An example of Hierarchical Tiering (Umienko's Cosmology)
Introduction[]
Hierarchical Tiering is a concept in fiction where a cosmology establishes the existence and is often detailed through the use of "layers, realms, planes, domains, etc.". Usually appearing in higher-end fiction, these are often series of cosmological constructs that stack above one another to formulate a hierarchy where each layer above one another trivializes the one below it in a dimensional-like fashion.
Hierarchies, when introduced into a verse, usually are used to provide explain the general scope that the cosmology itself extends to and or to create an in-depth hierarchy of power that in itself is used to explain the power between those who inhabit the higher and lower ends of said hierarchy. In other words, it's both a cosmological and power scaling analogy that authors use to convey the scope of a cosmology and the uncountable power difference between beings of different levels
- Within fiction, it's also a consistent thing that these hierarchical levels share a reality-fiction difference and are "real" in relation to the falsity that the lower realm is in relation. In actuality, the layers are all equally real but the higher levels are so vast in magnitude that they see lower levels as "fiction" and insignificant to the same degree as 3rd dimension beings do a 2nd dimension plane.
It's not always the case that a reality-fiction difference is shared between levels and it can alternatively be a case where levels are no different from universes or pocket spaces, just merely extending vertically as opposed to horizontally like usually portrayed in fiction
Notes[]
- Verses are to be judged on a case by case basis in regards to how it treats it's hierarchical scaling
- A layer, realm, plane, domain or what not is not automatically considered transcendental of a lower level unless there's evidence to suggest so, such as ones that indicate trivialization of lower levels and or a reality-fiction difference
- Hierarchical scaling has a place in the Tiering System and is to be judged accordingly to it's statements and other details that give a concrete answer of it's nature