The Arkanis
What People Know
The Arkanis are a rapidly expanding military force that has been sweeping across the continent over the last several years. They conquer settlements — sometimes by force, sometimes by coercion — and install their own governors. Resistance is met with severe, public punishment.
They claim to be restoring the “original order” of Kainos — reuniting a fractured world under a single authority. Their soldiers call their conquests “liberations.”
Reputation
- Disciplined. The Arkanis are not a horde or a rabble. They are organized, efficient, and well-supplied.
- Dangerous. Their elite soldiers — the Heartsworn — wield magic that most militaries can’t match. Rumors say even common officers can cast spells.
- Expanding. Villages and towns on the outskirts have been falling steadily. The major cities haven’t been touched yet, but the pattern is clear — the Arkanis are working their way inward.
What’s Less Known
- Where they came from. The Arkanis seemed to appear out of nowhere within the last decade.
- Who leads them. There are references to an Archon, but few have seen them.
- Where their magic comes from. The Heartsworn’s abilities don’t look like traditional wizardry or divine blessing. Something else is going on.
Structure
What’s been observed from occupied territories:
| Rank | Role |
|---|---|
| Archon | Supreme leader. Rarely seen. |
| Proximars | Regional commanders |
| Castellars | Town/city-level governors of occupied territories |
| Heartsworn | Elite soldiers with magical abilities |
| Soldiers | Standard troops, including conscripted locals |