Cosmology

The world of Arcis is, like earth, a large corporeal object of matter adrift in a kind of void, with many recognizable characteristics (weather, oceans, continents, civilizations anthropomorphic peoples etc.) However, the details beyond that diverge greatly from the traditional concepts of a universe. The "planet" itself is toroidal, as opposed to spherical, and has two moons: Belmea and Solstea. The void in which it drifts bears enough visual similarity to the universe of earth so as to be mistaken for it at first glance, but in actuality is different in enough ways so as to be substantially different.

The Torus

A calculation of Arcis' dimensions by a consultant for the Adventurer's Guild

The world of Arcis is shaped like a Torus with an outer circumference of nearly 30,000 miles. The space in the center of the Torus is commonly known as the Annulus.

The Moons

Arcis is orbited by two moons, each with their own orbital patterns and cultural, historical, and religious significance. Since atmospheric conditions are fundamentally different on Arcis than they are on Earth, the Moons are theoretically traversable and inhabitable, as evidenced by examples such as The Orphic Veil.

Solstea

_{See also: Solstea}

Arcis' more stabling orbiting moon, Solstea maintains an even orbit around the outer circumference of Arcis, and therefore plays a much bigger role in measuring time and creating calendars than her counterpart Belmea. Early in recorded history the Thri-Kreen began to worship Solstea as a deity and therefore gave rise her to sentience and power (see Divinity).

Belmea

_{See also: Belmea}

In contrast with Solstea, Belmea's orbit around Arcis is irregular and chaotic. Though the subject of study by many scholars, no mathematical pattern to it's movement has yet been proven. However, methods of divination have proven capable of predicting certain movements of Belmea a short time before they happen. On very rare occasions this moon will pass through the Annulus. This event occurs less than once a century and is met with very important celebratory rituals in many cultures, including the Kinisi celebration of southern Thalindor. It has been noted that during this event several other prominent celestial phenomena occur, such as runic illumination of the stars, hyperactivity of the paranormal sight in Runegazers, and strange shifting patterns on the moon.

The Sun and Stars

Technically speaking there are no sun or stars on Arcis. Instead the stars and daylight are visual phenomena that occur to observers on the Torus caused by a field of magical energy that envelops it. This magical field concentrates light in various intensities: when dim, it resembles Earth's stars, and when bright, it mimics daylight without forming a distinct, blinding sun-like object. The residents of Arcis use this phenomenon as their day-night cycle.