Cosmology

Cosmology is the study of the origin and evolution of the world, studying the structure and composition of all things in existence. Although most people of Lorone only know their continent home, it is merely a single plane of existence (known as the Material Plane) among a sea of other planes referred to as the multiverse. Cosmologists of the Material Plane are typically only truly able to study their own world and theories of others, studying space and the stars in the sky, to the moon and the sun to understand them beyond their existence as constructs of the Gods. But with the assistance of dedicated orders, sages, and powerful mages with interest in the multiverse, study of other worlds becomes substantially easier.

These other planes often vary in geography, laws of reality, and governance. Many of these other planes are ruled by deities or creatures beyond mortal comprehension. Often, these planes cannot be travelled to without powerful magic or the assistance of a planar portal that directly links one plane to another. Without the knowledge and study of cosmology, many creatures would only be aware of the existence of other planes through story and rumour, though the realms of the Gods and the Hells were certainly acknowledged by all civilised folk.

The Hierarchical Cosmology Model
The Hierarchical Cosmology Model is the cosmological model is one of many cosmological models created to depict the multiverse in its most accurate form. In 3 CA, its final iteration was adapted by Joeri Celeste after he ascended to Godhood, using his divine omniscience to confirm the most accurate interpretation of the model, doing so primarily to collaborate with his closest allies to defend Lorone from threats within and outside of Lorone's known multiverse.

While this model is not widespread in its entirety, it is however the most well accepted model among scholars for its reasoning and perceived truth. In publishings by the famed (albeit controversial) scholar Ailwin Diswun, the model lacks any reference to the multiverse being finite in size or having any given shape beyond metaphor, nor does it have any mention of other worlds beyond Lorone to minimise the spread of doctrine from the Old Gods and their existence.

Basic Structure
NOTES

Why a triangle?: This is because Lorone is just a fragment of a greater whole. Like a slice.

Top Row: The Sea of Eternity in the top left corner because it needs to view the rest of the multiverse and remain as far from everything as possible (how Hori stayed hidden forever). Einhall directly above The Material so that the Weave can flow to every plane fairly. Also so they aren't close to Gali so no fighting Celestiad in the top right corner for the same reason as Hori but also so Nym can hold The Wall.(edited)

Middle Row: Material Plane in the middle with the Ethereal around it. Astral Sea connects to everything for planar travel. The Feywild and Paradise Islands are next to the Material because Eni and Bonti like visitors (and their subjects like visiting).

Buttom Row: The Shadowfell is in the bottom row to send souls to hell. Gali's plane is in the bottom row to take in souls because there's a lot of Galists. Also to directly confront Hell if anyone tries to leave (this is pretty frequent). Hell at the bottom to keep it away from the nice places.

OLD CONTENT

There is the standard Material Plane that houses the entire world as we know it. Outside the material is the Feywild which works as an “overlay” to the Material, further out from that is the Ethereal plane which houses all other planes of existence as “nodes” within.

Lorone and all the planes related to Lorone are specifically cut off by a pair of cosmic lines, specifically barring entry to and from those ends. However, travel can occur under very specific circumstances typically requiring the intervention or machinations of very powerful entities and magics (or simply the negligence of the one who controls it - the God of law). The lines effectively meet a “vanishing point” in the centre of the plane - where we assume the planes are “circles” which are “subsets” of one another where the Ethereal Plane is the largest.

Material Plane
The continent of Lorone and its oceans are located within the Material Plane and is the home of most mortal life throughout the multiverse.

Crystal Spheres
Very few beings are truly aware of how old or expansive the Material Plane truly is, those aware of the continent of Attunia (which Lorone was once neighbour to) would know it was also located on the same Material Plane. However, they are now separated, located in two different spheres of existence, known only as crystal spheres, partitioning the once combined world into two parts with separate multiverses and planes.

In prehistory, before the separation of Lorone and Attunia's multiverses, crystal spheres could once be travelled between to visit other worlds entirely, with their own planes, multiverses, and Gods. This structure was then used by the Gods of what would become Lorone to separate the two worlds from one another, keeping the two worlds separate forever - at least until such a time when the Gods of Lorone deem it time to re-join the once unified worlds.

Feywild
"Main article: Feywild"A duality to the Material Plane is the less accessible Feywild, home to the fey, outsiders that are known for their cunning, eccentric nature, and powerful magic. The fey are infamously able to traverse and manipulate the space around them with the powerful magic they wield.

Astral Sea
"Main Article: Astral Sea"Outside of the sphere of ordinary reality (the Material plane) is the Astral Sea, a void of raw magical essence, psychic energies, and barren structures of unknown often origin that make up the infinite expanse of the plane.

Deity Planes:
Like all planes within the infinite expanse of the Ethereal are the Deity Planes, housing the Gods and the vast worlds they consolidate their powers in. Deity planes make up the majority of the planes within the Ethereal, and are positioned distinctly from one another so as to not encroach on another - which, like most rules of planes, may lead to aggression between them.

Due to their position in the multiverse, like other powerful beings with planes of existence they call their own, the Gods of Lorone have limited space to build within their fraction of the Ethereal; just as the mortals have limited space on their single continent.

Gali’s Plane:
A hot, hellish landscape that is as treacherous as it is lethal. Battle is commonplace along with marching legions ready to fight off potential threats at a moment’s notice. These legions of worshippers are so large that they are equivalent to mobile villages that make up the denizens of the plane, moving nomadically in pursuit of higher power and sharpened vigilance in their God’s name.

When settled, these legions quickly form camps that are organised and led by an archangel that organises and distributes orders without question. This individual functions as a general and a dictator of the settlement. Disobedience is not tolerated and dealt with swiftly with a punishment of sorts; rebellion especially is faced with the archangel’s wrath in order to quell this dissent. But in the same vein, loyalty is rewarded with whatever the legionnaire desires within reason; power, improved arms, passion, or even a possible promotion in the legion’s/celestial hierarchy.

Travel to this plane typically results in instantaneous death. But surviving suggests the inhuman resilience fitting of the God of Fire’s worshippers.

Deep beneath the surface of the molten and hardened obsidian composing the entire plane are veins of the God’s own material of choice for armour and weapons, Inflammium. The material is highly coveted (and likewise very rare), used for adding powerful fire based enchantments while making the weapon, armour, and by extension the wielder more effective for the purposes of war.

Arcti’s Plane:
A cold, desolate waste where only those capable will survive.

Travel to this plane typically results in instantaneous death.

Eni’s Plane:
Is a world much like the Feywild, going off the concept that imagination influences the world around them.

Though, unlike the chaotic Feywild, it is still a plane with order and structure - with a focus on majesty and “adventure”. Floating islands and waterfalls litter the infinite lively landscape, all of which are great spots for the fey spirits within to enjoy themselves until needed for service. Given that this place is so easy to get lost in, adventurers looking to explore tend to get pranked or tricked in sometimes nefarious ways by the residents or the God of life himself - magic curses and deals are made (not dissimilarly to fiends) by the fey for the sake of sadistic amusement. Sometimes, this even results in the death of the mortal who stumbled in. This is especially common with traversal into this plane’s “heaven” which requires the traverser to cross a river stream into the lush, beautiful afterlife, dotted with golden or ripe fruit and mouth watering spreads of food.

Bonti’s Plane:
An infinite series of islands, each separated by a vast ocean. On each island is a thriving civilisation where the servants of Bonti may relax, eat, drink, and be entertained until needed.

While residents are fully capable of foraging and cooking for themselves within their respective island’s ecosystem, materials such as food, drink, and mundane items are typically created by a simple request or thought - to which a “servant” ideal to the resident’s imagination will be created to serve them.

Following Bonti’s doctrine, bedrooms are considered sacred and are warded against intrusion (unless desired otherwise by the users). Sex is common and considered a social norm to the residence, so those of a “more prudish nature” against voyeurism should be careful where they look and listen.

Islands are also used by those in Bonti’s afterlife for similar purposes.

Despite the distance, travel between the islands is as simple as a request by description of another entity on them to a shrine of Bonti located on each island. After all, finding all your friends is a must in order to participate in the eternal party as seen in Bonti’s divine vision.

Pali’s Plane (Lair of the 6th, “The Shadowfell”):
A dark plane overshadowed by a clear sky and a bright full moon in the sky, Pali’s realm is a plane made to resemble the material in ways with buildings and cities of Gothic architecture. But unlike the material, the primary inhabitants of this plane are the lords of their cities and their subjects.

These “lords” function as Pali’s equivalent for angels and are her most powerful underlings, granted complete autonomy to rule their land and obey orders as they would in life as opposed to an indoctrinated compulsion like the other Gods.

Notable lords tend to consist of Vampire Lords, Lich Lords, and Lycanthrope Lords, but other powerful undead are viable as well.

The primary currency in this plane are coins formed from the only naturally occurring mineral in the plane - Mortemel, a weightless material only Pali’s finest would be blessed with for use in equipment and magical items. Mortemel is valued heavily due to its properties being used in the offshoot of illusion magic known as “shadow magic”, the art of making an illusion real.

Like Eni’s realm, this plane is a mirror to another plane known among the Gods and in forbidden - bordering fictional - texts that speak of the Shadowfell (which is much like this plane but not accessible in Lorone, controlled by many other entities). Additionally, travel for creatures is non-linear as the plane’s geographical landmarks tend to shift frequently (e.g you see a mountain about 5 miles from you, you walk for 5 minutes and suddenly find yourself there). But this is typically due to the machinations of the more powerful inhabitants of the plane’s interference; usually doing so to kill, enslave, or bargain with the creature being affected.

This realm is an intermediary realm to hell, with souls typically staying in the plane from anywhere between minutes to weeks as a soul is judged and transported by the lords or Pali - the Goddess personally intervening to punish her most hated souls. Portals to hell tend to reside in areas beneath the surface of the plane, either in tunnels or graves dug throughout the land, or in wells in cities/towns. Rivers and other water sources all lead down towards the river Styx as a countermeasure for souls or creatures that should not be in this plane (or have other reasons to be “killed” in a world of undead). Travellers should be careful to not get swept away with the tide, else they suffer the mind wiping effects of the river’s waters along with the worse fate of getting trapped in hell.

Undead, shadow entities, and other evil related creatures tend to be drawn to this plane. This is due to the plane being a concentration of negative energy with life energy in equal balance. In this plane, an undead creature can survive much easier and even thrive as a more powerful being due to the influx of negative energy into themselves. However, this tends to be a risk due to Pali’s distaste towards rogue or “mortal-made” undead.

The souls of the dead pass through this plane, waiting in this plane while they await judgement from Pali and the lords of the plane. However, some of these lords may attempt to reincarnate these souls into undead servant bodies typically depending on their abilities and might as a mortal - a stronger mortal soul can survive being converted into stronger creatures without damaging the soul. Though, these lords and servants have on occasion slipped out of the plane to pursue their own goals and grow their own power in other planes especially the Material, or one they make themselves; perhaps the same they had in life.

One major feature among the populace of this plane are their penchant for tranquil lifestyles, consolidation of power and gift of unlife (along with its finality), as well as secrets. To this end the secret 6th God of the Lorone pantheon, known colloquially in this plane as “The Shadowbound” is an entity that resides in the shadows of this already shadow filled plane. Agents and those revived by their machinations are indistinguishable from Pali’s own undead or those raised by the lords, of whom any could be agents of the invasive deity encroaching on this plane. Deals can be struck by these agents in exchange for things, but much like those of the archfiends of hell, would make fools of those accepting them without suspicion. After all a mortal thief is seldom transparent, a God even less so.

Hori’s Plane:
Sea of eternity

Infinite void