Like a stone lovingly worked in a jeweler's hands, so, too, does Déchiré have many faces; though many are, under normal circumstances, invisible to mortal eyes. They are therefore broken down into two basic categories: the Seen and Unseen worlds.

The Seen World is that inhabited by the mortal races of men, animals, and some types of magical creatures. Things within the Seen World are largely tangible, visible, and explainable. Even processes that might appear on the surface not to fall into any of the three categories often prove, on further examination, to do exactly that - For example, while the wind itself may be evade sight, it can be felt; and its effects are often spotted through indirect means: The rustling of tree-leaves or the ocean's waves. The same applies to scientific concepts - those which have not yet been assigned to theory or law are simply waiting to be discovered.

The border betwen the Seen and Unseen Worlds is commonly known as the Veil. In general, creatures of the former lack the ability to cross this border without assistance. Those who possess certain types of metaphysical power have been known to access the Unseen World by abandoning, intentionally or accidentally, their bodies. There is risk to this practice; as a permanent seperation can result should the soul fall prey to some mishap on the other side. Physical crossings increase this risk rather than decreasing it - it is not uncommon for travellers to become trapped beyond the Veil. As there are no maps, it is easy to find oneself lost in the mists - and, too, there are a number of beings that will actively work to prevent visitors to their realm from returning to their own. Occasionally, the Unseen World is glimpsed during dreams.

The Unseen Worlds include the Mists, the realm of the fae; and Shadow, the dark roads travelled by dead souls, their guide, and his kin. The latter is rumoured to itself border the void - the endless nothingness at the beginning of time. Certainly, it borders the afterlife; there is a 'point of no return' that, when passed, will render a soul unto the appropriate judge for assignment to eternity. Even the greatest Shadow-Walkers among the Sabhakhi take care not to approach this boundary too closely, lest they fall in.

The origins of the Mists are located at the ends of the earth, and from there weave back into and over the Seen World - so while the fae realm does in fact lie alongside our own, its entrances cannot be found by those who are bound by banality and mortality. Children, animals, and the delusional are the most likely to be able to uncover a way in; often stumbling upon it by accident. Their fate then lies in the hands of whatever race or races of fae they encounter thereafter.

When the Veil is first crossed, both Shadow and the Mists mirror the portion of the Seen World immediately on the other side. The deeper one ventures into either, the less-familiar the surroundings become and the more likely it is to be lost. Travellers through Shadow cannot affect the Seen World without emerging from it. Poltergeists, the spirits of the malevolent deceased who refuse to cross into the afterlife, have done exactly that - they can no longer live on the near side of the veil, but they can reach through it.

The afterlives and the havens of the gods are also considered to be parts of the Unseen World.

Asunder - The World of Déchiré

Text © 1999-Present, Scarlet Seraph.