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Axiom: Axioms are the limits placed on a reality. They can range from 0 to 33. When trying to do something from a higher axiom in a reality that cannot support it, then a contradiction is caused. Axioms come in four categories: Technological, Social, Magic, and Spiritual.
Contradiction: Contradictions occur when the living from one cosm mix with the unliving axioms of another cosm. If a person tries something that is above and beyond the axiom limits of the realm they are in a contradiction check must be made. A character uses a minute amount of possibility energy to bend reality. There are different types of contraditions: Zero Case: If an alien object has an axiom level equal to or below the character and the land, the contradition is overlooked. One Case: If the object's axiom is greater than the character or the land (but not both) than disconnection only occurs on a roll of 1. Four Case: If the object's axiom level is higher than both the land and the character then a disconnection occurs on a roll of 1-4. Long-Range Contradition: When an object's effect goes beyond contact of the character (such as a grenade or a generator to power a campsite) then the stormer must generate a total with his reality skill to fight the existing axiom level.
Cosm: A cosm is another reality. Cosm is used to refer to the world in which a particular invasion originated. For example, people from a cosm called Magna Verita came to the Core Earth cosm to establish the Cyberpapacy. Cosm and realm can be used interchangeably.
Disconnection: When the contradiction is eliminated, the character is disconnected from his home cosm. When this happens he must "play by the rules" of his current location. He is cut from his source of possibility energy and cannot gain any possibility points until the connection is reestablished. He can still spend points, however. Also, the character cannot go beyond the axiom limits of his current location. However, the character can go beyond the axioms of his home cosm, is his new locale allows for it, since he is no longer a denizen of his home cosm. An Aylish Wizard who disconnects in Core Earth cannot attempt to cast any of his conjuration spells, but can drive a car without a problem (if only someone taught him). This link can be prepared by using your reality skill.
Drama Deck: The deck of cards which which facilitates play and mimics dramatic action. The Drama Deck comes into play in two ways. The first is during certain scenes, particularly combat, the Drama Deck is used to determine initiative and additionally it determines advantages and penalties for the heroes and villains. This use is only used by the gamemaster. The other use of the Drama Deck, and more important to you, is you card hand. At the beginning of each story, you are dealt 4 cards. Each one has certain bonuses and advantages which are played in a variety of ways. They can be traded among players (1 for 1 basis only) and as they are used during the story, they are refreshed every Act. That way you can spend or trade less useful cards for the really good ones as you prepare for the difficult dramatic scenes.
High Lord: A High Lord is the ruler of another cosm. Either self proclaimed or attained through various means, now they are the prime movers of the various invasions. Arguments of evil and relativism aside, nice guys don't force their reality upon others and steal possibilities.
Magic (also see Axiom): This axiom determines the accessabilty and power of mysical energy and supernatual power. At 0, not even flashes of insight, ESP, or deja vu occurs. On Earth (7), divination is possible, but it is not always reliable. The higher the axiom, the easier magic is to learn, and the more powerful masters can be, and the more comon magical beings and items are. In Aylse (18 - the highest realm), almost everyone is born with some magic ability. At 33 magic can be used by any creature capable of forming a desire.
Possibility: There are two kinds of possibilities. The game term and the story term. The game term refers to the points that your character will get during the adventure. They can be used to enhance die rolls and purchase skills, adds, and raise attributes. See the rules for more detail. In story terms, possibility is an energy. It is a type of energy created by stories and glorious deeds. Earth was unaware of this abundant energy until the High Lords arrived to take it away. Possibility energy can be used to create very powerful effects, such as forcing your reality over another.
Possibility Rated: A term used to define a character with the reality skill. Perhaps the most important skill of the game, the reality skill is what makes stormers special; it allows people to harness possibility energy, and use it consciously. Being possibility rated is almost essential for inter-cosm travel. Without it, one cannot cause contradictions. It also prevents transformation simply residing in a realm.
Ord: An ord is the term for normal people, short for ordinaries. They do not have possibilities (at least, not that they can harness). They are not Possibility Rated (P-Rated). There's nothing really wrong with them, it's just that they can't really do much against the invading realms (other than on the "home front"). Most people encountered will be Ords. Ords, living in a foreign cosm will, over time, transform into a denizen of that cosm.
Reality Bubble: By spending a possibility, a stormer can invoke a reality bubble. The "bubble" only affects the stormer who invoked it, but for about 15 minutes (the duration of the bubble) the stormer can do things in a foreign cosm just as if he was back home (no contradictions in most cases).
Reality Storm: A reality storm is what you get when two realities clash. There are two types. The most common are the storms that border the various realms. They are constantly in place (although can ebb and flow, or be very discreet). They act as a barrier. Only stormers can pass through relatively safely. The other kind is what can happen if someone tries to do something that is allowed by their reality, but disallowed by the reality they are visiting (or trying to do anything disallowed by their own reality). It doesn't happen often, but when it does, things go to hell (and sometimes literally). Stormers out of their home cosm can purposely invoke a reality storm if they're really desperate.
Realm: A realm is another reality on Earth. Strictly speaking, a realm refers to the area on Earth that is under the influence of an alternate reality. For example, The Nile Empire is a realm, not Terra, the world in which Nile Empire's reality originated. Not to be confusing, but the Nile Empire can also be used to refer to Terra.
Scene: A scene is a setting in which one or more events occur. There are two types of scenes. Standard scenes, the heroes have the advantage. Initiative is won more often, with more advantages, and there are more disadvantages for the villains. These scenes are meant to be quick and fast paced, with little worry of failure on the heroes part. Dramatic scenes are scenes which are of particular importance to the adventure. Villains win initiative more often, with more advantages than penalties, and the heroes have more penalties than advantages. Dramatic scenes are harrying and usually can only be won with team work and strategic card playing.
Social (also see Axiom): The social axiom determines the complexity in which beings can interact. This determines social structure and its side effects, such as language, entertainment, and government. At 0 beings live lives of solitude surrounded by their own kind. Language developes at 2. Nation-states come in at 15. Core Earth (21) allows for greater individual rights, complex, multi tiered governments, and a global economy. At 33 society reaches a point beyond any envisioned utopia beyond which we can envision.
Spiritual (also see Axiom): The spiritual axiom determines how much faith is required to tap into the power of beings recognized as "gods." It also determines the similiarity between the cosm and its mythos. At 0, no concept of higher beings or an after life exists. On Earth (9) miracles can be performed by groups of faithful and divine intervention occurs, but never at the request of the faithful. At 19, miracles can be invoked by the untrained and "Paradise" can be reached by mortals. In the Living Land (24 - the highest realm) one mythos is dominant and all others cause a contradiction. At 33 the realm and the mythos are one and all aspects are literally true; no other mythos can access miracles.
Stelae: Objects attuned to a High Lord's reality, used to seperate his realm from the reexisting reality and redirect the possibility energy of that realm as it tries to reestablish it's hold.
Stormer: As the Possibility Raiders invade another cosm, one consequence is huge reality storms caused by the mixing of two separate axiom sets. Possibility energy surges across the land effecting everything. Conditions are often created where people fill their potential and become possibility-rated. The Raiders observed that these brand of heroes (and villains) most often occurred after such storms, and labeled them "stormers." As a reality changes, possibilities are sucked away. When it is sucked from a person, eventually they reach a point where they are emptied. Some people reach this moment of crisis and make a definitive choice, for good or evil, about their future. Making such a strong moral decision causes possibility energy to surge back into them, giving them new power and strength than before.
Storm Knight: Tolwyn of Tancred of the Aylse cosm, a prominent stormer herself, coined this term from the Possibility Raiders' use of the word stormer. This term specifically refers to such stormers who have chosen to challenge the High Lords and their misbegotten ways. Your characters will be Storm Knights. These heroes don't just happen to be in the same place at the same time, but for one reason or another, they have decided that the Possibility Raiders must be stopped.
Technological (also see Axiom): This axiom determines how beings can interact with the world around them. At 0 no technology or tool making is possible. At 16, muskets are introduced and basic rifles begin as well as the possibility of the Industrial Revolution. On Earth (23) 1980's to 1990's technology, including doppler radar, genetic engineering, international computer networks, permanent space stations, optical disks, laser-guided munitions, and limited fusion power. In the Cyberpapacy (26 - the highest realm) cybernetic enhancements are reliable, personal energy weapons, "living computers," self-aware robots, and teleportation are possible.
Transformation:
When a reality invades an area, there is an immense problem of contradictions
with the native life and the invading axioms. Since the invading
reality (connected to the home cosm) would require much more energy to
change than a limited number of lifeforms, the lifeforms are transformed.
Non possibility-rated characters will eventually transform if they live
under another set of axioms long enough. However, most transformations
occur in the initial invasion when a realm invades or in reality storms.
Transformed characters still retain their memories of their life in their
previous reality, but can no longer access anything beyond their new axiom
levels. A character transformed in a Living Land invasion remembers
"car" and "television" as concepts and can identify the objects, but no
longer knows how to operate them. He can learn the powerful miracles
of his new home. If he left his new realm, then he still would not
be able to use a coffee machine, and he also would not be able to access
his new miracles (since that would cause a contradiction). Possiblity-rated
characters are not so easily transformed, and still retain their ability
to cause contradictions. Even so, they do "go native" and may lose
skills not possible in their new reality, as well as experience physical
changes as well.