Arcadia is centered around the Nine Symbol Circle, which encompasses all that a being needs to know to become truly at peace. Along with this Circle comes a set of deities that we do not necessarily live our lives by, but are present nonetheless. Arcadia strives to teach those who come to them of inner peace, and the power not only of the body, but of the mind as well. It is a philosophy within Arcadia that, when you have reached inner peace, you are capable of unlocking talents and strengths previously hidden; that is what Arcadia stands in hopes of, finding that which is hidden.
The Seven Symbol Circle.The Circle consists of nine rings, starting on the outside with the beginnings of enlightenment and ending in the middle with inner peace. Each ring represents a step that is being taken, or that needs to be taken, to achieve true inner peace and the highest levels of talent and strength a being can possess.
The rings, starting from the outermost ring to the middle ring, are as follows:
1. Acceptance/Enlightenment: This is the very outer ring, and what this is is basically acceptance of our ways and the agreement to pursue the path. Beings within this ring normally only learn about the basics of Arcadia and, when they have learned all they could from this ring, they can move on.
2. Training/Prajna: This ring stands for the very beginning training, an induction into the true ways of Arcadia; while ring one may stand for learning the ways, it is in ring two that you actually begin acting on that knowledge. We begin to train you at this level in all of our arts in general; herbalism, cultural studies, battle tactics, strategy, and anyone in this ring is normally used for grunt work to show their merit and make sure that you are serious.
3. Sila: This ring is when we begin to separate the students into different classes, the classes they are worst at. If you showed good skills in battle in the second ring, you will be thrown into the herbalist class, and vice versa; we do this to better educate everyone, and keep the levels of education at a rather equal level.
4. Tantra: Those who do well in the Sila ring will be allowed to move up into Tantra, the fourth ring. In this ring, we allow you to train in your preferred class. That is, you get to pick the classes that you participate in. However, life in the Tantra ring is by no means pleasant; those in this ring are only allowed to spend time with each other and those in the rings above them, and can only travel on the Hold, the largest island. There are tournaments that are held each full moon to determine the best choices to allow to move up; those who pass are allowed to leave the fourth ring and go into the fifth, while those who fail simply stay and wait for the next tournament. More than two beings can win tournaments.
5. Samadhi: The fifth ring, Samadhi is ONLY available to those who have excelled within Tantra and succeeded in the tournaments. This ring, referred to often as the Paradise Ring, is laid back and easy. Nothing is required of these beings, as it is considered a break for 'mental development'. After a period of one ic month, the being moves on into the sixth ring.
6. Bashra: Where Samadhi is considered paradise, Bashra is considered hell. This ring consists of hardly anything but turmoil and brawling for the right to reach ring seven, enlightenment. In Bashra, every being in that ring is your enemy. While no fighting is allowed outside of the tournaments, there is plenty of bloodshed; there are seven tournaments for the beings in the Bashra ring, each consisting of something harder than the last. In the end only a select few may succeed, and those who do not are considered mentally estranged and sent back to the Prajna ring. It is a great disgrace to lose and be sent back to the second ring.
7. Theravada: Enlightenment. These beings are considered true and whole, and are allowed to move about the territory without fear of being sent back into the ring system or being tossed into the tournaments again. To reach this is the greatest honor an Arcadian can hope for; it is a symbol of the turmoil and battles overcome, and the hardships that a being has went through.
The Deities.Ba'al: Ba'al is the head deity, the very first being to achieve enlightenment. Because he was the first, he ascended into the sky and became the sun, thus being imprinted forever as the symbol of light, truth and power.
Asherah: The wife of Ba'al, and the first student to take upon herself the Seven Symbol Circle; because Ba'al had sucked up all of the light of the sun and became the sun himself, upon seeing his wife achieve enlightenment he allowed some of his light to flow into her, and she became the moon, the symbol of peace and freedom. Each day Ba'al lends some of his light to Asherah.
Keshmet: Keshmet is the daughter of Ba'al and Asherah, one to refuse the path to enlightenment and choose instead a path of gluttony and ignorance. Ba'al, enraged at his daughter's choice, shattered her into a trillion little pieces and left her in the canyons to live out her life alone. Asherah, feeling sorrowful for her daughter, took her up into the night sky alongside her and gave her daughter light, and Keshmet became the stars.
Mordem: The son of Ba'al and Asherah, brother to Keshmet, he is believed to be the one who told Keshmet that their parents were weak and that their path was ignorant. Mordem is a symbol of treachery and hate, and although his father was furious with him and sought to end him, Mordem was strong, and fought his father back. Thus Mordem became the shadows, elusive and present even under the gaze of his father Ba'al, and much more prominent under the gaze of his mother, who takes pity on him and allows him to roam at night. That is why we have darkness.
Currently this set up is on a trial. We are going to see how it goes.
