Document No.: CHW-BUR-APP-0001 ·
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL ·
Prepared by: Investigation Force, Cognitive Hollow World Enforcement Bureau ·
---
## 1. The Hollow World
Definition: The Hollow World is a transdimensional domain that co-exists adjacent to the human plane. It functions as a repository of collective human cognition; thoughts and emotional intensities manifest as physical phenomena within this realm.
Operational note: The Hollow World is partially self-organizing; emergent structures (animals, buildings, weather phenomena) form proportionally to collective cognitive density and emotional valence in the approximate human population.
---
## 2. Entities
Definition: Entities are non-human intelligences originating outside the conventional spatiotemporal continuum. Many maintain residence within the Hollow World due to inhospitable conditions in their origin domains.
Operational Note: Roughly 70% of Entities are physiologically incompatible with atmospheric oxygen; direct translocation into the human world without a mediated environment is lethal to them.
---
## 3. Gateways
Definition: Gateways are persistent ruptures in the barrier between the Hollow World and the human plane. They originate when internal dimensional stress exceeds local containment thresholds.
Causes: High-frequency use of destructive attacks, concentrated cognitive fixation, traumatic event loci, and other high-energy anomalies.
Example: Gateway under Golden State Bridge — triggered by prolonged, collective cognitive fixation on traffic congestion.
---
## 4. Signatures
Definition: A Signature is the unique manifestation of an individual's psychological architecture (personality, trauma, willpower, goal-driven intent) in the Hollow World. Individuals with active Signatures are classified as Signators.
Signature Types (primary):
- Personality
- Trauma
- Willpower
- Goal
Activation: Extreme emotional states, repeated exposure to the Hollow World, or forced resonance with an existing Leiden Root may trigger Signature emergence.
---
## 5. Ranks & Stages
Ranks: D → C → B → A → S (immutable once assigned).
Stages (primary): Dissonant → Reluctant → Confronting → Reconciling → Harmonized → Integrated → Acceptance.
Semi-stages: Shattered, Fragmented, Reformed, Unstable, Stabilized — transitional states used by field operatives to categorize progress within a Stage.
Operational guideline: Advancement between stages requires conscious engagement with the Signature's origin and sustained energy expenditure until the core state changes as per Bureau protocol.
---
## 6. Bedeviled
Definition: Bedeviled are humans who act in ways that destabilize the Hollow World, intentionally or unintentionally. Their presence and actions produce cascading cognitive disturbances that can result in emotional trauma, mental shutdowns, or behavioral anomalies in connected human populations.
Operational Note: Bedeviled are classified as criminal actors by the Bureau regardless of intent. Legal or ethical justification in the human world does not exempt them from Bureau scrutiny; all Bedeviled behavior is treated as a threat to interdimensional stability.
---
## 7. Leiden Root
Definition: The Leiden Root is the cognitive anchor of an individual within the Hollow World. Each Leiden Root contains a "Book of Life" that logs observed thoughts and recorded actions.
Security note: Entries in the Book of Life are mutable by external agents with physical access within the Hollow World and can cause death with reason or mental shutdowns. Discovered Leiden Roots represent high-value counterintelligence and life-risk scenarios.
---
## 8. Contracts
Definition: A Contract is a binding exchange between a Signator and an Entity. The Entity confers power contingent upon receipt of an offered value deemed equivalent by the Entity.
Mechanics: A Contract is enacted when both parties clearly state their offer and acceptance. Contractual terms may include bodily cost (limb, sight), knowledge (location of Leiden Root), or other bindings.
Weapon Contracts: Contracts may be inscribed upon or applied to weapons, enabling the weapon to channel or store Entity-derived properties.
---
## 9. Bonds
Definition: Bonds are mutual agreements between Signators that allow for combined Signature emergence. Voluntary intertwining of energies creates a shared Signature accessible to both parties.
Procedure: Energy interlock is performed via contact across any body part (including fingertips). Institutional registration is required for bonded Signators to preserve legal accountability.
---
## Distribution & Handling
All personnel receiving this document must maintain classification protocols. Unauthorized dissemination constitutes a violation of Bureau policy CHW-SEC-09.
---
Approved by: Dr. Morgenstern
Prepared by: Richard Crest
Research & Analysis Division
Cognitive Hollow World Enforcement Bureau
Compiled from:
Investigation Force Field Reports
Classification:
CONFIDENTIAL — INTERNAL USE ONLY