This chapter will serve as a compendium, acting as a central information hub for the worlds of Son of Chaos and detailing the structure of its system. While information will be revealed throughout the story, it is compiled here for easier access.
The Rift curse
The Rift randomly selects individuals between the ages of 17 and 20, forcibly transporting them to other worlds. This phenomenon is easy to detect, as those chosen will experience a distinct glow on their skin for several weeks before being torn from their original world.
The Worlds
The people selected by the Rift are teleported to a world filled with monsters. Multiple individuals can be sent to the same world, where they must survive and search for Lineage Stones. Some stones are more difficult to obtain than others, requiring greater strength, strategy, or luck to claim.
Edens realm
Edens is a world brimming with magic and home to the Rift Beast. It serves as the central hub where all other worlds are connected. Humans who survive or conquer the world they were originally sent to are brought here. To establish a stable passage, they must place a mark in Edens—once this is done, people can travel freely between that world and Edens.
Initiates/ Evolved
These are individuals who survive their first Rift and find their second Lineage Stone in Edens. Once they've completed this, they can place a mark in Edens, which grants them the title of "Initial" or "Evolved." With this title comes powers and abilities that allow them to protect Earth from the potential destruction caused by the other worlds.
fractures
Fractures are rifts from Edens that open up on Earth, typically because no one managed to stop the crack from expanding. These rifts release Rift Beasts onto Earth, causing chaos and destruction. Only those who have evolved—having gained the necessary powers and abilities—are capable of stopping these creatures and preventing further damage to Earth.
Sanctuaries
Sanctuaries are safe zones within Edens that can be claimed after conquering a Crack in Edens' realm. These areas provide refuge and stability amidst the chaos of the Rift.
Talismans
Talismans are magical items created from the Rift Curse. They can manifest through a person's Aetherium, granting unique abilities or enhancements.
Hollows
Hollows are copies of slain creatures whose souls have been erased, leaving behind forms made entirely of Aetherium. In a way, they function similarly to Talismans.
Soul Shards
Soul Shards are incomplete, undeveloped Soul Crystals. They hold potential but have not fully formed.
Soul Crystals
Soul Crystals serve as Aetherium storage. With each Lineage Stone acquired, the capacity of a Soul Crystal increases, allowing the user to store more Aetherium.
Aetherium
Aetherium is the fundamental magical energy that fuels abilities, Talismans, and other mystical phenomena.
Rift Rank
There are eight Rift Ranks, determined primarily by the strength of one's Soul Crystal and the number of Lineage Stones acquired. Advancing in rank signifies greater mastery over Aetherium and the ability to withstand the dangers of the Rift.
Novice – The starting rank for those newly taken by the Rift, possessing little to no power. Initiate / Evolved – Those who have survived their first Rift and obtained their second Lineage Stone, marking the beginning of true power.
Ascendant / Sage – Individuals who have honed their abilities further, demonstrating control over Aetherium and advanced techniques.
Pure / Hero – Those who have transcended the limits of ordinary evolution, wielding immense strength and influence.
Lord / Emperor – A rare rank attained by those who have conquered multiple worlds, standing as rulers of power.
Divine – Near-mythical beings whose presence alone can alter the balance of worlds.
Prime – The pinnacle of Rift power, individuals at this level exist beyond mortal constraints, shaping reality itself.
Rift Beast Rankings
Just like humans, Rift Beasts have their own hierarchy of strength and power, categorized into nine ranks:
Aberration – The weakest class of Rift Beasts, often serving as fodder.
Evolved – Beasts that have grown stronger through survival or adaptation.
Demonic – Creatures that possess terrifying strength and intelligence, capable of strategic hunting.
Devil – Rift Beasts that wield powerful abilities, making them formidable threats.
Horror – Nightmarish entities that instill fear and destruction wherever they appear.
Spawn – Beings that are born from the depths of the Rift, carrying immense destructive potential.
Satanic – Creatures with near-unfathomable power, capable of reshaping landscapes with their presence.
Evil – Entities that embody pure malice, defying conventional limits of strength.
Abyssal – The highest known rank, beings that exist beyond comprehension, capable of annihilating entire worlds.
Sins
Sins are unique Rift Beasts marked by an imprint on their Soul Crystal, granting them strange and powerful abilities. Each Sin embodies a distinct force, making them more dangerous than others of their rank. Their markings glow in a specific color, indicating their Sin.
Pride – Red
Greed – Gold
Sloth – Blue
Lust – Pink
Gluttony – White
Wrath – Purple
Envy – Orange
The Sin's colour combines with the Rift Beast's rank to define its classification. For example:
An Evolved Rift Beast with a golden marking would be an Evolved Greed. An Evil-ranked Rift Beast with purple markings would be a Wrathful Evil.
If you defeat a Rift Beast of a certain rank, the Talisman created from it will reflect the strength of that rank. For example, killing an Evolved Rift Beast would result in a Talisman of Evolved strength, potentially enhancing the user's abilities to match that rank.
Traits
Traits grant individuals an affinity, which manifests as a unique magical power. The stronger the Trait, the more potent the affinity, but this power comes at a cost—each Trait also carries significant drawbacks. These drawbacks can vary, from physical limitations to mental strain, making the use of such powers a dangerous yet rewarding trade-off.
Features
are like natural attributes of a person
True names
are rare and only granted to the most exceptional
Hierarchy
In the context of humans, the first four ranks are used to categorize their strength and power as they progress through the Rift system:
(Novice) ( Evolved) (Sage) (Hero) – The pinnacle of human strength, individuals at this rank possess the power to shape the world around them, often becoming legends within the Rift society.
NoviceNovices are individuals who have been inflicted with the Rift Curse. They survive the first world they are sent to and find their first Lineage Stone. At this point, they have no connection to Edens and must wait a few months until the first day of summer to enter Edens and anchor themselves there, allowing them to connect with the Rift realm.
EvolvedOnce a Novice has entered Edens and anchored themselves, they gain the title of Evolved. Evolved individuals are now able to travel freely around Edens in search of cracks in space. If they conquer a crack, they will likely find their second Lineage Stone, marking their rise to the Sage rank in the process.
SageSages have the ability to explore even deeper into Edens, where they seek out larger cracks that have evolved into Fractures. These Fractures are more dangerous and more difficult to conquer. Upon overcoming a Fracture, Sages can claim their third Lineage Stone, becoming a Hero. Finding a Lineage Stone at this level can take years, as Fractures are incredibly rare and hard to navigate.