LORE) Arcadia, Recap & Summary: Part 1

I am aware that the format in which I have been publishing the story has been somewhat chaotic. Perhaps it is difficult for the reader to follow the chronological order of the story or to find coherence in it. One of my intentions with this work is to provide pieces of the puzzle so that the reader can put it together on their own, but I recognize that this is an overly ambitious strategy. I also believe that there comes a point when things need to be properly clarified. In this series of three posts, I will be recapping the events and matters unfolding in Arcadia. After this series, I will make further recaps to organize everything and will continue publishing the story. Throughout the work, there are texts written as if they were first-person accounts by some of the characters involved in the story. Others are narrated in the third person by an omniscient narrator who describes events as though they were already known and had already happened. There are also subjective narrations from certain characters who speak about particular matters from their own perspective. Everything narrated so far concerning the story belongs to the prologue or the world-building. At no point have I actually begun narrating the main story in relation to the events concerning the kingdom of Arcadia. The main story begins after a great armistice, but for the sake of establishing a chronological reference point for now, let us consider an event called “The Twilight,” which is chronologically the closest event to the beginning of the main story. When “The Twilight” ends, the prologue ends as well, and the main story begins. Now I will address the chronological and explanatory structure of the work. I strongly recommend reading the texts in which I cover each section before moving on to the next one, as this will make the explanation much more meaningful. In any case, my intention here is to provide a sort of summary and roadmap, so even if you do not read what has been published in each link, you should still have a good understanding of the story simply by reading this recap and summary. 1) The introduction of the Duke of Matorias The Duke of Matorias, who is the archmage Wortias, is introduced in both Part 1 and Part 2, which together give us a general description of the character. Let us focus on Part 1. The Duke of Matorias is a man who belongs to the Kingdom of Arcadia, a kingdom located on the continent of Taurus. His reputation as both a man and a mage is immense, and his historical merits and contributions to his kingdom are equally significant. When we take into account his prestige, his title, and the trust placed in him by the crown, it becomes clear why he possesses considerable autonomy over many matters of government within his own duchy. SPANISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1916199596983696925?utm_source=copy_web ENGLISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1916514412383267703?utm_source=copy_web 2) The Red Diadems I now present a text that, from the present point of “The Twilight,” looks retrospectively at an organization that emerged several years earlier but that, by that point, has become a very important actor in the conflict. It explains who the Red Diadems are, why they emerged, and some of their defining characteristics. SPANISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1916898387856058803?utm_source=copy_web ENGLISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1916901107900401496?utm_source=copy_web This text allows us to identify some of the main tensions within this supposedly egalitarian organization, both in terms of how it is structured and some of the major dangers it poses. 3) “An Unexpected Visit 8 Years Ago” The following text, and one of the best pieces for explaining how this group managed to grow so much by the time “The Twilight” took place, is “An Unexpected Visit 8 Years Ago,” a dialogue narrated in the third person by an omniscient narrator. SPANISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1917663847871154236?utm_source=copy_web ENGLISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1917663847871154236?utm_source=copy_web This text tells us how the archmage Wortias, Duke of Matorias, is tempted to collaborate with the “egalitarian group” through promises of extending his own life. As the title indicates, it places the arrival of the Red Diadems in Arcadia eight years before “The Twilight.” 4) The connection to Part 2 of the Duke of Matorias This connects directly with Part 2 of the Duke of Matorias, which tells us about the deepest obsession of the archmage Wortias, who is currently the Duke of Matorias. SPANISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1916203107521444210?utm_source=copy_web ENGLISH: https://pixai.art/artwork/1916515830668197011?utm_source=copy_web To be continued in Part 2.