So, after a chat with a few friends, I decided it was time to actually create a full on guide to my world of Arcada, or as most people know it by it's most famous city, Lunar City, the city of predators. Lunar City is an open world, that anyone can use if they wish, I just ask they try to keep to the spirit of the world, and credit me as the creator, and link me so I can see the story or pic, otherwise, feel free to go nuts.

1. What is Arcada

Arcada is a brimming world of magic and technology. Each and every living person (And some animals or even items) possesses the power and ability to tap into magic. In Arcarda, magic is created by a person's will made manifest. Within each person exists a magical core that stores the built up magic and allows them to 'cast' magic and use magical abilities. The size of a person's core dictates just how powerful someone is and how much magic they can wield at one time. Attempts to break that limit can lead to Broken Core Syndrome, or BCS, which is one of the few conditions that cannot be fixed. If someone suffers from BCS, they will lose their ability to wield magic and their body will slowly degrade until eventually, the victim will die. The only possible way to fix such a thing is to either figure out a way to remove a core, and thus, the potential to wield magic, or to find a new core and replace it within someone, which can lead to madness, due to how the cores themselves are created.

Most citizens of Arcada have very basic magic and abilities, with around fifty percent of the population being able to use only basic spells, such as lightning candles, basic telekinesis, and the like. Forty percent of the population have the ability of 'true' magic, as the nickname goes. In this case, they are able to actually manifest a brand of magic unique to them. Examples of this is the ability to manipulate or create plant life, elemental manipulation, petrification, plushification, and the like. They can still use other types of magic, but at a lower ability.

And the final ten percent. These are the best of the best. Their core is not attuned to any one type of magic, and they can learn and master any type of magic that they set their eyes on. However, this comes with a trade off. While they can learn any type of magic, they will never become the absolute master of any one type, they trade mastery, for versatility.

Of course........such rules can be broken though.

As people eventually learned, by conquering another through magic, and transforming or claiming them in some way, they gain access to their victims magic and abilities. For example, if one fur transformed another into a stuffed animal. So long as their magic kept the other fur trapped that way, the trapper would gain access to the magical strength and apptitude for other types of magic of their victim, allowing the trapper to learn a brand new field of magic, as well as boosting their sheer magical power. If the victim is not rescued, eventually, their magical core will be assimilated into the person who claimed them, and they will become nothing but an object, permanently.

Across Arcarda, Leylines of pure magic run through the world, and at the nexus of two or more leylines tend to be where cities or towns are built, where citizens can tap into the natural flow of magic in order to grow food, create water, or other things that the people of the city may need.

And it is at the largest conflux of over twelve leylines, is where the Capital was created, Lunar City.

2. What is Lunar City?

Lunar City is the bustling capital city of Arcarda, it is home to between fifty thousand, to a hundred thousand people at any one time, the number tends to fluctuate the most around holidays or special occasions. Lunar City is unlike most cities and towns in Arcarda. It is nicknamed 'The City of Predation', by many of it's residents. What that means is, in Lunar City, you are either predator, or you are prey. It is also one of the reasons for having such a fluctuating population. For those born and raised in Lunar City, this is just a fact of life.

The city itself is a beautiful place, from the darkest slum, to the richest manor, due to the sheer magical strength of the average resident of the city, who, due to the proximity of all of the latent magic, tend to be born in the top fifty percent of magic users. Even the dreariest slums of Lunar city would look like a middle class home in one of the smaller towns or cities of Arcada.

However, beneath all of that gild and richness, lurks a vast sea of darkness. The city functions on a predator vs prey mentality. There are no laws forbidding the capture, transformation, or devouring of it's citizens. If you are not strong enough to protect yourself, then you deserve what happens to you. If you are claimed by some predator, all of your possessions and property pass on to the one who claimed you, and thus, in Lunar City, one of the best ways to move up in the world is to try and target those who's life you might want for yourself.

This may lead to a few questions from all of our guests currently reading this. Why would anyone want to live in such a City? How does a city like this even function when anyone could be backstabbed at any given moment.

For the first answer. The simple answer is magic. Compared to most towns and cities, it takes only a few people to maintain all of the basic functions of the city, disposing of garbage, making sure their is enough food and water. All of these jobs can be filled by only a handful of people each.

And these people are very, very, closely guarded. If someone tries to pick one of them off, and they do not have the permission by the powers that be, such as the cities Mayor, or one of the rich citizens who could offer them protection, odds are good they will not make it through the day......as themselves at least.

And the quality of life, even with the danger, in Lunar City, is vastly, vastly superior compared to your average town or city. As said before, the slums of Lunar City would pass as a middle class home in most other cities or towns. With the actual middle class living in high class manors or penthouses, and the richest members living in full blown mansions or castles built in whatever design they might want. Within the city, food is very cheap and plentiful, goods and services are cheap and easy to find or want.

However, one will want to remember......most of those objects likely used to be people who've been transformed, and the person you are hiring to clear out your pipes, or to wash your car, may decide to come after you if they think they can get away with it. One must always be on guard.

As for the way the city can actually function without a total breakdown into chaos, is through the power of the Vow. Either spoken, or written into a contract. A Vow is an oath upon a person's name and on their magic. To break a sworn Vow, would cause the person to lose both themselves, and all ability to wield and use magic.

Needless to say, breaking a Vow is akin to suicide in Lunar City. Most business contracts include a Vow for protection of customer and the worker, and they are used to ensure that two people can interact with each other without having to worry about the other stabbing in the back once their meeting is finished.

Even if a person does survive breaking a Vow somehow, such as breaking the spirit of the Vow, without actual breaking your exact words, would likely lead to their demise. The Vow is one of the only things that keeps Lunar City running. And the powers that be do 'not' tolerate that broken, even by one of their own. If you swear a Vow, you keep to both the Word of it, and the spirit of it. If you cannot deal in good faith. Then you will be removed, simple as that.

3. Survival in Lunar City

Now that we've discussed just how dangerous Lunar City is, just how does one go about surviving in such a mad, mad city, where walking down the street could see you transformed ten different ways in so many minutes. Well, look no further dear reader, and you will find out how even toddlers and small children live in a world where they could be viewed as food or possessions by those who peek their interest.

The first rule. Do not make eye contact with anyone you do not trust.
One of the first tricks that most predators learn is the art of hypnosis. This isn't just to make snaring prey easier, but also for their own protection. If they try and claim a victim, before ensnaring their mind, as their victim changes, they could launch an attack of their own to take their predator down with them. By not making eye contact with most people, you can help to ensure that they cannot ensnare your mind and keep yourself safe. Though, some predators may have unique ways of ensnaring their victims, such as through scent, or touch. However, these tend to be far more rare, and if one can avoid looking someone in the eye, they can usually help to keep themselves safe.

The second Rule. Do not travel alone if one can help it.
This one is simple, the predators in Lunar City tend to prefer hunting only one person at a time. This is for a number of reasons, such as being unsure about the possible magical ability of their victim, or being overwelmed by two or more weaker magic users. Children are taught at a young age to stick together in groups in order to try and dissuade predators from targeting them. And just as the first rule, while this isn't a surefire way of preventing a predator from coming after you, it's a good enough tactic that most citizens will usually travel either with a friend or family member whenever they have to go out.

The Third, and most important rule. NEVER GO SOMEWHERE WITHOUT PEOPLE KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE.

This rule is required to be in all caps due to how important it is. All three rules are taught to Lunar City children from the time they can talk. And of the three, the third and final rule is the one rule that every parent who actually cares about their kid makes sure they know to follow.

This rule is very simple. If nobody knows where you are, nobody can help you if you get into trouble. Due to the way predators prey on their victims, such a task tends to follow in three steps. When a victim is first transformed, their new form will still radiate magic. Their mind is still within the newly made object, though it is likely bound or kept under control. While so trapped, a victim could possibly break through the magic of the predator and restore themselves. The second step, would be for the predator to wipe away traces of their prey from the object. This usually involves something simple. For example, a new statue, cleaning the object would help to wipe away the residual magic and to put the mind into a deep slumber as they become the object. Once this step has happened, the victim is totally helpless, and without outside aid, will be trapped as a permanent object. The third and final step is, after usually a period of hours or days. Their magical core will be subsumed by the magic of the one who trapped them. Once this happens, their is no coming back. And the victim is, for all intents and purposes, truly nothing but whatever they had been made into.

However, if someone is aware of where you are. If you tell your family you are going to the toy store, or the book store, or going to the mall. At the very least, someone can come and try and look for you. And, so long as whatever was done to you hasn't moved to the third stage, they can reverse it and bring you back.

Thus, no matter what, you always want someone to know where you are. No matter how silly or a waste of time it might be. You never know what might happen.

4. The Lunar Academy

The Lunar Academy, the shining beacon of Lunar City. It was originally founded hundreds of years ago at the meeting point of the leylines to serve as a school of magic, to protect from the monsters, gods, and magical creatures that hunted the people of the world. However, it's purpose was twisted and forgotten with the corruption of the City, and now, it serves as a training ground and school to teach the predators of the future.

Of course, they don't tell their perspective students that. Young or old, age doesn't matter to the school. The only thing that matters is magical potential. And when someone reaches that threshold, they receive an invite to come to the academy. Promised the very best training under the best magic users in all of the world, to receive0 training and a degree from the Lunar Academy is the next best thing to a promise of an easy life, and the very best jobs in all of the city, and throughout the whole world.

However, when students arrive at the school, they learn the truth. The school, while teaching normal classes, as well as magical courses, also focuses on teaching students to be proper predators. The teachers are free to devour and transform any student they desire for whatever reason they come up with. Students are forced to adapt, either learning how to outsmart or overpower their attackers, or by becoming like their professors and taking the lessons to heart. Many students will seek out the protection of a professor who they have caught the interest of. This way, if someone tries to claim them, the professor could step in and get them back if they were so inclined, and for many professors, someone trying to 'poach' someone they see as belonging to them, is a very good way of ending up in that professor's collection.

Now, you may think, why would anyone attend such a school, or, hell, how does the school even keep such a thing a secret?

Well, the answer to that dear reader, is simple. When someone chooses to attend the Lunar Academy and agrees to come, they unknowingly bind themselves to a contract. They cannot speak about the truth of what the Academy is, nor can they stop attending or drop out. You either graduate from the academy, or you are claimed by some predator permanently.

To be fair though, as stated before, even with how dangerous the academy is. To actually graduate from the prestigious school puts you among the movers and shakers of elite in Lunar City. Thus, the danger is well worth it for you and your family.

5. Other Locales.
We've spent so long talking about Lunar City and it's people, what about the other towns and places in Arcada? What are they like?

To put it simply dear reader, they are.....quiet, boring places much of the time. Just simple places where one goes to work or school, comes home, relaxes, and then does it again. They are safe, quiet places for the most part, as though they were in their own world apart from Lunar City. Much of the lower fifty percent, those who cannot wield higher levels of magic live in these communities, and thus, there isn't that drive or hunger to increase your power most of the time.

Now, you may be thinking though, why wouldn't a Lunar City predator come to these towns cities and turn them into their own feeding grounds? If the people are so weak, that even the lower class predators are basically kings among them, what's stopping them from doing it?

The answer, is, quite simple. The first, is that these people just don't have the magical 'oomph' that really makes them tempting targets. Such, that dragon might make a spectacular statue, but there is hardly enough magic to really make it worth leaving Lunar City to set up shop in another town or city, and then have to actively 'hide' what you are doing, rather then being out in the open as you can be in Lunar City.

The second, and more important reason, is how the Elite of Lunar City view these other communities. One of the highest paid jobs in all of Lunar City are the recruiters and PR members. Their single job is to travel to those communities, and find those with either a decent amount of magical potential, or to attract people to come and either visit, or move to Lunar City.

With the levels of predation that can happen in Lunar City, to the Elite, these communities are how they replenish the ranks of prey. And while some are bound to be snatched up as soon as they get off the trains or buses into Lunar City, for the most part, their is an unspoken rule that such visitors are off limits until they settle in and their people are in place to explain away such disappearances to the communities they came from.

Now, of course, it isn't perfect, and legends abound about Lunar City and what it is like. But to your average person, such things are just silly stories and such.

They have no idea just how worse the truth really is, unless they go themselves and witness it.

6. Notable Lunar Citizens.

And here, we have a special section, dear reader, for some of the major movers and shakers of Lunar City.

Mayor Denwell: Mayor Denwell is not what you would expect from the leader of a city of predators who can transform or devour their prey at will. Mayor Denwell is a cream colored hamster, small,adorable, and a total psycopath. Denwell can be your greatest ally or your greatest enemy. His own magical potential is nothing to sneeze at. He has mastered over a dozen types of magic. But it is not just his own magical strength that makes him a threat. But the sheer number of 'trouble-eaters' he keeps on staff. Their whole task is to deal troublesome furs and 'dispose' of them, and though they are called trouble-eaters, each one has their own method of removing people. Denwell is the undisputed master of Lunar City, and when he speaks, people listen. To cross him, is to invite doom upon you, your family, your dog, and all of your friends and family.

And by all that is holy. Never. Call. Him. Cute. Or small, that's just asking to be wiped from the ranks of the living.

The Triad: The Triad is actually a group of three dragons, who are among the richest and most powerful citzens of Lunar City. You have Lord Skytherix, or Sky, for short, is a large, fat, red dragon, who owns most of the major banks in Lunar City. He tends to just devour his prey whole and be done with it. Of the three, he is the most powerful and the technical 'leader'

Igolidex, or Igo for short, a golden dragon who fancies himself as a god. Igo tends to view himself as a benevolent diety who devours the souls of his victims and stores them within a fantastical 'heaven' within himself, as he takes their magic and power for himself. Igo runs many of the entertainment industry of Lunar City. Movies, TV shows, books, newspapers, you name it, he has a claw in it. He is also in charge of ensuring that nobody outside of Lunar City learns the truth, or if they do, nobody believes them.

And finally, there is Verdinthrax, or Verdin, an emerald dragon, who is the youngest of the three, but perhaps, the most sadistic. His magic is focused on his breath, a great acidic mist that breaks down whatever it touches, those who find themselves dissolving within the mist remained trapped within it, and when the dragon draws the mist back into him, so does the souls and power of whoever were caught in it. Verdin owns most of the chain grocery stores and restaurants in Lunar City, and of the three, is the most likely to be encountered on the streets of the city, much to the dismay of whoever might encounter him.

Together, the Triad have a loose alliance to maintain the balance of power, and their fortunes by working with each other. Though, all three understand, that if weakness is seen by the other two, they could very well be disposed of. What makes the alliance remain though, is no single member would tolerate one of the others claiming the remaining member, to do so would mean that they were very likely on the chopping block next, and thus, all three remain, plotting, scheming and 'working together' to further their interests and power against their enemies.

Alric Benneret: Alric is a skunk and among the rich and famous of Lunar City, is a well known, and actually very well liked member of the community, both rich and poor. Alric himself is a graduate of the Lunar Academy, and he tends to look at the students as almost his children, looking out as a patron to the ones he thinks have potential or ability. Among the powerful of Lunar City, Alric carries the nickname of 'The Contract Master', and this is due to his magical ability. Alric is able to create very, very powerful magical contracts, that are capable of sometimes even bending reality. For example, say a perspective client wants to become a Master Chef. Alric would offer them a contract, four years of servitude with him, and access to their magic and abilities and knowledge. When that time is up, they are free to go, with full pay for their years of 'service' and full knowledge of the very best cooking techniques and abilities, as though they had spent those four years training tirelessly to become a master chef.

If the person agrees, their soul is removed from their body, and stored within a doll of themselves, while their mindless body is put to work as a servant for the skunk. However, though this may sound sinister, Alric is good to his word, he will always follow his contracts, and his 'victims' always get exactly what they wants. Thus he has a very good reputation and people constantly flocking to form contracts with him. The only thing one must beware, is to break a contract with him, will invite his total wrath upon you. So long as you uphold your end of the bargain, he will deal in good faith. And thus, he has a good reputation as both a safe person to be around, and as an arbiter when those with power have a disagreement.

Harry: Harry is a hippo who owns and runs the Lunar City Orphanage. He keeps a firm hand on all of the tykes that pass through his door, and for the most part, they are safe. So long as they follow the rules and listen to him, they are in no danger from the hippo. However, Harry is more then happy to help these kids learn to be good predators themselves, and doesn't mind them preying on each other so long as they don't go after someone under his protection. If some boy or girl 'does' break that rule though, the punishment is swift. In Harry's office and his own private 'home' within the orphanage, all of the furniture within is made from the kids and teens who have upset him, turned into living, breathing furniture for him to use. Follow the rules, or you'll be made into something that will. He has a three strike policy, the first two strikes, it is only temporary, the third time, it will be permanent, and you'll never leave his office again. Needless to say, the kids do their best not to upset their caretaker.

The Collector: A ghost story, even among the upper crust of Lunar City. Nobody knows who The Collector is. Nobody knows their species, what they might look like, if they're male or female, or if they are even a living person. All they know for sure, is that The Collector does exist. From what little info gets around from those who have seen him, but not been it's target. The collector is clad in a full black body suit, and wears a mask that is the same species as whoever he is hunting. Within the mask, is a voice modulator that hides the speakers identity.

He targets the unique, and one of a kind people, capturing them rather then transforming them, and taking them off to who know's where. Nobody knows what he does with those he catches, nobody knows who he even might be. For all anyone knows they could be talking to The Collector and never even know it. From those who have tried to fight him, he has overwhelming magical might. Nobody who has tried to take him on has even succeeded on scratching or slowing him down. However, all he seems to care about is acquiring his latest 'collectable'. And so long as you do not get in his way or obstruct him, he is content to allow you on your way. Thus, while The Collector has many, many sightings, and even recordings of him on the hunt for someone. Nobody yet knows his identity. And from those who have tried to oppose him.

Well.....they were never seen again either.

Of course, there are far more characters that dwell in both the city, and the Academy, but we may get to them another day.




And there you have it everyone, a bit of a world guide to Arcada, and Lunar City. I really, really hope you guys enjoy this. Please, leave a comment below, tell me what you think. And if you have any questions, comments or thoughts. Feel free to leave them below.

And as I said before. All of this is free to use. If you want to write a story, or make artwork or anything, go right ahead. Just once again, credit me, and throw me a link to it so I can see it myself. This is a sandbox for everyone to enjoy.