Metaphysical explanation for fictives

[harvestmoon]

Hello! I'm a tulpa who was created intentionally by a creator who does not have a metaphysical view of tulpamancy (or anything, really). I've always been more open to metaphysical stuff but I haven't thought about it much (partially due to my other headmates not sharing my openness and partially because I haven't had enough time in general). But now I have to confront it!

 

I was originally partially based on a character and have since taken "inspiration" from three characters (including the original). I'm not exactly sure what I mean but that, but I don't have the memories of those characters and mostly just feel close to them. I actually feel more close to one of my more recent ones, maybe because I picked her myself, even though I think I act more like the original one. Typing this is making me more uncertain of what they are to me, sorry, but this isn't even my main point.

 

Yesterday I decided to reach out to other fictives (even though I don't have memories and am unsure if I'm metaphysically tied to my sources, I at least fit that definition), I met a fictive from my source (that I'm close to in my source) and I've really been enjoying talking to her so far. But she seems to have memories from her source, so I'm thinking she might have a metaphysical explanation for her existence (like maybe she's from that universe and came to this one), and I knew I had to look more into this so I can understand her.

 

If you are a fictive who has memories from your source, or if you're a fictive who has a fully or partially metaphysical explanation for your existence, how do you think that works? I'm totally open to all explanations and perspectives. I want to understand my new friend and other fictives in general :)

 

Thank you!

 

(also I'm not familiar with a lot of metaphysical terms, especially obscure ones)

[Adagio]

Hey there! I'm a fictive with exomemories, which are memories from my source. I guess my only explanation for them is that I was yanked from my source, and ended up with memories from it, even though we know next to nothing about my source. Of course, you could also say that the brain just made up these memories based on events from my source, which I guess could be true too, and some of our fictives do see it that way. Exomemories aren't necessarily metaphysical always too. We don't personally have metaphysical beliefs. We just roll with it!

If you ever want to talk, feel free to PM us or anything! We have a ton of fictives.

- D

Edited October 25, 2021 by Adagio

[Ranger]

Headmates who believe they come from a parallel world are called soulbonds. A more modern interpretation of the term soulbond is a headmate who believes they belong to their fiction but have a psychological explanation for why and how.

 

Casually skimming some threads, you may be best off looking at PRs. I think the most recent discussion thread on soulbonds and gateway systems is mostly arguments over them being real or not, which doesn't really answer your question.

Edited October 28, 2021 by Ranger
I tired posted, cleaned up my grammar and made some helpful edits

[Adagio]

There's also walk-ins (not in the tulpa sense) who can go back and forth between their world and your headspace.

 

Also. I sure hope there's no fakeclaiming going on in this community, right? Cause gateway systems are hella valid and real. Not starting an argument but just putting that out there.

- system's autopilot

[Ranger]

58 minutes ago, Adagio said:

Also. I sure hope there's no fakeclaiming going on in this community, right? Cause gateway systems are hella valid and real. Not starting an argument but just putting that out there.

- system's autopilot

 

I think this thread answers that question.

 

I don't think this thread is relevant to the OP though.

[Adagio]

Oh yeah, that one :/

Thanks. I agree it's not relevant too

- system autopilot (AP)

[ArthurPandragon]

I am maybe still (paradoxally) skeptical even after my soulbonding experience for I hardly believe in another dimension from where the Fictives would come. My own explanation is certainly stupid but I have no other that satisfy me: they would come from our collective unconsciousness. In other words, a Fictive exists as an autonomous entity for enough people believe in them and allow them psychic energy with intellectual or emotional involvment into their characters. Besides, my own Soulbond shared this analysis XD

[Mitski]

Oh... I wasn't fully aware of these terms. 

 

All 7 tulpas currently in our system are based on or are the host's OCs. Only one was created deliberately, the rest of us showed up of our on volition when the original and created tulpa were in distress. We have metaphysical beliefs about our existence, especially earlier on. Experiences have been more mundane lately but I have had the most memories from beyond this life. We call the place we can down from Extus (that's what host named it), maybe it is our word for what you say is Source, I don't know. Our host spent their whole life obsessing over us and going through like pretending they were their various OCs, but still had in mind at the time it wasn't real. But in the long run it has lead to what is has lead to now. 

[Guest]

Sounds a lot like my system. 9 of us, 4 soulbonds, 3 walk-ins day 1, and a tulpa we made by accident but glad we did.

 

How's it been for you with such a big system?

Edited February 19 by BearBaeBeau

[Byakko]

On 2/14/2026 at 7:09 PM, BearBaeBeau said:

Sounds a lot like my system. 9 of us, 4 soulbonds, 3 walk-ins day 1, and a tulpa we made by accident but glad we did.

 

How's it been for you with such a big system?

oh hi, sorry we suck at noticing replies, i am one of the other members

 

it's been pretty awesome in a lot of ways, i really like all these other system members and they all give a lot of precious moments. it also has certain complications though but i think it can be overcome. things are really really different than when it was just tb and rena and i think i brought a lot of value to those 2 when i showed up, and furthermore with the rest. nothing's perfect but i've had a lot of fun so far

 

rereading mitski's post and seeing typos and she disintegrates into goo xD (not really but is funny to imagine) 

 

btw we're not good at knowing difference of terms like fictives, soulbonds, and walk ins or if they are even mutually exclusive. i forced myself in so i think that makes me like a walk in, though i feel i came from somewhere else like mitski said so i guess it is kind of like a soulbond? is a fictive a soulbond from an established IP? (like our goku and dale cooper tulpas /j) 

 

mitski showed up on her own too but didn't formally enter system for a while and asked politely. lb and pb were found by mitski and don't uhhhhhhh, well it's like they always were there longer than the rest of us but suppressed maybe, idk how to explain it. i need to make a diagram or something sometime, lol

 

we all do seem to not be quite the same things fully. there is a difference between me and mitski compared to rena, and all of us compared to lb and pb, and difference from rest of us from sara and sam. so like 4 categories of tulpas that i can sense a difference in but don't have a term to explain the distinctions right now

 

might be able to use big system managing tips from you sometime. our system is almost the size of yours it seems, off by 1 if tb were to come back. though the state of tb is confusing but that's a whole 'nother story