Reality is composed of Narrativerses, self-contained story dimensions governed by genre logic.

Each narrativerse operates on: Internal tone. Trope density. Protagonist gravity. Canon stability. Reader attention flow.

They are not like traditional universes in a sense; most Narrativerses range in size, from a large room to an entire multiverse. For example, in an Action genre Narrativerse, the MC's place of residence may be the only setting that the Narrativerse has, causing it to be the only place or country that exists in that Narrativerse.

Narrativerses can be anything, from a classic fantasy world, a super futuristic world, an endless field of grass, or a world made entirely of trash. Go wild with anything you can think of.

The Three Primary Layers of Existence:

1. The Ink Layer (Diegetic Reality)

Where characters live. Cities, Kingdoms, Starships, Schools, Crime syndicates, etc.

Non self-aware Characters perceive this layer as reality.

It is built from: Linework. Dialogue bubbles. Narration boxes. Panel borders.

Most inhabitants are unaware that they live in a Narrativerse, or that there are other Narrativerses out there.

2. The Structural Layer (Meta Reality)

Where narrative mechanics exist visibly.

Only self-aware entities perceive this layer.

It contains: Panel grids. Gutters. Draft revisions. Censorship overlays. Canon Locks. Genre barriers.

This is where the Department of Narrative Management operates most effectively.

3. The Editorial Layer (True-Reality)

This Layer is rarely seen by most people.

This is where: Genre assignments are made. Narrativerses are greenlit. Stories are merged or cancelled. Entire worlds are archived.

The Department’s highest authorities exist here.

Organizations: There are several organizations managing narrativerses and story dimensions, fighting each other for their own purposes and profits. Apart from the Department of Story and Multi-Fictional Narrative Control and the Department of Narrative Management, the Multiverse Force Federation, Central Intelligence Agency of Oberun, and the State University of Nics Tabletop Club are well-known too.

The most well known organization being the Department of Narrative Management. Having access to the most tech and abilities. They are allied with the Department of Story and Multi-Fictional Narrative Control, the R&D Department, and the Multiverse Force Federation. They feel neutral about the Central Intelligence Agency of Oberun. They are enemies with the State University of Nics Tabletop Club due to their wacky and non-serious way with dealing with narrativerses and Genre Outlaw's.

Most of the bases/offices of the Department of Narrative Management are usually bleak in tone and color, with greyish hues. Most bases that are from the Department of Narrative Management are the same with slight deviations in their layout or other such small things. They include basic living needs, with most of them spanning hundreds of kilometers. Presumably, millions of bases are made by the Department of Narrative Management every day.

Narrative agents refer to people who work for the organizations that manage the Narrativerses. Almost every Narrative agent dresses in formal attire, specifically dark business suits with white collared shirts and red neckties. Narrative agents are very diverse in race or physical appearance, like golems, avians, zombies, cyclopes, giants, gods, sentient objects, unicorns, balls of flesh, creatures made up of hundreds of eyes, creatures that have massive endless maws, ancient demons, a creature with a cooking pot for a head, a guy with thousands of wings, and so many other diverse and weird species. The most common race however, is humans, making up a total of 35% of all Narrative agents hired.

Department of Narrative Management/DNM Narrative agent hierarchy:

Office agent: Files, documents, and organizes files of newly created narrativerses or updated Narrativerses. Usually stays in their assigned DNM office. Has access to weak Fundamental weaponry for safety.

Field agent: multi-purpose field agents used for scouting Narrativerses and Genre outlaws. Usually shifts their assigned DNM office bi-weekly. Has access to average Fundamental weaponry and weak redaction strikes for safety and scouting use.

Security agent: experienced field agents used for security, advanced scouting of Narrativerses, and powerful Genre outlaws. Usually shifts their assigned DNM office bi-weekly. Has access to Powerful Fundamental weaponry, average redaction strikes, average Panel Seizures, and Powerful Meta-Containment Fields for security and scouting use.

Editorial agent: Edits and greenlights new Narrativerses for approval to be added. Usually stays in their assigned DNM office. Has access to weak Canon Locks, powerful Redaction Strikes, and weak Genre Reassignment, for safety and editing. The Structural Rewrite Protocol requires at least 10 Editorial agents to agree for it to be used.

Story agent: Creates and comes up with ideas for new Narrativerses. Usually stays in their assigned DNM office. Has access to powerful Canon Locks, powerful Redaction Strikes, and powerful Genre Reassignment, for safety and editing. The Structural Rewrite Protocol requires at least 3 Story agents to agree for it to be used.

Higher ups: Manages DNM offices and bases. Usually shifts their assigned DNM office bi-weekly. Has access to powerful Canon Locks, powerful fundamental weaponry, and powerful Genre Reassignment for safety and management. The Structural Rewrite Protocol requires at least 1 Higher up to agree for it to be used.

Department of Narrative Management = DNM.

Genre Outlaw Classification Scale.

The official DNM threat scale for narrative deviants.

Level 0 – Contained Character

Fully unaware of fiction. No genre deviation. Obeys tropes.

Example: Background civilians

Level 1 – Trope Deviator

Slightly unpredictable. Breaks minor conventions. Causes small continuity errors.

Handled through minor edits.

Level 2 – Narrative Bender

Aware of storytelling patterns. Exploits tropes deliberately. Can resist minor plot constraints.

Monitored closely.

Level 3 – Frame Breaker

Breaks the fourth wall. Interacts with panel boundaries. Demonstrates limited meta-awareness.

Requires panel restrictions.

Level 4 – Structural Manipulator

Moves across panels intentionally. Alters sequence of events. Redirects plot causality.

Dangerous to genre stability.

Level 5 – Cross-Genre Contaminant

Travels between narrativerses. Adapts to multiple genre rule systems. Causes trope cross-pollination.

Considered high-risk.

Level 6 – Canon Disruptor

Alters backstory freely. Challenges established canon. Destabilizes protagonist hierarchy.

Requires intervention team.

Level 7 – Ontological Threat

Manipulates narrative mechanics at will. Immune to basic structural correction. Forces departments into reactive mode.

Few recorded cases.

Level 8 – Genre Outlaw (Apex Classification)

Fully self-aware. Travels narrativerses. Resists Canon Lock. Manipulates panels. Exploits censorship. Alters protagonist gravity. Threatens institutional authority.

Only a handful exist.

Notable DNM Tech:

1. Canon Lock

The ability to freeze a story into its established canon.

Effects: Prevents retcons. Blocks unauthorized character development. Seals timeline branches. Forces events to resolve “as originally written.”

This is often used to trap Genre Outlaws in fixed outcomes.

2. Redaction Strike

The weaponization of censorship.

Effects: Erases dialogue mid-sentence. Obscures identities. Removes key details. Suffocates targets inside black bars. Delete limbs from panels. Remove motivations. Keep wounds in stasis.

The higher the clearance of the story agent using this, the deeper the erasure will be.

3. Genre Reassignment

Forcibly reclassifies a character’s genre.

Example: Noir detective → slapstick comic relief. Epic hero → background extra. Villain → misunderstood side character.

This strips narrative power.

4. Panel Seizure

Temporary confiscation of panel access.

Effects: Character cannot move between frames. No stepping into gutters. No fourth-wall interaction.

This is specifically designed to counter Genre Outlaws.

5. Narrative Gravity Suppression

Removes protagonist priority.

Effects: Events stop orbiting the target. Coincidences stop favoring them. Plot armor dissolves.

Without gravity, even powerful characters become irrelevant.

6. Structural Rewrite Protocol

Their most dangerous tool.

They can: Alter backstories. Rewrite motivations. Change outcomes retroactively. Reassign who “solved” a case.

However, this requires massive authorization, and excessive use destabilizes the narrativerse.

7. Meta-Containment Fields

Deployable narrative cages that: Trap self-aware characters inside limited panel loops. Force repetition arcs. Lock a character inside a single illustration.

Extremely effective against fourth-wall manipulators.

8. Fundamental Weaponry

These weapons attack: Character archetype. Narrative function. Genre alignment. Structural permissions. Character sketches. And other such things.

Some Fundamental Weaponry do not injure the body physically.

Notable locations in the Three Primary Layers of Existence: [Grayscale City.]

Located in The Ink Layer.

The birthplace of Detective Noirot.

A noir narrativerse defined by: Permanent rainfall. High crime density. Moral ambiguity. Heavy contrast lighting. Narration-heavy pacing.

Environmental Features: Buildings sometimes repeat in background panels. Rain lines are occasionally reused assets. Streetlights exaggerate shadows unnaturally. Alleyways extend longer when suspense is required. The city subtly reacts to narrative needs.

[The Blank.]

Exists in all of the Three Primary Layers of Existence.

The space between the Narrativerses.

Defined by: Complete Emptiness. Abstract beings. The color white.

Environmental Features: Black voids sometimes appear. Abandoned comic strips and dead Narrativerses are common. Beings that stay too long in The Blank eventually return to nothing. Portals that are used to travel the Three Primary Layers of Existence.

[The Forge.]

Exists in the Structural Layer.

A massive forge used to create the technology and tech the many organizations use.

Defined by: Massive flowing rivers of fire. Weapon racks. Development of new tech.

Environmental Features: Massive and grand architecture. The R&D Department. The hundreds of rivers with many fantastical elements. The main forge room.

Power system: The power system is very abstract, with no set power system in place; almost every Narrativerse has a different power system, from magic to combat techniques to bone carving to hand signs. The possibilities are endless. There are also "special" powers that are unique in the way they interact with their own and other Narrativerses. For example, a guy who has the ability to have every version of himself in every Narrativerse work for one common goal.