There are many terms and concepts that any Recursor needs to now about recursions. For ease of Recursion creation and editing, many common terms and definitions will be gathered here. For full and complete information, please Reference the Chapter 10 – Recursions of The Strange RPG.
Recursion Laws
A recursion’s laws broadly determine the kinds of rules that exist there.
Standard Physics: This law is the basic law that most recursions possess (and is the law that Earth operates under, which means it includes everything people have discovered with the scientific method about reality in the real universe). Standard Physics is actually a more complete and robust set of laws than the more extreme laws, which is why it’s more difficult to find “exploits” in Standard Physics that allow for amazing effects.
Magic: A recursion that supports the law of Magic assumes a baseline Standard Physics law, but Magic picks up where the latter leaves off, and it allows adepts to create a wide variety of sorcerous effects through spellcasting, sympathetic magic, voodoo, witchcraft, homoeopathy, fae enchantments, and so on. Different recursions might support different styles, traditions, and “rules” of magic, but the underlying Magic law is what makes those traditions possible. Ardeyn is one recursion that operates under the law of Magic.
Mad Science: A recursion supporting Mad Science assumes the baseline Standard Physics law, but turns it up a notch. Whereas it’s devilishly difficult to create temporal loops, perfect clones, gravitons, perpetual motion machines, cold fusion devices on the desktop, personal force field projectors, flying armor suits, ray guns, and photonic lances on Earth, in a recursion that supports Mad Science, it’s not only possible but quite likely. As with Magic, a Mad Science recursion probably supports only a few particular threads or research directions of super science, not every possible permutation. Ruk is one recursion that operates under the law of Mad Science.
Psionics: A recursion supporting Psionics assumes the baseline Standard Physics law, but provides a mental plane or similar mindspace framework that can support a raft of mental effects. A recursion with Psionics as a law might feature astral projection, psychometry, pyrokinesis, telepathy, hive minds, telekinesis, psychic surgery, aura reading, bilocation, and similar effects. As with Magic, a Psionics recursion usually supports only a few particular threads of psychic development according to a specified tradition of accessing mental powers, not every possible permutation. Atom Nocturne is a recursion that operates under the law of Psionics.
Substandard Physics: In a recursion where Substandard Physics is law, many of the “miracles” of modern science fail to function, including gunpowder, artificial electricity, artificial radio, and so on. Generally speaking, a world of Substandard Physics can support technology and effects on the level of Earth’s early Iron Age.
Exotic: The Exotic law is the catch-all law that particularly odd recursions might fall into. Usually, an Exotic recursion is one where the substance of the recursion itself is unusual, such as being composed of living flesh, fire, dream, acidic slime, solid starlight, writhing worms, fairy wings, or another unexpected form. Generally speaking, a recursion lower than level 4 can’t support Exotic elements.