Axioms - How to Define your Dimension

Axioms are a scaling method used to define what is possible within a reality. There are four axioms that govern a dimension: Magic, Pulp, Spirit, and Tech for short. Axioms range from zero to 30, with zero representing a total absence of the concept and 30 as its ultimate expression.

It is important to note that axioms represent what is permitted in a universe, not necessarily what is actually found within. In some cases, one or two elements of a reality are at the highest axiom level permitted, but in others the actual level of advancement is less. For example, Mortasheen’s Spirit axiom of 14 enables divine artifacts and reasonably powerful miracles, but there is no evidence that any such phenomena is actually found anywhere in the cosm. Angevalin’s Tech axiom of 20 supports the creation and dominance of tanks upon the battlefield; however, the lack of an equivalence to the First World War and the inclusion of magic as an integral part of physics has left all modern conceptions of a tank effectively obsolete. Springfield’s Tech axiom is reasonably close to that of 21st century Earth, but its Pulp axiom of 28 allows for select individuals known as “artificers” to create highly advanced technologies as an extension of their powers.

MAGIC

The Magic Axiom limits how the population of a dimension may use the arcane energy that exists in their world, and in turn how strongly it manifests on its own or affects them. It determines the types of magic that are available and how strong spells/spell-like effects may become. Magical energy (typically, but not always) is all around, even if it is unable to be fully utilized by the living.

0 - No magic is possible. People don’t believe in magic spells, good luck, bad luck, or the supernatural. Not even in stories.

1 - Concepts of luck, omens, and superstitions exist but do not actually occur or have power.

2 - Visions of other locations are possible, but as an innate ability and occurs only by accident. The images are of random places, never other times.

3 - Innate, accidental visions of the future or past can occur in extraordinary people.

4 - Magic exists only as lengthy and uncertain rituals, each unique to its creator. Divination allows images of specified distant places, but not the past or future.

5 - Rituals may be taught to other spellcasters. Unreliable divination rituals can see into the past and future.

6 - Spells that may be cast in 10 seconds or less appear, though creating and learning them remains a lengthy and difficult process. Divination spells directed to specific conditions or phenomena become viable.

7 - Divination can target individuals. Minor apportation spells are possible, but can only move insubstantial or very light objects such as air, dust, or smoke.

8 - Movement spells become dependable, and can propel objects like bullets or small stones.

9 - Magical traditions develop, allowing the organized study of magic. Alteration spells become possible, but can only affect insubstantial things, such as magic itself. These two progressions make much more powerful, complex, and varied spells feasible.

10 - Larger objects (up to 40 kg) become movable through apportation. Alteration may temporarily change the abilities of living beings, but not substantially change their shape. Inanimate objects may be significantly altered, such as changing water into fog.

11 - Wards or spells which react to triggers and conditions appear. Direct communication between minds is attainable. Alteration may transmute elements. Items may be temporarily enchanted, so lucky charms and talismans appear.

12 - Magical creatures such as elves, fairies, centaurs, and demons may exist. Alteration may change emotions and the appearance of living things, but not their general form. Enchanted items such as wands or staffs may have charges, and last until the charges are used.

13 - Highly magical creatures such as elementals and dragons spontaneously manifest and thrive. Mind reading becomes possible. Living beings can transform into other living beings, but risk is involved. Conjuration spells become possible, but only illusionary effects. Permanent magic items, such as enchanted swords and rings, may be created.

14 - Human-sized objects may be easily transported with apportation. Conjuration of ephemeral objects like fire, lightning, or gas becomes practical.

15 - Communication with other localized sub-dimensions (‘planes’) is feasible. Human-sized objects may be teleported directly between locations in the same dimension by apportation.

16 - Connections may be established between planes, allowing travel or summoning. Spontaneously occurring magic items are possible, but rare.

17 - Alteration of living into inanimate matter (such as flesh into stone) is possible. Reversing the transformation is dangerous and often fails. Solid objects may be conjured from nothing with great difficulty.

18 - Conjuration of living beings from nothing becomes a reality.

19 - Spells may be made permanent, though this significantly increases the difficulty of casting them.

20 - Advances in magical theory reduce the casting time of many rituals down to equal spells. Accurate information regarding the future may be divined with minimal risk.

21 - Objects the size of tanks may be lifted and moved through apportation.

22 - Improvised magic becomes possible.

23 - “Intelligent“ magic items with a personality and an agenda emerge, though they can only communicate indirectly through empathy.

24 - Fully sentient magic items capable of speaking are possible.

25 - Trained spellcasters may create spells and rituals as they cast, allowing more powerful results of improvised magic. Apportation affects objects the size of supertankers.

26 - Unreliable wishes emerge, spontaneously interpreting desires of casters or extraordinary people and altering them with permanent effects.

27 - Wishes may conjure effects, and may apply to more than just one person.

28 - Anyone may attempt improvised magic without trained magic skills. Apportation may literally move mountains.

29 - Wishes become predictable and reliable with proper training.

30 - All thinking beings can intuitively use wishes whenever desired.

PULP

The Pulp Axiom rates the availability of supernatural powers not tied to either arcane or divine energies, but rather the user themselves. This can potentially mean superpowers, psionics, or anything else that falls under the broad definition of ‘innate ability’. Whether these powers are eldritch, fantastical, or even artificial in nature, it ultimately matters not.

0 - Individuals with innate supernatural abilities of any sort aren't even a concept— not even in fiction.

1 - Psionic phenomena, superpowers, and other supernatural abilities exist as theoretical pseudoscience and/or science fantasy.

2 - Very rare individuals manifest weak innate abilities, limited to telepathy or kinesis powers. Telepathy requires physical contact, while kinesis only affects the user’s own body.

3 - Kinesis can now shape matter touched by the user in limited forms, such as smoothing or roughening surfaces.

4 - Innate abilities can create or manipulate fire, heat, and cold, as well as move air.

5 - Telepathy can interpret and send thoughts instead of just detecting broad emotions and instincts. Kinesis powers can affect objects within a small radius, usually only a few feet or so.

6 - Limited forms of precognition and postcognition begin manifesting. Visions are shakily reliable and often come in random bursts.

7 - Innate abilities as a whole become more common.

8 - Telepathy can now be used to influence the thoughts or emotions of others in slight ways. Kinesis can move and shape objects slowly, with the mass of those objects depending on the strength of the user’s mind.

9 - Limited forms of biokinetic ability appear. Effects are limited and temporary.

10 - Kinesis can now manipulate matter precisely enough to cause phase-state changes.

11 - Innate abilities grow yet more common. The amount of people with innate abilities (latent, unawakened or otherwise) is at least reasonably close to 1% of the total population, if not higher.

12 - The manifestations of innate abilities may be bolstered or altered with technological assistance.

13 - Biokinesis can cause permanent alterations to an individual, though such changes take time.

14 - Kinesis can move objects about as fast as a speeding car. Precognition and postcognition become far more accurate and controllable.

15 - Innate abilities can begin warping reality in small amounts, such as generating or destroying either matter or energy instead of just manipulating it.

16 - Most innate abilities (with exceptions) have a range of at least 15 feet out from the user, if not line of sight.

17 - Innate abilities require less focus or concentration to utilize, especially for those more experienced with their use.

18 - Telepathic communication reaches a level of potential sophistication where true ‘hiveminds’ become feasible.

19 - Inherent abilities that warp reality in some form can alter it to a more drastic degree, or over a larger area. Accessing or even creating sub-dimensions becomes possible, though often with considerable effort.

20 - Innate abilities of all kinds manifest commonly even without artificial assistance. Due to the amount of powered individuals, the existence of such abilities is likely public knowledge, at least somewhat.

21 - Telepathy can seriously damage minds. Kinesis can accelerate objects up to supersonic speeds.

22 - Precognition can be used to reliably predict the future with near-perfect accuracy, and may even access multiple timelines. Postcognition can reach back years or decades.

23 - Innate abilities require much less concentration or focus to use, but may still require either or in specific cases. Innate abilities as a whole become more complex and effective.

24 - Biokinesis can induce permanent, body-wide changes in the physiology of organisms in seconds.

25 - Innate abilities can now actively warp reality with minimal effort. Even seemingly mundane powers may subtly bend natural laws to make them easier to 'interface' with.

26 - Pre- and postcognition no longer have limits on how far/back they can divine.

27 - Sub-dimensions can not only be created, destroyed, or accessed by innate abilities, but their internal contents (or lack thereof) can be precisely controlled.

28 -Telepathy can transmit information at faster-than-light speeds and turn off brains outright. Kinesis is now a fully-viable alternative to most forms of military hardware.

29 - Most of the population has at least latent powers. Only exceptionally rare individuals are completely unable to manifest innate abilities of some kind.

30 - All living beings possess some sort of innate kinetic and/or mental ability that is active in form (if not always consciously controlled). Reality can be warped, changed and broken at the whim of a thought.

SPIRIT

The Spirit Axiom rates the availability and power of divine energy. Usually this belief manifests as faith in gods or forces that can’t be understood by science and technology. This energy exists even when the axiom is low, it’s just harder to perceive and utilize.

0 - Gods, spirituality, faith, and the afterlife aren’t even concepts.

1 - Concepts of existence beyond the physical and visible are possible, but have no effect.

2 - Belief, when focused by intricate rituals, allows visions of other physical locations. Such powers only work for the truly faithful, and require sacrifice, study, and unwavering faith.

3 - Believers without true faith may enact a ritual, possibly with mixed success.

4 - Multiple believers may participate in rituals, speeding their completion or strengthening the results.

5 - Belief supports direct communication between individuals or unnatural phenomena such as spirits. Direct invocation of divine power becomes possible, but is unreliable and subtle. The effect never directly confirms divine agency.

6 - Miracles are possible, requiring only quick prayers to execute but rigorous study or ascetic sacrifices to accept. Spiritual power may directly affect the invoker’s mental abilities.

7 - Divine power can subtly affect the physical world. Miracles may physically enhance the invoker. Wards against spirits become possible.

8 - Religious artifacts can be imbued with spiritual power as a result of divine agency. Rituals may affect non-participants, regardless of their beliefs. Miracles can heal mental trauma.

9 - Divine forces begin to act independently on the world. Direct observation is impossible, and such forces never respond to requests, even from the faithful. Miracles that enhance abilities now affect anyone.

10 - Miracles capable of physical healing emerge. Observable signs of the divine become evident.

11 - Religious symbols and artifacts may gain spiritual power through the belief of a community— divine action is no longer required.

12 - Miracles that cause direct mental harm to opponents become possible. Such powers usually (but not always) require touching the target, or elaborate rituals to deliver harm over distance.

13 - Spiritual energy can cause direct physical damage.

14 - Symbols or artifacts that imbue blessings or powers begin working for any wielder, regardless of whether they have a matching faith.

15 - Manipulation of the material world or dealing direct damage via miracles is viable at long ranges, and may not even require line of sight.

16 - Miracles are capable of affecting mental states over great distances.

17 - Evidence of divine power is observable and a routine part of daily life.

18 - Gods may appear corporeally via an avatar or other such analogue. Sites or artifacts may have independent spiritual energy, allowing their effects to function continually and without a wielder.

19 - Spiritual sub-dimensions such as “hell“ or “paradise“ gain material existence.

20 - Belief as a whole gains more inherent power, allowing exceptional individuals to attach themselves to existing pantheons through their deeds in service of a faith.

21 - Select miracles become available to individuals of true faith (such as the priesthood) in a religion effectively on-command.

22 - Rituals increase in power, and can affect entire cities, mountains, or rivers.

23 - Items with spiritual power are created by popular belief, without aid of gods or priests.

24 - The god or gods of a faith may arrive in person via an avatar when called upon, and often bestow favors on the faithful. Such avatars are powerful, but are neither omnipotent nor omniscient.

25 - Sufficient belief in an individual or group allows them to ascend to full-blown deity status, forcibly inserting themselves into existing pantheons or outright forming new faiths of their own.

26 - Deification can now occur in regards to inanimate objects and automatons.

27 - The avatars of manifested gods become omnipotent and/or omniscient.

28 - Spiritual belief is so strong that the average person can work miracles on a relative whim.

29 - Rituals have power on a planetary scale.

30 - All aspects of every faith become literally true. Avatars of gods become both omnipotent and omniscient.

TECH

The Tech Axiom represents understanding, control, and exploitation of the physical energy and laws of the natural world. A new technology usually appears across many axioms: theoretically at first, then crudely or unreliably, then in a practical form, and successively refined.

0 - Science and tool use are impossible.

1 - Rocks and sharpened sticks are cutting-edge appliances.

2 - Fire may be started artificially. Tools are carved from wood, bone, or chipped stone.

3 - Animals are domesticated. Textiles and armor are crafted from animal skins and fur.

4 - Agriculture and fired clay pottery develop. The first small buildings and boats appear.

5 - Wheels become available. Mathematic concepts and theories develop.

6 - Copper may be smelted. Smaller bronze tools and weapons are produced.

7 - Bows and oil lamps become practical. Ships grow larger and seaworthy.

8 - Pulleys, levers, and block and tackle appear. Early medicine and astronomy develop. Iron may be smelted for armor and larger weapons. Difficult animals are domesticated.

9 - Plumbing and irrigation increase city sizes. Silk and hard metal tools emerge.

10 - Surgery and pharmaceutical drugs do more good than harm. Arches, bridges, concrete, and dams alter the environment. Lock-and-key mechanisms are possible.

11 - Gears and screws allow water-powered mills. Magnetic compass navigation arises.

12 - Steel weapons and tools proliferate. Wind powers mills and pumps.

13 - Block printing allows for mass-produced books. Chemistry may manufacture acids and gunpowder. Hot-air balloons fly. Glass mirrors and crude lenses are constructed.

14 - Telescopes and microscopes become practical. Cannons and crude handheld firearms appear on the battlefield. The scientific method is developed.

15 - Industrial steam power and the printing press become prominent. Calculus understood.

16 - Coal engines provide power. Precision-machined parts enable pocket watches, bifocals, muskets, and rifling. Inoculation and anesthesia become common practice.

17 - Electric batteries are invented. Telegraphs and railroads spread. Crude calculators, sewing machines, and reaping mechanisms change labor. Vulcanization discovered.

18 - Machinery supports repeating rifles, recoil-operated machine guns, and internal combustion engines. Submarines, hydrogen airships, and gliders become available. Theoretical physics can describe and predict almost all everyday phenomena.

19 - Automobiles, brain surgery, and radio voice transmission are practical. Automatic pistols, submachine guns, and crude airplanes appear. Relativity and quantum physics are developed.

20 - Aircraft are metal-skinned and prop-driven. Tanks rule the battlefield. Radar invented.

21 - Nuclear power and bombs operate. Devices like jet engines, electron microscopes, television, helicopters, and large mainframe computers appear.

22 -Materials become lighter, stronger, and more adaptable thanks to polymers, plastics, and composites. Integrated circuits, the first home computers, and functional robots emerge.

23 - International computer networks, augmented reality, and computer-assisted operations exist. Genomes are understood; crude genetic engineering and cloning become possible.

24 - Bionic or cloned organ replacement becomes practical. Advanced batteries allow high-energy lasers and energized melee weapons. Artificially conscious beings and intelligent supercomputers become feasible to create; some such entities spontaneously ‘evolve’ into fruition on their own.

25 - Personal energy weapons become common due to further miniaturization of necessary power sources. Nanotechnology and “memory“ materials become practical. Cybernetics are superior to natural components.

26 - Light projection becomes precise enough to allow holograms without a medium. Crude force fields and lifting fields appear.

27 - Artificial individuals are indistinguishable from humans. FTL travel is (at least theoretically) possible.

28 - “Living” biotechnology reshapes itself as needed. FTL travel is available and commonplace. Living beings are rendered virtually immortal.

29 - Devices may affect mass and volume, or impose selective physics.

30 - Complete control over reality . Space and time can be manipulated directly. Time travel.