The Dual-Vortex Realm

This article is rated T for Frequent Light Profanity and Light Depressive Themes.

The Dual-Vortex Realm is one centered heavily around the clash between two powerful gods and their effects on the world that they live in. The omnipresent, ongoing war between Sanctus and his sub-realm of Heaven against Malum with his sub-realm of Hell (with the Earthly realm being trapped in the middle), and, perhaps more importantly, the magical pull that this war has on the everyday lives of the realm's inhabitants, is what makes this realm unique.

Realm Shape
It should be noted before this goes any further that the realm has an idiosyncratic shape, appearing like two hourglasses set with one directly one top of the other. This double-hourglass shape is then divided into three sub-realms, with the top half of the top hourglass being the sub-realm of Heaven where Sanctus presides, the bottom half of the bottom hourglass being the sub-realm of Hell where Malum presides, and the bottom half of the top hourglass and the top half of the bottom hourglass together being the Earthly realm where neither god presides. The bend in the top hourglass is the Upper Vortex that connects Heaven and Earth for those who can travel between those two sub-realms, while the bend in the bottom hourglass is the Lower Vortex that connects Hell and Earth for those who can travel between those two sub-realms. Now that that's been taken care of, the Magical Rules should make more sense.

Magical Rules
The Dual-Vortex Realm has a few magical rules. These can be divided into two categories: those centered around magical powers and those centered around reincarnation. While the magical power rules are easy enough to explain—wielders of Holy magic (listed below) can manipulate any or all of the elements of Light, Water, and Healing, while wielders of Hellish magic (also listed below) can manipulate any or all of the elements of Darkness, Fire, and Poison—the ones centered around reincarnation are somewhat more complicated, as explained below.

Beings who die in this realm may reincarnate as one of nine types of beings, and depending on which type they reincarnate as, they may be confined to one of the realm's three sub-realms or be able to travel between them, as well as having different superpowers (or lack thereof) and different appearances. Note that this doesn't prevent denizens of the realm from exiting the realm as a whole, just from entering sub-realms that their type of being disallows.

It should be noted that which type of being one may reincarnate as is entirely dependent on the virtues that a being embodied before death, and which god will tend to favor that being in that being's next life. Beings who work for law and goodness will tend to be favored by Sanctus and rejected by Malum (thus reincarnating as a more Holy type of being), while those who work for evil and chaos (generally known as sinning by Sanctus and his followers) will tend to be favored by Malum and rejected by Sanctus (thus reincarnating as a more Hellish type of being).

On the other hand, different rules apply to beings entering the realm; those who possess certain levels of certain types of magic will become the being types with those levels of magic, while non-magical users will simply become the non-magical being type corresponding to the sub-realm that they enter.

The full list of nine types of beings can be found below, sorted from most Holy (favored by Sanctus) to most Hellish (favored by Malum).

Archangels
The highest type of being, Archangels have a high level of Holy magic. While normally denizens of Heaven, they can travel between the three sub-realms at will. As one of their self-imposed duties, some Archangels are known to seek out repentant, dying Humans sinners and give them a last chance at redemption which, if taken, allows the Archangel to reincarnate the Human as a Hallow, saving the Human in the Archangel's point of view and thus aiding both the Human and Heaven. Archangels have, in addition to their human features, glowing yellow wings with a wingspan about their height, a large yellow halo over their heads, and glowing yellow eyes. Anyone sufficiently morally good in their past lives (this realm) or with high levels of Holy magic (other realms) may become this being type.

Angels
The second-highest type of being, Angels have a moderate level of Holy magic. Normally denizens of Heaven, they can travel into the Earthly sub-realm if they so desire, and some may to perform the Archangels' shot-at-redemption duties above (though, unlike the Archangels, they are not powerful enough to reincarnate beings, only to put in a good word for them with Sanctus). Angels have, in addition to their human features, glowing yellow wings with a wingspan about half their height and glowing yellow eyes. Anyone sufficiently morally good in their past lives (this realm) or with moderate levels of Holy magic (other realms) may become this being type.

Hallows
The third-highest type of being and the lowest to inhabit Heaven, Hallows are non-magical and are confined to Heaven, being the Heavenly equivalent of Humans (although generally more morally good). Hallows look essentially like Humans, but with glowing yellow eyes. Anyone sufficiently morally good in their past lives (this realm) or who have no magic powers but enter the sub-realm of Heaven (other realms) may become this being type.

Priests
The highest type of Earthly being, Priests have low magical power of the Holy variety, comparable to or somewhat below that of Angels. Like other Earthly beings, they are confined to the Earthly world. Anyone reasonably morally good in their past lives (this realm) or with low levels of Holy magic (other realms) may become this being type.

Humans
Non-magical denizens of the Earthly realm, where they are confined. Generally placed between Priests and Witches in terms of morality. Anyone with neutral levels of good and evil in their past lives (this realm) or who have no magical powers but enter the Earthly sub-realm (other realms) may become this being type.

Witches
The lowest type of Earthly being, Witches have low magical power of the Hellish variety. Like other Earthly beings, they are confined to the Earthly world. Anyone sufficiently morally evil in their past lives (this realm) or with low levels of Hellish magic (other realms) may become this being type.

Fiends
The third-lowest type of being and the highest to inhabit Hell, Fiends are non-magical and are confined to Hell, being the Hellish counterpart of Humans (although generally more morally corrupt). Fiends look essentially like humans, but with glowing red eyes. Anyone sufficiently morally evil in their past lives (this realm) or who have no magic powers but enter the sub-realm of Hell (other realms) may become this being type.

Devils
The second-lowest type of being, Devils have a moderate level of Hellish magic. Normally denizens of Hell, they can travel to and from the Earthly realm if they so desire. Some like to frequent the Earthly realm and tempt the inhabitants there into evil acts in exchange for aiding them in minor ways, bringing the beings closer to reincarnating as lower beings and thus aiding Hell. Devils have, in addition to their human features, black wings with a wingspan about half their height and glowing red eyes. Anyone sufficiently morally evil in their past lives (this realm) or with moderate levels of Hellish magic (other realms) may become this being type.

Demons
The lowest and most powerful type of Hellish being, Demons have a high level of Hellish magic on par with the Holy magic of Archangels. Normally denizens of Hell, Demons can travel between the three realms at will, and some may visit Earthly denizens to try to persuade them into evil that the Demons may reincarnate them into Fiends when they die. Demons have, in addition to their human features, black wings with a wingspan about their height, a tail-like shadowy appendage that usually surrounds them but can strike out at enemies, and glowing red eyes. Anyone sufficiently morally evil in their past lives (this realm) or with high levels of Hellish magic (other realms) may become this being type.

Locations
Anyone can live here, you don't have to ask permission to put a character here.

Heaven
Situated at the apex of the Dual-Vortex Realm, Heaven is generally considered the most good and pure of the Dual-Vortex Realm's three sub-realms, as Heaven is usually inhabited by those who were good in their past lives, meaning that its inhabitants are most likely to be good themselves. However, due to the constant war with the Dual-Vortex Realm's Hell, Heaven is occasionally invaded by Demons, and its inhabitants may sometimes be swayed to the side of evil. Heaven also attaches to the Dark Infinity Realm; admission to this Realm from the Dual-Vortex Realm's Heaven is blocked by a gate only openable with angel-forged keys made of a special metal called Divinum. Heaven's inhabitants fiercely guard these keys, and their enemies covet them in equal measure.

Notable Residents
As of right now, there are no notable residents of Heaven.

The Earthly Realm
The middle realm between Heaven and Hell, this is the sub-realm populated by the average citizens, i.e. those who are neither particularly good nor particularly bad. It also has a fair number of Angels and Devils who have decided to live here instead of in their own sub-realms. In fact, the denizens of one quiet corner of this sub-realm is home to a number of residents of all being types who work together to defend, supply, and connect power between the various Realms that the Dual-Vortex Realm connects to. However, the majority of the sub-realm is still comprised of average people caught between the wars of Heaven and Hell.

Notable Residents
As of right now, there are no notable residents of the Earthly Realm.

Hell
The lowest sub-realm, both physically and metaphorically. Due to its predilection towards spawning depraved inhabitants, the sub-realm is prone to a good deal of strife, crime, and general moral unpleasantry. It doesn't help that the realm is connected to Lesser Steam City, particularly the City's Rotary Depths, which are themselves fairly crime-ridden and nasty. Like any other sub-realm, however, there are those inhabitants who break the mold, both by the type of their being and by their actions.

Notable Residents
As of right now, there are no notable residents of Hell.

Fun Facts

 * This realm was conceived of by Wikikinetic at roughly the same time as the Realm-Mesh Reality itself.