Expansion into the Multiverse

TK: Called "Divine Reach" by the wider multiverse. The Equivalent for TK Rating:

1-3: Touch (Divine Touch) Range: 250 miles

4-6: Grasp (Divine Grasp) Range: 5,000 miles

7-8: Hold (Divine Hold) Range: a world

9: Intent (Divine Intent) range: a solar system

10: Will (Divine Will) Range: anywhere from a galaxy to several universes

All of these are typically just called "Divine Reach" to avoid giving away one's strength and to make things simpler. An Embodiment's TK's lift strength typically doubles from their base level as an Awakened and Prodigy and then increases by 50% after each new threshold, although no one can cross the barrier to Divine Will in any way until they become Realized.

Along with an increase in power, those with a Manifestation also gain an increase in their range (their Domain), extending from their base range of 250 feet to a set size based on the strength of their Reach, based on the list above.

They also have the pool of their Divine Energy expand to double its previous size, allowing them to use their Divine reach for longer. The Divine Will level has an especially potent extra benefit: the amount an Embodiment can lift in pounds is also their grip strength, no longer half of their lifting ability like before. Any Manifestations that grant abilities similar to Autumn's now double in potency purely as a side effect.

Categories of Manifestation Strength:

Mortal: Someone with no special powers; an average person.

Awakened: a psychic with no unique abilities. Sub-category: Slumbering. Someone with the seed of a Manifestation, but has not yet unlocked its power and become a Prodigy. An Awakened can live up to three hundred years naturally.

Prodigy: Someone who has touched upon the powers of their Manifestation seed, but has not yet unlocked some of its deeper secrets. Prodigies typically have a "Prodigious Power" that is, in reality, a severely watered-down version of their buried Manifestation. A Prodigy can live for up to a thousand years naturally and is considered a demi-god to many.

Embodiment: Someone who has unlocked some of the true power of their Manifestation. An Embodiment's lifespan depends on their Manifestations and the Level they have reached in their understanding and ability. The shortest possible natural lifespan for an Embodiment is a billion years, the average is fifteen billion, and the longest recorded living Embodiment was trillions upon trillions of years old.

Levels of Manifestations:

Exemplar: Someone who has just unlocked the first secrets of their Manifestation. Their grasp on their Manifestation typically doesn't add much to their abilities, usually only empowering their Prodigious Power by strengthening the effects and/or weakening the side effects.

Avatar: The Embodiment has learned enough about their Manifestation that their Divine Reach has been imbued with properties of their Manifestation. Someone with the Destruction Manifestation, for example, has much stronger grip strength and lift strength for their Divine Reach, along with steadily weakening the material gripped in their Divine Reach at the same time. This is often only a slight buff at this stage.

Someone with a Manifestation of Health may be able to speed up the healing process of someone within their Reach, but cannot force limbs to regrow with merely their Divine Reach. Using this new ability, one can temporarily imbue or permanently enchant an object to exhibit traits derivative from their Manifestation.

Personification: Unlocking yet more secrets, an Embodiment's body now becomes more in tune with their Manifestation. An Embodiment of Death may appear pale and sickly, their body now actively working to kill any foreign influence or substance inside. An Embodiment of Lightning gains faster reflexes and thinking speed, while an Embodiment of Greed's body may actively stores excess energy from food and water, allowing them to tap into this store at any moment.

No Embodiments are affected in purely negative ways by this transformation, even if it may seem like it. A Personification always loses the need to eat, sleep and breathe for survival. However, certain manifestations encourage them to continue to advance their understanding, such as Gluttony.

Incarnation: An Incarnation has gained a glimpse into the abyss of their Manifestation, seeing a fraction of its true depth. This causes the mind of an Embodiment to be tinted by the knowledge of their Manifestation.

Examples: An Embodiment of Earth gains an understanding of every rock and chunk of soil they look at or think of, including those things that have Earth in them or rely on the Earth for sustenance or something similar.

An Embodiment of Hate can tell with a glimpse of what everyone despises, like how Greg from Accounting despises Jerry and his horrible personality. An Embodiment of Vastness can literally look at the bigger picture, finding the overlying of what they look at, able to tell that a certain Empire wants to take over the galaxy, a universe wants to keep growing, and a town wants to lift itself from poverty.

This does not affect one's personality, as the wielder of a Manifestation has always exhibited traits of their Manifestation in their personality since birth. At the end of this stage, one's Divine Reach pressed right up against the barrier of Divine Will, regardless of whatever strength an Embodiment had before.

Crossing into the next Level is impossible for all but the most talented and truly understanding. Many often spend billions of years at this stage, uncovering new secrets of and ideas about their Manifestation, attempting to glimpse the insights needed to become their Manifestation Realized.

Realized: A Manifestation made reality. Once an Embodiment has uncovered and comprehended at least half of the secrets hidden away in their Manifestation, the true journey to Godhood begins. A Realized can manipulate the slightest hint of their Manifestation present in the fabric of reality from any distance, doing as they wish with it, and gaining complete control over it.

An Embodiment of Greed can cause a plant to absorb thousands of times more sunlight and nutrients than it needs or make it believe that it needs neither, causing it to slowly starve. An Embodiment of Air can turn the slightest breeze thousands of lightyears away into a maelstrom encompassing the entire galaxy.

An Embodiment of Anger can imbue anger into entire worlds, causing them to throw tantrums on a cosmic scale, resulting in worlds ramming into each other and destroying themselves. Those that become Realized have their Divine Reach immediately breach the barrier to Divine Will, although any further advancement is purely up to the comprehension of their Manifestations.

Those who cross the barrier to Realized with an especially potent epiphany can see their Divine reach increase in strength from the bottom of the Divine Will level (100,000 pounds) to several million pounds, while those who just barely broke through will find their Divine Will sitting at that same barrier until they advance their comprehension.

At this stage, one's Prodigy power is evolved and unshackled, allowing one almost unrestricted access to the powers of their Manifestation.

Sub-Category: Manifested: A true Deity in every way, a Manifested has comprehended everything to know about their Manifestation. They can create or instill their Manifestation from nothing and can become a true embodiment of their Manifestations, turning their bodies into a pure, undiluted form of their Manifestation.

Even when not actively doing so, their bodies are always partly made of their Manifestation, allowing them to shrug off normally mortal wounds and effectively never die of old age.

Those that fall under the mental categorizations of Embodiment are often the strangest and most eccentric Manifested, due to them being partially turned into a form of thought. These Manifested are also the most feared, as their ability to transform into pure thoughts and/or emotions is an unpredictable and confusing skill that only the Manifested themselves truly understand in its entirety.

On Advancing Levels: Each Level of Embodiment comes with the benefits listed above, along with once more experiencing the benefits of those Levels before them. For example, an Avatar would gain the imbuing of their Manifestation into their Divine reach, along with once more having their Prodigy Power improved.

The power may not receive the exact same buff (for example, one can have the strength of the effect increased as an Exemplar and then have a side-effect diminished or removed as an Avatar, or vice-versa, or have the strength increased both times, etc.). Of course, these effects are much more powerful than when achieved before.

How much better depends on one's Manifestation, but often one experiences the benefits of a previous stage at double the potency of the last time they experienced it.

While someone with a Manifestation of Health may only be able to accelerate the natural healing process of a body to peak human levels as an Exemplar, they are able to increase this beyond the bounds of "natural" as an Avatar.

At this stage, they could force a limb to regrow on a species that can't normally do so, although it could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to do so, depending on one's understanding of their Manifestation.

A Personification could allow one to fight off a virus with a 100% mortality rate at any stage before death, an Incarnation can revive someone from the dead, and a Realized can give everlasting life to someone.

Manifestation Categories:

Control: Types: Vastness (large things), Atom (small things)

Elemental: Types: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice, Metal, Light, Dark

Power: Types: Speed, Strength, Destruction, Motion

Emotion: Types: Love, Fear, Hate, Anger, Hope, Sadness, Guilt, Joy

Radiation: Types: Entropy, Electromagnetism, Temperature, Sound

Thought: Types: Perception, Cognition

Life: Types: Death, Health

Vices: Types: Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth

Universal: Types: Time, Space, Gravity

Negativity: Negativity and its sister, Positivity, are the only two Manifestations that can only have one Embodiment at a given time, and have no types.

Positivity: Positivity and its brother, Negativity, are the only two Manifestations that can only have one Embodiment at a given time, and have no types.

On Emotion and Thought: Those with a Manifestation in the Emotion and Thought category can imitate certain traits of others in their category, with extremely diminished results. For example, an Embodiment of Fear can induce feelings of hate, anger, and joy in those nearby, but it will never be more than simple emotional manipulation, and will never overwhelmingly consume the enemy unless they are a Level below or more.

Likewise, an Embodiment of Cognition can alter the perception of someone just slightly but is unable to completely dominate what someone feels, sees, tastes, and otherwise sense unless the user is at least a Level above. Otherwise, it just seems like a subtle touch: a spiderweb, a faint smell of smoke, a shifting shadow in the corner of one's eye.

Terms and Items

Orb of Kranko: Invented by an Embodiment of Perception named Kranko, this orb is capable of sensing the awakening of any Manifestation wielder to the Level of Exemplar within a range of a hundred galaxies. The Embodiment Protection Force monitors and cares for these orbs of clear crystal and uses them to find and introduce Embodiments to the wider multiverse. These orbs can also identify one's Manifestation category, achievable by placing one's hand on the orb. The orb will then relay the information to the one who touched it, also sending the information to whoever is touching the user at the same time.

Leisure Tech: Since Manifestations can be dozens of times more effective than even the most scientifically advanced technology in the universe, Embodiments use technology purely for convenience and comfort. Transportation, entertainment, and communication are all things Embodiments use technology for.

But since their Manifestations can eventually outperform even the most scientifically advanced technology in warfare and medical tech, stronger Embodiments prefer to rely on other Embodiments for these, hiring an Embodiment of Health to heal them and perform health checks, hiring an Embodiment of Metal to forge a weapon for them, or requesting an Embodiment of Temperature to enchant their clothes and houses with ways to keep warm and/or cool.

Of course, some poorer Embodiments (or those with eccentric mindsets and beliefs) prefer technology to hiring another Embodiment, and most Exemplars are too young and new to the wider Multiverse to afford anything else. So while one may find little medical or warfare tech on planets exclusively used by Embodiments, one can often find Exemplars and even some Avatars on planets with highly advanced technology.

Divine Energy: Also called psychic energy, Divine energy is the force exerted by TK. It is what lifts objects, fuels Prodigy Powers, and many more. Everyone has a limited amount they can store, although, like stamina, it regenerates quickly. In every way, Divine Energy is the manifestation of a psychic's will.

Manifestation: A Manifestation is what can only be described as a piece of divinity, granting the owner control over an aspect of the fabric of reality. Each Embodiment of a certain Level is capable of harnessing the power of their Manifestation to exert absolute control over that concept.

They can imbue items with their concept, invoke that concept, and many other things, limited only by their imagination, their Level, and the characteristics of their Manifestation. A Prodigy Power is an infantile version of Manifestations, a seed. All Embodiments have the typical abilities of a psychic.

Those who survived the Advanced's experiments and awakened as Prodigies were those with that potential within them in the first place.

There are many Embodiments with overlapping Manifestations, and there is no limit to the number of people that can share a Manifestation (with a few exceptions). However, their views of and insights into their Manifestation can vary wildly, which also means there are some things Embodiment can do with a certain Manifestation that another cannot, although this is not true for the Manifested for obvious reasons.

Divine Title: The name an Embodiment is known as by their peers. A Divine Title has little power behind it, but no Embodiment can pick a Title already used by another.

Aura: An aura is an Embodiment's subconscious projection of Divine Energy. It blankets the surroundings at varying distances, around five hundred feet for every Level, although the subconscious always keeps it at around twenty feet away from the Embodiment's person unless otherwise trained. A psychic's senses are what the aura starts out as, although the sense range, like one's Divine Reach range, shifts to new parameters once one becomes an Exemplar.

Each Embodiment can consciously retract or expand this aura within their maximum range, but cannot hide it completely within themselves or stop projecting an aura. The aura can be sensed consciously by other auras, which is what allows Embodiments to gauge the strength and Levels of others' Manifestations. Only special Manifest Powers like Fate's can completely hide an aura from view, although Fate's power did not remove it from the surroundings, merely removing it from the perception of others and their auras.

Major Factions

Embodiment Protection Force: The Police Force of the Multiverse, dedicated to keeping the peace. The EPF hunts down rogue Embodiments, prevents genocides by Embodiments on mortals, imprisons troublesome people, and is a trusted third party that often is called on to resolve disputes between two or more powerful Incarnations.

Their Uniforms consist of black pants and a brown topcoat over a black shirt, with brown boots and black gloves. They don't have typical ranks, instead sending an Embodiment of appropriate power to deal with a situation. They do have divisions, however.

The Retrieval Division is tasked with keeping enchanted items out of the hands of mortals, along with reclaiming the bodies of Personifications and higher Level Embodiments, as their bodies have gained properties of their Manifestation and can become extremely self-destructive or dangerous in the hands of mortals. The Dispute Division is responsible for helping those who request them, mediating disputes before they become violent, or negotiating with a particularly strong Embodiment on behalf of a weaker one.

The Introduction Division are those tasked with maintaining the Orbs of Kranko and introducing newly-awakened Exemplars to the wider multiverse. The Mortal Relations Division hires mortals to farm food for them, mine ores, and perform other menial tasks.

They also protect the mortals from rampaging Embodiments and compensate them for any damages done. This compensation comes in many forms: pure money, an Embodiment of Earth rebuilding their houses, and in rare cases an Embodiment of Health reviving entire worlds.

Finally, the Resolution Division is the division closest to true police, responsible for detaining or removing threats to the multiverse. "Threats" in this sense are Embodiments leaving entire worlds filled with the dead, stronger Embodiments preying on those of a lower Level than them, theft, and any who murder wantonly without good reason.

Crest: A celestial star ringed by a loop of fire sitting horizontally on the star's axis, with a small planet in the bottom right corner, overlayed on top of a kite shield. Visible on the ring of fire were the letters "EPF".

Philosophers for the Preservation of Knowledge (PPK): The librarians, scientists, and lore keepers of the Manifestation world, the PPK are dedicated to preserving and sharing all knowledge, and as such run schools, libraries, dojos, and many similar things.

Many tricks and techniques invented over the ages by wise Embodiments are found and taught by this group. While the inner workings and deep secrets of a Manifestation are too complex and vague to transcribe, the techniques built upon these can be easily mastered by those with the same Manifestation, so long as they have uncovered that section of secrets in their Manifestation themselves.

While it may sound strange and counterintuitive, it is similar to someone who knows how to breathe being taught that they can change the depth and length of their breath. It makes sense to those who know how breathing works and is indeed exceedingly obvious, but breathing is typically something one does on autopilot and one typically doesn't think about it often.

Hephaestus Guild: Founded by some of the earliest Embodiments of Metal and Earth, it has since incorporated Embodiments of Lightning into its ranks to make leisure tech. The Hephaestus Guild makes everything almost commercialized, from leisure tech to weapons and armor to houses.

For special orders, such as enchantments, they hire Embodiments with a Manifestation capable of providing the desired result. The Hephaestus Guild tries to keep a handful of Embodiments of almost every Manifestation type in employment, from Cognition to Love to Sound.

Planets and Locations of Interest

Saroo: A peaceful planet covered entirely in forests, Saroo's trees are grown under the care of Embodiments, willing them to take the shape of whatever is desired. The majority of trees on this planet are hollow and used as residences by Embodiments hoping for some peace to make a breakthrough in their understanding of their Manifestations.

Sar Nine: A gorgeous planet filled with lakes and lush grass, Sar Nine is filled with all manner of entertainment, including brothels, spas, arenas to house tournaments and games, and restaurants with exotic food, all staffed by mortals.

Frakar: The home base of the Hephaestus Guild, half of Frakar's surface is molten lava, with factories and smithies floating on metal barges. The other half is nothing but factories, constantly pumping out ships, TVs, and other technology. Mortals are often found in these factories, doing the more menial tasks.

The Spire: A massive ivory tower floating in space. As tall as a planet, and half as thick, The Spire is the home of the PPK and houses the multiverse's biggest collection of knowledge and schools. Complete with an artificial atmosphere.

Karsire: The home of the EPF, Karsire is a blue-painted artificial planet 500,000 miles around, which roams the multiverse using Manifestation-induced propulsion. Comes with an artificial atmosphere. Both the surface and the interior are used, with the interior housing prisons, maintenance hallways, evidence lockers, and other confidential things. The surface has storage, interview and recruiting areas, entertainment districts, and houses.

Canda: A planet thousands of times bigger than a sun, Canda is the main housing planet for Embodiments in the multiverse. Entire acres are for sale for one to build their house. Powerful Embodiments of ages past have made the planet habitable, reducing the gravity's strength to just slightly above that of Earth's and allowing plant life to flourish and produce oxygen.

Inton: A farming sector filled with farm planets staffed by mortals.

Graphan: A farming sector filled with farm planets staffed by mortals.