This page is a slightly revised version of the “Literal Worldbuilding” post Ripley, the author, shared on Patreon in early 2025. As such, it has a more personal touch and speaks in the first person. This has a little to do with ease of presentation and a lot to do with the fact that Broken Dimensions’ world structure is one of Ripley’s favorite things to talk about and develop.
LAYERS
If I had to describe the visual layout of the Broken Dimensions universe in just a few words they would be “like a stack of flapjacks.” (This will make sense by the end of this post).
In the past I have used 2 different models to explain what the universe of Broken Dimensions looks like when I attempt to visualize it. The first model, which I’ve used the longest, is called the Jello Model:
In the Jello Model, each world set within the Broken Dimensions universe is like a piece of fruit in a jello mold desert. Each world exists roughly on its own dimensional plane in this model, with little overlap. Things are laid out very geometrically, and each layer of world, called a “reality plane” is separated by different classifications of voidspace. Eventually, a reality plane will run up against another plane, again separated by voidspace, but some space do appear to continue forever.
In some ways, the Jello Model is still a decent visual for the layout of the worlds of Broken Dimensions. However, things might be more accurately represented by the Flapjack Model:
The Flapjack Model has gone through several different iterations over the years. However, it does more greatly resembles the vision I have in my mind when they think about the layout of this story universe.
In the Flapjack Model, each world visibly has its own extra sense of space around it. A sort of “territory” they occupy that continues on past the strict physical matter of the world itself. Think of it as if real-world Earth existed inside a pocket of space that included maybe just the solar system, and none of the rest of physical outerspace. This “pocket” of existence is what constitutes a dimension using the Flapjack model, and the boundaries of this pocket are called the dimensional shell.
Using this model of universal layout, each dimension is therefore existent in its own pocket of reality, inside its own dimensional shell. [ x ] (or in-universe Earth) is created first and then, spaced out irregularly and on different vectors, the other worlds form or are created in an ever-growing, web-like network of dimensions. Each dimensional Core is surrounded by its own special pocket of livable voidspace, separate from unlivable space by its dimensional shell.
This model also allows for the recognition of voidbanks —asort of “coastline” planar dimensions like Tartarus possess. Voidbanks sometimes resemble real beaches, with dark sand and occasionally even ocean-like waves of water and liquid voidmatter called a ziois. They are a sort of liminal space between the core of the world proper and the vacuum of voidspace.
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
There are 4 different categories a given dimension might fall into: planetary, planar, cavernous, or archipelago/one-island.
- Planetary —exactly what it sounds like! While many of the worlds in Broken Dimensions aren’t particularly “normal” places to live by real-world standards (in terms of geography, makeup, or general composition), there are a few normal planets like [ x ] (in-universe Earth) that look and act/react like what we’re familiar with in the real world. Most planetary dimensions act like you’d expect a planet to, and some even have moons or rings.
- [ x ] was the first dimension and is the most well-known planetary world. Its dimensional Core is located at the center of the planet like any real-world planetary core, except, you know, it’s magical.
- Examples: [ x ] (Earth), Khoshi Major, Kardonia.
- Archipelago/single-island — generally what it sounds like: a space-like dimension in which the only livable areas are on (equivalents to) space stations, or on floating islands suspended in livable voidspace. For a dimension to be classified as an archipelago, there must be three or more islands making up its central area, and the Core must be split amongst those islands in some way.
- One-island dimensions have their Cores condensed into the substrata of one singular (often exceptionally large) land mass.
- Two-island dimensions usually have binary Cores and orbit each other much like binary stars. They’re usually equal in size and have similar Core-matter distribution, but occasionally a world will form with one large central island with one or two smaller “moons.”
- Examples: Aetheria, the Iron Archipelagos, Vesallia (NEA Satellite).
- Cavernous — again, they are what they sound like: pockets of livable reality contained within a solid, physical dimensional pocket or “shell.” Tartarus, for example, is characterized by one central continental landmass about 3x the size of North America, all of which appears as if its “underground.” Cavernous dimensions are characterized by impenetrable ceilings and either a closed-in continental space, or a sharp drop-off out past the voidbanks—a space-equivalent of a continental shelf, if you will. The dimensional Core of a cavernous dimension will either be contained somewhere unreachable within the world’s lower crust, or dispersed in the soil and dimensional shell.
- Examples: Tartarus, Feldspar, Starrish (partial)
- Planar — planar worlds are very similar to cavernous worlds, but are different in that they only have one plane, and no “ceiling.” They also often have no end, and extend infinitely in every direction except downward. Planar dimensions are usually prison dimensions, often created by the gods or specially-ordained mortals or demigods. Most planar dimensions cannot be accessed through normal means, or at all, by mortals.
- Examples: Zio’ajay (The Gray Void), Zio’arkh (The White Void, or the void of Obliteration), Boltari (the Hellfire dimension).
SATELLITE DIMENSIONS
From Crisis 3 (the splitting of [ x ] from Svarenheil/Adreoni) onwards, many dimensions form or accumulate what are known as “satellite dimensions.” These are off-shoot worlds smaller than their parent dimension(s) that are connected through some sort of metaphysical link, travel route, or world-to-world portal (rare). Satellites are often smaller dimensions that branch off of the dimensional shell of a larger world, and they are sometimes formed when a dimension’s Core fragments, or is augmented in some way.
The Iron Archipelagos are a satellite dimension of [ x ], for example, and were created when a crisis in [ x ] split off a chunk of the dimensional core. Occasionally a satellite dimension will even be a fusion of two interacting parts of two larger dimensions, like Starrish (Feldspar and Tartarus), which formed from the cosmic magic and voidmatter of its parent dimensions colliding. Most often, a satellite dimension will share geography, life-supporting types and capabilities, and physics with its parent dimension(s).
A final note: the best visualization of the universe of Broken Dimensions would be a combination of the Jello and Flapjack models together. As noted in the graphics, the Flapjack model is already divided up into quadrants like the Jello Model (an endeavor taken on by brave voidspace quantum mappers in-universe!). If Ripley ever develops a visual for that, they’ll be sure to mention it publicly!
Fun Fact: The characters in Fractal Alliances interact with and visit satellite dimensions quite often! I have a lot of fun creating little side-worlds for the cast to visit, so many make appearances in FA and other, non-affiliated shorts.
Broken Dimensions 