Creation’s Unbounded Sweep
Cosmic Struggle
At the heart is the eternal struggle between two forces. Law represents absolute structure, discipline and control, whereas Chaos is unfettered creation, constant change and random, wilful, disorder. Singularly and in dominance, neither is a force for good. The superiority of either leads to stagnation and destruction. The struggle is twofold; the dominance of Law over Chaos and vice-versa and the struggle of the Multiverse and its agents to maintain equilibrium between the two – the Lords of Balance.

Where the forces are in equilibrium, life prospers and grows; the world is stable, and the future, whilst always uncertain, safeguarded. Where Law rules, society reaches a state of order so choking that growth is impossible and individuality meaningless. Where Chaos dominates, nothing remains stable, everything is mutable, individuals destroy each other in selfish abandon, and eventually a seething, boiling state of perpetual war and mutation results. The Balance is less about harmony and more about realising each manifestation of Law and Chaos in its rightful place and to its rightful degree. Both are not good or evil, they are simply expressions of states of existence. Both terms are wrought by humans, who choose to employ one or both forces for selfish, violent ends.

Travel
There are many ways to reach another plane: gates leading from one to another; via dreams; via spells or technological devices; via strange and wonderful vehicles. The spheres are joined together by several mechanisms, which are a part of the fabric of the Multiverse. Each world is but one of millions; a plane of existence in a universe that is, itself, one of millions of universes.

Conjunction
The Spheres are in a constant state of movement around a central point of the Multiverse, like planets around a star. Every now and then certain realms move into conjunction making passage between them extremely easy (relatively speaking) and allowing the conjoined spheres to influence each other in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. During such conjunctions momentous events are likely and can be felt, with activities in one sphere resonating throughout the conjoined spheres. It is at such junctures that heroes are needed, in order to protect one sphere, or several, from whatever it is threatening the stability of all those taking part in the conjunction.

Higher Worlds
Beings that lack some sort of protection suffer a strange sensory overload being unable to process the infinite change happening around them, and so their minds shut down, trying to cope, their minds shattered and their bodies mutated beyond any hope of recovery or even identification.



Eternal Sea
First, and perhaps the most accessible, is the Eternal Sea, a trans-planar ocean that sweeps through the Multiverse lapping against the planes of existence like waves against a beach. The sea is treacherous and gloomy, a largely silent ocean that displays, occasionally, peculiar traits unlike any mundane ocean subject to constant movement, currents and undertows. Its currents move with the time streams and its tides are governed by conjunctions. While Creation has boundaries, this has none. It has no outer edges, no ultimate ruler.



Ley Network
And above, beyond and around the ocean, accessible through dreams and other, semi-conscious mechanisms, are the Moonbeam Roads. This immense latticework of pathways can be wandered like any road, arching above, through and beyond the fabric of the Multiverse. These were the primary method used to distribute life force throughout reality by powers unknown to any but a few select individuals. Walking it, one is conscious of the immensity of the Million Spheres, of their shifting, restless nature and one is aware of the incredible power that binds the whole together and permits those who have the talent, such as the Lords of Chaos, to create entire universes (or lose them).



Planes and Branes
Both are essentially the same thing, the first is used by primitive societies and the latter by scientists.



Hyperspace
It is an interdimensional plane that forms the barriers to parallel dimensions. It is also spatially connected with the Multiversal Nexus. Within it universes are born and die. In fact there is only hyperspace separating each universe from its neighbours, the effect of gravity quite often drawing the stars and galaxies of one universe towards another. It is vast sea of energy, with no defined social order or geography, subject to constant movement, currents, undertows, nothing but vortices of force and possibility that sometimes, by chance, assume a kind of coherence and become entities, or locations or tools.



Multiverse
These are universe bubbles floating within Hyperspace. A billion different worlds spread across the multiverse, a thousand million lives all being lived without knowledge of each other.



The Veil
It might be thought of as extra details laid over mundane reality, at least at its most shallow points. The deeper one goes into the more unusual the world becomes — objects, walls, colours and even beings begin appearing and disappearing. The true depth may or may not be unfathomable, but at certain depths it is possible to see, and even enter into strange, unearthly realms. It is easier to access in certain places, specifically places along ley lines.

Terrible Deities
Most could divide their life essences into fragments to manifest avatars or spread whatever portions of their immense multi-dimensional bodies that are capable entering into a three-to-four dimensional plane of existence without accidentally destroying it. The veils of space and time had little meaning to them and could be torn asunder with a simple spell to open a dimensional portal to thousands of different worlds.

Universal Consciousness
The network simply works and is accessible to all. By itself it is nothing but a strange universal phenomenon much like an infinitesimally small current of energy flowing through every living being which apparently does nothing. It is similar in many ways to the brain. It is a cosmological network of free information that extends across the entire universe through the consciousness of living beings.

Lords of the Higher Worlds
While legends speak of these creatures as malevolent but such concepts are beyond them. All possess eternal life, and most races and lesser deities acknowledge and many worship them, some seem to personify some cosmic principle. They are incorporeal god-like beings capable of wielding nearly infinite power and worshipped as such to greater and lesser degrees. These forces are represented by a cadre of powerful entities – intelligences and forces. They represent their power and implement it, reshaping the worlds they conquer either through direct intervention or the help of mortal agents. In some realms one of the forces dominates completely and, in such realms, life is secondary to the whims and natures of those that rule.

Order (Law): When appearing before mortals, the White Lords of Law are perfection personified: more than simply beautiful, they are the absolute pinnacle of appearance and integrity. But such perfection must be at the price of progress. Their home realm is a featureless expanse, perfectly flat, representing the ultimately barren nature of complete uniformity. The two opposing forces are bundles of mystical energy and both have been fighting a cyclical battle for eons.

Chaos (Disorder): There are many some of which are minor entities acting on certain agendas. The most powerful are gods with complex agendas and motives concerning the overthrow of Law. They seek to establish realms of Chaos throughout the Multiverse, creating an entropic empire where all life, save their own, is an unstable, constantly changing melange of the beautiful and the horrific.

Lords of Balance: These are triple headed beings, one face is a creator, third is that of a destructor while the third is the preserver. Beyond passion, beyond mercy, beyond reason, the faceless caretakers of the multiverse, they toil without end, silently struggling to preserve the tenuous balance upon which all existence depends. These are the voiceless forces and inscrutable shapers and eliminators of all. They rend universes to vapour and dismantle them into cosmic dust, and pave the way for calamities. Their ways are at one moment beneficent and in the next utterly devastating, but always without ardour, compassion, or malice. While not malicious creatures, they care nothing for individual beings or the struggles and emotions central to most life. The ruin of an entire city or burning of a vast forest means equally little in their manipulation of symmetry.

Lords of the Eternal Sea
They exist within the Eternal Sea, for these beings time and space are tiny distractions. Each is a presence so vast that they defy measurement (many are larger than whole universes) and are so terrible that only the mad can comprehend their whims, and so all-powerful that they may possess no physical forms or even exist within time and space as we understand it.

Lords of the Outer Planes
They ruled many worlds across the multiverse for thousands of Maha-Yugas in an unrecorded period of history that has become known as the Time of Chaos. Powerful beyond human imagination, they are credited as the originators of all forms of magic use and numerous life forms across various realities. All are utterly alien beings with limitless abilities are checked only by their inscrutable motivations and indifference that mortals have little to no chance of understanding, at least if they hope to keep their sanity. They existed between dimensions where they created universes, planes, and whatever else suited them. Upon invading another universe they manage to enter and take control of, which requires that they readjust the so-called etheric angles of harmony and rewrite the base code of reality to suit their needs. By doing this, they can spread whatever portions of their immense multi-dimensional bodies that are capable of wedging into a three to four dimensional plane of existence without accidentally destroying it.

Lords of Elysia
They were a race of superhumanly powerful humanoid beings that resided on a flat planetoid that also served as an interdimensional nexus. They possess a rare combination of technology and magic that leaves most other species speechless. Rumoured to have coordinated with the Architects during building is why it exists within every plane at once, where it is a haven for those in need, or to escape the battle between the Lords of the Higher Worlds. Only those who genuinely seek rest can find Elysia; many spend their lives searching in vain, either because they want it too much, or because they seek to pervert it or destroy it somehow.

Lords of R’yleh
These were not composed altogether of flesh and blood, and do not consume any type of food directly, instead their bodies process magical energy into the nutrients required for biological processes needed for life. Their bodies do not have the energy drawing capacity to process enough energy to maintain a fully active condition. As such all knew all that was occurring in the universe by reaching into the Universal Unconscious Mind and taking the knowledge they desired. However their mode of speech was transmitted thought. As such they were known to be capable of perceiving the higher dimensions. All appeared as a massive quantity of energy the equivalent of twenty billion nuclear bombs. Even now they talked in their tombs. When, after infinities of chaos, the first men came, they spoke to the sensitive among them by moulding their dreams; for only thus could language reach the fleshly minds of mammals.

Aeygyptan
The skin of this human-like people carries a golden bloom, reminiscent of the luminous sands of the desert surrounding the city. As a people they are tall and naturally slender, with long skulls, long fingers and long limbs. They have an aristocratic bearing that reminds all of their ancient culture. They are sensitive, circumspect and naturally curious. But what really defines them is their innate skill in the arts: everything from dance to music, painting to sculpture and poetry to storytelling.

Alfar
Elegant, aloof and evidently inhuman, all are generally tall, regal-looking, arrogant and almost cat-like in their mannerisms and habits. The skull is narrow and tapered, the eyes slanted and watchful, their ears tapering to a fine point. The skin is invariably pale in complexion and, every-one is never less than striking and otherworldly. They are an emotional people but restrained in their demonstration of feelings; they are, without fault, self-centred and unconcerned with the welfare of others, especially humans. Notions such as kindness and cruelty are alien concepts that they find, at best mildly amusing, but are usually considered an irritation. The pursuit of pleasure is foremost in their mind and they are unrestrained in how that is achieved. Torture, sexual deviancy and the abundant use of narcotics that would drive humans instantly insane are indulged daily, with no thought for the consequences. Many spend their days in a drug-induced slumber, reclined on dream couches where they travel to distant realms indulging in activities known only to them.

Beast-Folk
Created through surgery, vivisection and genetic engineering, they are a mixture of animals transformed into a more human form, or humans whose genetic coding has been altered to take on bestial attributes. This transformation from human to animal almost invariably results in a permanent loss of reasoning ability and deteriorating long-term memory. Most hybrids are tragic figures, walking the line between succumbing to their animal instincts and behaving as rational, emotional creatures. Moreau’s hybrids are found on Noble’s Island, located far off the coast of South America in the Pacific Ocean. Others may have been transported to other parts of the world for further experimentation and study. Known hybrids are almost exclusively mammalian, with one to three animals mixed with the human component in each creation. Species used include baboon, bull, cat, cheetah, chimpanzee, dog, elephant, fox, giraffe, gorilla, horse, lion, llama, jaguar, pig, ram, rhinoceros, tapir, sloth, warthog and wolf.

Daemon
WIP

Ennead
These monstrosities come in great variety: men with the heads of bulls, ibises, falcons, cats, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, jackals, etc. The children of the Sphinx may come in any human-animal composite as long as the grouping has some basis in Egyptian religion and mythology. They always wear a robe of some sort.

Hyperborean
WIP

Malakh
The winged folk are human-like but not human and predate even the Alfar. All are slender, tall and very light of frame. Their chests are deep, with improved lung capacity, and their shoulders are a complex assembly of wing joints, tendons and musculature; they are naturally agile and move with a distinct grace. They dwelt above Earth in their floating, cloud-enshrouded city; their existence unsuspected by the wingless races of the planet below. The only threat to tranquil was the evil race of bat-winged conquerors some half-dozen leagues away.

Serpent People
Species of bipedal reptiles that appeared during the Permian period, some say they came from Venus, but most hold that they evolved naturally upon earth. With their great magic (and the aid of the fabled Cobra Crown), the serpent people conquered the empire of Valusia, an area which today forms part of both Europe and Africa. During this time, the serpent people reared great stone cities containing both laboratories and temples to Yig, Byatis, Han, Shub-Niggurath, and Tsathoggua. When the Triassic Age came, new conditions caused the race to go into decline for eons until they resurged during the Pleistocene Era. The coming of humanity proved to be the downfall of the serpent people's dominion over the world. Although some of the serpent people provided humanity with helpful knowledge, the new race later swept aside the old cities of the reptiles in order to build their towns and fortresses. To escape this destruction, some of the reptiles crept into hidden burrows in the hills of Wales, or to the caverns of Yoth. Others put themselves into deep hibernation, while some used their magical abilities to disguise themselves and concealed themselves among the invaders. Apart from one abortive attempt to recapture the throne of Valusia, the serpents were never a serious threat to humanity thereafter.

Origins
This has been the elusive goal of many humans since time immemorial whether they are heroes, magicians and philosophers have searched for the key to true immortality. Having attained immortality by greatly reducing or even stopping the aging process as the most powerful among them can live for centuries or even millennia. They may be-humans who have found (or been cursed with) some form of immortality. They are a small group of powerful magicians that have for the most part used their power to stave off death and sometimes to increase their power and wealth at the expense of others. A number of these ancient sorcerers have crossed paths with other preternatural beings and have even established their own kingdoms in the astral or other realms.

Myths
After all, they have enough imagination to portray fairies, demons, sorcerers, prophets, gods, titans, and more, and they can be found all over the world, an all kinds of positions and relationships. They take names from the society they are insinuating themselves into, adopting the faces and personalities of the gods the people worship. Their original names are unimportant, as they are merely one of dozens or hundreds that each has used over the course of his life; to say that one has a real name is to miss the point entirely.

Mentality
Some seek to further their own causes, be it world domination, to gain worshipers, to save or steal souls, to help human kind, to gather knowledge, to find their lost humanity, to humility, extract revenge on an old enemy, or any number of other personal agendas. Some are in the service of chaos while others fight for the side of order in the eternal battle between good and evil. Others are wanderers or explorers, some are swashbuckling adventurers, and some are lonely souls trying to rediscover themselves or find purpose in their immortal lives. Still others have been driven insane after centuries of loss, failure and tragedy.

Elixiran
What was unique was that it changed the DNA & RNA freezing their aging in place and allowing the altered genes to be transferred to progeny – although this was not guaranteed. They cease to age upon reaching adulthood, unable to die by the passage of time, immune to all human and supernatural diseases, and able to survive damage that would easily destroy mortals. It must be noted however a sufficient injury from certain sources can still kill them.

Aesir: By eating either the Fruit of Immortality it temporarily halts the aging process for a thousand years allowing those that wish to experience senescence and die.

Olympians: This was a golden fluid (known as Ambrosia, Amrita or Elixir Vitalis) that granted extremely potent abilities that could also be passed to their progeny.

Geomantic
All are tied to the flow of telluric energy and flow. A few discovered that by linking their life force to one they could gain a number of incredible powers, including the ability to arrest or even stop the aging process. This link had its drawbacks, however. After a while, the sorcerer grew dependent on ley lines for nourishment and strength, and if kept away from them, would eventually weaken and die. However, many were adept at using telluric energy to teleport and open ley-line gateways.

Powers: Healing, Longevity, Sense & Read, Ley Line: Travel

Alphan
Any being that are born in a magical nexus which acts as a creative and renewing force granting them long life – immortality. Some powers deific require a heavier penalty than just the expenditure of magical energy, and in these cases, the god must sacrifice a part of their own primal manifestation. And this can take the form of either: Token, Severe, Consumed or Annihilated.

Omegan
They are creatures of tremendous resilience and longevity that prey on civilization, draining the life force of their targets to regenerate their own. All are beings that are similarly composed of negative magical energy which is destructive and life-stealing. They tend to be associated with vampires, werewolves and ghosts, plus many others.

Enlightened
Taking the pathway of enlightenment, of illuminating the mind so that it sees the true state of the universe, is to create a spirit that can never truly die. Once the mind has become enlightened, there is no way to actually die. Although they can be killed, the soul will be returned for another cycle of reincarnation, when the individual will eventually regain any lost memories.

Reborn
Immortality is almost guaranteed once the first reincarnation occurs. Whether they want it or no, they are reborn at some time after the end of each life. It’s almost never an immediate rebirth. There’s usually a span of a few years between death and birth. Geographical constraints mean little to this process; a person dying in Moscow might see their next life in Peru. Fate will pull the person back to those he knew in past lives, through chance and opportunity. That said, some are exclusively reborn within their family lines. Some might be their own grandparents. Some are reborn in the same region each time. Anamnesis is the mastery of memory an immortal possesses over their past lives. Most immortals maintain only slight memories that appear over time, featuring the most iconic of events. However, those with a strong sense of Anamnesis can recall more trivial matters with clarity, using memory as an advantage in the now.

Tuatha
All are connected to the weave of magic generated by the natural world; and are dependent upon it for long life. Most tend to possess an otherworldly beauty that easily sets them apart. They are a nearly extinct which once possessed a civilization which was spread across the multiverse. This does not mean they are invulnerable; they can die from injury and violence. It must be noted however a sufficient injury from certain sources can still kill them.

Houses
Autochthon: They are more skilled than most in the ability to craft magical and scientific artefacts. They exhibit strong leadership and organisational abilities alongside their ability to manipulate metals that are able to store or use mystical energy. Most of the mystically sensitive metals on the planet pass through their hands at some point, and some of it usually stays there.

Caduceus: They have the most accomplished medical research and pharmaceutical companies on the planet, though few people are in a position to realize this. They are based in South-East Asia, where they have thrived. Since the modernisation of Japan they have instead focused on making their magic appear as ordinary science, guiding human technology to the level of their own.

Dragon: In ancient times warriors danced with beasts under the sun, and learnt from them. This is for those that wish to master body mind and body and turn them into living weapons. They honed their instincts and harmonised with the environment so as to disturb as little as possible, calming themselves to a state of spiritual simplicity. They embraced death, renouncing anything that would protect them at the expense of the world around them. As a result they became mighty, but peaceful, warriors. With centuries in which to practise, their simple but deadly art became many, each teacher having his own highly-nuanced style. Members are known for their patience, politeness, and grace, and their ability to accomplish a task with precision and ruthlessness.

Lillitu: Are in possession of a unique gene that passes only through the pure-blooded of their families, and then only in rare cases, giving them the ability to receive life-force directly from the blood of others. Their rituals revolve entirely around blood magic, and they have learned to use their own blood as part of their mystical rites. The drinking of blood worked its way into their marriage ceremonies and their religious practices, and is seen as a sign of kinship. In some quarters, though rarely in the days of Atlantis, members have even been known to indulge in cannibalism and blood sacrifice.

Magi: After all, they have enough imagination to portray fairies, demons, sorcerers, prophets and gods. They can be found all over the world, an all kinds of positions and relationships. They are not necessarily all part of the same group, or always on the same side of a conflict. In fact, some find themselves diametrically opposed. They battle each other subtly, with the patience of the Earth itself, over all kinds of things. Some conflicts are deadly, while others are like the sparring of kittens.

Tellurian: During ancient times, a few sorcerers discovered the secrets of ley lines. They oversaw the construction of the pyramids of Egypt, Asia, and South America, and even today they are at the forefront of the effort to prepare the Earth’s geomantic energies for invasion at some future date. This plan to harness the ka of the entire globe was implemented around 2,000 B.C.E with the help of humankind. This network of pyramids was created to divert, manage, and store the geomantic energy turning the Earth itself into a fortress and an enormous source of power that was theirs to control.

Titans: They ruled before being displaced and were defeated in a war against the Olympians after being weakened by Ahriman. The most powerful formed tribes, most of which have been forgotten. One of the most powerful of these tribes called themselves the Joten. The Joten were under the leadership of a towering warlock called Ymir, who could summon and wield blizzards against his foes.

Atlantis
Much of its history remains shrouded in mystery. The first kingdom was founded by Valthoth - the Prince of the Last Days (known later as Thoth), led the refugees from the destruction of Lemuria. This first kingdom eventually fell (possibly due to battles against monsters from the depths of the sea), and there was confusion for quite some time. The Second Empire was established. They excelled in the fields of science and magic, but much knowledge was lost. The cult of Dagon became strong, and the deep ones DNA mingled theirs and twenty thousand years ago, at the beginning of the Hyborian Age.

Lemuria
The first inhabitants were a species of human-headed beings with tentacles, but these had probably died out by the time humans arrived. The second inhabitants were the serpent people who were defeated by the humans in the Thousand Year War (which occurred around half a million years ago); after this war, the humans settled in the first kingdom of Nemedis. Various forces destroyed this land, and the humans migrated to the west, where they founded the Thirteen Cities. The wizards of the eastern lands were corrupted and threatened to overcome the world, until their own sorcery destroyed them. Many of the land's people fled to Atlantis, but some remained behind. At the same time, however, its magical lore was regarded as powerful, and its mercenaries often became generals and kings of more civilized lands. Though it showed signs of recovery it would never again become a world power. Their language is the basis of what will become the Sanskrit language.

Mu
It was a sunken continent one thousand miles south of Easter Island and rose from the Pacific Ocean untold millions of years ago. It was later colonized by Cthulhu-spawn and retained it after their war with the Elder Things until it sank beneath the waves. Supposedly it was where humans first appeared, spreading from there to the rest of the world. The humans of Mu and the serpent people spliced together their genes to create a new hybrid species embodying the best of both species.

Shamballah
It was a city built fifty million years ago by Lemurians in the Great Eastern Desert. It still remains there, protected behind a screen of psychic power. The wizard-priest fled to the lands near this city when his home continent sank beneath the waves and a copy of the Book of Dzyan may be found in the archives here. Buddhist thought Shamballah may be in many different places. Some hold that when the entire world is engulfed in warfare, humanity's saviour shall come forth from Shamballah. It now lies between the dimensions.

Ys
It is a lit cavern beneath Africa. This immense underground land contains an amazing variety of plant and animal life, as well as a highly developed though decadent civilization of human-like beings. The underground dwellers also possess three other abilities unavailable to those on the surface. First, they use telepathy for communication, with spoken language almost being a thing of the past. Second, they are able to dematerialise themselves (and other objects) so that they may pass through solid objects almost effortlessly. Finally, they have the secret of immortality, so that death is an almost unheard-of occurrence among them. They still possessed many technological artifacts, however, such as disintegrating ray projectors and various forms of transportation, which they used in their day-to-day life. The people of the land put more value on experiencing new sensations than on their former pursuits and spent much of their time looking for novel experiences and emotions. To help them achieve these aims they held gladiatorial games, conducted ritual torture, dreamed, experimented with intoxicating substances, and held religious ceremonies to various deities.

Adamant: This is an extremely hard metal that is ideal for armour, and other fortifications, it is virtually indestructible, it is resistant to hard-light and particle weaponry.

Elixir Vitae

Geo-Magnetic energy: Carefully measured increased the voltage of the central nervous system and triggered a rise of kundalini. The amazing electromagnetic power they harness is channelled upward to provide energy to orbiting satellites and space stations. They all have built-in pocket antimatter generators, and every pyramid is mathematically tailored to create a transmission field with specific characteristics and abilities.

Orichalcum: This is a reddish brown colour and can disrupt psychic energy.

Psychic Crystals:

It is a natural force that has existed since the dawn of time, and a constant and ever present energy, like electromagnetism. As such, it has no allegiance to either the powers of Law or Chaos, and indeed is used by both in their eternal struggles. Everybody seems to possess a certain amount of this energy, yet only a few are able to draw upon it in any way.

Magic Sources

Ambient: This is latent energy of the universe that can be tapped by those with the will and knowledge.

Life-force (Empowered, Enhanced, Chi, Innate, Superpowers): All magic works by certain principles which stem from the life force of the user. Those that use too much will begin to rapidly age and even leave nothing behind but dust.

Objects: Some are imbued with power which can be tapped by the wielder.

Magic Types

Alchemy: + Philosopher’s Stone:

Arete: This is for those who chose mastery in a particular field of expertise, although it need not be just the one. Those that pursue this path learn many techniques bordering on the supernatural, and those that have some form of Chi can boost these abilities even more.

Enchantment: Imbue objects with magical energy.

Invoker: Require the use of incantations, acoustic signals (words of power) and geometric matrices (sigils and gestures) act as control systems, which have transcended mere material technology.

Myst-Tech (Magi-Tech or Techno-magic): This was science, but science so advanced and powerful that it bordered on the supernatural.

Mysticism: Use magic by will alone

Sorcery: Once a sorcerer comprehends the objective rules of reality, they can employ them in a repeatable and methodical manner. It is the application of transcendent knowledge.