Extradimensional Realms

Over the years of magical studies, the existence of **extradimensional realms** and plains of existence has been proven many times. The exact amount of parallel realms to the real world is unknown, especially since many of the wizards who deal in extradimensional plains are secretive by nature or are destroyed before they can make their findings public, but so far, at least five realms have been identified, with another eight or so being suspected of existing. Some dimensions are empty and devoid of life as we understand it, being areas where logic is completely lost to our ability to comprehend, and our interactions with them are very specific in their nature. Others are areas where a facsimile of life exists, but in a much different way. These dimensions generally shine for being great sources of magic, as their energies can be harvested under the correct conditions to fuel wizardry. Our ability to fully study these realms is very limited, due to the sheer difficulty of both finding these dimensions and actually thinning the veil of reality between theirs and ours enough to get in contact with them. Our limits of this interaction also depend on the level of understanding and knowledge of the practitioners involved, which often requires a great deal of study and meditation from those involved.

Rules of physics and logic do not apply in the same way than in the real world. Thus, whatever moves between the dimensions is at risk of suffering a complete collapse of their own being, as the laws that keep them together suddenly disappear. While some dimensions are somewhat similar, with matter and energy following similar enough rules to that of the real world, other are so unfathomably different from our own that we cannot access them without certain death. Some can only be access in ethereal ways, while others one can only invoke something and never really cross to the other side.

## Identified Extradimensional Realms

After many centuries of magical studies, we have identified many different dimensions. In particular, we are particularly knowledgeable of five of these:

### The plain of arcane energies.

The plain of arcane energies is the dimension closest to our own, directly overlapping with our reality. It is a realm of pure magical energy, moving around in tides that follow complex patterns, affected by both the conditions of its dimension and some conditions from ours. It is well known as the main source of magical energies in the world, and as such, wizards have studied it extensively. However, it is much easier to move energy from the arcane plain to our dimension than the other way around. As such, we have very little actual information about this dimension, as matter cannot be sent to it and sending one’s conscience to it through meditation offers little information.

### The realm of thoughts and ideas.

The realm of thoughts and ideas is also another plain well known by the magical community, as it is even more essential to the arts than the plain of arcane energies. The realm of thoughts and ideas is a purely metaphysical space, where matter and energy do not exist. Instead, it is a realm of pure, unadulterated thought, as all the concepts that seemingly exist, have existed, will exist or could exist simply are. This space is where the wizards seek the pure ideal to be able to cast whatever spell they want. To do so, they cast their conscience into the realm, as only thought can exist in there. Once there, the mind seeks the desired effect and bring it to the real world, where the wizard will attempt to make it real by applying magical energy to it. However, the study of the actual realm is nearly impossible, seeing as the mind can only recall the desired ideal, and nothing else. Very few can recall anything, and those who do are limited to flashes and bursts of indescribable sounds and lights, nothing the mind can presumably comprehend.

### The Succubus dimension.

The Succubus dimension is a realm well known in Giantstep, as it is the plain where the demonic succubae come from. Unlike other realms, the succubus dimension is one composed of matter and energy, with many of its rules of physics being very similar to our own, though with an immense degree of magic around. As such, one could cross the veil to it if they so wished. Many stories come from those travelling from or to the land of excess, speaking of the creatures and horrors that can be found in them. Hellish landscapes, impossible land formations and unknown forms of life are present everywhere in the Succubus dimension. These areas are the realms of the succubae and many other demonic entities, which live in a society of true debauchery and torment. The succubae themselves are highly magical creatures, though most of them are just lesser demons, with little powers of their own. The wichelven praise the succubae, summoning them and offering them great sacrifices in exchange for power. The dark nature of the witchelven rituals have caused permanent rifts in reality, called the Succubus Breaches, where one may cross to the succubus dimension without any need of magical knowledge of any kind. The expansion of these breaches is considered one of the great risks to the world, with many suggesting the entire Witchelven Empire may fall into it if it does not stop its debauchery.

### The realm of elementals

The dimension from which the elementals come from is as poorly understood as the elementals themselves. We know that, while it is a dimension where matter and energy exist, they do so in radically different ways than in our own. The constant need for elementals to cross into our dimension also makes many to suggest their magical output is lower than in ours. While wizards have been able to summon elementals from their dimension, it is in a form akin to fishing, where the wizards sends bait in the form of magical energy into their dimension, and waits for an elemental to come. However, elementals cannot be subdued or controlled, and thus, once they are in our realm, they have to be destroyed as soon as possible. The fact elementals do not die, but return to their own dimension also opens many questions about their true nature and that of their realm.

### The realm of the gods

The dimension where the gods live is a mystery that seemingly evades any kind of wizardry study. The divine realms are simply beyond what one could comprehend with mortal means, and as such, studying their plane seems not only foolish, but heresy. Only those blessed by the divinities may have a chance to see a glimpse of it, and even then, they will be incapable of describing it or to transmit what they have witnessed to others.

## Demons

Demons is a general term that includes a series of extradimensional beings originated outside of the world of Giantstep. Many of the different plains that connect with our reality are inhabited by entities whose physiology are radically different from our own, and due to natural causes or through the summoning from wizards, they can arrive to Giantstep. Demons seem to feed from the energies in this world, just as wizards fuel their conjuring with energies from other dimensions. Demons have little in common with each other: some demons are made of solid matter, while others are but energy beings made of magic. Some demons are but beasts following their instincts, some are incredibly intelligent, planning complex schemes to get what they want. Some take humanoid shape, while others shift into incomprehensible forms. The only things that all demons share is their extradimensional origins and their need for magical energy, as well as a natural tendency for destruction. Unlike elementals, which tend to cause destruction as a passive part of their being, and then actively fight as they defend themselves, demons actively seek to harm those around. It has been speculated that they obtain power from our world, and that things as heightened emotions and suffering are particularly fulfilling to them. However, many wizards have been able to contain and subdue some demons, either through magical chains, keeping the being enslaved to the will of the wizard, or through compact. Both of these options are highly risky, as the demon will always try to one up the wizard, abusing the terms established or getting free of their binding.

### Demonic Contamination

The use of extradimensional magical energies has proven to have dangerous side effects. Unlike other types of magic, the radically different nature of the energies used can affect the sorcerer, especially if in contact with these forces for extended periods of time. This phenomenon is known as “demonic contamination”. Its manifestations in the sorcerer are very subtle, ranging from skin issues, trouble to sleep, increased sensitivity to light… However, its effects are increasingly noticeable during the second generation. The children of the sorcerer will show a considerable amount of mutations, often making the individual resemble the demons that the original sorcerer courted with. This will range from horns, tail, claws, extra organs or limbs… all of course not coming from either of the parents. The longer a sorcerer has dealt with demonic entities, the stronger the features will be. And the effect will increase exponentially if both progenitors have consorted with demons, to the point the child becomes unable to survive, as the amount of mutations and deformities end with the life of the newborn. These mutations are somewhat carried over time, though they end up disappearing if there is no further mixture with more tainted blood.

The reasons why the effects of the demonic compact start appearing after the second generation are not known. The studying of this phenomenon is exceedingly rare, as individuals affected by demonic contamination are seen with hatred and fear by most communities. Most people see them as harbingers of doom, with their ties to the demonic being a threat to the community. In reality, the people affected by this are not particularly more adept at magic than the rest of the world. They have the same chances of being skill at magic as anyone else, and when they do, they do not show any particular affinity to extradimensional magic. Despite this, the life expectancy of demonically corrupted individuals is short, often dying during childhood, as they are pursued and chased down from society. Ironically, this kind of rejection often forces them to join dark cults or other evil societies, furthering the fear of the communities against them.

### Demonspawn

The powers of the demonic entities on the other side of the veil are still unknown in many ways. While some of the lesser entities have been studied extensively over the years, some of the more powerful beings we know as demons have shown a potential for the arcane that surpasses our current understanding of it. And nothing exemplifies that better than the phenomenon of “demonspawn”. The term “demonspawn” refers to the event in which a powerful demon can transform a mortal being into a demonic entity, a middle point between mortal and demon, twisting their soul into something that should not be. This transformation goes beyond the physical, as the soul itself becomes something unnatural and unlike their previous being. This phenomenon can only be achieved by some of the most powerful demonic entities known, since the enormous level of power and knowledge to do so would erase a minor demon through burnout.

There are two different types of demonspawn, lower demonspawn and higher demonspawn. Lower demonspawn is often a transformation as a curse or punishment, corrupting the individual into a mindless monster. The resulting creature is an unholy abomination, each one being different from the rest, and maintaining an existence of suffering and pain. This type of demonspawn require much less energy, but it still can only be done by the most powerful of demons. This transformation can be applied to the unwilling, but there have been cases where a powerful wizard or someone with enough willpower or divine protection has been able to protect themselves from it.

Higher demonspawns are a completely different thing. Not only the transformation needs an unquantifiable bigger amount of energy, but the host itself needs to be both extremely powerful (with a mind and soul resistant enough to survive the transformation uncracked) and completely willing to accept the change. The resulting being is more akin to a pure demon than a monster, but able to exist in the physical realm with little need of access to the energies of the demonic dimensions, though due to their new demonic nature, they still need to stay certain periods of time at those realms to recover their strength. Indeed, being in the physical realm saps their energy little by little, though they are still tremendously powerful. They are also completely in control of their faculties and new powers. Higher demonspawn are rare beyond belief, and over the millennia, we have only a handful of registered cases, with the best known case of it being Saint Calixta Meloda, Succubus Ruler of Yelnorin and Arch-Traitor of Azan, who accepted the unholy gifts of Gogotha to become a succubus demonspawn.

Unlike what many would assume at first, summoners and most wizards with experience try to avoid the condition of demonspawn. Summoners know well that demons are twisted beings, who will trick and abuse the weak willed into being mere food. Thus, they are trained to keep themselves from falling into the temptation of the beings they summon, so as to always be in control and not being chained under their spell. Some of the more deranged summoners, as well as worshipers of demonic creatures, do seek the condition of demonspawn, though the fate of these is near universally grim.

## Ghosts

A **ghost** is a specter of a dead being, whose soul somewhat still lingers in the mortal realm, and manifests in a way that can alter the physical world in minimal ways. The presence of ghosts in the world of Giantstep causes a great deal of discussion, both in the mystical and the theological arenas, as it represents the physical proof of the existence to the soul and an afterlife, as well as the survival of one’s conscience after death. The ghosts in the world vary wildly, in both form and influence over the material realm, as well as in their mental faculties. Some ghosts are fully conscious beings, while others are imprints of the individual during a particular state before death, and others are just specters roaming around, ignoring everything around them, without any show of conscience or thought. Likewise, some ghosts can manipulate the world around them greatly, while others are barely a flicker of light, unable to interact with anything. The study of the phantasmagoric has shown very little of their true nature, despite the fact that, as they are at least partially tied to the physical realm, they can be interacted with, at least in a minimal capacity.