Warpspace
Chaos And Warpspace
Warspace is a parallel reality to the space of the Imperium, a universe devoid of recognisable matter and life, with its own fluid laws of time and space. Warpspace is a random, unstructured dimension of energy and unfocused consciousness. It is Chaos, unfettered by the limits of matter and undirected by intelligent purpose. Warpspace is Chaos; Chaos is the stuff of warpspace. The two are indivisible.Time Displacement
The time differences between real space and warp space are quite drastic. Not only does time pass at different rates in both kinds of space, but it also passes at very variable rates. Until a ship finishes its jump, it is impossible for a ship’s crew to know exactly how long their journey has taken. Time passing in real space is referred to as real-time. Time passing onboard a spacecraft is referred to as warp time.The Benefits of Warpspace
The warp is also an important factor in the colonisation of the stars. Starships, exploit the time fluidity of warpspace to voyage thousands of light-years in a matter of days, making interstellar travel and the colonisation of the stars feasible. It enabled The Old Ones to travel the galaxy and deliver life to its planets and enabled the life they seeded on those planets to spread across vast distances to colonise other worlds. Superficially, the Immaterium is Mankind's solution to the problem of faster-than-light travel. The Warp functions as the medium for FTL interstellar travel, with voidcraft entering it through the use of a Warp-Drive. They then use their own mundane reaction drive systems and the aid of a psychic Navigator to navigate between its flowing currents of psychic energy, as if they were moving through an ocean.The Nature of the Warp
Also referred to as 'The Immaterium', The Empyrean, The Aether, The Sea of Souls, The Realm of Chaos, The Void and most commonly, the Warp, is an alternate dimension of pure psychic energy that echoes and underlies the familiar four dimensions of the material universe. Warpspace may be explained in terms of an endlessly broad and infinitely deep sea of raw energy. This energy carries within it the random thoughts, unfettered emotions, memory fragments, and unshakable beliefs of those who live in the material universe. The Warp is the also the source of all psychic powers and known instances of so-called "sorcery" or "magic" as well as the home dimension of the powerful entities known as the Chaos Gods and their myriad legions of daemonic servants. In fact, the terms "Chaos" and the "Warp" are often used interchangeably by those aware of their existence within the Imperium of Man.The Price of Progress
Initially, dormant and unfocussed the energy commonly referred to as 'Warp Energy' that fills the void of warpspace has steadily become more sentient as it has been exposed to the thoughts and emotions of the mortals passing through it. It is thought that the psychic energy that makes up the Immaterium has been absorbing these emotions and using them to develop its own twisted reflection of life in the material universe, in particular, the intelligent species of the Milky Way Galaxy. This dark reflection of the material universe has become an ocean of chaotic psychic energy, raw emotion given physical form without the understanding of its meaning by the energy in the void. This hunger for psychic input culminated in the event generally referred to as The Great CataclysmThe Myths of Warpspace
The Immaterium is also rumoured by some of the more advanced cultures to be the final resting place of the spirits of the dead, however, there is no metaphysical evidence of this and it conflicts with the beliefs both spiritual and scientific of many species in the Warhammer Universe.Codex: Chaos Daemons (8th Edition), pp. 6-9, 26-27 Codex: Chaos Daemons (6th Edition), pp. 6-20 Codex: Chaos Daemons (4th Edition), pp. 6, 8-9, 14-16, 25, 44 Dark Heresy: Enemies Beyond (2nd Edition) (RPG), pg. 136 Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness (1st Edition), pg. 212 Rogue Trader: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 310-313 The Horus Heresy - Book Two: Massacre (Imperial Armour), pg. 27 The Path of Heaven (Novel) by Chris Wraight, Ch. 3 Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (6th Edition) Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (5th Edition) Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1st Edition), pp. 130-132 White Dwarf 139 (UK), pg. 16 (Warp Travel Time Chart) Warhammer Fantasy Chaos Daemons Army Book (8th Edition), pg. 13 (Map of the Realm of Chaos)
"The Warp is a strange and terrible place. You might as well throw a traveller into a sea of sharks and tell him to swim home as send him through the Warp unprotected. Better it is not to let common man travel through the stars. Better still, let him not know such a thing is feasible."—Fra Safrane, 5th Aide to Navigator De'el.
Alternative Name(s)
The Immaterium, The Empyrean, The Aether, The Sea of Souls, The Realm of Chaos, The Void or The Warp,
Type
Dimensional plane
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