The erde (earth) is flat. It is a non-rotating solid plate of rock averaging about a mile thick. The center of gravity is sandwiched between the rock layers, like icing on a double-layer cake, grounding things on the surface and preventing things on the flipside from falling off. On the topside is the hospitable world; beneath is the fantastical Underside, a map of fire, ice, and solid rock that dictates the weather on the surface.

Erde suspends in a solid blue sky with no sun, moon, stars, or celestial being of any kind. The only other points in the visible sky are emerald green dots speckled across the space below Erde. Even though the atmosphere is breathable for as far as any creature has had strength to fly, no one in recent history has traveled to these unknown orbs and returned to tell the tale. It is believed that those who attempted collapsed out of exhaustion and fell into oblivion – or else froze in the complete blackness after dark.

In the absence of sun or moon, the sky radiates with solid light during the day. The light is constant across the atmosphere, maintaining a habitable base temperature of approx. 50 F during the bulk of the day. This temperature cools as the light fades and quickly drops below freezing after darkness; it is rumored to descend into subzero temperatures in the blank sky far from the earth. Because the light is indirect and consistent, objects on Erde do not cast shadows, only shade.

Erde, both the hospitable side and the underside, are interesting to think about, due to their strangeness.

Thank you! The "flat earth" concept was fun to work with. (I still need to write up details on the Underside...)

I will be awaiting those details eagerly.

Has anyone ever gone to the underside? How would one get there?

We're still awaiting details, Aubrey.

I haven't yet developed the Underside extensively, and it probably won't get a complete overhaul immediately because I don't think we'll be going there in "book 1." However, I plan to go there in a book eventually, which means it will get fully developed, at which time y'all will hear about it.

Yes, you can get to the Underside. Flying for sure, but I'm pondering other chasms...

Thanks, guys.

We'll be patient, then.

Tunnels perhaps? Or would going through the center of gravity get you stuck somewhere?

I'm working on that. I envision that, as you work towards the center, the pull of gravity gets stronger... and then it abruptly flips, so you suddenly feel upside down until you turn around. Which would be disorienting but tolerable.

Tunnels are a definite possibility, and I might use some if they would have a role in the story.

Okay. That makes sense.

They might at some point.

This sounds really intriguing, I really like how the other surface affects the whether on the habitable one.

So would there be a spot where there is weightlessness somewhere directly in between the two surfaces? Are there any life forms that move from surface to surface a lot?

Ooh, having just read your fire thread, are there different colors of fire on the underside?

Thanks so much for the comment! I apologize for the delay in getting back to you... as you know, I have my world-building on hold while I focus on other things, and when I come back, I have a lot of polishing to do. Hence, the details of the Underside are likely to get refined, but I can answer your questions loosely for now.

I don't think I'll have a phase of weightlessness - rather, there's a place in the middle where the gravitational pull abruptly switches. A little disorienting, and should make for some fun scenes when people travel from one to the other. I am planning to have some creatures that are found on both the surface and Underside, although I haven't developed them specifically yet. Also, the Underside will have the same atmospheric fire conditions, so there's the potential for all the same shades, but most of the fire on the Underside will probably be of the hotter varieties.

I understand the delay, you're good!

Okay, cool! I'm looking forward to seeing the updated version when you've gotten around to it.