custom content panes + content keywords + openpublish

I am attempting to use a "custom content pane" to create a menu for pages, where the menu links change depending on which page they are on.

On CITY1 page, the menu item Research links to topic-hub/CITY1/research.
On CITY2 page, the menu item Research links to topic-hub/CITY2/research.

So if I can find the correct "content keyword" to use, one custom content pane would serve all cities.

In an attempt to figure out which context variable might work, in overkill mode I placed the following into a custom content pane:

============
-- %node:type Type of node (e.g. book, page, forum).
-- %node:language The default language for this node.
-- %node:uid User ID of node creator.
-- %node:status unpublished/published (0|1).
-- %node:created UNIX timestamp of node creation date.
-- %node:changed UNIX timestamp of last time node was changed.
-- %node:comment whether comments can be added, read, or accessed, for this node.
-- %node:promote Promoted to front page (0|1).
-- %node:moderate Moderation enabled (0|1).
-- %node:sticky Sticky (0|1).
-- %node:tnid The node ID of the translation source (or parent, if node is a translation).
-- %node:translate Is a translation (0|1).
-- %node:vid The revision ID of the current version of this node.
-- %node:revision_uid The user ID of the user who created the current revision.
-- %node:title Page (or, more accurately, node) title.
-- %node:body Body content of node.
-- %node:teaser Teaser (the initial part of the body).
-- %node:log Message left by the creator of this revision, explaining the changes.
-- %node:revision_timestamp Unix timestamp showing when current revision was created.
-- %node:format which filter applies to this content.
-- %node:name Username of node creator.
-- %node:picture User avatar of the node creator.
-- %node:date Long date, including timezone data, of when the node was created.
-- %node:revision TRUE/FALSE this is a new revision (if TRUE, will be saved as a separate entry in the database).
-- %node:menu Array containing the menu item assigned to the node.
-- %file:object
-- %file:objects generated by file_scan_directory() look like this:
-- %file:filename full path from drupal root
-- %file:basename filename
-- %file:name filename excluding extension
-- %file:filepath full path from drupal root?
-- %file:filemime mimetype

-- %file:source where did the file come from

Some of them gave me feedback* and some of them didn't:

• • topichub Type of node (e.g. book, page, forum).
    -- * en The default language for this node.
    -- * 1 User ID of node creator.
    -- unpublished/published (0|1).
    -- UNIX timestamp of node creation date.
    -- UNIX timestamp of last time node was changed.
    -- whether comments can be added, read, or accessed, for this node.
    -- Promoted to front page (0|1).
    -- Moderation enabled (0|1).
    -- Sticky (0|1).
    -- The node ID of the translation source (or parent, if node is a translation).
    -- Is a translation (0|1).
    -- * 224 The revision ID of the current version of this node.
    -- The user ID of the user who created the current revision.
    -- * Barb's Test bed Page (or, more accurately, node) title.
    -- Body content of node.
    -- Teaser (the initial part of the body).
    -- Message left by the creator of this revision, explaining the changes.
    -- Unix timestamp showing when current revision was created.
    -- which filter applies to this content.
    -- Username of node creator.
    -- User avatar of the node creator.
    -- * 4 Long date, including timezone data, of when the node was created.
    -- TRUE/FALSE this is a new revision (if TRUE, will be saved as a separate entry in the database).

-- Array containing the menu item assigned to the node.

-- generated by file_scan_directory() look like this:
-- full path from drupal root
-- filename
-- filename excluding extension
-- full path from drupal root?
-- mimetype
-- where did the file come from

I have no doubt that I am misunderstanding everything, but I've spent 2 weeks reading everything I can find on Panels, Custom Content Panes, $context passed to panes, CTools, OpenPublish and variables. I thought that this would be a simple matter but I think I am wrong.

I would appreciate any guidance. Thank you.