Arcadia

Arcadia (アルカディア, arukadia) is the fictional main setting of Angelique trois and Neo Angelique. Its existence bridges the series' lore together, yet Ruby Party insists that it is mainly meant to be an easter egg. Fans can enjoy either continuity without having to play the other.

Its name within either continuity means "utopia" (理想郷, risōkyō).

Role in Games
Arcadia begins as a terrestrial continent which originates from Tian Shi's timeline. Its inhabitants were threatened by an evil presence, and their souls were trapped in a thick mist. The Queen lacked the power to save them and used her powers to seal the continent, its people, and the evil threatening it within a pocket dimension.

Its pocket dimension naturally dissolves after the evil is defeated. The Sacrea nourishment it received from the two Queens and the Sacred Guardians transformed the empty void into a physical link between the Sacred Bird Cosmos and the Sacred Beast Cosmos. Arcadia existed as a beneficial microcosmos and prospered through trade. Celestia became its capital and the hallmark of the land's entertainment. It remained stationed at its location for eons, eventually becoming a secondary settlement for the Dragon race.

After Tian Shi's reign, Arcadia lost its magnetism with the two cosmoses and drifted for centuries across space. It traded with other cosmoses along the way for advanced technology. Without a Queen and Sacrea protection of its own, however, the microcosmos failed to stabilize its position for long and continued drifting. Very few know how to operate these tools and seldom try. They are known as "Artifacts" by the majority of its people, labeled as relics of a bygone age.

Society regressed from its Golden Age, many of its accomplishments fading into legend. Telephones were replaced by letters and newspapers. Electricity was replaced by lanterns and fireplaces. Automobiles were replaced by wooden boats and horse carriages. Celestia no longer exists through the passage of time. The two capitals of research and commerce, Woodon (west) and Farlian (east), replace its prominence on the main Arcadia continent. Contemporary professions, such as reporters and doctors, exist, but their work is often performed using old-fashioned methods by hand.

Thanatos plague the land in the Queen's absence. Common people have little means of protecting themselves from the monstrosities other than staying in large communities. Most Thanatos target lone travelers and/or tend to dwell in isolated locations. Physical contact with the creatures weakens many people and may result in severe fatigue or death. Purification Powers (浄化能力, jōka nōryoku), the mystical power to fight Thanatos without great injury, is a rare gift to a small minority. Those who have the power are dubbed "Purifiers" (浄化能力者, jōka nōryokusha) and may make a living dispatching Thanatos threats.

Yet Purifiers are outnumbered by two major factions on the main continent, the Artifact Foundation (アーティファクト財団, aatifakuto zaidan) and the Celestia Order (セレスティア教団, seresutia kyōdan). Their group names are commonly abbreviated as "The Foundation" (財団, zaidan) and "The Order" (教団, kyōdan) respectively. Both insist on dealing with the Thanatos threat on their terms, neither wishing to work together for the land's serenity.

Researchers who are invested in Artifacts clamor to the universities in Woodon or Farlian. The most brilliant of minds are recruited into The Foundation's home in Farlian. They believe in objectifying the past, seeking to utilize and invent Artifacts for improving the future. Devout believers of the Queen and her legends, or pilgrims, find solace in the western holy city, Celestiazam. Its walls are protected by The Order's Silver Tree Knights (銀樹騎士団, ginju kishidan), a group of chosen Purifiers trained to protect the common folk. Residents of the holy city worship a silver tree —fabled to have once been the resting place of a great deity— and have faith that a Queen will someday bring them salvation.

Customs and Practices
During trois's time, Arcadia had no natural snowfall, but its people were aware of it. They believe that when a Queen moults feathers from her wings, her feathers fall to the ground below as snow. Before the start of winter each year, they pray and celebrate in her honor with the "Snow Prayer Festival" (雪祈祭, seki-sai). It is still celebrated by followers of the Celestia Order during Neo Angelique. White feathers are thrown from the rooftops of Celestiazam's chapel, and the holy city's bells ring for the Queen. It is considered good luck to make a wish while the feathers are being scattered.

Auroras have long been considered another blessing by the Queen, this time as a sign of eternal happiness. They would happen frequently with her presence, and the people acknowledge them through celebrating. On the nights they emerge, the people hold a "Night Wish Festival" (夜想祭, yasō-sai). People from all walks of life come together to share bread and pray to the night spectacle. This festival is popular with couples, as lovers frequently reunite under the aurora's glow. Auroras became rarer over time, so the festival is seldom practiced in Neo Angelique's setting.

Far east of the main Arcadia continent lies an isolated island called Sakia (サキア), a landmass which formed over time in the microcomos. Its capital is Kirise (キリセ), a place which relishes Mother Nature and is peppered with lush fields of viola. The people live in harmony and keep many of Arcadia's ancient legends alive in their teachings. Their traditions, culture, and fashion are similar to those found in medieval Eastern Asia. A few examples include practicing calligraphy on wall scrolls, creating Japanese or Chinese dishes, and using bamboo curtains for interior decorating. Sailors from Sakia occasionally trade goods at the eastern marketplaces of the main continent.