Cosmology of Creation: Difference between revisions

From Epic Path
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
Line 128: Line 128:


==The Silent Black==
==The Silent Black==
The Silent Black is assumed to be what lies past the edges of the Astral Sea.  It is sometimes called The Silence, or the Place of Stillness, or even Purgatory.  It is the place where everything winds downs and grows tired and eventually grinds to a stop.  The Silence is a place of uncertain borders and unstable existence, were things can easily slip into the Final Madness, the True Void.  The edges, borders, properties, and even existence of the Silent Black is uncertain, and some scholars believe the Silent Black is simply the 'safe' portions of the Outer Madness, while others feel that the Outer Madness is simply those portions of the Silent Black which have gone mad.
The Silent Black is assumed to be what lies opposed to the Astral Sea and the Outer Madness.  It may also be thought of as what lies 'between' the Silver Sea and the Outer DarkThe various Material Planes may be thought of as existing 'within' the Silent Black, or perhaps the material Planes and bubbles in the Silent Black caused by the energies of the Fount and the Seed.
 
It is sometimes called The Silence, or the Place of Stillness, or even Purgatory.  It is the place where everything winds downs and grows tired and eventually grinds to a stop.  The Silence is a place of uncertain borders and unstable existence, were things can easily slip into the Final Madness, the True Void.  The edges, borders, properties, and even existence of the Silent Black is uncertain, and some scholars believe the Silent Black is simply the 'safe' portions of the Outer Madness, while others feel that the Outer Madness is simply those portions of the Silent Black which have gone mad. This is all made even more confusing by the proven fact that the Silent Black is infinite in scope, and yet contains the many Material Planes, which are also Infinite in scope. How these nested infinities may exist is beyond mortal ken, it seems, although the cyphers insist their arithmetic scribblings can contain hints.


The truth is unknown, and may actually be unknowable by mortals.
The truth is unknown, and may actually be unknowable by mortals.
Line 135: Line 137:
Also known as the Deep Dark, the End, the Terrible Black, the Void, and a million other names each as bleak and terrible.
Also known as the Deep Dark, the End, the Terrible Black, the Void, and a million other names each as bleak and terrible.


Beyond the infinite expanses of the Silent Black, underneath the Hells and above the Heavens, outside the edges of reality as we know it, existence eventually grows mad with the ennui of nothingness.  The expanse of the Outer Madness flows away in all possible directions through all possible flows of time, forever. This would be a very boring place, except that in the Outer Madness, there are monsters.
Beyond (or perhaps beside, or within) the infinite expanses of the Silent Black, underneath the Hells and above the Heavens, outside the edges of reality as we know it, existence eventually grows mad with the ennui of nothingness.  The expanse of the Outer Madness flows away in all possible directions through all possible flows of time, forever. This would be a very boring place, except that in the Outer Madness, there are monsters. It is almost certain that there is structure and purpose within the Outer Madness, but no mortal has ever discovered what it is and survived.


==The Astral Plane==
==The Astral Plane==
A silvery void that connects the Material and Inner Planes to the Elemental and Outer Planes, the astral plane is the medium through which all parts of Reality are connected. The only planes which cannot be reached via the Astral Sea are the Ether and Shadow planes, which exist as reflections of a Material plane, and can only be reached by travelling through a Material Plane.
A silvery void that connects the many Material Planes (including the Prime, First World, Energy and Elemental and Lateral Planes, the Wards of the Will, and many others) to the Elemental and Outer Planes, the astral plane is the medium through which all parts of Reality are connected. The only planes which cannot be reached via the Astral Sea are the Ether and Shadow planes, which exist as reflections of a Material plane, and can only be reached by travelling through a Material Plane.


Careful study of the Astral Plane has revealed that there is structure and purpose within the Shining Sea, and some few of these structures are even vaguely understood by Cyphers and Sages.  The Celestial Cascade is a vast structure within the Astral Plane which facilitates the transport of souls from the Prime Material to the various Outer Planes.  Souls are valuable to those with few scruples, and as a result, the Celestial Cascade is enormously well-defended, and the secrets of reaching it require Deific might, or close to it.  Despite the near-certainty that the Celestial Cascade exists, there is very little detailed information about it in the hands of mortals. Other vast structures within the Astral Plane such as the Mistflow, Gelid Billows, and The Cirrus Fringes are still completely beyond mortal ken, and travelers can simply marvel at their wonders.
Careful study of the Astral Plane has revealed that there is structure and purpose within the Shining Sea, and some few of these structures are even vaguely understood by Cyphers and Sages.  The Celestial Cascade is a vast structure within the Astral Plane which facilitates the transport of souls from the Prime Material to the various Outer Planes.  Souls are valuable to those with few scruples, and as a result, the Celestial Cascade is enormously well-defended, and the secrets of reaching it require Deific might, or close to it.  Despite the near-certainty that the Celestial Cascade exists, there is very little detailed information about it in the hands of mortals. Other vast structures within the Astral Plane such as the Mistflow, Gelid Billows, and The Cirrus Fringes are still completely beyond mortal ken, and travelers can simply marvel at their wonders.

Revision as of 12:56, 4 September 2018