Imagine, if though wilt, a world half-done
Where humankind and fair ones dwell akin.
The stories of men’s legacies are spun,
By fate, Author-of-all, who dwells within.
Revelations of a child’s destiny,
Are read by Soothsayers, who thus impart,
That a Tragedy, Comedy, or Hist’ry,
Is their motif in which they must take part.
As for the Fair Folk of this mortal coil,
They are bound by taboos of a kind,
Nature’s workings are their given toil,
Lest by logic Unravelers unwind.
Thus day to day wise fools these mortals be,
In fiefdoms rung around a misty sea.
All the world’s a stage, and those who dwell within the bounds of Arcadia know this full well. T’is relatively young, as worlds are concerned, and indeed, t’is still incomplete. There are places along the edge of the map where wise men dare not go, for fear of being lost to the unknown. Mortals dwell on a large, semicircular continent surrounded by mist-covered oceans where tempests are apt to capsize and shipwreck any vessel that strays too far from shore.
The world is ruled by noble Kings and Queens, both supported and beset by the members of various royal houses. Each of these houses contend with their fellows for power and the opportunity to place one of theirs on the throne, thus rendering the political landscape as murky as the oceans.
Yet for all that, there are many wonders to behold. Mortals perform great deeds of combat and exploration whilst Fair Folk maintain the landscape and work its mechanisms. Strange, ethereal creatures, they can range from regal to mischievous to subservient and all manner of places in between. The Fair Folk have a special connection to the Author-of-All, and work his will in all the realms.
Soothsayers, practitioners of the The Mystic Arts and Oaths Accorded, often bargain with these Fair Folk, divine the Author’s will, and perhaps most importantly, uncover the motifs which the Author-of-All designates for each human at their inception.
Arcadia is based heavily on the works of William Shakespeare, and thus costumed and played in the style of Renaissance and Elizabethan Europe and the Mediterranean region. Nobles, Peasants, Soothsayers, and Fair Folk alike strive to thrive and strengthen their world, exploring the boundaries of what is possible whilst trying not to fall through.
Types of Characters:
There are two races of Arcadians: Mortals and Fair Folk.
Mortals are humans, and these can be peasants, nobility, or members of the merchant class. Motif knows no social class, and so any mortal can be a comedian, tragedian, or historian, regardless of birth. Mortals can expect to be caught up in the politics of their realm, be it as participant or bystander.
Players can also choose to be Fair Folk, the Knights of the Narrative. They perform tasks and rites in the name of the Author-of-All to keep the world turning. They must seem ethereal or otherworldly in some way, be it by use of glitter, wings, masks, or makeup (or any combination thereof).
Regardless of race, the Kings’ English is strongly encouraged, so brush up on your “thee”s and “thou”s.
Read the full Arcadia setting packet here.
This world currently has a medium population of player characters.
