The world of Nubimancy spans two continents, scattered islands, and one floating city that travels between them all. Geography isn’t just scenery here—it’s a core business constraint that drives every decision the heroes make.
The World at a Glance
This world is smaller than Earth—roughly a third to half its size—but what it lacks in scale, it makes up for in diversity. Two main continents host vastly different climates and cultures, from frozen northern wastes to volcanic southern reaches, with desert expanses, ancient forests, and underground kingdoms in between.
The Floating City
Nimbuspire (Aetheros) is the world’s crown jewel—a city suspended in the clouds, home to the Aethernet Assembly and their revolutionary Nubimancy Engine. It travels between continents through the sky, serving as a neutral ground for magical research and innovation.
The Twenty Cities
Each city represents a unique blend of geography, culture, and economic opportunity. The Fivefold Oaths operate across all twenty, facing distinct challenges in each location:
Northern Maritime Hub
- Bellharbor (Virellia) — Island trade hub with floating docks, leisure and diplomacy focus
- Seastrand (Thalassor) — Coastal city with coral towers, seafaring and cosmopolitan
Underground & Mountain Realms
- Helm’s Call (Underhelm) — Subterranean crystal cavern city, dwarven tradition and mining
- Stonegate (Durnholde) — Mountain fortress city, honor-bound craftsmanship
- Brasshollow (Gearhame) — Deep valley with windmills, tinkerers and inventors
- Glimmerdeep (Lumineth) — Underground bioluminescent city, knowledge-seeking culture
Forest & Nature Cities
- Verdelune (Sylvaran) — Forest city in giant trees, druidic and communal
- Thornmere (Bramblewyn) — Swamp city on stilts, alchemical and mysterious
- Mirefen (Fenroth) — Marshland with floating platforms, herbalist survivalists
Volcanic & Industrial Centers
- Ashford (Cindralis) — Built on volcanic rock, geothermal forges, fire-aligned
- Ironmere (Varnok) — Lakeside industrial city, guild-run pragmatism
Desert Realms
- Akran (Siroccane) — Desert city with nomadic roots, spice and silk trade
Extreme Climates
- Frostmere (Nivara) — Glacial ice-cliff city, mystical and isolationist
- Cragspire (Drakthar) — Jagged dragon-perch mountains, martial dragonborn culture
Magical & Scholarly Centers
- Starhollow (Astravelle) — Crater city under magical aurora, dreamy stargazing culture
- Skyreach (Altavere) — Cliffside with skybridges, wind magic and aspiration
- Sunveil (Solendria) — Golden plains, sun-worshipping and artistic
- Duskwatch (Umbros) — Twilight-locked city, shadowy and philosophical
Merchant Hub
- Goldentarn (Aurumvale) — River city with golden domes, banking and merchant republic
Travel & Logistics Challenges
Geography creates real constraints for the heroes’ businesses:
Overland Caravan Routes
Bran’s caravans average 20-25 miles per day, meaning city-to-city journeys take 2-4 weeks. Terrain matters: mountains and swamps cut that speed in half.
Coastal Sea Routes
Thorin’s maritime distribution moves faster—50-100 miles per day—but weather is fickle. A typical voyage takes 10-20 days.
Trans-Oceanic Voyages
Crossing between continents requires 4-5 weeks of travel. It’s a major investment, limiting international trade to high-value goods.
Portal Travel
Instant—but expensive, limited, and capacity-restricted. Only a handful of mages can create portals, and they can’t hold them long. Delyra’s shops use portals to connect to her pocket dimension, but this is cutting-edge magic.
Why Geography Matters
Every business decision the heroes make accounts for geographic reality:
- Climate Preservation: Bran’s wagons need magical cooling crossing deserts, heating in tundra
- Regional Inventory: Thorin can’t instantly move ale between continents—he needs regional hubs
- Local Sourcing: Delyra sources rare materials from specific regions with unique properties
- Event Scheduling: Rini’s tournament calendar accounts for travel time between arenas
- Creature Habitats: Weltina’s preserve recreates diverse climates for different species
Geography shapes everything. And that’s what makes solving these challenges so rewarding.
Twenty cities. Two continents. Infinite logistics puzzles. 🗺️⛰️🌊