nskanetis || rixixi || canon worlds

The NETHER STEPS

_{The Nether Steps Photo Banner is derivative of multiple works - Lower antelope stairs md by Moondigger and Empire mine shaft by Beej71 under CC BY licenses, and USA Antelope Canyon by Lucas Löffler and Doll House Granary by CanyonlandsNPS under Public Domain. It is licenced under CC BY by Magpie Anarchie.}

Canon Worlds Hub

The Nether Steps is a community hidden away in a cave system. The curious name comes from natural sandstone 'stairs' that lead up to the various cave entrances dotted along the mountains at the south pole. The Underworld desert has eroded the stone into a smooth state on the outside, and within, a maze of tunnels has been expanded from its natural labyrinth into something even more confusing.

The community was originally set up by wanderers in the desert taking shelter, and so it welcomed an extremely eclectic group of Rixixi. There were few rules set up, as the Steps were initially a temporary shelter - the main one being to not harm anyone else in the Steps. As time went on and word spread of the shelter, more came to hide away in it, for more questionable reasons - and as long as they didn't hurt anyone within the Steps, no questions would be asked.

In modern times, the Steps are more closed-off to outsiders - this is to encertain that newcomers aren't the type to immediately sell out any criminals in hiding. They've been established and self-sufficient for long enough that the Steps are considered a different jurisdiction than most of Sxriix, as long as someone follows the law to not attack Steps denizens they can remain inside the Steps even if they'd be considered a criminal elsewhere. Assault or murder of other Steps denizens generally results in expulsion from the caves at the very least.

The Nether Steps has a large mine, and gemstones are the primary currency in the area. Outside of the Steps, where this isn't the case and most Rixixi use barter, Steps denizens still use their gems for this due to having quite the access to them. The Black Market occasionally makes stops in the Steps, but it's far more frequent for sellers to make trips there alone - it's almost too obvious of a place to look for the entire Market.

As Portrayed in Rixixi Canon:

The Nether Steps is one of the the main settings in Here There Be Dragons!
The Rock Collector runs a shop - known as the most open to outsiders in the Steps - and often shows up for barters. They also showed up to run the Karma shop in Here There Be Dragons, with their child - Pierce - taking over for all of the above when the Rock Collector had to be away for Chapter 4.
The background for the Grounded elemental mutation is a view looking into the Nether Steps:

Genes Often Found In Location

This has no effect on gameplay, it's a lore thing that you're free to use or not! These are genes that have spread more in this location, whether due to camouflage, survival, mutation, or just local aesthetic.