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 and 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 |