A Look Back: Into the Stars

Humans have always been fascinated by the night sky and what lies beyond the clouds. They have likewise been amazed by the sorcery of technology, which grew in power while magic itself remained more or less static. It should be little surprise then, that after several industrial and technological revolutions, they found themselves bound for the stars. Astronomy turned from fascinating abstract into a profound reality: no longer were the stars remote concepts or little points of light in the sky. They were destinations.

Once out in space, we began colonizing the most immediately livable worlds: Corvus, Lahrahnna, Terzi, and a handful of others. These colonies would come to be the hearts of mighty nations, or would perish on a world with a harsh reality beneath an inviting facade.

As fate would have it, we were followed into space. The children of the Elves, the Dwarves, the Halflings, the Orcs, the Natureborn… even the Kobolds eventually reached the stars. They are now the majority of the races known to Humanity today.

A Look Back: Cemu Most Ancient History

Remnants of this period in history are scattered and few. But here is what we know, or at least think we know.

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a race of intelligent beings developed sentience on a world in the Valkiri galaxy, which they had their own name for, though this name is not known. The name for these creatures is unknown. These beings very much resembled the Humans of Cemu in virtually all ways; in form, in mentality. Eventually these beings reached the stars, and began to colonize other worlds.

For whatever reason, eventually they saw fit to expand to other galaxies. One such ship, the Helios, was launched and crash-landed on Veldona in orbit around Atmosel, and thus introduced this race to the Cemu Galaxy. The people named the sun after their ship, but named it Helius, and the causes of the variation of the names  is unknown, likely either a simple mistake or possibly to avoid confusion. Also unknown is why only one ship was ever sent to the Cemu Galaxy.

The people colonised Veldona, and flourished for a short time. Eventually, some sort of war occurred, and the people were scattered throughout the different worlds. This war also led to a severe technological decline after a planet-to-planet thermonuclear exchange. The exchange was relatively small, but enough to severely wipe out infrastructure and numerous other things necessary to maintain technological advencement, so the survivors were forced to revert to more primitive technology. Over many generations, the magic of the Universe changed them, ever so slightly, until they were quite different from each other, and this is how the races of the Worlds of Atmosel came to be.

Understanding Cemu: Cheat-sheet

Just for quick reference… this is how the terms introduced in the Understanding Cemu segment are defined in the Lahrahn Reference Dictionary, Abridged, adjusted for context. Many of these words have other definitions as well, this post will cover only the terms relevant to Understanding Cemu.

• Apparent Gravity: (n) The attractive force between two objects equal to the mass of the objects divided by the distance squared, which is caused by the curvature of spacetime.
• Cast: (v) To pull magic out of Chaos and channel it through one’s soul and into the Universe.
• Chaos: (n) The dimension adjacent to the Cemu Universe which is filled with Magic.
• Counter-Entropy: (n) An effect which counters the entropic effect through the insertion of additional mass and energy into the Universe.
• Deep Subspace: (n) A hypothetical region of subspace that has more matter than empty space.
• Fifth Dimension: (n) A hypothetical dimensional axis which bridges alternate timelines together, and is perpendicular to time’s arrow.
• Fourth Dimension: (n) The forward progression of time, which, ignoring relativistic effects, is slow and constant.
• Gravitational Footprint: (n) A distortion in spacetime pulling one object toward another.
• Homespace: See Normal Space.
• Hydrogen Seeding: (n) The creation of additional atoms (primarily hydrogen, the simplest element) via magic diffusion.
• Law-Magic Reaction: (n) The reaction caused when magic is summoned into the Universe, which negates the summoned magic and weakens the Lawful nature of the Universe to the point where a weaker force, Willpower, can cause unnatural affects on the Universe.
• Linear Progression of Time: See Fourth Dimension.
• Magic: (n) A force native to the plane of Chaos which actively defies all natural laws.
• Magic Radiation: (n) Raw Magic emanating from a Rift.
• Nonlinear Progression of Time: See Fifth Dimension.
• Normal Space: (n) The gravitic plane which all known sentient life is native to.
• Overdraw: (v) To cast more magic than one can control, exposing body, mind, and soul to raw magic.
• Photospace: (n) The theoretical highest gravitic plane, capable of only holding mass-less energy.
• Quantum Space: (n) A region of the sixth-dimensional axis in which gravitic planes are too weak to hold the smallest atoms, and only capable of holding subatomic matter.
• Raw Magic: (n) Magic energy that is not restrained by willpower.
• Rift: (n) A rip in the barrier between Cemu and Chaos where magic radiation spills through into the Universe.
• Seven-Dimensional Theory: (n) The theory which states that the Multiverse is constructed of seven dimensional axes, three of position, two of time, one of gravity, and one of reality.
• Seventh Dimension: (n) The dimensional axis along which the physical laws of a universe change.
• Sixth Dimension: (n) The dimensional axis of gravity, which is organized into an infinite number of sheets distorted by the tendency of objects to fall down along this axis.
• Soul (technical): (n) The device that controls the mind, which in turn controls the body, and is influenced by both the mind and body.
• Subspace: (n) All regions of space below normal space on the gravitic axis that are still dominated by mostly empty space.
• True Gravity: (n) The force which pulls all objects down along the gravitic axis.
• Truespace: (n) See normal space.

If anyone is confused about a Cemu term not listed here, please let me know, and I will define it.

Understanding Cemu: Magic and the Seventh Dimension

The seventh dimension is the weirdest of all. If you were to somehow travel along this dimension, all the laws of physics (as you know them) would break down, change dramatically, or some combination thereof. The universe may change slightly or dramatically, with no apparent order to the universes.

The Cemu Universe is probably displaced from the one we are familiar with along this dimension. It is directly adjacent to, and arguably coexistant with, a plane along this axis referred to by Cemu’s inhabitants as “Chaos”. Its swirling energy actively opposes and defies all physical laws, including the ones which restrict travel along the seventh axis.

It is for this reason that Magic, as the energy of Chaos is called, spills forth into the Universe. It does this in one of three ways.

The first, and most common, is simple diffusion, like water passing through a membrane: slowly and over a wide area. This is a large cause for both hydrogen seeding, and counterentropy. Hydrogen seeding is exactly what it sounds like: the law-defying energy and the laws of the universe react and create subatomic particles, which accumulate, more often than not, into hydrogen atoms. Counterentropy is a related concept, where new energy is released into the universe.

Rifts are a more extreme example of the effect. Rather than simply pass through, or push against the barrier between dimensions, the Magic stretches the barrier between spacetimes until it rips, releasing a torrent of the law-defying energies, which, in this form, are considered highly dangerous due to the unpredictable affects on the living body. It is recommended to stay far away from Rifts to avoid the damage short-term exposure can cause. Magic released from a Rift is termed “Magic radiation”.

The third, final, and most counter-intuitive method for Magic’s intrusion into the Cemu Universe, is if magic is channeled through a living soul into the Universe. It is in this way that the soul can directly affect the Universe. The soul is, in this context, defined by the Lahrahn Reference Dictionary, Abridged as “the device that controls the mind, which in turn controls the body, and is influenced by both the mind and body.” It is undetermined if the conscience is part of the soul, or is a seperate part of a being. When magic is channelled into the Universe, or “cast”, the chaotic energy is first cast through the soul, passes through the body, and is released into the Universe. During this process, willpower is restraining it from damaging the soul, mind, or body.

When Magic, that being Chaos energy which actively defies all physical Law, comes into contact with the Law-based Cemu sixth-dimensional matter, energy, and spacetime, a reaction occurs. Matter is created, destroyed, or changed, or energy is created, destroyed, or changed; even spacetime can be altered by magic effects. If not being determined by willpower, these effects are entirely unpredictable, however, in a Law-Magic reaction, the outcome can be altered by the casting person’s willpower.

As strange as it seems, magic potential is tied to the genetic code. Genes determine:

• The resistance of the body to the negative effects of magic,
• The resistance of the mind to the negative effects of magic,
• The resistance of the soul to the negative effects of magic,
• The mind’s willpower to restrain and control the magic, and finally,
• The soul’s ability to channel magic

It is not known what genes determine these. Most of the galactic population (~90%) have no or virtually no ability to cast magic.

Obviously, a person can cast no more magic than they are able to pull out of Chaos. If a person who can cast magic (commonly referred to as a mage, or magic user) casts more than their willpower can control, the spell may have unintended effects, and also their body, mind, and soul are exposed to raw magic. Raw magic and magic radiation, are for all intents and purposes identical, and equally hazardous. To draw more magic than the mind can restrain is to ‘overdraw’. Effects of an overdraw can vary dramatically from person to person based on the ability of their body, mind, and soul to resist the negative effects of magic, and based on what effects actually occur.

Understanding Cemu: Gravity and the Sixth Dimension

There are two kinds of gravity effects in Cemu: apparent gravity and true gravity. Apparent gravity is what causes planets to remain in freefall around their stars, what holds people to the surface of their worlds, and generally does all the things that modern-day humanity associates with gravity. True gravity is something else entirely, that in turn, causes apparent gravity.

To understand their interactions, I shall now guide you through a visual metaphor. Imagine spacetime as not five, but as a two dimensional flexible sheet, positioned horizontally, with the sixth dimension being perpendicular to the sheet, and therefore vertical.

Now, let us place an object, let’s say a sun, on the sheet. In Cemu, one tendency of every object is to want to travel ‘down’ along the sixth dimention. This causes a deformation, a ‘dent’ in spacetime. If we were to place a second, smaller object (such as a planet) on the sheet, it would accelerate towards the sun until it collides or Kepler’s laws kick in and send the object in an elliptical orbit. Now, let’s place a much larger object on the sheet elsewhere. Say, something the size of a billion suns. The gravitational distortion would be severe, and in this case, so severe that the atoms would first be compressed by gravity into a single molecule (white dwarf), then atom (neutron star), and then do something which defies logic: vanish, leaving behind only an extreme gravitational footprint, which not even light is fast enough to escape (black hole).

You may be wondering now, where did it go? Did it fall out of the spacetime continuum? The answer is no. I now need to you stretch your imagination. Imagine, if you can, a thousand similar sheets above the first, the known universe, truespace, and a thousand sheets below it. Each sheet is stronger and stiffer than the one above it, and is less affected by gravitational force. The black hole isn’t in our spacetime anymore. It has fallen through to the next sheet down, or perhaps the one beneath that, leaving behind a funnel that would lead to it. I will now introduce to you some terms used by Cemu astrophysicians, describing the sheets, from top to bottom.

• Photospace: The very topmost layer, whose fabric is too weak to even hold subatomic particles, and could only contain photons and other mass-independant energy. Theoretical.
• Quantum space: The layers below photospace, which are stiff enough only to hold subatomic particles, but not atoms. Theoretical.
• Hyperspace: All layers above normal space that are still stiff enough to hold normal atomic matter.
• Normal space, truespace, or homespace: Our specific layer, where humanity and all known races reside.
• Subspace: All layers below normal space that are mostly empty space.
• Deep subspace: All layers which hold more matter than empty space. Also called Darkspace, as apparent gravity is not strong enough to generate solar fusion. Theoretical.

In every sheet above Truespace, the speed of light is faster, and thus the maximum speed an object can travel is also faster. In every sheet below Truespace, the speed of light is slower. This is why Hyperspace is used for travel beyond 300,000 km/s. More to come on Hyperspace later.

Understanding Cemu: Working in Seven Dimensions

The Cemu Multiverse works on a seven dimensional theory. The first three dimensions everyone is familiar with: length, width, and depth. X, Y, and Z. It is in these dimensions that physical movement that we see occurs, and need not be explained in detail.

The fourth and fifth dimensions are those of time. They are perpendicular to each other. The fourth dimension is defined as the linear progression of time. While it is theoretically possible to travel along this dimension, it has never been accomplished as far as human knowledge goes. The fifth dimension is defined as the nonlinear progression of time, and is both difficult to explain and only entirely theoretical in existance. Essentially, travel along the fifth dimension would be accomplished by first travelling backwards along the fourth dimension, and then changing something, causing a change in the chain of events to occur. Travel back forward would then be along an alternate, or displaced, timeline.

The sixth dimension is even more difficult to understand. It is the plane of gravity, and more information will come in a later post. It is also the dimension which permits physical travel at beyond 300,000 km/s.

The seventh dimension is more closely related conceptually to the fifth dimension than the sixth. The fifth dimension encompasses all outcomes of the universe that lie within physical possibility. The seventh dimension encompasses all outcomes that lie outside it, by changing the laws of the universe itself. All universes, imaginable and unimaginable, lie at some point within this untraversable dimension.

Understanding Cemu: Magic and Technology

One of the most important and fundamental things about the Cemu Universe is the coexistance of magic and technology. While the two can both be used to do very similar things (like, say, create fireballs), it does not mean the two can be thought of interchangeably.

Cemu technology is advanced. There are starships that can travel far beyond three hundred million meters per second, that can wage war in the space between stars, and can colonize alien worlds. There are droids (or rather, advanced robots) and walking tanks. Fusion power is a common method of powering cities and moving starships. But even advanced technology has its limits. The universe has laws, and technology follows these laws.

But in Cemu, there is more than just Law.

There is another force from a nearby dimension, Chaos, which can spill over into the Cemu Universe. This force is magic, and it actively defies all natural laws. Used carefully, it can be used to produce wondrous effects– a flash of light, a ball of fire, or something more exotic. Magic can oppose entropy, create mass from nothing, and do things that simply cannot be done.

The two, although sometimes interchangeable, are not always.

More information is to follow, on both subjects.

Celebrating the Zeroth Anniversary of the Cemu Universe Databank.

Welcome to the Cemu Universe Databank, opening February 14, 2009.

The purpose of this blog is to allow its creator, myself, DarthCloakedGuy, an outlet through which I can explain my universe. While I would prefer to be able to explain it via a narrative, I am generally unable to handle little things like, say, plot. And dialogue. If any of my readers are more skilled than I am at those things and would like to help me, they would have my undying gratitude.

The Cemu Universe itself is a sci-fi fantasy setting where advanced technology and powerful magic coexist. Humanity as it is now has spread to so many worlds it has forgotten its homeland, Earth. It is unknown if Earth even exists anymore. Cemu is set almost ten thousand years after the Worlds of Atmosel setting, and over that time, the law-defying magical forces over the millenia have altered many things. The Sahrea have evolved from what were once called the Halflings and Gnomes of Atmosel, and the other races from the old world have been reshaped as well.

All but Humans, who have only changed in their tools. No one knows why they alone have withstood the altering nature of the magic of Chaos, just that they have.

This is Cemu. These are the worlds I welcome you to visit with me. Come, explore my universe!