The Way

The Way isn't really a world, nor is like a 'normal' universe. It is an intermediatary solid entity between worlds, which isbeing constantly mined out in search of Gamita, or “soft points”. These soft points are in fact doorways to these other universes. The Way itself emulates the conditions of many of these world; properties such as climante, physics and local architecture 'bleed' through the Gamita and infect the Way around that point, which is often how such soft points are discovered. These spaces aren't always easy to reach, and through this represent the difficulty in navigating and utilising that worlds resources.
The Way is a space of vast shifting energies. Arcs of light and lightning shift across the walls as if seen through crystal. Indeed, much of the space between soft points is a mixture of various organic and inorganic styles, with areas of crystal which are light and colourful, areas that are similar to the stems of plants, which are dark and organic, and some areas which are manufactured and cold.
The Way seems to 'hang' in space, with no real sense of direction or sense of up and down. There is no circadian cycles, no change in the lighting or weather conditions; the way is a fixed space in contrast to the dynamic rhythms of the worlds it supports.
The way is also home to a great many markets and opportinustic beings who seek the business of those who utilise the Way. They include (but are not limited to) soldiers of fortune who offer themselves as bodyguards to those exploring dangerous worlds, following their employers for as long as the money is good. There are artisans of the various worlds, who peddle their goods at prices that take into account any tarifs they themselves had been charged; a safe yet expensive way to shop. There are cartographers, who sell maps of varying quality and accuracy from the various worlds. There are of course supply stations, who provide the equipment needed to quest across worlds, such as ropes, backpacks, clothes, armour, weapons, long-life food, camping equipment, mining and resource acquisition tools, dubious quality maps and limited world-specific equipment such as Darks or Energy Crystals. Each world also has an embassy in the Way, which is a source of comprehensive, up to the minute information about those worlds and their dangers and benefits to travellers. Embassies will also trade world-specific items such as Darks and exchange forign currency at the Way's current market price.
As the way contains market places, embassies and trade organisations, it has become a common stock exchange between the worlds. The trade price of items may fluctuate based on need or surplus, so punters can win or lose out simply based on trade between the worlds, making or breaking empires or individuals. All the embassies and stock markets exist in a common location dedicated to supporting the money markets. Likewise, nearly all trade markets are grouped together to make navigation in the Way easier, though sometimes a faction or syndicate will form their own market or stock trading area, with prices that are less regulated that in the main trading areas. These operations are considered “black market” by the embassies, and as such their locations are fluid; they form, break apart and reform in different locations over time. Whether or not they are in fact cheaper or more costly than the central market economies is usually up to their controlling interests.
The Way also is also heavily policed by a special inter-world force. Known as Interpol, it is set up like the terran organisation (and in fact was a creation of Earth, who seeks to instigate peace and free trade between the world), with representatives of each world forming a senate that dictates and manages investigations. Each world is placed in control of its own policing tasks, while any tasks that happen within or through the Way is tasked and managed by Interpol officers themselves. Interpol officers have the juristriction to follow crimes back to homeworlds, however homeworld ruling parties don't always see it this way. The Interpol Senate has the right and ability to freeze common markets and trade against a world should it require action. The threat of this is usually enough to force a world's ruling parties to conform to Interpol's demands, though if unregulated (or unknown) soft points (gamita) exist to said worlds then these threats can become hollow and black markets soak up and trade that might otherwise be hindered by these demands. That said, not all worlds have more than a single gamita.
Movement between worlds via the Way is for the most part free, but in many popular (that is, resource rich) worlds limited to those who have tasks or business to perform on those worlds. In these worlds, tourists and explorers must seek tasks to perform in return for the ability to move into these worlds via the Way-controlled gamita. Fortunately, Embassies are always needing tasks done back on homeworlds.