Ivalice and its history

**Miamics** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:18 pm

Ivalice

Ivalice is a region consisting of three continents; Ordallia in the west with a secret islet called Den's Hideout, Valendia in the northeast and Kerwon in the south. However, only the lands bordering the Naldoan Sea are explored. Other Ivalician lands (the former Republic of Landis, etc.) are sometimes mentioned but not explored in the game. In ancient times, King Raithwall united the three continents to create the united Galtean Alliance. As time passed, conflicts split the continents again.

The continents are dominated by an assortment of industrialized city-states; the Archadian Empire and the Kingdom of Nabradia both in Valendia, the Rozarrian Empire in Ordallia, and sandwiched between the two continents is the Kingdom of Dalmasca. Strategically located between the rival neighboring states of Imperial Archadia and Rozarria, Dalmasca's position as a neutral buffer region between the two countries is eliminated when it is invaded by Imperial Archadia. Now reduced to an occupied territory under Archadian rule, Dalmasca is set to play a central role in the still-heated dispute between its neighbors, which is escalating once more.

The adventures of fledgling Sky Pirates Vaan and Penelo have expanded the Ivalice worldview. New locations have been added, and some old ones have returned.

History of Ivalice

The Age of Myths

The Gods worked upon the world of Ivalice. In their efforts they created the twenty four Scions based on zodiacs, with the scions split in half as scions of Light and Dark, tasked with important purposes. Some believe there is a Thirteenth Scion based on discoveries of ancient texts. The scions of Dark, as the tale goes, rose against the gods and were bound to the world, hence why only half the Scions appear as Espers. The creation myths of Ivalice are many, but one of the better known ones is as follows:

Before Ivalice was created, there exists two warring tribes of gods, the Fabar and the Danan. The war lasted for thousands of years, until the Prophet Matoya predicts the death of the Danan god-king Xabaam in the hands of his trusted blade. Xabaam fears his trusted General Ahnas to be the death of him, and imprisons him and his loyal followers into the darkest labyrinths. Ahnas implores the death-god Heth to free him in exchange for his own life. Freed along with his followers, Ahnas sought revenge.

Now Ahnas the Holy, he and his followers appeared millennia later upon the Fabar and battled against the Danan triumphantly. The Fabar god We'aka was intrigued with the strength of his vengeance and swore an oath to fight alongside his men. Battles raged on for countless millennia until Ahnas finally confronts Xabaam and defeats him.

While We'aka sought the head of Xabaam, Ahnas wished the Danan god-king pay for his misdeeds and immortalized Xabaam's body, transforming it into a great land and named it Ivalice. Now Ahnas the Shining, he and his followers then withdraw into the heavens, watching as Man lived and thrived upon Xabaam's eternal body.

The Age of Gods

Thousands of years before the Galtean Alliance was established, the Occuria ruled over all of Ivalice. While Man was just starting to thrive, the Occuria built imposing structures such as the Pharos at the Ridorana Cataract. However, for reasons unknown, the Occuria withdrew from their command into hiding in their own city Giruvegan, causing mass confusion throughout the world until a new age finally dawned.

Some believed that this happened because of the Thousand Years War incited by the twelve Espers, led by the corrupt Holy Seraph Ultima. Eventually the Espers were defeated, and the Occuria, wanting to ensure the Espers would not rebel again, tied their existence into glyphs and banished them to the dark reaches within Ivalice.

At the same time, the aegyl Feolthanos defied the Occuria and sealed himself and his people on the Purvama of Lemurés to evade their wrath. In secret Feolthanos married a viera, creating a subspecies known as the Feol Viera.

Time of the Glaciers

Ivalice is covered in ice, much like the ice ages of Earth. During this period many creatures adapted well to a land based way of life. Some creatures, such as the Croakadile, had a hard time surviving through the colder temperatures and their population dwindled. Eventually over all of Ivalice, glaciers begin to melt as the climate's temperature rises, flooding the planet. The sudden change in sea level killed many of landed species, and a number of surviving creatures, such as the Coeurl, were forced to adapt.

Magick enters Ivalice

Vague records claim that magick was brought over Ivalice from an unknown continent, and into the hands of the Man. It is unknown if the Occuria had a hand in this or not.

The Light of Kiltia

1294 years before the Valendian calendar is established, The Light of Kiltia is founded. This religion proves relief for some people of Ivalice. Presumably, the religion is later related to the Church of Glabados, which worships Faram, the father, said to be at the head of the Kiltean pantheon.

The Galtean Alliance

Circa Old Valendian 1
Ivalice is at war. The Occuria, fearing Ivalice will be scarred even more, give the Garif a large piece of nethicite, a weapon to set everything straight. The Garif are unable to use it, however. Angered at the Garif's incompetence, the Occuria came to learn of Raithwall's victory over Belias. Amazed, they gave the nethicite and a sword, to him. Taking only three shards off the larger nethicite, King Raithwall unites all of Ivalice. He would now be known as Ivalice's first Dynast King, and the founder of the Galtean Alliance. During this time, the Empires of Archadia and Rozarria rise. Both are great nations and expand quickly.

King Raithwall later dies. He is buried with the Dawn Shard, and his tomb is guarded by an Esper he had defeated in life, Belias. The Dusk Shard goes to the Kingdom of Dalmasca, while the Midlight Shard goes to the Kingdom of Nabradia.

In Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, the Ruins of Delgantua are described as dating back to the Galtean era. This is further evidenced by the ancient stone architecture that composes the rooms and halls of the abandoned ruins.

The Dancer-Priestess Müllenkamp lives during this era. A practitioner of the darker arts of Kiltia, Müllenkamp amasses a following, creates many magical Grimoires, and founds the city of Leá Monde. The Blood-Sin tattoo on her back is passed down through her family after her death, and serves as the key to Leá Monde.

The Age of Technology

Circa Old Valendian 706
Centuries pass, and the Empires of Rozarria and Archadia are at war. Eventually, a truce is signed. The son of Emperor Gramis Solidor, Vayne Solidor, kills his father and takes over the Archadian Empire. He hopes to start a war with Rozarria and Archadia, and become Ivalice's new Dynast King. It is revealed he is being led by the rogue Occuria, Venat, who succeeded in shattering the control its kind had over Ivalice.

Vayne is eventually stopped, and killed, by Princess Ashe, along with the Sky Pirates Balthier and Fran, street urchin Vaan and his friend Penelo, and Dalmascan Knight-Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg.

A year later, the Purvama of Lemurés is revealed to Ivalice, along with the mysterious aegyl race. This sparks a great treasure hunting spree among Sky Pirates that a maddened Feolthanos attempted to take advantage of. The party that stopped Vayne Solidor, along with some new friends, manage to defeat Feolthanos and restore peace to Ivalice.