User blog:Promestein/Agency - Inner Worlds

From The World and the Mechanics of the Soul…


 * With the use of magic, a mage defines themself as distinct from the rest of the universe, forming their own personal reality, or complete individual concept. They effectively become their own contained universe, with space, time, and possibility all their own. They cease to exist in the past or future of the rest of the universe, existing in their own present. Their entire history becomes a part of their existence, separate from the space and time of the universe, while they are freed from universal history, allowing them to pursue any future they desire. Through magic, a mage can be said to have complete control of their own destiny.


 * Together, a mage’s personal reality and their innermost concepts form their inner world. An inner world is the ultimate manifestation of any person, even those with no magical ability. It contains their innermost desires and beliefs, and the concepts that burn strongest within their soul. An inner world can be brought into existence as a pocket dimension of sorts, existing within yet without its user. However, doing such a thing is highly difficult. Not only does it require an exceptionally well-developed soul and concepts and a strong enough willpower, one must know themself well enough.

An inner world is the deepest, most private aspect of any individual’s soul, a representation of everything vital to their existence; their most important memories, the things they value most, their beliefs, their desires, and the way they have lived their life.

Inner worlds have passive effects that reflect these things. For example; These effects manifest in ways that support an individual’s fighting style, inclinations, and abilities, often appearing through these abilities in some form and amplifying them. A mage needs no knowledge on their inner world to reap these unconscious rewards, but deeper introspection and eventual mastery will heighten their power and utility. See the difference in power and potential between SOLSTICE and Lucifer, despite their similarities?
 * SOLSTICE has heightened adaptive defenses and grows stronger in combat, on top of being abnormally difficult to kill. This is because of her intense desire to avoid death at any costs.
 * Lucifer’s fights against any attempts to control or limit her, allowing her to break physical and magical laws more easily and grow in response to her limits being tested. This is because of her focus on freedom.
 * Mastema is extremely good at killing people; in her hands, the most basic and physical death-inducing spell would completely erase a target from existence. This is because of her omnicidal intent and belief that death is a blessing.

When an inner world is fully activated (which usually implies bringing it into existence as a pocket dimension), its effects and potential are fully unlocked. This is very difficult to do, as mentioned above, often taking years of work, research, and personal development. An incarnate inner world’s environment is determined by its user’s associations and values, representing them in an abstract manner.

All Inner Worlds (as of right now):
 * Apophis Drive (SOLSTICE): Passively, this inner world amplifies SOLSTICE’s adaptive powers and, eventually, lets her switch between her own predicted futures to select her fate. In its hypothetical, fully activated form, it would allow for the simulation of all predicted possibilities and the ability to choose between all of these possible futures. These simulations can also be controlled. Truthfully an empty and dismal inner world.
 * Arcana Drive (EQUINOX): An internal storm cell used for computation and formed using stolen Heavenly technology. Effectively a personalized Solar Drive, it grants EQUINOX limitless energy and can be used to alter reality through world programming. It does not need to be activated to gain access to its variety of abilities, but when activated, manipulates fate within to aid EQUINOX.
 * Corpseworld (Beelzebub): A horrific, self-destructive inner world that generates “maggots” within Beelzebub’s soul, maggots that must be satiated with victims sealed inside to prevent harm to herself. Usually kept abstracted and internal, Beelzebub can bring it into existence but does not need to do so to utilize it effectively.
 * Eidos Lexicon (Harahel): A library of an inner world used to analyze, process, and store information, providing incredible utility and the ability to expertly copy and counter spells, even potentially replicating the inner worlds of others. Completely internal, with no manifested form; instead, the worlds of others are used.
 * Galactic Center Stage (Milky Way): Data not found!
 * Judecca Rex (Lucifer): An unruly inner world that fights against all attempts to control or limit Lucifer, boosting her abilities whenever they’re pushed to their limits. Unconsciously activated when Lucifer at her worst, it is brought into existence just around Lucifer, effectively remaining completely internal, vastly boosting her abilities and power, on top of completely freeing her from physics, at the cost of her health and a more logical mindset.
 * Thaumiel: A healthier and better realized inner world that grants Judecca Rex’s abilities at a higher scale and providing an immense healing power. It also allows Lucifer to introduce “divisions” into existence and improves Tabris, turning any fight into a battle that can be won through willpower and skill alone.
 * Lunar Phantasm (Minna): A dreamlike inner world that Minna accesses and uses through a self-inflicted Super Phantasmagoria, manipulating it as if she were a lucid dreamer. Primarily internal, Minna can activate it and use its effects on just others, or draw others into her own “dream” so she can affect them.
 * My Most Gracious Choir (Observer): An inner world revolving around possession that lets Observer steal things from others, even their inner worlds, which it has been hollowed out to store. Observer can use these inner worlds and can only be killed if they are all destroyed, along with her own.
 * Sheol Necrocosmos (Mastema): An inner world that is just as much the absence of one. A void that she opens up in reality to erase others. When activated, it creates a lawless, empty abyss with absolutely no definition that strives for the death in everything inside, Mastema included.
 * Soul System Raziel (Jophiel): A heavily modified inner world, turned into a computing system that provides Jophiel complete control of her own existence. It can be pushed further to fuse Jophiel with her law, increase her capabilities, and “conquer” her surroundings, or activated to allow for all its functions at their best.
 * Tartarus (Uriel): A permanently active inner world maintained by Heavenly technology and used as a prison. Uriel can control everything about it and imprison others within in an abstracted form, subjecting them to horrific tortures.
 * Terminal Null (Never): An inner world of nihilism that allows for the reversal and erasure of causality, preventing actions from having any effect or returning them to zero. When activated, it makes this effect constant and also denies all other concepts, preventing magic from functioning properly.

There are two primary designations for inner worlds when it comes to how they function, focused and multifunction. While most inner worlds fall into one of these, they can possess the traits of both, and as an individual changes and grows, it is possible their inner world may switch classifications.

Most individuals who fully access their inner worlds go through a period where it is focused when actively working towards a specific goal. It is particularly common for individuals to go from focused to multifunction as they fulfill their goals and settle down; see EQUINOX.

Focused Inner Worlds
Focused inner worlds are inner worlds that provide singular, often powerful, applications rather than versatility and a capacity for expansion in a number of areas. Though fully capable of growing and being modified, these inner worlds grow in a more straightforward manner.

By far the more common of the two classifications, focused inner worlds are possessed by those individuals who are driven to fulfill specific goals and ambitions. Often lacking in versatility and a capacity for explosive growth, focused inner worlds instead grant single applications, often of immense power and/or utility. These inner worlds are potent from the start, needing no time to become dangerous weapons.

Examples:
 * SOLSTICE’s Apophis Drive
 * Beelzebub’s Corpseworld (A borderline case in the process of rotting, shedding its former versatility for more straightforward applications)
 * Milky Way's Galactic Center Stage
 * Lucifer’s Judecca Rex and Thaumiel
 * Minna’s Lunar Phantasm
 * Mastema’s Sheol Necrocosmos
 * Jophiel’s Soul System Raziel (Has traits of both; rather than making it incredibly powerful, this actually stretches it too thin)
 * Uriel’s Tartarus
 * Never's Terminal Null

Multifunction Inner Worlds
Multifunction inner worlds are inner worlds that are receptive to extensive modification from their users and can be used for a variety of purposes, growing to gain more and more abilities as their owner grows and modifies them. These are often particularly good at incorporating external abilities and technology.

The rarer of the two classifications, multifunction inner worlds are possessed by individuals who value self-improvement and knowledge, a common sight among mages who specialize in and pursue magic. While often more versatile, multifunction inner worlds often lack any single powerful application and rely on growth and modification over a long period of time to become more useful.

Examples:
 * EQUINOX’s Arcana Drive (Once a focused inner world, it grew into its current, more versatile state as EQUINOX matured)
 * Harahel’s Eidos Lexicon
 * Observer’s My Most Gracious Choir
 * Jophiel’s Soul System Raziel (Has traits of both; rather than making it incredibly powerful, this actually stretches it too thin)