nc_ooc | Nexus Crossings: The Setting

Nexus Crossings: The Setting

The Nexus can be found a great number of ways. An entrance that always led to your closet. A rusty door in the back of a bar. Ducking through two trees whose branches cross one another. A forgotten crawlspace. Passing through the wrong shadowy alley. Simply falling asleep and waking up someplace strange. Even death.

The doorways to the Nexus are as varied as the realm itself. An in-between space. An intersection of all possible worlds. Ever changing, always shifting. Unpredictable, strange and thrilling. Modern urban sprawl can give way to wild woods in as little at five steps. Ruins of a civilization from a world time forgot leeching into farmers’ markets and pleasant pavilions. Sometimes a path you followed yesterday will lead someplace completely new tomorrow. Landmarks rearrange themselves depending on the time of day and a cozy tea shop you found last week will be replaced with a curio shop today.

Another outstanding feature of the Nexus is the Anti-Violence Field. No one knows precisely how it is generated or how it operates, but it shields all travellers and inhabitants with protection. Unless both parties consent to battle, no one can be physically harmed by another.

The place is unpredictable and terminally in flux, but that is part of the charm. You never know what you’re going to find, who you’re going to meet, or where you’re going to go. Will you mark that door you found back in your world and move freely between home and here? Will you find your way back has vanished once you stepped through and are now stranded? Will you willingly settle here in the Nexus and explore it’s many doorways to other dimensions?

The Nexus is a locus of possibilities. Come explore them.

~~~

Nexus-Crossings is a panfandom open RP community. There is no need for applications and no activity checks. The amount of characters you bring in is limited only by your imagination and desire to play. Simply join with your character journal(s) and jump into the game. OCs, AUs and all canons are welcome.

The community is driven by the playerbase. While mods may introduce events and plots, the players are highly encouraged to do the same. With a little moderator clearance or interest check, anyone can prompt activities ranging from bake sales to combative invasion. The setting is made to be as nebulous and varied as our players are.

Another common occurrence in Nexus-Crossings are temporary, character-altering anomalies, colloquially known as “LOLs”. Gender switches, de-aging, bodyswapping: any manner of transformation can take place in the Nexus. All LOLs are opt-in and not required participation, meant just to facilitate character growth and encourage character interaction through strange circumstances.

Players are encouraged to make up their own locations, events and plots. The setting is big enough and fluid enough to accommodate any idea. In the comment section below, you'll find the major hubs of the Nexus. In the course of your RP, if you wish to establish a set location that others can reference in their RP, feel free to write a description of it and include it as a comment. Just put the name of the locale in the subject line and give any and all established details.

Examples of this sort of thing would include: a shop your character runs; a landmark used often by your friends as a meeting place; an animal or fruit your character has seen or found in The Wilds; a bar or restaurant frequented by your character. It can be any object, location, NPC, merchandise, home, shop or office that you would like to share with your fellow players or would like to establish as recurring.

Finally, the Anti-Violence Field is a safety measure to ensure characters aren't endangered unless they consent to it OOCly. Combat can still happen, and events can cause the field to fail. But no character can be ambushed or assaulted if the player does not wish it to happen.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask the mods. We are here to help!

Threaded | Flat

The center of the Nexus. A place festooned with seating of all types, seeming to favour various colours of overstuffed sofas. Other chairs to be found include: park benches, loveseats, armchairs, bar stools with accompanying tables, beanbags, large weathered rocks, fainting couches, and more. Where all these seats come from, no one's really sure. They have just always been there and seem to replenish themselves should something occur to damage or remove them.

Also scattered around are computer kiosks. Perfect for having a digital conversation, answering emails or submitting information via text or video feed.

This is the place for fielding questions, asking advice, making declarations and answering queries. It is the general 'hang-out' spot of the Nexus, perfect for meeting new people.

Finding the occasional coffee cart or café is not uncommon here. Get yourself a mocha and have a conversation!

In a meeting of all worlds, it's inevitable that someone's going to try and make a buck. The Nexus is not without its commerce, the area where businesses amass colloquially known as Downtown. Its layout is just as chaotic as the rest of the Nexus; streets don't always meet the same cross section as before and directions aren't always foolproof. But these little diversions usually just means you'll find a new shortcut or discover a neat little shop you'd never noticed before.

There are marketplaces, there are grocery stores, there are strip malls, there are booths, there are offices. If you can legally obtain it with whatever tender you carry, you can likely find it if you explore enough. And don't worry if you don't have the right kind of cash; you can't throw a rock without hitting a currency exchange.

And for everything illegal you could possibly want, there's a seedier area if you walk just a bit further that folks refer to as The Underbelly. Granted, not everything here is legally questionable; rumour has it there's some pretty good dives that serve up some great bar food and cheap beer. And legality is pretty subjective in a place like the Nexus, right? Right.

But with that said, this is the place to go for gambling, rumours, shady exchanges and all other sundry under-the-table purchases and business practices. No questions asked so long as you don't ask any in turn. A great place to carry out meetings or exchanges you don't want getting back to your homeworld!

Sometimes you just wanna get back to nature. Wander in the direction opposite of Downtown and you'll soon find the tilework and flooring of the Plaza eventually giving way to grass and roots. Pillars will be replaced by trees. The bustle of foot traffic and crowds melt into the chirping of birds and rustling of the wind. Welcome to The Wilds.

Like every section of the Nexus, it's not hard to find a wide variety of terrain. Rolling hills, dense forests, open meadows, grassy fields. It's also not uncommon to stumble across ruins of buildings or castles overtaken by vine and moss, or gardens maintained by an unseen tender. Fruit trees, mushrooms and nuts are resplendent in the right locations, but exercise caution before eating anything you find, given the Nexus' track record with transformative food items.

Exploration can also turn up bodies of water. Lakes of varying murkiness or magical properties, tranquil streams, majestic waterfalls. Exercise as much caution around these locales as you would the edibles; drinking the water is usually not the smartest idea.

Things live in the woods and water alike. Anti-violence field or not, be careful of trekking The Wilds alone.

An offshoot of Downtown leads into someplace smoggier, with wider roads and less storefronts. If you've ever wondered how people get their merchandise from their worlds in bulk, the answer lies here!

The Industrial District is dominated by storehouses and factories, places of storage and production. Silos, junkyards, warehouses, mechanics. Portals in this area tend to be much bigger to accommodate for vessels transporting their goods back and forth. It's a great place to get your spaceship in for repairs or just juicing it up with some rare Nexus tech.

Located outside of the main plaza/downtown area but within a comfortable walk of these areas.

The church grounds are blessed but it is non-nondenominational/non-religious blessings which allows anyone to pass on the grounds. With Peninnah's alignment to stonework the blessings on the grounds and buildings will appear more like Earth magic than Christian works. There are areas of the cemetery that are blessed Christian. However, there are empty niches around the churchyard that are open to be set up as small altars to whatever religions are practiced in the Nexus. The grounds also include a small vegetable garden and an enormous old oak tree that sits out front of the church.

The church and the grounds are typically open 24/7 to the public, though the rectory where Peninnah has small quarters, kitchen and living areas, are not open to the public.

Peninnah is available to offer most Church services including ministry, confession, and overseeing services such as weddings and baptisms. Peninnah also offers meals to the poorer inhabitants or simply those in need.

Currently, Peninnah lives alone at the church with her dog, Agatha.

More images here

Not far from the Plaza on a high hilltop is a multi-telescope observatory and research facility to study the sky phenomenon of the Nexus. The facility is a cooperative effort between Astaroth, angel of astronomy and the stars; and Gavin Ogilvy (

ottershawastronomer). Open to the public for guided tours and the chance to look at the stars through one of several telescopes. Researchers and volunteers assists will be welcome with all the projects and the hope is to produce a compendium of sky events for the Grand Library via the research of the two co-founders of the observatory and others interested in helping.

The Telescopes:
61" Kuiper Telescope
Perkins 72″ Telescope
PlaneWave Instruments CDK700. It has a 0.7m aperture, and at f/6.5 telescope
the 60-inch reflector Zeiss Telescope

It also has the imaging cameras, computer labs and other facilities needed to process the data and a education/lecture hall for formal discussions and classes about astronomy and other astronomical topics.

Edited 2020-02-12 20:33 (UTC)

As is true for the Greco-Roman style of home some rooms of the house are outward facing or accessible to the public. In the case of Lucifer's villa this is three rooms:

1. The council room: this is where the angels hold parliament in the Nexus (anyone is welcome to thier council meetings). When not in use this space is open to the community as a meeting space and the angels can/will provide unbiased mediators if that is needed.

2. Nexus Throne Room: Directly connected to the council room. This space looks more like an office space but serves as a throne room. This is a location where Lucifer can be called, by anyone, when needed. It also, typically has one of the angels from Lucifer's court present.

3. The Library: This contains almost exclusively books from Lucifer's own creation, including a large selection of braille books. While anyone is welcome in the space it is warded to prevent any books from being removed from the library without permission of a member of the court. In this space is a display of original handwritten copies of Milton's works and Dore prints. Chess table, globe of Lucifer's Earth, and other furniture for reading are around the space.

More reference images and information about the villa can be found here

A emotionally tied Handmade and manufactured jewelry/That doubles as a matchmaking café. The point of this place is a three-hitter, it works as a matchmaking cafe shop. Where there's at least 20 small French blue styled tables and wrought iron white chairs inside of a patio like porch, with a heavy violet awning over the top of the structure. It has a small bakery and sandwich/drink shop, easily ready to go and made. The counter tops are done in light but heavy cedarwood, polished to perfection and nearly unbreakable. Underneath is clear glass displaying all baked goods on display to the left, which can be up to two days old and only for display, while the real stuff is in the back. Sometimes she uses the baked goods from the display, but she promises they're all the same, all baked with love and care.

The second part is easy, there's jewelry she hand makes, lots she's built up over the years. That is imbued with natural energy and 'magic' she has in her, this not taught but rather learned naturally over the years. She is gifted and she leave emotional signatures in her 'artwork she likes to call it. Like Native Americans she never makes perfect jewelry, she always leaves a flaw and then she pushes a hand over it. Leaving an emotional signature. It helps people feel a certain way; for example; her beaded tribal bracelets that are red, pink and purple tend to have make the following emotions ignite in people; love for self, passion for projects, adoration for others in a positie and healthy way, and happiness.

Red, Black and Gold might ignite in someone; courage to be brave, control over anger issues, feeling fearless or having deep wisdom and understanding.

Blue, green, brown and yellow; the feeling of peaceful tranquility or feeling the atmosphere, the feeling of being surrounded by nature/earthy feels and yellow could mean feeling happy, bubbly, elated.

A wide variety of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, tongue rings, facial jewelry emotions to go on. Check her page for the types of emotional jewelry available! she may also sell tattoo ink that is better than store brand and casts a bit of energy over it to make sure it stains just right. It's homemade believe it or not. May or may not have a tattoo herself.

The third part is simple; she runs a dating service during Fridays, and Saturdays. The back office is spacious and she only sets up people based on what they have in common, not always what they look like. She reads faces as if they are the owner's true heart and she always knows when someone is exactly as they say on their dating resume or not. Some people might get rejected based on lies, as she always says honesty is the best policy. From 7 P.M to 2 A.M during those days, she tends to bring out free cookies and pieces of pies, and even cake to appease her customers and make them happy. They get to date for an hour, having talks and then go on to the next person that she decided for them. She coaches them a little and then tells them be themselves. Then they can turn in little notecards about each date they liked to her and she can set them up again or get them interested in someone else. She believes in love with fate and destiny in the stars above, she always has.

On Thursdays it's not a bakery, except for local customers who come in all the time. She sets up videos with people who make appointments to do the whole dating video thing and then she cuts it off around 3 A.M because she has later morning classes, and even some psyche evalves and appointments because she works at a mental health center for free,

Sidenote: I'll be writing up a whole post on jewelry available in a few. Well as baked goods in her journal. Give me one week! <3 ^_______________^

The location of the Loki's Popsicle Palace is just north of the Plaza. A Nordic style wooden shack with stylised frontage and Norse architecture. The outside has a door and opening hatch where Loki sells the popsicles from. Inside are workbenches and a seat for where he makes up the concoctions using his magic. He also has a box load of wooden sticks for his popsicles. The actual popsicle itself is created using Loki's Jotunn magic.

1. The outside and exterior.

2. The logo which appears on the door sign.

Opening Times are whatever suits Loki. Just show up and he'll sense a customer is there using his magic. If he's busy or away then tough luck I'm afraid. He'll gladly offer you a popsicle if you show up and it might be an mystery flavour! They DO contain status effects in some of the varieties so you have been warned!
The Trick is in the Taste!

Edited 2020-06-02 16:11 (UTC)

A multi-floor arts center managed by Phenex, Angel of Arts and Beauty. The building includes a full theater space suitable for performances, symphonies, lectures, and concerts. Top floor gallery and party space. Roof top garden sitting space. Open classrooms that can be used for any artist to teach their crafts. Dance studio, kiln, music room with a variety of instruments donated by Nexus inhabitants. Monthly literary Salons hosted in the gallery. Other rooms still stand open to expand the space to accomedate more artists.

Phenex can regularly be found on site for private or large group classes. Also there for helping with events that might need artistic flair.. need to find a band?get floral arrangements made? Want some entertainment for a child's party? Phenex is happy to connect people with Nexus artists to fulfill thier needs.

(NOTE: if your character is an artist and wants to have a permanent or semi-permanent space in the arts center, feel free to comment.)

Edited 2020-07-08 12:20 (UTC)

Tony has built and set up an open walk-in workshop for people of the Nexus to come and tinker/build or whatever they want regarding building and fixing stuff. Usually, Tony is there to assist on hand and to have a chat and generally chill out with people whilst talking tech. The workshop itself is a large garage type building which sits directly underneath Tony's apartment. There is a large couch in the corner and other such small comfy chairs for people to sit down on when not working. A vending machine in the corner and a coffee maker.

Located in a forested area of the Nexus Park, but still accessed via one of the many walking paths; Henka no Kaze (Japanese for 'Winds of Change') is a little retreat from the hustle and bustle of the more densely populated areas of Nexus Crossings. It’s a Japanese style, two story tea house surrounded by low walls and lush gardens where one enters the property through a small tori gate. Paths are marked by flat stones with one leading up to the tea house through the gardens and another branching off through the trees.

The interior is traditionally Japanese with tatami mats and low tables with pillows to sit or kneel on. Large wood and glass sliding doors can be pushed aside in warm weather to allow patrons to fully enjoy the sights and sounds of nature outside. There is a smaller room that can be set up for private gatherings, but for the most part it’s one large space. The upstairs is not accessed by the public and is where Fujin and/or his guests reside when in residence.

The tea house and gardens are run and maintained by a group of monks in simple earth toned robes of browns, beiges and greens. They are all gentle and friendly and experts in their crafts. One wouldn’t be able to guess that they are also highly trained martial arts warriors. They stay in a private dwelling that is tucked away in the gardens and is not accessible to the public.

If a patron at the tea house doesn’t desire Japanese style green tea, there are many other tea blends to choose from both the familiar to custom brewed. All of their blends hail from Earthrealm. Sometimes the Wind god can be found serving tea alongside the monks or tending to the grounds and gardens outside.

If one decides to follow the stone path that branches off into the trees, they will come across another traditional Japanese building. This one is a one story Dojo with large shoji doors facing the gardens and trees that can be opened to create an airy space to train. The one room interior is simply furnished with mats, and racks on the perimeter with a variety of martial arts weapons and other training tools. Like most Japanese dwellings, the space is sparse and simply decorated - with sliding doors and closets for storage.

Fujin trains here alongside the monks. Private sessions and training classes are available if anyone wishes to learn martial arts styles that originated in Japan and China. Simply message Fujin via PINpoint (aka his journal), to make arrangements.

The bar has a rather upmarket décor to it with feint neon lit interior with a good wide open space for bar space and seating arrangements. Balthazar has set out the bar so that it's accesable for all Nexus residents whether they be angel or mortal alike. The shelves are stacked with all kinds of booze from the usual spirits, vodka, rum, gin, whiskey etc to strong angel liquor that can turn most immortal's legs to jelly after a few mouthfuls. For mortals it can cause near paralytic states. Beelzebub helped with the acquisition of said angel liquor.

Of course there are non-alcoholic beverages also for minors and people who wish to drink shakes or mocktails and the like.

In the back room there is a nightclub/dance floor area where patrons can sit and drink whilst watching others dance or take part themselves. There is a DJ alcove along with a brightly lit dance floor and stripper pole. Yes, there might be strippers on certain nights because Balthazar used to own a strip club before he entered the Nexus.

Cricket will be supplying his hand-made moonshine to anyone who wishes to partake in trying some of the delights of the Southern young man's talents. It'll be either sold straight up or sold in mixed drinks. The choice is endless.

Edited 2020-10-24 17:28 (UTC)

This is a joint venture between Beelzebub, Azazael

azazael and Mammon

goldenwolf. The buildings are a pair of barn like structures on the farmstead Beelzebub lives in with Galahad at the edge of the wilds. Each angel has their own duties as far as providing merchandise and craftworks.

Beelzebub: Full service forge that can work with a variety of metals including precious metals and exotic metals to produce weapons, armor, building materials, jewelry, cart parts, etc. Also offers tanning services and sells pelts and tanned leather from a variety of wild game and domestic animals.

Azazael: Producing leather garments, bags, saddles, shoes, boots, jackets, etc. including painting, dying, embroidery, beading, etc on these items. Wool fabrics and garments produced from the farm's small flock of sheep.

Mammon: Gem setting in weapons, jewelry, and other items. Specializing in custom jewelry pieces.

All three angels do have the capability of blessing and augmenting items (please PM me about any type of augmentation or items that may contain or use angelic metals.) One of the angels will always be around the place during a regular service schedule.

Beelzebub has an open thread to visit him at the forge here

Edited 2020-10-25 14:27 (UTC)

This area is easily accessible from the main plaza... it just sort of slots in, utilising the Nexus's fluidity to bend the fabric of reality around itself. The covered gardens are a long tunnel shaped affair, at the end of which is the keldran portal that connects their world to the Nexus.

It is futuristic and very beautiful. It's a covered area and contains alien plants, trees and shrubs. (All guaranteed not to be harmful, or indeed not to eat anyone.) There are grassy picnic areas and seating is provided throughout. There is also a large, comfortable, informal, yet futuristic tea room, where delicacies and beverages are available.

Hovering around inside the structure, there will be the ubiquitous utility orbs. These range from the size of a golfball to that of a large pumpkin. They are responsible for monitoring the plants, temperature, lighting, security, etc. Some can be called down and will respond to questions about the gardens and the resort beyond. If trouble occurs, such as an alien attack or something, the security orbs will place themselves between visitors and danger. Keldra takes your safety very seriously.

All are welcome.

(Edited due to nicer photos being discovered.)

At the far end of the gardens, is the portal from the nexus to Keldra. This is manned to ensure convenience and safety. Keldra welcomes guests so passage through the portal is not difficult. (There are efficient steps in place to keep out any potential evil, or dangerous forces, but these are subject to the laws and whims of the Nexus.)

For beyond the portal, there is an 'airlock' realm. This is a small pocket dimension that contains a resort and cultural centre, with more portals leading to more of Keldra's realms. The Keldran Embassy stands there too. It is a place for acclimatising guests and potential immigrants to Keldra's laws and customs. A great deal of information is on hand via terminals etc. There are hotels, more gardens and examples of keldran architecture.

Beyond the Portal: This is for information only, I don't expect people to take their RP over there!!!

tl;dr:
Keldra is a nexus world itself, ruled over by gods known as the kayori. Its entire solar system is part of, created by, and protected by, a sentient nebula known as The Danaë Nebula. Danaë herself is a higher form of angel, known as a Throne - a Kingdom Builder.

This world and its leaders encourage peaceful exploration of the multiverse, and are keen to establish diplomatic relations with other worlds. The planet is not only high-tech, but most of keldran technology has a magical component too.

((OOCly, the place is staffed by NPCs. Do feel free to use the NPCs in your RP. As a job in the Nexus is considered a privilege, they will be polite, friendly, welcoming, and efficient. If your pup does encounter a rude or lazy member of staff, the management will be quick to take disciplinary action and/or replace that individual.

Also, There's absolutely no need to pay much attention to the original canon from which Keldra springs if you don’t want to! If you do want to know, my pups will be happy to ramble on. The Embassy is as fluid and adaptable as the rest of the Nexus. The Anti-Violence Field rules obviously apply here too, as do all the

nexus_crossings rules.))

Edited 2021-06-06 12:27 (UTC)

Threaded | Flat

THE PLAZA

DOWNTOWN

THE UNDERBELLY

THE WILDS

INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT

The Sanctuary of St Frances Xavier Cabrini

The Astaroth-Ogilvy Stellar Observatory

Lucifer's Villa Meeting Rooms and Library

Forever Beloved - Emotionally Charged Jewelry, Baked Goods and Dating Services

Loki's Popsicle Palace

Songbird Center for Creative and Performing Arts.

Tony's Workshop

Henka no Kaze Teahouse and Dojo

Balthazar's Bar and Nightclub the Angel's Retreat.

Hellfire Forge, Leathercraft, and Jewelry

The Keldran Gardens.