Scriptures of the Fractured Realms

The Scriptures of the Fractured Realms is an ancient and imposing tome. Its cover is crafted from dark, aged leather deeply weathered, with cracks running like rivers across its surface. Embossed in faded silver on the front cover is a celestial map, a sprawling and intricate depiction of stars and constellations that suggest distant realms. The map’s edges seem to blur, as if the cover itself is an imperfect reflection of the planes it contains. Brass corner protectors, worn and tarnished, keep the edges of the book intact.

Inside, the tome’s pages are made of thin, delicate parchment that crackles faintly when turned. The writing within is meticulous, filled with elegant script that contrasts with the complex and arcane nature of the content. The book is divided into sections, each marked by thick vellum dividers that are nearly black with age. Each section focuses on a specific plane or realm, with vivid descriptions that conjure images of alien landscapes, twisted environments, and bizarre physics. Diagrams, some sprawling across entire pages, depict the mechanics of these realms in painstaking detail, showing not just their geography but the flow of energies, elemental forces, and strange laws of nature that govern them. Obscure arcane symbols and glyphs are scattered throughout, serving as keys to unlocking the mysteries of these planes.

The margins of the book are filled with annotations. Some of these notes are faded and barely legible, while others are more recent, written in vibrant inks that clash against the ancient, yellowed parchment. Strange charts accompany these notes, often depicting the alignment of planes or the intersection of realms at certain cosmic events. Complex tables and matrices fill the pages, providing methods of calculating when certain realms might be easiest to access or which rituals are necessary to open portals to them. In some places, small illustrations of the denizens of these fractured realms can be found—monstrous creatures, ethereal beings, and bizarre entities that defy logic and reason, each surrounded by glyphs meant to identify and describe their characteristics and behavior.

The Abyssal Chasm

Deep within the Abyssal Chasm lies a realm of utter darkness and chaos. This plane is characterized by its turbulent maelstroms of raw, primordial energy, where the very fabric of reality is in constant upheaval. Entities from this plane are often malevolent and driven by chaotic desires. Only those with great courage and mental fortitude should attempt to navigate the chasm’s shifting terrain and engage with its denizens. Rituals to summon entities from the Abyssal Chasm often require a sacrifice of pure chaos—an act of deliberate, uncontrollable destruction.

The Astral Archive

The Astral Archive is a realm of boundless knowledge, where libraries and scrolls float in an endless void. It is inhabited by beings of immense intellect and wisdom, who guard the secrets of the cosmos. Travelers seeking knowledge from this plane must prove their worth through trials of intellect and perseverance. Summoning entities from the Astral Archive involves presenting an offering of knowledge—rare manuscripts or lost tomes—and performing rites of enlightenment.

The Celestial Spire

The Celestial Spire is a realm of soaring towers and celestial architecture, bathed in radiant light and ruled by angelic beings of immense power. The Spire is a place of order and divine intent, where the fundamental laws of reality are enforced by the celestial hierarchy. Interaction with this plane requires strict adherence to celestial rites and offerings of pure devotion. Summoning beings from the Celestial Spire often involves invoking their divine name and presenting a tribute of celestial significance.

The Plane of Echoes

The Plane of Echoes is a surreal realm where sound takes physical form. Every noise lingers, creating a chorus of endless reverberations that can be felt as much as heard. Towering crystalline formations resonate with ancient echoes, and Echo Beings—creatures born of sound—roam the land. Here, words carry power, and a single spoken phrase can shape the landscape or call forth dangerous entities.

The Plane of Eternal Twilight

The Plane of Eternal Twilight exists in a perpetual state of dusk, where the boundary between light and shadow blurs into a hauntingly beautiful realm of shifting hues. Here, time flows unevenly, often distorting perception and creating a labyrinth of endless corridors and shifting landscapes. Those who seek passage must offer a token of light—a fragment of their own essence—to appease the Dusk Warden who governs this plane.

The Plane of Faded Dreams

The Plane of Faded Dreams is a realm of shifting, ephemeral landscapes where memories and forgotten thoughts drift like mist. Colors are muted, and reality constantly distorts, blending the waking world with fragments of dreams. Time flows unpredictably, often trapping travelers in a disorienting haze. Entities here, called Somniphages, feed on emotions and can lead visitors into endless illusions from which escape is rare.

The Fire Plains

The Fire Plains are a burning wasteland of molten rivers and volcanic terrain. Flames burst unpredictably from the ground, and the air is filled with embers and ash. The land is home to Flameborn entities, beings of living fire who embody destruction and chaos. Survival here is a test of endurance, as the landscape shifts with the fury of untamed fire, scorching everything in its path.

The Mirror Realm

The Mirror Realm reflects our world but twisted and distorted by its inherent nature. In this plane, every action has a mirrored consequence, and the boundaries of reality are fluid. It is a place where illusions and truth intertwine, and where one’s deepest fears and desires are manifested. Travelers must tread carefully, as every step may reveal hidden truths or unleash dangerous reflections. Rituals to commune with beings from the Mirror Realm involve creating reflective surfaces and performing acts of self-examination.

The Obsidian Expanse

The Obsidian Expanse is a realm of endless, blackened plains and shattered earth, where the ground is coated in shards of obsidian and the sky is perpetually stormy. It is a place of destructive power and relentless forces, where beings of immense strength and fury dwell. Those who enter this plane must be prepared for the harsh conditions and the presence of the Warlords of the Expanse, who command the forces of destruction. Rituals to engage with entities from the Obsidian Expanse involve invoking elemental forces and displaying acts of strength.

The Umbral Depths

The Umbral Depths are a realm of deep, oppressive shadows where light can barely exist. It is a place of formless darkness, where every step feels watched by unseen eyes. The terrain is ever-shifting, and the very air feels thick with the presence of Shades, creatures formed of pure shadow. Few who enter these depths emerge unscathed, as the plane warps perception and devours light.

The Verdant Abyss

The Verdant Abyss is a lush, overgrown realm where nature runs wild and untamed. It is a place of monstrous flora and fauna, where the cycle of life and decay is accelerated beyond normal comprehension. Those who seek entry must navigate through dense, shifting foliage and be wary of the Abyssal Guardians—creatures of immense power who protect the realm’s secrets. To summon entities from the Verdant Abyss, one must perform a ritual of growth and decay, offering a piece of the natural world as a conduit.

The Ritual of the Silent Gate

Purpose

To establish a temporary, non-physical connection with an entity from the Plane of Echoes. The Plane of Echoes is a mysterious dimension where sound takes on a life of its own. Words, once spoken, linger for eternity, repeating endlessly through its timeless void. To access this realm and summon an entity of sound, one must first understand that the words exchanged with such beings hold immense power. The Ritual of the Silent Gate calls forth an entity that can only communicate through echoes of forgotten words. Such beings can provide valuable information—often warnings or secrets long lost—but they may twist your own words and thoughts to their advantage.

Instructions

This ritual must be performed in a room devoid of natural sound—no wind, no voices, no ambient noise.
At the third bell of midnight, carve the sigil of Ophir into the center of a polished obsidian stone.
Circle it thrice with powdered silver while murmuring the name of the entity you wish to call forth.
Light three black candles, positioning them in a triangle around the obsidian, and murmur the name of the entity to contact.
With the candles burning low, the caster recites the Invocation of Passage.
Upon completion, the sigil will faintly glow, and a soft whispering sound will fill the room, though no one else should be speaking.
The summoned entity will only communicate in echoes, using fragments of past conversations, often in disjointed or cryptic sentences. The caster must discern truth from deception, as the echoes may become laced with the caster’s own thoughts and emotions.

Warning

Beware, the inhabitants of the Plane of Echoes are masters of deceit, their words may mimic your voice and thoughts to beguile you. Trust not all that you hear.
Do not allow the echo to repeat your name three times in succession, for doing so grants it the ability to follow your voice back into the material world, where it will haunt and manipulate your words indefinitely.
After the echo fades, the obsidian stone must be immediately broken to close the gate. Failure to do so may leave a permanent link to the Plane of Echoes, allowing stray voices to slip through, turning them into nightmares.

The Rite of Tenebrous Chains

Purpose

To summon a shadow entity from the Umbral Depths, bind it with magical chains, and compel it to serve. While bound, the shadow can perform tasks like gathering information or fighting on the caster’s behalf, but only while enveloped in darkness. It is said that if the chains are too weak or the summoner’s concentration falters, the shadow will turn on its master and merge with their shadow, gradually corrupting their soul.

Instructions

Prepare a circle of black sand at dusk, etching the runes of binding drawn in ash along the inner edge.
Offer a drop of your blood to seal the circle.
A silver mirror should be placed within arm’s reach, reflecting your form but carefully angled so that the summoned entity cannot see its own reflection.
Call forth the name of the entity you wish to bind,
intoning the Words of Summoning in a slow and deliberate tone.
A cloud of darkness will gather at the center of the circle, and the shadow entity will begin to form, but not fully manifest.
Cast the Chain of Silence immediately upon arrival, to lock the creature’s essence in place.
This binding will last only as long as the caster’s will holds firm.

Warning

Should the Chain of Silence fail, the shadow will disperse into the air around you and consume your shadow in place of its own, leaving you a hollow reflection.
Shadows are known to be duplicitous and manipulative; if you allow it to influence your emotions or thoughts, it may slowly undermine your control.
If the shadow entity sees its own reflection in the mirror, it will sever its connection to the Umbral Depths and gain physical form in the material world, becoming a much more dangerous foe.

Warding Sigil of Al’nur

Purpose

To protect the summoner from the elemental heat and consuming flames of the inhabitants of the Fire Plains during any summoning or communication rituals. Any mortal attempting to communicate with or summon these fiery entities risks being burned alive by their mere presence. The Warding Sigil of Al’nur, a protective mark made from crushed brimstone and Kshari oil, is a crucial safeguard. Without it, no mortal can withstand the scorching energy radiated by the Fire Plains’ inhabitants.

Instructions

The sigil must be drawn carefully on the caster’s skin—usually the chest or back—with a finely tipped brush, using a mixture of crushed brimstone and Kshari oil.
Inscribe a smaller version of the sigil around the summoning circle to provide additional layers of protection.
Once the sigil is inscribed, the summoning can begin. A brazier filled with burning coals should be placed within the summoning circle.
Speak the name of the fire being to be contacted, being careful to enunciate each syllable perfectly, as a misstep could enrage the summoned entity.

Warning

The sigil provides only temporary protection—if the ritual lasts longer than one hour, the heat will begin to overwhelm the caster, burning through their magical defenses and causing severe injury.
If the fire entity senses hesitation or fear from the summoner, it may attempt to breach the protective sigil and consume the caster from within.

Safeguard of the Ethereal Veil

Purpose

To protect the summoner’s soul when communicating with the Plane of Faded Dreams. Entities from this plane often feed on the emotions of mortals, luring them deeper into sleep and, eventually, trapping their minds permanently within the dreamscape. The Ethereal Veil is a protective measure designed to prevent these dream entities from claiming the summoner’s soul. By using twilight-dyed silks and incense made from dreambark, the caster can create a thin barrier between the material world and the dream plane.

Instructions

The ritual chamber must be draped with silk of twilight hue—deep purples and soft blues that mimic the colors of the sky just after sunset.
This silk must be hung from four points, representing the cardinal directions, to symbolize the barriers between worlds.
Burn incense of dreambark and hold a silver mirror before you at all times during the summoning.
Once the room is prepared, chant the Words of Protection.
Now the process of contacting beings from the Plane of Faded Dreams can begin.

Warning

Without the Veil, the Dream Entities may slip between the cracks of reality and drain your lifeforce until you are left as an empty shell, wandering their plane for eternity.
Should the veil be improperly hung or torn during the ritual, it will allow the dream entities to bypass the barrier and invade the summoner’s mind, leading to permanent unconsciousness or insanity.
Once the veil is removed, the ritual must be immediately concluded to avoid lingering effects from the Plane of Faded Dreams, such as hallucinations or sleepwalking.

Fracture of Myrroth’s Hollow

An ancient planar fracture located in the forest of Myrroth, where the boundary between the Prime Material Plane and the Twilight Glade grows thin. Those who pass through unawares find themselves in the clutches of malevolent fey.

In the year 473 A.S, a group of mages from the Silver Tower ventured into Myrroth’s Hollow seeking knowledge of the Twilight Glade’s rulers. Of the five that entered, only one returned, gibbering of cruel laughter and twisted games. They later disappeared again, presumably drawn back into the fracture.

The Uldran Rift

Located at the base of the Shattered Peaks, this fracture is believed to connect to the Plane of Despair. Records suggest that strange voices emanate from the rift, offering power in exchange for unspeakable acts.

In 4811, Lord Karthis, in a bid to gain dominion over the surrounding lands, made contact with a denizen of the Uldran Rift. Shortly after, his kingdom crumbled. Witnesses claimed that the Lord was last seen with hollow eyes and a twisted smile, before walking into the rift never to return.