A world where the air itself is filled with light, where pockets of warmth on the infinite plane give life to countless beings, where Aether gives minds the power to influence the world around them… this is the Nexus. Once a hub for dozens of worlds, with the passage of time, and the movement of the life-giving bubble of light and warmth, contact with other realms has been effectively cut off.
Magic reigned for untold millennia, but with its waning power, it has given way to technological advances never seen before.
Caverns of incredible size, lit by the air itself, host mines, cities, and settlements across the world. Smaller caves, too small to be lit by the air, are inhabited by glowing fungi and all measures of creepy-crawlies. The deepest depths of these caves have a curious property; things lose their weight the lower you go. No one goes that far though, lest they run into the spindly creatures that prowl the caves there.
For most people the world of the Nexus is all they know; all they’ll ever know. Uncountable generations of peoples have lived here. Ancient societies have left their mark on the lands as trails of ruins, leading deep into the Eternal Winters beyond the edge of the world. The Winters are surely infinite; any expedition into them invariably leads to explorers returning within weeks, dying from frost… or not returning at all.
Scholars don’t know definitively why so many people call it the Nexus, but there are theories with some credence in the literature. The most accepted theory is that the Nexus once served as a central hub for a variety of interconnected worlds. Anthropologists posit that the different races that inhabit the Nexus today may have come from these other bubbles. Manuscripts recovered from deep in the Winters reference events, ancient even to them, that point toward this conclusion.
The Aether is a substance that permeates the entirety of the Nexus. Consciousness is thought to be a pattern imprinted on the Aether, which can interact with it to affect the physical realm. Knowing this to be possible and the act of enforcing the pattern of the mind on the Aether are two separate things entirely. Those without training and a natural aptitude can’t do much of import. Luckier people may be able to snuff a candle with a barely perceptible draft. Only those truly lucky and strong of will are able to practice magic. This makes mages a rare but important group in the Nexus.
Magic, once thought to be common, is a rarity now. Those who can become adept at magic are few and far between. They are often finding themselves rising in status, and sometimes serving under kings and queens. Ancient magics are known to have been able to do things now impossible. Why magic today is stunted in comparison is unknown, but scholars oft attribute it to the weather of the Aether, limiting the strength of the connection that mages can make with it.
While the common person has no magical aptitude, that doesn’t mean they have no effect on the Aether. Under a single mage’s power, the world may be bent to serve their will to a certain degree. With thousands of people’s comparatively impotent wills, a group can force the world to follow its collective thought though fervent belief of a common idea. Religions and gods are the manifestation of this process. Ancient legends recounting gods walking among the people, leading their followers in the flesh, seem like myths today. This is not so. Long ago, gods could take physical form.
The mind works even when not awake. Because of this, those with a powerful connection to the Aether must take precautions to keep their dreams from affecting the world around them. Disturbances in the Aether, from powerful magics, can cause vivid dreams in nearby people. This can become distressing.
Long since closed, portals to other realms allowed travel to and from the Nexus. Some of these realms were beginning to fade, causing many sentient inhabitants to flee to the Nexus for good. Knowledge surrounding portals and the other realms is very hazy, and some regard the planes and homelands as being the actual lands near portals and not places other than the Nexus. There are an unknown number of portals, and those that are known show incredible diversity in their appearance.
The Western Rim, three sparsely populated kingdoms, who quarrel almost constantly. Supported from timber exports, trade, and artifacts from ages past, there isn't much here compared to other places.
The Kingdom of Saltaia lies between Pem and Delkhira. The area once was home to the Aeorian Empire, well over a millenia ago.
Saltai is the capital city of Saltaia, and the seat of the current monarch, King Gunthar the Eighth. Much of Saltaia's timber and artifacts are exported from here.
Springmelt lies on the mouth of the Aerdosa River. It serves as a small hub for timber and trade. The Uttolot family is based here.
Palebank is located on the Aerdosa River. Founded about 60 years ago by Elro Aldataur, a male wood elf, the village is not much more than a stopping point for those explorers who brave the Eternal Winters to recover artifacts from the extinct, now well rimed, Aeorian empire.
Syrinlya functions as a base camp for many explorers on expeditions into the Eternal Winters. There are few permenant residents here, but those who have lived here for several years know the surrounding lands very well.
Caroway Is a small farming village, south of Saltai.
Delpack is a small settlement similar to Palebank.
An ancient Aeorian ruin, long since forgotten by the world. It has sunk partially into a frozen over lake.
The Kingdom of Pem lies on the northern shores of the Enmeuse Straits and the west of The Red Waters, to the North of Saltaia. Pem's monarchs have had a long history of not-so-secret Thrym worship. Outwardly, however, they procalim Auril as their patron, In the hopes that she will stave off the worst of the Eternal Winters. Gaulic/Khmer names.
The capital city of Lower Pem, seat of the King.
The capital of Upper Pem.
A farming town on the outskirts of Pemure. It provides most of the staple foods for the capital.
The capital of Delkhira.
The second largest island landmass, located to the west.
Klawan is an island nation about 45 miles wide. With light forests, grasslands, and somewhat mountainous terrain, Klawan is a comfortable and beautiful land. Historically it has been known to be the favored home of Satyrs, not to say that they are the only people to inhabit the land. For centuries, the island has mostly kept to itself, and as such has been left alone by it's neighbors. It is currently governed by the Council of Nha La, a group of seven councilors, ostensibly elected by the citizenry for life.
Nha La is the capital city of Klawan, and the seat of the council.
Once known as the Enmusia Trading Company, the Enmu Cooperative is a trading company that rose to prominence in Enmusia almost 150 years ago. The company grew to encompass a huge proportion of the Kingdom of Enmusia's economy as well as a sizeable percentage of the world's shipping. After a successful coup in the Kingdom of Enmusia, it installed the owner of the company as head of state. After his death, his heirs merged their portions of the company and incorporated several others, creating a cooperative that would be able to assert even more influence across a greater number of markets.
This corporate republic controls nearly everything in life in the territory it owns. Guilds dominate each industry, with every guild being born from businesses that joined the Cooperative. Each of these guilds has a vote in the Enmu council when it comes to governance.
Currently the Co-op controls over a third of sea trade in the Nexus. Many magical artifacts are smuggled out of the Western Rim by the Enmu Co-op to be dispersed thoughout the world. Further still, the Cooperative is responsible for a majority of the shipbuilding (both air and sea) in the Atuin region.
Niter is a major trade item between the Cooperative and many states in Ocora, specifically for gunpowder. The Republic of Azad exports huge amounts of niter for fertilizer and use in gunpowder though the Enmu Co-op.
The Co-op has installed a puppet ruler in Tilland, to the south of Atuin, after an invasion about 10 years ago. This was done to gain control over vast quantities of Xip production, a plant banned in much of the Nexus for its derivative's intense and unpredictable mind-altering effects.
The headquarters and captial of the Enmu Co-op. Life here is dominated by the guilds who are a part of the Cooperative. From a distance the city seems to be sliding into the bay due to the decades of land reclamation and the massive shipyards, docks, and warehouses. At the heart of it all lies the Enmu Council building, from which the guild representatives and the company owners control the flow of goods and services. Some citizens are able to just eek out a living, while others can live comfortably. There are few who don't work for the company in some aspect; the young, the old, and the feeble are the only to be allowed this. Every person of able body or mind is given a job and quarters. Those who stand out for the right reasons may ascend the ranks and earn the right to purchase their own property, providing there is any available. Anything bought or sold here goes through the Co-op in some aspect. At least there aren't taxes.. don't give the council ideas.
Its lands predominantly elven, the Kaswaiti Dynasty controls much of the north of Atuin. The Kaswaiti's territory ranges from a dry summer climate to temperate forests in the west. The gleaming cities and warm pastoral scenery belie the huge amount of history beneath the inhabitants' feet. The capital city, for instance, is built on layers upon layers, some of which are still navigable. Descent here is like travelling back in time. Buried ruins and forgotten crypts are found almost everywhere in Kaswaiti Land. The Kaswaiti family has ruled for hundreds of years in an unbroken line of succession. With the health of the current monarch King Velethuil VIII looking poor, and his desired heir being his adopted daughter, this line may hit a kink in the future.
Masratt Rasdine is the capital city and seat of the Kaswaiti Dynasty. It is an ancient place, with its history stacked in layers beneath the streets. While the streets and exquisite architecture on the surface show the best parts of the city, all manner of "undesireables" live beneath the surface in a massive network of slums. Some passages go even deeper than what most are comfortable with though, and seeing as there could be anything down there, there's little reason to risk venturing there.
The Zao Halia Mages Alliance is a coalition of mages who govern several cities in the south of Atuin. From the College of Zaohar, the Mages Alliance guides the nation. Due to its welcoming nature towards magic users, many people with even a tenuous connection to the Aether flock here.
The capital city of the Alliance. The College of Zaohar is the preeminent organization for learning magic.
The capital of Kaaneh.
A conquered city on the border of Bandolia, under Kaaneh rule.
The Orts are a loose collection of kings and warlords, native to the Bandolia rainforests. They band together to defend the rainforests and surrounding lands if they are threatened, but fight among themselves when not faced with an external threat.
The Holy People's Kingdom of Ul Mara is a country with mostly arid plains, hot desert areas, and scarce forests. The monarchy there holds a tight fist on the theology and the populace, despite the name. Ul Mara supported Kedira in its war for independence from Ehlaia.
The large landmass to the northeast of the center of the world. Heavily populated, and a center of technological development. Along with these new technologies, conflict between nations has come.
The largest island landmass. Heavily populated in some places, it is host to the largest desert and the largest rainforests in the world.
Kedira is a land that has recently excised itself from Ehlaia, the opressive theocracy in the center of the world. The monarchy there has been removed from any official power by the Priesthood of Ehlaia, but their people supported their uprising nonetheless. After a fairly short but bloody war, Ehlaia has relented for the time being. Rumors abound regarding another open war, but at the moment things seem calm.
The Principality of Kherata is a city state partially governed by both Kedira and Ul Mara. It gained independence from Ehlaia along with Kedira.
The Venerated Priesthood's Nation of Ehlaia is an opressive theocracy located near the center of the world. The nation is almost entirely made up of open desert, with some mountainous regions and savannah.
The Eastern Rim, host to lush forests and pleasant weather. An ongoing conflict between Galgait and Spania has resulted in a buffer state called Vilarnau being nearly razed.
Elisor and Tilland are the two powers here, due to their reasonable climates and large size. Tilland is puppeted by the Enmu Cooperative and grows a great deal of Xip for drug production. Other city states dot the coast.
About ten years ago, the Enmu Co-op's sizeable standing army was put into use, invading Tilland and installing a puppet ruler to control the growing of many different goods here. One of these goods is the Xip plant.
Native to the region, Xip is a mild mind-altering plant that produces different effects in different people. Xip derivatives and concentrates produce intense and sometimes unpredictable mind-altering effects in most sentient races. Over the centuries it has been banned by almost every country in the Nexus, but it still makes its way into users hands in one way or another.
The Enmu Cooperative quietly grows huge amounts of Xip in Tilland for export around the Nexus, garnering a sizeable return on its invasion investment.
Rockier and less amenable to growing things as compared to Tilland, Eislor has been spared by Enmu's invasion. Eislor boasts an almost constantly rainy half and a dry near-desert half. The cities of Drogdare and Edenlip serve as useful stopovers for shipping between both Achalaia and the Cataran Hegemony and Atuin.
War between forces of Xenagos (Klawan) and an unnamed elven alliance (Atuin and Enmusia)
One time, Satyrs were not the fun loving, merry people we see today. Thousands of years ago, in the true homeland of Satyrs, the satyr Xenagos gained the worship of many of his people and ascended to near godhood. His chaotic and combative nature brought him to command a conquest in the Nexus radiating from the island of Klawan. From his home plane, he commanded his armies, gaining more power, until even that couldn't sate him.
Near the end of his violent conquest, Xenagos came to the Nexus in the flesh, and eventually found himself in direct conflict with several True gods of the elves. With the Aether of the time being denser, gods were far more powerful and could take physical form. Xenagos was killed in battle, ending the brutal war he brought to the Nexus.
To keep another war from breaking out, the gods involved collaborated to warp the minds of Satyrs who lived in the Nexus, tearing them away from thoughts of violence, towards discovery, merrymaking, and peace. For many of the gods' followers, though, this wasn't enough. Living on their comfortable island, having revelries, and living in peace was not retribution for the damage they caused. Over the millenia these memories and feelings have faded almost totally, but some elves still have a subconscious feeling that Satyrs are hypocrites.
Early on in its history, Klawan was left alone, partially from fear of Satyrs reclaiming their militant past. These reasons have long since faded into nothingness, but both sides of the conflict remain content to ignore each other. With the waning influence of magic, and the rise of technology, Klawan is beginning to open up to the world though. Some explorers like Koi have taken it upon themselves to learn about the outside world now that travel is less of a danger.
While it would seem this story would be lost to time, records of these events have been kept in stone at the Shrine to Xenagos. Few are taught this history, and even fewer know of the more violent nature Satyrs used to have. Those who do know this history make no attempt at publicizing it though. Nobody likes someone who ruins the party.
Interactive Map (WIP)