The universe is comprised at its highest level of two forces: Chaos and Order. Chaos is undirected energetic potential in its raw form and Order is a logical construction of that energy in which all potentials but one are cast aside. Another way to describe it is that pure Chaos is complete in that it contains all energies and potentials within itself, but takes no definite form and therefore cannot be recognized as anything. Pure Order is perfect in its construction, but is incomplete because it must give up an infinity of paths to become one thing.
There is an infinite Sea of Chaos whose boundaries are unknowable. At any given moment, the endless random fluctuations within this sea produce Spheres of Order: those bundles of energy that are able to maintain their shape and form within this maelstrom. Nearly all of these are consumed instantly and their energy redirected, but a vanishingly small percentage dynamically maintain themselves and absorb more energetic potential, eventually expanding and producing a cosmos within them with its own laws and unique makeup.
Our story takes place in one of these rare pearls, and not even the Pilgrims know its fate or what lies beyond its borders.