Arcanis
Encyclopedia
Arcanis was originally a campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
game, created and supported by Paradigm Concepts
. It is also the name of the fictional world where the setting takes place. The setting was launched in 2001 and is known for its odd twists on the fantasy
genre, as well as its wide member approval and community-based design and construction.
Arcanis is now the featured setting in Paradigm Concepts
' Arcanis RPG.
Arcanis is set on the continent
of Onara, where a crumbling Coryani Empire (reminiscent of the Western Roman Empire
) struggles with newly created nations such as Milandir (reminiscent of the Holy Roman Empire
) or Canceri (reminiscent of Russia
during the Middle Ages
and the Balkans
).
campaign settings. There are seven primary races: Dark-kin (infernally tainted), Dwarves (cursed Giants), Elorii (basically Elves, but with some significant differences), Gnomes (offspring of a human and a dwarf), Humans, Ss'ressen (there are two tribes [or "clutches"] that are playable, Black Talon and Ashen Hide), and Val (touched by the gods, there are many different bloodlines). Other playable races exist, such as half-orcs and half-hobgoblins, but their numbers are far smaller than the primary races. Notably, halflings are NOT a playable race.
were assigned the task of protecting mankind. When they began to lord over man, the king of the gods, Illiir cursed the giants, diminishing them into dwarves
. The key to lifting the curse of the Dwarves is to craft the perfect item.
The Dwarves are divided into different groups, called Enclaves. Unlike other humanoids on Onara dwarves do not face the judgment of Nier
, nor do their souls return to Beltine's cauldron. Each Dwarf carries with him a gem, known as Soul Stone. Upon death a Dwarf's soul enters his soul stone.
in Arcanis are called Elorii. Made of the traditional Greek elements
: Fire
, Water
, Air, and Earth
, the Elorii are immortal. Elorii are divided into different subraces based on their elemental ancestry, adding another subrace, Life Elorii or Ardekenes.
The Elorii were created by four very powerful elementals in conjunction with a "life spirit" called Belisarda. They originally imbued a dead orc with this power, giving Elorii fangs. These elemental spirits were worshipped by the Elorii as gods; they despise humanity because four of the human gods "absorbed" the four Elemental Lords, leaving only Belisarda. They eventually rebelled against their creators.
in Arcanis are ugly, short half-breeds. These Gnomes are not an independent race, but are considered an 'aberration' race, resulting from the unholy breeding between Dwarves and Humans. Gnomes in Arcanis are disgustingly deformed, as the curse applied to dwarves applies equally to the stature of their offspring.
mirror the traditional Dungeons & Dragons human. Most of humanity are latecomers to the continent of Onara (where most of the current story takes place), but at least one group, the Pengik, predate the Ss'regorean Empire, who have the oldest recorded history.
and Ssanu snake-men (who replaced the Yuan-ti
after the later were removed from the Open Gaming License
content). The Ssethregorans are the oldest civilized group on the continent of Onara and at one point had conquered most of it. They are well known for their strange magics and were responsible for the creation of the Elorii. Originally, they worshiped the gods Kassegore and Yig, but with the rise of the Naga to a ruling position, they now worship vile gods known as the Varn. (Originally, they worshiped slaadi, but with the removal of these beings from the Open Gaming License
content, Paradigm Concepts was forced to change this.)
The Black Talon ss'ressen rebelled against the Ssethregoran Empire and fled. They had come to worship a god known as The Fire Dragon. They live in a swampy area of the nation of Milandir. The Ashen Hide ss'ressen broke off from the Black Talons, deciding that The Fire Dragon was actually the human god of fire and war, Nier. The Ashen Hide Clutch now resides in the nation of Canceri.
were created during the God War as the elite warriors of the Gods and thereafter, as the caretakers of Mankind. In their stead, every god sent his servants, the Valinor
, to mingle with the populace, and create a semi-divine family capable of aiding mankind. Every Val has a bloodline, which is tied to a specific god; they are gifted with divine powers which they may improve; these are related to their bloodline. For example, val'Ossan are tied to Yarris, god of the sea, and can gain Bloodline Powers such as walking on water and controlling sea creatures.
Val are also the only psionic humans in Arcanis. Val always have steel grey eyes, unless they are psioncally active; in psions, the iris turns clear, leaving the eye almost entirely white.
The human nations are:
The three Elorii Nations are:
The Dwarven Enclaves are:
There are two major enclaves of S'sressen (outside of the Ssethregorean Empire), one of which is an offshoot of the other:
The other races are mostly outcasts and wanderers, though occasionally small racial enclaves arise in larger cities, rather than maintaining organized civilizations.
gods
reside. Other pantheons such as the Pantheon of the Elves, are broken, or destroyed leaving only one or no gods behind.
In Arcanis, "true" gods are unconcerned with petty mortal morality, so have no alignment as gods in other settings do; only churches have alignment, depending on what aspects of a god they worship. The Pantheon of Man, for example, does not have alignment, but the Sethregoran Varn Gods do.
The foundation of the pantheon are three brother gods: Illiir, the Patron God of Emperors and Order, Sun God and Head of the Pantheon; Yarris, God of the Sea; and Neroth, God of Death. Further, three Goddesses are their sisters and in some cases consorts: Saluwé, Goddess of the Earth, consort of Illiir; Beltine, Goddess of the Soul, wife of Neroth; and Anshar, Goddess of Pain and Suffering. The children of Illiir and Saluwé are Hurrian, God of Storms and Honorable Combat, the Reluctant Warrior, Nier, God of Fire, War and Slaughter, and Larissa, Oracle of the Gods and (more recently) Goddess of Pleasure. The child of Neroth and Beltine is Cadic, the God of Shadows, Murder, and Music. Larissa and Cadic have a son named Sarish, God of Oaths and Binding of Demons. There is reference to Althares, God of Knowledge, Invention, and Artifice, as being the "Grand Uncle of Sarish," but exactly where he fits into the divine family tree is unclear.
The Ss'regorean Empire once worshipped the gods Kassegore and Yig. With the ascension of the Naga to a ruling position in the Empire, they have begun to worship a pantheon of beings from another plane known as the Varn.
set in the Arcanis setting. It is run by Paradigm Concepts
who hosts major events at large gaming conventions, such as Gen Con
and Origins Game Fair. Also, Living Arcanis is played at smaller regional conventions throughout the world, many of which host special events, as well as by players at home. The core plot of the campaign is closely controlled by Henry Lopez. There are also several groups of quasi-independent writers who's adventures are sup-plots to the main story and are centered around a specific city, region, or secret society. These domains are known as Invisible Kingdoms and their stewards are known as Invisible Kings and Queens.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
game, created and supported by Paradigm Concepts
Paradigm Concepts
Paradigm Concepts, Inc. is a small-press game publishing company located in Miami, Florida.They published the award-winning Arcanis campaign setting and managed the Living Arcanis campaign independent of the RPGA....
. It is also the name of the fictional world where the setting takes place. The setting was launched in 2001 and is known for its odd twists on the fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
genre, as well as its wide member approval and community-based design and construction.
Arcanis is now the featured setting in Paradigm Concepts
Paradigm Concepts
Paradigm Concepts, Inc. is a small-press game publishing company located in Miami, Florida.They published the award-winning Arcanis campaign setting and managed the Living Arcanis campaign independent of the RPGA....
' Arcanis RPG.
Arcanis is set on the continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
of Onara, where a crumbling Coryani Empire (reminiscent of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
) struggles with newly created nations such as Milandir (reminiscent of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
) or Canceri (reminiscent of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
).
Races of Arcanis
The playable Races in Arcanis differ from the traditional races in other Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
campaign settings. There are seven primary races: Dark-kin (infernally tainted), Dwarves (cursed Giants), Elorii (basically Elves, but with some significant differences), Gnomes (offspring of a human and a dwarf), Humans, Ss'ressen (there are two tribes [or "clutches"] that are playable, Black Talon and Ashen Hide), and Val (touched by the gods, there are many different bloodlines). Other playable races exist, such as half-orcs and half-hobgoblins, but their numbers are far smaller than the primary races. Notably, halflings are NOT a playable race.
Dark-Kin
Dark-kin are those born with demonic traits. They are usually born from human parents, and rarely sire Dark-kin children. Dark-kin are the results of a period of Onara's history called the Time of Terror, when Demons, Devils, and other Infernals controlled much of the known world.Dwarves
GiantsGiant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
were assigned the task of protecting mankind. When they began to lord over man, the king of the gods, Illiir cursed the giants, diminishing them into dwarves
Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
. The key to lifting the curse of the Dwarves is to craft the perfect item.
The Dwarves are divided into different groups, called Enclaves. Unlike other humanoids on Onara dwarves do not face the judgment of Nier
Nier
NIER or Nier can refer to:* National Institute Economic Review, a British economics journal* National Institute of Environmental Research, a national research center in Korea.* Alfred O. C. Nier , American physicist...
, nor do their souls return to Beltine's cauldron. Each Dwarf carries with him a gem, known as Soul Stone. Upon death a Dwarf's soul enters his soul stone.
Elorii
ElvesElf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
in Arcanis are called Elorii. Made of the traditional Greek elements
Classical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
: Fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, Water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, Air, and Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, the Elorii are immortal. Elorii are divided into different subraces based on their elemental ancestry, adding another subrace, Life Elorii or Ardekenes.
The Elorii were created by four very powerful elementals in conjunction with a "life spirit" called Belisarda. They originally imbued a dead orc with this power, giving Elorii fangs. These elemental spirits were worshipped by the Elorii as gods; they despise humanity because four of the human gods "absorbed" the four Elemental Lords, leaving only Belisarda. They eventually rebelled against their creators.
Gnomes
GnomesGnome (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, gnomes are one of the core races available for play as player characters. Some speculate that they are closely related to dwarves; however, gnomes are more tolerant of other races and of magic, and are skilled with illusions...
in Arcanis are ugly, short half-breeds. These Gnomes are not an independent race, but are considered an 'aberration' race, resulting from the unholy breeding between Dwarves and Humans. Gnomes in Arcanis are disgustingly deformed, as the curse applied to dwarves applies equally to the stature of their offspring.
Humans
HumansHuman (Dungeons & Dragons)
Humans are a race available for player characters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. Although short-lived by comparison, humans are the most populous of all Dungeons & Dragons races. They are renowned for their diversity and ambition, and although they lack specializations like...
mirror the traditional Dungeons & Dragons human. Most of humanity are latecomers to the continent of Onara (where most of the current story takes place), but at least one group, the Pengik, predate the Ss'regorean Empire, who have the oldest recorded history.
Ss'ressen
Ss'ressen are lizard-men and a major component of the Ssethregoran Empire. This empire consists of many races, many of them serpentine such as NagaNaga (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, nagas comprise a variety of similar species of intelligent aberrations with widely differing abilities and alignments. Nagas appear as large snake like creatures with humanoid heads. They often range widely in coloring and scale patterns, but are all...
and Ssanu snake-men (who replaced the Yuan-ti
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents...
after the later were removed from the Open Gaming License
Open Gaming License
The Open Game License may be used by game developers to grant permission to modify, copy, and redistribute some of the content designed for their games, notably game mechanics.-Language of the licence:The OGL describes two forms of content:...
content). The Ssethregorans are the oldest civilized group on the continent of Onara and at one point had conquered most of it. They are well known for their strange magics and were responsible for the creation of the Elorii. Originally, they worshiped the gods Kassegore and Yig, but with the rise of the Naga to a ruling position, they now worship vile gods known as the Varn. (Originally, they worshiped slaadi, but with the removal of these beings from the Open Gaming License
Open Gaming License
The Open Game License may be used by game developers to grant permission to modify, copy, and redistribute some of the content designed for their games, notably game mechanics.-Language of the licence:The OGL describes two forms of content:...
content, Paradigm Concepts was forced to change this.)
The Black Talon ss'ressen rebelled against the Ssethregoran Empire and fled. They had come to worship a god known as The Fire Dragon. They live in a swampy area of the nation of Milandir. The Ashen Hide ss'ressen broke off from the Black Talons, deciding that The Fire Dragon was actually the human god of fire and war, Nier. The Ashen Hide Clutch now resides in the nation of Canceri.
Val
ValVal
Val is a variant of the feminine given name Valerie.Val may refer to:-Given name:* Val Ackerman , American attorney, former basketball player, and first president of the Women's National Basketball Association* Val A...
were created during the God War as the elite warriors of the Gods and thereafter, as the caretakers of Mankind. In their stead, every god sent his servants, the Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
, to mingle with the populace, and create a semi-divine family capable of aiding mankind. Every Val has a bloodline, which is tied to a specific god; they are gifted with divine powers which they may improve; these are related to their bloodline. For example, val'Ossan are tied to Yarris, god of the sea, and can gain Bloodline Powers such as walking on water and controlling sea creatures.
Val are also the only psionic humans in Arcanis. Val always have steel grey eyes, unless they are psioncally active; in psions, the iris turns clear, leaving the eye almost entirely white.
Nations of Arcanis
The nations of Arcanis are mostly human affairs, all related to the First Imperium that fell thousands of years ago; most of these are ruled by the Val.The human nations are:
- The Republic of Altheria
- The Theocracy of Canceri
- The Coryani Empire
- The Hinterlands
- The League of Princes
- Milandir
- Ymandragore
The three Elorii Nations are:
- Elonbe
- Entaris
- Malfea
The Dwarven Enclaves are:
- Solanos Mor
- Nol Dappa
- Tulipet
- Tir Betoq
- Encali
There are two major enclaves of S'sressen (outside of the Ssethregorean Empire), one of which is an offshoot of the other:
- Black Talons
- Ashen Hide
The other races are mostly outcasts and wanderers, though occasionally small racial enclaves arise in larger cities, rather than maintaining organized civilizations.
Religion in Arcanis
The Deities of Arcanis are sectioned off into different pantheons. The main pantheon is the Pantheon of Man, of which humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
gods
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
reside. Other pantheons such as the Pantheon of the Elves, are broken, or destroyed leaving only one or no gods behind.
In Arcanis, "true" gods are unconcerned with petty mortal morality, so have no alignment as gods in other settings do; only churches have alignment, depending on what aspects of a god they worship. The Pantheon of Man, for example, does not have alignment, but the Sethregoran Varn Gods do.
The foundation of the pantheon are three brother gods: Illiir, the Patron God of Emperors and Order, Sun God and Head of the Pantheon; Yarris, God of the Sea; and Neroth, God of Death. Further, three Goddesses are their sisters and in some cases consorts: Saluwé, Goddess of the Earth, consort of Illiir; Beltine, Goddess of the Soul, wife of Neroth; and Anshar, Goddess of Pain and Suffering. The children of Illiir and Saluwé are Hurrian, God of Storms and Honorable Combat, the Reluctant Warrior, Nier, God of Fire, War and Slaughter, and Larissa, Oracle of the Gods and (more recently) Goddess of Pleasure. The child of Neroth and Beltine is Cadic, the God of Shadows, Murder, and Music. Larissa and Cadic have a son named Sarish, God of Oaths and Binding of Demons. There is reference to Althares, God of Knowledge, Invention, and Artifice, as being the "Grand Uncle of Sarish," but exactly where he fits into the divine family tree is unclear.
Schisms
The Mother Church of the Pantheon of Man once held all the gods in equal worship, until a schism occurred which drove followers of Neroth, Sarish and Nier to form an independent church, the Dark Triumvirate in Canceri. The Mother Church and the Dark Triumvirate differ in several ways, primarily in that the Dark Triumvirate approves of activities the Mother Church fears: the creation of Undead and the summoning of demons and devils for the most part.The Ss'ressen and Ss'regorean Gods
The Fire Dragon is the god worshipped by the Black Talon ss'ressen. The Ashen Hide split off from this group, believing that Fire Dragon was actually the human god, Nier.The Ss'regorean Empire once worshipped the gods Kassegore and Yig. With the ascension of the Naga to a ruling position in the Empire, they have begun to worship a pantheon of beings from another plane known as the Varn.
The Elorii Pantheon
The Elorii follow the Elemental Lords which created them, despite the destruction of four of them. The remaining Elemental Lord, the life spirit Belisarda, was believed to have been destroyed by The Other (or Umor, as the Elorii knew him), until the arrival of a Prophet who claimed this was not true.- Belisarda - Goddess of Life and Healing
- Keleos - God of Fire
- Mârok - God of Earth
- Osalían- God of Air
- Beröe- God of Water
Elorii Heresy
Recently a common movement among Elorii has been the practice of identifying elemental lords with one of the human gods that supposedly absorbed those elemental lords powers. For instance, some Elorii followers of the Lord of Air consider Hurrian, the Storm Lord in the Pantheon of Man, to be their God. To other Elorii this seems to be heresy and is considered to be so, although the Mother Church (and the Dark Triumvirate in the case of Nier) has little or no issues for Elorii who choose this path.Myrantian Gods
The ancient Myrantian Hegemony had its own pantheon of gods, although much information about them has been lost to the ages. The Mother Church of Coryan considers worship of the Myrantian deities heresy, but allows the worship of traditional Pantheon of Man deities under the names of Myrantian gods. The Myrantian Pantheon seems primarily based on the Ancient Egyptian pantheon, though not entirely. Tzizhet is considered a combination of Sarish and Neroth. Shu is a god of storms, considered the same as Hurrian.Factions and secret societies
The setting also has secret societies, factions that have beliefs and goals that can either aid, or impede the mission of players in other cases. Each faction varies in its goal, as well as how secret each faction is.- The Orthodoxy seeks to eradicate heretical worship of the Human Panthenon.
- The Hawk and Shield seek to eradicate the minions of the Sorcerer King or protect those who are arcanely gifted from his predetations.
- The Emerald Society are Archelologists who seek to discover anything and everything about the history of Onara, especially from the First Imperium
- The Mourners in Silence believe that the gods of Arcanis have died and now work with other worldly allies towards unusual goals.
- The Order of the Twilight Bough
- The Swords of Nier
Living Arcanis
Living Arcanis is the name of the Living CampaignLiving campaigns
Living Campaigns are a gaming format within the table-top role-playing game community that provide the opportunity for play by an extended community within a shared universe...
set in the Arcanis setting. It is run by Paradigm Concepts
Paradigm Concepts
Paradigm Concepts, Inc. is a small-press game publishing company located in Miami, Florida.They published the award-winning Arcanis campaign setting and managed the Living Arcanis campaign independent of the RPGA....
who hosts major events at large gaming conventions, such as Gen Con
Gen Con
Gen Con is one of the largest and most prominent annual gaming conventions in North America. It features traditional pen-and-paper, board, and card-style games, including role-playing games, miniatures wargames, board games, live action role-playing games, collectible card games, non-collectible...
and Origins Game Fair. Also, Living Arcanis is played at smaller regional conventions throughout the world, many of which host special events, as well as by players at home. The core plot of the campaign is closely controlled by Henry Lopez. There are also several groups of quasi-independent writers who's adventures are sup-plots to the main story and are centered around a specific city, region, or secret society. These domains are known as Invisible Kingdoms and their stewards are known as Invisible Kings and Queens.
External links
- Official Campaign Website
- Arcanis Wiki Official wiki website for Arcanis (Expired Domain)
- Paradigm Concepts' website
- Arcanis Arenas' Online RPG Game website (Expired Domain)