The Kingdom of Arcanara
Arcanara is an underground kingdom located on the eastern side of Vitallia’s mainland. It consists of vast cavernous cities connected through sprawling tunnel networks. Inhabited by the Maor Elves—known locally as the Antara—the kingdom is a sealed society built around labor, hierarchy, and the extraction of meteoric energy. The first settlers were led below the earth by An-Khaless-Na, an Amar who sought the essence of the Crater by digging deep into Vitallia’s core.
Campaigning in Arcanara
Arcanara is notoriously difficult to access. Outsiders who enter without invitation are often repelled, imprisoned, or enslaved to toil in the tunnels. The few cities that make up the kingdom connect through treacherous warrens filled with monsters, collapsing caverns, and harsh overseers. Campaigns set here focus on survival, political tension, and navigating alien cultural norms.
The People of Arcanara
The Antara are a civilization forged underground. They obey the commands of a supreme monarch descended from An-Khaless-Na—whose authority is revered as divine. Their lives revolve around collective labor, excavation, and cultivating the meteoric fragments that fuel their society.
Antara culture emphasizes duty, loyalty, and sacrifice. Their surface ventures are rare privileges, granted only to accomplished workers or trusted soldiers.
Useful Lore
Arcanara’s greatest threats come from within:
Grueling labor demands strain the workforce.
Deadly underground beasts ambush tunnel expeditions.
Rebel factions seek to overturn the rigid hierarchy.
Meteoric excavation exposes workers to lethal radiation, poisoning, and madness.
The kingdom’s stability relies on harsh discipline, militarized order, and the tireless exploitation of resources beneath the earth.
The Dangers of Arcanara
Traveling in Arcanara is perilous:
Monsters stalk the tunnels and caverns.
Foreigners have no guaranteed safety or right of return.
Toxic essence exposure from meteoric fragments claims countless lives.
The labyrinthine warrens make navigation difficult even for seasoned Antara.
Every journey is a gamble, and survival depends on knowledge, caution, or sheer luck.
Antara Customs
The royal bloodline descends exclusively from An-Khaless-Na. Only her children may rule.
Their spouses are ceremonial and serve as Royal Vessels (Ruhad), valued for lineage rather than authority.
Each city is governed by a high-ranking military officer.
All Antara are required to work the tunnels, though elite workers earn privileges such as surface travel.
Slaves also work the tunnels but rarely return to the surface.
Workers earn Lumi, a currency exchanged for outdoor Sun Hours, granting precious time under the open sky.
The kingdom is illuminated by Saol, an artificial sun powered by meteoric energy.
Curses and hexes are common among the Antara populace.
Certain Antara tame monsters for labor assistance.
Diplomats known as Salim represent Arcanara in foreign lands.
Basic Information
Sigil: A Spider
Location: The Mainland
Founding Date: 10 AC
Capital: Metea
Population: 100,000
Military: 30,000
Official State Religion: —
Official Language: Sentin
Leader: Ariaxnidon
Government System: Monarchy
Power Structure: Unitary State
Economy System: Palace Economy
Native Race: Elf