Arceiron
Arceiron is the central world of The Omniscape, the dimensional weave that binds the multiverse together. It is orbited by two moons—Lune and Reva—and circles a distant solar body known as Vita, which shines with divine brilliance and is often believed to be the physical manifestation of the goddess herself.
Arceiron serves as the cradle of mortal life and the setting for all campaigns within this world. From the sun-bleached dunes of Shendora to the wind-lashed fjords of Norheim, the lands of Arceiron are ancient, mythic, and forged by both gods and monsters.
Cosmology
- Vita (The Sun): A solar body of divine radiance, worshiped by sun cults across Arceiron as either a divine being or sacred flame.
- Lune: A large, luminous moon tied to the goddess Selûne. It governs tides, fates, and the dreams of mortals.
- Reva: A distant and ominous maroon-hued satellite, feared in many cultures. Often associated with madness, misfortune, or forgotten magic.
- The Tears of Selûne: A cluster of asteroids following Lune's wake—said to be divine tears shed in a celestial war.
Geography
Arceiron is roughly Earth-sized and composed of numerous continents and regions. The central “megacontinent” is fractured into distinct cultural and geographical regions, surrounded by isolated landmasses of mystery and danger.
Continents
- Altheim. The great continent in the north-western part of the world, home to the Empire of Man, but also many smaller nations and savage creatures. It is constantly threatened by its connection to the Abyssal Wastes at the northern edge of the world.
- Arkvard. Constantly threatened by the oppressive Garlanthar Empire, from its northern half, the people of this continent struggle to uphold their valued independence. It is located at the far eastern border of Arceiron and features varied landscapes from frost-covered mountains, over thick forests, to barren deserts.
- Athenar. The south-westernmost continent of Arceiron is full of varied landscapes and nations. It's population prefers not to get involved with the other continents of Arceiron, but that might be due to the fact that they have so much going on themselves.
- Aurunia. Part of the great megacontinent in the centre of the world. Once ruled over by the Aurunian Empire, it is now home to many smaller kingdoms and nations that have risen since the empire's fall.
- Avalorn. Located in the central south of the world, it is known as the continent of great kingdoms, mystical knights, fairytales and legendary heroes.
- Ivalis Archipelago. Not actually a continent, but a large collection of islands, right at the world's centre. It is infamous for its piracy, ruthless trading companies, but also lost treasures.
- Jade-Lands. The lands of the rising sun, located in the central east of the great megacontinent, is known for its strict code of honor, spirit creatures and isolated culture. It is constantly fighting a losing battle against the great wound that has been dealt to the world at its eastern border, known as The Shadowlands.
- Niiringard. This moon-shaped continent at the central south of the world is the ancestral homeland of all Elves. It is said that here the first elves were created, back in the time when all the world's landmasses were still connected as one singular land, with this place as its centre. At the centre of this continent, the largest of the three World Maelstroms is located and fiercely guarded by the elves, to protect the world from a most dire fate.
- Norheim. The northern part of the great continent and nothern-most part of the world, disregarding the Abyssal Wastes. It is known for its strong and rough people and its equally hard winters. It is homw to savage naval raiders, known as Vikings, ancient ruins from an ealier age and a culture of deep faith. A large part of the continent has split from the mainland and floats as islands to its east, known as The Icelands.
- Rishamia. These savage lands make up the southern part of the great megacontinent, at the centre of the world, and are known for their dark and magical forests, endless deserts and great mountains. Most of these lands are inhabited by primitive or savage people, with only the southern-most and eastern parts of the continent housing some great civilizations.
- Samarkand. The Lost Lands, residing at the far south-eastern parts of the world. These are the lands of giants and ancient dragons, lost from history and surrounded by thick mists, making them almost impossible to reach by outsiders. It is rumored that a culture of element harvesting supremacists has taken a hold of the continent, enslaving and extorting the local populace, while upholding the border that separates them from the rest of the world.
- Shendora. Shendora is an arid territory that covers most of the continent south of Rishamia. Many men have gone mad beneath the glare of the Shendoran sun, the source of the power of the Ascended. It is also the location of the newly resurrected Shendoran Empire, a vast civilization that bloomed millennia ago and is now rising again.
- Vasloria. Vasloria is a diverse and mystical continent on the world of Arceiron, known for its rich tapestry of kingdoms, ancient magic, and varied landscapes. Once united under the Vaslorian Empire, the continent's history is marked by the rise and fall of this empire, leading to its current landscape of independent, culturally unique kingdoms, each with its own challenges and glories. Vasloria, with its blend of ancient lore, political intrigue, and mystical forces, is a continent where history and myth intertwine, creating a rich setting for tales of heroism, treachery, and the enduring power of legacy.
- Vethros. Vethros is the north-westernmost continent of Arceiron. It is a dark and dangerous land, filled with nightmarish terrors, that stalk the land. But great danger also breeds great bravery and thus Vethros is home to many adventurers.
- Wyldemarr. The ancient and dark lands of this continent, just south of the megacontinent, hold many lost and forgotten secrets. The eldritch horrors that haunt this place have given rise to a strong religious culture and many hunting orders, that try to either defeat these dark powers, or use them for their own ends. It is also the home of Draconia, the great Dragonborn nation.
- Ysselhaim. A land of diversity, this continent in the south-west of the world, is split into several great realms, each with its own climates and inhabitants. While the north of the continent is rather civilized and consists of great kingdoms and empires, the southern realms are made up of many small warring states. Both ends of the continent are separated by the great Moram desert, the home of the Kingdom of Marquandt and its unique culture. The continent is also bordered by a host of great islands, serving as the homelands for some unique races.
The Underdark
Besides the world on the surface, Arceiron is also known to a place known as the world below, or simply the Underdark. These tunnels and caverns stretch below all continents of Arceiron and are located far deeper than any natural cave leads. It is the home to some particularly dangerous creatures, as well as some sentient races, that have been banished to the world below, such as the Dark Elves or the Gray Dwarves.
Important Natural Landmarks and Locations
Abyssal Wastes
A great landmass borders the World of Arceiron at its northern-most end, known as the Abyssal Wastes. This place defies the laws of reality and seemingly leads further and further away from the material plane, the deeper someone wanders into these lands. It is said that they lead all the way into The Abyss and that it is from here that chaos and evil take root within the material world.
Gates of Hell
It is rumored that there exist three secret and hidden pathways on Arceiron, leading right up to the Gates of Hell, the entrance to The Nine Hells. The exact location of these gates is unknown and their existence heavily disputed. Rumor has it that one of these pathways starts hidden deep within the Mountains of Khazahk, while another is said to be located somewhere within the deepest parts of the Underdark. The third gate is said to be hidden within plain sight of everyone, yet has never officially been found.
Mountains of Khazahk
The great Mountains of Khazahk are the largest mountain range on Arceiron. They are located on the central megacontinent and span through all of its four subcontinents. Countless legends and mysteries surround these endless mountains, which are impossible to explore for any mortal creature.
These mountains also are home to the legendary Mountain of Gods, Mount Deitis, located within the lands of Gretania. It is said that this mountain is so large, that it can reach into the heavens of Elysium and that anyone who manages to climb its peak is granted a wish by the gods.
The Seven Seas
The collective bodies of water surrounding all continents and making up roughly 2/3 of the entire planet, are known as the Seven Seas. While they are all connected as one large sea, their location on Arceiron makes them display vastly different climates and properties. It is said that no mortal has ever been able to sail all the Seven Seas in a single lifetime.
- The Ancient Sea - which lies south of the Ivalis Archipelago, centrally between the continents of Altheim, Niiringard and Ysselhaim and reaches even to Vethros.
- The Far Sea - which lies on the western and eastern borders of the world, connecting them through its sheer endless waters, bordering the continents of Vethros, Athenar, Arkvard, Wyldemarr and Samarkand.
- The Forgotten Sea - which lies between Rishamia, Shendora, Niiringard, Vasloria, Wyldemarr and Avalorn. It even stretches out to the lost continent of Samarkand.
- The Ivailan Sea- which lies betweeen Altheim, Norheim and Aurunia, engulfing the entirety of the Ivalis Archipelago.
- The Jade Sea - which lies east of the Jade-Lands and borders the continents of Arkvard, Shendora, Rishamia and Wyldemarr.
- The Norse Sea - which lies along the northern border of the world and borders Norheim, The Icelands, Altheim, Arkvard and Vethros. It also engulfs the entirety of the Abyssal Wastes.
- The Southern Sea - which lies along the southern border of the world and borders Athenar, Ysselhaim, Avalorn, Vasloria and Samarkand.
The Shroud
The large and mystical forest, that covers the north-western part of Rishamia, is known as The Shroud and marks a natural border between the material plane and the mystical plane of The Feywild. It is said that at certain phases of the moon, travel between the two planes can naturally occur within this forest, leading feyfolk into the material plane and mortal folk into The Feywild.
World Maelstroms
Spread across the Seven Seas, and located deep within the sea, there exist nine World Maelstroms on Arceiron - huge vortexes of water, that lead down to the deepest ridges of the world. Sages and scholars believe that it is from these maelstroms, that the magic of the Weave flows from The Astral Sea into the world of Arceiron. This makes these places incredibly potent sources of arcane energy, but also incredibly dangerous for the world as a whole. An old elven legend tells of three great world-ending evils that slumber below these maelstroms, and that can never be awaken, or the world as we know it would end.
These maelstroms vary in size, the biggest one being the vortex contained within the inner sea of Niiringard, from which once an enormous demonic host tried to invade the material plane, before the demonic hordes were stopped by the elves, who are since protecting the vortex with powerful magic, harnessing its phenomenal power as a source for their race's magical heritage.
World's End
While it is known, that the northern-most regions of Arceiron are the endless Abyssal Wastes, only rumors tell of these hidden away lands at the southern edge of the world, known only as World's End. It is said, that the coast of these lands can only be reached by those marked by the gods and that the bleak landscape behind it leads to mystical realms of The Shadowfell. Many sages believe that all dead souls travel to World's End and from here pass over into the lands of the dead.
Localized Phenomena
Sun
Arceiron rotates around a star at the proper distance to allow life on the planet's surface; this star is the Sun of Vita, often associated with the goddess herself.
Satellites
Arceiron has two moons, named Lune and Reva. Though often depicted close to each other, Lune and Reva have different orbits and can appear in different points in the sky.
Lune
Lune is similar in appearance to Earth's Moon, though it is closer to Arceiron and appears larger in the sky. It has a 30 to 40 day cycle during which it waxes and wanes. This moon is often believed to be either controlled by or be a part or even physical embodiment of the goddess Selûne.
Reva
Reva appears smaller in Arceiron's sky due to its further distance from the planet, and its reddish-purple, maroon-brown color contributes to a dimmer glow. Lycanthropy is relatively unaffected by this moon in comparison to the closer moon. It has a very slow orbit, taking around six months (up to 182 days) for a revolution, and is visible for about half of the year. Myths and rumors about Reva abound. Some believe it to be either pre-creation from when the elements themselves were consuming all of Arceiron. Others believe it may have not originally existed, but was a creation of the goddess Nyx, who was envious of Selûne and her moon of Lune. There is a standard belief in various cultures across Arceiron of it being an entity of ill-omen.
History
Long ago, the Material Plane was a single, unified world—Arceiron—crafted by The Creator and brought to life by Chauntera, Vita, Selûne, and Nyx. But when Ouroboros, the Father of Dragons, was driven mad by the envy of his brother Tharizul, his rampage tore the plane asunder.
To save creation, The Creator slew Ouroboros, but the damage was done: the world shattered into six fragments. Arceiron, the largest and most intact, retained the title of Prime Material Plane, while the others—Caeronir, Eracion, Nocirrae, Orcanire, and Rocnaire—now drift as separate worlds, still faintly tethered to their origin.
Alternative Name(s)
Prime Material Plane
Type
Dimensional plane
Included Locations
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