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#this is the multiverse framework that all of my work (sans bleakworld) exists within
spyglassrealms · 7 months
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Pocket Guide to Intercosmic Travel
So, you've just become aware of the multiverse! Eternity, reality, omnicosm– no matter what you call the largest unit of existence that supersedes mortal notions of time and space, you're going to need to reframe your perspective on it. Here's a handy guide to get you started!
Multiversal Structure
The multiverse is composed of two aspects: universes (aka cosmoses or yggdrasili) and nullspace (aka aether or ginnungagap).
Universes
A natural-born universe, also called a “cosmos” or “yggdrasil,” originates as a single infinite point containing all of the spacetime and mass-energy of its existence in compressed form. This is called a “seed singularity” or just a “seedling”: a singularity of infinite potential. This seedling sprouts infinitely-branching possible spacetimes after initial expansion; any possible split fork moment in probability down to the quantum level creates a new timeline (or “branch”) extending off of the previous one.
Once a universe has grown out its branches all the way to the very end, after entropy has rendered every single worldline into a uniform smear of cold, stable, subatomic matter, gravitational force is absolutely uniform across the entirety of spacetime. This causes the ends of the branches to collapse into new seed singularities and pinch off, drifting free through nullspace until accumulated exposure to the primordial background energy triggers germination through quantum flux. Because time and causality don't apply outside the spacetime of a universe, the reproductive cycles of universes form an infinite chain of reincarnation.
Pseudocosms
A pseudocosm or pseudoverse, colloquially called a “Haven,” is an artificial cosmos created by one or more godlike hyperichal beings. Usually created by heavily altering a harvested seedling, these constructs often defy standard universal structure, existing in stable localized monocausality with deliberately maintained (cyclical) entropy. They exist effectively as sandboxes for the transcendent hyperichals, allowing them to “play god.”
Nullspace
Nullspace, also called the “aether” or “ginnungagap,” is the “space” in which universes exist, though it is impossible to actually conceptualize as a “space” because it doesn't technically exist. Nullspace is both infinite and imaginary, meaning that there is no relative position in it: every cosmos exists both adjacent to and far apart from each other. Nullspace is uniformly suffused with a unique form of energy, called primordial or aethereal energy, which has no carrier particle and contains infinite potential. This infinite raw energy is thought to be the driving force of the quantum vacuum fluctuations in each causal universe, which also serves to trigger singularity expansion in newborn universes.
Intercosmic Travel
When an object native to a cosmos exits its branch without a protective pocket of spacetime, its waveform collapses. An object removed from its original spacetime becomes detached from its native past, future, and alternate instances (its “worldline”), inhabiting a new causal lineage tethered to itself alone. When sapient beings accomplish this (except in the case of hyperichal transcendence), their new causal lineage is often called a “personal timeline” or, more succinctly, “lifeline.” Material beings who are capable of intercosmic travel are called, among other things: “Travellers,” “aethernauts,” or “planeswalkers.” Non-material, transcendent beings who have converted themselves to a causality-free post-cosmic format and, effectively, achieved “godhood” are called hyperichals, or simply “Drifters.”
Hyperichals
Hyperichals are sapient beings who have converted themselves into stable, complex superstring resonance patterns which exist outside the spatiotemporal limits of their cosmos of origin. They have attained final and complete knowledge of physics, and have total mastery over the workings of reality through post-singularity thaumatech. This allows them to not only travel freely across the multiverse, but control the structure of reality itself. It is the most literal form of godhood there is; in fact, most universes with known gods are actually the subjects of hyperichal influence.
Cosmography
The best system yet conceived for cartographing specific instants in a given universe is that of the Cosmos Index in the Gardener's Eternal Archive; available in physical, metaphysical, digital, gravirtual, hyperwave, psychonic, superstring compact resonance, and other formats for convenience. Its method is quite similar to that of the hypothetical Library of Babel: a primary starting point followed by a long string of increasingly specific divergence points in time and space. The end result is that the full address of any point in the multiverse is a large paragraph of absolutely eye-watering numerical gibberish, punctuated by the occasional semicolon. Fortunately, the index includes a spot for a cosmic prime-branch's colloquial names as well, making things easier for all Travellers. This is also useful for including pseudocosms, such as the notorious realm of “Crundle.”
A parallel to this project is the Traveller Index, which functions essentially as a “multiverse phonebook” - it is a compendium of all known beings who are capable of intercosmic travel. Each entry consists of a being’s preferred identity, cosmos and specific instant of origin, and a superstring code –much like a hyperichal consciousness, a “superstring code” is a sub-quantum resonance pattern unique to each individual Traveller’s “lifeline.” There are technically infinite entries in the full Index, but its natural form exists in a superimposed state unbound by time or space. When it is localized for active reference, it can have anywhere from a dozen entries to trillions of entries.
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