Worlds exist within. It is beyond comprehension, infinite in scope of space and time making both almost meaningless. The entirety of the Astral Realm and all of the Ether is contained within the Verse. All Worlds are connected through the Verse and lead back to the pinnacle Nexus via the Astral Plane whose fabric is made of the Ether itself.
- Astral Realm
The Astral Realm is the infinite realm that connects all Worlds to the Nexus within the Verse. The entirety of the Verse with all its diverse Material Worlds exists in the Astral Realm in the same way that planets and stars exist in the Worlds nestled in their own planes. Worlds also group together in a similar fashion that stars do forming Astral Systems that resemble solar systems or even galaxies. Verse Striders use the Astral Realm in order to traverse between Worlds in the Verse. - The Ether
The Ether, sometimes known as the Ethereal Realm, is the source of all magic. It exists as an invisible sea that exists in all worlds and throughout the entirety of the Verse. Bits of the Ether are known as Mana and is what allows creatures to cast magic. Mana Scholars believe that the source of all life and perhaps even the energy that constructs all of matter is made of Mana and therefore Worlds, life, and all matter is simply heavily condensed forms of the Ether. Future Era worlds have discovered that Mana exists as the smallest form of energy in the quantum realm further supporting this idea which also explains why people can shape Mana into physical constructs. Therefore, it is believed that Souls are life giving Mana known as Qi that maintain their memories from life and that the afterlife exists entirely within the Ether from the Souls that preside there. Some civilizations have learned that Ether can be harnessed as a form of energy and that information can be transferred instantaneously over the Ether. They have also discovered that objects can be preserved and returned to the Ether when becoming ethereal and therefore transferred instantaneously across the Ether in this form, which is how Teleportation works. This process is conducted over what is called the “ether net” or the ethereal network and has led to the development of Mana tech. Deities are rumored to have whispered that Mana is “imagination manifest” but the exact meaning of this is uncertain. - The Nexus
Somewhere between the Astral Realm and the Ether or perhaps outside of each as the pinnacle of the Verse exists a place known as the Nexus where the Akashii originate. It is here that all Worlds are connected in an intertwined web. Few have ever actually witnessed the Nexus and its description is different depending on the sources. Some stories describe it as a giant Tree whose branches house the worlds while others describe it as an infinitely large Tower with each level being a different world in itself and still more describe it as a vast Mountain. Regardless, all sources agree that the Nexus is where the Akashic Library, Akashic Court, and Hall of Creation preside, typically at the highest points. Rumors claim that a mystical Garden of Mana also rests in the Nexus as well as the Pit of Maelstrom. The leaders of the Akashii are believed to each maintain one of these four floors. The Library is associated with the Scribe, the Court is associated with the Judge, the Hall is associated with the Prophet, and the Garden is associated with the Gardener. It is unknown who maintains the Pit. It is rumored that deities have described the Nexus as “the source of imagination” but none have been able to figure out what this means.