Nexus

Once an abandoned Sphere, Nexus survived the Godswar mostly unscathed. With seven surviving Golden Paths Nexus became the center of the Dancing Spheres. To the point that the people of the Dancing Spheres define Civilization as being connected to Nexus.

Regions

Dwarven Peninsula

Centered around the crater that once was the Golden Path to Truehold the Dwarves have retreated into the mountainous peninsula preparing for a war that never came. The mountains have been hollowed out into the Forehold. But the Dwarves are unable to exist in isolation and have had to trade for necessities from their erstwhile enemies.

Pathway Metropolises

Each of the Golden Paths is surrounded by a metropolis of varying size depending on how much trade they support. From the massive Helepalatzo — the largest city in all the Dancing Spheres that leads to Duranti — to the small A'nocirban — gateway to Val'a — each Metropolis is shaped by the cultures that passed through its Golden Path. During the Second Nexus Wars all the Metropolises became the front lines as each of the Nexus Powers fought for control of them. They still are built around the fortified castsulae that ring the Golden Paths. In the Accords Era they have become the centers of trade across the Spheres. Expanding to the borders of the Accord Territory the cities are broken into wards, each one could be considered their own city with their own cultures and styles.

Nexus Plantations

Originally carved out as petty kingdoms by Baeon and Duranti colonists, the Nexus Plantations fill the continent. Their power diminished by the Nexus Accords, the petty kings, lords, and landowners retained their territory but lost the authority of their titles. In its stead, wealth became the signifier of prestige. While the total territory a single individual could control was limited by the Accords, valuable territory was still valued and warred over. But such conflicts were limited by the Accord Council censure the offending Plantation Lords' territory, strangling their trade.

While the lands are owned by Plantation Lords, they are populated and worked by peasants and indentures in proportions depending on the whim of the Plantation Lords. All are wage laborers of varying degree of freedom and beyond the laws and protections laid down by the Accords Council they have little influence over their lives beyond the ability to withdraw their labor. And the indentures don't even have that.

Tradeways

Administered and maintained by the Accords Council, the Tradeways are a series of roads and canals that crisscross Nexus. Patrolled by the Rural Cohort they are the safest way to move cargo across the Sphere. However, the tolls for using the Tradeways can make them less attractive than independent roads or ocean travel.

History

Exploration

During the Expansion Eras of Baeon and Duranti explorers discovered the Golden Paths to Nexus and claimed territory in a land rush.

The First Nexus Wars

As the more territory was claimed, conflicts over the territory broke out as the initial explorers were displaced by those who came after with armies. And as new resources were discovered leading to more conflicts over the new territories. All these conflicts were grouped together to be described as the First Nexus Wars.

The Second Nexus Wars

As Nexus was mapped the two main Colonial Powers came into contact and conflict. As more Golden Paths were discovered the two sides were joined by the Orcs. These three powers began to fight over access to the resources of the other Spheres. Golden Paths changed hands as the Pathways were conquered and reconquered. These periodic colonial wars were grouped into the Second Nexus Wars.

The Third Nexus War

There was only one war that became referred to as the Third Nexus War. Initially believed to be a simple war for territory by the Dwarves expanding from the Southern Peninsula, it became very clear that this war was different. The Dwarves were not interested in taking territory or resources, but eliminating all that was not "True Dwarf". Soon all the Nexus Powers found themselves on the same side of a loosing war. It was only with the discovery of a Godswar artifact that was used to destroy the Truehold Golden Path that the war ended.

Age of the Accords

In the aftermath of the Third Nexus War, the victors came together to create a new status quo. After centuries of petty wars they had a taste of what total war looked like. The leaders all agreed that a future war on Nexus had to be avoided at all costs. As such the Nexus Accords were created to prevent Nexus from becoming a proxy battlefield for Offsphere Powers.

Trade became the focus of Nexus, all politics were organized to maintain and expand trade through the Sphere. Each of the Pathway Metropolises was guaranteed independence and a five mile military exclusion zone was set up on both ends of the Golden Paths. Control of the Pathway Metropolises were turned over the the Pathway Councils made up of Magestures who lead a city ward. The Accord Council was created to be led by representatives sent by Pathway Council of each metropolis. Direct political allegiance to Offsphere Powers was banned. And enforcement of all of this was turned over to the Pathkeepers, who were viewed to be neutral arbiters only interested in maintaining the Golden Paths.

Plantation Rebellion

As time went by the Plantation Lords chafed under being legislated without representation in the Accords Council. What had been disorganized fiefdoms each with their own interests came together in a powerful political bloc that was able to extract concessions, including expanding the Magestures to not just represent the Wards of the Pathway Metropolises, but rural Surrounds.

The First Enforcement

Early in the Age of the Accords, a Duranti prince attempted to conquer Helapalatzo. He was able to smuggle a small army of mercenaries into the city and capture the Pathway Consular Palace. On the cusp of his victory the prince, and every member of his army disappeared in an instant. No one knew what happened until a Pathkeeper representative informed the Pathway Council that they had "Enforced the Accords" that prevented armies within five miles of the Golden Paths. The prince and his army were never seen again.

While the Accords were violated other times, only the prohibition of armies or disruption of trade warranted Pathkeeper involvement. In these latter enforcements, the disappeared individuals were returned eventually, stumbling out of the Pathways days, months, or even years later confused and having no memory of the intervening time.

Summer Revolts

Often occurring in summer, the people of the Pathway Metropolises will revolt. Generally they start around food as the city stores are running out before the harvest and only so much food can be brought in via the Golden Paths. The revolts will often expand to protest Pathway Council policies, taxes, perceived injustices, and other social touch-points. Occasionally it will expand to the point where the Pathkeepers decide either the protestors, or Urban Cohort, or both, qualifies as an army and will enforce the Accords. The Pathkeepers have always returned the combatants within three years of the revolt.

Government

Accords Council

Each of the six Pathway Councils sends three representatives to the Accords Council. Those representatives decide on trade policy, set standards, and dictate laws within clear limits. They are empowered to maintain the Rural Cohort to protect the Tradeways and enforce Accord policies.

Pathways Council

Made up of a Pathway Metropolises' Urban Magestures, and the Rural Magestures of its Surrounds, this lively house argues over the implementation of Accord policies and laws that effect the Metropolis's people.

Rural Magestures

Each Plantation District has a Magesture elected by the Plantation Lords. That Magesture administers the district, passed policies, and acts as the judiciary. They typically only represent the Plantation Lords' interests which can lead to revolts.

Urban Magestures

Each Ward in a Pathway Metropolis is administered by a Magesture elected by the residents of the Ward. The elections occur every five years. The Magesture administers, enforces the peace, and adjudicates conflicts in their Ward.

Religion

Nexus lacks a native religion but it plays host to all the religions of those who travel it. Each Pathway Metropolis has hundreds upon hundreds of churches, sanctuaries, shrines, and temples. Because of this intermingling Nexus syncretizing Gods, Saints, and Spirits across faiths is a common occurrence. This cross pollination also includes new philosophies entering religious doctrines causing conflict with the Nexus branches of faiths and their origin populations. This conflict can lead to reformation, schism, or reevaluation by the ecclesiastical hierarchies.