The Realms

The Realms, sometimes referred to as the Multiverse, is a term which encompasses the layers of known reality. While millennias' worth of scientists, witches, and naturalists alike have attempted studying the nature of the different dimensions, how they affect one another, and why they exist, no conclusive answers to any of these questions have been drawn.* ** The one thing that most agreed upon, until they didn't anymore, is that the melding of the Realms is both natural and a necessity for the continued health of the planet they share.

What are Realms?

A "Realm" is defined as a stable pocket of parallel reality with it's own set of internal rules and consistencies. All known Realms touch upon the same planet—Earth—and ostensibly occupying the same area in the space-time continuum, but are separated by a theoretical dimensional space known as the "veil." While each Realm is thought to have been conceived of the same Big Bang event, they grew upon their own evolutionary pathways, resulting in radically different forms of life, atmospheres, cultures, climates, etcetera.

Though some Realms resemble one another to a bizarre degree, diverging only in the slight details, others are complete polar opposites of one other. However, what every Realm has in common are the basic building blocks of the universe, down the most fundamental of all forces: magic.

Ley-Lines, Anchors, & Gates

Though all Realms appear to be fully functional individuals, they are fundamentally interconnected at heart. There is no greater proof of this than the ley-lines, a network of magical conduits that run-through and surround the Earth. These lines remain in the same locations no matter how different a Realm may be, pumping magic through the Earth like a body's veins would carry blood.

The points at which these ley-lines cross are called "anchors." While all anchors are stronger than the channels which feed them, anchors do come with varying degrees of strength. The larger the anchor point, the stronger the available magic, and—interestingly enough—the more closely the surrounding area will resemble itself cross-Realm. For example, a mountain that houses a lake-sized anchor is always a mountain in every Realm, no matter how different the Realm may otherwise be.

Strangely, it is only the middle-ground anchors--those above and below a certain threshold of available magic--which are known to form Gates.

Gates are openings in the veil, sometimes thought of as tears, punctures, or doors. It is by these portals that the Realms became aware of one another, and how they continue to interact to this day. Whether or not they form naturally, or are an artifact of someone's tampering, is unknown and widely debated. However, it must be noted that all known Gates open to one Realm and one Realm only:

The Celestial Middle Ground

The so-called "Mundane Realm" is notable for two things:

First, it is the only documented Realm to have developed a sentient species incapable of naturally manipulating magic.

Secondly, it is the only Realm to which all others are connected through the Gates. While all mystical creatures have proved capable of existing within the Mundane Realm, they are not always compatible with one another's Realms of origin. For example, it is well known that the denizens of The Heathers cannot survive in Faerie, and vice versa, though no one has determined precisely why. This capability has given the Mundane Realm a secondary nickname, "the Hub."

*Certain members of the Witching community would like to protest that we probably knew once, and then the Inquisition burned everything to the ground. A few times, actually.
**The Inquisition would similarly like to protest that it is their sacred duty to protect Reality, and would the Witches please like to help us carry these lit torches over to that convenient burn pile.

Known Realms

The Mundane Realm 
The Heathers
Faerie 
Olympos