TL;DR: Polareans are twin spirits locked an endless war for dominance. They live in an astral plane that is controlled by their collective imagination. They live on opposite ends of their realm and in order to fight each other they have to navigate a dungeon maze through an abyss that connects many dream worlds together.

P.S. The red ones are the best!

- Harmony -
Harmony is an astral apeirohedron plane of existence, a metaverse, divided into two hemispheres called Eternity and Infinity that is separated by an abyss called Oblivion. Harmony is a magnet for lost dreams, it is controlled by cognition, shaped by emotions and formed by imagination. It is populated by Polareans. Contradictory to it's namesake, Harmony's inhabitants are in a constant state of conflict.

Cognition refers to the concept of Polareans perceiving the world and viewing what they see as reality. When enough Polareans collectively perceive something that concept becomes real, influencing both the world and themselves. Entities are created seemingly from nothing by the power of widespread rumors about them.

Physics in this realm is determined by the collective belief of it's inhabitants. If enough Polareans believe something is real then it becomes real. If enough Polareans believe that painting lightning bolts on a race car makes it go faster, then it does make it go faster. Magic is real because enough Polareans believe its real. If enough Polareans are scared of an idea, that idea becomes a physical manifestation. The only way to counter this is to convince enough Polareans that the idea they believe is wrong. Unfortunately, contradictory ideals can simultaneously exist at the same time.

The Cataprism that destroyed Harmony could have been the result of Monotheans becoming self aware and developing inward feelings of love and hate for themselves, dividing themselves and their world into polar opposites, a mind waging war against itself. Oblivion becoming their feelings of reluctance to accept fault and their desire to escape from the burdens of responsibility.

Time is not linear, by rather spiral, in this realm. Things return to the way they once were. Events are constantly repeating themselves. Completed tasks come undone. Collected resources reappear over time. Defeated enemies return undefeated. Epic battles are reoccurring. An endless cycle of destruction and restoration. Overall, time moves constantly forward but some events will repeat once the event ends, or things will return to how they were after a period of time. The way for Polareans to progress through time is to repeatedly participate in these events to build up enough Stability to trigger the next event to happen. This could take one attempt or many. Although some Polareans might be unaware they are the ones stuck in the time loop. (It runs on video game logic like how a bunch of players have to defeat the same character or run the same dungeons over and over again to get better equipment.)

Time might also be affected by Polareans having comfort in familiarity and a fear in change, so things stay the same. Time moving forward could be a result of that familiarity breeding contempt.

- Nexus -
The Nexus is an ever shifting, changing and rotating labyrinth of halls, corridors and rooms that tunnel through Oblivion and connect the planes of Eternity and Infinity. The Nexus was built by future Polareans and sent back in time by the effects of Oblivion. It was constructed with unknown materials and yet to be discovered technologies. It is uncharted and how it operates remains a mystery.

The Nexus is divided by Floors and Rooms. Floors are sections of the Nexus where the hall layout remains the same. Floors and Rooms adjacent to that Floor will randomly change when entered. Floors are not linear, when entering a new Floor, the previous Floor connected to it will also change. This prevents large groups from traveling together, as the group enters a new Floor, the Floors will randomly change, sending the group to different Floors. Small groups are ideal as they will usually enter the same Floor together. Hollows are territorial and will stay on the same Floor. When being overwhelmed by Hollows or strong opponents, the strategy is to retreat to a different Floor. It is impossible for pursuers to follow through the randomly changing Floors. The randomness is believed to be the result of Oblivion's chaotic energy altering the time-space continuum around the Nexus, while the Nexus is only capable of stabilizing small sections at a time.

Rooms are pocket dimensions with unique bio-domes and landscapes that differ from the Halls of the Nexus. Rooms are free of the influence of Oblivion, abundant is replenishing resources, and spacious enough to build cities and stage armies. They are like an oasis in the dessert and both sides seek to control as many as possible. Finding them is one of the main objectives when exploring the Nexus. Once found, returning to a Room is another challenge in of itself as they can't simply take the same path that lead them there due to the ever changing Halls of the Nexus. Then they enter a Room they setup a Gate that will allow them to summon reinforcements and supplies from Home. From there, they can build up an outpost to secure the area and start sending back collected resources through to Gate to aid in the War Effort. They will also build a Beacon that will alert other teams that there is a Room connected to the Floor they entered, a safe haven for rest and resupply. From that Room, more Exploration Teams will be dispatched to search for more Rooms. Each Room with a Gate in it expands their teleportation network and allows them further access into the Nexus.

Some times the Room they discover is unoccupied, other times both sides discover the same Room and build a base in it without being aware the Others are there, and then there are times when the Room is occupied by the Others first, so they will try to build a Gate in that Room to summon in a fleet to eliminate them and claim the Room for themselves. Rooms are were large scale battles occur, the only place in the Nexus large enough to contain multitudes of armies and fleets. Rooms also have another tactical advantage, on rare occurrence they will connect directly to the exit of the Nexus, giving an opportunity to invade the Other Side with the full force of the Armada. This has happened on several occasions, each time the invading force had been repealed. This is why having complete control of the Nexus is critical to the success of the War.

The Nexus isn't the only way to reach the other side, just the safest way. Some Polareans try to swim across the gap. Most dissolve midway. The few that do make it to the other side are so eroded by the time they get to shore, they are easily shattered. They build ships to try to travel through Oblivion, but the chaotic effects are much worse then in the Nexus. Despite the fact the ships are still susceptible to corrosion and needed to be shielded, the void itself is treacherous to navigate. Time-space is warped to an even greater extent and ships can find themselves traveling in an endless loop. Not to mention the gravity vortexes and energy storms that can wreck a ship without notice. They do try to use the resources gathered from Rooms to reinforce the hull of their ships to resist the effects of Oblivion. It become more cost effective to have their ships jump between Rooms to shorten the distance they would have to travel.

The Halo Array are colossal rings that slowly rotate around Nexus in free suspension. When activated they shatter all vessels in the Nexus, including Hollows and Nightmares. Because of this feature, they are sometimes referred to as the Scared Rings. Theory is that if overcharged, the Halo Array would shatter all life in Harmony.

- Oblivion -
Oblivion is the endless empty void between Eternity and Infinity. It is the spatial manifestation of the negative emotions of Polareans, its continued growth is sustained by it. It has a strange energy field that makes things that enter it weightless while also being dense enough to move through it like swimming through water. The energy field stop directly on the edge of Eternity and Infinity like a wall which is called the Shore. The chaotic energy of Oblivion warps time and space, preventing or prolonging travel from one side to the other. There is also hazardous weather in Oblivion such gravity wells, power storms, static fields and nebula clouds that imbue objects with unique properties. The best way to tell what weather effects are active is to observe how debris in the area is reacting. The energies of Oblivion is deadly to Polareans, like radiation that slowly erodes their vessels into dust over time. However, some Polareans are capable of swimming across Oblivion to reach the other side, this leaves them in a weakened and brittle state that causes them to be easily defeated once they reach the other Shore.

A Palace is a manifestation of "distortion", extreme negative emotions, corrupt thoughts or psychological trauma that warp the perceptions of Polareans into a hazard for themselves and others. Objects in that Palace will appear to represent subconscious knowledge.

The Mist is a traveling purple fog that generates hordes of Hollows within both Oblivion and the Nexus.

Nightmares are the manifestations of the subconscious fears of Polareans. Monsters that haunt Oblivion and terrorize Polareans that enter it. Nightmares can traumatize Polareans and transform them into Hollows.

The Nightmares come in the from of Regrets, Doubts and Bad Ideas. They are controlled by Lords of Nightmare that wish distort Harmony with negative emotions. Lords of Nightmare live in Palaces. A Palace is a manifestation of "distortion", extreme negative emotions, corrupt thoughts or psychological trauma that warp the perceptions of Polareans into a hazard for themselves and others. Objects in that Palace will appear to represent subconscious knowledge. There are seven Lords of Nightmare are Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.

Polareans construct space ships to try sail across Oblivion. Most are destroyed by either battle or the weather. While some get lost in temporal loops until they erode into dust. Those that do make it across get shot down by overwhelming defenses. Piracy on non-combat ships is encouraged on both sides.

The Void Train is precursor to the Nexus, earlier attempt to cross Oblivion. The idea is that if it follows a set of tracks it will eventually reach the other side. It is designed to collect nearby debris to use as fuel. There are depots along the way for trains to stop for resupply and repairs. One of the problems is that the tracks are exposed to Oblivion's warped space and gravity, meaning the passengers could be stuck on a roller coaster for eons. Another problem is that the train could eventually run out of fuel if it goes too long without passing through a debris field, leaving it stalled out on the tracks and forcing the passengers to swim the rest of this distance on their own.

Because of the strange temporal phasing, there is a weird phenomenon that creates ghost ships and trains. There are even 'ghosts' of Polareans from different timelines known as Possibilities that give clues to current Polareans on what they should do next. Like a spirit guide, sending messages to themselves through time.

The safety and most reliable way to travel across Oblivion is the Nexus. Although it is not perfect as it's exterior is still affected by Oblivion's time-space distortion and cracks in the structure allows low levels of radiation to seep in. The Nexus warps Oblivion around it, acting like a lightning rod, generating intense storms around it. This prevents ships from traveling along it to reach the other side more easily. With time-space being distorted around the Nexus different sections of Floors from different timelines appear in random order. Floors disappear, Floors that were destroyed in the past reappear and Floors that have yet to be built appear. Any damage a Floor sustains is restored through a reverse time flow. While traveling through the shuffling Floors of the Nexus may chaotic, it is less chaotic then trying to travel by ship.

- Race -
A Polarean (Polarians) is a spirit of opposition. Anything that causes conflict, be it an argument over the internet or a full scale war, creates a Spark in a Contra Pool. The waters of the pool crystallize around the Spark to form a Vessel (body) and the Spark is transformed into Breath (spirit) to give the Vessel life and thought. Polareans are always created as twins, one Infinite (red) and the other Eternal (blue), and bound as mortal enemies and destined to forever compete against each other for superiority. Polareans are immortal and can only be permanently killed within their home realm. Being killed outside of their realm only means having their Vessel shattered and their Breath returning to their realm to reform a new body. When one Polarean is permanently killed, so too does it's counterpart die, as unbeknownst the them they are two halves of the same whole and cannot exist without the other.

A Polarean body is called their Vessel. Their soul or spirit is called their Breath. When their Vessel is shattered, their Breath returns to a Contra Pool, where the waters crystallized around their Breath and forms a new Vessel for them. The shape of their Vessel is determined by the shape of their Breath. However, Polareans can craft Artificial Vessels and force Breath into it. That is how they get talking objects like swords or mirrors, which make perfect spies. Breath can also be used animate armor, vehicles or ships. Sometimes this is voluntary to increase combat efficacy, but, it is mostly used as a form of punishment. These forms are only temporary, as soon as the Artificial Vessels are shattered, the Breath can return to it's original form.

Polareans may appear as purple to outsiders, but they might not actually be able to see the color purple, they can probably only see the color purple in shades of either red or blue. This might also have an affect on their memories of the color purple as well, only being able to remember purple as being either red or blue. The Cataprism might have altered their color perspective as well. While Monotheans were always purple, the concept of purple no longer exists for Polareans. As far as they can tell, there was never a merging of the two colors, there was always their color, then a second color claiming to be the first color suddenly appeared.

A Hollow is a corrupted Polarean. While the Nexus provides excellent protection againist Oblivion, some of it's energies leak through the cracks of the structure. This low amount of radiation exposure causes corrosion which creates mirco-fractures on the body. Over time, these fractures are filled with impurities called Grime. Grime causes aggression and confusion in Polareans. When enough of this Grime builds up, it will cause the Polarean to transform into a mindless monster called a Hollow. The easiest way to cure a Hollow is to simply shattered it and free the trapped spirit inside. Once freed, the spirit will return Home to reform a pure body and regain it's sanity. A Hollows can look like any type of monster, from a slime to a dragon, and travel in hordes which can easily defeated an unprepared exploration team or overwhelming a base with superior numbers. Some Polareans are tasked with the extermination of Hollows as a way to keep the Halls of the Nexus safe for travel.

Fusions are the product of a twin pair of Polareans. Fusions are formed when the counterparts become aware that they are two halves of the same being that are emotionally harmonious with each other. To fuse, Polareans must be in perfect sync mentally, physically, and emotionally. This state is first achieved spontaneous, but it afterwards it is achieved deliberately through a synchronized dance. When Polareans fuse, their bodies and minds become one. This returns them to their original Monothean state, as opposed to two minds sharing a single body. Once they fuse, they gain the knowledge of how to restore Harmony, not by destroying each other, but by merging with each other and returning to their original form. Fusions gain immunity to Primal influence and Nightmare trauma, as well as double their power. With how many Polareans there are, it is rare for a them to encounter their counterpart, and even rarer them to talk long enough without shattering each other to establish a connection.

Fusion is considered to be the highest form of hearsay to the Purpose that teaches restoration and order can only be accomplished through annihilation of the false colors. The words of Fusions are considered cursed and forbidden knowledge. There strong social stigma against fusing. Fusions are considered traitors that were deceived by the false colors to reject the prime color and adopt a weaker off-color. When captured, they executed as apostates, which means permanent death as one half of them is always shattered in their home realm. Fear of persecution means Fusions reside in the Nexus for safety. If shattered in the Nexus, their Breath is split and they return to their respective home realms. A shattered Fusion that returns to their prime color is considered cured and forgiven. But, Polareans that have fused share an unbreakable link that draws them to each other. They will adventure into the Nexus to find their other half and fuse again. But, if their other half has been damaged or corrupted, the fusion will be imperfect. If fused with a Hollow, the other half will transform into a Hollow as well. It is the belief of the Fusions that the Nexus was built by Future Fusions, not as a means to prolong the war, but a safe haven that both sides can share until the day that all are one.


- Society -
A exploration team enters the Nexus. Their mission is to reach the Other Side. They explore the corridors, shattering hollows and recover the equipment from previously defeated teams. One of their objects is to find Rooms. Once they discover a Room, they construct a Gate to summon reinforcements and supplies. Once the area is secured, they build an base and start collecting nearby resources to send back to their Home. From that base, new exploration teams are deployed. Those teams discover new Rooms, more Gates are added to the Network, and the further their Forward Advance can reach into the Nexus. Until the time comes when they can construct a Gate on the Other Side and send in their Defense Force to eliminate the threat of the Others once and for all.

Censors are stationed at choke points within the Nexus to prevent enemy teams from exploring it. Aside from enemy teams, Censors also protect the Nexus from anything that might threaten it's security. They also attack Nightmares, such as Doubts and Regrets, that wonder into their realm. Teams will repetitively defeat the same Censors as they venture through the Nexus. After being shattered, Censors will reform and return to their position in the Nexus. Repeated encounters with the same Censors starts conversations where the teams usually ask the Censors why do they keep trying to stop them when they know they will be defeated each time. With answers usually being it's their job, they don't have a choice, it's for the Purpose or they just enjoy the glory of battle. (Censors are like city guards or dungeon bosses in video games)

Paragons are those that have demonstrated the ultimate expression of their respective virtue and are responsible for the care and training of all Polareans. Paragons can choose to personally train Polareans if they wish. However, such hands-on work is considered beneath their station and at best, a highly unusual action. There are nine Paragons known for Hope, Valor, Fate, Justice, Wisdom, Purity, Humility, Courage, and Loyalty. Each is bolstered by their chosen Hand, selected for their excellence in service to their temple.

Primals are deities constructed of concentrated essence made manifest by faith and sacrifice of Polareans, though some of them are recreated by memories. They are formed by Polarean's ideas about higher beings controlling the workings of the world. They are created by the desires of those that summon them and they propagate those desires in others. Most of them were created with the hatred Polareans felt during the start of the war, hence they install the same hatred that keeps the war going. Once summoned, Primals can "temper" Polareans, instilling fanatical loyalty and creating a secure wellspring of faith. They are often sealed within the Nexus, only to be released by their fanatics.

Titans are colossal Elder Primals, composed of the primordial matter of Harmony and imbued with the raw power of creation itself. They are described as perfect and majestic beings who are akin to gods. Titans are able to control the cognition of Polareans to alter reality itself to their favor. They use their immense powers to spread their influence to create more of their kind. The Pantheon is a group of Titans who shape and order society while watching over Harmony and search for other Primals. The Patheon created the Watchkeepers and imbued them with their power to enforce their will.

The Purpose is the guiding principle of the Polareans. The belief that Harmony will be restored once the Others have been purged. A never ending war that will last until they achieve victory. The way of the Purpose is total slaughter. There's even an actual commandment that prohibits half-killing. The Purpose demands nothing less than utter death and destruction of the Others. Always pray to the Titans before a fight, asking for a "good kill". If unsuccessful, or is not allowed to kill, pray for forgiveness. Titans are created to be self fulfilling prophecies of the Purpose, their faith in the Purpose created the Titans and the Titans exists to put faith in the Purpose. An excuse to justify their actions which justifies their reason, it is a feedback loop.

The Performers are a doomsday sect that eagerly awaits the arrival of the Endgiver to bring them the Gift of Oblivion. Instead of believing they can defeat the Others, they believe they will be defeated by the Others. They believe their doom is inevitable and, instead of fearing death, they celebrate their unavoidable destruction. To this end, they craft beautiful works of art to be destroyed by the Endgiver when they arrive in symbolism of their own demise. Their purpose is to be found worthy of annihilation. They constantly practice for the day of their final performance.

- Resources -
Their money is called Geo. All their resources came from the crystallized remains of defeated Polareans and Hollows. They could be shattered into dust or broken into whole body parts. Their mining nodes look like crystal statues in fearful or agonizing positions, the final pose they took before their defeat. Some Polareans might even recognize the crystallized forms of their friends and mock them later for making such embarrassing poses before defeat.


Art by  bluefantasy