View source for Crew:Plot Writing/Metaphysics of Menhirs Fate

< [[Crew:Plot Writing|Plot Writing]]

== Nature of Reality ==

'''Do we know what the world, Sun and Moon is made of at its most basic level?'''
* Elandra is made up from the spheres of magic, the elements being the primary make-up.
* Elandra is a sphere, spinning like Planet Earth giving us day and night
* Elandra is Magical planet along the lines of Earth
* The Sun is a Rift in the Fire Sphere that is stationary and not moving toward or away from us or getting bigger or smaller.
* The Moon is a chunk of the Earth Sphere, is Crescent and spins giving us the Moon Phases, the moon is stationary and not moving toward or away from us or getting bigger or smaller
* Stars are spheres of magic colliding in the deepness of space causing light and rifts.

'''Have we decided whether reality has multiple layers/planes?'''
* This reality does have Planes, the planes are those of the Magical Spheres. Each has a deeper reach as to how they connect to each other.
* There are only two places like the physical plane. Elandra sits in one and the other which the corrupted forces destroyed
* There will be no way of reaching any other reality – Any plot to do so will not happen.

'''Are there unbreakable cosmic rules?'''
* Set Spheres can't interact and no extra planes can be made.

'''Can reality itself be changed or rewritten by anyone?'''
* Yes.

'''How do fundamental forces work (e.g Gravity)'''
* The same as the real world.

== Cosmology ==

'''Do we know how many realms, planes, or dimensions exist?'''
* Physical sphere, spirit, 8 magical. There may be others since that's where the corruption came from.

'''Do we know how these planes connect or interact?'''
* Yes, there is a Venn diagram, the 4 main Elemental spheres: Fire, Water, Earth and Air.
* When they overlap together, they form the 4 Psychological spheres; Forge (Fire and Earth), Oracle (Fire and Air), Athria (Air and Water), Fable (Water and Earth).
* They all need to exist to make reality.
* The 4 elemental rifts are able to open up rifts to elemental spheres they are not opposed to. This creates and sustains the relevant psychological sphere.
* The psychological spheres can open rifts to the spheres they are directly connected to
* Any Sphere can open a rift to the physical world and all are in some fashion required for the physical world to exist.

'''Have we decided how the world was created?'''
* The world was created when all of the elements combined/collided. This caused the creation of the Universe/Elandra and Spirit Sphere that flooded not only the planet, but humanity.
* Some spheres cannot normally connect directly but the Spirit sphere allows for them to be connected only on the physical plane.
* Humanity is created by Spirit and in turn, Humanity collectively generates the magic that sustains the Spirit Sphere.

'''Do we know if the universe has an edge, boundary, or infinite space?'''
* Infinite Space, the reaches of the spheres and the reality around Elandra is timeless and unending.

== Gods & Higher Powers ==

'''Do gods exist in our world?'''
* Yes, there are 12 gods of the Elandra and 4 corrupted gods that came into the Reality of Elandra from their destroyed Reality where they were gods before like the 12.

'''Do we know what gods are (beings, forces, ideas, etc.)?'''
* Gods are Beliefs, that become Beings. This is true for both the 12 and the 4
* Our Gods are made up from spirit as this is the realm that they imbued in and faith which empowers them. They can become physical forms known as Aspects – this applies only to the 12.
* The Corrupted Four are made of Faith and the Corrupted 4 elements Spheres which they ripped through leaving their reality as well as leaving their spirit behind.
* Aspects are physical states of a God's personality. They are represented by a wide array of symbology and tenets that represent their overarching teachings and areas of faith.
* The Corrupted can make aspects of themselves, however without the connection to the spirit sphere, this is harder to maintain and do.

'''Do gods interact with mortals or the world directly?'''
* Yes. They have the ability to influence the people of Elandra but will never force their will. The people of Elandra have free will
* They can open rifts, perform miracles, and interact with their followers and others. However, they can not fight the Corrupted with their powers as they do not see each other in the planes.

'''Can gods be born, change, or die?'''
* Yes they can die, if they don't get enough faith or are forgotten. They can be born by being believed in.

'''Can mortals become gods?'''
* No. Due to them being beings and not beliefs.

== Souls & Consciousness ==

'''Do souls exist?'''
* Yes, the Soul is made up of Spirit

'''Does every living (or non-living) thing have a soul?'''
* Only humans – this is where faith comes from.

'''Can souls be harmed, traded, or manipulated?'''
* They can be Harmed by: excommunication and Corruption
* They can be traded to the Corrupted
* They can be manipulated but not unwillingly (unless they've been traded)
* They can also change type: Aberrated, Empowered and Corrupted

'''Do we know what happens after death?'''
* Your soul returns to the spirit sphere for the power to be reused.

'''Is reincarnation, resurrection, or undeath possible?'''
* Reincarnation: When you die, all that you are ends but the Spirit energy goes back to the Spirit sphere and will be used for one of the things that happen in the Spirit sphere
* Resurrection: This is not possible.
* Undeath: Yes but not connected to the spirit sphere and souls

== Magic ==

'''Have we defined what magic is?'''
* Magic is the radiation of the building of reality that seeps into all. Magic is one of the fundamental building blocks of reality. It creates existence and sustains the universe.

'''Do we know who can use magic and why?'''
* A being can learn to connect to a sphere or spheres, calling upon it to be used in a set way.

'''Do we know what fuels magic?'''
* The Spheres fuel magic.

'''Are there costs, risks, or limits to magic?'''
* Costs: Handsels, Focus, Time
* Risks: Corruption, Backfiring, Unintended effects
* Limits: Power limits of the Menhir to achieve specific effects. Set Rites can only achieve specific effects and new rites can be created. Spells cannot be cast without focus or a magical item

'''Are magical rules universal, regional, or different per tradition?'''
* Magic is Universal to how it works on a metaphysical plan, that it comes from the spheres and that the being is using the sphere to use the magic.
* Some beings are innately magical and don't need to learn how to draw magic.
* Some costs are not required to magical beings from spheres
* Some beings are risk free when using magic.

'''Can magic alter time, fate, or the laws of the universe?'''
* Magic cannot alter time.
* Magic can have effects on "fate"
* Magic cannot affect the laws of the cosmos.

== Time, Fate & Causality ==

'''Does fate exist?'''
* Yes (needs more thought and extra questions)

'''Can the future be predicted or changed?'''
* Yes, via using the Oracle Sphere, Weavings and the Gods.

'''Is time linear, cyclical, or branching?'''
* Time is Linear.

'''Is time travel possible, and if so, how does it work?'''
* Time Travel is not possible.

'''Are paradoxes possible?'''
* They are not.

== Life & Species ==

'''Do we know how life originally appeared?'''
* Humans emerged from the chaos of the physical plane being formed alongside the spirit sphere. Originally, they were heavily weavemarked due to the extreme amounts of magical energy. This settled over time as the mortal world "balanced" itself more
* The first Humans came from the Spirit Sphere, a manifestation of all the Spheres playing a part in their creation
* Animals also were created the same but some contained more magics of one sphere than the other. They do not contain any spirit sphere.
* Life has all existed in the 8 other spheres.

'''Do species have magical, divine, or natural origins?'''
* Nature driven by magical origins

'''Can new species still emerge or evolve?'''
* Yes and No for emerging. The No, is for the physical plane species are set to mundane and can only truly emerge from the Spheres. The Yes, is for the Spheres as they are pure magic, and magic can create life innately
* Yes for evolving, both in the mundane and the Spheres

'''Can species interbreed or create hybrids?'''
* Humans cannot. Magical beings cannot.

'''Do monsters have a defined origin (natural, corrupted, created)?'''
* Monsters do have defining origins however due to the amount of monsters these will contain their own origin when made.

== Death, Afterlife & Undeath ==

'''Have we decided where souls go after death?'''
* Your soul goes back to the Spirit Sphere
* An imprint of Memory goes to the Athria Sphere.

'''Can mortals communicate with the dead?'''
* No they can't, they can however communicate to the imprint in Athria

'''Is necromancy allowed, forbidden, or common?'''
* Yes – it is allowed and common, if done following the law.

'''Are undead beings natural, cursed, or created?'''
* Undead beings can be natural, cursed, created. (look to Monster Origins)

'''Is returning from death possible, and with consequences?'''
* No, it is not.

== Metaphysical Geography ==

'''Are there magical or sacred locations?'''
* Yes there is: Rifts, Menhirs & Religious sites

'''Do ley lines or magical currents exist?'''
* Ley lines do not exist. Magical Currents do exist due the rifts and places being more connected to set spheres

'''Are some places closer to other planes?'''
* Yes – Rifts exist that may influence an area to be more magical. Certain areas may feel that influence after a Rift has closed due to Elandra being magical

'''Do gods or powerful beings influence specific regions?'''
* Gods can perform miracles, open rifts and walk Elandra
* Other Narrative beings of sufficient power (e.g Vampires) could do this
* Humans of Elandra could theoretically do this with a Weaving

== Artifacts & Powerful Objects ==

'''Have we defined how artifacts gain power?'''
* Artifacts gain power from a sphere or god

'''Can artifacts grow, awaken, or gain sentience?'''
* No

'''Can artifacts be destroyed, and if so, how?'''
* Each Artifact requires its own unique way of being permanently destroyed, think the ring and mount doom.

'''Are artifacts tied to souls, gods, or events?'''
* Artifacts cannot be tied to souls
* They can be tied to Gods, the Corrupted and Events

== Morality & Alignment ==

'''Is there objective good and evil in the world?'''
* Yes there is. We have an objective Evil being the corrupted 4 gods.

'''Are moral forces physical/metaphysical (corruption, purity, chaos, etc.)?'''
* No, Humans are Humans and Spheres are Spheres.

'''Can beings change moral alignment metaphysically?'''
* Yes, humans can join the corrupted which affect the soul and permanently change them.
* Magical creatures and creatures can also be corrupted, not corrupting via their soul (because they don't have them) but corrupting their actual essence of being.

== Rules, Limits & Exceptions ==

'''Have we defined the metaphysical rules that are absolute?'''
* Only humans have souls
* Everything is created by magic
* No Time Travel
* No Resurrection

'''Do we know which rules can be bent or broken?'''
* None

'''Are there known loopholes or paradoxes in the metaphysical system?'''
* None

'''Does any force maintain cosmic balance?'''
* The cosmos is maintaining itself, if one sphere is lost reality will crumble.
* The spheres have a natural balance from when they collided and made spirit.

== What Characters Know ==

'''Have we decided what knowledge about metaphysics is common?'''

'''Have we defined what is secret, forgotten, or forbidden?'''

'''Do players/characters have ways to interact with metaphysics (rituals, divination, contracts, etc.)?'''

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