The biggest research facility on Nexus, constructed by Trolls.
Cellera Center
This gargantuan complex was constructed by the Trolls in an effort to create a place for the peoples of Nexus to come together and learn about their adopted home. The structure itself is a massive dome-like building that contains several smaller buildings within, housing different structures that lend themselves to different studies and fields. Throughout the center of the complex is a large park in which many kinds of Nexus’ flora are kept and grown. This central area is both a place for researchers and students to go and relax in their off time and simply a beautiful place for others to come and visit, built to draw others to visit and perhaps become interested in becoming involved.
While a significant portion of the center’s staff and researchers are trolls, there are many people of the other species/civilizations who come to Cellera to work together and discover new things about Nexus. Part of the reason that trolls occupy so many of the positions in research is related to their extraordinary resilience. Even teams that have no other trolls will employ the help of at least one, as their regeneration allows them to interact with any non-fire/acid substance with relatively low risk. Since most trolls in the Center are making such use of their regenerative capabilities, moderate to powerful acids are a tightly controlled substance in the Center, while fire is outright banned outside of extremely specific circumstances.
A massive dome of stone, metal, and glass spans acres of open prairies, shielding hundreds of researchers and civilians from the elements. The Cellera Center was constructed by trolls in an effort to foster collaboration and learning between the peoples of Nexus. Within its high and open atrium, various buildings and open, natural spaces constitute the greatest center of both magical and scientific research on the face of Nexus, even rivaling those of the trolls’ home world. Throughout its history, the Cellera Center has been home to many highly impactful discoveries, this coming primarily as a result of the trolls exceptional resilience and resulting willingness to be a part of experiments (since they are in no mortal danger). While this laxness has lead to several unfortunate accidents, they strive to learn from both success and failure, avoiding repeat incidents with remarkable consistency.
In its early days, the researchers focused primarily on their work regarding architecture and material sciences, learning
how to build their grand cities on this new world, one which provided unique opportunities compared to their first world. However, this inward focus did not remain so for very long, as the now renowned Professor Gilta managed to acquire the funding and permission to conduct research on the wildlife of Nexus, to extraordinary results. These early projects led to this field becoming one of the forefront at the Cellera Center, a movement that lead to many great discoveries regarding the ecology of Nexus and its magical aptitude. More recently, this study of the natural magics of Nexus led to an understanding of the magic used by Cyclone Stones to create wind, an effort led by the now Vice Research Head of the Cellera Center, Professor Johlid. This breakthrough has led to an exiting new branch of research, those that are attempting to discover how to control the weather using this magic. Many believe that conquering this problem may lead to the ability to travel away from the continent via ship, allowing for exploration of the rest of Nexus.
“Professor Johild is the current Vice Research Head at the Cellera Center — an oft austere academic with a dry sense of humor and a reputation for sudden bouts of nonchalance and apathy. She is the daughter of the previous Vice Research Head — also Professor Johild. More personally interested in organization and management than research, she often expresses disinterest or frustration towards various projects around the Center — fellow researchers assume she’s joking, but she’s dead serious (or so she told me). I was quite surprised when she personally agreed to show a traveler like me around the Center, and am still honored by the unexpected show of hospitality. I surely would have been lost navigating Cellera on my own.
From the traveling journal of contemporary novelist Lin Linx
Her early career was in Cyclone Stone research — purportedly, she was the one to break the secret of their wind generation. According to her though, the discovery also made her realize she wasn’t cut out for research — though brilliant, after one breakthrough discovery she had already lost interest in pursuing the topic. After that, she quickly switched her focus toward managing the workings of the Center over direct involvement in research.
Apparently, she’s in quite close contact with Tere the Ancient who she dubs “Tere the Ossified” out of frustration with their unwillingness to participate in research at the Cellera Center. This particular jab does seem to be a joke though.”