Hyperspace refers to the parts of physical space that are inaccessible through three-dimensional movement, requiring higher-dimensional motion or perception to access. Many psychic powers utilize hyperspace as a shortcut to transport or affect things across great distances; physically moving across hyperspace, while a rarer experience, is also possible through psychic abilities.
Geometry of Hyperspace[]
Space (within the Heplionverse) has much more than the three dimensions we are familiar with - the most consistent theoretical models postulate at least six spatial dimensions, with some interpretations identifying ten or even more. However, the movement of particles in the A-phase (see Phasing) occurs strictly within three degrees of freedom, making it impossible to perceive or move along more than three dimensions under ordinary circumstances.
However, physical space is not organized along all dimensions in a flat manner, but rather with several curvatures. To illustrate this concept, imagine a two-dimensional space as a sheet of paper. Now imagine that this sheet is curved along the third dimension - the sheet of paper is rolled up. Under these circumstances, by leaving the paper and moving across the space in the middle of the roll, the distance between two points in the paper will be much smaller than if one moves strictly along the sheet of paper (i.e. in two dimensions).
Multi-dimensional space works under similar principles - however, rather than a simple curve, space is fractally wrinkled across deeper dimensions. Extending the paper-sheet illustration above, imagine the sheet is curved in a corrugated pattern (similar to corrugated roofing sheets). You can shorten the distance between two points by moving across the wrinkles in the sheet. Now, if you "zoom back" and look at the corrugated sheet from a wider perspective, it looks practically smooth - so you take that sheet and corrugate it again, with broader wrinkles. That way, one can shorten the distance between two points in the sheet even more, by leaving the first level of "corrugation" and moving along the second one. Repeat the pattern again and again, reaching what is essentially a third-dimensional space-filling curve, and the distance between any two given points in the sheet will depend entirely on how deeply along the intricate corrugated pattern is the path you trace.
Actual multi-dimensional space is organized in a similar manner, except that three-dimensional space (rather than a flat sheet) is wrinkled, in more complex ways than the simple wave pattern of a corrugated sheet, in endless interlocking patterns, and with each further dimension adding even more complexity to the overall picture. Therefore, when one talks about going "deeper" into hyperspace, what this really means is moving along higher dimensions in ways that take into consideration increasingly complex and intricate patterns of spatial folding, which can shorten the distance between any two points more and more the deeper one goes.
Accessing Hyperspace[]
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Exploring Hyperspace[]
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Roleplaying Information[]
For all game-mechanics purposes, hyperspace is equivalent to the d20 System's Astral Plane. Effects that require an astral connection or access to the Astral Plane are considered to work through hyperspatial shortcuts in the Heplionverse. Extradimensional spaces are also pockets of hyperspace in the Heplionverse.