Cosmology and the Celestials

Creation of the Planes
In the beginning there was nothing, and from the empty void, a singularity emerged. This point emerged into being, creating the universe as we know it. As the universe expands, a shift in the song of creation momentarily disrupts its expansion, thus creating two more spheres of creation.

The resulting three connected planes are; Akas Kseri (The Celestial Domain), and Mukhatsihr (Realm of Anti-Magic). The remaining energy, matter and information that did not become part of the three planes, became “The Primordial Colossals” beings of pure primordial matter and energy. These Colossal beings made their home into Akas Kseri, where they eventually dissolved to numerous and diverse albeit lesser powerful beings and they became the ancestors of the Celestials.

The First Plane, Akas Kseri or “The Celestial Realm”
The realm from which deities form (and tangible) and where souls lay to rest and be recycled, it is the site of the High Heavens, The Circles of Hell, The Paradise of Lilith, Halls of Valor, The Aquaria, The Great Roost. It is the sight of the Afterlife for those who live in the Mortal Plane, and to the faithful in  Mukhatsihr. The Grand Space between the worlds here is composed of Mana, an essential intangible substance for magic use.

The Second Plane “Mukhatsihr” “Realm of Anti-Magic”
It is the realm which no Celestial being, may tread. It has little or sometimes no flow of mana. The Laws of Nature reign supreme. Life here is sparse, between worlds there is a vacuum, essentially trapping Life within the confines of planets. Earth or Terra is located in this Plane. Many souls of mortals and life forms of this plane are weak and have no greater potency. Most Celestials ignore this realm, for the souls here are deemed poor quality and the lack of mana to truly manifest within the plane inhibits them from traversing the realm. Most life evolved without the intervention of Celestials. It is said once any mortal race in this plane manages to expand their holdings into the many stars of this plane and master the elements and nature, even the most powerful Devas, Askadian, Deejins and Dracys will be humbled.

The Third Plane “Yatmar Kseri” or “The Mortal Plane”
The realm of mortals, monsters, petty gods, and spirits. It is where the laws of Mukhatsihr and Akas Kseri coalesce, the space between worlds composed of “ether”. It is home to many forms of life, empires, and constant chaos. It is a teeming realm, most worlds here are assailed and influenced by Zhedems. Askadians, and Devas factions. Compared to Mukhatsihr, Yatmar is relatively smaller and more densely populated. This realm was the creation of the Celestial, Vrohma and his enlightened Mukhatsihr followers, the Gasj. Vrohma intended Yatmar Kseri to be a realm free from the natural dangers of Mukhatsihr; black holes, pulsars, and supernovae, where mortals and non-Celestiall life can thrive.

Travelling Between the Planes.
There are ways to travel between the planes. To travel from Yatmar to Mukhatsihr or vice versa, requires but a mere gateway. However, constructing that gateway would be a titanic feat, unlike the natural phenomena, wormholes, in Mukhatsihr, opening a rift that allows passage requires massive amounts of energy.

Long ago, in the eldritch past, The Celestials once, dominated all the three planes, but after an insurrection of lower Celestials in Akas Kseri and the abandonment of worship in Yatmar Kseri and Mukhatsihr, diminished their holdings.

However, before their retreat from Mukhatsihr, and the closing of the gates from Yatmar to Akas Kseri, they left behind their constructed Yatmar-Mukhatsihr Gates. Some are minor and small (like the various “rift” pockets, tunnels and mycellic arches on Earth), and some are grand and colossal like the defunct Great Arch in the relic world of Bracken III in the Rim Sector in Hominum Regio. There are other ways of travelling from Mukhatsihr to Yatmar Kseri without the usage of Y-M Gates, for example, the Terran Columbian and Vasco Expeditionary Fleet managed to enter Yatmar Kseri by opening a rift using an Aetherian-fueled wormhole drive, the former managed to successfully jump out and arrive back to Mukhatsihr while the latter failed to manifest back to Mukhatsihr, stranding the fleet in Yatmar Space. During the early Mortal Era, Meridian mages managed to "damage" the cosmic veil that made Yatmar Kseri hidden from Mukhatsihr. The event resulted in Yatmar Kseri "bleeding out" to Mukhatsihr manifesting as a relatively small nebulous star cluster near the Milky Way's Orion Arm fringe regions, allowing interstellar space craft to enter.

As millennia pass, many passages between Yatmar and Mukhatsihr cease to function properly, thus the “fading” of many Yatmari-based creatures and mortals, and the disappearance of magic activity on Mukhatsihr. To travel to Akas Kseri, requires first to travel into Yatmar, then must proceed to find portals or conjure one. Creating such passages require specific type of vessels (like a Nethership) or have great mastery over telemancy. There is a prevailing theory among spiritualists and mages that any life form that dies in Yatmar, has their soul travel to Akas Kseri. Spiritualists, religion leaders of Yatmar seem to agree that their deities and the site of their afterlife is in Akas Kseri. An entity from Mukhatsihr, is capable of travelling to Akas Kseri, without suffering from intense euphoria or psychosis unlike those from Yatmar, due to their soul’s insignificance and weak link.

The Celestials
The Celestials or the Akasen is the name given to powerful beings, who inhabit Akas Kseri. They have many factions and sub-forms, but in terms of qualities and physical descriptions they can be categorized into eight types.

Na’alkhim
Angelic creatures of light, and sound, they are the guardians of the High Heavens Region of Akas Kseri, it borders the Aetherian Expanse or rather "the upper regions" of Akas Kseri. They favor harmonious order, and they champion individuals who align themselves to the ideas of virtue, chastity, chivalry and charity.

Zhedem
These entties inhabit the nether regions of Akas Kseri, their capital is Circles of Hell, a dyson-ring like strcuture deep within the "Infernal Core", a gigantic red giant star in Akas Kseri. These beings usually favor individuals who seek power in all forms and those embrace the idea of eternal chaos and entropy. Their forms are various and diverse, they manifest into Yatmar Kseri as formless spirits or as a mutated fauna or humanoid if they inhabit vessels.

Askadian
These stone or metal-skinned humanoids, guard and occupy the rift points of Akas Kseri and Yatmar Kseri, in Mundi the Einherjar and Valkyrion Askadians inhabit the frigid and stormy places where most rift points are located.

Deva
These diverse races of divine humanoids or beastmen are the third most numerous type of Akasen, they inhabit the many bustling temple-cities of the plains and forests of the Grand Arena of Akas Kseri. The powerful among them are venerated by other Devas and the mortal races of Yatmar Kseri and Mukhatsihr.

Deejin
They are a race of pure mana, they are the stewards and the spiritual manifestation of arcane magic and knowledge.

Thanato
The Thanato are the guardians of the souls of the recently deceased, they take the form of gargoyles, skeletal constructs, bats and hounds.

Elementals
They are the second most numerous type of Akasen and the most numerous one that can be found in Yatmar Kseri. They take on the form of gigantic living mountains, a fierce fiery wraith, an agile Serpentine gale of wind, a hulking humanoid wave of water, or a gigantic living planetoid.

Dracys
The Dracys is the name for the Celestial Dragons, who move the stars of Yatmar and Akas Kseri. They are the progenitors of the Draconic race of Yatmar.