Collapse of the Realms

"You hear that the Marquis allowed those Fae creatures to stay in the Witchwood, and one is even living in town? How long will it be before they take a town for themselves? A country? Darling, it is as if the world is collapsing around us." - Overheard on the streets of Sicerrone

A Fear of an Unknown Future

The Realm of the Gods. The Realm of the Fae. The Realm of Devils. The Realm of Demons. The Realm of the Dead.
And the untold number of realms yet to be discovered.
All of these realms lay occupying a space that is the same and not all at once. Different levels of reality, all with their own layer of existence, are connected yet apart. Small distorted rifts in reality known as gateways have been discovered at places where parts of the realms overlap. Gods and Risen alike have journeyed into the Fae Realm and into the Realm of the Dead through such gateways while maintaining their physical bodies. As the years have passed, some gateways have begun to cease working properly, failing to allow travel freely back and forth. In other places, newer gateways have been discovered that were never there previously. Some entities, Risen or otherwise, have discovered their own means and rituals to open new gateways to other realms than their own, albeit temporarily.
Many have grown to fear the increasing presence of gateways to other realms as well as the outsiders crossing over. With each passing century, these incidents increase, leading to a loss of resources and habitable land in the area in which they occur. Hunting grounds, farms, and even homes have been lost with their appearance, let alone the individuals who get lost on the wrong side of a gateway. Not all denizens of the other realms have proven themselves to be friendly. Incursions of devils or fae have often ended with the loss of life and safety.
These occurrences have given strength to a continuing conspiracy theory that the realms are bound to collapse. As the crumpled layers of reality begin to flatten themselves out, more and more overlaps will occur, blending the different realms together until only one combined realm of chaos remains. What happens when all beings occupy the same space? What will wars between gods and demons or devils and fae look like? Could the Risen survive such an event? Could anything?
Some believe that a collapse of the realms would spell the end of all life in all realities. This theory of collapse has spread throughout the world of Nora, with doomsayers in every popular city crying for their attention. Some use this for fear-mongering to instill unrest in an already weary populace. Others use it to push politics to simply hide their xenophobia. Many continue to pray to their patron god in hopes of answers and salvation.
So far, these prayers have landed on deaf ears.

Concerns of the Masses

After the Marquis issued his pardon and allowed for the extended stay of the Fae of the Witchwood, many citizens of La Patria expressed their fears and disagreements with his decision. No one has expressed their desire to live in such a place as the Witchwood and yet they have been quick to express their discomfort with the idea of giving this land to outsiders. The Marquis has dismissed their concerns as he believes that a war with the fae is not warranted over such a small incursion.
Other nations have been more proactive in their their defense against the other realms. Nioyaathep in particular pioneered the invention of Skinveil Glass, a tool used to search for contraband but has also proven effective in uncovering those who have made pacts with devils. Factions in The Freelands have begun forming alliances in order to combat threats on their land.
Other powers, such as The Collective, have relished the increase in gateways, hoping to discover new knowledge and untold powers through the study of the outsiders.