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Title: Cosmology of Madness

Author: Sigmel of Umbra

I present this collection of essays on the Ethereal Void and its cosmology. I have collected these from many sources. I cannot verify the accuracy of all information since I am only willing to risk my own sanity and life so much.

The Nature of the Vortex By Bartholomew the Tall

To understand the Ethereal Void, one must start with certain base principles of magic. While many living things contain mana, the greatest wells of magic are land itself. To use these, one must understand leylines. Leylines are powerful geometric alignments of mystical places that resonate with mana. The locations involved in a pattern determine the type of mana produced. The various leylines of our world are like a spider�s web.

Not all points of this web are the same. Like the spider web in a dark ceiling corner, some strands touch the walls of some larger structure. These places poke through the bindings of reality and enter the Ethereal Void. One very practical application of this is the natural moongate nexus that connects so many points in our world.

Some have described the Ethereal Void as a sky full of stars where one travels as if by thought. Some describe it as empty, but they are mistaken. The Void is not an empty waste, but more a dark ocean or vortex with a hundred currents to get lost on. It connects our world to the distant past of Old Sosaria and to tomorrow�s possibilities. It also connects to terrible places even demons fear.

The Dark Path By Unknown

The Dark Path is some ancient artifact crafted by an unknown party that allowed travel through the Ethereal Void. Travel on the path requires a serpent jawbone, likely a tribute to the powers that maintain the path. All of the trails on the Path lead to a central area that has exits to the domains of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Some say that there was originally an Obelisk at the center of these doorways, but that it was destroyed long ago.

Those who find a way to walk the Path or observe it from a carefully constructed Observatory can gain access to great power, but just as likely be crushed like an insect by a great power.

The Dark Path was once easily navigated, but a cataclysm twisted and broke many of the trails. This doesn�t help the sanity of those who travel on this Path.

Elemental Places By Jeram the Wise

There is an old myth that the greatest elementals, those called the Titans, travelled from the cradle of Sosaria into the Ethereal Void. Each explored as was his or her way: Stratos - the Emissary, Hydros - the Silence, Lithos - the Defiler, and Pyros - the Conqueror. Each found a place in the Ether and built a domain.

Some mages could once call on the power of those domains when casting, but now, many of the paths through the Ether are gone. The elemental domains became home to creatures who thrive in Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Creatures who have been cut off from Sosaria for a very long time. Creatures who sometimes find a way back.

In some versions of the myth, the Titans met a power more terrible and were bound to his will. Such versions warn that should all the Titans return at once, the end of Sosaria is near.

The Dream Realm By Kahler

I had been summoned to that house in that town by a letter from the local guard. I didn�t expect much. While demonic possession does happen, it is so rare, that I hadn�t run across an actual case in my work. I expected to find a batty old woman who needed sympathy and food. In this case, I was wrong.

My horse would travel the last half mile to the house, so I left it at a nearby farm and travelled the rest of way on foot. There was a feel in the air, like before a storm. The house was normal enough, but the door was completely open as if I were expected.

I spoke to a creature that wore the form of a young man. He moved like a frail puppet, but his voice was strong and full of authority. He challenged me to a game. I warned the cacodemon that I did not play games. It had a choice to leave or to be imprisoned. The creature gave me the most haunting smile and told me three true things:

I. The Dream Realm touches the Ether, so in sleep, all of us are vulnerable to that which wanders the Void.
II. It told me of the Shadow it saw in my heart and the bad end it would lead me to.
III. It told me that a Cacodemon can bring nightmares to any but only control the truly wicked.

It left with a laugh, leaving behind its confused host. I had the guards take the man into custody, while I looked into his past. A year earlier, a young woman had gone missing. I did not stay for the execution.

Magic of the Void By Nystul

In my early days as a mage, I traveled briefly into the Ethereal Void. It took a great deal of my skill and power to traverse even the Ether that touches Britannia. One day, I found a house floating in the Void. Actually, it was just the inside of a house. It was a strange experience, even when the house's master, Mythran, explained things to me. He hailed from another place than Sosaria, but he was peaceful and willing to explain much to my young self. He was a master of his own form of magic:

Thaumaturgy. He described it such:

"Thaumaturgy is the term I use to define the collection of spells that I have learned over time. Put quite simply,"

Thaumaturgy borrows and steals a bit from each of the other magics, choosing the clear path of chaos rather than becoming too well defined and stagnant.

I was't able to learn all of the master's spells, but I did learn a little about manipulating the roads of the Void. While my control will never be enough to build a sanctum like Mythran, I believe I can protect my kingdom from Void threats with this spell. The spell requires several rare ingredients, several of which are found only in the Void. The spell words change to predict. It requires a different perspective to use them. Because of this, Mythran borrowed the needed spell words from Xorinite wisps. Even with such words, the spell requires constant concentration and focus. So much that the mind involved is usually destroyed. Mythran used the minds of sentient abominations that attack him in the Ether. One was a floating brain with great mental strength that traveled into Void to feed. The final component is the aid of some creature born in the Void willing to mark the territory to be enchanted. Void horses?

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