Metronexus
Purpose / Function
Welcome, esteemed travellers, to the Metronexus—your gateway to realms beyond and the heart of Cinder itself. Please make sure your belongings are secure as we begin our journey through this wondrous and intricate hub of interplanar travel.The Metronexus is not just a station for travel between distant realms, but also a pivotal way to traverse the vast expanse of Cinder. It’s a vital tool for adventurers, merchants, and explorers, allowing you to swiftly move across our world, bypassing the challenges and dangers of traditional travel. But there’s a unique catch to using this gateway. While you can travel to the Metronexus from anywhere, you cannot directly travel to it unless you've previously arrived from here. This is where the Recallium comes in. The Recallium is a magical artifact that allows you to summon a temporary personal portal back to the Metronexus. It must be activated by spending 10 minutes focusing on the item, after which a shimmering portal will appear, transporting you back to the station. However, there are important rules surrounding the use of Recallium. Each Recallium comes with a set expiration date, which ensures that travellers cannot misuse the artifact for extended stays. For instance, if you book a 2-week excursion to a far-off location like Blightshore, your Recallium will automatically activate precisely 2 weeks from the date of purchase, give or take six hours. This measure is designed to prevent theft of the item and ensure that customers do not overstay their agreed-upon travel time. The time limit is tracked via a magical enchantment, so once it reaches the designated point, the portal will open, even if you haven't yet used the item. Tampering with the Recallium in any way—whether through magical alteration or physical damage—will not only break its warranty but can also lead to additional charges, depending on the nature of the tampering. This ensures the integrity of the system and prevents misuse, allowing the Metronexus to maintain its crucial role in interplanar travel. These precautions are in place for your safety, as well as to maintain the stability and order of the Metronexus. So, while the Recallium is an invaluable tool for your travels, be sure to respect its time limit and handle it with care. Enjoy your stay, and remember, the Metronexus is a place of both opportunity and caution!
Alterations
Over the past 2,000 years, the Metronexus has undergone a series of gradual, yet profound, alterations and expansions. Initially constructed by the Magica Inquisitarium, a powerful organisation of arcane scholars and mages, the Metronexus served as a singular gateway for Cinder to visit the Etherwilds and the Shadowlands—two planes of mystery and danger. In its early days, the station was a simple structure with a singular portal, serving a limited but vital purpose: allowing those from Cinder to travel to these distant, ethereal realms. Access was restricted and tightly controlled, with only those with a specific purpose permitted to cross the threshold.
However, as centuries passed, the Inquisitarium realised the immense potential of the Metronexus as a centre for much broader purposes. The nexus was expanded incrementally, with new portals being added over time, each one linking Cinder to additional realms, planes, and worlds. The need for greater accommodation and support for a growing number of travellers also became apparent, and so layers were added, slowly transforming the once-compact station into a sprawling complex. The market floor was among the first significant additions, evolving into a vibrant, multi-tiered trading hub where merchants from across the multiverse could sell their rare and magical goods. Over time, this market became a place of great commerce, but it also gained a reputation for being a hotbed of rumour and intrigue.
The Metronexus began to attract not only adventurers and merchants but also scholars, diplomats, and those seeking to broker deals or conduct negotiations in neutral space. Taverns and inns were soon constructed to provide shelter for weary travellers, further solidifying the Metronexus as a key crossroads for Cinder. While these spaces served a practical purpose, they also became places where power dynamics played out, and whispers of secrets, both personal and political, were exchanged. One of the most persistent rumours surrounding the Metronexus is the belief that Maleus, the elusive God of Circumstances, may dwell somewhere within the market. However, despite the many tales and encounters that suggest his presence, no one has ever proven it. As the Metronexus continued to expand, more layers were added, including arcane libraries, hidden chambers, and spaces dedicated to the Inquisitarium’s ongoing research into magic and the multiverse. Today, the Metronexus stands as a complex intersection of worlds, a place where everything from grand exchanges to secret dealings take place, all under the watchful eyes of the Inquisitarium.
Architecture
The architecture of the Metronexus is a unique blend of ancient grandeur, and practical functionality, reflective of its long history and evolving purpose. The design draws heavily on the style of ancient, monumental structures, combining elements of arcane artistry with utilitarian purpose, creating a fascinating blend of both mystical and architectural innovation.
At its core, the Metronexus exhibits a style reminiscent of ancient coliseums and massive, sprawling temples, with towering stone arches, wide columns, and intricate carvings of runes and arcane symbols. These elements reflect its original purpose as a gateway to other planes and realms, embodying the grandeur and mysticism associated with such a pivotal structure. The use of smooth, polished stone combined with rougher, unworked rock gives it an organic, timeless feel, as though the building itself had grown naturally over centuries. Its walls are lined with massive windows, many made of enchanted glass, which shimmer and change colour, reflecting the energies flowing through the portals.
As the Metronexus expanded, additional layers of architecture were added, incorporating influences from the different planes it connects to. In the market floor and social spaces, the style shifts to a more eclectic, haphazard feel. Stalls and shops line wide, vaulted corridors, their construction a patchwork of stone, wood, and metals—each piece reflecting the diversity of the people who travel through the Metronexus. In these sections, you’ll find a fusion of architectural styles that span from the opulence of celestial realms to the rough, utilitarian structures of more war-torn or elemental domains.
In the deeper levels, where the Magica Inquisitarium conducts their more secretive research, the architecture takes on a more arcane and minimalist approach, with geometric shapes, labyrinthine hallways, and hidden chambers designed to enhance the flow of magical energy. The walls here are etched with complex sigils and arcane patterns that glow faintly in the dark, casting an eerie light over the otherwise stark, utilitarian spaces. The upper levels, designed for guests and travellers, maintain a more welcoming, though still imposing, style, with great hallways, grand staircases, and open courtyards that open into vast, enchanted skies or breathtaking vistas.
Overall, the Metronexus is a living, breathing structure, its architecture continually evolving as it grows, blending ancient, sacred designs with the more practical, bustling elements required to serve its ever-expanding purpose.
