Arcanis
A morally complex fantasy world with unique races and a tick-based initiative system.
Arcanis is a campaign setting originally created for Dungeons & Dragons by Henry Lopez and published by Paradigm Concepts, launched in 2001. It is known for its unusual twists on fantasy tropes, a focus on moral ambiguity and politics rather than tactical combat, and a community-driven design process. The setting was relaunched in 2011 with its own rules system, featuring a progressive clock-based initiative similar to that of Feng Shui.
Quick Facts
- Creator
- Henry Lopez
- Publisher
- Paradigm Concepts
- Original launch year
- 2001
- Relaunch year
- 2011
- Setting continent
- Onara
- Primary campaign name (first)
- Living Arcanis
- Primary campaign name (second)
- Legends of Arcanis
Facts from the source article.
Races
The playable races in Arcanis differ from standard Dungeons & Dragons options. Seven primary races exist: Dark-kin (humans with demonic traits), Dwarves (cursed Giants), Elorii (elemental elves with fangs), Gnomes (offspring of humans and dwarves), Humans (including the elementally attuned Kio and Undir), Ss'ressen (lizard-folk), and Val (descended from gods). Dark-kin are marginalized due to their infernal bloodlines, a legacy of the Time of Terror when demons and devils were unleashed by the Myrantian Empire. Elorii were created from elemental energies and a life spirit called Belisarda, imbued into orc-like Gar; they despise humanity because four human gods absorbed their elemental lords. Gnomes are a hybrid race, while Ss'ressen are reptilian. The Val have divine bloodlines tied to specific gods. Earlier d20 rules allowed races like Half-Orcs, but the current system has removed such holdovers.
Religion
The deities of Arcanis are organized into pantheons, the chief being the Pantheon of Man. True gods have no alignment, being unconcerned with mortal morality; only churches have alignment based on which aspects of a god they emphasize. The Pantheon of Man is founded on three brother gods: Illiir (sun, order, emperor), Yarris (sea), and Neroth (death), and three sister-consorts: Saluwé (earth), Beltine (soul), and Anshar (pain). Their children include Hurrian (storms, honorable combat), Nier (fire, war, slaughter), Larissa (oracle, pleasure), and Cadic (shadows, murder, music). Sarish, god of oaths and demon binding, is the son of Larissa and Cadic. Althares (knowledge, invention) is called the grand uncle of Sarish, but his exact place in the divine family is unclear. A schism split the Mother Church, with followers of Neroth, Sarish, and Nier forming the Dark Triumvirate in Canceri, which permits undead creation and demon summoning. The Ss'ressen worship the Fire Dragon, though the Ashen Hide believe it is actually the human god Nier. The Ssethregoran Empire once worshipped Kassegore and Yig, but now follows the Varn pantheon from another plane.
Factions and secret societies
Secret societies in Arcanis have beliefs and goals that sometimes aid or hinder player missions. Those open to player characters in the living campaigns include: the Orthodoxy, which seeks to maintain orthodox human religion and eradicate heretical worship; the Hawk and Shield, which respectively aim to eradicate the Sorcerer King's minions or protect those with arcane gifts; the Emerald Society, archaeologists studying Onara's history; the Followers of the Azure Way, who wish to restore a united Second Imperium of Man; the Mourners in Silence, who believe the gods have died or never existed; the Swords of Nier, Nierites following Leonydas val'Virdan; the Order of the Twilight Bough, composed of Elorii; and the Laerestri, Elorii from Elonbé who sometimes receive secret orders. Additional secret orders may be issued to specific nationalities or sides in war.
Living Arcanis
Living Arcanis was the first living campaign set in the Arcanis world, run by Paradigm Concepts at major conventions like Gen Con and Origins, as well as smaller regional events and home play. The core plot was tightly controlled by Henry Lopez, with quasi-independent writers handling sub-plots centered on specific cities, regions, or secret societies, known as Invisible Kingdoms. The first campaign ended in 2009 with a battle concluding the Coryani Civil War. A second living campaign, originally called Chronicles of the Shattered Empires and later renamed Legends of Arcanis, began a year later using the new Arcanis rules, set about fifty years after the first.
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