The Three Force Fractal Model I: Ontology of a Deterministic Substrate

Modern physics rests on two uneasy frameworks: relativistic field theories on a smooth spacetime continuum and intrinsically probabilistic quantum theory. Both treat spacetime, randomness, mass, and energy as primitive ingredients rather than emergent features of a deeper substrate. The Three Force Fractal Model (3FFM) proposes such a substrate as a finite deterministic medium. It begins from a Thought whose initial state is Void, a condition of perfect null isotropy. Within this Thought three primitive forces act in order: Delineation, Completion, and Scale.From their interaction arise Nodes and Source, a finite Tapestry of Nodes with Dihapl (DH) states, and a global Tick sequence that advances the substrate by deterministic update rules. This paper defines the ontology of that substrate. We specify the Tapestry, Void, Dihapl and Source, the Stack of Configurations at each Node, and two temporal cost functionals: Temporal Drag, associated with changes in DH state, and Temporal Configuration Drag, associated with changes in the Present Configuration. Mass is read as accumulated temporal cost rather than as a fundamental field.We then track a tagged DH (TDH) through the Tapestry. Locality of the update rules generates a discrete light cone and constrains TDH motion to unit speed on the graph. A uniform relocation cost bound links distance traveled to temporal cost, so any sustained motion requires sustained temporal work; there is no free inertial motion. A companion Math Framework paper gives the dynamical systems formulation and proofs, and companion papers provide a Standard Model translation and a public exposition. This record is the canonical preprint for Paper I in the Three Force Fractal Model series.