*Notice: This article mentions many stories, comics, and games which, at the time of writing, have yet to be created or published. These stories will be published in the future, and this article has been written in a way to mitigate potential spoilers.*
*A major update and rework of the Omniverse Map is under development. This article will be updated to reflect these changes once they are ready.*
The structure of Kein Zurück’s cosmology can be complex, to say the least. Not to worry though, as this article will help break down the world of Kein Zurück, as well as provide a basic overview of its structure. We will be referring to the official Omniverse map in order to do this, so if you’d like to follow along, there is a picture of this map on this same article page.
While the overall structure remains the same, the Omniverse map is constantly being updated, as new stories are published. So if this article mentions something that might not be fully reflected in the current map, don’t worry! For it will be on the map eventually.
All of Kein Zurück takes place within an omniverse. An omniverse is a catch-all term to describe the whole of existence – every universe, timeline, and reality. We’ll start at the “Center”, and work our way outward. There are three main layers. In order, they are as follows: the Multiverse, the Tower of Gods, and lastly, the Exo.
The Multiverse
The first layer is the Multiverse. These are the collection of universes where almost all of the stories of Kein Zurück take place. The Realms in which the mortals reside. The Multiverse consists of two different “parts” – Alta and Yesu. Although Yesu and Alta are separated by the Verse Wall, both are considered parts of the Multiverse.
Yesu
The first part of the Multiverse is the Yesu. It contains The One Singularity as well as the Sea of Brahma with its many worlds. Yesu serves as the primary setting for the story Beyond The Horizon.
The One Singularity
At the supposed “Nucleus” of all creation, there lay a powerful singularity. This singularity was actually at one point an entire universe – more specifically, the first universe ever created. When this universe eventually came to the end of its life cycle, it collapsed into a zero-dimensional singular point. This point was the One Singularity. All the matter and energy of the first universe was condensed into this single point, leaving the universe an empty void. This void was the Sea of Brahma. After an unknown amount of time, the One Singularity suddenly expanded, Big Bang style. But rather than creating one single universe, like our big bang did, the One Singularity sprouted an infinite amount of universes across countless realities, laying the groundwork for the Multiversal structure of Alta as we know it today.
But as these new universes came into being, something special happened to the empty space of Brahma that housed the original first universe – over time, Worlds began to emerge. Most of these Worlds were “unstable”, and quickly faded away after their birth. But a few of them survived, and became stabilized over time. These are the Worlds of Yesu that we see in the present day. Scholars from Yesu still debate just exactly how these Worlds formed seemingly out of nothing. Some suggest that random quantum tunneling and fluctuations allowed matter and energy to form, which in turn allowed these Worlds to develop. But others suggest that perhaps the formation of Worlds is the result of forces outside of Yesu, either by gods or something that has yet to be revealed . . .
Origins aside, perhaps the most notable and iconic trait about the One Singularity is the fact that it is the source of the Samsara. Described as being “in touch with every living thing at once,” the Samsara is a limitless source of cosmic energy that allows one access to a near-infinite pool of knowledge and a plethora of superpowered abilities. It is a metaphysical and ubiquitous power within the realm of Yesu, (and to a lesser extent, the rest of creation). While anyone can learn to harness and utilize the Samsara, a handful of individuals within Yesu have a natural affinity to the Samsara. These individuals are referred to as the “Attuned”, and are highly sought after by the Sentinels, an order of warrior monks who task themselves with upholding peace and tranquility within Yesu’s Worlds, and dedicating their lives to serving and contemplating the nature of Samsara via meditation.
Sea of Brahma
Often referred to as “Realm Zero” by the rest of the Multiverse, Yesu consists of many “Worlds” contained within a space-like void known as the “Sea of Brahma”. The Sea of Brahma is a vacuum, and essentially behaves the same way space does. However, the Worlds don’t actually exist within Brahma itself, the way planets exist in space. Rather, what exists in Bharma are “Points”: one-dimensional openings that serve as entrances into a World. Each Point within Brahma leads into a unique World. And the structure of Worlds themselves are profoundly unique. Some Worlds can be as small as a single city, to as large as a galaxy. There are also Worlds with unique structures that seem to defy the laws of physics in our real-life universe. Such structures include things like hollow earths, floating islands, and even sentient planets. While Worlds themselves are often independent, there are a handful of relations between Worlds, such as the Adara Worlds Alliance (ALA), and some other pacts and organizations.
An individual can travel from one World to another via accessing the Sea of Brahma. This can be done in a number of ways, but most often requires one to use a Brahmafied vessel. These vessels usually take the form of starships that are equipped with special technology that allows them to interdimensionally travel through Brahma safely, while also being able to enter and exit Worlds by bypassing their “Firmiments” without issue.
“Zero Place”
An ethereal, metaphysical Realm that supposedly exists within the Samsara itself. This is quite fascinating, as the Samsara isn’t a physical place, but rather a form of energy, hence why the Realm is metaphysical. You see, when mortals in Yesu die, the Samsara converts their souls into energy. Aside from death, a Sentinel or other attuned individual can travel to the Zero Place in spiritual form for a brief period of time. Doing this requires one to enter a very deep state of meditation, and it takes a lot of power and focus to pull off.
Anyways, a handful of individuals through Yesu’s history have actually managed to “Transcend” the cycle of Samsara, allowing them to retain their identity after their death, with their spirits existing within the Zero Place. These spirits can then communicate and guide those who reach out to them through the aforementioned meditation. It is believed that in order to transcend the Samsara Cycle, one must attain their “full potential”, become one with their mind, body, and soul. Such an accomplishment is regarded among the Sentinel Order as the single greatest achievement any Sentinel or other being could ever achieve. To transcend the way of the cosmos . . .
Alta
The second part of the Multiverse is Alta. Alta is to the collection of universes where the large majority of the stories within Kein Zurück take place. Each distinct universe with a unique timeline is referred to as a “Realm”. Realms are identified with a following number, and sometimes, a nickname. There are an infinite amount of Realms, most of which aren’t even identified. That being said, here are some noteworthy Realms which stand out from the infinite rest:
The Mainrealm
Realm-1, better known as the “Mainrealm”, is the primary universe within Alta. This is the realm that houses all of Kein Zurück’s superheroes. The large majority of excerpts within Requiem are located in the Homerealm as well. In fact, all the other Realms within Alta are actually alternate variations of the Mainrealm. And should the Mainrealm be destroyed or altered an a significant way, it is believed that the rest of the Realms will be affected as well
Realm-15
The Homerealm, but set in the very far future – 300 million years, to be exact. In this Realm, the heroes of the present day have long been history. Even the layout of the Earth is different, due to plate tectonics. The events of As the Earth Lay Dreaming, as well as its sequel, take place in this realm.
Realm-49
At first glance, this Realm might seem like a very simple and straightforward world – almost completely identical to our real world. But when you take a closer look, you’ll quickly realize that couldn’t be further from the truth. This Realm is the main dwelling place of the Outer Gods pantheon, as well as the home to countless other eldritch monsters beyond human comprehension. The stories from the Apocrypha and the novels The Reckoning and Nightmare take place in this Realm.
Realm-3
Set in an undefined future in a dieselpunk world, the events of Realm-3 changed drastically after an event simply known as “The Dark Age”. Modern technology such as cellphones and wifi are nonexistent, instead being replaced with retro futuristic technology, with an aesthetic that resembles 19th-century industrial technology. The storyline of Descended Outcasts takes place here.
Realm-56
Taking place in the distant future, Realm-56 serves as the setting for the Fallen Sky trilogy, which consists of the three books Identity, //Execute, and Archangel.
In this world, AI robot gods roam the Earth freely, mostly unchallenged by humanity. That being said, humankind still persists, living in colonies, settlements, and various nation states scattered across the globe. No longer the apex species on Earth, humans do their best to avoid being prey to the AI Gods and their Simulacrums, wild bio-cybernetic organisms that are “minions” to AI Gods, and often hunt people, sometimes seemingly for sport. Some humans have even managed to make “Pacts” with AI Gods, allowing them to be spared and even protected. But this pact often comes with a cost . . .
Aside from AI Gods, the Earth of Realm-56 is filled with cyborgs, superpowered humans, sci-fi tech, and even aliens.
Növa (Realm-12)
A fantastical Realm, filled with mythical creatures, wonder, castles, and magic. Növa is actually unique because it is independent from the Mainrealm, and is part of a cosmological structure that goes beyond the Multiverse, into the Tower of Gods.
Honnen
The Earth-like planet that serves as the main setting for the stories set in Nova. Such stories include Archfall, set in the continent of Nived, and Sun God, set in the continent of Escotov.
Celestial Bodies
Nova is geocentric, meaning that celestial bodies such as moons and stars actually orbit around Honnen, in the empty space of Nil. Stars in Nova aren’t like the stars in our universe, composed of gas, but rather, stars in Nova serve as pathways to the Aether, the outermost plane of existence within Nova, and known to be where magic originated from. They are perceived as openings within on the inside surface of space. Because they are on the inside of a sphere, all stars are equally distant from Honnen, and actually, infinitely distant.
Solaris
Whereas Honnen is like Earth, Solaris is Honnen’s sun. While it may look like a sun from the view on Honnen, Solaris is actually an infinite plane of existence, composed of pure energy.
Sheol
A nightmarish dimension that is home to demonic monsters referred to as “Shokra”. Sheol is the domain of Babylon the Great, the corrupted Primeval who rules and controls the Shokra.
Long story short, the very first universe was destroyed by an event known as the Primordial War. The Primevals created the angelic race of the Anur to fight against the forces of darkness that threatened to consume the universe and return creation back into the empty nothingness it was before the Light was born. Babylon was among the primevals, but she became corrupted and joined the darkness, becoming the queen of the dark armies. After the darkness lost the Primordial War, the Primevals created the dimension of Sheol to imprison Babylon, tying her existence to it, thus making her unable to leave. Trapped Within Sheol, Babylon created the Shokra, of which closely resembled the dark forces during the war. The Shokra would serve as her armies which she would use to ravage the Multiverse, as they were not tied to Sheol like she was. So the Shokra set out to invade as many realms as they could, plunging the realms into a cold, endless night.
Realm-64 (Neverrealm)
One of the many Realms that are undergoing a Shokra invasion, the Neverrealm is the universe where the Nevermore series takes place. Set in the early second decade of the 20th century, around the time of what would have been shortly after the Great War, the forces of the world must unite if they are to survive the onslaught of monsters that have now invaded their world.
Realm-5 (Winterrealm)
The Black Winter storyline takes place here. In this realm, the planet has undergone a second ice age, bringing civilization almost to a halt, and descending the world into anarchy. This is the result of Fimbulvetr, an event foretold in Ancient Norse prophecies. But Fimbulvetr is only the beginning. For after Fimbulvetr, there comes Ragnarök, a climactic apocalypse that destroys the world entirely, bringing about the death of the Æsir gods. Can this crisis be prevented? Or is the prophecy inevitable?
Intraspace
Intraspace is the space between Realms. In order to prevent Realms from colliding, there is a space that lies between them, a barrier of isolation and separation. And it is a functional space, serving more than just means of keeping the Realms apart. It is called the Intraspace. It is the informational area between universes, where certain visions, various dreams, and some forms of telepathy originate.
Verse Wall
A barrier that separates Mainstream Creation from the next layer, the Tower of Gods. The verse wall contains the Quantum Zone as well, in the novel Emergence. The Verse Wall acts as a limit to matter, and is believed to play a fundamental role in what dictates the functions of quantum physics.
Limbo
Not much is known about Limbo. Supposedly, it is a place between life and death. People that aren’t really dead, but also not really alive end up in Limbo. What makes knowledge about this realm tricky to come across is those who are in Limbo are only there briefly – they either die or are resuscitated. Because of this, the superhero Hyperion speculated that those who fall into cardiac arrest end up in Limbo for a brief moment.
Tower of Gods
Also known as the Place of the Gods, This is the layer of Creation where higher deities operate and reside. Different pantheons of gods and deities coexist with one another within the Tower. In many ancient pictures and depictions, this layer of creation was often depicted as a giant tower looming over the lands, hence the “Tower” part of the name. It also contains the Aether, as well as ZodÍa, where the story of Enter Arcana takes place.
Natural pathways to the Tower of Gods have been known to exist within the Mainstream Creation. One example is Greece’s Mount Olympus, the mountain itself serving as an entrance to the realm of Olympus, where the gods of the Greek pantheon reside. Another such construct which spans multiple layers of creation is the Tree of Yggdrasil, which contains the mortal realm within the Multiverse on earth, as well as Asgard, which exists exclusively within the Tower of Gods, among other realms.
*Note that in Kein Zurück, there is no “correct” or “true” religion. All religions exist within Kein Zurück*
Heaven
Home of the angels, saints, and the pure of heart. In the Abrahamic religions, it serves as the place where the souls of the good-hearted retire to when they pass away, spending their afterlife in paradise. It is said that if a living mortal entered Heaven, the light would blind them, the angel hymns would make their ears bleed, and the physical body could be annihilated by the sheer presence of a powerful angel. Only the spirit can reside in heaven, as long as the soul was deemed worthy to be there.
Hell
The domain of devils, demons, and the souls of evildoers. Hell is primarily accessible to those with demonic essence or heritage, although this might not always be the case. In hell, the souls of the inhabitants are condemned to torture, serving as punishment for their sins during their life. While Hell is often referred to as “eternal torture” this torture is not eternal for all souls there. Hell actually has a tribunal, which determines how long a soul will be sentenced in torment. Once the soul’s time has been served, there is a chance they can be released to a different afterlife, namely Purgatory.
Olympus
The home of the Greek pantheon of gods, such as Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, and so on. It is not to be confused with Mount Olympus, the mountain on Earth near the Thermaic Gulf between Thessaly and Macedonia, of which shares the same name “Olympus”. During the prehistoric era on Earth, Mount Olympus served as the base of operations for the Greek gods during their battle against the Titans on Mount Othrys, in the ten year war of Titanomachy. In the war, Mount Othrys was destroyed, leaving Mount Olympus as the tallest mountain in the region.
Underworld
The domain of the god Hades and his wife Persephone. The Underworld is occupied by the souls of the dead (primarily ancient Greeks), and divided into four sections. Tartarus was reserved for the worst and most evil mortals, the Elysium was reserved for the purest of mortals, the Fields of Mourning were for those who died from heartache, and the Meadows of Asphodel was where most mortals who ended up in the Underworld found themselves. Unlike most afterlives, living mortals could travel the Underworld and leave alive, as long as they have the means of entrance and egress, and as long as they don’t eat any food from the Underworld whilst there . . .
Asgard
The highest of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil, Asgard is the home of the Aesir and a resting place for warriors who died honorably in battle. The Aesir king, Odin, holds court in Asgard, in the of Valhalla. In the courts, much of the Aesir, as well as the souls of half of all warriors, attend. The other half go to Fólkvangr, a nearby meadow ruled by the goddess Freya. The Aesir can travel from Asgard to Midgard via a rainbow bridge known as the Bifrost.
Niflheim
Niflheim was the one of the first of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil to be brought into being. Before there was the Realms, there was only an empty void known as Ginnungagap. On one end of Ginnungagap there was a spring called Hvergelmir. The reaches were so cold that the water of Hvergelmir froze. Over time frozen land terraformed and became Niflheim – the frozen Realm of frost and mist. The opposite end of Ginnungagap was hot. As it grew hotter it, too, formed a primordial world. This was Muspelheim, the land of fire.
Purgatory
The afterlife where souls go when they have nowhere else to go. Souls not evil enough to be sent to Hell, but not pure enough to reach Heaven. Souls that did not align with any Gods or religions, and thus were not claimed by any afterlife. These souls can then undergo several trials which can determine an afterlife for them. Some of the souls in Purgatory originally belonged to an afterlife, but were expelled for one reason or another, thus winding up here. Depending on the soul’s religious alignment (or sometimes other circumstances), the soul may be subject to reincarnation. In this case, the soul is prepared for their next life. Their memories and identities are wiped away, and the soul is sent back to the Mortal Realms a blank slate.
Zodía
Once upon a time, the land of Zodía was a whimsical and dreamlike place of wonder. It was a place with mermaids with hearts as abundant as oceans. Fairies playing between dreaming and waking. A place of blooming gardens and gentle waters. But that Zodía is no more – now, all that remains is a withering and shattered land, hollow remnants of a time long gone. Put perhaps within the grim terrain, there lay answers. Even in the face of dread, one which embarks on the Fool’s Journey can seek enlightenment . . .
Tehom
A gray and bleak Realm of shallow water, with a handful of ruined structures and statues scattered about here and there. Despite the seemingly gloomy appearance of Tehom, it is actually the birthplace of mortal souls. The nascent souls spring from the shallow waters and emerge as empty, and are sent to the mortal body upon its conception. Then, the choices of the mortal is what shapes their soul, filling it with either light or darkness. While a handful of souls are destined to fulfill certain prophecies upon their conception, it is ultimately the choice of the individual that defines their destiny. After all is said and done, it is not the identity or status of the individual that matters, but rather the choices they make.
Nirvana
The Realm of the Enlightened. A place that represents the enlightened state of mind, one free of suffering and strife. Nirvana symbolizes the end goal that most mortals desire – an end where they can spend eternity in peace, having completed the journey of life – a journey of many struggles and hardships. But perhaps it’s not Nirvana itself that is so important. Perhaps the true beauty of Nirvana isn’t what it offers as a final destination, but rather, the journey itself to get there. Perhaps that is the key to enlightenment after all – not some special knowledge or item, but rather, the answer lies already within us, the enjoyment and appreciation of everything we have during our time alive . . .
Havilah
One of the few, if only Realms within the Tower of Gods that is primarily occupied by living mortals – more specifically, the Eremites, a religious order of Hermits who are Omnists, meaning they follow all pantheons of gods. This might sound contradictory, but what makes it work is that the Eremites recognize the legitimacy of other religions in the sense that they believe each religion holds its own wisdom, and that there is no single religion that is superior to the others. While the Eremites follow all religions, they prioritize their worship to the Allfather, who is the supreme creator. In fact, all gods are extensions of the Allfather, meaning that worship of any god is by proxy worship of the Allfather. The mission of the Eremites is to seek an audience with the gods to gain valuable knowledge and insight, and to assist the gods in maintaining balance within the Multiverse.
The Aether
The source of all magic in creation. It is the plane of pure Mana, a supernatural energy that is responsible for magic. As such, the Aether is the realm where magic originates. It is often associated with the Cosmology of Ream 12, Növa. The Allied Provinces of Nived Imperium have this to say about it: “It is a powerful energy that influences our daily lives, from all and any aspect, and gives all the races of man, elf, and beast common purpose. Its magic brings life to the soil and stars to the night, and discovery and innovation for our societies. It gives us the very concept of Mana itself.
Creation’s Gate
The barrier that separates the Exo from the Tower of Gods and, by extent, Lacrimosa. The Gate is guarded by the Primeval Darayvin, who is often depicted as an armored angelic being wearing armor and wielding a glowing sword. That being said, Darayvin, like the other Primevals, are abstract conceptual beings, and thus have no true physical form. The Primeval’s mere existence is so far beyond mortal comprehension, that they can only perceived through a filter of established preconceptions, words, and symbology.
Lacrimosa
Beyond the Tower of Gods, and on the metaphorical edges of Creation’s Gate, there lies Lacrimosa. Very little is known about it. Supposedly, it is the home and origin place of many eldritch entities – cosmic abominations beyond human comprehension. The common consensus is that Lacrimosa is the place where the very concepts of science, matter and logic, and even imagination break down. The flow of time and the formation of space are both distorted within Lacrimosa. It is, all things considered, the “edge” of physical existence. Anything beyond is purely metaphysical in nature and concept. Simply put, living mortal beings aren’t meant to live Lacrimosa.
Veltrod
Veltrod is the supposed “epicenter” of Lacrimosa. It serves as the primary setting for the Heart of Darkness video game.
According to legends of unknown origin, Veltrod serves as the to-be gathering place of the Outer Gods and the Great Old Ones. Once they all make the pilgrimage to Veltrod, they will await the awakening of their progenitor, Azathoth. Once it awakens, time and space will vanish, and all of creation will cease to be. But . . . there is a prophecy. A rumor that a chosen individual will send Azathoth back into slumber – if this prophecy is even real . . .
The Exo
The Exo is an archetypal realm and fundamental world where everything is more profound and absolute. It is described as a realm of nothingness beyond Mainstream Creation, the Tower of Gods and even Lacrimosa. Even time itself, rather than being an abstract temporal dimension, is a clockwork pattern. And in terms of space, the Exo transcends the concept of dimensionality. The Exo exists on the other side of Creation’s Gate. It is where the Primevals, the abstract overseers of creation, reside.
Diém
The Realm which serves as the source of the Paradigm. The Paradigm is a force based around change and probability, and is a fundamental concept for creation. It is the representation of reality in motion, being the very cosmic force that pushes space and time forward and represents the probability of certain events happening. Those who can harness the Paradigm’s power are referred to as Paradigm Shifters.
The Afterscape
The Afterscape is a metaphysical realm within the Exo. Inside the Afterscape, the likes of metaphors and reality merge into one, and it is where the intangible concepts become tangible. The Afterscape serves a key role within the Fallen Sky storyline, where individuals known as “Reverends” are able to channel and project the afterscape through their own bodies, and in turn gain powerful abilities, namely mentally-based ones, like mind reading, telekinesis and even technopathy.
Primal Abyss
The birthplace of the gods. It is prevalent in the origin stories of several pantheons, and is often depicted as the empty sea-like void in which many deities have emerged from. The Primal Abyss has been given many names – the Ancient Greeks called it Chaos, the Sumerians called it Abzu, the Egyptians called it Nun, the Incas called it Titicaca, the Norse called it Ginnungagap, and the Celtics simply called it The Sea. Regardless of name, the Primal Abyss plays a large role in the origins of many gods. It is said that any spirit or being that managed to venture into the Abyss would never return.
The Encompassing
The final limit to all things, even concepts. This is the end all – be all. The last and outermost part of the Omniverse. Beyond this barrier is only the Prime, and the Void Beyond Creation.
The Prime
A space of pure, infinite, endless white that exists beyond all creation. This white is Ultima in its purest form. Ultima is the divine primordial energy of the Viperior itself, the Allfather, creator of all things.
Ultima originated everything – reality, time, space, life, death, matter, energy, and every possible and impossible concept existing and non-existing in the omniverse, from a single particular to the infinite omniverse. It is omnipresent, existing throughout the whole space-time continuum, surrounding all living beings, and within every subatomic particle. In short, It is the foundational cornerstone of existence itself.
Because of its innate divine nature, Ultima serves as the primary source of power for gods, angels, demons, and other various higher beings. Essentially, it is what makes gods . . . gods. And while Ultima can theoretically be utilized by any individual, mortal or otherwise, Ultima is mainly seen being used by gods and various prophets. The Eremites practice diligently in using Ultima in combat or in ceremonial rituals.
The Void Beyond Creation
Before creation, there was nothing. An empty, lifeless void. This void had a name – Azathoth. It is said that when creation was born, Azathoth was cast into an eternal sleep, and the void was no more, for it was now the Prime. But if and when Azathoth were to ever awake, it is believed that it will swallow all of existence, returning everything that ever was into nothing. Nothing at all.
Conclusion
The cosmological scale of the Kein Zurück is indeed vast, but it is also ever-evolving. As time goes by, more stories will be published, and more and more of the map will be revealed to the audience. The Omniverse serves as a way to tie in all of the Kein Zurück stories together in one way or another, and furthermore allowing them to all exist collectively under the Kein Zurück brand. And on an individual story level, it gives all the stories of Kein Zurück an additional layer of depth and lore. Ultimately, whatever genre you like, whatever kind of story you are craving, Kein Zurück’s got it. Whatever your interests in storytelling are, Kein Zurück has something for everyone. Here, the sky isn’t the limit – It’s only the beginning . . .
