The Six Realms Cosmology

I came up with this universal layout over ten years ago, back when I was still working on the idea of the Higher Races concept (which posited that the gods, demons, fairies, etc, were once mortal races that ascended to higher forms, and humans would eventually join them as a race of powerful psychic entities). A few of my stories, such as the original Elemental Key's series, the Intrepid, and even the earlier renditions of the Adventures of Tabitha Cain, incorporated the Higher Race, and as such, the Six Realms Cosmology.

The Six Realms themselves were also an update of the loose cosmology I'd unintentionally developed when I was a kid/teenager, and was still working on my Old Multiverse superhero and adventurer stories. Nowadays, I don't really have any use intentions for this particular set-up, but looking back, I still like some of the concepts.

THE SIX REALMS

All realms exist simultaneously, and are actually the same size.  Heaven and Hell stretch as far as the Material Realm, so even alien planets have their own Heaven and Hell counterparts.  Each realm is composed of a primary substance, although this substance can be brought to alternate realms, either by natural accident or artificial means.

HEAVEN REALM   (POSI)

The Realm of Heaven is composed of “posi”, a substance that resembles matter and energy, thus making it resemble the Material Plane.  This realm is a multi-planar universe, which is to say that it contains myriad dimensions that cannot be simultaneously perceived by any but the most advanced of entities (the Creator of the Universe for example).  The closest analogy would be to say that the Heaven Realm is actually a multiverse consisting of myriad pocket dimensions.  Entities with extra-planar awareness (which can be obtained through various methods) are capable of perceiving and interacting with multiple planes at once.  This can result in interesting interactions between various Heaven Realm natives, as one multi-planar entity can hold a conversation with two mono-planar entities that cannot perceive each other.  Similarly, an entity may be able to see or hear another entity in another plane, but not be seen or heard by them.

The Heaven Realm is a very orderly universe, with rigid laws governing the functions of the universe and maintaining the strict barriers between the planes.  As such, there is almost no event that occurs in this Ream that isn’t strictly controlled.  The weather, for example, is always perfect, there are no earthquakes, or randomly induced phenomenon.  There is just enough chaos in the realm, however, that the world does not simply completely lock up and stagnate, however some of this may be due interference from exterior forces.

Due to the multi-dimensional nature of this realm, it exists in such a way that Material Realm natives could only describe as “too intense”.  Depending on what level of the Heaven Realm one enters, if they are not properly trained or shielded, a native of the Material Realm may find that even the dimmest light of the Heaven Realm blinds them, that the air is so pure it becomes painful to breath.  Food and drink from the Heaven Realm fills them with such rejuvenating energy that it causes them to go into shock, or even die from an overload of energy.

Despite (or because of) the harsh intensity of the realm, the natives of this realm are incredibly powerful compared to Material Realm natives.  Aside from possessing a greater range of senses, they are also much longer lived, often to the point of immortality, and their bodies possess incredible levels of physical capability.  Many are also able to manipulate the fabric of their universe, to varying degrees, which they can tap into from across the various realms.  When so doing, they are summoning “energy” or “magic” from the Heaven Realm itself, which is why what would be a comparatively low-level “spell” in the Heaven Realm has such devastating effects in the Material Realm, since the Material Plane is not accustomed to the multi-planar power of the Heaven Realm.

Many of the entities from this Realm have been worshipped as gods or feared as monsters by the inhabitants of the lower Realms, particularly the Material Realm.  Beings such as angels, deities, asuras, devas, aesir, vanir, titans, and the like are all entities that originated from this realm.

FAIRY REALM   (MANA)

Also known as the Mana Realm or the Magic Realm.  This is a universe composed of “mana”, an malleable substance that can mimic matter and energy.  The Mana Realm thus resembles the Material Realm in many ways, but its form is subject to the whims of its inhabitants.  Although mana can resemble solid sustenance, it does not actually have true mass, and as such, there is no real gravity in this universe, which means any entity in this realm can fly by means of simply wishing the mana to push you to where you wish to go.

Mana sometimes condenses into solid formations, creating “planetoids” drifting through the seas of non-solid mana.  It is interesting to note that the space-time coordinates of these “planetoids” often coincide with the space-time coordinates of Material Realm planets, thus indicating that mana may be at least partially affected by the Material Realms fundamental forces, such as gravity.

The natives of this universe are composed of complex formations of solid mana that have evolved to gain sentience, and thus are capable of influencing mana (including that of their own bodies) through sheer willpower.  These entities usually have a base form that often resemble variations of Material Realm creatures, although since they are natural shape shifters and their forms are usually determined by psychological factors, the forms of these entities vary wildly.  So great is this variation, that even the offspring of a mana native may look radically different from their parent.  Material Realm natives know these creatures as fairies, nymphs, goblins, djinni, elves, and the like.

The Mana Realm is not inherently dangerous to outsiders, though an untrained visitor will find it difficult to locate food and drink.  However, an outsider with the proper training can turn the mana into the necessary sustenance by willing it, and sustain themselves that way.  By making the mana solid, it can be digested like normal food, although the digestion process will be supremely efficient, converting the solid mana into almost pure energy, resulting in very little waste, and thus requiring very little sustenance in the first place.  However, one should be careful as prolonged use of mana for food can eventually poison the bodies of Material Realm natives similar to low radiation poisoning.

MATERIAL REALM   (QUANTA)

Also known as the Earth Realm, the Matter/Energy Realm, or the Elemental Realm, this is the Material Universe which we are most familiar with.  It is composed of “quanta”, which takes the form of we known as “matter and energy”.  The Material Realm operates under the laws of interaction between energy and matter via fundamental forces and a somewhat flexible structure of space-time.  The universe follows certain set laws, such as thermodynamics and gravity.  This realm is believed to be mono-planar, which is to say it consists of only one “plane”.  This is technically true, as there is only one “level” of the Material Universe, but this level is held together by the Quantum Field, from which the fundamental forces of the universe originate, literally the “glue” that holds the quanta together to create the form of the Material Realm.  With the proper method, it is possible to actually step into the Quantum Field in order to instantly transport oneself through vast distances of space and time.  This is sometimes referred to as Hyperspace.

Contrary to popular belief among the occult, the so-called “Elemental Planes” do not actually exist.  What these so-called planes actually are, are partial shifts into the Quantum Field that end up resulting in what appears to be entire universes composed only of a single element, compound, or phase of matter or energy.  The “Plane of Water” for example, is a partial shifting into the Quantum Field that cuts one off from every other element or compound in the universe except for liquid matter, thus resulting in what appears to be a “Plane of Water”.  It is entirely possible, however, for beings to semi-permanently partially shift into one of the “Elemental Planes” and exist indefinitely within them.  However, when Material Realm creatures use “elemental magic” they are not drawing power from the “Elemental Planes”, but rather directly affecting the matter and energy of the material universe itself.

Myriad life forms exist in the Material Realm, with virtually all life developing on planets that exist within star systems.  Virtually all Material Realm natives are composed of matter powered by energy, however, entities made completely of energy are not entirely unheard of.  Inhabitants of the Material Realm develop through evolution, either naturally or by artificial means.  Those advanced enough are capable of tapping into other Realms in order to perform magic.  Those truly advanced are able to directly control the Material Realm itself, manipulating matter, energy, and the fundamental forces, thus resulting in what appears to be some forms of magic, although this is really what we would consider to be “cosmic powers”.  Science is usually the primary means to artificially control the Material Realm until such time that the species becomes advanced enough to control the quanta directly.

The most commonly found life forms in the Material Realm are animals, plants, fungi, algae, and bacteria.  Energy beings, techno-organics, and bioroids (sentient robotic entities) are also possible to exist here.

It is notable that natives of the Heaven and Hell Realms usually cannot access their full might within the Material Realm.  This is because the mono-planar structure of the Material Universe simply cannot "contain" their full power.  The Material Realm does possess some "elasticity" which helps it withstand damage from multi-planar power being channeled through it, but it does have its limits, and will backlash or reject too much power.  A select few entities may be capable of forcing more power through, but if this is done, it could result in damage to the Material Realm beyond the realms ability to immediately correct, although the damage will eventually repair itself given time as the Quantum Field adjusts to the damage.  Ergo, “posi” and “nega” entities, although still often very powerful compared the Material Realm inhabitants, are usually not operating under their full power, which can usually only be accessed in their native realms.  (The Fairy, Spirit, and Dream Realms also have this limitation in regards to Heaven and Hell Realm natives; however, because their structures are malleable, those realms are not usually adversely effected by “overload” as the Material Plane would be).

Dream, Fairy, and Spirit Realm natives are also similarly limited in power, but they are usually able to draw most of their natural power by tapping into their native plane.  However, the more power they draw, the more they are bending the resistance of the Material Realm, and the “tenser” the barrier becomes.  If pushed to far, the barriers between the Realms will snap back into place, resulting in the Dream, Fairy, and Spirit Realms natives getting sucked back into their home realms as they are caught up in the recoil and shunted out of the Material Universe.

Outsiders to the Material Realm will usually find the Material Realm hospitable (depending on the environment in which they appear), but can also find it disorienting and restricting.  Primarily the Heaven and Hell natives do not prefer to stay long on the Material Plane since it limits their powers and senses; however, they are not adversely affected by existing in the Material Plane, and thus can use it as a safe meeting ground.

Dream, Fairy, and Spirit Realm natives may find the limitations of their powers to be unnerving, but most are not so restricted for it to really be a problem.  They are usually more disturbed by the restrictions placed on them by the fundamental forces, such as gravity, which does not exist in their native realms.   Adequate sustenance can usually be obtained by outsiders in the Material Realm, although their requirements may very wildly depending on the species in question.

DREAM REALM   (SOMNA)

Also called the Astral Realm or the Mind Realm.  Any of the other five Realms are referred to as “Waking Realms” by Dream Realm Natives.  This is the Realm of the Mind, a Realm that interacts equally between all the various Realms and their Planes.  This universe is usually accessed by the subconscious minds of sentient entities, particularly by Material Ream natives as they sleep.  Here, the mind determines everything: this is essentially a void realm, made of an immaterial substance known as “somna” that reacts to the mental activity of sentient entities.

On the one hand, this means that any and all beings that enter this Realm are capable of manipulating the fabric of this universe simply by thinking.  Through willpower and imagination, anyone can do anything in this realm.  There is no gravity, no fundamental laws to which one is subjected.  In fact, one does not even need sustenance of any sort within the Dream Realm; here “I think, therefore I am” becomes literal.  Simply being aware of your own existence is all one needs to survive in the Dream Realm.

There is, however, great danger here, and maintaining one’s sense of self is not nearly as easy as it sounds: just as the Dream Realm reacts to the thoughts of sentients, so do the thoughts of sentients react to the Dream Realm.  The Dream Realm itself absorbs the “energy” of the mind, dissolving thoughts and memories from the minds of all who enter here.  This is why dreams are often so sporadic.  When a sentient dreams they are keying into the Dream Realm, and thus, dreams are filled with sporadic, randomized events that usually do not follow any real logic.  If a dream does seem to have a linear progression and “plot”, this is usually because a solid concept has become focused on, or “stuck” in the dream, and the preceding images tend to be bent around it.  If a mind were a block of salt, than consider the Dream Realm to be a body of water: when the salt is placed in the water, it immediately begins to dissolve into it.  Eventually, all of the salt will erode away, dissolving and scattering completely in the water.  So it is with the sentient mind and the Dream Realm.  The mind immediately begins to dissolve once a sentient enters the Dream Realm, and prolonged exposure can result in a complete, irrevocable mind wipe, and eventually permanent brain death.

When sentients in the “Waking Realms” sleep, they only tap into the Dream Realm for brief periods of time before waking up and severing the connection.  Ergo it is usually safe for sentients to dream.  However, if an entity actually fully enters the Dream Realm, they do not have the benefit of being able to simply “wake up”.  In order to maintain one’s sanity and survive in the Dream Realm, one must have the natural will power to retain their self identity and cope with the randomness of the universe.  Since the Dream Realm reacts to thoughts, even stray, random thoughts can materialize around the sentient thinking them if said sentient cannot suppress the effects.  Many an unwary sentient has fallen to their own stray thoughts distracting them as the thoughts begin to manifest around them, causing them to get caught up in the illusion and break their focus.

There are no artificial ways to shield oneself from this debilitation; almost all alternate forms of power do not work in the Dream Realm.  You simply have to have the will power to survive and the imaginative flexibility to deal with the randomness of Dream Realms make-up.  This usually requires training, particularly the art of lucid dreaming.  Many a sentient, particularly those of higher intelligence such as humans, are potentially capable of lucid dreaming, and with the proper training, could learn to properly shield themselves and bend the Dream Realm to their will should they enter the Realm fully.  However, it is extremely rare that a Waking Realm entity actually physically enters the Dream Realm; usually they only enter in sleep, a coma, or when in a trance state.  Fairies and Spirit Folk do occasionally enter the Dream Realm, but even they do not stay long.

It should be noted that beings with exceptional extra-planar awareness to have a natural resistance to the Dream Realm’s debilitating effects.  High level gods and demons with extra-planar senses, and the very rare handful of Material Realm entities possessing true “cosmic awareness”, are naturally able to resist the Dream Realm’s mind-dissolving properties, because they are capable of constant awareness of the Waking Realms beyond the Dream Realm and can use that to help focus their thoughts.

As previously mentioned, almost no Waking Realm power sets work in the Dream Realm.  Magic, technology, and cosmic powers are useless.  Those with psionic powers do have a slight edge in this universe, but this has less to do with the fact that their powers are psionic, and more to do with the fact that psionic powers by their very nature require the user to have strong will power and be able to sift through the randomized thoughts of others.  All powers and abilities of sentients comes from the mind: interaction with the Dream Realm and its inhabitants (native or otherwise) must be done via lucid dreaming techniques.  Self-identity is the primary means of survival in the Dream Realm.  Imagination is the means through which one may act and react.  Willpower is necessary to lend the strength through which ones actions may be performed.  For example, combat in the Dream Realm largely consists of using your imagination to throw your opponent off guard and using your willpower to damage your opponent.  Your opponent is beaten when your willpower proves to be too strong for them to handle, or if you possess an imagination too extensive for them to keep up with.  By weakening your opponent to the point that they cannot maintain their sense of self, you effectively kill them.

There are natives to this Realm, all of which are essentially sentient concepts.  The Dream creatures sustain themselves by absorbing the thoughts of sentients directly; many Dream creatures resemble common archetypical ideas and recurring concepts found in the minds of Waking Realm civilizations.  Such creatures might be muses or boogeymen.  Ultimately, there are three classes of Dream Realm natives: Dream Demons, who feed off sentient minds by giving them nightmares and hindering their creative potential; Dream Phantoms, who inspire and give pleasant dreams to sentients and drink in the creative feedback; and Astral Horrors, monstrous, crude gatherings of primal concepts and instincts, such as the fear of death.  Dream creatures for the most part are largely instinctive entities, especially Astral Horrors, which are as close to “forces of nature” as one will find in the Dream Realm.  However, there are plenty of Dream Demons and Dream Phantoms with advanced, higher thought processing, and some are even known to possess ambition and initiative.

Also existing in the Dream Realm, but not native to it, are the Enlightened Dreamers, sentient minds that are consistently aware of when they dream, and are skilled with lucid dreaming.  An order of these Enlightened Dreamers have formed an extensive militaristic organization, and call themselves Dream Warriors.  They exist to combat overly ambitious Dream Demons or overly controlling Dream Phantoms, as well as steer Astral Horrors well away from sentient minds.

It is almost impossible for a Dream Realm native to materialize in a waking realm, since they are composed of immaterial “somna”.  However, in the event that a connection such as a sustained portal is made between the Dream Realm and the Waking Realms, Dream Realm natives may be able to manifest themselves in the Waking Realms.  It is also technically possible for a Dream Realm native to enter the bodies of Waking Realm sentients by destroying their minds and taking over the body, although this is an extremely rare occurrence.

SPIRIT REALM   (AETHER)

Also known as the Aether Realm or the Soul Realm.  The Spirit Realm is a mostly immaterial universe formed out of a substance known as “aether”.  Aether in many ways resembles mana, however, it is usually incapable of being truly “solid”.  Since aether has no true mass, there is no real gravity in this realm.  Any entity can basically fly by simply willing themselves to sink through the aether in whichever direction they choose.  Aether sometimes gathers into denser formations, although again there is a lack of true substance, creating what appears to be “planetoids” of dense aether drifting through the seas of thin aether.  Again as with mana, it is noteable that the space-time coordinates of these “planetoids” often coincide with the space-time coordinates of Material Realm planets.  In this case, however, it is believed to simply due to the fact that aether tends to be attracted to areas that are teeming with life in other Realms.

Natives of the Spirit Realm seem to be creatures made of aether, but influenced into being by exterior sources.  Just as the Dream Realm resonates on the same wavelength as the mind, so the Spirit Realm resonates on the same wavelength as the soul.  Ergo, entities such as ghosts, youkai, kami, specters, and the like are created when an impression is formed in the aether by something from another Realm, usually the Material Realm.  If, for example, a cat were to live an exceptionally long time, then die, its soul would create a resonance along the Spirit Realm, which would cause a small amount of aether to form into a cat spirit.

This realm is also home to various undead and golems, as the aether is capable of animating inanimate matter that somehow ends up in the Spirit Realm, although the intellectual capacity of these entities varies wildly.

The Spirit Realm is not inherently dangerous to outsiders; in fact, it is possible for outsiders to survive simply by absorbing the aether, which usually just happens naturally.  Unfortunately, this will do nothing to keep their body properly sustained, so it is actually possible that someone who has spent a long enough time in the Spirit Realm may starve to death, and not even know it, because their soul has become linked to the Spirit Realm and the aether is still animating their bodies.  Naturally, upon returning to the Material Realm, they’ll fall dead as soon as soon as they run out of aether, and probably leave behind a ghost that will return to the Spirit Realm, unless they can somehow revive their bodily functions.

HELL REALM   (NEGA)

The Realm of Hell is comparable to the Realm of Heaven, but composed of “nega”, a substance that resembles matter and energy, thus making it resemble the Material Plane.  However, the nega of the Hell Realm is directly opposite to the posi of the Heaven Realm.  If posi was made of Positive Energy, than nega would be made of Negative Energy.  This does not actually result in immediate mutual destruction, but it is important to note that the inhabits and the Heaven and Hell Realms become drastically weakened in each other’s realms as a result, unless they convert themselves fully into the same substance of the other realm.  For example, if an angel wishes to become a demon, she must undergo special procedures and rituals in order to safely convert their body from posi to nega, because if she simply went straight to the Hell Realm as an posi entity, she would whither and die.  It is possible for natives of either realm to protect themselves from these debilitating effects using special equipment or “spells”, but these will eventually fail given enough time, so this is really only good for temporary use.  This is hence why the other four Realms (usually the Material Realm since it most closely resembles their own) are often used as a meeting ground for Heaven and Hell Realm entities, since it is safe for them to co-exist there.

As with the Heaven Realm, the Hell Realm is a multi-planar universe.  Unlike the Heaven Realm, it is easier to perceive and travel through the various Planes because the barriers between them are erratic and sometimes prone to breaking down and resealing without warning.  The Hell Realm is a chaotic universe, and it shows: it follows laws seemingly opposite those of the Heaven Realm.  The weather is always sporadic and unpredictable, natural disasters occur frequently, and random bouts of violence are known to occur among the inhabitants for little to no reason.  However, there is just enough order in the realm to prevent it from totally breaking down and dissolving into entropy, although some of this may be due interference from exterior forces.

Due to the multi-dimensional nature of this realm, it exists in such a way that Material Realm natives could only describe as “too intense”.  Depending on what level of the Hell Realm one enters, if they are not properly trained or shielded, a native of the Material Realm may find that even the softest noise of the Hell Realm deafens them, that the water of the Hell Realm burns like intense acid.  Food and drink from the Hell Realm is indigestible and poisonous to Material Realm natives, sometimes to the point that the “sustenance” actually digests the consumer instead of vice versa.

Despite (or because of) the harsh intensity of the realm, the natives of this realm are incredibly powerful compared to Material Realm natives.  Aside from possessing a greater range of senses, they are also much longer lived, often to the point of immortality, and their bodies possess incredible levels of physical capability.  Many are also able to manipulate the fabric of their universe, to varying degrees, which they can tap into from across the various realms.  When so doing, they are summoning “energy” or “magic” from the Hell Realm itself, which is why what would be a comparatively low-level “spell” in the Hell Realm has such devastating effects in the Material Realm, since the Material Realm is not accustomed to the multi-planar power of the Hell Realm.

Many of the entities from this Realm have been worshipped as gods or feared as monsters by the inhabitants of the lower Realms, particularly the Material Realm.  Beings such as devils, demons, jotun, pretas, and the like are all entities that originated from this realm.