Lost Arcana of Gia: An Adventurer's Guide
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Welcome to the World of Gia
This book provides all that is required to craft a beautiful and intricate story as adventurers travel the wilds of Gia¸ exploring its seven continents and interacting with more than fifty major population zones¸ ruins¸ and dozens of significant locations. The pages are beautifully illustrated using the Inkarnate software¸ featuring two-page custom continental maps with grid distance¸ major city layouts¸ and visuals to aid explorers in understanding the world they are traversing.
Start with the Primer¸ decide the style of your next adventure¸ then simply find your continent of choice in Chapter 4: The Physical World. There you can read everything from the history¸ points of interest¸ and an overarching dynamic of each city and how it plays into the overall political structure.
About the Setting
Through the Breach¸ the raw arcana of the Prime Elementals burst into the material plane¸ a world created in secret. Veiled from the purview of the countless Gods¸ the Primes sought a planet to call their own¸ a world that looked to them as deities. Gia represents the success of bringing forth life through the collision of all the Prime's violent arcana¸ a world born with limitless potential. Successful in their initial design¸ the remnants of this violent arcana have ripped through the eras of time¸ resulting in unknown consequences.
Gia is a world bred from competition¸ hardships¸ struggles¸ war¸ and death. The four elder races of Elves¸ Gnomes¸ Humans¸ and Dragonborn were created to compete on a grand stage to prove their superiority and¸ ultimately¸ the power of the Primes. This trait¸ this struggle¸ remains prevalent in all of creation¸ leading to a world where competition¸ in all regards¸ is the only way of life.
Gia is a low fantasy setting in the aftermath of a mass conflict referred to by the population as the "Battle of the Cleanse.” This conflict pitted most of Gia's elite warriors against one another at the base of an active volcano¸ a contest against magic superiority and mundane enslavement. While the global takeover was stopped¸ the conflict ended with the eruption of Inferno's Gate¸ its unnatural eruption blanketing the population with indiscriminate death. While figures are not exact¸ roughly a third of the population was lost¸ a vast majority being the strongest warriors and most gifted spellcasters.
The world resides 700 years into a new era defined by past bloodshed. While time saps away the pain¸ the sentiment toward magic remains in the shadow of the dead. Displays of arcane prowess are met with mixed reactions. Races of shorter lifespans read scrolls and chronicles in their studies¸ frequently questioning the lack of arcane progression. The longer-lived races¸ however¸ show open resistance and even aggression toward those who wield arcana¸ particularly those who wield it for personal gain. Despite reservations¸ the population has rekindled the usefulness of enchantments and the arcane¸ filling their homes with enchanted trinkets that aid in day-to-day life.
The world remains focused on reconstituting families and ways of life¸ with the pursuit of arcane study falling by the wayside for most. Additionally¸ throughout Gia¸ the population still benefits from incredible feats of creation of the ancients¸ doing that can be used by not replicated.
Fully illustrated using Inkarnate
Choosing a Starting Location
Gia consists of seven continents¸ each designed with a unique style to provide an adventurer with a setting that best suits any style. Due to difficulty in sea travel and high-level arcane abilities such as teleportation¸ continents have developed into self-contained ecosystems¸ each having a unique feel based on its history. The following outlines the overarching theme for each continent with an in-depth look found in individual continents later in this guide. The seven continents are as follows:
Aerilon. For seasoned adventurers who wish to focus on survival in a snowy tundra. It has one settlement making an intimate setting with frequent contacts and the ability to impact a region directly. Choose this continent if the players seek to keep track of dangerous weather conditions and supplies or go long stretches without safety.
Doloran. Characterized as a haunted or cursed continent¸ choose this setting to focus on the supernatural or horror theme. Teaming with the undead¸ spirits¸ werewolves¸ or vampires¸ the ruins and dense forest can hide nefarious and mystical secrets. Doloran also features the location of the Battle of the Cleanse and the mighty Dragonborn Duthdar Empire¸ who fight to keep their culture alive.
Irragin. For inventors¸ tinkerers¸ or a steampunk feel¸ the birthplace of the gnomes host a wide array of mechanical and arcane-infused marvels that can spark imagination and innovation. In addition¸ Irragin features an improved road system allowing fast travel between settlements¸ all encompassed by a dense cold jungle that had reclaimed all manner of things left when the population went underground.
Nearon. This continent reflects a high-fantasy atmosphere¸ featuring bestial races and the mysterious Elven city¸ which produces the best enchantments on the planet. An adventure will allow players to experience the height of arcana followed by the drastic lack outside their fey-infused boundaries. Outside this forest¸ a more primitive society is prevalent¸ with disputes settled with fists and items bartered¸ not sold.
Telsmir. Ruled by the King and Queen of Seashire¸ Telsmir resembles a medieval setting with arcane-driven upgrades that remain from the first humans. The staggering Jagged Mountains possess foul beasts that attempt to harm citizens¸ while the Guardians of the Vale launch offenses against the Seashire Army¸ seeking to end the rule of the Kingdom and turn Telsmir back over to its people. Telsmir presents the opportunity for a more classic adventure.
Veritas. A land of freedom free from established Kings¸ Counsil¸ or birthrights¸ those with the talent can be a royal of their own right in the heat waves of Veritas. While a semblance of decision-making occurs in its Capital¸ day-to-day life can be whatever you wish¸ as long as you don't impede on the same right of another. Made of vast deserts and the evolution of dinosaurs able to weather the heat¸ choose if you want to survive against natural predators and with everyday life aided by their prey.
Zeto. A continent created to hold the Great Trials for which the first era is named¸ the landscape features nonsensical self-contained biomes¸ which the population attempt to call home. If this is not enough¸ the ongoing war between the Dwarves and the Halflings threatens to boil as they fight over limited resources. Zeto is a setting for those who wish to be in constant conflict¸ ultimately choosing a side or perishing.