crossover
Physical Characteristics
Due to Crossover's intensely magical nature, its physical structure is a multi-level sprawl that spans thousands of feet. Each distinct level is home to a variety of districts, some friendlier than others, with the Stardark district sweeping as an arc of land up behind the middle two districts. In the middle gap of the arc, a rip in reality obscures a sizable chunk of the northern sky, casting a perpetual nighttime starscape between the city and the upper atmosphere. The base level is surrounded by ocean that extends to the City Limits, which is a district in name only as the buffer zone between Crossover proper and the unstable liminal space beyond. Manmade structural aesthetics vary wildly by district, dependent largely on each district's dominant race, making the city a wild and colorful mishmash of cultures from across the planes.
levels
HEAVEN'S RAFTERS
Crossover's uppermost level is home to the Heaven's Gate district, Crossover's only connection point to the Kingdom of Heaven. Access to Heaven's Gate is heavily restricted, with the borders well-guarded by angels that not even the government is keen to tangle with. It's so high that most weather doesn't rise far enough to touch it, nor does the Stardark reality tear, making it fittingly and perpetually gold with sunshine.
lifeline
The Organic level boasts Sunswept's vast fields and forests and is responsible for most of the city's food and water supply. Weather is felt most strongly here, which is good for the fields but can lead to some of the more catastrophic disasters and anomalous storms within the city. A massive waterfall called the Lifestream pours off the edge to be caught in the big basin the center of the Underwalk level far below. Echoing Heights makes up the deep canyon in the center of the landmass, where the fae build directly into the soaring cliffsides. The upper arc of Stardark cradles the landmass, with many bridges between it and the Organic level to allow for easy transportation.
BACKBONE
Most of Crossover's official business is conducted on the Backbone level, which is the largest of the levels that curves around behind the Lifestream and shelters a good deal of the Underwalk below from what elements make it around the Organic's mass. The Downtown, Origin, and Willweaver districts make up the majority of the level, with Stardark's two "arms" of its arc rising from the back. It's the most densely populated level, and also most resembles an Earthly city.
UNDERWALK
The Underwalk is surrounded by beautiful, sandy, golden beaches that lead out to the ocean, but the interior of the level is worn and rundown, with tough crowds and gangs taking up residence in the myriad derelict buildings. The Canals that cradle the central basin that catches the Lifestream are in better shape than the Barrens or Evernight districts, but nobody lives in the Underwalk for the view.
intercity travel
Travel around levels is solved with various methods of transportation, from cars and busses to more magical means, but interlevel travel is a bit trickier. Stronger, well-trained will users enjoy the benefit of being able to simply teleport between levels, but the majority of the population uses magical railways that dot Stardark to move between the middle two levels. The only way out of the Underwalk to the Backbone for the weaker masses is to use one of the four magical lifts on the edges of the level, which are crowded, poorly maintained, and prone to breakages. Heaven's Gate is theoretically only accessible by teleportation, as most angels have a will strong enough to do it, but there are a great deal of wards in place to discourage anyone unauthorized from entering.
History
Discovery
First Construction
Sociopolitical Development
Urban Sprawl
Present Day
Government
The Anchor
The Anchor is the absolute power of Crossover, with the ability to override any and all decisions for any reason. That said, the power is rarely exercised outside of times of dire emergency, as all of the Anchor's time is consumed by being the conduit between the Stabilizers and the core of the city itself by tying their life force into Crossover's internal magics to maintain its impossible structure. Once connected, the Anchor will live on until they choose to disconnect, at which point the loss of the city's magic will shock their bodies enough to kill them.
While connection to Crossover grants intimate knowledge of the city's spellwork to properly maintain it and thus requires little training to take up the mantle, Anchors are among the most powerful will users in the city in their own right and are universally well-trained in how to use their will most efficiently. When an Anchor grows weary, the City Council organizes a great competition in which the strongest will users in the city battle to gain the right to serve as the next Anchor. Even unregistered will users are permitted to enter, though it's fairly rare. Once another Anchor is chosen, they will connect to the city the moment the previous Anchor disconnects to ensure the smallest possible disruption.