Metaphysics of the Million Islands

The Million Islands is a tripartite world, made up of three distinct realms: the physical realm, the spiritual realm, and the dream realm. These realms interact with each other and have a profound impact on the beings that exist within them.

The physical realm is the tangible, observable world that we experience through our senses. It consists of all the things we commonly interact with, such as rocks, trees, and bodies. The dream realm is the area of ideas, thoughts, concepts, memories, and dreams, and could also be called the mental realm. It is a place where the power of thought and imagination has the ability to shape reality. Finally, the spiritual realm is the realm of magic, connection, and significance, and is the hardest to define. It is the source of magic in this world and is closely tied to the essence of a person.

In this world, nearly everything physical has a spiritual component, and everything that thinks has a presence in The Dream realm. There are beings that exist in one, two, or all three realms, with different properties and abilities depending on which realms they occupy. Some people are capable of manipulating spiritual energy to bring about change in the physical or dream realms, using what is known as magic. These people are known as 'true mages' and are extremely rare, with less than one hundred of them in the entirety of the Great Ring.

The ideas present in The Dream realm can have a profound impact on the beings of the other two realms. If people develop an idea about a person, place, or thing, it can attach itself to the spiritual energy of that target and begin to shape it. Over time, this can lead to the creation of new kinds of creatures, ones that participate in all three realms and in ways that the original being could not have.

The gods in this world are beings of immense spiritual power, who are bound to specific places or objects. They are sometimes seen as personifications of the elements or forces of nature, but they can also be connected to more abstract concepts such as love, death, or time. Some gods are connected to very large areas, such as mountains or rivers, while others are connected to smaller areas such as a grove of trees, a single tree, or even a single rock.

Many of these gods are not sentient in the way that humans are, but they do have a sort of awareness of their surroundings, and can be influenced by the beliefs and thoughts of the people in their area. For example, if people begin to associate a particular grove of trees with a sense of peace and tranquility, that idea will attach itself to the spiritual energy of the grove, and the god of the grove will be affected by it. Over time, this can cause the god to become more benevolent and peaceful in its nature, and to radiate that energy out into the physical realm.

There are also humans who have the ability to communicate with the gods and to draw power from them. These people are called shamans, and they act as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual realms. Shamans can use their connection to the gods to perform magic, heal the sick, and protect their communities.

For shamans, magic is seen as a partnership between the mortal and the gods. The gods provide the spiritual energy that the magic user manipulates, but the shaman must be able to communicate with the gods and understand their nature in order to use their power effectively.

Overall, the gods play an important role in the lives of the people in this world, and they are seen as powerful and mysterious forces that shape the world and its inhabitants. They are both respected and feared, and are an integral part of the spiritual landscape.

The Spirit Realm

The spiritual realm exists in a state of profound mystery, often eluding complete comprehension as its very nature necessitates interaction with The Dream realm. Within the spiritual realm, the energy flows with resonances that possess a diverse spectrum, making certain aspects more aligned with the ethereal qualities of The Dream realm, while others resonate with the tangible elements of the physical realm. This resonance allows ideas, concepts, and abstract notions to flourish, intertwining with the fabric of the spiritual realm, as well as granting objects and phenomena a sense of spiritual significance.

Within this realm of profound meaning, emotions and interpersonal connections take on a tangible existence. The spiritual realm becomes the dwelling place of all that evokes emotional reactions in beings, encompassing the full range of human experiences. Here, violence, music, art, and all forms of expression find their resonance, shaping the very essence of the realm. The spiritual realm becomes a vessel that holds the transformative power of emotions, fueling the passions and aspirations of those who reside in its enigmatic embrace. It is also the realm of connection and significance, and the bonds formed between entities have a real and palpable existence here.

Among the inhabitants of the spiritual realm, there exists a myriad of beings that primarily dwell within its ethereal boundaries, deriving sustenance from the various resonances that permeate its essence. These entities, known as fiends and heralds, specialize in harnessing specific types of resonances or engaging in the transformation of spiritual energies. The fiends are beings associated with darker resonances and the breaking of bonds, while the heralds align themselves with the more positive and bond-building aspects. Their interactions extend beyond the confines of the spiritual realm, enabling them to traverse The Dream and physical realms. However, to meaningfully engage with individuals, they often adopt aspects from these realms, donning forms that resonate with mortal perceptions.

In this intricate tapestry of existence, the spiritual realm stands as the heart of significance, where the echoes of emotions and the dance of resonances shape the destiny of the Million Islands. It is a realm of profound depth, veiled in mystery and inhabited by enigmatic beings who embody the power of resonances, forever interwoven with the dreams and realities of the tripartite world.

The Dream Realm

The Dream realm, a realm of boundless imagination, thoughts, memories, ideas, and concepts, serves as a realm intimately entwined with the essence of conscious beings. All those capable of thought find themselves connected to this ethereal expanse, where the power of the mind weaves intricate tapestries of creation. Within The Dream realm, the interplay of ideas and thoughts shapes its very fabric, as the collective consciousness converges, interacts, and influences one another.

In this realm of infinite possibilities, the dreams, ideas, and thoughts of individuals intertwine, forming a complex web of interactions. If a person holds a particular thought or idea about another person or concept, these thoughts will inevitably intersect with the broader network of ideas, colliding, merging, or transforming in the process. The Dream realm serves as a conduit for the collective musings of sentient beings, allowing their thoughts to ripple and propagate, perpetually shaping and reshaping the intangible realm.

The Dream realm possesses a unique connection to the spiritual realm, capable of drawing energies that resonate with specific ideas and concepts. Over time, these resonant energies bind themselves to particular ideas, acquiring a rudimentary sense of identity. With nurturing and the influence of sustained thought, these nascent energies within The Dream realm can flourish, evolving into fully formed entities with their own distinct presence and character.

However, the influence of The Dream realm upon creatures with physical bodies is not as profound as its effect on ethereal entities. Beings with established identities and strong ties to the physical realm possess a resilience that shields them from the transformative currents of The Dream realm. The possession of a physical organ of thought, such as a brain, fortifies their individuality, rendering them less susceptible to external ideas and influences. Hence, most individuals are not easily transformed by the ideas propagated within The Dream realm. In contrast, spirits, whether devoid of a physical body or tethered to the physical realm through inanimate objects, exist as receptive conduits, more readily susceptible to the potent currents of The Dream realm.

Within the ethereal expanse of The Dream realm, echoes of the physical world find their place, lingering as living memories. These remnants of the physical realm persist, albeit subject to the ever-shifting currents of ideas. The memories within The Dream realm possess a fragile existence, capable of being molded and reshaped by the collective thoughts and perceptions of conscious beings. Thus, while memories endure within The Dream realm, they remain susceptible to the reinterpretations, biases, and distortions woven by the ceaseless interplay of thoughts and ideas.

The Physical Realm

The physical realm, the realm of tangible existence, encompasses the vast array of material and corporeal entities that form the fabric of the Million Islands. Within this realm, the interactions between physical matter and the other realms, particularly the spiritual realm, give rise to intriguing dynamics and resonances. Different materials found in the physical realm exhibit varied affinities and responses to the energies of the spiritual realm.

In the intricate interplay between the physical and spiritual realms, certain materials have been observed to possess minimal spiritual energy. Iron, steel, and salt are among the substances known to exhibit limited receptivity to the spiritual forces that permeate the tripartite world. Their properties and compositions render them less conducive to the absorption and transmission of spiritual energy. As such, they often act as insulators, shielding the physical realm from direct influence or intrusion from the spiritual or dream realms.

Conversely, other materials within the physical realm showcase a captivating affinity for the energies of the spiritual realm. Silver, renowned for its mystical qualities, stands as a prime example of such a material. It possesses a remarkable allure towards spiritual energy, drawing it in with a magnetic attraction. The resonant properties of silver make it highly receptive to the spiritual energies that flow through the metaphysical tapestry, allowing it to act as a conduit and amplifier of spiritual forces.

These divergent interactions between materials and the spiritual realm contribute to the complex tapestry of the Million Islands. While certain substances within the physical realm may seem devoid of spiritual energy, others possess an inherent connection and receptivity to the metaphysical currents that pervade the world. These material qualities shape the nature of the physical realm and influence the interplay between realms, underscoring the intricate relationship between the tangible and the ethereal within the tripartite existence.