Five Fabrics of Reality
"Hold yourselves high, you all, the defiant children of our lost world! We have proven ourselves superior in the battle of wits against the lunatics and slavers across the sea. The seek the world's bounty for war and greed; but we-- Geneca, may glory forever herald the name-- we took the time to understand the cry of our world, the net trapping her. And today, my kinsworn, we shall cut the first line and begin the liberation of Sonnerand!"
-Archgovernor & Director-General of Geneca Counter-Arcana Elray Willgrant
(The discovery of the third layer, 435 P.D.)
The talents and studies of wizards and other such mages are systems that have come to prominence following the war-torn early centuries after the Dematalyst. On both continents of Sonnerand's Western Expanse, Moroam and Geneca, nations and regions have enjoyed a relative long-standing stability and peace. This has allowed for magic to experience a surge of innovation greater than that of the past few centuries.
Only now are universities and academies dedicated towards the instruction of the arcane arts coming to prominence. However, in many areas of Sonnerand sorcerous gurus and shamans teach their inherited magic abilities to those who would come to learn. Such is the case of the Everpool, where Divination magic was birthed and exclusively taught today. Moreover, nations like Geneca hunt down any semblance of magic within their borders, deeming it unfit to integrate with societies (this has not stopped many enclaves and cults however). These three systems are how magic is taught and refined (or snuffed out) throughout the Western Expanse. Whether through institution, spiritual bestowment, or secluded and hidden to be ultimately hunted down.
The shared experience between the systems, however, is that they only interact with surface-level magic.
In truth, the depth of Sonnerand's magic is much greater than that which wizards have extracted. To date, the bulk majority of magic has only ever used one of Sonnerand's five distinct magic fields, referred to as "layers", meaning that 80% of Sonnerand's magic potential has been unutilized. Each layer carries distinct properties and ways of augmenting reality. However, each layer becomes increasingly harder to discover, utilize, and control. In the few instances around the world where the second or even third layer were tapped into, the effects have been nothing short of bewildering and terrifying.
Layer One: Arcanomatrix
The first layer, also called the surface layer, of Sonnerand is the Arcanomatrix. It takes the form of a grid-like web of energy that blankets most of the planet. In the earliest days following the Dematalyst, this grid was visible to the naked eye and billowed across Sonnerand's surface like a wrung sheet. Contact with the roiling matrix accounted for the first wizards, as unassuming individuals inadvertently pulled lightning bolts and spontaneously-created animals from the grid.
In the gaps followed the grid slowly began to vanish; however those who had taken power endeavored to maintain it. Using the remnants of power, the first mages were able to discover methods of forcing the body's latent magic potential (what some would argue being the presence of one's soul) into the fingers and tracing specific patterns to "unlock" functions within the Arcanomatrix.
The Arcanomatrix is the source of most spells in Sonnerand, the only exceptions being spell-powers granted by deities. The realm of divine magic will be detailed below. For all other forms of magic, the Arcanomatrix is a seemingly limitless web of potential. New spells are constantly being pulled and unlocked, and regardless of the potential from other layers this is the one that remains mostaccessible and versatile
Layer Two: Wall of Names
Past the first layer, all subsequent layers become far more abstract. This is immediately apparent in the Wall of Names. 99.9% of Sonnerand's population is unaware of this layer's existence, only being known to the most accomplished Linkage wizards, those who have gained otherworldly knowledge, or daring adventurers. This is the layer of true names and magic names. In essence, Sonnerand's second layer is an encyclopedia and library of every true name of every being from the Outer Planes-- though scrambled and scattered into a puzzle that spans the entire globe. This does not mean exploitation is impossible however. Seeking the symbols and letters of some creature's true name is indeed possible, and by accessing a creature's true name within the Wall of Names numerous mind-boggling possibilities open up.
For example, if an adventurer discovered the true name of a powerful devil and found a way to access the Wall of Names, she could bind the devil to her servitude, cause a blizzard to erupt from its abdomen, or have it change its ways and adopt a new profession as a professional cocktail maker. For reasons unknown, lawful outsiders, the likes of angels and devils, cannot fathom the Wall of Names' existence. This does not hold true for demons and nature spirits, both of which can access the wall at will. Thankfully, the puzzle-like nature of the layer keeps these entities from wrecking utter havoc.
There is yet another element of the Wall of Names that makes it of extreme secrecy and power: magic names. The true names of magic phenomena can be found directly on the Wall of Names at various points around Sonnerand. For example, the true name of magical fire may be found in the center of a powerful volcano, within the heart of the Forge of Morktus the God of Machines, or within Sonnerand's core. To utilize the magic names is to gain utter control over an area of magic itself. Using the aforementioned fire example, a mage who taps into the Wall of Names and commands the magic name of fire alters all of fire around Sonnerand. He could cause fires to grow two times larger, have fire pop and crackle everywhere, make the sun's corona burn green, etc. Wresting these powers from the Wall takes extreme focus and skill from the enterprising mage-- but it can be done. Such power could be a pathway to godhood, or other incredible feats.
During the Dematalyst, parts of the Arcanomatrix were severed and split. In the parts of the world where the Wall of Names touched humans (a process that was only milliseconds long) the first elves, halflings, gnomes, and other humanoid inhabitants, first appeared.
Layer Three: Universal Entropy
The result of removing size limiters on the movement of earth, combined with the jagged structural release of lightning, and the composition of any orb-like spell, while also summoning root-based kraken tentacles. Just one possibility of entropy tampering.
This layer is not only isolated to Sonnerand, it exists all throughout the world and universe. Universal Entropy is the constant presence of the loss of energy around the universe. In Sonnerand, this force happens to confer around the planet-- like a dark bubble magnetically drawn inward. To individuals living on Sonnerand, this is not noteworthy. The Universal Entropy does not impact any process or event on Sonnerand, its invisible and undetectable. The layer is only detectable through the most extreme methods and careful scrutiny. This was recently done by two different groups in Sonnerand at roughly the same time. Strangely, when made visible, the Universal Entropy appears as a series of cryptic symbols arranged in rows that slide in opposite directions of each other.
Universal Entropy is special in the way that it is almost the antithesis of the Arcanomatrix. Whereas the Arcanomatrix synthesizes and fuses energy readily and easily to create powerful reactions, the Universal Entropy takes and siphons energy away. This, in essence, means that a mage using the layer could capture the energy of a living being, steal the wind from the air, or capture 'aspects' of magic as they're in effect. For example, a limiter may be taken off the range of a
thunderclap spell-- causing it to explode in a deafening blast for miles.
This layer siphon's user energy just a readily as it siphons subject energy. A man who finds himself readily able to take a
fireball to the torso may find himself incinerated upon the next instance of such an occurrence. A wizard could be killed by the power of the unlimited lightning bolt flying out of her fingers. Universal Entropy, unbeknownst to the world at large, is what keeps magic from annihilating the entire planet in a matter of hours.
In the magic-denying nation of Geneca, ironically, the focus on technological innovation-- and a disregard of mages-- proved to be the key towards sourcing Universal Entropy. Group sacrifice, coupled with charging magic-latent bodies with Draconic-crystal electron cannons, created an opening to the Entropy layer long enough for Genecian scientists to run a seconds-long scan. A second test months later resulted in the successful outcome of device classified to everyone other than the highest-security Genecian Directors.
Greater demons are the masters of this layer. On Sonnerand they enjoy the privilege of open-access into the Universal Entropy. For creatures of chaos, this means that their magic can be freely adapted, altered, and experimented with to wreck the most amount of havoc possible. Thankfully, no greater demon has ever incurred upon Sonnerand. This was the case, however, before Fraz Urb'Luu broke free of the
Demonomicon and escaped into Sonnerand.
Layer Four: Cosmic Gate
Perhaps the least studied layer of them all. The Cosmic Gate is located outside Sonnerand's atmosphere. It is called a "Gate" because the layer is not so much as utilized as it is passed through. This is the layer that allows for access into the Plane of the Drift. This plane allows for interstellar travel and has only ever been utilized by passing scout ships that have come far above Sonnerand's atmosphere.
The other function of the Cosmic Gate is to allow for Drift-magic to be utilized. This magic is rare and hidden; kept in the most secured and enigmatic vaults on Sonnerand and surrounding moons and planets. However, this magic allows one to summon the entities that lie within the cosmos just out of sight.
Layer Five: Divine Gate
The final layer is that which separates life and death. Perhaps the second-most understood layer, the Divine layer is what grants clerics and paladins their spells and is the source of most restorative and divination magic around Sonnerand. This is a secure layer. Those who benefit from the Divine Gate do not so much as tap into it, they receive ability from it. Gods, devils, spirits, outsiders in general pass energy through the Divine Gate into the vessels which are the mortal body.
Paradoxically, the Divine Gate is only as tangible and beneficial as people around the world believe it to be. Therefore, the power and usefulness of this layer shifts around the world. Again, in Geneca, the powers-that-be have snuffed out most forms of religion, relying on a citizen-focused state-ideology of innovation and cooperation. Here, the Divine Gate is weak and the cultists and coveted sorcerers of the nation have trouble contacting and receiving the gifts their patrons grant. Conversely, in Aomia, the Divine Gate nearly matches the obviousness and versatility of the Arcanomatrix due to the affirmative devotion to Aom. Clerics and paladins of Aom, therefore, are readily and quickly granted the benefits and blessings of their god.
Unlike the Cosmic Gate, the Divine Gate is not something that can be readily passed through. True, during spells like
plane shift (something only a handful of people on Sonnerand have ever had access to), the Divine Gate is passed by. However, the Divine Gate is truly the realm of higher powers and near-unknowable beings. The only way people have ever come close to passing through it is during moments of extreme meditative focus or the most profound of vision-quests. Still, this has not stopped religions and individuals from studying and striving to know the Divine Gate.
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