Raddu
Explorer
One of the things that was most interesting to me about the Dark Sun setting was that it was so different compared to the standard fantasy settings of the time. Do unusual aspects of a setting draw you to them? How different do they need to be?
The most recent Arcanis Update listed 10 things that made Arcanis different, does it make the setting different enough to draw your interest?
10 Things That Make Arcanis Different
1. Centered on the Ancient World
Arcanis is not modeled after a European medieval society, but rather on the cultures of the ancient world. The central nation, the Coryani Empire, is an analogue of the Roman Empire, where you can play deadly ex-gladiators, brave legionnaires, be hired by senators and battle for the emperor! Other nations have their own unique cultures, but all retain that flavor of antiquity.
2. Ansharan Gates
The world of Arcanis is vast and crossing those distances can take a long while. To speed up travel, Arcanis has Ansharan Gates, ancient portals that allow Heroes to cover long distances in the blink of an eye. Originally believed created during the Imperium of Man, players discovered that their origin is more ancient and sinister than previously believed.
3. No Alignment
None of the Heroes in Arcanis are lily-white and pure, just as none of the villains are completely black hearted monsters. Like in real-life, all people have both good and bad sides, which helps make the characters you interact with feel more three-dimensional and not card board cut outs.
4. Gods
Most fantasy campaigns have gods, but those in Arcanis are part of a pantheon, and each seen as either “good” or “evil”, depending on the aspect worshipped. There are various religions on Arcanis, (the Mother Church of Coryan, the Milandric Orthodox Church, the Church of the Dark Triumvirate, etc.) and each choose which aspects of the gods to venerate. What might be viewed as “good” in one culture, may be seen as “evil” in another.
5. Psionics
Psionics plays an integral part in Arcanis and is not a tacked-on after-thought. Of the player races, only the Val, a human sub-race whose ancestors were infused with the powers of the gods, were gifted with psionics. This was done to prepare and protect humanity from the darkness known as the Silence, and their servants, the Voiceless Ones.
6. Each Magic System has a Unique Feel
Arcane power is the residual energy left over from the moment of creation and magic is the ability to draw that power into yourself and shape it with your will or faith to create an effect. There four different types of magic: Elder, Eldritch, Divine, and Primal, each with its own unique nuances: Elder is precise and a scalpel compared to the sledge hammer brute force of eldritch magic. Divine casters follow exact formulae or cants that are fueled by faith, while primal practioners call upon powerful entities, like nature spirits, to create effects.
7. Harvesters
Speaking of magic, practitioners using their abilities in a flashy manner and out in the open can draw the attention of the Harvesters, agents of the Sorcerer-King of Ymandragore. This could lead them to be captured and taken to the Isle of Tears and sold into slavery or, if young enough, indoctrinated to join their new masters.
8. Twist on Fantasy Races
With the exception of humans, all the usual fantasy races have been given a twist. Our elf analogue – the elorii, are infused by the elements, and were created as a servitor race by the ssanu, serpent men that once controlled the continent. Dwarves were once Celestial Giants cursed by the gods of man, and the gnomes are twisted abominations, born from the union of a human with a dwarf, whose curse was passed on to them. There are also other unique player races, such as the Black Talon lizard men, the infernally tainted Dark-kin, Kio, Undir, and the Val.
9. The Deadliest Adversary
Bizarre creatures and deadly monsters can be found all across Arcanis, but the greatest enemy the Heroes will face will be other humans. Conflict is born from differing agendas and being at cross-purposes. One need not be a maniacal villain to be an opponent and the greatest adversary you may face is one whose goals may be as noble as yours.
10. The World is a Mystery
As you begin to play in Arcanis, you’ll start to discover that some of the truths about the world that you’ve been taught don’t coincide with what you’ve experienced or found. Peeling away at the various layers of this puzzle is part of the game that you can ignore or dive in deeper, trying to uncover the mysteries at the heart of the world, joining many of your fellow players seeking to unlock them.
The most recent Arcanis Update listed 10 things that made Arcanis different, does it make the setting different enough to draw your interest?
10 Things That Make Arcanis Different
1. Centered on the Ancient World
Arcanis is not modeled after a European medieval society, but rather on the cultures of the ancient world. The central nation, the Coryani Empire, is an analogue of the Roman Empire, where you can play deadly ex-gladiators, brave legionnaires, be hired by senators and battle for the emperor! Other nations have their own unique cultures, but all retain that flavor of antiquity.
2. Ansharan Gates
The world of Arcanis is vast and crossing those distances can take a long while. To speed up travel, Arcanis has Ansharan Gates, ancient portals that allow Heroes to cover long distances in the blink of an eye. Originally believed created during the Imperium of Man, players discovered that their origin is more ancient and sinister than previously believed.
3. No Alignment
None of the Heroes in Arcanis are lily-white and pure, just as none of the villains are completely black hearted monsters. Like in real-life, all people have both good and bad sides, which helps make the characters you interact with feel more three-dimensional and not card board cut outs.
4. Gods
Most fantasy campaigns have gods, but those in Arcanis are part of a pantheon, and each seen as either “good” or “evil”, depending on the aspect worshipped. There are various religions on Arcanis, (the Mother Church of Coryan, the Milandric Orthodox Church, the Church of the Dark Triumvirate, etc.) and each choose which aspects of the gods to venerate. What might be viewed as “good” in one culture, may be seen as “evil” in another.
5. Psionics
Psionics plays an integral part in Arcanis and is not a tacked-on after-thought. Of the player races, only the Val, a human sub-race whose ancestors were infused with the powers of the gods, were gifted with psionics. This was done to prepare and protect humanity from the darkness known as the Silence, and their servants, the Voiceless Ones.
6. Each Magic System has a Unique Feel
Arcane power is the residual energy left over from the moment of creation and magic is the ability to draw that power into yourself and shape it with your will or faith to create an effect. There four different types of magic: Elder, Eldritch, Divine, and Primal, each with its own unique nuances: Elder is precise and a scalpel compared to the sledge hammer brute force of eldritch magic. Divine casters follow exact formulae or cants that are fueled by faith, while primal practioners call upon powerful entities, like nature spirits, to create effects.
7. Harvesters
Speaking of magic, practitioners using their abilities in a flashy manner and out in the open can draw the attention of the Harvesters, agents of the Sorcerer-King of Ymandragore. This could lead them to be captured and taken to the Isle of Tears and sold into slavery or, if young enough, indoctrinated to join their new masters.
8. Twist on Fantasy Races
With the exception of humans, all the usual fantasy races have been given a twist. Our elf analogue – the elorii, are infused by the elements, and were created as a servitor race by the ssanu, serpent men that once controlled the continent. Dwarves were once Celestial Giants cursed by the gods of man, and the gnomes are twisted abominations, born from the union of a human with a dwarf, whose curse was passed on to them. There are also other unique player races, such as the Black Talon lizard men, the infernally tainted Dark-kin, Kio, Undir, and the Val.
9. The Deadliest Adversary
Bizarre creatures and deadly monsters can be found all across Arcanis, but the greatest enemy the Heroes will face will be other humans. Conflict is born from differing agendas and being at cross-purposes. One need not be a maniacal villain to be an opponent and the greatest adversary you may face is one whose goals may be as noble as yours.
10. The World is a Mystery
As you begin to play in Arcanis, you’ll start to discover that some of the truths about the world that you’ve been taught don’t coincide with what you’ve experienced or found. Peeling away at the various layers of this puzzle is part of the game that you can ignore or dive in deeper, trying to uncover the mysteries at the heart of the world, joining many of your fellow players seeking to unlock them.
