Cosmology of Arkadia

Celestial Bodies

The celestial bodies of Arkadia differ from that of Earth, and are intrinsically tied to the gods and magic. At one time the celestial bodies were relatively well understood, and their position in the sky could be predicted if one knew the math. The druidic Circle of Stars were shepherds of this information, and drew magic from the predictability of their patterns. However, the Cataclysm changed all that. Some bodies were destroyed, and others appeared. Some of the new bodies rejected the notion of predictability, and instead became seen as reflections of the gods themselves. It is said that understanding the new celestial bodies will give you insight into the secrets of the magical world and the motivation of the gods themselves.

The Sun

The Sun is approximately the same size as our sun, but is a little more orange in colour, resulting in warmer tones across the world. It rises in the East and sets in the West. Since the Cataclysm, the Sun has been associated with Lathander. The sun rotates around Arkadia once every 24 hours. Prior to the cataclysm, the sun colour was closer to our own (yellow) and the day length was 28 hours.

The Seasons

There are four seasons in Arkadia, called Spring, Summer, Autumn, & Winter. They are evenly divided across the year. The northern parts of Arkadia experience more snow, and the southern parts of Arkadia experience none. The northern parts of Honoro and Amon-Ra experience some snow, but not much - and in some years, none at all. It takes ~ 192 days to complete a trip through the seasons. Prior to the cataclysm the year length was ~ 255 days, the climate was overall milder, and the temperature fluctuations were more moderate.

The Moon

There is one moon in Arkadia, which appears as the same size as our own moon. It is typically a pale yellow. The moon rises in the East and sets in the West. The moon is typically associated with Selune and the elves. This moon is one of three that existed before the cataclysm, and was previously associated with the elves.

The Stars & Constellations

The stars are affixed in a celestial sphere that rotates around Arkadia. Some cultures have grouped patterns of stars into constellations which may be associated with gods, ancestors, mythical creatures, or folklore. As such, the names of constellations varies from group to group.

The Cataclysm

Once the atmospheric debris settled out of the sky, a new celestial sky presented itself to Arkadians. The changes to the sky (pre- or post-cataclysm) are listed here.

Pre-Cataclysm

The Dwarven Moon

The Dwarven Moon was once the largest moon in the sky, about three times the size of the moon that survived. It was a metallic silver blue in colour, and was associated with the (now dead) dwarven god Dunedar. It had a lunar period of 28 hours, and rose only when the Sun had set. It is gone now.

The Human Moon

The Human Moon was the smallest moon in the sky, about 1/3 the size of the moon that survived. It was gold in colour, and was associated with the human civilization. It had a lunar period of 100 days. It is gone now, leaving behind a black void in the sky where no other stars can be seen, nor do wanderers cross.

Post-Cataclysm

The Wanderers

A new type of star was observed in the night sky which became known as 'the wanderers'. These stars do not remain fixed in one location, and their location cannot be predicted through simple mathematics. Such a star might remain in a single spot for months at a time, or may disappear for months at a time - or they may wander around the sky, appearing only during the day, or only during the night. The New Order and priests of the New Gods claim that these stars are directly linked to the new gods themselves.

The Embers

Post-Cataclysm, the sky was filled with what were once called shooting stars or falling stars. In the wake of the Cataclysm, the frequency of these events increased substantially. In the first few years, hundreds of these could be seen every night all across Arkadia. They were exceptionally bright, too: a single Ember could light up the entire night sky. This created much panic across the realm for many years. The frequency of these substantial events has decreased such that they are now seen only rarely - perhaps once a month. They are often accompanied with many other Embers as well, still incredibly bright but dimmer than the primary. Elves and other long lived races insist that they frequency of what were previously called 'shooting stars' has also increased, and has not dwindled since the Cataclysm. These events have defied prediction, and the occasional flare-up where dozens of primary Embers can be seen within a few days is always cause for concern among the populace.
There are many hypotheses as to the source of the Embers. Some speculate that it is remnants of the Dwarven Moon slowly flaming up, as the magic can no longer hold it together. Others speculate that each Ember reflects a loss of knowledge or culture from either the dwarven or human civilizations. Others speculate that it is the death of the old gods, who have lost their believers, disappearing into the void.

Cosmic Statistics

Solar Day Length: 24 hours (used to be 28 hours)
Solar Year Length: ~ 192 days (used to be ~255 days)
Lunar Day Length: 20 hours (used to be 30)
Lunar Month: ~ 28 days