HISTORY

Nexus was once a barren volcanic island until it was tamed by Mistress Gea, a powerful master of the Time & Space Tether. When she discovered the Monolith on the island that leads to the Time & Space plane she found her focus and became even more powerful. It is the consensus that she is a Savant. The island soon became a sanctuary for outcasts, entrepreneurs, and arcanists. Over the centuries, it evolved into the world’s dominant trade capital, its influence anchored by powerful Guilds and innovative Magi-Tek and Steam-Tek.

Gea’s long reign is a mystery—some believe she is immortal; others think the title is passed down in secret succession and others are convinced she is a powerful savant. Either way, her iron-handed justice and ability to manipulate time itself ensure her rule remains unchallenged.

POLITICS

The Council of Guilds

• Composed of representatives from the 12 guilds

• The Council handles all day-to-day operations, taxation, diplomacy, and licensing—but all decisions can be overturned by Gea or her three Justiciars, who serve as her voice and final authority.

Law Enforcement

• City Guard: Trained in mixed martial and arcane disciplines.

• Shadow Wardens: A secretive elite unit that handles sensitive threats and internal corruption.

• Steam Golems: Magic-infused constructs used for crowd control, patrols, and heavy-duty security.

Laws are strict, absolute, and unbending. Legal appeal is rare and handled only by Gea's Justiciars.

NOTABLE AREAS & LOCATIONS

The Grand Spire of Accord

The administrative and magical heart of Nexus. The Spire houses:

• Gea’s throne chamber (rarely visited)

• The High Council Chamber

• Dimensional Archives

• Timeflow Observatory

• The Monolith of Time & Space

The Iron Row

District of Magi-Tek, Steam-Tek. Golems, Old school Steam, and and other mechanical innovations are crafted here.

The Infinite Bazaar

A market said to stretch longer inside than it appears outside—likely due to temporal distortions. Everything imaginable is sold here.

The Dusk Cells

The Prison of Nexus, often referred to as Mount Corbine’s Hold, is a sprawling, heavily fortified structure located at the heart of the city-state’s harshest and most secretive operations. Rising high above the lower districts, Mount Corbine’s jagged peak towers over the skyline of Nexus, a looming reminder of the city’s commitment to justice—or, depending on one’s perspective, oppression. The prison is as much a symbol of power and control as it is a practical institution for containment, and it is carefully designed to deter escape and ensure that those held within never leave without great cost.

The Convergence Circle

Hub for time-space magic studies. Home to the Order of Temporal Architects who monitor dangerous magical anomalies and sometimes offer aid across the world.

EVENTS & FESTIVALS

The Corbinite Trials

• Ongoing, year-round global competition.

• Nations and groups send teams and contestants.

• Events range from combat, magic duels, engineering challenges, to grand puzzles.

• Winning brings prestige, influence, and rare Nexus-forged items.Solo or team-based competitive and dangerous runs through ever-shifting gauntlets.

• Trials vary in nature: combat arenas, puzzle chambers, exploration zones, or magical mazes.

• Magical bracelets monitor vitals; teleport the wearer to safety before death, and self-destruct if removed or smuggled off-island.

• Adversaries include criminals seeking freedom or glory and professional fighters.

• Operates with a leaderboard and a “legends” ranking for extreme achievers.

• Ends each year with the Festival of Gea, a massive citywide celebration of victors and spectacle.

MAGIC & INNOVATION

Time/Space Magic

• The only Monolith of Time & Space resides here.

• "Time Vaults" and "Memory Wells" allow temporary glimpses into the past.

• "Phase Bridges" provides instant travel within the island.

INFLUENCE

• Neutral territory by tradition and force—no war is permitted on Nexus soil.

• Hosts embassies from nearly every nation.

• Many international decisions, trade agreements, and backdoor diplomacy occur here.

• Smuggling, though illegal, is a major underground economy—but the risk is immense.

• Slavery is one of the very few outlawed trade.

The Justiciars

Justiciar Caelen Vire – The Voice of Law

• Role: Overseer of legal matters, policy enforcement, and judgment of the Guild Council

• Appearance: Imposing, always clad in layered silver and black judge’s robes laced with glowing glyphs; short white hair, pale eyes that flicker with golden light when passing judgment

• Personality: Stern, methodical, incorruptible—Caelen is justice incarnate, but not cruel. Believes in clarity and exactness over leniency.

• Magic & Skills:

  • Master of binding magic, truth detection, and arcane law seals

  • Wields the Gavel of Accord, a magical rod that can paralyze liars or forcibly extract confessions from the guilty

• Notable Acts: Once sealed a corrupt Guildmaster inside a prison of frozen time for 100 years

• Reputation: Respected and feared—if Caelen speaks, the room listens

• Secret: He is rumored to be a former prisoner who passed the Corbinite Trials and pledged eternal service to Gea in exchange for redemption

Justiciar Serayna Velth – The Blade of Order

• Role: Commander of the Shadow Wardens and executor of high-threat actions

• Appearance: Tall, lithe, and scarred from years of battle; wears a blood-red cloak over black armor with Glyphs that adapt to threats; her left arm is an Magi-Tek construct of radiant Corbinite

• Personality: Calculated, intense, and ruthless in duty; sees emotion as a liability in justice

• Magic & Skills:

  • Expert in teleportation combat, phase strikes, and golem synchronization

  • Uses the Edge of Silence, a blade that cuts through spells and sound alike

• Notable Acts: Personally executed three Guild heads in a single night for plotting against Gea

• Reputation: The warning shadow behind every lawbreaker’s shoulder

• Secret: May be the original field leader of the first generation of Shadow Wardens—possibly centuries old

Justiciar Thorne Ilvantar – The Mind of Nexus

• Role: Arbitrator of the Guild Council, internal investigator, keeper of Nexus’ long-term stability

• Appearance: Youthful in looks but ancient in demeanor; wears layered robes of shifting color that reflect emotional and magical currents; always carries a memory crystal

• Personality: Thoughtful, enigmatic, and dangerously insightful; speaks in riddles when not giving precise orders

• Magic & Skills:

  • Chronomancer and master of mental manipulation, illusions, and foresight

  • Possesses the Chronoglyphic Lens, an artifact that allows him to “pause” local time or replay moments others cannot see

• Notable Acts: Uncovered a secret alliance between four foreign nations intending to destabilize Nexus through economic warfare

• Reputation: Unnerving but invaluable—nothing escapes his perception for long

• Secret: He is believed to be Gea’s first apprentice and may have helped build the foundational time magic of Nexus