Is Arcadia a 'Higher Plane'?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Was making a template for creatures from the heavens and after writing up one for Arcadia... I realized it wasn't even Good-aligned.

So is it really of the Higher Planes at all? It's no more good supposedly than Mechanus.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Uh, I believe it's "mildly Good-Aligned". It's definitely more Good than Mechanus, as it sits between the latter and Celestia on the Great Wheel. It's just that it's more Lawful than Good, just like, say, Bytopia is more Good than Lawful.

Anything "above" Mechanus or Limbo is at least a little Good, and could be called an Upper Plane.

[Milandros]

Absolutely correct. It's a plane of law, indeed, but law intended to produce good. It's the "edge" of the upper planes, though, just as Ysgard is in the Chaotic Good-Tendency on the other side of the upper planes.

If you consider Good and Evil as "North" and "South", with Order/Law as West and Chaos as East, Arcadia is West-North-West.

You could easily argue finding stern, inflexible and unyielding Solars and Inevitables sent on just causes here.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Uh, I believe it's "mildly Good-Aligned".
Nope, its only Mildly Law-Aligned. No mention of good. At least in the Manual of the Planes.


Absolutely correct. It's a plane of law, indeed, but law intended to produce good.
Wouldn't that be Celestia though?

From what it appears to me Arcadia is basically your perfect communist state. Everyone helping one another for the good of the community... but the community comes before anything else.

So while it may theoretically be more 'good' than Mechanus, which cares ONLY about law, it still doesn't seem to be worthy of being a higher plane.

In fact, I just re-read it through and I don't see any mention of celestials taking up residence in Arcadia. Not even archons.

[Orzel]

It's more good than Mechanus but barely. It's "We always follow our laws, all our laws are good, and whose who hate our laws must be evil." Like a well playtested game, all the bad is gone or being removed so following the rules is good. More Anti Evil than Pro Good.

[Jasdoif]

In fact, I just re-read it through and I don't see any mention of celestials taking up residence in Arcadia. Not even archons.The 3.5 DMG says that one of the layers has celestial dwarves and archons that protect the plane. Also says to use the Heavenly encounter table for random encounters.

The rest of the description doesn't sound especially Good to me, though.

[MrNexx]

The 3.5 DMG says that one of the layers has celestial dwarves and archons that protect the plane. Also says to use the Heavenly encounter table for random encounters.

I totally misread that as "layers of celestial dwarves."

I may need to sleep at some point.

[Xaros]

I always thought of Arcadia as similar to the idealized versions of the U.S. in the 1950s - the perfect family in their perfect little house in their perfect neighborhood and so on. So long as nobody stands out too much or disrupts the tranquility, there's not a problem. It would take somebody absolutely dedicated to order, though, to tolerate such a place for a great length of time (to say nothing of Arcadia's population, who would actively shun any attempt to change the perfect order).

[JackMage666]

Yeah, it's still an upper plain, with a good philosophy, but not overly so. Think of it like a church that says "It'd be cool if you worshipped this, but noones making you - No, really, it's cool, don't worry about it."

Also, Arcadian Avengers (MM5), seem to state the basic philosophies of the plane in their fluff. It's worth a look.

[Kaelaroth]

Arcadia is the pursuit of utmost perfection. Everything there is beautiful, and wonderfully made, but becasue they think that is the way it should be, rather than that's because it's good.

Techinically it is a nice plane, on the holy side of lawful, but not holy itself.

It is an ideal society based upon beauty, hence why there are all those annoying celestials there. :smallconfused: Boring!

[Were-Sandwich]

This reminds me of that Charmed plotline were the Avatars wanted to create a world with no conflict or duality, where everyone got along. And to a lesser extent, Equilibrium.

[Leon]

This reminds me of that Charmed plotline were the Avatars wanted to create a world with no conflict or duality, where everyone got along. And to a lesser extent, Equilibrium.

Policed by Clerics

[Kaelaroth]

This reminds me of that Charmed plotline were the Avatars wanted to create a world with no conflict or duality, where everyone got along. And to a lesser extent, Equilibrium.

Hated that arc. Leo is nice! Why soil his niceness? WHY? :furious:

[puppyavenger]

For Arcadias foreing policy see milko

[Jasdoif]

I totally misread that as "layers of celestial dwarves."

I may need to sleep at some point.You may be onto something, though....a layer of Archons, between two layers of celestial dwarves. It's an Arcadian Sandwich!

[MandibleBones]

Well, Acheron, which falls on the evil side of Lawful but is still a law-based plane, is typically included in the lower planes. By the same logic, I don't see why Arcadia shouldn't be an upper plane.

[puppyavenger]

Why is arceon lawful aligned, endless battles between countless differen't factions with no degree of uniformity dose'nt seem lawful.

[Orzel]

Why is arceon lawful aligned, endless battles between countless differen't factions with no degree of uniformity dose'nt seem lawful.


Because fighting all you can do. It never ends. It doesn't stop. You have to fight. It's the law, man. Fighting in squads. Fight in legions. Fight alone. Fight with a bow. Fight with an ax. Fight wildly on your feet. Fight using a martial art. But you gonna be fighting, son.

[Fax Celestis]

Because fighting all you can do. It never ends. It doesn't stop. You have to fight. It's the law, man. Fighting in squads. Fight in legions. Fight alone. Fight with a bow. Fight with an ax. Fight wildly on your feet. Fight using a martial art. But you gonna be fighting, son.

*sniff* They grow up so quick.

[Unscrewed]

Arcadia is a higher plane, but only just so. They are the plane of Law, good tending.

I think of Arcadia as 'The place where Communism worked" personally.

Also, I kinda find it really damn creepy. "All for the common good!" And self-righteousness that you just know is gonna screw something up eventually. See Miko for further reference.

[Kaelaroth]

I think of Arcadia as 'The place where Communism worked" personally.


Exactly. :biggrin: