The Dimensional Portal Network

"Where does it go?"

"Somewhere."

"...Where..."

*Smiling*

Harnessing the Rift: The Dimensional Portal Network

After the First Wave, the Supernatural Enforcement Response Team (SERT) sought to harness and control the very portals that supernatural threats used to invade Earth. Using a combination of advanced technology and magic, they developed a method known as Technomancy, a fusion of hardware and mystical energy manipulation that allowed the controlled opening, closing, and termination of interdimensional portals.

This was achieved through the discovery and study of Ley Lines, ancient supernatural conduits crisscrossing the Earth, much like latitudinal and longitudinal lines, forming a natural grid of arcane energy. At the intersections of these lines exist powerful nexus points, where energy concentrates and portals naturally form.

To stabilize and regulate these anomalies, Hard Portals were constructed at key Ley Line intersections, allowing for controlled dimensional travel. However, due to the unpredictable nature of supernatural incursions, these Hard Portals must remain heavily secured, as there is always a possibility of a new Wave emerging from beyond.

SERT's Success & the Risks of Dimensional Travel

SERT has successfully prevented 612 incursions through proactive containment and portal regulation. However, despite these efforts, the unpredictability of magic remains a critical risk factor.

•Unstable Properties: Portals are highly volatile, and unauthorized proximity to an active portal is strictly prohibited.

•Targeted Travel: Specific locations can be dialed in, allowing controlled supply shipments and personnel transfers.

Portal Displacement: There is a small but dangerous probability that incoming travelers will not arrive at the intended destination.

This displacement has resulted in:

•SERT agents being stranded in unknown realms with limited intelligence.

•Unretrievable equipment losses due to misaligned portals.

•Temporal anomalies, leading to severe time dilation issues.

To mitigate these risks, all personnel deploying via the Dimensional Portal Network are required to carry full gear sets at all times. Even so, a sufficiently strong magical surge can disrupt portal stability, cutting off communication and supplies.

Outgoing Portals & Time Distortion

Portals leading back to Earth exhibit an alarming phenomenon: Time Dilation.

Technology may desynchronize, arriving either ahead of or behind Earth’s present calibration.

Agents returning from extended assignments often report temporal displacement effects, feeling "out of sync" with reality.

Beyond logistical issues, these distortions contribute to a severe and poorly understood affliction known as Portal Sickness.

Portal Sickness

Portal Sickness is a disturbing psychological and neurological disorder unique to those who have traveled through unstable or prolonged portals.

Symptoms Include:

•Disassociation: Victims describe not feeling "whole," as though they exist in multiple places at once.

•Time Fragmentation: Individuals report seeing past and future versions of themselves, often at varied speeds and perspectives.

•Identity Fracture: Some victims have reported hearing voices of "themselves" speaking in languages they do not know.

All Portal Sickness cases are closely monitored, as prolonged exposure has led to severe psychological breakdowns.

Historical Incidents

There have been two mass Portal Sickness events, both resulting in eighteen confirmed suicides. Victims expressed extreme distress, claiming that "themselves" were watching and waiting for them to die.

Due to these extreme risks, portal travel remains highly restricted and under constant surveillance by SERT scientists and magical specialists.

Final Warning: The Uncharted Depths

The Dimensional Portal Network remains both SERT's greatest breakthrough and greatest liability. While it grants unprecedented access to other realms, it also presents unforeseen dangers beyond comprehension. For those who enter, there is always the lingering question:

[Bciup"Will you come back the same?"