The Otherworld

"*We are not alone, we never were. Our world is in constant connection with The Other Side, like a bridge between two worlds. The spirits watch over us looking for answers about the lives, evolution and knowledge that humanity tries to gather every single day*".- Anastasia Wynter

**The Otherworld**, also known as **The Other Side** and also "***Orbis alius***" in Latin, is a supernatural dimension inhabited by mystery and the spiritual manifestations of both good or evil. It is a pivotal location in The Hawk and The Crow that first appeared in Don't Let the Darkness Consume You.

Although this realm is independent from the natural world, both the Otherworld and Earth are in constant interaction. There are many methods that allow these worlds to consciously communicate with each other, such as mediumship, via spellcraft, or even exploring "bridges" that connect with the dimension.

## History

The Otherworld is a mystical and mysterious realm that exists parallel to the Earth. It is said to be inhabited by supernatural beings such as Spirits. In many mythologies and folklore, the Otherworld is often depicted as a place of great beauty and wonder, but also danger and darkness. It is a place where the laws of nature do not always apply and where time and space are fluid. Comparable religious, mythological or metaphysical concepts, such as a realm of supernatural beings and a realm of the dead, are found in cultures throughout the world. Spirits are thought to travel between worlds, or layers of existence in such traditions, usually along an axis such as a giant tree, a river, or mountains. The Otherworld is often guarded by powerful beings who tested mortals before granting them access, and those who entered the dimension were warned not to eat or drink anything while there, lest they become trapped forever. Each religion has their own version of the Otherworld, alongside stories of human beings venturing in the dimension:

* In Christianity, it is often referred to as Heaven or Hell.
* In Hinduism, it is believed that the soul can reincarnate into different realms based on karma.
* In Norse mythology, the Otherworld is known as Asgard, the realm of the gods.
* In Greco-Roman mythology, the Olympic Gods were said to dwell on Mount Olympus, whereas the dead usually went to the Underworld or Fortunate Isles after death.
* In Japanese Shintoism, the Otherworld is a complex network of spirits and deities known as Kami, who are manifestations of *musubi*, the interconnecting energy of the universe.
* In Celtic mythology, the Otherworld is the realm of the deities and possibly also the dead. It is described either as a parallel world that exists alongside Earth, or as a heavenly land beyond the sea or under the earth.
* In Native American mythology, the Otherworld is the haven of The Great Spirits, who are manifested as totem animals, and have the power to make changes in the world and the life of a human being.

## Description

The Otherworld is located on a different plane of existence to Earth. It contains the same locations and infrastructure as the human world, but it has a much colder and ominous atmosphere by an omnipresent thick fog surrounding all the areas that is composed, while light blue ash-like particles drift through the air. The ecosystem continually radiates a powerful, yet incomprehensible energy known as Paranérgeia, which could explain why the climate of the Otherworld has very low temperatures. It is also highly dangerous to use technological instruments within the dimension, as extreme power surges caused by the energy can destroy these instruments with swift ease.

There is little proven knowledge concerning the Otherworld, as its large backstory and everything that it has to offer remains shrouded in mystery. In spite of this, the dimension possesses a few observable properties and characteristics. Such as, light, gravity, and sound appear to function in some sort of way similar as in the regular world. According to Anastasia Wynter, the residents of the Otherworld manifest themselves in different ways, but they cannot interact with the human world unless a connection with a human is established through mediumship, rituals, or by "bridges" and other locations that connect with the dimension. The Otherworld is mainly ruled by Aether, who is connected to the other primordial entities like God, The Darkness and Death. This is the reason why the Otherworld can act as one of the places of the afterlife for souls, like Heaven, Purgatory or Hell.

Due to the extremely large presence of Paranérgeia, the Otherworld presents a toxic atmosphere to humans and animals alike. However, it seems like the atmosphere is only damaging after prolonged exposure, as Mary Jane Fitzgerald and Jay Ambrose entered for a brief moment and both showed no signs of damage, whereas Anastasia Wynter, before she became a Hamingja, was exposed to the air for a prolonged duration and became very sick to death.

## Residents

### Entities

* Primordial Entities
	+ Aether
* Spirits
	+ Anastasia Wynter
	+ Lucius Montgomery

## Visitors

* Fitzgerald Family
	+ Anastasia Wynter (as a Human)
	+ Alan Fitzgerald
	+ Mary Jane Fitzgerald
	+ Jay Ambrose
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## Trivia

* It was confirmed that The Otherworld is a bridge that allows human souls to go from Earth to Heaven. This was seen when the spirits of Alan and Janet Fitzgerald stepped into the World Pillar Hill in The Boneyard at the end of Don't Let the Darkness Consume You.
* The landscape is heavily based on The Upside Down from Stranger Things (2016-2022) and the World of Light from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018), while the ashes are based on the Boon Totems from Dead by Daylight (2016-2022).
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