Arcadia

In the Classic World of Darkness, Changelings traced their heritage to a mythic homeland known as "Arcadia." Arcadia is one of three Triatic realms, and as such is sometimes also referred to by Chakravanti mages as the Shenti of Dynamism.

History

Arcadia was once the proud home of the Tuatha de Danaan, the creators of the fae. It is unknown whether it refers to a city, or a city and surrounding lands, as no-one can quite remember what it was like due to the Mists.

Current Status

Arcadia is located in the Deep Dreaming, but no-one knows precisely where, because maps of the dreaming are nearly impossible to create, and no-one can remember much of being there, because of the Mists interfering with a changeling's mortal memory.

Arcadia is the original home of the fae. It supposedly lies at the center of the Dreaming, but it has been sealed off since the Sundering. The gates were 'cracked open' by an influx of Glamour at the Apollo 11 moon landing, allowing the Exile/Return of the sidhe. Now, according to the more-recently returned noble houses, Arcadia is under siege or has already fallen.

Anecdotal Evidence

Though no one who has come forth has been able to produce usable directions to Arcadia, there are of course anecdotal tales of people who claim to have been there. Most of these tales come from individuals deep in the throws of Bedlam though, so their veracity is admittedly dubious. One such tale from a wayfaring Eshu, in one of his more lucid moments, is as follows:
"While stepping as far into the Deep Dreaming as I personally dared to go, I met a woman of the palest alabaster complexion, with hair to match. Her most striking feature though was her violet colored eyes. When I asked her who she was, she said 'I am Kushi'. Due in part to her white furry tale I initially suspected her of being a pooka, but she corrected me by identifying herself as a 'theurge of the Nuwisha tribe'. She took my hand and started to lead me deeper into the Dreaming. When I asked her where she was taking me, she said 'To the edge of the deepest dream. To Arcadia, of course. That is where you wanted to go, yes?' As the journey proceeded through the Deep Dreaming, the chaotic energies of the realm blended my perceptions and conceptions so thoroughly that consciousness and self ceased to be meaningful terms for a time. Eventually I saw that we were headed toward a strange star with a vast iridescent corona, which she said was named Radiance. Then I felt solid land beneath my feet again, at which point my guide announced that we had arrived at the moon called Arcadia. I could still see Radiance in the sky, and it filled the entire sky with an ever shifting kaleidoscope of iridescent aurorae, bright enough to give color to the sparse clouds. Kushi noted my awe and remarked that some of the Arcadians here worshiped Radiance as a god. I understood their reverence. I continued to stare at Radiance for a time as it filled me with a mad bliss. I honestly do not remember leaving Arcadia, for sequentially my next memories are of being here on Earth again. I have never been able to find my way to Arcadia again."