Madziar is split into hundreds of communities, each representing a different facet of the world and its myriad views. It is considered a city that contains the whole world. Some communities are tiny, others large, but most are about 100 to 200 people. These are outside of the First Nation, who represent the original shemir society. These are shemir who have seen the world, come back, and created new communities, often villages on the outskirts absorbed into the city. After the civil war of the Age of Legends on First Shem, all communities are grouped by similarity rather than randomly determined by space and opportunity.

Major communities include

• Second Nation, the silver city, where life is honored most.
• Rhododendron Nation, hope and aspiration, the flower gardens.
• Viridian Nation, nature and the World Tree, canopied lanes.
• Cedar Nation, equality and justice, the inner city.
• Sard Nation, neutrality and the status quo, the wren's nest.
• Allnation, the infinite, all-encompassing, a complex mirror of First Nation.
• Shadow Nation, manipulation and infernal power, the Webweaver's community.
• Diamond Nation, merchants and bankers, trade and accumulation.
• Indigo Nation, dreamers and fey worship, traditions and indigo ink.

Every sphere and many variants on the spheres are contained within Madziar, save for the Court of Threes and its variations. Each community has its own social structure, economic type, and government (if any).