[This chapter serves as a compendium of knowledge regarding the fundamental laws of the world and the mechanics of the Ninth Wave. The information is gradually revealed within the story and is duplicated here for ease of access; as such, it may contain minor spoilers regarding the world's mechanics.]
– General Information
❖ The Ninth Wave
The Ninth Wave is an ancient, celestial pressure that infects young people, usually between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. After being infected, those chosen by the Wave experience an overwhelming sensation of crushing weight; once they succumb to this pressure, they are transported to the First Trial.
❖ The Trials
The Trials are metaphysical tests manifested by the Wave. They are populated by both monsters and humans, which are considered to be illusory reconstructions. Each Trial contains a central conflict that must be resolved for the Trial to end; these conflicts are believed to be reconstructions of events from the ancient history of The Deep.
❖ The Deep
The Deep is a vast, ruined magical world populated by Drowned Creatures. It is also the place where Trials are born. Humans are brought there by the Wave after surviving their first trial and can only return to the real world through one of the special portals known as Gateways. By accomplishing this feat, they become Awakened.
❖ The Awakened
The Awakened are people who have passed the first trial of the Ninth Wave and established a connection with the Deep. Each of them possesses special powers and a way to enter the Deep to seek out and destroy Trials before they create a Gate, thus protecting the real world.
❖ The Gates
If a Seed of Trial isn't found and destroyed before it matures, a Gate from the Deep is opened and a horde of Drowned Creatures is unleashed into the real world. To destroy the Seed, any number of Awakened can enter the Trial and attempt to conquer it. Thus, it won't be wrong to say that the duty of all Awakened is to enter the Deep, seek out maturing Trials, and close them before any harm befalls the real world.
– Common Terminology
❖ Gateway: Not to be confused with a Gate, a Gateway is a special portal that serves both as an anchor for Awakened entering the Deep and as an exit point for those wishing to leave it.
❖ Citadel: A human fortress in the Deep built around a conquered Gateway.
Relic: A magical item tied to the essence of a Deep inhabitant. Relics are created from Soul Essence, but can assume physical form when summoned.
Enchantment: A magical quality or passive ability intrinsic to a Relic.
Echo: A magical copy of a slain Drowned Creature. Echoes are capable of limited autonomy, but do not possess a soul, and thus are not alive. Just like Relics, they are created from Soul Essence and assume physical form only when summoned.
Soul Core: A mystical core of one's spirit that is capable of accumulating and storing vast amounts of Soul Essence.
Soul Shard: A physical manifestation of a broken Soul Core that contains remnant Soul Essence.
Soul Essence: The fundamental mystical energy used to power Abilities and Relics.
❖ Hierarchy of Power
• Soul Rank
A measure of power that is based on the quality of one's Soul Core. There are seven Soul Ranks:
• Dormant (Sleeper)
• Awakened (Awakened)
• Ascended (Master)
• Transcendent (Saint)
• Supreme
• Sacred
• Divine
Just like humans ascend toward divinity, Drowned Creatures descend toward profanity. Their corrupted Soul Cores also have seven Ranks of power, including Fallen and Corrupted.
• Class
A measure of power that is based on the quantity of one's Soul Cores. Unlike humans, who can only ever possess one Soul Core, Drowned Creatures can possess many. This is another measurement of their power, called a Class. There are seven Classes of Drowned Creatures:
• Beast (1 Core)
• Monster (2 Cores)
• Demon (3 Cores)
• Devil (4 Cores)
• Tyrant (5 Cores)
• Terror (6 Cores)
• Titan (7 Cores)
So, a Drowned Creature with five Soul Cores of the Awakened Rank would be called an Awakened Tyrant, while one with four Soul Cores of the Fallen Rank would be called a Fallen Devil.
❖ Tier
A rough estimate of a Relic's potency that is based on its source. Although Relics follow the same Soul Rank hierarchy, they are also divided into Tiers based on the Classes of the Drowned Creatures that left them behind. For example, a Relic of an Awakened Tyrant (who possessed five Soul Cores) would be categorized as a Tier-Five Awakened Relic.
❖ Aspects and Abilities
• Hierarchy of Ascension
The first four Soul Ranks, when applied to humans, have colloquial names:
Sleepers: Carriers of the Ninth Wave who have passed the First Trial. They receive the ability to perceive and interact with Soul Cores, as well as a unique Aspect and Flaw.
Awakened: Once a Sleeper returns from the Deep for the first time, they become an Awakened. Their Soul Core evolves to the next Rank and their Aspect gains a second Aspect Ability.
Master: If an Awakened chooses to challenge the Second Trial and succeeds, they become a Master. Their Soul Core evolves to the Ascended Rank and their Aspect gains a third Aspect Ability. They can physically enter the Deep at will.
Saint: If a Master conquers the Third Trial, they become a Saint. They gain a Transformation Aspect Ability.
❖ Aspect and Flaw
Aspect: A confluence of one's innate affinities and choices manifested as a magical specialization.
Attribute: A passive ability corresponding to one's natural traits.
Aspect Ability: A magical ability tied to one's Aspect.
Flaw: A mystical curse that balances the power of the Aspect. Every gift from the Wave comes with an inescapable price.
❖ The Mechanics of the Soul
Soul Essence Saturation
Soul Essence is not merely a fuel; it is a fundamental force of nature that permeates the atmosphere of The Deep. Humans, by nature, possess a "hollow" spirit. When an individual becomes a Sleeper, their soul begins to act as a vacuum, drawing in the surrounding Essence.
Internal Pressure: A Heart-Bearer must constantly balance their internal Essence pressure against the external pressure of the Ninth Wave. If the internal pressure drops too low, the soul collapses—a process known as Total Compression.
Essence Recovery: While Essence can be recovered through rest or meditation, the most efficient method of replenishment is the consumption of Soul Shards harvested from the Drowned.
The Anatomy of a Soul Core
The Soul Core is a crystalline structure located at the center of a Heart-Bearer's spiritual being. As a survivor progresses through the Ranks, the Core does not simply grow larger; it increases in Density.
The Crystallization Process: To move from the Dormant Rank to the Awakened Rank, the Core must undergo a "Phase Shift." This shift is triggered by the completion of a Trial, where the soul is subjected to enough external pressure to force a permanent structural change.
❖ Laws of the Drowned (Monster Behavior)
The Hunger of the Deep
Drowned Creatures are not merely predators; they are manifestations of the Ninth Wave's will to "collect" and "compress."
Core Consumption: Monsters hunt Heart-Bearers not for meat, but for their Essence. By consuming a human's Soul Core, a Drowned Creature can increase its own Class. A simple Beast that consumes enough cores can eventually evolve into a Monster or even a Demon.
Hierarchy of Aggression: Higher-Class creatures (Tyrants and Terrors) possess a "Command Presence." They can exert their will over lower-Class creatures, forming hordes that act with a terrifying, singular purpose.
❖ The Nature of Relics and Echoes
• Relic Manifestation
A Relic is more than a weapon; it is a solidified piece of a dead being's history. When a creature is slain, the Ninth Wave occasionally "saves" a fragment of its existence, turning it into a tool for the victor.
Soul-Binding: Once a Relic is claimed, it is bound to the owner's Soul Core. It can be dismissed into a shower of light and summoned at will, but it requires a constant, though minor, drain on the owner's Essence to maintain its physical form.
• The Limitation of Echoes:
Echoes are the rarest and most coveted prizes of the hunt. Unlike Relics, which are inanimate, an Echo is a spiritual puppet.
The Shadow of Life: An Echo retains the combat instincts and abilities it had in life, but it lacks a will. It is a hollow shell that follows the mental commands of its master. If an Echo's physical form is destroyed, it returns to the master's soul to "reconstitute," a process that can take days or weeks depending on the creature's Rank and Class.
❖ Final Notice to the Reader
The laws of the Ninth Wave are absolute. There is no negotiation with the pressure, and there is no shelter from the salt. The information contained in this compendium is the difference between an Anchored survivor and Silt in the wind.
[Warning: The Ninth Wave is rising.]
[Status: Preparing to Measure.]