As Seen from the Outside
I find the best way to describe the existence of the world is using the concept of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. It is said to have “Nine Realms”, though my usage of the word “realm” differs. Instead, I think of them as nine domains, referring both to a physical location and an area of focus that the Gods within have dominion over. From Top to bottom, or north to south if you prefer, they are the domains of: Creation, Love, Oikos, Law, Knowledge, Nature, Xenarch, War, and Death. You might think of each branch or root as representing a pantheon, and each branch or split as an individual God’s realm, which can of course stretch over into a different domain. For example, most pantheons will have a God of Love and a God of Death, even if they begin from a different domain. The more splits in one of these branches, the more niche and specific a God’s duties become.
What is a God?
In the most basic interpretation, a God is an anthropomorphic manifestation of some fundamental aspect of reality. This is a good start, but of course is written from a human perspective. After all, Gods take on many appearances. Sometimes they have animals for heads, sometimes they can appear as simply a symbol, and sometimes they appear as a physical phenomenon, such as a raging thunderstorm. Gods play many important rolls in ensuring the continuing functionality of the world as a whole. The relationship is symbiotic, where Gods operate and protect the world, while their Followers make offerings and worship these guiding forces. As they are not constrained by mortal flesh, Gods can merge, separate, fade away, or even die and resurrect depending on how their followers perceive them.
The Five Rivers
In addition to the World Tree, there are five rivers that flow across its branches. These are the Acheron, Lethe, Styx, Cocytus, and Phlegethon. These rivers carry, and are in fact made of, souls being transported across the various realms. From a traveling spirit’s perspective, the Acheron comes first. This river carries the souls from their native realms to one belonging to a God of death, generally considered to be the “afterlife”. It is in these realms that a soul is judged by its deeds in life and a determination is made on where it will go next. Due to the time needed to process the myriad of souls that come through, and the existence of resurrection, this is given a period of roughly thirty days. If a soul is not deserving of punishment, it is then given to the cleansing river of the Lethe. It is here that memories are erased from the soul and it is ready to be transported to another realm to be born again in. The river that carries these cleansed souls is the Cocytus. However, in the case that a soul is determined to be tainted from its actions in life, it is then given to the Styx, where it is transported to a realm of torment and punishment. Therein lies Phlegethon, a river of either fire or burning blood, that is used to implement suffering.
The Realms of the Gods
Although there are far too many realms to be comprehensively listed, there are a few that I take particular interest in due to the events therein. These realms either host the events I have chosen to archive or are frequently mentioned and play an otherwise significant role within these tales. Each God has their own realm, both reflective of their personality and tailored to their unique preference. Many of these realms are similar in layout and rules, acting as if they come almost from a template. This is where you will see similarities to your own world and history. However, even though they may share an appearance and even similar historical events, there are always key differences, whether it is the existence or lack thereof of certain creatures and races, the presence of magic, or in some instances a completely different geographical layout.
Kryphos
Kryphos is the realm of Phobos and Deimos, Fear and Dread respectively. From your perspective, it would have a heavy similarity to Europe, though with some anachronistic influences of American culture, as well as the existence of magic and supernatural creatures. Although a vast majority of the world appears somewhat normal, there is a nexus of unusual events focused around the city of Cerneria. Called the City of Secrets, it has an abundance of spirits, monsters, witches, and generally unusual events. The archive covers stories across the history of the city, spanning from the Late Antiquity period up to the Communication Era. Across these entries, there is one consistent element that deserves mention, and that is the de facto ruler of the city, one Connor Zareaux. A powerful magic wielder, he discovered a method of immortality which allowed him to control the city through one position of power or another. He is very well aware of the supernatural aspects of the city and tries to provide fair treatment for both the mundane and supernatural, as often as those groups have opposed interests.
The Infinite Castle
The Infinite Castle is the realm of a lesser known deity by the name of Goam. Goam, an acronym for the God of All Monsters, is also a God of Redemption, Resurrection, and Revenge. The Infinite Castle, while the name of the realm as a whole, also acts as the name of Goam’s residence, where he takes in monsters and domesticates them. This realm is immensely large, spanning across incredible oceans and wide continents. Goam and several important individuals from his realm have had an immense influence on the continued existence of The World of Shadows. The technological era of the realm varies from region to region, though very rarely progresses into the industrial stage. It is the realm where the events of the Chronicles of Dorastir take place.
Oceania
Oceania is the realm of Poseidon, the Earthshaker, God of Oceans. The realm itself is divided into two distinct territories. On the surface, the world is in the Age of Sail, where exploration upon the waves is abundant and colonial expansion is widespread. However, Poseidon’s palace below the waves is significantly more advanced, with technology matching the Age of Finance. The palace acts as a residence for both land and sea dwelling creatures, and features computerized technology as well as magical influences. Poseidon interprets the faith and devotion of his followers as something that can be measured objectively, and as such has styled himself as a businessman in both mentality and in how he handles the “transactions” of faith and rewards. Most tales from this realm I archive focus on Poseidon’s champion, a man simply known as The Hunter.
Duat
Duat is the realm of the Pharaonic pantheon. It is dominated mostly by jungles and sand dune deserts, and exists in a perpetual Bronze Age. The residents of this realm are rarely human, often instead being creatures with humanoid bodies and animalistic heads. Although no tales in the archive take place fundamentally within Duat, it is frequently mentioned and in some instances is visited by important individuals from the archived stories.
