Inbetween

Technically part of the Mortal Realm, the Inbetween is a massive cavernous underground that acts as a buffer between the overworld and the two underground planes of existence. It’s directly connected to Mirror Domain. People don’t need any extra magic or otherworldly knowledge in order to travel to this place, unlike places like the Void or the Afterlife. That being said, it’s generally considered to be a “separate place” due to how vastly different life is between the overworld and the inbetween.

   Not every cave or cavern is connected to the Inbetween. In order for one to be considered part of it, it not only has to be directly connected to the massive network of caverns and tunnels, but it has to dip down below a certain elevation. The Inbetween is extremely deep beneath the surface, to the point where no sensible mine would even come close to breaking the barrier.

   The environment in the Inbetween is far more calm than the overworld. Weather and temperature are heavily influenced by depth, with the mid section of the Inbetween being relatively cold, and the bottom being extremely hot. Plants like mushrooms, moss, and some grasses can be found growing here, providing oxygen to the sparse underground population. That being said, the majority of things that dwell here aren’t mortals. How habitable it is doesn’t apply in the same way.

   Magic in the Inbetween is very similar to the overworld, but there are a few notable differences. One of them is that there’s far more areas here with distinct red or blue ambiance, seeing as it’s far less open. The ambiance in the air doesn’t get pushed or mixed by the wind, meaning it doesn’t mix nearly as much. The other main difference is the amount of Purple Magic here. Unlike the overworld, the Inbetween has a fair amount of places with purple ambiance.  Most Inbetween settlements are stationed in areas with heavy blue or purple pulls.

   Because it doesn’t have access to the open air, any remnant created in the Inbetween will linger. Many areas with dense populations will have glittery fog lingering in the air. It’s commonly white in colour, although places with extremely distinct ambient magic will lean more towards those specific colours. The abundance of remnant here has allowed several interesting reactions to occur. Remnant builds up in the rocks and stones here, causing magic crystals to begin growing over time. These crystals are coveted by magic users, allowing several mines to spring up and capitalize on them.

   Another interesting and uncommon reaction caused by the abundance of Remnant is the natural creation of an unstable form of magic known as Coagulant. Some theorize that the existence of coagulant here is partially why the creatures of the inbetween are so bizarre and unnatural looking. The unpredictable effects it gives of has warped the physical appearances of those who happened to stumble upon it. These are just theories, however.

   There’s several types of creatures that live in the underground. The most common resident of the Inbetween are creatures known as “Apparitions”, a variant of demon that’s invisible to the naked eye. It’s speculated that they congregate here due to the Inbetween’s connection to the Void. They can’t access their afterlife, so they’re forever trapped wandering the underground lost and confused. Demons also populate the Inbetween, sticking close to the lower layers or areas of heavy red magic. It’s not uncommon to find Wraiths here as well. Essentially, any creature that doesn’t want to deal with the dangers of Mortal society can be found here in some capacity.

   That being said, there are a fair amount of mortals down here as well. Most of their settlements reside towards the upper parts of the caves, where the Inbetween opens up to the overworld. Some of the more well known mortal settlements are the underground portion of Stonepoint in Tuf, and the underground city of Blackstone in Malcet, though those are far from the only ones.

   The bizarre magic and unforgiving environment of the Inbetween makes information on it scarce. The vast majority of mortals aren’t even aware of its existence. It was first discovered by a Magic researcher known as Norman Estelar back in 738ADI in the country of Adastin. People speculate it was discovered far earlier, with some accounts going back before the Great Infestation, but Norman was the one to coin the term “The Inbetween”.

Norman was the one who named and classified the beings that exist within the Inbetween, focusing much of his research on Apparitions. As such, he’s credited for the discovery of the plane despite the records that claim otherwise. Unfortunately, due to the mania that overtook both he and his son’s mind after prolonged exposure to the Inbetween, the people of modern day Mirror Domain have stopped the majority of their research on it. They see no real reason to risk their lives delving deeper into the depths.