Wombat's Writings
patreon
Imaginary: A primer (Spoilers)
🕑 Added 2025-04-18 22:46:41 +0000 UTCSo, I've been asked by someone to explain exactly what's going on in Imaginary. I'm illuding to a lot of concepts, but taking a while to explain them.
Fair. Most of them will probably be explained in the next 5-6 chapters, and since I like to release 10 chapters day one for new fictions, it wouldn't take long for me to get to those concepts after release.
I'm intentionally slowly dripping out the information because I want it to come out organically. Most of the concepts aren't super important, until they're explained, but I think sprinkling the terms through the early chapters helps build the world. If you'd like to read the story without spoilers, as I intended, do not read below the line. I'm going to spell out most of the main concepts as clearly as possible, and it could change how you see the characters and story.
Since I'm still writing, those explanations are taking a LOT longer here, so here's a quick overview of the basic concepts:
----
At it's core Imaginary is a superhero story, but in a world where being a super hero isn't all it's cracked up to be.
The Central Idea is that twenty years ago an event happened (thinking particle accelerator test) happened and discovered a new particle. This particle is harmless for the most part, unless it finds it's way into the brain of a sentient creature.
When it's in the brain of a sentient creature it creates a reaction which gives people powers (either single powerful superhero type, and variable magic girl type) The downside, as was mentioned in this chapter, is those same people, the Empowered, start to emit I-waves.
I-Waves literally destabilize reality. While an Empowered person is alive, there's a chance that a rift could open up around them, and interdimensional beings could pour through. These beings want the particles, so they'll target Empowered first, but will rip apart anything around them that may contain even a single particle. Including other people.
Destroying these beings causes them to release MORE particles, increasing the power of the Empowered, and the stronger the Empowered person is, the larger the rifts that get created around them, and stronger the beings that can come through. It's a vicious cycle.
This is why the government created enclaves. They're pretty much walled cities. They're not complete shitholes, common people can come and go as they want, and they have all the creature comforts found elsewhere, but they still suck because by living there you're always at risk of encountering a rift, and living in one is NOT optional for Empowered people. (Although regular people can come and go)
Despite being a harsh place to live, most Enclaves have not only build a sense of community, but rivalry with other enclaves. Children from Enclaves tend to form clicks at school, and they try to recruit the strongest students in to their rank (weaker people tend to die)
Renegades, as is hinted at during this chapter, are simply Empowered people that refuse to live in Enclaves. They attempt to live as regular people, even though their very existence could threaten the people around them.
I'm not going to reveal anything about Tamera, but as is illuded in the last few chapters, she's not normal.
I put this together so those people that are reading Imaginary can go through with a better idea of what's going on, and provide both feedback and criticism. I would really appreciate knowing what everyone thinks, because I love the idea behind the world, and would like to make the story as good as I can.
Thanks!
Comments
Shannon Livingston
Glad it helps
Shannon Livingston
yw
Irish Not Sane
I absolutely love the idea where the super is the source of the problem the super must fight. It’s flowing well and the world is building out very well, I just wasn’t keep track of what was going on with the Empowered and the world so far. You have cleared it up nicely and now I have something to reference when I get confused again.
HikinBear
This helps! Thank you.
