Inner Plane

The Inner Plane is this universe and everything contained within it. Everything that exists inside the Inner Plane is a manifestation of the Gardener's unconscious mind. Every element, force, or energy that exists in the universe is another part of the dreaming god.

The Thought-Form Bridge
Due to reality's nature as an extension of a Sundering Architect's dreaming mind, everything within the Inner Plane can be considered a metaphysical manifestation of thoughts as real, tangible things. As a result, aspects of reality should be considered to rest on a spectrum with pure thought at one end and physical existence on the other. The middle breadth of this spectrum has been coined the "thought-form bridge," and can, in some cases, be crossed.

The Bog
The Bog can be considered a literal "hole," in the Inner Plane. This puncture allows access to the enigmatic Outer Plane, and is currently preventing the Gardener from awaking from its dreaming sleep. The Bog projects an "area of influence," on reality wherever it exists and produces a hazardous effect on living organisms wherein thoughts and reality become plastic and variable.

Science and Magic
Science is the study of the tangible aspects of reality. Science attempts to use constants to define the mechanics of the universe. Magic, alternatively, is the study and practice of intense thought in order to manipulate reality to a user's liking. The thought-form bridge allows both of these practices to influence reality to roughly the same extent, although some would argue that advanced forms of science and magic are closer to one another conceptually than some might like to believe.

Time and Narrative Inertia
The Inner Plane is driven by two principle forces: Time and Narrative Inertia (otherwise known as Story Magic).

Time is related to a substance known as Rift Shard. When a Sundering Architect undergoes the Cycle and enters its dreaming sleep this material is spread evenly through the Inner Plane. Time encourages these pieces to drift together, regardless of any obstacles, and as a byproduct creates the effect of linear causality, or what they laymen refers to as the "passing of time."

Narrative Inertia, or Story Magic, produces an effect which is often erroneously considered to be the flow of time. Story Magic is the flow of events and actions, literally the passing of moments, within the universe. The Inner Plane is, after all, a dream and as such is bound by a loose narrative arc. Story Magic's effect on the universe is the most objective perspective of reality, as it's design controls nearly every aspect of the universe.

Story Magic, and not time, can be manipulated by a highly skilled individual in order to change the order of events in the universe. Some self-styled mages claim to be able to make changes to the narrative arc of the universe. These claims were proven true when several so-called "Narrators," used their abilities to become nearly unstoppable. The Narrators were tricked into a crude trap known as a "keep tale," which changed their identities and imprisoned them in the black hole Galas Val Ei.

Both Story Magic and Time are inexorably interwoven facets of the Inner Plane and as a result their effects on reality are sometimes mistaken for the other.