43 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
43 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
The **Depths** are a fundamental part of Lumen’s structure, existing beyond the surface world and the Voidsea. They function as both an afterlife and a physical realm, governed by rules that differ significantly from those of the Overworld.
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The Depths surround the world completely. They are not located “below” in a simple spatial sense, but rather exist outside normal reality, intersecting it at points of death, drowning, and catastrophic displacement. Entry into the Depths is irreversible without external intervention.
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### Entry and Purpose
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Those who die through combat, execution, or exposure to the Voidsea are drawn into the Depths. Upon entry, the body is lost, and the soul awakens within its confines.
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Most souls arrive in the **First Layer**, which serves as the primary point of entry. This is not a judgment in a moral sense, but a consequence of how death interacts with the structure of the Depths. Condemnation through violence or drowning appears to create the conditions necessary for this transition. From there, movement deeper is possible, though rarely intentional and never predictable.
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### Structure of the Layers
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The Depths consist of **nine known layers**. These layers are not arranged in a linear or vertical sequence. Distance, direction, and progression do not function in a consistent way. It is possible to pass directly from the surface into deeper layers without ever encountering the First Layer.
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Each layer operates according to its own internal logic. Physical laws, time, perception, and causality may differ drastically between layers. There is no confirmed method to reliably navigate from one specific layer to another.
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While scholars refer to the layers numerically for convenience, this ordering does not imply hierarchy, depth, or proximity in a spatial sense.
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### Nature of the Depths
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The Depths are not inert. Observations and accounts suggest that the environment reacts to presence, intent, and prolonged interaction. The phenomenon is described as resembling _“interacting on a microscopic level with the processes of some slumbering creature.”_ Whether this implies true sentience is unclear.
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One prevailing interpretation is that the Depths behave as an extension of the **Drowned Gods**, responding to their dormant influence rather than possessing independent consciousness. Another interpretation holds that the Depths themselves are a system older than the gods, one that they merely inhabit or exploit.
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### Time, Decay, and Persistence
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Time within the Depths is unstable. Aging is slowed, halted, or rendered inconsistent depending on location and circumstance. Some individuals remain unchanged for centuries, while others deteriorate rapidly despite minimal exposure.
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Death within the Depths does not follow known rules. Destruction of form does not always result in erasure, nor does survival guarantee continuity. Identity, memory, and physical coherence can be altered through prolonged exposure.
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### Insanity and Psychological Degradation
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The Depths are the **primary source of insanity** in Lumen. Prolonged exposure to the Depths - regardless of layer - places continuous strain on the mind. This effect is not solely the result of fear or trauma, but appears to be a consequence of existing within a reality that does not align with mortal perception, memory, or causality.
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Insanity acquired in the Depths manifests as intrusive thoughts, altered perception, compulsions, emotional detachment, or identity fragmentation. These effects can persist even after return to the Overworld. The deeper one travels, or the longer one remains, the more severe and irreversible these effects tend to become.
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### Return to the Overworld
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Escape from the Depths is not achievable through effort alone. A soul may return only if a sufficiently powerful divine entity restores or recreates a body and permits reintegration into the Overworld.
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## Related notes
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- [[World/Lumen|Lumen]]
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