Tr. MO
The Difference Between Planets, Planes of Existence, and Parallel Universes
Hello to all Travelers,
I am a seasoned Traveler and have traveled in many worlds. Recently, I met a new young Traveler, and she asked me the following question:
"The description of our class says, 'A Traveler can move between worlds through Gates that connect to different planets, planes of existence, and parallel universes.' What does that even mean? What is the difference between planets, planes of existence, and parallel universes?"
After I explained the difference to her, I added it to the Archive so that all the new Travelers in the cosmos could also learn the answer.
Planets
So, right now, I assume most of you are in some Plane of Existence or Realm—the words Plane and Realm are synonymous—on some planet. If humans inhabit the world you are in, you are in the human plane or realm. That is, all the worlds that belong to this plane are inhabited by humans. These humans can differ greatly from each other. They can have different colored skin, different hair, and different facial structures. They can have even more striking and unusual features, such as horns, tails, wings, or long ears (either down like a hanging appendage or pointy). But they are all still human.
For instance, in some worlds, you may encounter humans with bioluminescent skin that glows softly in the dark, a trait developed to navigate their dimly lit environments. Some human populations might have intricate, natural patterns on their skin, similar to tattoos, which change color to reflect their emotional states. Others might have developed heightened senses, such as extraordinary night vision or an acute sense of smell, adapting to their specific environments.
In yet other worlds, humans might have symbiotic relationships with native flora and fauna, resulting in unique physical traits like vine-like hair that changes color with the seasons, or skin that can photosynthesize, providing additional energy from sunlight. In worlds rich with magical influence, humans could be born with innate magical abilities. They might have eyes that shimmer with an otherworldly light when they use their powers or markings on their skin that glow when they cast spells.
Despite these vast differences in appearance and abilities, all these variations fall under the umbrella of humanity in the human plane. This diversity showcases the incredible adaptability and resilience of humans across different environments and worlds, making each encounter a unique and fascinating experience.
If you've ever encountered one or more worlds inhabited by the Orcanis race, a good example would be the Orcanis. They are 30-40 percent larger than an average human, have extremely thick green or gray skin, depending on the world, and also have tusks. But they are still human. Another example would be the Genomey race. The tallest of them reaches my waist, and they have enormous eyes. Again, they are still human and belong to the human plane.
Each world on this plane can differ greatly from the others. The worlds that have not integrated can range from a world where humans have just begun developing and still live in caves to more advanced societies. Some have hunter-gatherer societies, and others have agricultural societies. There are also societies that have entered the field of industry. Additionally, there are technological societies at all levels and stages. You can find all levels and stages between these stages of development.
Among the worlds that operate on mana, there is a complete dissimilarity in every conceivable aspect. From worlds with very low mana, where cave dwellers eke out a primitive existence, to worlds where society is very archaic, to worlds with medium mana featuring dungeons and varying levels of Magitech. These worlds might have enchanted forests that echo mysterious beauty, with trees that whisper secrets and flowers that glow with an inner light. There are even realms where mythical creatures like unicorns and fairies are not just tales but reality.
In some worlds, you might find enchanted castles perched on floating islands, and rivers of liquid light flowing through verdant landscapes. Imagine cities made of crystal that sing when the wind blows, or marketplaces where magical artifacts are as common as bread and cheese. In these places, magic charges the very air, turning every breath into a marvel.
There are also stages of development and progress in Magitech, from basic magical tools to advanced technologies seamlessly integrated with powerful spells. In some worlds, Magitech vehicles soar through the skies, and enchanted machinery powers entire cities. Finally, there are worlds with an extremely high level of mana where the world itself, the vegetation, the animals, and even the water are so soaked in mana that even inanimate objects feel alive. In these places, mountains might shift and change shape like living beings, and the night sky could be ablaze with magical auroras that respond to the emotions of those beneath them. Every corner of these worlds holds a wonder, making them both fascinating and perilous for Travelers.
All the above are on the same plane and meet the definition of Planets.
Planes of Existence/Realms
Now, let's move to the subject of planes. I know of only two from experience, but I have also heard of others.
There is the plane of demons. They are not human. They are completely different. There are those among them who look like humans, with two legs, two arms, a body, and a head, but it is still quite clear that they are not human. Those that have a body that looks human usually have feet with hooves and not feet, large horns that differ greatly from the horns that humans have, large wings that differ greatly from the winged races on the human plane, and their eyes are large and completely black without sclera or have fire in them.
The others look like every combination imaginable. Some have an upper body that resembles ours and a snake's lower half. Others look like octopuses with horns and bony limbs, others like eight-armed lizards, and some look so unlike anything you've ever seen that you can't even describe them with animal or human comparisons. Each world on the same plane is linked to many others.
In some worlds, the sky might be a perpetually stormy red, filled with lightning that crackles and dances across the horizon. The land could be rugged and jagged, with mountains that seem to pierce the sky and forests where the trees are twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching out like skeletal hands. Rivers of molten lava might flow through these landscapes, providing light and heat in an otherwise dark and cold world.
There are worlds where the architecture is as alien as the inhabitants, with cities built of obsidian and bone, rising in impossible spirals and twisting towers. The constant hum of magical energy might fill the air, and a strange, unearthly rhythm could pulse beneath your feet. In these cities, you might encounter marketplaces filled with bizarre and wondrous items, where merchants hawk wares that defy the laws of nature and physics.
In other worlds, the realm could be a vast labyrinth of caves and tunnels, illuminated by bioluminescent fungi and inhabited by creatures that thrive in the darkness. These subterranean worlds might have entire ecosystems completely alien to the surface, with creatures that have adapted to the lack of light in fascinating and horrifying ways.
I visited several worlds on this plane but quickly left each one of them; it was too different and alien. The constant sense of being in a place where the rules of reality are fundamentally different was overwhelming. The sights, sounds, and even smells were a continuous reminder of just how far removed these demon realms are from the human plane. While fascinating, the alien nature of these worlds made them incredibly challenging to navigate and understand, and I felt a constant undercurrent of danger that urged me to move on.
I should note that this plane is also divided into worlds like the human one. That is, there are worlds that have been integrated and are controlled by mana, and others that are not and are technological at different levels. In the mana worlds, magic permeates every aspect of life. Mana flows freely, dictating the way societies function and shaping their cultures and civilizations. Here, powerful demon lords wield immense magical power, and ancient spells are part of daily life. These worlds often feature enchanted artifacts, runic spells, and mystical landscapes where even the natural elements are infused with mana.
Conversely, there are demon worlds that have not integrated and instead rely on technological advancements. In these worlds, societies have developed various levels of technology, ranging from early industrial-age machinery to highly advanced futuristic innovations. These worlds operate on the principles of science and engineering, with no trace of magical influence. The inhabitants may use advanced robotics, cybernetic enhancements, and other technological marvels to enhance their capabilities.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
The levels of development and progress, whether technological or in terms of mana, are also very different between worlds. Some demon worlds are at the early stages of technological development, similar to a steampunk society with gears and steam-powered machinery. Others have reached the pinnacle of technological innovation, featuring sprawling metropolises with advanced infrastructure and sophisticated devices.
It is actually a separate layer that differs from ours in terms of the beings that inhabit it, but there are many similarities between the stages of development. For example, just as in the human plane, some worlds in the demon plane are in their infancy, with nascent societies beginning to harness their world's resources. Meanwhile, other worlds are at their peak, having mastered either magical or technological advancements—creating a diverse array of civilizations at various stages of growth and evolution.
This multifaceted development means that each world within the demon plane offers a unique experience, set of challenges, and wonders, making it a plane as diverse and complex as the human one.
Another plane that I know personally is the plane of the dragons. This plane is very scary and dangerous, and not just because of the dragons. There are giant flying creatures such as wyverns and basilisks, whose wingspan blots out the sun and whose roars shake the very ground. On the land, there are terrifying ground creatures, such as enormous wyrms that can tunnel through solid rock and colossal predatory lizards that are both swift and deadly. Even the herbivores there are gigantic, resembling massive lizards with long necks or enormous mammals with protruding bony shields on their heads and bodies. The sheer size of the inhabitants and predators means that all the prey animals are also large, creating a scale of life that is both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
The environment itself is equally daunting. Forests of towering trees with trunks as wide as city buildings, vast plains that stretch beyond the horizon, and mountain ranges with peaks that pierce the clouds add to the overwhelming sense of scale and danger. The rivers and lakes are so vast that they could be mistaken for small seas, inhabited by monstrous aquatic creatures.
Moving in such a world is perilous. The ground quakes under the steps of the gigantic creatures, and the air is thick with the scent of predators. If you ever decide to visit, it is crucial to buy Invisibility and Stealth beforehand and raise these skills high enough to eliminate not just your visibility, but also your scent and sound. Only then might you navigate this formidable plane safely. The dangers in the plane of dragons are immense, but the rewards of witnessing such a majestic and ancient place are equally significant.
I still highly recommend visiting this plane.
Why?
Dragons.
Dragons are very smart, have amazing magic like you've never seen, and live thousands of years. The thing they value most is knowledge, and they share knowledge. They are aware of Travelers and really appreciate us. Just approach the first dragon you meet, say, "I'm a Traveler," and you're golden.
Like I said, dragons value knowledge the most, and we bring a lot of knowledge about other worlds and from other worlds. All dragons are also hoarders, and in our Storage, we have a lot of things that fascinate them. The things that interest them are as diverse as the worlds themselves. There are those who hoard jewelry, art, books, weapons, carpets, and much more. They are very good customers who will always give a high exchange for anything that interests them, and it doesn't matter how cheap or simple it is. In their eyes, it is not cheap or simple.
Dragons, unlike all the other races that exist, also can travel between worlds through the Gates, but unlike us, only through the Gates that connect the worlds in the dragon plane. Many years ago, I read a theory in the Archive that the dragons were the ones who built the Gates because they can move through them on their plane. This theory makes little sense to me because it would mean they have the ability to move between all the worlds and not just be limited to their plane.
When I traveled this plane, in the first world I met a dragoness, and we became friends. I taught her all the languages I knew and sold her all the books I had. She became a friend for life, and as a thank you for this amazing gift I gave her, she took me for a tour through the Gates of the dragons and to meet more dragons. During my travels, I met two other Travelers who were on this plane, and their stories were the same. Once they met a dragon, it was no longer dangerous, and the dragon took them on a tour to meet more of their kind.
Let me tell you, even if you have traveled to a technological world with amazing flying abilities, you have never experienced flying like on the back of a dragon. I cannot express the experience in words.
The plane of the dragons differs from the two planes I mentioned above in one way: they don't have unintegrated worlds or worlds with different levels of mana. Mana controls all the dragons' worlds, and they are all worlds of very high mana.
It's understandable to feel fear when touching a Gate, witnessing high mana levels, and seeing the warning "Danger Level: Lethal." But that's the description of all high mana worlds. And the dragon plane is worth the risk. I spent over forty years there, met amazing dragons, and learned a lot about magic. If there were more people and less scary predators, I would have settled there.
They have amazing societies. From cities built to their natural size to cities where everyone has polymorphed into a fairly human size and shape (they like opposable thumbs). All these places are just full of wonders. They have the most advanced and amazing runic script I've ever come across, and they create amazing things, from works of art to Magitech devices, as you've never imagined. I believe the dragons developed Magitech, but I have no proof of this belief, and all the dragons I asked could not answer me if they were the first. As I mentioned, they can only move between their own worlds.
I have heard about several other planes from other Travelers, but because this is not a first-hand experience, I cannot give in-depth descriptions.
There is the plane of the Beastkin. They look like a combination of a human and an animal. In this plane, there are worlds of canines, felines, equines, and serpents. There may be others, but I've only heard of these four. Their worlds also have the same split as the others—either they integrate and operate on mana at different levels, or they remain unintegrated and are at different stages of technological development.
Another plane I heard about is the Marine Plane. I have very little knowledge about it. The Traveler who told me about it said that he found a Gate that had the word Marine under the name of the world. When he went through the Gate, he found himself underwater with tremendous water pressure. He opened the Map and didn't see any land, so he just swam back through the Gate. That's all the information I have.
I heard about another plane, but I don't know if it's real or not. The Traveler who told me about it heard it from another Traveler, who heard it from another Traveler, who heard it from another, etc. We weren't sure how many Travelers were in the rumor chain.
The world he heard about was a world of only machines and robots. It made little sense to us because someone had to build these robots, and if suddenly there is an integration, then what will happen? Will all the inhabitants disintegrate? We decided it was a fabrication.
In any case, I'm adding it here. If any of you have traveled to such a plane, please add your impressions below.
Parallel Universes
Now, we will move to the third category: parallel universes. This is a very interesting phenomenon, but in my experience, it is not very common. I have seen only one case of a parallel universe and visited a chain of three worlds.
My starting point was a medium-low technology world where the society was very unpleasant. The ruling class of the rich held all the power, and everything belonged to the corporations, including the people who did not belong to the elite. Life for the common people was harsh and unforgiving. You had to work a certain number of hours to be entitled to the most basic necessities, like food. Earning clothes required working more hours, and affording an education demanded even greater effort. The relentless cycle of labor left no room for rest or personal fulfillment.
The circumstances trapped families in a vicious cycle of enormous debt, forcing them to work tirelessly just to survive. Parents worked themselves to the bone to feed, clothe, and educate their children, yet the cost of living was so high that they could never get ahead. The weight of debt hung over them like a dark cloud, sapping any joy or hope from their lives.
A heavy pallor hung over the cities and towns, creating a perpetually gloomy atmosphere. The air hung heavy with pollution from the factories that fueled the economy, while the streets were crowded with people who wore exhausted expressions, having lost all sense of purpose except for mere survival. Public spaces were bleak and neglected, with crumbling infrastructure and a pervasive sense of decay. The constant hustle for resources created an environment of distrust and competition, where community and camaraderie were nearly nonexistent.
The pervasive sense of despair was palpable, and it was clear that the societal structure was designed to keep the elite in power and the masses subjugated. There was no room for personal growth, creativity, or aspirations. The corporations dominated every aspect of life, from the media that spewed their propaganda to the education system that indoctrinated the young into their ways.
Unable to bear the oppressive and soul-crushing environment any longer, I left through the first Gate I found, seeking respite from the relentless bleakness of that world.
When I touched the second Gate, the name of the world remained the same, but there was no mention of mana or technology levels.
When I passed to the world on the other side, another surprise awaited me; the geography was exactly the same, and the language was very similar, so much so that I didn't have to pay in mana to learn it. Still, it took me some time before I could understand the local dialect fluently. There were other parallel points: their dating method was the same, their time measurement was very similar, and there were similarities between the religious beliefs and other small and less obvious similarities. The society itself was at the beginning stages of transitioning to an industrial society from an agricultural society. They didn't exactly have technology, but they started developing methods to mass-produce certain things.
It was nice, but I didn't stay there for long. I have already visited several such worlds, so I was not interested.
The next Gate I found again led to a world with the same name, but this time with a mana level of 21. Again, the geography was the same, the language very similar, and there were other various similarities between the worlds. The society was a typical society of a world with low mana—sparsely populated, a lot of pristine nature, nice people, and a slow and calm lifestyle. In short, it was a nice place for a vacation, but not interesting beyond that.
I left through the first Gate I found to a world with a medium mana level.
I heard from other Travelers about parallel universes, and their experiences were quite similar to mine. They had the same name, the same geography, many similarities, and different stages of development, either technologically or in terms of mana.
This is the end of my account. I hope this helps all the new Travelers out there to better understand the cosmos. If you have similar experiences or have discovered additional planes, please add them below in the comments.