Multiverse
While tracing the millenary history of Aumyr one realizes how the planar travels and the possibility of moving on to other worlds have directly influenced the world itself, allowing its colonization by the races of the Multiverse.
From the mystery of the Askari origin and the appearance of the first settlers through the Portal created by the Five, it was soon realized that moving on to other worlds was no longer the prerogative of ancient magic or rituals now extinct: more and more enchanters have experimented with new methods to open Portals, Astral Corridors or other forms of travel to other dimensions. Some of them have reported about entire populated planets, alternative realities, chaos planets, dimensions of pure imagination and more.
Cosmogony
Theology often discusses the origin and history of Aumyr's millennial past. All the knowledge of a pre-civilization world is summed up in three great theories, or cosmogonies.
The Colonization
This is the chronicle of the legendary feats of the Five Travelers who first discovered the continent of Aumyr. According to modern theology, their mortal remains are buried in a crypt-temple beneath the Fivestar Palace, a perpetual memory of their enterprise and their former mortal nature. Their souls reside in a protected and inaccessible Plane, but some historians claim to have found some evidence that would confirm their involvement on earth in human form during different Eras. On the day of the Portal's opening, the Five Travelers arrived on the high ground of a rock promontory, which then became Fivestar.
The Fives understood that they had discovered a world completely different from their own and at that point they founded a first colony of exploration, beginning to build a stable Dimensional Portal that would allow them to communicate with other Planes. The discovery of a new world attracted a whole series of visitors from other dimensions. A large colonial outpost soon developed on the former rocky promontory.
Without constraint from any established form of government or authority, most of the settlers set permanently to the continent, trying to start a new life. Small villages were built, then towns, and finally empires; the races were mixed together, then the Natives and the ruins of the Askari were discovered. The native world of the settlers was soon forgotten, while the Council took power as the sole and true custodian of the Knowledge.
The Transformation
The mythology of the Natives of Aumyr, also known as "Transformation" is always the same and is widely shared among them: in the beginning there was the cosmic nothing, the incomprehensible void, good and evil united.
In order for mortals to understand the divine, the cosmic void changed itself into male and female, the Great Father and the Great Mother, and from them all living species were born, including the Heroes, first mortal and then assorted to the semi-divine rank by virtue of their extraordinary deeds or actions. The Natives agree in establishing the duality perpetrated by the Great Father and Great Mother in the form of two divinities, one male and one female.
From the theological point of view, the fact that the supreme dualism Father-Mother has never generated other divinities or semi-divinities, has induced the Council to think that the mythology of the Natives possesses a tribal character, which can be traced back to a past full of rites and traditions. Since the appearance of the Mark, the native priests and sages think that their power, granted by the gods, may one day become extinct if they not follow their ancient tradition.
Theory of the Ancients
This theory would see the Material Plan, and therefore the world itself, involved in a gigantic terraforming process by an ancient and powerful race called Askari. Centuries ago, they would have made the planet on which Aumyr is located inhabitable, to allow its surface to accommodate their race. The Askarians extracted resources, built cities and modified the landscape, until one day when they ended up leaving the planet, as if threatened by an impending and unknown danger. Their wisdom pervaded the earth in such a lasting way that they left traces of their past even after the planetary upheavals caused by the Cataclysm.
The Natives would be a hybrid race magically created by the Askari in order to perpetuate life on the planet even after their departure. Supporters of this Theory think that the three Observatories are a concrete proof of Askari's interest in other worlds, and that the existence of arcane magic is nothing more than a consequence of their immense power, which has pervaded everything during their permanence.
They believe in the existence of the Fives as adventurers who found themselves in the right place at the right time, during a period of rebirth of the planet, which allowed them to acquire control of most of the territories to be claimed as "new world". The older members of the Council would be a group of powerful adventurers that has been handed down from generation to generation, waiting for the Askari people to be able to manifest themselves one day on the planet and to give them immense powers.
The Void
It is also known as the Astral Space, Astral Sea, Transition Plane. For some, it is the place of wonder that contains all other existing Planes, while for others it only serves as a vacuum and sterile link between the Material Plane and other dimensions. It is a colorless and infinite space that contains everything that has existed, exists and will still have to exist, where some currents called "astral winds" drift every particle of matter and non-matter. If you are particularly lucky, you can come across long silvery chains called "Astral Corridors": these are "roads" that can be travelled with the force of thought that link different levels together.
The Eternal Vortex
From many considered the center of the universe, it is a place formed by several swirling dimensions, which merges and separate infinitely producing incredible amounts of energy, which also expands through the astral winds to the borders of the universe. Within this space it is possible to define the four main elements: Air, Earth, Fire and Water.
Planes
First (Material Plane)
The Material Plan, also called the Natural Plan, is the main plan of existence on which events take place and time flows as in the real world. In essence, the Material Plan coincides with the very world of Aumyr.
Realms
They are often identified as Peripheral or External Planes.
Plane of Order
It is a realm where matter takes on geometric shapes, rigorous proportions and mathematical alignments. In this world where everything is cohesive and drivable, nothing is left to chance. Beings of pure form form form shining architectures, which in turn blend with the harmony and perfection of the landscape.
Plane of Chaos
It is impossible to reach the Plane of Chaos and get to know the way forward. The Plane constantly changes, nothing remains fixed in a point, the matter is composed and decomposed almost as it happens in the near Eternal Vortex. There is rumour that some sentient creatures live in floating earth masses driven to drift and scourged by transformation and change.
Upper Realm
It is the place of eternal bliss. From various cultures also called Paradise, Heavenly Mount, Nirvana, this is the home Plane for ascended creatures and beings with divine powers, immersed in eternal peace and harmony. The dimension is formed by numerous layers that may take many forms according to the desires of those who live there.
Lower Realm
Also known as Hell, Abyss, Gehenna. Few of those who venture this far can say that they know something about this dimension. It is known that it is the land of demons, devils and much worse horrors immersed in mephitic swamps, while the breathless air is swept away by firestorms and acid rain.
Parallel Planes
They are also called Intermediate Planes. They are realities that contain, wrap, and overlap with the Material Plane. For some people they are much more, perhaps something that binds reality itself. Even if we know the existence of only four parallel planes, we hypothesize that still unexplored realities can exist.
Shadow Plane
This is the dark version of the Material Plane, whose topography is in continuous slow change under a time of black clouds. There are no colours, but shades of grey. Finding light points is rare, and what remains hidden in the dark can be lethal.
Ethereal Plane
The Ethereal Plane overlaps the Material Plane and almost appears as a "distorted" version of them, with vast foggy landscapes, green greys and blues, pervaded by a dim soft light that seems to originate from the same fog. Here sight, hearing and touch seem numb.
Reverse Plane
The Reverse Plan (also known as the Plan of Mirrors, Plan of the Contraries, Alternative Dimension) is a plan of existence clone that overlaps the Material Plan, sharing the topography and all the elements, but are altered in order to represent the opposite of what exists on its twin. For example, a kind and selfless spirit charmer could be an evil warrior, an open box could be closed, and so on.
Although there is no concrete evidence that the plan really exists, some say that a powerful Artifact known as Fragments of the Mirror is actually a key to accessing this alternative dimension.
Negative Plane
Reaching this Plane is extremely difficult and also very dangerous. Once entered the floor it is not possible to see or breathe, because of the dense cloak of darkness, and there are neither food nor water. It is not as in the Void. There is something here, something so dark that sucks life, drains the spirit and devours the very soul of the living.
Positive Plane
It is a plane of penetrating light, and precautions must be taken to avoid being blinded immediately. Actually the floor is empty, there is no air, no food or water. Wounds here heal at an impressive speed, it is even possible that energy begins to consume bodies by self-combustion.
Dimensions
Even for the most wise, it is impossible to understand the multiverse in its entirety. Everything originates in it, and everything ends in it. In every advanced civilization there is a reference to something unknown, deeply alien and unthinkable. It is possible that the dimensions we understand are only a part of some bigger design, and that concept escapes us completely? Some people talk about "spaces" between dimensions, in which it is possible that something can "filter" through them.
The Crossroad
It would be a unique and legendary place, generated to serve as a stopover to all worlds of universes. Its existence was only theorized by the Council essays and by the scholars of the Portals.
The Plane of Time
Some philosophers and sages maintain that time is only an illusion created by life to make the mortal understand the concepts of birth and death. It is a possibility that in each multiverse there is a sort of dimension of control, an infinite Plane from where it is possible to access any event through manipulations of the fabric of reality. This is an often debated topic between the Council and the Keepers of Knowledge.
Dreamlands
It is said that the essence of every creature who possesses the ability to dream ends up in this Plane. Dreams are a subject full of mystery: are they a joke of our mind or is it possible that, when we sleep, our spirit can enter a completely different dimension?
Unknown Worlds, The Beyond, Worlds from Beyond
These generic names represent the very concept of the unknown, the point of origin of all that is unknown and alien. From these non-places come unbelievable creatures, abominations and pure beings generated by madness.