Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Arcadia

The outer plane of Arcadia, located between Mechanus and Celestia, home of many gods and many amazing markets where some of the most finely crafted tools of war can be purchased at a fair price.
On the surface it appears a peaceful paradise, but in the worlds of the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition roleplaying game, appearances can be deceiving.
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[@draxthemsklonst]

Feeling an affinity for Arcadia. Unfortunate how Mechanus is ruining it. If traveling on foot, would adventurers need to go through another upper plane, as an in-between, on their way to the Feywild?

[@TheMimiSard]

By the sounds of it, the Harmonium is ruining it.

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

If one would count "through the portal" as "on foot", then the answer is any of above and much more. It is just as possible, even if less increasingly likely, to find a portal to Arcadia on Prime Material as it is on Upper Planes, Feywild, Outlands, and even Lower Planes and Shadowdark. Still, the method mentioned consistently from edition to edition, is through the gate-town of Fortitude, in Outlands. Gate-towns are built around 16 natural portals to 16 Outer Planes, portals which take wastly different shapes, but are of same purpose, and, due to proximity of the plane, the towns often take on qualities of the plane, slightly offset by some traces of opposite alignment so it does not suddenly find itself on the other side. Thus, Fortitude, sometimes called "The Egg" for the shape of its walls, is Arcadian microcosm - orderly, pretty, in many ways controlled by Harmonium, and not welcoming of profound shows of individuality. There, on the side away from the omnivitnessed Spire, lies the portal - upon a small, seven-tiered ziggurat, a greenish, billowing flame, seen from afar. Enter, and one would find himself in a forest, not that far way from the Orb of Day and Night, roughly between the Citadels of Wind and Lightning Kings, two of four Storm Kings, group of demigods who control the weather on plane.

[@draxthemsklonst]

+Tenosit Sergeich This is interesting. Magic is dulled in Arcadia, increased in the Feywild, so near the portal would it act as normal? Also, aren't there some Archfey that are allowed to freely roam from the Feywild to the upper planes, as they are "Seelie Court" and thus not counted as enemies? The lawful nature of Arcadia is likely the biggest anti-fey (of Seelie Court) aspect of Arcadia. Maybe they are less/slightly welcome, but grudgingly allowed to enter, under close watch?

[@draxthemsklonst]

+Mimi Sardinia Point taken.

[@dadsdone3524]

@@user-qd8yy9lc4g Spot on!

[@joshuazane3210]

Personally, I think I'd find Arcadia a bit eerie. Between the angular rivers, perfectly evenly spaced plants, and lack of dusk/dawn it's like the whole plane has this uncanny valley sort of effect.

[@AJPickett]

exactly.

[@Enixon869]

I always picture it as sort of looking like the world map of an old RPG video game like Dragon Quest where all the rivers, forests, mountains etc. are laid out on an invisible grid

[@agsilverradio2225]

That sums up why it's my 2nd least favorite upper plane. My rankings from best to worst go: Bytopia, Arboria, Elysium, Ysguard, Mt.Celest, Archadia, Beastlands.

[@Maxbeedo2]

Some things I noted while running a session in Arcadia: 1. The Einheriar often use their alignment detection in their policing. I accidentally rolled a Ring of Mind Shielding for sale in one of the law-abiding markets (which is all of them), then had to take it back because it wouldn't make sense for such an item to be sold there since it would foil the local police (who are respected). 2. It's likely the cities and markets would charge nominal fees for entry, license to sell, license to buy, possibly everything, and everyone willingly pays these and won't deal with those who don't have these licenses, but unlike Mechanus the fees would probably be very small and the processing time quick, so it's barely an inconvenience. 3. I can't remember where I read this, but some of the magical trees could produce fruit that permanently boost stats, and these tend to be heavily protected (and everyone who owns them likely has 20+ in all stats), but also could attract nefarious visitors whom the owners might need help dealing with. 4. The squads or platoons of Einheriar would probably work together very well. Since petitioners only have 2 hit dice usually, they aren't much of a threat to a high-level planar-traveling party, but in large groups that use tactics like shoving, grappling and the Help action they can still be annoying, and obviously when 20-50 armored soldiers marching in formation address the party they're going to be intimidated either way. The Einheriar have to be good at their jobs because unlike Mechanus, Bytopia or Elysium, the plane itself doesn't try to force anyone to change alignment, so it has to be patrolled and protected by the relatively normal inhabitants. 5. Poison and Disease don't exist here, and there's an infinite amount of space and resources, so things like the cost of food and water are either reduced or ignored completely (depending on the quality and if it had to be cooked/prepared), and most natives are willing to shelter visitors for cheap since they aren't afraid of having their limitless food stolen. It's a good plane for ignoring the upkeep costs of adventuring (if you feel you need justification to do so).

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

One should not forget that Harmonium enlists not only humans and dwarves from their world, but also races and creatures commonly regarded as evil, for example, hobgoblins, and even some beholders. So, while not welcome, evil on Arcadia may be way more common than one would think.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Yeah, I get the feeling the Harmonium will eventually fall into lawful neutral.

[@whitleypedia]

Every time someone mentions Arcadia I think of King Leonidas saying "ARCADIAN! WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION!"

[@Insane-Howl-Cowl]

I always enjoy hearing about the good aligned planes. It’s calming and inspiring in an odd way.

[@AmaryInkawult]

Definitely. Won't muck up the thread with my sortakinda rant I recently posted. But yes, sometimes an adventure can have calm moments of respite.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

It balances out all the horror the worst places the multiverse has to offer. The good-aligned planes are also places where evil has no lasting horror. Where evil slowly washes away.

[@Greenscyth22]

Arcadia: Paradise for people with OCD everywhere.

[@GamEninjaz]

Can u please do all the planes?!

[@jgr7487]

D&D, where even the Upper Planes are horrifying!

[@agsilverradio2225]

Qiest idea: abunch of celestrials and good alligned patitioners meet with the modrons in Sigil, to negotiate the rescue the stranded Chaotic creatues and Archadians from Mechinus. I immagine the modrons don't want them there any more than they want to be there.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Sounds like a perfect place for an aspiring god to just go and snatch the missing layer of arcadia. Clearly, NG just isn't willing to save its territory and LN is just too uninspired to see the perfect opportunity it presents for a theiving god. To steal a layer already stolen.

[@DTHL-nj4qv]

Just once, I would like AJ to open with "What's up guys, it's ya boy AJ coming at ya again with a DnD commentary."

[@AJPickett]

Get used to disappointment.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Or you could try bribery.

[@maggintons]

Id love a campaign where you fight against the Harmonium, but at the end of the campaign, your efforts to destroy the Harmonium fully merge your plane with Mechanus.

[@AmaryInkawult]

Am I the only one seeing our avatars just laying down in the open fields of Arcadia just chilling with gentle sunlight kissing their cheeks as the crisp winds flow through their hair with the grass gently caressing their bodies? Sure adventuring is fun and hilarious at times, but sometimes... relaxation is always welcome even if it's temporary. Perhaps a well earned nap after a long haul in the darkest of dungeons. Fresh scents of the produce being carried through the wind as we just take in the beauty. Sure the adventure awaits us, but for now let's just enjoy the moment. Enjoy the moment of rest before we gather our gear and march on to our destinations. The purest essence of the journey contains not only hardships, but also kinships among adventurers. Sorry for getting lost in the moment. Who's ready to go down a layer closer to potential danger?!

[@dracorex426]

Seems easy enough to retrieve that lost layer. It's jammed up in Absolute Law, and only a purely Good-motivated mission could ever retrieve it. So stop sending Lawful Good to do Chaotic Good's job, and make priority number one rescuing the trapped petitioners.

[@christopherbravo1813]

because chaotic beings are likely weakened in planes of Law?

[@scicen]

Smart idea

[@marvalice3455]

Oh my! This is actually super interesting.

[@AJPickett]

"The Lawful planes are boring?" *AJ cracks knuckles* "hold my beer"

[@sanddry738]

For some reason that ending section reminds me of the Clockwork Virus SCP horror story. Absolute law isn’t as good as one may first think it would be.

[@midshipman8654]

idk, of course this might be more philosophical, but isnt good in itself the abiding by a specific law? even if its implicit? would it be more acurate to say that they are two laws, or two goods, that are different?

[@zakosist]

@@midshipman8654 While law and goodness often go hand in hand, I think good (vs evil) is more about consequence, while law is more about the acts themself

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

Actually, the mountain of Orb of Day and Night and Mount Clanggedin are separate landmarks on Abellio. But, if someone has created the Orb, it may as well be dwarves.

[@grimgrimery4242]

What brought me here was a lvl 20 campaign where two lichs were plane shifted into a random plane. They landed in Arcadia and I wondered how long they would survive or thrive. Executed immediately, good to know. Also, absolutely love the videos you make, I have been binge watching all your plane and dragons videos and just adore them.

[@AJPickett]

Thank you

[@TheGlader2]

Only 21k views . . . 95% DMs I really appreciate this channel

[@zmishiymishi5349]

Cool. Im making a dungeon, with one floor being a book, carved on walls, with rooms presenting different planes, its great to have Your vids

[@_Carlos]

Ok, hear me out: Evil campaign where you're contracted by Devils to push Arcadia into the lawful evil alignment. You're players could even be good or neutral characters with devilish debts to repay

[@maggintons]

Better idea. Devils promise the refugees of the third layer freedom from Mechanus and you "Free" them by making the layer lawful evil.

[@christopherbravo1813]

@@maggintons sounds like the plan is to drag them to Acheron.

[@kmoustakas]

Dworfiest of dworfs - I clicked like

[@lycansdietired7837]

I have the EinHerJar spawn in a lot of the abilities for the Viking gods on my channel, I thought about using arcadia and now I know a lot more about the plane. Great Video AJ!!!!

[@dragonballtalk8527]

Aj is on my d&d playlist he is the list

[@jeremysmith9291]

I had a lovecraftian horror flashback at 16:55 because I thought you said "tekeli-li"

[@gargoyles9999]

ARCADIA STANDS!!!

[@dragonballtalk8527]

Feed the antpeople

[@Melantrist]

Just throwing that out there - being the duplicitous though lawful fiends that rakshasas are, do you think that maybe, just maybe they are secretly running the Harmonium? Also, yes, this IS a tinfoil helmet :D

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

I would say that some more lawful-minded rakshasa ARE visibly part of Harmonium. Not the best part, but since they already employ devils, why not other lawful fiends? And it takes no time to figure that even the most law-devoted fiend will see Harmonium's motto of "Harmonium is Right" as "I AM Right", so rakshasas steering the way into own favor is a logical thing to see.

[@Melantrist]

I imagine that there are those who are openly part of the Harmonium and those that are under cover faking opposition and steering the agendas.

[@gargoyles9999]

Winter turned into spring. Spring turned into summer. Summer turned back into winter. Then winter gave spring and summer a miss and went straight on into Autumn

[@ToaTitanus]

LOOOVE that intro theme isnt as loud. GG AJ

[@mrnotadoor6066]

I love your vids on the multiverse! please do more!

[@EdricLysharae]

Great video. I liked your pacing when you showed us the setting and ongoing history of this decaying plane.

[@bravojr]

Wait, only a Dollar a month i get your scripts? Fuck yeah I might do that in the future.

[@roszettatolliver4358]

See the whole thing I loved about that was that a shop keeper when trying to rip me off and even when I know that they're trying to rip me off in the lower planes if I call them out on it I still go to jail but here it seems like it just wouldn't happen

[@matthewhicks6089]

Skip to around 7:30 for the murder hobo reference. Sounds like the next time the all rogue campaign upsets me they are going to get involved in a heist on Arcadia as punishment.

[@keykeeper8167]

Thank you very much. This will help so much with fleshing out the parties adventures here.

[@brandtdowney6819]

Love your work! Keep it up

[@brandtdowney6819]

I started DnD 2 years ago with 5e, so it's very inspiring to learn about older module lore. I love the corresponding, panning art too

[@kordelshorgar122]

0:50 jajaja that's how i picture your garden to be

[@VolosynT]

I'm Running the Great Modron March, and they are currently in Arcadia.. but like just found a portal to leave.... i wish you did this video a few weeks/months ago! Hurry up with the others now!! :P Keep up the good work!

[@farspeakerdm90]

I want to go to the Basilica of St Cuthbert.

[@rickeymariu1]

Man lawful plains are creepy

[@chabreed3714]

Thank you AJ

[@loum153]

hey there my dude. I have a question. how do the core races reproduce? ( gnomes, halfings, dwarves) ive been looking and cant find it anywhere. looking for similar info to that given in mordenkainens tomb of foes of that of the elves which explains why there aren't as many elves as humans. mostly interested in the halfings and gnomes

[@AJPickett]

Dwarves definitely have a slower birth rate than humans and don't have more than one or two children at a time, but, they live a long time, so can have children over a longer period of time than Humans and may have kids again after other kids have left the home, Gnomes also have multiple generations of kids, they vary a lot but don't tend to have many children compared to Halflings, who have a comparable rate to Humans, and tend to large families. Goblins... put rabbits to shame.

[@loum153]

so gnomes just choose to not have as many kids? no magic to it like the elves? also thank you so much for getting to my questions. you are my favorite channel on youtube and I am so so happy you are able to do this full time now. I love this recent focus on the outer planes.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Well the other races were doing fine until man developed bird hunting. Then the storks of other races simply have not been faring well. Or did you mean when one dwarf meets another dwarf they bang on rocks together until they annoy the dwarven god enough to give them someone to shut them up. When an elf meets another elf they begin a rather protracted courtship of who loves nature more. Since this a rather dangerous courtship since in the end the female will devour the head of her mate and an elf baby will be brought into the world. Halfing meets and halfling. They have to meet each other a quarter of the way and eat enough to pass out. Then bam halfling baby. Gnomes meets gnome they have to trick one another into faerie with exceedingly clever tricks or one of them gets bored and leaves.

[@michaelkelligan7931]

Well.....when a mommy and daddy meet and they love each other very much..........

[@loum153]

yeah yeah yeah I know they call the storke. @@michaelkelligan7931

[@rickfox4068]

You've lived a good life. Followed your god's teachings. Now you have passed away, and get to spend eternity working as a joyous slave to your god, toiling at the forge or tending the farms of the land.

[@AJPickett]

These alignment plane videos really reveal a lot about the people posting comments on them, particularly the planes dealing strongly with Good and Evil.

[@Dontreallycare5]

Lol, spoken like someone about to find their asses in Limbo suddenly wishing they had appreciated the structures of society that gave their life shape and direction. Or just having a total blast zooming around with that subjective gravity!

[@shamusfarmer]

Wow, I got a lot of good wallpapers for my phone from this... PS: LOVE the exploration videos, AJ!

[@dragonballtalk8527]

How would a party's campaign starting in a bar in a town in the material plane ever wind up fighting one of these

[@Raso719]

Love your videos! Didn't you do a vid, or two, on the elemental planes? I can't seem to find them anywhere and they are very relevant to a campaign I'm currently planning....

[@AJPickett]

Positive and Negative planes, with border plane information.

[@zakosist]

Animals just giving up their life for you? That's crazy. I feel like this realm is so orderly its almost a bit unsettling, despite being a good realm

[@dxjxc91]

An infinite flat plane with a rotating sphere of day and night? Are you sure this isn't flat earth theory?

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

And oh yeah, the atmosphere is controlled by wind gods. Wow. Though it is still wonky on the matter of how Buxenus gets sunlight, if the "sun" is on Abellio. Outer Planes be a mystery.

[@chriscalvin5083]

good video AJ

[@tatsusama3192]

.... This is like if The Stepford Wives were applied to a plane of existence O_O

[@dragonballtalk8527]

I saw a formian ant queen mini on gallant goblin channel I think it was pathfinder

[@ethren3344]

You should do a video on the avariel!

[@jthomas669]

Awesome post! 👍 Do you think you'll ever cover Psionics?

[@locorocky1]

Can you do the Kraken?

[@kevinericsnell4092]

Ugh, I can just imagine living here and constantly being fined or punished for opening my vegetable shop a FEW minutes after daylight. And I'd be saying, "It's not my fault! Daylight comes in a split second." They'd definitely nudge me out to a more chaotic plane.

[@AJPickett]

Tell me about it, my work is banned there due to my flagrant disregard for the oxford comma.

[@PhoenixFlame321]

Perhaps Mount Celestia's lower layers would be more forgiving of your no-victims crimes? Perhaps Bytopia's more lax approach to peace-keeping would fit you better? Alas, there's always Elysium as an option, which is pretty chill overall (maybe you would get less stuff done due to the Blessed Field's emotional atmosphere giving you way too much chill)

[@TraciPeteyforlife]

I get the feeling they won't like my chaos good approach to life. Never except that greater good crap. It leads to stupid.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Greater good is and has always been short hand for unethical behavior. Since it relies heavily on on data that doesn't exist. And evil is never far behind.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

"the greater good." vs "the lesser evil." 😈🤔🤓

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Both have caused more paladin falls than any other. A lesser evil is still committing evil.

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

And, oh, speaking of Harmonium? Guess where did all the neutral and chaotic good races, like elves and gnomes and goodly fey, go on their homeworld of Ortho? (answer: the same direction giants, orcs, ogres, trolls, and gnolls go when a party of Lawful Stupid adventurers becomes new world order)

[@richlong7705]

Are you teasing us? 13:20 & 15:36 you bring up Asmodeus in this realm? Now you will need to elaborate in a future episode

[@richlong7705]

Lol. Not being a jerk , I love your hardwork. Thank you. It's all extremely informative

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

So this is where the cows at Milliways comes from?

[@anonymous36247]

Happy cows come from California. Orderly cows come.from Arcadia.

[@glorbojibbins2485]

I'm from the northwestern region of Cascadia... But that's in the American plane of existence lol 😂

[@stinky8744]

I DONT LIKE THIS PLAN, I T FEELS SO OPEN AND TOO PERFECT, but i like the trees thou there cool ( inner GOLD Dwarf showing)

[@christopherbravo1813]

so many campaign ideas...

[@derrabbit7289]

I wonder if Mechanus is a version of Phyrexia?

[@draxthemsklonst]

If making *loose* parallels: more like Mirrodin, some parts like New Phyrexia (some parts closer to original Phyrexia), sort of a combo...because of it's infinite nature. These are very approximate comparisons. Yes, that is approximately correct, though. There could be a similar comparison with the formians and the myr.

[@Yuudaddy]

Wait so the Modrons and Mechanus are canon again?

[@jacobwilson8579]

Ya... That is all

[@Yuudaddy]

@@jacobwilson8579 HELL YEAH!

[@Sebasti44n]

They are in The Tomb of Annihilation

[@bluehairash8317]

Jamming to this into

[@dadsdone3524]

Player's Prohibited! Dm's Only. ;)

[@cosmicparticles9658]

Please do Pandemonium.

[@AKNeal81]

So if you can cross over from Forgotten Realms into Dragonlance/Greyhawk settings are there any stories written where this has happened canonically?

[@user-qd8yy9lc4g]

I think that there is not much of it in the settings themselves, beyond an occasional reference to a named spell or other such minor thing. I guess it has to do with settings having to deal with themselves, not others. Subsequently, as their setting is literaly "all the settings", it is Spelljammer's and Planescape's bread, butter, and wine. Spelljammer moreso, as it deals with Prime solar systems, so you are kinda almost expected that you will deal with multiple setting worlds at once; conveniently, systems of Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and Forgotten Realms are relatively easy to get from one to other. Though, one of course could make a grand Spelljammer space opera not directly connected to other settings, it just will take much to flesh it out properly.

[@N3bu14Gr4y]

Chalk it up to my ingrained Christianity, but I find the idea of dying in the Outer Planes (at least permanent death) to be a horrifying concept. This extends even to the animals, because why would petitioners need to eat? Not even the damned have this need (though desires would certainly abound). One would think the plane would temper the animals' instincts to avoid overpopulation preemptively. Also, do the animals have souls, or is it similar to how fey are recycled?

[@ataraxia7439]

I could be wrong but I think in one of the planescape books it was explained that animals in the beastlands re-incarnate after they die and that's why they can get so good at doing what ever it is that animal does. Elves also re-incarnate a lot. Also most petitioners who follow a certain god are said fuse with the god if they die on their plane. The true death in the after life is a scary thought.

[@chazzwozzio]

@@ataraxia7439 and yet sought out by a few barmy bodies known as Dustmen

[@ataraxia7439]

@@chazzwozzio awww they're such a good faction. Torment was definitely right to use them as an introduction the concept of factions on sigil.

[@christopherbravo1813]

I think it'd be interesting if death in the Outer Planes resulted in reincarnation in the Material Plane. in fact, that's a concept I might use if I ever DM a campaign.

[@pikminmaster2165]

@@christopherbravo1813 Die in an Outer Plane, Reborn in the Material Plane? THAT SOUNDS SO CREATIVE!

[@Unity_Space_Cyber]

*saxes third layer* =DDD

[@maggintons]

So basically... Minecraft.

[@AJPickett]

Yes.

[@mosshivenetwork117]

Sauce.

[@brandtdowney6819]

I'm 3 minutes in and already had an advertisement. I hope you were monetized for this.

[@AJPickett]

Should be no more than an ad every ten minutes, as opposed to TV, which has them at least every seven minutes (this may have changed, I stopped watching TV years ago).

[@massage1010]

Great

[@michaelkelligan7931]

I created a unique race of halflings found in Arcadia with hair the color of corn silk and psionics,lawful in alignment and quite wise! Neat 🙄

[@ozzymandius666]

Et in Arcadia ego.

[@DavidBrown-fx7li]

Never like that the writers of this book removed a level of this plane. dnd is about some degree of balance so do you then remove two hundred from the abyss, two levels from the nine hells etc...

[@tormunnvii3317]

Why would the writers of this lore - in this case the infinitely abundant and perfectly planned utopia of Arcadia - still have the need to use markets? Markets are literally the product of scarcity??!

[@AJPickett]

Actually no, coming from a town with many, many gardens and orchards, most often it is people trading for the excess they produce that they can't use. Those who don't have those items can get them and trade their excess as well.

[@Dontreallycare5]

I think you are mistaking capitalism, a system of ownership driven by scarcity (real or synthetic), for the concept of trade which is just any interaction where services or goods change hands. This is a common misunderstanding in the west since there are so many economists, politicians, and lay people who conflate capitalism with free markets when they are not actually related to each other. Theoretically you could have free markets in any context of ownership so long as the owning class doesn’t place restrictions on private exchange of goods. If there are no laws restricting peasants from traveling and trading, then it doesn’t matter that a feudal lord owns all the lands and collects all the taxes, the market is still free. Relatedly, infinite material resources does very little to constrain the primary drivers of any market: time and labor. Infinite iron ore does not mean you as an individual have all the nails you need to build a house.

[@AJPickett]

@@Dontreallycare5 *looks around* What part of New Zealand is in the West?

[@Dontreallycare5]

@@AJPickett The part that is 70% European by heritage and is still part of the Commonwealth Realm with Charles the Third as it’s sovereign head? XD

[@archlich4489]

Convenience. You pay for it already being gathered.

[@delenaa9312]

Are you gonna talk about other Devils