In this blog post, I will be discussing the waystones. Waystones are magical objects created by alchemy which bind points in space and time together. Invented in 2008, they provide the main means of interstellar transportation for humanity. Although travel via waystones is slower than the previous method of using Portal Monoliths, it is a lot safer (waystones do not come with the risk of spawning monsters, unlike Portal Monoliths).
There are three general types of waystones: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary waystones form the “root” of a waystone network. Secondary waystones denote specific points in the galaxy, and must be bound to a gravity well (typically that of a star). Tertiary waystones are not bound to a gravity well, and are the waystones which permit interstellar travel between secondary waystones.
Primary waystones
As mentioned, primary waystones are the “root” of a waystone network. Their role is to stabilise hyperspace within a radius of around 300,000 light years, or over 90 kiloparsecs. While they govern all planes of hyperspace, they cannot be directly accessed by a tertiary waystone in hyperspace; this is by design. The primary waystone is needed to allow a tertiary waystone to create a class α secondary waystone. The interaction to allow this must be done in normal space.
The location of the Milky Way Galaxy’s primary waystone is classified as top secret by the Federation of Four Earths; explicit authorisation and extensive security checks are required to use it to create a class α secondary waystone. What is known about it is that it constantly moves around the galaxy, from star to star.
To create a primary waystone (as part of the waystone network bootstrapping process), one requires a specific magical power (note that this is unrelated to Inherent Abilities). As of Innocence Seekers: April Light, only two people have this power: the inventor of the waystones, Rachel Mason, and her only daughter, Hannah, who inherited it.
Secondary waystones
Secondary waystones are the markers of location within the galaxy. Like primary waystones, they also stabilise hyperspace, but at a smaller radius depending on their class (however, this effect is hardly, if ever, observed, due to the primary waystone’s range; the radius, however, is important for creation of links). These classes are denoted by Greek letters, with α representing the base class of secondary waystones. The following list represents the maximum mandated radii for each class (note that this is less than the theoretical maximum):
- Class α: 20,000 light years
- Class β: 1,000 light years
- Class γ: 50 light years
- Class δ: 150,000 astronomical units
- Class ε: 6,000 astronomical units
- Class ζ: 300 astronomical units
- Class η: 10 astronimical units (not used as a node)
Each class α secondary waystone is the root node of a set of class β (and lower) secondary waystones linked to it within its range, each class β waystone is the root node for class γ (and lower) waystones linked to it within its range, and so on. The last couple of classes are primarily used for interplanetary travel.
When a tertiary waystone interacts with a secondary waystone, it and its ship is sent into a particular plane of hyperspace, depending on the waystone itself and its class. In hyperspace, the secondary waystones visible are the waystone with which the tertiary waystone interacted, its parent waystone (if the secondary waystone is not a class α; the parent of a class α is the primary waystone), all waystones of the same class as the interacted waystone with the same parent waystone, and all waystones of lower classes linked to the interacted waystone.
Note that a secondary waystone need not be linked solely to waystones one class higher and/or lower than its own class. For example, the link between Earth’s waystone and Haralni’s waystone is a direct class α to class δ link, as the distance between the two planets is around 11 light years, within range of a class γ waystone. However, such direct links have shorter ranges than a link between two adjacent classes (e.g. a distance of 100 light years requires a class α/β to class γ link; a distance of 3,000 light years requires a class α to class β link).
To create a link, a tertiary waystone must interact with the secondary waystone to be used as a node. This will bring it and its ship to hyperspace; however, to form a link, the waystone and ship must leave hyperspace by interacting with the same secondary waystone. Then it must travel to the destination via slower-than-light propulsion (using any form of time magic to achieve faster-than-light may prevent the creation of the link). Once there, a mage can use his/her mana to forge a secondary waystone from the tertiary waystone, creating a link (note that the tertiary waystone is preserved).
Tertiary waystones
Tertiary waystones permit travel through hyperspace between secondary waystones. Interacting with a secondary waystone transfers it and its ship into a particular plane of hyperspace. Within hyperspace, the flow of time is significantly altered, such that all waystones governed by the tertiary waystone’s primary waystone are synced to the same time. This effectively makes it a form of faster-than-light travel (although in the Innocence Seekers universe, FTL is a consequence of time travel and time magic rather than the other way round).
Tertiary waystones can be created from any primary or secondary waystone. However, they can only function within range of its governing primary waystone. If the tertiary waystone and secondary waystone are not governed by the same primary waystone, then nothing will happen. If the two waystones are out of range of the governing primary waystone, then the tertiary waystone (and the ship) will be destroyed by the unstabilised hyperspace.
Hyperspace
Hyperspace refers to a normally unstable realm containing primarily mana (it is estimated that the percentage of mana in hyperspace exceeds 99.9 per cent of all matter in hyperspace; baryonic matter is practically non-existent in hyperspace). The instability of hyperspace comes from the fact that hyperspace itself is a superposition of an infinite number of individual planes; the purpose of the waystones is to stabilise hyperspace by separating the planes.
It is important to note that time does not flow in hyperspace in the same way it does in normal space (this is, in fact, the source of the infinite number of planes). Each quantum of space-time in hyperspace corresponds to a particular quantum of space-time in normal space. However, in hyperspace, the speed of light is infinite, meaning that physics follows Newtonian mechanics regardless of speed. Needless to say, this wreaks havoc with the space itself, as one has to take into account the different flow of time caused by the finite speed of light in normal space. Waystones use time magic to help stabilise hyperspace, by choosing a particular plane and allowing entry and exit only through pre-defined points in space-time.
I could explain more, but the mechanics of waystones are straining my head. For now, just think of it as magic, as Innocence Seekers is science fantasy, not science fiction. I’ll continue this post later.
P.S. Happy birthday to Miyako of Hidamari Sketch.