Proceeding from the top to bottom stratas we have:
THE RADIANT HIGHER ORDER DIMENSIONS
Infinite ascending spheres of pure logic, order and light. The realms of the Lords of Light. The most powerful preternatural forces draw their energies from either these dimensions or The Outer Dark. Radiant beams from The Higher Order Dimensions penetrate through The Ectoplasmic Membrane and into The Physical Universe.
THE ECTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE
A layer of luminous spiritual matter that contains the preternatural ecosystem that interacts with the biomass of The Physical Universe. It's tendrils suffuse The Physical Universe and extend into The Abyss. Mundane supernatural forces derive their energy from either The Ectoplasmic Membrane or The Abyss. The hippocampus of preternaturally gifted material beings extend into The Ectoplasmic Membrane.
THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE
Algol is represented by the ochre sphere, it's metaphysical orbit brings it close to the outer rim of The Abyss.
THE ABYSS
A vast gulf, haunted by unclean spirits, that seperates the rest of the Universe from The Outer Dark and The Great Old Ones. It is almost empty aside from the spheres known as The Hells or The Demon Worlds, which are comprised of both worlds that drifted into The Abyss from The Physical Universe and cysts ejected from The Outer Dark. They are divided into The Rim Hells (those closest to The Physical Universe), The Deeper Hells (those in the midst of The Abyss), and The Outermost Hells (those closest to The Outer Dark). The petty and mundane applications of so-called "Black Magic" usually derives their energies from The Abyss.
THE OUTER DARK
The infinite region of elder chaos and darkness; the prison that The Great Old Ones were cast into by The Lords of Light at the dawn of the universe. Some say that The Outer Dark is composed of the infinite matter of The Great Old Ones themselves. The most puissant "Blackest Magics" almost always involve invoking powers located within The Outer Dark.
The above images created via Sketchbook on my iPhone.
Excellent! This cosmology hangs together nicely, provides a lot of opportunities for adventure, and makes good sense in terms of self-consistency. I like it much more than the stunted and unnatural/illogical mess that usually gets foisted off as some sort of cosmology...
ReplyDeleteThis is the shit that Xarnagan sees every time he closes his eyes and thinks of Thoggyu!
ReplyDeleteI jest. Great stuff!
Thanks guys!
ReplyDeleteJim: Ripping of esoteric Judaism concepts is always good for giving fictional concepts the patina of respectability!
Fat: Ah Thoggya...the explicitly evil satellite!
Those concepts that you are referring to were in turn at least partially 'appropriated' with all due love, respect and honesty from Babylonian and other sources, (especially a lot of the astrology) so what you are doing is going back to the very roots of the tradition and respectfully doing unto them as they did to others long, long ago. Fair is fair. We all do it. No tradition exists that doesn't partake in part of what came before.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I really like your cosmology here, it is clean, clear and elegant--eminently workable and could be used by someone other than yourself. Those are major pluses and sets it apart from a bunch of other options that have been presented. Excellent work!