Arkeopolis

Oni are creatures from Japanese folklore that share many similarities with Western demons and ogres. They are popular characters in Japanese art, literature, and theater. Oni demons are reflected in these masks, which symbolize the belief in this spiritual world.

I added them so it's clear that Arkeopolis isn't from any plane, and that it's connected to them.

And, with his artifacts, he connects them (we already have the example of the Dagger of Dreams) or destroys them, mixes them, transforms them.

For example: Humans were never supposed to touch the Plane of Dreams, but they did so using dimension-cutting tools. (A small leak from Arkeopolis, before it was fully under order, caused some Cutting Scissors to escape from its Craft Factories and land in the hands of the Japanese. They linked them to the Torii, creating a gateway between planes.)

Also, because I can and I like to write.

(If you read this, I recommend you think about what you are doing reading so much text)

The Plane of Spirits is an ethereal realm inhabited by consciousnesses that have left the physical body, spirits, and entities that transcend material life. Here, the human dead, figures from legends and folklore such as Japanese oni, lost souls, and characters from stories who, although "dead" in their narrative, continue to exist in spiritual form, coexist. It is a plane where density and form are flexible: a spirit can appear as a barely visible silhouette, a reflection in a mirror, or take on any form it desires to communicate or manifest itself. Memory and emotion are forces that sustain this world: spirits carry memories, grudges, unfulfilled desires, or infinite serenity, and these states shape their presence and their surroundings. Although intangible to the living, the Plane of Spirits influences them: dreams, signs, unexplained presences, and cultural traditions are echoes of this plane. It is a meeting place between what was and what can still be perceived, where existence is measured not by time or matter, but by the persistence of consciousness and the resonance of essence.

The Plane of Mind is an internal, intimate, and unique space for each individual. All of a person's thoughts, memories, ideas, dreams, fears, and desires unfold here. It is a mutable plane: it changes with the age, experiences, beliefs, and emotional state of the person who inhabits it.

Every mind has its own territory: there are corners of clarity and logic, labyrinths of confusion, towers of vivid memories, and abysses of oblivion. Emotions color everything: joy can illuminate a landscape, anxiety warp space, nostalgia fill rooms with familiar echoes, and guilt darken entire hallways. Ideas are born as structures that grow, connect, transform, or fade, and memories rearrange themselves, sometimes becoming distorted over time.

This plane is not shared; no two are alike. What exists here is real only to its owner and can manifest as creativity, obsessions, intuitions, or decisions in the tangible world. It is a private, fluid, and profound universe where consciousness explores and reorganizes its own existence, a place where the most fleeting thoughts can leave their mark and the deepest secrets find their home.

The Plane of Nightmares is a dark realm where all imagined fears and terrors dwell. Here, the monsters that haunt our dreams, the creatures of horror games and films, distorted figures that defy logic, and impossible spaces that unsettle us take shape. Every shadow could be a predator, every whisper an omen; the familiar becomes threatening, and the impossible, terrifying.

In this plane, the laws of reality break under the pressure of fear. Corridors lengthen, mirrors show reflections that don't exist, and everyday objects twist into grotesque shapes. Emotions of terror and anxiety create and sustain this world: the more intense the fear, the more solid the nightmare.

Although intangible, the Plane of Nightmares impacts the real world: the fears born here shape decisions, memories, and dreams, and their echoes can appear in stories, games, or tales that provoke horror. It is a place where the mind unleashes its deepest shadows, and where the terrifying is as real as the imagination of the one who fears it allows.

The Plane of Dreams is the realm of the imaginary, of all that cannot be verified in tangible reality but lives in the minds and imaginations of conscious beings. Here float dragons that soar through impossible skies, tiny fairies that illuminate magical forests, cities suspended in clouds, and oceans of unreal colors. Every idea, every fantasy, every desire or fear manifests as form, sound, or sensation, free from the physical laws of the real world.

On this plane, the impossible becomes everyday: heroes fly without engines, trees speak, rivers flow upward. Rules bend to the dreamer's will; logic becomes flexible, and emotions dictate the reality of the space. Although ephemeral and intangible, the Plane of Dreams influences humans: their hopes, fears, and creations are born from here, and often return to the real world as art, stories, or inspired inventions.

It's a place where the imagination has no limits, but where nothing can be touched or measured outside the mind of the dreamer. Everything that exists here is subjective, malleable, and eternal as long as someone remembers or invents it.

The Real Plane is the absolute domain of all that exists and can be perceived, measured, or verified. It is objective reality, the fabric of the tangible world without any trace of imagination or invention. On this plane, everything that is part of the physical universe unfolds in its complexity: from subatomic particles vibrating in invisible choreographies to gigantic celestial bodies orbiting in deep space. Energy flows and transforms: light travels infinite distances, heat disperses, and electricity connects matter in natural or constructed circuits.

Here, life emerges as a verifiable phenomenon. Plants that photosynthesize, animals that breathe, hunt, or migrate, bacteria that decompose, and viruses that replicate according to biological laws. Humans also inhabit this plane: they build cities, lay roads, invent machines, weave communication networks, and create cultures that, though varied, are palpable and documentable. Every action, every construction, every discovery belongs to the same fabric of reality, subject to the physical, chemical, and biological laws that govern the world.

Ecosystems function precisely: rivers flow, mountains erode, oceans are stirred by the wind, storms are triggered by pressure differences, and climates respond to measurable patterns. Human history and the evolution of life are recorded in fossils, documents, artifacts, and empirical evidence. Everything that exists on this plane can, in some way, be observed, measured, verified, or replicated.

The Real Plane doesn't allow for fantasy: there are no gods manipulating reality, no invented creatures, no parallel worlds breaking the laws of this universe. Everything within it is subject to verification, whether it pertains to physics, biology, chemistry, geology, or astronomy.

Facundo is 17 years old, 5'6" tall, and looks like he'll vanish if you don't stare at him. He has light hair, brown eyes, and an average build. He talks little, thinks a lot, and almost never seems to be completely there. He carries an old bag over his shoulder, worn and shapeless, but inside he holds impossible things. The Vacuum Bag weighs nothing, even though it contains a pocket universe. Everything that goes in disappears without a bottom. Facundo reaches in and takes out what he needs, without searching too hard. Among his belongings is the Infinite Quiver, which appears empty, but contains arrows that never run out. There's always one more. The Oscillating Compound Bow behaves like a regular bow, except that when you tension the string, everything around it vibrates: fire, air, leaves, objects. The Lichtkante is a common sword, double-edged, with a sharp point. It cuts well. Nothing more. The Tapa is a round steel shield. It's used for cover. And that's it. Temporary Earrings delay time by a few seconds: 0.10 with one, 0.20 with both. It's not much, but it's noticeable. The Wristband of Fury behaves like any other ornament until Facundo gets angry. Then it digs into his skin and makes him stronger, more animal-like. The Silver Mask is a silver mask with small pores for breathing. It's only used for fighting. The Cultist Robe is a purple velvet cloak with metallic scales that covers from the crown of the head to the toes. (It has a hood, long sleeves, and a single pocket.) Due to its metallic composition, it is highly cut-resistant. It is best worn with the Silver Mask. Tiger claws are hidden beneath the skin, curved, and eight centimeters long. They can climb with the claws on their hands; with the claws on their feet, too. Simple. The Anticipatory Ring warns you when something important is approaching. It doesn't show everything, only what truly changes the course. And the Green Lenses let you see the darkness as if it were daytime. There's no glare, no green, no weird stuff. Just light.

These objects, after their creation, are stored in the Ancient Armory to classify their danger. Those that don't pose a major risk (or an absurd advantage to someone without training) are sealed in the bowels of this labyrinth called the "Armor."

For example, the Dagger of Dreams is kept in an infernal stone chamber (on a pedestal) guarded by 16 oni with their Kanabō in hand.

The Molten Spear is kept in a vault made of forged oni steel (a red, stronger, more solid variant of normal steel) with a combination known only to the Arkeos. And let's just say they're not idiots. The Oni's Kanabō is in a room full of jars. And the joke is that one of those jars contains the weapon.

The Paralyzing Clock is still in its box in the Armory storage, the Calming Anklet is also in its box, and the Hyperawareness Brooch is still stored in its little box.

Accessories that stop reality, or are very powerful, are only given to qualified and trusted "buyers." Or they're simply sealed in the bowels of Arkeopolis.

Most of the items are given to a single young man. Even with that trust, he doesn't have all the items.

The rest of the Impossible Items are found in the Ancient Armory's storage rooms. Or scattered throughout the Five Planes. Or as I know them: Complete Reality.

XXV) Dagger of Dreams: When you slash into the air with the intention of penetrating the Kingdom of Dreams, it cuts the thin film that separates both realms and can enter it. It is such a mythical weapon that it still remains in the Ancient Armory, in Arkeopolis.

XXVI) Putrid Machete: Its blade, bathed in the pessimistic thoughts of humans, rots the place where it cuts and from that wound the necrosis spreads. Quite lethal for the Kingdom of the Real.

XXVII) Oni Kanabō: This studded club from feudal Japan was infused with the spirit of a dead Oni. When the user reaches a limit with the weapon, they can access the Oni's spirit and receive its favors. Essentially, it becomes the user's bodyguard.

XXVIII) Telekinetic Blowgun: With this dart blower, you can “call” the darts to reuse them. It has not left Arkeopolis yet because of its power.

XXIX) Ego-Darts: These look like ordinary darts, but if you accidentally cut yourself on their sharp metal tip (indestructible like many dream varieties made of real materials), an irresistible ego will corrupt and destroy you until you are killed. Along with the Telekinetic Blowgun, these are the most dangerous ranged weapons to use.

XXX) Calming Anklet: While it may seem like just another piece of jewelry, having it on you calms the mind and allows you to think clearly. Given its perfect advantage in fights, and its synergy with items like the Temporal Earrings or the Paralyzing Clock, it remains stored in Arkeopolis.

(There are many more objects, not just 30; But it makes me want to keep writing. Although the possibilities are endless.)

XVI) Oscillating Compound Bow: it behaves like a common bow, except that, when the string is stretched, everything around it vibrates: fire, air, leaves, objects.

XVII) Lichtkante: This is a normal sword. It has a double edge and a sharp point. It cuts well and hides something: it is made of pale steel; a very light and very hard variant of the alloy known as steel.

XVIII) Cover: This is a round steel shield, reforged in a dreamlike fashion. It serves as cover. (Although it is indestructible.)

XIX) Wristband of Fury: It behaves like any other ornament until the wearer gets angry. Then it digs into the skin and makes the wearer more animal-like. But this causes blood loss, and with it, life.

XX) Silver Mask: This is a dreamlike silver mask with small pores for breathing. It's only good for fighting, as it's very cut-resistant.

XXI) Sectarian Tunic: This is a purple velvet cloak with metallic scales that covers from the crown of the head to the toes (it has a hood, long sleeves, and a central pocket). Due to its metallic composition, it is very cut-resistant. It is best used with the Silver Mask. It is an impossible object because its fabric is made from the pure threads of Infant Innocence.

XXII) Tiger Claws: Hidden beneath the skin, curved, and eight centimeters long, they can climb with the claws on their hands; with the claws on their feet, too (but better). Their impossibility lies in the fact that they are extracted from reddish tigers, an extinct variant of the animal.

XXIII) Green Lenses: They let you see darkness as if it were daytime. There's no glare, no green, or anything strange. It's as if you were looking at dusk. (These lenses don't emit light.)

XXIV) Molten Spear: When you break this weapon, the broken part grows a sharp point and it can once again serve as a spear. The broken parts can even be joined together by simply bringing the two spears together. (The remaining point joins the original, causing its sharpness to be renewed.)

XI) Swap Bow: With this item on, just snap your fingers and glance at the person you want to swap places with (thinking about swapping places, of course) and you'll switch places with that person. And it doesn't just work with humans: anything with a surrounding area big enough for you to swap places with will do.

XII) Freezing Clock: pretty standard until you decide to set a stopwatch and press the small yellow button on one side. Time will stop for however many minutes you've set on the stopwatch. But this has its limits: particles, air, gases, gravity—in other words, anything that doesn't depend on Time to continue its functions.

XIII) Hyperawareness Pin: When you wear this pin, you become hyperaware of your surroundings. So much so that you can avoid a bullet without even looking, or see if someone is coming in without looking at them. Although it does leave you paranoid afterward.

XIV) Bag of the Void: This object is weightless, yet it contains a pocket universe. Everything that goes into it is stored in a bottomless place. The wearer simply reaches in and takes out what they need.

XV) Infinite Quiver: A container appears empty, but it contains unlimited arrows. It holds as many arrows as there are quarks in the universe.

V) Time Earrings (Time Hoops, Slow Earrings, etc.): With these decorations, you can slow down time by up to one second in your favor. (0.5 seconds each) That's a lot of power.

VI) Brute Ring: This is a decoration worn on the nose, like a bull. When worn, it doubles your strength. But while it's an advantage, its placement is a problem.

VII) Dematerializing Medallion: When you use this accessory, you have the power of atomic dematerialization, teleporting you to a transport location. However, the more generic the location, the more random the result.

VIII) Gel Bracelet: When you wear this accessory and you're not wearing it, it forms a protective gel bubble around you in case of danger. Or, if it can't do so, it envelops you in that gel. (Example: if you're shot, it will envelop you in the bubble and a protective wrapper in case the first barrier fails.)

IX) Feather Brooch: When you wear this adornment, you feel like you're made of feathers. And it's true, you can jump higher than average, quite a bit higher, and not only that: you land smoothly, as if you were truly ultralight. Not only do you have these benefits, but the wind doesn't drag you or move you (unless it's so strong that you would move even if you were with your mass without the accessory.)

X) Fire Lenses: With these non-magnifying accessories, you can withstand more heat than normal; in a few, it increases half of your normal resistance.

I) Metamorphic Chain: It's a small steel chain with a butterfly decoration hanging from it. At first glance, it's a simple chain; but upon closer inspection, you'll notice a purple glow running through it. If you think of an animal while wearing it, you'll be transformed into that creature. Pretty good for escaping. II) Arcane Buckle: With this golden buckle shaped like an eight-pointed star you will have access to a large amount of mana (an element that allows you to use magic. The amount is practically infinite) But if you don't know how to control it, you could be corrupted and used horribly by the artifact. III) Diadem of Unreality (Unreal Diadem): With this item, you can summon the creations of your imagination into the physical plane... although it comes at a price: your mind. The power is practically infinite, and humans are greedy by nature. IV) Visionary Ring: With this ring, whose gem is a jade stone, you can see future events, the only condition being that they twist your destiny in some way. Basically, it allows you to manipulate fate by anticipating it. V) Time Earrings (Time Hoops, Slow Earrings, etc.): With these decorations, you can slow down time by up to one second in your favor. (0.5 seconds each) That's a lot of power.

The Cooling Tanks occupy the central heart of the Archeopolis, where the air vibrates with a constant chill that stems not from temperature, but from function. They are immense metal cylinders, connected by conduits and valves. Water circulates within them, absorbing the excess heat generated by the Artisanal Factories and stabilizing the material of the Impossible Objects before their passage between planes.

Between and above the tanks extend the suspended walkways, metal structures used to transport the tanks. Their grid-like surfaces reveal bottomless chasms, illuminated by electrical flashes rising from lower levels. There are no walls, only railings that guarantee safety. The Floating Staircases connect levels that always coincide in space. They are sections of iron supported by beams and rods that seem to anchor themselves in the abysmal depths of the eternal Arkeopolis.

The complex—tanks, walkways, and stairs—constitutes the most lively area of ​​the Arkeopolis.

The Ancient Armory extends into the deepest levels of the Archeopolis, where the air weighs and metal absorbs sound. Its walkways loop, doors change destinations, and the light is never the same twice. There rest the Impossible Weapons, relics that predate even the concept of war.

Each floats within a translucent cell filled with a liquid that keeps them dormant. Blades orbit the void, rifles fire memories, spears wound time. Touching them would upset the balance of the plane. As the arkeos pass, some respond with slight vibrations, as if recognizing them.

The Arkeos guard the place without emotion, regulating temperature, pressure, and seals. They don't seem to protect anything from anyone, but rather to fulfill an ancient mandate, inscribed in their existence. Sometimes they stand in front of a glass case for hours, as if waiting for a lost order.

It is suspected that many of these weapons were not manufactured, but rather remembered: remnants of wars that never happened, projected from collapsed futures. When a plane is extinguished, part of its arsenal appears here, integrated into the eternal inventory.

There's no noise, just a low hum that vibrates in the walls. Some arceos dissolve into light as the frequency increases. The catalog never ends; it rewrites itself, fueled by the infinite forms violence can take.

The Archeopolis, also known as the Ancient City, is a structure without precise origin or location. It exists on various planes—physical, dreamlike, spiritual, and mental—as if its reality depended on their superposition. Everything within it is made of steel and steam: walkways suspended over chasms, floating staircases leading nowhere, and cooling tanks that pulse with icy water, resembling metallic organs.

Its inhabitants, the Arkeans, are disembodied, willless presences. They move with automatic calm, keeping the machines running and watching the corridors without understanding why. Some say the noise of the valves and hammers is actually their way of speaking. In the Artisanal Factories, Impossible Objects are produced: artifacts born of deviant thoughts or emotions rejected by reality. They are then cooled to contain their instability. Ancient Armories house more lethal versions: weapons that alter the laws of physics or pierce entire planes. Nothing in Arkeopolis moves forward, but nothing stands still. The air vibrates with electricity, and the metal seems to have memory. Those who enter claim that the place tries to copy them, absorb them, preserve their form as part of its infinite machinery.

The Artisanal Factories are the operational heart of the Arkeopolis. They do not produce in series or follow a recognizable physical pattern. Each workshop exists as an idea repeated until it becomes matter. Their structures change shape depending on the plane from which they are observed: on the physical plane, they are workshops of steel and steam; on the dream plane, liquid geometries; on the mental plane, solidified thought sequences.

The Arkeans work there nonstop. They don't use visible tools: they shape concepts directly, twisting reality into density. Each object is born from a carefully maintained error: a tiny deviation in an energy equation or an incomplete thought. Impossible Objects emerge from that imperfection, transformed into art. Once formed, the Arkeans submerge them in cooling tanks to prevent them from merging with the surroundings.

The interior of the factories is covered with tubes, cables, grates, and walkways connecting suspended levels. On the walls, condensation forms symbols that disappear when touched. Everything is in motion, even though no change is perceived. The temperature is kept stable by a system of cold-water boilers that regulates the expansion of unstable matter.

Some visitors described the sensation of being inside someone else's thought, as if the factory were a mind silently working. It is believed that each Craft Factory evokes a different type of object: those dedicated to metals generate amulets or weapons; those dedicated to thought produce psychic or emotional instruments. Sometimes, an entire factory comes to a standstill for indefinite periods, when an arkeo becomes lost in contemplation of the error he is molding.

The light inside never comes from a fixed source. It springs from the work in progress, fades when the object is completed, and leaves behind a metallic scent and a faint echo, like a sigh repeated between shots.