The Fabric Multiverse
Sharing what I've written because it makes me feral
The Fabric Multiverse is a worldbuilding framework I created. It serves as 1) an excuse to reuse characters in different stories and 2) a way to legitimize fanfiction as it's own sort of canon. Yes, you may write fanfiction about my characters and worlds and it will technically be canon and I can't say anything because I have chosen this fate. Here's how it works:
The Fabric is made of multiple layers, with the outermost layer being the real world- the Surface. Each layer beneath that is a new world or reality. I often refer to the layers in terms of "higher" and "lower," like passing through lasagna, but it would be more accurate to say "inner" and "outer." Imagine an egg. A Cadbury creme egg. Or like... Ferrero Rocher. No WAIT- a jawbreaker/gobstopper. That one fits the best. The closer you get to the center of the treat of your choice, the closer you get to the Abyss. The Abyss is where all life originates, taking the form of abstract emotions.
Each layer is separated by the "fabric of the universe." Like, a literal invisible fabric. The fabric has tears in it. Some tears are pinpricks, some are gaping. Through these tears, the waters of the Abyss travel to the outer layers to create life. If you don't know how to spot a tear, you might just find yourself falling through into an alternate reality.
Following, a brief description of the layer types and then some key terms and concepts.
The Layers:
The layers of the Fabric are nearly infinite. It is impossible to know how many layers there are, as each tear can lead through more than one layer. In traveling, you may bypass a large number of layers without even knowing it. Thus, extreme caution is advised. If you’re not sure how deep you have traveled, take a second to observe your surroundings. The more familiar and logical your surroundings, the safer it is to be on that layer without fear of dissolution.
The Surface:
Layer Z0 or 00 or ZZ Physical reality as we know it. The Earth we call home and the “real world.” Many people in the upper layers refer to their layer as “the Surface.” In truth, the higher a person travels through the layers, the less likely they will be to find the layers above them. Thus, they can learn about the Fabric without knowing that their layer is in fact not “reality.” It is theorized that tears appear less the farther a layer is from the Abyss. No human has been known to have traveled from the Surface to another layer. Therefore, it is believed that humans from the Surface can only access deeper layers of the Fabric through their mind in imagination and dreams. While beings from other layers may walk between the layers of the Fabric, humans from the Surface are trapped here until they die. When their emotions dissolve and return to the Abyss, they travel through tears so small and so rare that a human could never discover them.
Upper/Outer layers:
Layers Q-Z Surroundings are fairly similar to reality and operate on the common laws of physics. Locations, people, and objects from one layer may exist on other layers and appear fairly identical. Magic is incredibly difficult to master for the average person and often requires a physical token or location. Inventions and buildings are as permanent as those on the Surface. Often entire nations appear virtually unchanged from their Surface counterparts. While unique cultures may exist in different layers (typically the lower one goes), the biological makeup of humans is largely identical.
Middle layers:
Layers H-P A mix between familiar and surreal, where most half-human, half-emotion beings reside. Their biology does not follow the logic of humans and can sometimes shift based on their emotions, though usually their appearance still resembles something recognizable. Structures and items are mostly stable, though they can be affected by strong emotions and take on a more abstract, simplified form. Emotional doppelgangers are born here, holding only the most prominent memories of their Surface counterparts and expressing in stronger, simplified emotions. Many wander like ghosts, seeking fulfillment or retribution for their unsatisfied lives. They can also come in the form of buildings or items which hold the emotions of those who used them. This is the birthplace of many magical beings that humans would refer to as demons or gods. The rules of society are sometimes nonsensical and can change on a dime based on the whims of those in power. People cling to these rules to form a sense of normalcy in their ever-shifting lives, though they aren’t very good at it. Traveling or living here is fairly dangerous compared to the Surface and upper layers because of the confusing rules and unpredictable residents. In the lower-middle layers, human language starts to become obsolete with residents reaching the comprehension of a human toddler.
Lower/Inner Layers:
Layers A-G Emotions manifest as physical beings. Magic is easier, more abundant, and often accidental. Physical forms resemble emotions more than science and logic. The emotions you manifest may change your immediate surroundings unexpectedly and without intention. Simple rules of science and physics do not seem to apply or do not apply consistently. Even items that are created or built by sapient residents represent emotions and can be affected by them easily, so inventions and buildings are uncommon. Residents are unstable and prone to emotional fits. Anything resembling culture or language is purely coincidental or simple mimicry. An incredibly dangerous place where one can easily fall through a tear and into the Abyss or be hit by a blast of emotion.
The Abyss:
Layer A0 or AA The primordial waters from which all life originates. In the Abyss, words lose all meaning. People can only produce sounds that represent the emotions they mean to express, even while they can still form thoughts in their mind. Emotions float like clouds and flash like lightning. A technicolor dream. This is where magic comes from. Like a black hole, physical matter is sucked deeper into the Abyss, only to dissolve. No one knows what lies in the depths. Even if a person were to escape, they would lose a significant amount of their memories and sanity. Upon entering the Abyss, a person is connected to that which makes all life possible. For lack of a better phrase, they are “one with the universe.” A person connects their inner emotions and experiences to those around them, thus losing any sense of individuality. In this deep level of connection and understanding, a person who survives the Abyss can no longer comprehend the reality around them. They no longer feel physical needs or understand the motivation of those around them, even the ones they used to hold dear. They simply wait for death so they can return to where they came. Despite the existential dread, a death in the Abyss is the most peaceful imaginable. As one’s emotions and physical being dissolve into the ether surrounding them, they know they have never truly been alone.
Key Terms and Concepts:
The Inter-dimensional Quilter’s Society (Quilt Club): a group of individuals whose goal is to study, map, and connect the layers of the Fabric. Likewise, they call themselves Quilters and their job "quilting." Despite having almost an entire layer of the Fabric dedicated to quilting, they haven't discovered or connected the vast majority of the Fabric because it's just that big and complicated. A separate post about the Quilt Club can be found here.
Tear: a rip or hole between layers through which physical matter can pass. A tear can be identified by a thin shimmering texture in the air, where visuals are slightly blurred. Usually a line along the seam. The fabric itself can be felt when reaching through the tear. It feels like a thin, gauzy material- very faint and best felt as a disturbance on one’s skin or hair. One can reach through the tear and part the fabric to see through to the other side. The Quilt Club has designed lenses to make tears more visually distinct. The fabric is not delicate enough to be torn open by simply touching or tugging on it. The Quilt Club does not know how tears are formed. Tears grow so slowly that there is currently no concern for the structural integrity of the fabric, but it will someday be a catastrophic problem if left unnoticed. Tears do not move, shrink, or close on their own unless the tear is enmeshed in an object or person.
(More research needs to be done on the mechanics of moving or enmeshed tears)
Primordial spring: when a tear goes from one layer all the way to the Abyss. The more layers, the less visible the Abyss. Responsible both for unexplained disappearances and places on the Surface that are overflowing with natural life.
Dissolution: the farther a being originates from a layer, the less time it can spend on that layer. Humans dissolve in the Abyss. Emotions dissolve on the Surface, which then leak back into the Abyss.
Abstraction: the closer to the Abyss, the more abstract beings are born. They represent emotions in their purest form.
The cycle of life: All life is fueled by the primordial waters. When a person dies, all of their emotions leak back down into the Abyss. While a person is alive, their emotions leak back down when they are expressed. If emotions are liquid, then physical reality is comprised of the crystals left behind when emotions dissolve.
Minds: A sentient mind holds microscopic tears, sometimes all the way to the Abyss. Through the mind, a human can connect to the Abyss in fleeting moments. The stronger the connection, the stronger the emotion the person experiences. Those with more, larger, and deeper tears will walk the line from creativity to insanity. The most potent tears connect directly to the Abyss. These tears overwhelm a person’s ability to understand reality on their home layer, leading them to lose sanity. In rare cases, a person’s brain will dissolve from exposure to the primordial waters.
Magic: magic is a manifestation of emotions in which a person taps into the Abyss through their mind’s tears (consciously or unconsciously) and brings forth the physical emotion onto their layer. The farther their layer is from the Abyss, the less potent and lasting the emotion. If they cannot direct the emotion outward, it overwhelms their body. The effects of the emotion on the body directly reflect how close the tear, the layer, and the person’s origin layer is to the Abyss. A separate post detailing how magic works in the Fabric can be found here.
Anyway, that's what I've got in my main document on the Fabric. It's not done cooking (will be simmering for years to come), but I would absolutely love it if you asked me about it, wrote your own ideas for it, etc. Like I said at the top, this was created to help me make sense of fanfiction and death of the author and all that.
My goal as an artist is to encourage other people to make art. If you love what I make, there is no greater way to appreciate it than to be inspired and make your own stuff.
