Arcadia

A hero is one with a builder’s hands, a healer’s heart, and a traveler’s feet.

— an excerpt from the Holy Verses

  Still recovering from decades of warfare, the seven kingdoms of the continent of Arcadia have made a conscious effort for peace in the last century. They try to build bridges, rather than trenches, as their ancestors used to. But tensions, in some areas, still run high; any adventuring party had best be careful who they trust, lest they end up kidnapped into slavery in Rift, torn to pieces by bandits in Stormridge, or imprisoned by the xenophobic leadership in Tangeri or the Forest of Ash.   Yes, Arcadia is troubled. But troubled times require heroes.   The kingdom of Windfell is still growing, and is in need of heroes who are willing to help fight off the incursions of pirates on its western coasts, and who are brave enough to venture into the Elderwilds to discover what really lies within.   The young and inexperienced leadership in Rift is trying to crack down on the corrupt practices of merchants, especially the illegal slave trade, which has been allowed to flourish for decades unchecked. In addition, the unsafe practices of ambitious and greedy miners looking for gold in ever-deeper veins may have released something dark that terrorizes the smaller towns in the east.   Stormridge is a land of opportunity for anyone who wants to brawl their way to fame. In the city of Brindt, the Tremor Dome hosts gladiator-style fights (non-lethal combat) that offer fabulous prizes to newcomers who are willing to challenge their lineup of WWE-style fighters, rogues, and mages, with stage names and costumes and terrifying battle skill. Also growing in popularity are the group calling themselves Diana’s Rangers, an all-female team of archers and cavalry who defend the main trade routes. The local caravans, if they don’t adore the group, respect them; but no one really knows who they are, especially their leader, the Lady Diana herself.   Linhallow, especially its capital Freydell, is Arcadia’s crown jewel. Freydell is the largest center of arts and religion in Arcadia, featuring thousands of talented sculptors, painters, metalworkers, and bards who charm the city’s visitors with their skills at daily art showcases in the city’s many parks. Also in Freydell is the Pantheon Temple, home to a wing dedicated to every major deity worshiped in Arcadia. Further north, a group calling themselves the Enclave has arisen in Atlas, claiming to have the power to harness the power of the servants of the gods: the angels known as Solars.   The Silver Sands are as dangerous as they are beautiful—the miles of light grey sand that reflect the sun like the finest silver in Freydell (hence its name) are home to basilisks, purple worms, and other such things that are only described in horrified whispers. The traders who were raised in the area, who make their way across it almost daily and who make money by taking travelers across, seem to be doing quite well. Then again, nearly every day, another caravan disappears, never to be seen again…   Tangeri and its neighbor, the Forest of Ash, are separated entirely from the rest of Arcadia by the Silver Sands. And even though they haven’t participated much in the outright warfare that once occurred between all the northern cities, they’ve developed their own xenophobic rivalry, bitterly contesting borders and threatening war at many points.   Outside the mainland lie the untamed archipelagos, a gathering place of those aiming to tame the wilderness… as well as those determined to preserve it, at any cost.   Rift. Stormridge. Windfell. The Silver Sands. Linhallow. Tangeri. The Forest of Ash.   Seven kingdoms. Seven very different worlds. Heroes of Arcadia, unite!   NOTE: In creating this world, the very inexperienced DM decided to base some aspects of this world on the world of Exandria, as seen on Critical Role, the D&D show on Geek and Sundry. (I'm a huge fan, okay?) In our campaign, Arcadia is another continent in that world, but doesn't have a lot of connections to the other continents, so almost all of these references will be in passing, and can be easily ignored or changed slightly if you wish for no connection to Exandria.