The Valley of Hope and the Nexus

This is where the magic happens.

File:Nexus image2.png

## **The Kalarain World Tour**

The Valley of Hope is the in-world location that Spirit games take place at.

It is a valley that teleports to a different place in Kalarain every few months. In-world, it is utterly unique.

## Basics

-    At the centre of the Valley of Hope is a small pink crystal. This crystal is know as the Nexus.

-    Every 3-6 months, the Nexus, and the surrounding Valley, teleport somewhere else.

-    The Nexus has the ability to cleanse Lamentations of the Sorrow (negative magical effects) from the surrounding area.

-    One common side effect of entering the valley is temporary amnesia, aka Crystal Amnesia.

## The Crystal

-    The Nexus is octahedral in shape, and about the size of a fist. It floats at around eye level.

-    It cannot be moved or touched. The air gets progressively harder to move through the closer you get, becoming impassible at about a meter away

-    It is (usually) impervious to physical and magical attack

-    It is pleasant to be around. Feelings of aggression, hatred and despair are soothed.

## Teleportation

-    Every few months, if the nexus is magically and spiritually healthy, it teleports, taking the Valley with it

-    When it lands, it superimposes itself on existing landscape.

-    Whatever occupied that land previously will find itself in the Valley. If this would bring it harm, it is instead teleported to the Valley’s edge

-    Not everything gets teleported. Personal items are usually teleported, but not always.

-    Larger items and structures are more likely to get left behind. Buildings especially are liable to lose support beams, chunks of foundation or walls. For this reason, building in the valley is not advised.

-    Sometimes, a more minor swell of teleportations can happen right before or after a Glow Window (below), with things or creatures instead being teleported around the Valley. Attempts to fortify or build significant defences or structures, especially, tend to fall prey to teleports that reverse the progress made.

## Denizens

-    Individuals who teleport along with the nexus are called Denizens. Non-Denizens are left behind.

-    There is no obvious criteria for who becomes a Denizen. It is a spontaneous process - upon entering the Valley, the Denizen feels a magical connection form with the Nexus.

-    Denizens enter the Valley of Hope in two ways. The first way is by travelling there.

-    The second way is if they touch a shard of glowing rainbow crystal. These appear spontaneously around the world, and can only be perceived by the prospective Denizen. If they touch it, even accidentally, they are teleported to the Valley and marked as a Denizen.

-    Rainbow shards that are not touched by a prospective Denizen usually vanish after a short while, as mysteriously as they appeared.

-    Denizens are free to leave the Valley.

-    Occasionally, the Nexus seems to telepathically reach out to Denizens who have left. If they accept the wordless offer, they are instantly teleported back. They are free to refuse, but an absent Denizen who is not paying attention may accept accidentally.

## Clearing

-    After the Nexus teleports, it must spend a period building up and concentrating its power.

-    When this is complete, assuming the Nexus is magically and spiritually healthy, a Clearing can occur.

-    Clearing is a powerful ritual that requires many people working in tandem to complete.

-    Clearing cleanses Lamentations of the Sorrow from the surrounding area. Depending on the health of the nexus, and strength of the ritual, this cleansing may be partial or total.

-    In the build up to a Clearing, every few weeks, the Nexus will start to glow. This period is called the Glow Window. Many rituals/ceremonies that affect the Nexus can only be completed during a Glow Window

## Magical Effects: The Protection of Life

-    It is tremendously difficult to kill anyone in the Valley of Hope. The Nexus prevents it.

-    Mortal blows are weakened. Mortal wounds repair themselves. Executioners find themselves unable to swing their blades.

-    The Nexus often also blocks attempts to remove people from the Valley to kill them outside its protections. When they reach the border, their intended victim is usually teleported back.

-    It is possible, though difficult, to die from natural causes in the Valley.

-    The magical atmosphere also boosts vitality. As a rule of thumb, people can weather three times as many blows as they could outside the valley before they fall.

-    There are only three methods by which someone can take the life of another:

* By striking the lethal blow with an object of importance from the target’s past, prepared with a complex and difficult set of rituals.

* By overpowering the Nexus’ protections (which requires an absurd amount of power).

* If the subject has committed monstrous crimes, and feels no remorse (‘The Talon Exception’). In this case, the Nexus protections may be withdrawn.

## Magical Effects: The Reflection of Harm

-    The Nexus also intervenes to prevent harm to powerless or incapacitated individuals.

-    Harm inflicted on such a person is reflected on the culprit. They can receive the physical harm, the victim’s experience of the harm, or both. Note it is the victim’s experience; if they are not enjoying it, neither is the culprit.

-    This reflection of harm may also affect people who are responsible, even if they did not directly commit the act (for example, an official who orders a man beaten). This occurs inconsistently, however, and the more degrees of separation there are, the less likely someone will be affected.

-    Even keeping someone captive for a long period of time is difficult. Locks, bindings, manacles and restraints may spontaneously pop open if you try to imprison or restrain someone for an extended period of time.

-    There is one exception to the harm-reflection rule. Harm caused as a necessary part of taking something physical from someone will not trigger the protections. So, knocking someone out to take their money, drawing blood from someone for a key ritual or drawing energy from someone for a dark magic spell will not trigger the Nexus protections, so long as the harm is *necessary*.

## Examples of 'Harm to Powerless or Incapacitated Individuals'

**Would trigger the Nexus' protections**

-    Attacking someone who is unconscious.

-    Attacking someone who is restrained.

-    Hitting notable tavern brawler Vin, who has been punched in a brawl and is now laid out, stunned, on the ground.

-    Forcing a man into the middle of a circle of armed warriors, giving him a dagger to defend himself, then stabbing him from all sides.

-    An invading army has completely occupied the Valley. They are clearly in a position of total dominance, and Valley Denizens are cooperating with their instructions. The soldiers begin randomly assaulting Denizens in a show of strength and dominance.

**Would not trigger the Nexus' protections**

-    Striking your unarmed nemesis, who has been following you around all day taunting you.

-    Striking unarmed, missing-a-leg old man Jenkins, who has been told to move away from a guarded location by an armed troupe, and is refusing to do so.

-    Attacking skilled escape-artist Scoundrel Roc, who is in the process of breaking out of the shackles he is restrained in.

-    A medium-sized force has just occupied the Valley. Valley Denizens are seemingly cooperating, but clusters of heavily armed Denizens are gathering. The invading force decides to break apart what appears to be a clear threat and attacks without warning.

-    Unarmed trader Horatio is daydreaming. A highwayman sneaks up behind him, clocks him over the head and takes his money.

## Other Magical Effects

-    One common side effect of exposure to the intense, unusual magics of the Valley of Hope is temporary amnesia and confusion. New arrivals often experience what has been termed ‘Crystal Amnesia’ - it can be very intense, shockingly extending even to basic aspects of the world. It can last for a while.

-    Often, the magics of the Nexus veil it and prevent people from finding the Valley. This effect seems to strike randomly.

-    This effect can extend, in some rare cases, to preventing Denizens who are carrying external items from finding their way back

-    Healing and magic are somewhat more powerful within the Valley than outside it. Spirits may also find their abilities increased.

-    Other magical effects may arise spontaneously, especially if the matrixes (below) are not properly maintained. The Valley has a uniquely magical atmosphere.

## The Matrixes

-    Four spell matrixes are magically connected to the Nexus. These are incredibly complex spell arrays.

-    The spell matrixes are each coded to one/two types of magic. They are:

* **North** - Spirit Magic

* **East** - Mind/Force Magic

* **South** - Elemental/Illusion Magic

* **West** - Spatial Magic

-    These matrixes are vital to sustaining the magical health and defences of the nexus.

-    They require constant maintenance, and are invisible to the naked eye.

-    They can be used to perform unusual feats of magic. For reasons not immediately obvious, what is possible in one location may no longer be possible after the Nexus teleports.

## The Valley’s Ghosts

The Valley of Hope is home to a number of Tier 2 Spirits, who seem to be tethered there. Like most Awakened Spirits, they hyperfocus in specific areas - it is nigh impossible to get any of them to do anything outside their core function.

Their original names are lost, they do not seem to care to remember them. They include:

**The Voice**

A spirit who haunts a tree by the western lake. It occasionally telepathically picks up and transmits bits of news to the population of the Valley. People who deliver correct information to that tree may find it incorporated into the news sent out

**The Guide**

A spirit who guides and assists new arrivals to the Valley. Often, it tests them. The Guide usually functions by partially or totally possessing a willing volunteer.

**The Questing Spook**

The Questing Spook hangs around a rock to the north. People who seek the Questing Spook can leave a folded-up piece of paper on the rock, on which is written a request (e.g. heal my crippled limb). The Questing Spook may grant the request, if the writer first completes a quest or challenge given to them by the Spook. They will hear the Quest whispered in their ear. The Questing Spook also sometimes creates Quests of its own volition, occasionally choosing specific questgoers who must be involved.

**The Pacifist**

The Pacifist manifests either through total possession of a willing participant, or appearing as an ethereal woman dressed in white. She usually only communicates with those who have chosen a path of peace (Courtiers/noncombatants), and any 'quests' that come from her can often only be completed by those individuals.

The Pacifist has prodigious healing capacities, able to heal both the wounds of mortals, and repair damage done to the Nexus. She seems to do regular Nexus maintenance. She is also bizarre and obsessive, and often will not act until some puzzle or riddle she has fixated on has been resolved.

**The Tinkerer**

A spirit of invention who creates magical, mechanical and alchemical items, The Tinkerer does not manifest or communicate. Instead, it makes things, and then dumps them in random locations around the Valley. It has also been known to spirit away existing items and place magical or alchemical effects on them.

**The Warrior**

The Warrior manifests through total possession. Very powerful, it serves a vital role in protecting the Nexus, fighting a constant battle against the Wraiths who attempt to destroy it. It is obsessed with fighting.

## Geography of the Valley

The Valley of Hope is mostly flat and open, and boasts an ever-increasing variety of flora and fauna, picked up from various locations around the world. Each section of the Valley of Hope bears different features

**East** - An old battlefield from the Battle of Black Isle. The battlefield is constantly shrouded in mist. People who enter may find the mists take shape around them, and play out scenes from their past. There is also a small research institute (a camp of tents) on the battlefield’s edge, and the eastern spell matrix.

**North** – A rocky, flat area. The Questing Spook’s Questing Stone can be found here, as can the northern spell matrix.

**West** - The western section of the Valley houses a large, freshwater lake. Most of the Valley’s agriculture takes place around this lake, and most of the Denizen farmers and traders live here. The collection of tents and trading carts that make up the Valley’s economic heart is known as Laketown.

On the edge of Laketown sits the Raggedy Teahouse. The Teahouse is an unusual sight, a single-storey building made of rippling, constantly-shifting mud. If damaged, it repairs itself. The Teahouse is one of the Valley’s only permanent structures, and has been around since before the Nexus was re-discovered. It is connected to the Western spatial magic matrix, and is believed to have been created by the mages who created the Nexus.

**South** - The southern section of the Valley is a forest. Bandits and monsters like to hide in it. The southern spell matrix near the edge of that forest.

**Centre** - At the very center of the Valley is the Nexus. This area is mostly flat plain, though this can change depending where the Nexus teleports to.

## The Battle Unseen

-    The Nexus is constantly being attacked by Wraiths, tier 1 spirits warped by the Sorrow who are drawn to the healing magic. These attacks are usually invisible, and it is mostly the Valley’s resident spirits who deal with them.

-    The Warrior fights the Wraiths in a constant, unseen battle. The Pacifist heals the damage done to the Nexus.

-    If either of these two fail in their duties, it may be up to the mortals of the Valley to rectify things, by healing the damage, setting up wards, or even by taking on the Wraiths.

-    High Wraith activity also generates Blight, corruption which damages the land and harms the occupants.

## Helping Out

The Cleansing happens through the Nexus. But the Nexus itself is just a magical contraption, and without the Denizens of the Valley, it cannot function.

The following is a list of key tasks requiring Denizens.

-    **Brewing Blight tonic** - As mentioned above, Wraith attacks create Blight, and Blight makes people sick. While the Nexus can mostly stop it from actually killing people, it takes a significant amount of energy to do so. Blight tonic is an alchemical remedy which, inside the Valley, stops Blight from affecting people. Brewing it is a valuable public service.

-    **Cleansing Blight** – Speakers, alchemists and spirit magic mages all have unique methods which they can use to remove small patches of Blight within the Valley.

-    **Realigning and maintaining the matrixes** - The four arcane matrixes need to be magically realigned each time the Nexus teleports. They also need to be maintained to stop random magical discharges. This task can only be completed by mages.

-    **Glow ceremonies/rituals** – Before a Nexus can Clear (cleanse limitations of the sorrow), certain rituals and ceremonies may have to be completed to get it ready. Most of these ceremonies and rituals can only be completed during Glow Windows, while the Nexus is glowing.

-    **Research and analysis of local and atmospheric magic** - When the Nexus teleports to a new location, matrix realignments and glow rituals often require this research.

-    **Lodestone charging** - Lodestones are small stones that can be found around the four matrixes. The magic of the matrixes create them out of pre-existing rock, and there is never a shortage of them, anyone can pick one up. There are five different types.

Lodestones act as siphons and containers of energy and power. Four of the five types are used in Glow ceremonies/rituals which prepare, power up and affect the Nexus. They are almost always a key component. Denizens may 'charge them up' with power using various methods. These methods are often fairly time-consuming, but as glow rituals are usually necessary for a successful clearing, the Nexus cannot function without Denizens providing the lodestones.

The fifth type is special, and is discussed below.

## The Five Types of Lodestones

There are five different types of lodestones, each of which has its own method of charging, and its own distinct look. They are:

**East matrix lodestones** (mind/illusion magic) - East lodestones can be charged by anyone, using their own life energy as a source. This transfer of energy occurs through the user touching the lodestone while meditating or reflecting on emotional experiences. Focus on intense emotion is the key. Mind mages can assist.

East lodestones have a distinctive red tint.

**North matrix lodestones** (spirit magic) - North lodestones can only be charged by speakers. Speakers can do so by channeling spiritual power into them, sometimes via spiritual rituals and ceremonies

North lodestones have a distinctive white tint.

**West matrix lodestones** (spatial magic) - West lodestones can only be charged by mages. Mages can do so by touching the lodestone and channeling their arcane power into them.

West lodestones have a distinctive yellow tint.

**South matrix lodestones** (elemental/force) - South lodestones are charged by placing them in locations with significant elemental energy: the heart of a raging fire, within the stream of an electric current, in intense magical cold. The initial source must be magical, like a fire lit using magically alchemical ingredients, or electricity generated by a mage.

South lodestones have a distinctive blue tint.

**Central lodestones** - Central lodestones, or clear lodestones, are found around the Nexus itself. Unlike the other four, they do not seem to come from the matrixes. Also unlike the other four, they are not used in glow rituals or ceremonies.

Clear lodestones are key to the Nexus’ stability, but the connection is not straightforward. When a speaker carries a clear lodestone on their person while they commit certain acts, acts that are in alignment with the ideals of a specific worldspirit, that lodestone can become imbued with matching spiritual essence. The Pacifist, an awakened spirit, then quietly draws upon the power in those lodestones to repair and maintain the Nexus. At different times, the essences of different worldspirits are needed.

However, the whole process is invisible. Furthermore, identifying which acts will be necessary to imbue the lodestones with the right spiritual essence is very difficult, because the Pacifist does not tell anyone. The current best source is a Prophet of the Speaker of Tongues named Feu, who spent several months sleeping on top of the spirit magic sigilsite, and seems to be able to identify them to some degree. Unfortunately, Feu is loopy, not a good communicator, and does not differentiate between acts needed for Nexus health and irrelevant acts that are just in line with a spirits's ethos when asking people to do things (and may not entirely know herself).

All of this means that having Speakers complete acts that are in line with Worldspirit ideals while carrying around clear lodestones *does* seem to be important for Nexus health. But the importance of any specific act is nebulous, to say the least.

Central lodestones are completely translucent.