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Rifts and Gates

Veritas Vault Entry - Article #7594, Revision 12

Overview

Rifts and Gates are the primary conduits of realm connectivity, channeling Aura to link realms and shape their economic, political, and mystical frameworks. Rifts are volatile portals to temporal planes, sustained by corrupted Aether sources and capable of catastrophic destruction or stabilization into subspaces. Gates are stable, closable connections to other realms, coveted for trade and migration but strictly limited in number due to the strain they place on the realms' Aura fabric. Both exhibit time dilation effects, where time flows differently between connected realms or subspaces, helping explain the longevity of some Ascendants (e.g., a High Elf Ascendant recorded as nearly 6,000 years old). Note: Operatives should exercise caution when traveling through rifts and gates, as time dilation can lead to unexpected aging, missed events, or disorientation upon return. Always consult Association chronal records before traversal.

Difference between Rifts and Gates

Rifts:

Natural Rifts: Formed when fluctuations in a realm's ambient Aura cause pockets of Aura to condense in unstable areas. As more ambient Aura feeds these pockets, the condensed energy ruptures the Aura fabric, opening a portal to a temporal plane. The opening unleashes a chaotic Aura wave, crushing or displacing matter in a radius tied to the subspace's size (e.g., 100 - 300 meters for small rifts, up to planet or solar system-scale for massive ones). A corrupted Aether Core crystal sustains the rift by drawing in ambient Aura. Stabilization channels purified Aura to create a subspace, offering training benefits (time-dilated arenas for accelerated advancement) and economic gains (harvesting Aether crystals or undiscovered materials). Destroying the crystal closes the rift, risking channel strain. Time dilation in subspaces varies; for example, one year in a subspace might equal 4 years on Earth, allowing intensive training but requiring caution to avoid prolonged absences.

Forced Rifts: Created through rituals using a living being as a sacrificial conduit, with sigils engraved on their body to force ambient Aura to merge with their personal Aura. This merged Aura opens a portal to a temporal plane, often tearing the conduit apart or grafting an artifact/source from the target realm to enhance the channel. A tainted Aether Core fragment sustains the rift. Downside: Forced Rifts may connect to demonic or extremely hostile realms with no beneficial access, often created with malicious intent, necessitating immediate closure to prevent catastrophic incursions.

Rift Collapses: Unstable rifts (Natural or Forced) deteriorate as ambient Aura feeds the corrupted Aether Core or fragment, leading to collapse. This destroys the area in a radius tied to the subspace's size (10-50 meters to solar system-scale), crushing structures and merging terrain with the subspace, creating distorted reality zones with high casualty risks. Rarely, the Aura merger forms a gate to the originating realm, potentially accessing undiscovered fauna, life, and materials, though the limited number of sustainable gates restricts this. Prevention includes destroying the power source (risking channel strain) or stabilizing the rift, a difficult process with high rewards (e.g., vast subspaces for resources/training). Time dilation persists in merged subspaces, amplifying traversal risks.

Forced Rift Collapses: Induced by feeding a rift's Aether Core with a living being's misaligned Aura, using sigils to merge ambient and personal Aura, accelerating collapse. The collapse's radius matches the subspace's size, with tainted Aura causing volatile effects (e.g., erratic energy bursts). Stabilization or power source destruction prevents disaster, offering the same training and economic benefits but with greater difficulty due to misalignment. Time dilation in resulting subspaces requires the same caution as other rifts.

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Gates: Opened through rift collapses (if the rift's Aura has not previously touched the target realm, meaning no gate is present) or by using a source/conduit, an item/artifact rich in Aura from a rift, to establish a connection. The latter is an extensive, long process requiring sustained Aura channeling. Powerful Ascendants versed in astral travel can assist in opening gates, but they are extremely rare, with Earth having only one. Closable by severing the Aura tether (risking Core depletion), gates are limited by the Aura fabric's capacity, making each new one a strategic asset. Gates formed from collapses may access realms with undiscovered fauna, life, and materials. Time dilation varies by realm; for example, one year in Celathandria equals 4 years on Earth, while one year in Lycania equals 3 months on Earth, this allows us to easily confirm the long lifespans of Ascendants. Caution is advised to avoid temporal mismatches.

Notable Rifts and Gates

Ebonreach Rift (Earth, Hosted in Lycania):

Origin: Natural Rift, formed 1723 - Earth Time Index by ambient Aura condensation.

Status: Stabilized 1745 by Earthsong Clan (Dryad).

Influence: Subspace training arena and resource hub, yielding Aether-infused ore.

Contribution: Hosts Verdant Crucible, a time-dilated training ground accelerating Aura mastery (e.g., 1 year inside = 3 months on Earth).

Celestine Gate (Earth to Celathandria):

Origin: Opened 1590 - Earth Time Index by The Brightwater Clan (Human) using rift-sourced artifact.

Status: Active, Ascendants Association-controlled.

Influence: Channels Elven populations and elemental Aura techniques.

Contribution: Supplies Aura-infused crystals, vital to Earth's enchantment trade; time dilation: 1 year in Celathandria = 4 years on Earth.

Ashendell Rift (Eldoria):

Origin: Forced Rift, formed 1801 - Earth Time Index via sacrificial ritual.

Status: Unstable, under Arindale Clan containment (High Elf).

Influence: Disrupts Eldorian regions with chaotic Aura effects.

Contribution: Research site for stabilization methods; time dilation in potential subspace: 1 year inside = 6 months on Earth.

Ironveil Gate (Earth to Lycania):

Origin: Opened 1402 - Earth Time Index from rift collapse.

Status: Contested by Windwalker Clan (Beastkin Wolf) and Brightmoor Sect.

Influence: Facilitates Beastkin migration and Gale Fist exports.

Contribution: Trade hub for Lycanian steel; time dilation: 1 year in Lycania = 3 months on Earth.

Role in Realm Dynamics Gates like Celestine and Ironveil fuel Earth's diverse population and trade, bringing Elves, Beastkin, and resources like Lycanian steel, but their limited number sparks fierce competition. Stabilized rifts, like Ebonreach, provide training benefits (time-dilated subspaces for rapid Aura development) and economic advantages (Aether crystals, undiscovered materials), making stabilization a high-reward endeavor. Rift collapses, especially Forced ones, threaten catastrophic mergers with subspaces, but their rare gate formation can access realms with new fauna, life, and materials, amplifying economic and strategic stakes. Rogue factions exploit unstable rifts for black-market gains, countered by Ascendants Association oversight. Time dilation in rifts and gates requires caution, as mismatches (e.g., 1 year in Celathandria = 4 years on Earth) explain Ascendant longevity but can lead to disorientation or lost time.

Conclusion Rifts and Gates balance opportunity and peril. Stabilization unlocks training and economic benefits, while collapses risk realm-wide disasters but may yield gates to uncharted realms. With gates limited by Aura fabric strain, operatives must wield skill to secure stability and maximize rewards.

Recommended Vault Links [Aura Dynamics and Stabilization Techniques] [Demonic Realms and Hostile Incursions] [Astral Travel and Gate Creation] [Chronal Records: Time Dilation Effects]

Veritas Automated Recommendation:

Rift Containment Protocols Veritas Vault Addendum - Article #7934, Revision 10

Recommendation: Establish an Inter-Realm Rift Taskforce to standardize stabilization and closure protocols, optimizing training and economic benefits while preventing collapses.

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