Astral rifts are places where the physical and astral planes become bridged.[1] Awakened and non-Awkaned entities can not only project, but even cross over and interact physically, ignoring the Dweller on the Threshold.[2]
Travel between the metaplanes in this fashion is nonetheless considered very risky.[3]
They are usually short-lived phenomena, with the notable exception of the Dunkelzahn Rift (also known as the Watergate Rift) in Washington, DC which lasted from 2057 to 2073.[4] Another enduring astral rift are the Nazca Lines in Peru, which activated in 2061 and were still active in the late 2070s.[5]
Visually, they can appear as ripples or tears in space.[6]
Powerful rifts may force individuals in their vicinity to astrally perceive or project and are known as deep rifts.[7]
Mild forms of astral rifts are known as astral shallows.[8]