Final Fantasy XVI

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1. #1Valisthea

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   A land home of the Mothercrystals, huge crystalline mountains that fill the surrounding lands with aether.

   Valisthea is divided into two main continents: the continent of Ash in the east and the continent of Storm in the west. It is geographically and culturally isolated from the rest of the world. At least some, if not all Valistheans believe in a monotheistic God.

   Valisthea's technological development has been stunted by its reliance on magic, which is used for everything from generating water to forging steel.

   Dragons are commonly considered to be some of Valisthea's most ancient creatures and one of the most prominent myths is that Valisthea itself was formed when a mighty drake fell from the sky. Countless eons ago, the Ultima collective arrived to Valisthea, fleeing the Blight that had devoured their own homeland. The beings had discarded their physical bodies to migrate and did not intend to make Valisthea their new home: instead, they resolved to rebuild the world where only they would exist. Ultima placed the Mothercrystals in each corner of the land to harvest aether for this plan. Ultima then created mankind, who took shape as various tribes on the lands near to each Mothercrystal.

   Great nations sprouted around each of the Mothercrystals, and eventually, a precarious peace with them. The Fallen were an exception, as they were able to build their civilization in the sky, along with airships. The Fallen civilization fell (literally) and lost access to magic, their cities plummeting to the surface all over the continent. Even 1500 years later, these ruins remained. To most people, the story of the Fallen was one of hubris; of a people advancing too far, becoming too close to God. However, there were always those who saw the Fallen as a source of power.

   Things changed when the Blight began encroaching the lands. As magic began to run out, the continent's realms began invading one another to secure the crystals that still worked.

   Valisthea has six realms: Grand Duchy of Rosaria, Holy Empire of Sanbreque, Kingdom of Waloed ,Dhalmekian Republic, Iron Kingdom, Crystalline Dominion.

   The current year of the realm is 860.

2. #2Mothercrystal

   Keys: Mothercrystals, Mothercrystal, Mothers

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   Mothercrystals are the source of all crystals in the Twins, the most valuable material in the realm due to its property of channeling ambient aether from the air to make one's imagination manifest as magic. Magic is an invaluable means of enabling a civilization to flourish on the Twins.

   Mothercrystals are mountains of sparkling crystal with a core in their depths where the aether concentrates. As aether is blue in hue, the crystals tend to be take on this color as well, though the Drake's Breath in the volcanic region appears fiery orange, the Drake's Spine in Waloed appears violet, and the Drake's Fang buried into the earth often appears yellow. Pieces of crystals mined from these motherlodes are known as shards and are rationed and distributed across the populace for everyday tasks to maintain the society's lifestyle, from lighting up street lamps to running forges to providing water to municipal wells.

   Mothercrystals, sometimes simply known as "Mothers", being the origin of all crystal in the realm makes them invaluable resources. Societies have concentrated around them since time immemorial and nations wage ceaseless wars to seize and keep control of them, leading to instability and persecution. A religion that worships the crystal monoliths as deities remains in prominence in the west, while on the other end of the spectrum, a small group of people posits that the crystals are a detriment to the realm and need to be destroyed to stop the ever-spreading calamity of the Blight.

   The Mothercrystals have dragon-related names, being named after various body parts of a drake. Dragons are worshipped by the Greagorian church in Sanbreque. There were originally eight Mothercrystals (as many as there are magical elements); five remain on the Twins in present day.

   Drake's Head is Sanbrequois crystal which is located on the coastline and is a tall spire that cuts the sky. The imperial seat of power is built on the Mothercrystal's doorstep and the capital Oriflamme is build around the crystal, a tightly governed city where many nobles reside.

   Drake's Breath is a towering monolith off the west coast of Storm. It glows red and is situated on volcanic ground. It used to be controlled by the Duchy of Rosaria, but has since been taken over by the Iron Kingdom whose religious leadership worship it as a deity and perform human sacrifices upon its core.

   Drake's Fang is the Dhalmekians mothercrystal, but its mre in the desert of the Dhalmekian Republic and is located underground, encased inside a crater. Hugo Kupka built his castle and abode inside the crater, right outside Drake's Fang's core.

   The Mothercrystal of Crystalline Dominion, which towers over the capital: Twinside. It is the largest of the five remaining Mothercrystals on the Twins.

   Drake's Spine is located in the northern part of Ash, near the capital of the Kingdom of Waloed, Stonhyrr. The skies above it are permanently thundering. Drake's Spine is a highly contested Mothercrystal, and wars over its control only intensified in the wake of Drake's Horn's fall.

   Drake's Eye was a Mothercrystal in the Northern Territories that no longer exists; the entire north has been taken over by Blight and the land is now considered uninhabitable. Between the years of the realm 170–250, small countries around Drake's Eye were in disarray, and Shiva's Dominant was born in this region.

   Drake's Horn was a Mothercrystal in the southern part of Ash, in the lands overtaken by Blight. It no longer exists. It used to be a source of strife over resources between the Motes of Water tribe and the local beastmen. Drake's Horn fell in the Year of the Realm 350.

   The eighth Mothercrystal, known as Dzemekys rather than following the "Drake's X" naming scheme of the other crystals, was located in what is now known as the Falls of Dzemekys, the site of "the Sins of Dzemekys". It used to have a portal located at its foot that connected to Origin. It was the first Mothercrystal of the eight to fall when it was attacked by the Fallen some 1500 years ago in an attempt to take the Mothercrystal for themselves. In retaliation, Ultima destroyed both the Fallen airship armada and the Mothercrystal itself, leaving behind a seemingly bottomless crater into which the ocean drains for perpetuity and bringing about the decline of the Fallen civilization.

3. #3Crystals

   Keys: Crystals, Fetters, Fetter, Crystal, Crystal Fetters, Shards

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   Shards are mined from the Mothercrystals, rationed, and distributed to the populace across the realm to enable the society's lifestyle that relies heavily on magic. Larger the shard, the more potent it is in channeling aether. Large shards may be purposed as municipal shards, such as in wells to provide water to a village, or for forges to provide fire.

   Shards are used for various tasks, such as for providing water, heat, ice for food preservation, and light for street lamps. They shatter after a certain amount of use, making the need for new shards constant. Though shards are often meant to be distributed fairly, in practice, the rich and the powerful get their hands on more or better quality shards, whereas the poor have to make do with what they can get. Smuggling rings exist for diverting shard shipments.

   Carefully arranged and activated crystal shards are used in crafting crystal fetters, restraints that prevent aether flowing through the wearer's flesh, used to prevent Dominants and Bearers from using their powers.

4. #4Aether

   Keys: Aether

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   Aether is the land's life force and the origin of all magic. It exists in the earth itself and all living beings. Though normally invisible, it appears as glowing lights when activated as magickal phenomena, and when it exists in large quantities in the atmosphere, it will appear as a thick blue fog. Aether crystallizes into crystals and the Mothercrystals are enormous deposits of it;

   Bearers, Dominants, and some monsters mutated by proximity to aether can manipulate the ambient substance in the environment to perform magick. Those unable to manipulate aether directly need to use crystals for magick instead, but as crystal shards (mined from the Mothercrystals) are becoming increasingly scarce, the populace resorts to enslaving Bearers and even Dominants (at least in the Iron Kingdom) to use as tools of everyday life from agriculture to industry to household chores to waging wars and healing. Both Bearers and Dominants are susceptible of using too much of their own aether when using magick, resulting in a phenomenon similar to the Blight of the land: their bodies will slowly petrify. This is known as the "crystals' curse".

   Eikons are composed of aether; when they get damaged, they can repair their bodies by absorbing aether from the atmosphere.

   Crystal fetters are special restraints against Bearers and Dominants that prevent aether from flowing through the flesh of the one being restrained, making them unable to use magicks.

5. #5Aetherfloods

   Keys: Aetherfloods

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   Concentrated aether pooled on the land's surface due to imbalance of diffusion results in aetherfloods, where the very air glows blue and those who breathe it are severely affected, their bodies crystallizing and their sanity eroding, transforming into ferocious beasts known as the Akashic. Bearers and Dominants have natural resistance to aetherfloods, but monsters and regular humans are quickly transformed, and the effects are irreversible. Aetherfloods are highly dangerous, especially in confined spaces where the aether cannot dissipate into the atmosphere.

6. #6Akashic

   Keys: Akashic, Turning

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   Akashic are living beings, flora and fauna alike, "turning" from overexposure to aether. A typical way to turn is from being engulfed in an aetherflood for too long. Those with aetherial tolerance, such as Bearers, Dominants, beastmen, and chocobos, are less likely to turn Akashic.

   Akashic are stripped of any intelligence or sense of self and become ferocious, physically strong, and single-minded in their aggression toward any non-Akashic. The transformation cannot be reversed. Akashic's bodies turn crystalline, and when they die, they dissipate into aether and leave no corpse behind, suggesting their very flesh has become composed of aether, and when the aether evaporates, not much is left.

   Becoming Akashic is called "turning". As the body absorbs excess aether, it will turn a blue hue and crystal-like. The one turning can sometimes realize what is happening, but be unable to do anything to prevent it. Those resilient to aether take longer to turn, but no one is believed to be immune. As one's will is eroded, the afflicted begins to move stiffly, as if unable to wholly control their body. When they fully turn, aether bursts around them, and they suddenly turn vicious. Cases of where the turned still exhibits some autonomy are known, however, such as at a sight of a loved one; this can lead to the Akashic to will themselves to commit suicide on the spot to escape their cursed new existence. It appears that the turned may gain the ability to use magic even if they did not have such power previously.

7. #7Gods

   Keys: Ultima, Greagor, Founders, Founder

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   Back in ancient times, the populace were members of the Circle of Malius religion that worshipped Ultima as its god, and believed in the coming of eight heavenly messengers in the form of Eikons, whose appearance would herald the coming of paradise.

   The Circle of Malius faith has long since fallen into legend, though some elements of it still remain in the Crystalline Orthodoxy, which could be considered an off shoot of the Circle of Malius. Adherents of the Crystalline Orthodoxy are primarily found within the Iron Kingdom, and worship the Mothercrystals.

   Another deity worshipped in Valisthea is the goddess Greagor, who is especially revered in the Holy Empire of Sanbreque where the holy emperor is believed to be an embodiment of the goddess.

   Rosarians revere their nation's unnamed Founder, though this is not a religion with belief in the supernatural or dogma; however, the Rite of Ancestral Communion does appear related to the story of the Founder, the original "ancestor", and could be seen as akin to a religions ceremony.

   Hugo Kupka, meanwhile, believes that Dominants are akin to gods themselves, and gains delusions of grandeur of his own role in the world.

8. #8Circle of Malius

   Keys: Ancient Religion, Circle of Malius

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   The Circle of Malius is an ancient religion in knowledge of which has since almost disappeared from Valisthea despite it once being widespread across the Twin continents. The religion was formed over 1500 years ago, during the heyday of the Fallen civilization, and after the civilization fell in the wake of the War of the Magi, the "Children of Dzemekys" migrated to the outer continent where the doctrines of this ancient religion lived on.

   Advocates of Malius preach the coming of a paradise as enacted by the savior god, Lord Ultima. In modern times, not much is known of the beliefs and practices of the Circle of Malius, though the Undying and Moss the Chronicler have made efforts to catalogue what snippets of information can still be found; more of the ancient culture that practiced the religion is believed to remain intact in the remote areas outside of Storm. The Crystalline Orthodoxy of the Iron Kingdom could be considered an offshoot of the Circle of Malius where the reverence of Ultima and His servants, the Eikons, has morphed to the worship of the realm's Mothercrystals.

9. #9Eikon

   Keys: Eikon, Eikons

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   Eikons are powerful, god-like beings that are native to the world of Valisthea. They are both worshipped and feared by the people of the realm as protective deities and used as weapons of war. Each Eikon has a respective Dominant, a human host who can call upon their Eikon's power to do battle.

   While they are unique in terms of physical appearance, Eikons share some similarities in that they are massive in size, towering over humans. Eikons' bodies are composed of aether, and they can heal their bodies when damaged by absorbing more aether from the environment, even being able to regenerate lost limbs in a matter of seconds. They have been known to transform into even more powerful forms by absorbing massive amounts of concentrated aether, such as from the heart of a Mothercrystal. An Eikon embodies one of the eight elements of the realm: fire, ice, lightning, earth, light, darkness, water, or wind.

   Egis are aetherial entities conjured both by Eikons and their Dominants. They are are beings of any shape that the Eikon has created that can act as extensions of the will of the Dominants who conjured them. Egis are said to be unable to continue to exit should their Eikon master die, though one seeming exception appears in the form of Aruna.

10. #10Phoenix

    Keys: Dominant of Fire, Warden of Fire, Dominant of Phoenix, Phoenix, Eikon of Fire

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    The Phoenix is the Eikon of Fire, appearing as a giant firebird resembling a hawk or eagle, with orange, green, and yellow feathers and long, peacock-like feathers running from its tail. The Phoenix has control of powerful fire-based magick, able to launch volleys of fireballs and fire a concentrated beam of flame from its mouth to attack its enemies. It has healing powers via its Flames of Rebirth spell. The Dominant of the Phoenix is born into the noble family of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, with the most recent being Joshua Rosfield, son of Archduke Elwin.

11. #11Ifrit

    Keys: Warden of the Inerno, Second Eikon of Fire, Ifrit, Second of Dominant of Fire, Dominant of Ifrit, Dark Eikon, Second Warden of Fire

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    Ifrit is the second Eikon of Fire (also called the Warden of the Inferno), which takes the form of a demonic being with large horns, a wolf-like muzzle, and a mane of white hair running down the back of its neck. Much like the Phoenix, Ifrit possesses fire-based magick, which allows it to throw fireballs and create powerful explosive blasts that double as protection from attacks, as well as fire a blast of concentrated fire from its mouth. The first and only Dominant of Ifrit is Clive Rosfield.

12. #12Shiva

    Keys: Warden of Ice, Dominant of Shiva, Shiva, Eikon of Ice, Dominant of Ice

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    Shiva is the Eikon of Ice, appearing as a pale-skinned woman with long, platinum-blonde hair adorned with golden ornaments, pointed ears, a large crown on her head, and a white dress. She conjures and manipulates ice for both defensive and offensive purposes, such as launching massive icicles as spears or forming a wall of ice to shield herself, as well as blocking off lava flows. Shiva's Dominant is born among the people of the Northern Territories, the most recent one being Jill Warrick,

13. #13Titan

    Keys: Dominant of Titan, Dominant of Earth, Titan, Warden of Earth, Eikon of Earth

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    Titan is the Eikon of Earth, who appears as a massive stone giant, his mouth lacking flesh and leaving his teeth exposed. Titan controls the element of Earth, and is the largest of the Eikons. He is incredibly strong, able to shatter the ground beneath him and create massive fissures with a single stomp and throw large chunks of rock at opponents. He can generate a force field around himself to deflect attacks. Titan's Dominant is Hugo Kupka,

14. #14Garuda

    Keys: Dominant of Garuda, Dominant of Wind, Eikon of Wind, Warden of Wind, Garuda

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    Garuda is the Eikon of Wind, taking the form of a harpy-like creature with two pairs of wings on her upper and lower back, wing-like protrusions on her head, clawed hands and feet, and white and green feathers covering her body. Garuda's power over wind allows her to create powerful storms, such as tornadoes, send blasts of wind at her opponents, and summon her wind-elemental Egis Chirada and Suparna to act as her minions, an ability which is shared with her chosen Dominant. Garuda uses her claws to viciously slash and tear at her enemies' flesh, and her wings allow her to fly at incredible speeds. The most recent Dominant of Garuda is Benedikta Harman

15. #15Ramuh

    Keys: Ramuh, Warden of Thunder., Eikon of Thunder, Dominant of Ramuh, Dominant of Thunder

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    Ramuh is the Eikon of Thunder, and takes the form of an elderly man with a long, white beard, wearing a long flowing purple robe and wielding a staff shaped like a lightning bolt. Ramuh can teleport, seen during his brief encounter with Ifrit where he avoided the dark Eikon's attack, and can conjure powerful blasts of purple electricity called Levinbolts. He can use his staff as a ranged weapon, such as when he threw it like a spear to repel Typhon in the Inner Sanctum of Drake's Head. Ramuh's latest Dominant is Cidolfus Telamon,

16. #16Bahamut

    Keys: Bahamut, Dominant of Bahamut, Dominant of Light, Warden of Light, Eikon of Light

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    Bahamut is the Eikon of Light, appearing as a large wyvern with silver scales and massive wings, and a third eye in the center of its head. Its power over light allows it to fire beams of energy from its mouth and hundreds of missile-like energy blasts from its wings. The current Dominant of Bahamut is Dion Lesage,

17. #17Odin

    Keys: Dominant of Odin, Eikon of Darkness, Dominant of Darkness, Warden of Darkness, Odin

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    Odin is the Eikon of Darkness, taking the appearance of an armored humanoid with a horned helmet who rides the six-legged horse, Sleipnir. Odin possesses control over dark magick, and wields a black blade that can cut through anything and generate deadly energy blasts. This blade can be used by both Odin and his chosen Dominant to deadly effect. Odin's current and only known Dominant is Barnabas Tharmr.

18. #18Leviathan

    Keys: Domiant of Water, Warden of Water, Domiant of Leviathan, Leviathan the Lost, Eikon of Water, Leviathan

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    Leviathan was the Eikon of Water, who mysteriously disappeared many years ago, earning it the title of "Leviathan the Lost". Little is known about Leviathan, but it can be discerned that it could use water-based magicks, and was a massive, serpent-like creature, as depicted on the murals in apodyteries.

19. #19Bearer

    Keys: Bearers, Bearer

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    Bearers are people who can use magicks without a crystal in Final Fantasy XVI by manipulating the aether of the environment. Bearers, Dominants, and those with whom a Dominant shares their power with, are the three types of people in Valisthea who can use magic naturally. Out of these groups, Bearers are the ones who are systematically persecuted and forced into servitude.

    All nation states enslave those found to be able to use magicks and use them as "tools" for everyday tasks from industry to agriculture to treating the wounded to household chores and warfare. All newborns, unless their parents specifically try to hide them, are tested, and those found to possess powers are taken away by the constabularies, branded with a poison mark on their left cheek that should kill them should they try to remove it, and used until their powers are spent and they succumb to the "crystals' curse".

    Bearers first appeared in Valisthea around 950 years ago.

    Magic is the act of channeling ambient aether to make one's imagination manifest. Those able to use magic naturally usually already display some hint of this ability right after being born, but some awaken to their powers later. Those who awaken later may be able to hide their powers and escape persecution, but this is rare. If a person is later in life found to be able to use magicks, their former associates, friends, and family, often turn on them and they are ostracized.

    Different Bearers have natural affinity for specific element of magicks; for example, those who can use light-aspected magic can heal others, and may be drafted to work for the army. Those with affinity to ice-aspected magic are commonly used to chill goods to make produce last, and those who can use fire may be made to work in kitchens and forges.

    As Bearers cast magicks by manipulating ambient aether, in the deadlands drained of aether their powers are hampered, or they may be unable to use magicks.

    Using too much aether leads to "crystal's curse": the Bearer's body will petrify, rendering pieces of their body unusable while experiencing excruciating pain. The end result of the curse causes their bodies to crumble away to dust, killing the Bearer. Dominants also share this fate should they expend too much aether.

    Crystal fetters are restrains made specifically to restrain Bearers and Dominants, preventing them from casting magicks.

    Bearers have aetherial resistance and are less likely than others to turn Akashic amid aetherfloods.

    The treatment of Bearers varies from country to country. In the Iron Kingdom, anyone showing signs of being a Bearer (or Dominant) is systematically killed, as their existence is considered unholy. In most countries, Bearers are considered non-human and their ownership is tied to the constabulary's Bearer-registration system.

    In the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, Bearers are treated better than in most nations, or at least Archduke Elwin Rosfield has tried to improve their lot.[6] However, the other countries, led by Sanbreque, do not pay as much attention to their Bearers. They are barely fed and dressed in rags, they are punished for the slightest misbehavior—such as speaking publicly without permission—and they are discarded as soon as the crystal curse reaches too advanced a stage.

    It is rare for Bearers to have children, as pregnancy is considered a waste of a Bearer's aether, making them less useful for the duration. Nigh all enslaved Bearers originate from non-enslaved people whose children are taken by the state when they are found to have awakened to their powers. The rich and the powerful tend to have their Bearers wear their emblem to enable them go about their master's business more easily, as unaccompanied Bearers are otherwise a cause for suspicion.

    The enslavement of Bearers is so deeply rooted in the customs of certain countries, notably Sanbreque, that they are regarded as disposable objects and sometimes even pets or objects of distraction for nobles who kill them to amuse themselves. This view of Bearers as inferior to all other citizens means that parents are often relieved to abandon their children to the authorities when a gift for magick is detected in them.

    A smaller number of Bearers are used as Branded soldiers by the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, who deploy them on the most dangerous clandestine missions. They are not treated as elite soldiers but as disposable fodder sent on suicide missions. In Sanbreque, the empire is more likely to recover the sword of a Bearer who died in battle rather than their body and respectfully bury them. The penalty for desertion is death, and perishing to the inevitable crystals' curse is considered a hero's death.

    The Bearer persecution dates back to before the time of Dominants, and before the Continental Accord that codifies the treatment of Bearers as "non-human". In ancient times, those able to use magic were known as the "bearers of the blessing". They fought against oppression and the war that became known as the "Deluge of Blood" took place. The magick-users lost, and Bearers have been enslaved ever since. In the beginning of the modern calendar, Bearers' treatment was codified in the Continental Accord and they came to be marked with the poison ink tattoo. When Dominants arrived onto the realm, it became impertinent to separate them from Bearers lest they would side with them and repeat the war, and Dominants—though not much different from Bearers apart from their ability to prime—became heralded as heavenly messengers. The historical Bearer dominance has since been hidden from public consciousness, and secret fellowships, such as the Executors, destroy records of these ancient times to keep the truth hidden.

20. #20Branded

    Keys: Brand, Branded, Slaves, Slave

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    When an individual is found to possess capability to use magick (usually in infancy), they are tattooed with a large symbol on their left cheek. This practice was codified in the the Continental Accord, which laid out the rules of branding and Bearers' status as non-persons.

    The brand used to both dehumanize and to distinguish Bearers is almost impossible to remove; it is made with poison ink and the operation to remove it is particularly delicate, not to mention extremely painful, as the slightest mistake could allow the ink to spread through the body of the marked Bearer and lead to his or her death. Even if the procedure to remove it is successful, it leaves a noticeable scar where the brand was.

    All Bearers no matter the nation that subjugates them are branded with the same symbol, and can be traded across borders. Bearers being bought and shipped to the outer continents are supposedly being treated exceptionally well; this could be because the continents outside of Valisthea lack Mothercrystals, so Bearers may be their only source of magicks.

21. #21Blight

    Keys: Deadlands, The Blight, Blight, Blighted Lands

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    The Blight is the ever-advancing environmental disaster that renders the land uninhabitable. The Blighted lands appear as endless swathes of rocky terrain, and become known as the deadlands because it is believed nothing can live there, though Cidolfus Telamon and his band of outlaws do try their hand at it. In recent years, the Blight has advanced ever faster bringing chaos to the realm. The Blight first appeared in Valisthea around 1500 years ago, in the wake of the War of the Magi over aether resources.

    The Blighted lands are sapped of aether, meaning no vegetation grows there, the waters turn black, and Bearers and Dominants cannot use magicks, though Dominants can still prime.

    As vegetation dies out, animal and human populations are displaced and driven to new regions in search of new habitats. Beastmen come into too close a contact with human civilizations, causing tension, and monsters that usually are known to live far away from settlements, suddenly become menaces. Entire regions become devastated when crops fail, setting in famines and wars over the ever-diminishing supply of arable land. Societies collapse when towns are left abandoned ahead of the ever-spreading Blight.

22. #22War of the Magi

    Keys: War of the Magi

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    The War of the Magi is a historical event. It was one of the many wars that heralded the end of the Fallen civilization 1,500 years ago. Details of the war have become lost to history among the modern populace of Valisthea.

    During the War of the Magi nations wielding "clockwork armies" fueled by powerful magicks fought for control of the Mothercrystals and the power of the gods themselves, hastening the drain of aether from the land, giving rise to the Blight.

    A woman upon whose story Goddess Greagor is based on lived during the War of the Magi, when various nations waged war for aether resources from the Mothercrystals with formidable magicks. A female knight using magicks to create a dragon-shaped weapon became a prevalent tale in the modern day Greagorian church, creating the symbol of Goddess Greagor, who rides on the back of a wyvern.

    By the time peace was restored, the wounds suffered by both humanity and the land had grown too deep to heal, and civilization deteriorated, all knowledge on how to build "magitek" or the "indestructible" ceramics that the Fallen ruins are known for faded.

    The "clockwork armies" of the Fallen are known as echoes in modern day, some still remaining and operating; they are possible remnants of the War of the Magi.

23. #23Grand Duchy of Rosaria

    Keys: Duchy, Rosaria, Grand Duchy of Rosaria, The Duchy, Duchy of Rosaria

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    The Grand Duchy of Rosaria (Duchy of Rosaria) is a nation. Their emblem is that of a phoenix and the nation is led by the Archduke, the Dominant of the Phoenix.

    The Duchy of Rosaria was established 250 years ago. However, Rosarians themselves hold their nations as one of the original nations in modern Valisthea, as established by the Founder, a legendary figure still revered to this day. The "Rose Alliance" was established in the Year of the Realm 550, and the duchy as overseen by the archduke came into existence in the year 600. After Drake's Eye in the north fell, the Northern Territories went to war with Rosaria over resources, and the Phoenix came to clash with Shiva; the northern tribes retreated after infighting broke out.

    In 854, Archduke Elwin Rosfield finally pacified the Northern Territories, and the northern tribes' chieftain's daughter, Jill Warrick, came to be the ward of House Rosfield and live in Rosalith Castle alongside the archduke's own children, the elder Clive Rosfield and the younger Joshua Rosfield, Dominant of Phoenix and heir to the ducal throne.

    In 857, the duchy allied with Dhalmekia against Waloed, who was allied with Kanver to gain a foothold on Storm. The Rosarian–Dhalmekian alliance was almost victorious, but Dhalmekia's best soldiers left the battlefield, leading to their defeat, and Kanver remained independent with Waloed's support. In 859, Sanbreque, Dhalmekia, and Rosaria formed an alliance to prevent another city state like Kanver from seeking independence, known as the Triunity. The state leaders of the three countries came together.

    Rosarian culture places great importance on tradition and chivalry. During the attempted invasion of Mount Drustanus and Drake's Breath, Archduke Elwin would not have his forces assault the island without first having his son Joshua, the Dominant of Phoenix, complete the Rite of Ancestral Communion in the Apodytery.

    While most nations in Valisthea already hold Dominants in positions of authority, Rosaria is the only country to be directly ruled by one. According to Clive Rosfield, this agreement dates back to the duchy's founding, with the Dominant of the Phoenix being granted ruler status in return for them using the Eikon's power to protect the nation. Great care is placed on ensuring that the power of the Phoenix remains in the ducal bloodline, to the point of arranged marriages between cousins.

    There are times when the chosen Dominant might be too young to take the throne, in which case the first-born son of the previous Dominant will act as a stand-in until they come of age. Overall, the duchy seems to practice male primogeniture while women appear to be married off for the sake of alliances.

    Joshua would be next in line for the throne once he comes of age, till then Elwin is currently in charge.

    Rosarians worship the Founder, the enigmatic individual who supposedly build Rosaria and, presumably, all other civilizations in Valisthea. This goes along with the kinship between the nation's inhabitants, with the object of their worship not being some higher being but the one who created their community.

    A nation bordering the body of water known as the Boiling Sea, Rosaria is mostly composed of swamps and marshlands, with a few mountains and cliffs. There is also a lot of architecture from the Fallen civilization littered throughout the landscape.

    Though houses in urban areas, like the capital of Rosalith and Port Isolde, are typically composed of brick, more outlying villages are made from wood.

    Though once considered one of the three great powers on the continent of Storm, in recent years, Rosaria has found itself the target of other nations' expansionist ambitions, even being annexed, the nation silently struggles under its occupiers whilst striving to regain its independence, which it seemingly achieved following the signing of the Triunity Agreement.

    The Grand Duchy of Rosaria and the Holy Empire of Sanbreque were both part of the Triunity of 859, an alliance formed to prevent other territories from attempting to declare independence following the secession of the cities that would form the Free Cities of Kanver.

    Relations between Rosaria and the Iron Kingdom have never been good. The Grand Duchy was actively mining Mothercrystal, and the Dominant of Phoenix was still the country's ruler. The Iron Kingdom was also considered a traditional enemy of Rosaria, since it was by taking advantage of its war with the Northern Territories that it was able to seize Drake's Breath, the Mothercrystal Rosaria mined.

    The Grand Duchy and the Dhalmekian Republic enjoyed good diplomatic relations. They had also formed the Southwestern Alliance when the future Free Cities of Kanver began to claim their independence. Ties remained strong between the two states even after the addition of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque to the alliance, Rosaria sharing with Dhalmek several vital techniques for the republic, such as irrigation, important because of the global climate of the republic's territory.

    The Grand Duchy of Rosaria has maintained difficult relations with the Northern Territories, particularly after the disappearance of their Mothercrystal, Drake's Eye, and because the Blight was eating away at their territory, leading several of the tribes making up the Northern Territories to launch raids against Rosaria. Relations eased after Archduke Elwin Rosfield pacified the tribes in 854, withdrawing with the daughter of the most important tribal chief, Jill Warrick, as a hostage to Rosalith. The Grand Duchy helped the Northern Territories after pacifying them, but Sanbreque's annexation of the kingdom saw the stability established by Rosaria disappear due to the expansion of the Blight and Sanbreque's lack of interest.

    Due to the sheer geological distance between them, Rosaria's relationship with Waload was seemingly non-existent.

    Despite being one of the nations ratifying the Dominion's independence, due to the sheer geological distance between them, Rosaria did not seem to have strong relations with the city-state of the Crystalline Dominion.

    Servel locations are in the Relam of Rosaria such as: Rosalith (capital), Phoenix Gate, Eastpool, Martha's Rest, Port Isolde, Stillwind, Three Reeds, Sorrowise, Greensheaves, Cressida, The Broken Hilt, The Dim, Shallop Rock, Amber, Hawk's Cry Cliff, Auldhyl, The Auldhyl Docks, Quietsands, The Silken Strand, The Lazarus District, Rhiannon's Ride and Bewit Bridge

24. #24Rosalith

    Keys: Rosalith Castle, Capital of Rosaria, Rosalith

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    The capital city of the Duchy of Rosaria. "Rosalith Castle" Rosalith Castle, seat of the archduke, stands at the heart of the storied settlement, whose marketplaces teem with activity. Alas, the encroaching Blight has rendered vast swathes of the land to the north uninhabitable, driving refugees south in ever greater numbers, and placing an unbearable strain on "Rosalith" Rosalith’s all too finite resources.

25. #25Phoenix Gate

    Keys: Rosaria Ancestral Ground, Phoenix Gate

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    A walled keep situated near Rosaria’s northwestern border. It was originally constructed to serve as an outpost in the wars against the Northern Territories, but its true significance lies deep within the ruins atop which the stronghold stands. Here, in an ancient chamber accessible only to the "Dominant" Dominant of Fire, is held the Rite of Ancestral Communion—an important ritual in which it is believed that the Phoenix can hear the words of the duchy’s forbears.

    This aging seaboard citadel not only defends Rosaria from northern raiding parties, but also serves as sacred ground whereupon the duchy’s "Dominant" Dominant might commune with his or her ancestors and entreat their guidance on the eve of important battles.

26. #26Eastpool

    Keys: Eastpool

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    A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria. It was once surrounded by fertile farmland, but the southward creep of the Blight eventually drove out most of the inhabitants.

27. #27Martha's Rest

    Keys: Martha's Rest

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    A small settlement huddled atop a rocky for overlooking the swampy lowlands of southeastern Rosaria. Sellswords gather in its barracks, hawkers in its streets, while those short on work can be heard singing over flagons of ale from morning until night in the village’s eponymous tavern. While the former duchy may want for cheer since being annexed by the empire, the Rest is a rare spot of sunshine among the gloom, and most travelers make a point of stopping over when they’re passing through.

28. #28Port Isolde

    Keys: Port Isolde

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    A port city situated on the southwestern coast of the Imperial Province of Rosaria. Only "Rosalith" Rosalith rivals it for size, and in the glory days of Archduke Elwin’s reign, its streets bustled with traders from across "Valisthea" Valisthea. Sadly, those days are long since gone, and Sanbrequois occupation has seen everything, from marketplaces to military institutions, subverted to the will of the empire.

29. #29Stillwind

    Keys: Stillwind

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    There was a time, not long ago, that the songs of civilization echoed through "Stillwind" Stillwind’s knotted boughs. Now, the settlements lie abandoned and the only sounds to escape this forsaken place are the howls of beasts that have fled the deadlands to make the bogs their home.

30. #30Three Reeds

    Keys: Three Reeds

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    An area of marshland in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria, just south of Martha’s Rest. Numerous shacks and hovels dotted about the swamps suggest that the area was once at least sparsely populated. However, now most lie broken and abandoned, their owners having fled for more habitable climes once the waters began to rise.

31. #31Sorrowise

    Keys: Sorrowise

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    Sorrowise is a marshland left of Martha's Rest.

32. #32Greensheaves

    Keys: Greensheaves

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    Greensheaves is Wetlands north of Martha's Rest

33. #33Cressida

    Keys: Cressida

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    A village located deep within the wetlands of central Rosaria. It was once the site of an aqueduct that was hoped would carry water to the capital, Rosalith, but these plans never came to fruition due to both the Holy Empire’s annexation of the duchy, and a sudden influx of feral beasts displaced by the Blight’s march south through the Dim. Now it lies abandoned, many of its residents having fled to nearby Martha’s Rest.

34. #34The Broken Hilt

    Keys: The Broken Hilt

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    The Broken Hilt is a cliffy area north east of Rhiannon's Ride

35. #35Rhiannon's Ride

    Keys: Rhiannon's Ride

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    Deeper wetlands past Greensheaves

36. #36The Dim

    Keys: The Dim

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    The Dim is blighted lands with some Fallen Ruins around and is locatated North East of Eastpool

37. #37Shallop Rock

    Keys: Shallop Rock

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    Shallop Rock is a cliffy area north of Amber

38. #38Amber

    Keys: Amber

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    A sleepy settlement nestled amongst the lofty peaks of southern Rosaria. Located far from the capital, its people survive by trading what produce they can coax from the stony soil, and what little else they can gather from the surrounding hills.

39. #39Hawk's Cry Cliff

    Keys: Hawk's Cry Cliff

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    A location in the southern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria known for its distinctive rock formations. There are myriad theories as to how the unique stratification was achieved, from natural shiftings of the earth, to clashes of bygone "Eikon" Eikons, to lost Fallen magicks. The people who live in their shadows, however—such as those residents of the tiny village of Amber—will merely tell you a rock is a rock.

40. #40Auldhyl

    Keys: Auldhyl

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    A thriving village of shipwrights located at the mouth of the Talons, Rosaria’s largest bay.

41. #41Auldhyl Docks

    Keys: Auldhyl Docks

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    The docks of Auldhyl many ships and marchents come here.

42. #42Quietsands

    Keys: Quietsands

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    Quietsands is a cliffy area near a beached area south of Bewit Bridge

43. #43The Silken Strand

    Keys: The Silken Strand

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    The Silken Strand is a open area and near the ocene leading to Port isolde and south of Quietsands

44. #44The Lazarus District

    Keys: The Lazarus District

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    An exclusive walled residential area situated just outside the eastern edge of Port Isolde. It is the jewel in the city’s crown, and home to many of the nobles of the duchy.

45. #45Bewit Bridge

    Keys: Bewit Bridge

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    A bridge built in the golden days of the duchy that spans part of the bay known as the Talons, and connects eastern Rosaria with the capital of "Rosalith" Rosalith. It is to be part of the Trans-Rosarian Aqueduct that would carry water to northern areas affected by the Blight, and with it, employment for local craftsmen and tradespeople.

46. #46Founder

    Keys: Founder, The Founder

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    The Founder is a legendary person in Valisthea, especially to Rosarians, He is said to be the founder of modern civilization on the Twins. His name lost to history, he has become known as simply "the Founder". Revered to this day, people may colloquially use his name as an intensifier.

    According to legend, the Founder was a Fallen survivor who initially, like all other survivors, hid from the angered gods who had cast them down from the skies; they lived a nomadic lifestyle in the shadows of the realm, never staying in one place for more than one night. One day, the Founder began to build a settlement, and though others at first spurned his effort, he eventually built a following. The settlement grew into a nation, implied to eventually become the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. The Founder and his followers are said to have built a new civilization from scratch without the aid of magicks (crystal or Bearers). When the Founder died, his followers kept his legacy alive and continued his work.

47. #47Greagor

    Keys: Greagor, Greagorian Church, Greagorian

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    The Greagorian church is the state religion of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. Its followers worship the goddess Greagor, considered to be the only true deity. All the empire's leaders are members of the church, in particular the five cardinals who govern the five original provinces of the empire and elect the Holy Emperor, who is supposed to be their equal, even if he is considered to be the incarnation made flesh of the goddess Greagor.

    The church considers dragons to be the sacred servants of their goddess, and they are well represented in Sanbrequois art and are bred and protected to serve as supports for the legionnaires of the imperial army. The nation's Eikon is the dragon Bahamut, and the empire's elite fighting forces who serve the holy emperor are the Holy Order of the Knights Dragoon, knights who train to fight like dragons. Even the elite assassin unit composed of Branded Soldiers, the Bastards, have members with dragon-based names, such as "Tiamat" and "Wyvern".

    Statues of the goddess are found in churches visited by the populace for sermons. New churches are built to regions that the empire annexes, implying that the empire propagates the faith and spreads it to the areas it takes over. Other religions in the realm include the Crystalline Orthodox, who worship the Mothercrystals themselves as deities, and similar beliefs derived from the ancient Circle of Malius used to be widespread across the Twins; in modern day, the Greagorian church is much more prominent, and the state religion of the empire.

    The followers of Greagor worship dragons as sacred servants of the goddess, and since the founding days of the empire, have both doted and depended upon them.

    Emperor Sylvestre Lesage believes himself the incarnation of goddess Greagor on Valisthea, and so justifies his megalomania and want for more land and Mothercrystals as the divine will that no one can oppose, and those that do to be heretics.

    Members of the Greagorian clergy include astrologers who divine the future from the movements of the heavens. The astrologers of the imperial court share their auguries exclusively with the emperor, granting them significant political influence should the emperor of be receptive to their divination. This implies some importance placed on fate or divinely-influenced determinism in the church's belief system.

    A woman upon whose story Goddess Greagor is based on lived during the Fallen civilization, about 1,500 years ago. During the War of the Magi, various nations waged war for aether resources from the Mothercrystals with formidable magicks. A female knight during this time used magicks to create a dragon-shaped weapon. This tale became prevalent in the Greagorian church, creating the symbol of Goddess Greagor, who rides on the back of a wyvern.

48. #48Fallen

    Keys: The Fallen, Fallen, Ancients

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    The Fallen were an ancient, advanced civilization of Valisthea. They thrived for around 1500 years, and their civilization came to an end around 1500 years; magick-use became widespread during their reign even if Bearers and Dominants were not around yet, and the Circle of Malius faith was formed during this time. Thanks to their technology, they were able to leave the surface and create cities in the sky. For reasons unclear to the modern populace, the Fallen lost access to magic and their cities fell. 1500 years later, the ruins of the Fallen can be found all around Valisthea. Civilization fell to dark ages, the technology of the Fallen lost, and civilizations began to form around the Mothercrystals instead.

    For the people who remained on the surface, the story of the Fallen became one of hubris: people who had tried to advance too far, to become too close to God, were fated to fall. While most saw the Fallen as a cautionary example, there were always those who saw the Fallen's legacy as a potential source of power.

49. #49Dominants

    Keys: Dominant of Titan, Dominant of Garuda, Dominant of Leviathan, Dominant of Odin, Dominant of Shiva, Dominant of Phoenix, Dominant of Ifrit, Dominant, Dominant of Bahamut, Dominants

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    Dominants are people born with the ability to host Eikons, the most powerful and deadly creatures in Valisthea, inside of themselves.

    Dominants can call upon their Eikon's power and summon the being into the material world, an act called "priming". By semi-priming, a Dominant can also take on some aspects of their Eikon without fully transforming and without requiring nearly as much aether. Most nations revere Dominants, but the Iron Kingdom citizens view Dominants as unholy abominations who are to be put to death or enslaved if discovered on their land, and in some countries, Dominants are bound and forced to serve as weapons of war.

    The Dominants, like the Bearers, are victims of the crystals' curse, which causes their bodies to become petrified as they use more and more aether. Both are also resistant to turning Akashic from overexposure.

    Dominants are treated differently depending on the country to which they belong, and several Dominants—Shiva, Titan, Bahamut and the Phoenix—hold high positions in their home nations. The Dominants of Shiva and the Phoenix always appear in the royal families of their countries of origin.

    The ability awaken as a Dominant has to do with ancestry, being descendants of certain ancient tribes whose descendants have now dispersed. In the case of Phoenix, the tribe among which its Dominants appeared was preserved by becoming the ducal Rosfield family. Meanwhile, the tribe among whom Odin can awaken migrated from Valisthea and was unknown until Barnabas arrived. It appears that Bearers will not awaken as Dominants, only people thought to be unable to use magicks prior to their awakening.

    Only one person at a time can be a Dominant.

    Currently Known Dominants:

    Clive Rosfield of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria is the Dominant of Ifrit, a mysterious dark Eikon and a second Eikon of Fire.

    Joshua Rosfield of Rosaria is the Dominant of the Phoenix, Warden of Fire his paternal grandfather was the previous Dominant of the Phoenix.

    Jill Warrick of Rosaria is the Dominant of Shiva, Warden of Ice an ancient fable of the Northern Territories, called the "Queen of the Snows" and who had as companion a Frost Wolf, was potentially a previous Dominant of Shiva and an ancestor of Jill, the Wolf accompanying him in the fable and baptized Fenrir being when has a potential ancestor of Torgal.

    Cidolfus Telamon is the Dominant of Ramuh, Warden of Thunder.

    Benedikta Harman of the Kingdom of Waloed is the Dominant of Garuda, Warden of Wind.

    Hugo Kupka of the Dhalmekian Republic is the Dominant of Titan, Warden of Earth.

    Dion Lesage of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque is the Dominant of Bahamut, Warden of Light.

    Barnabas Tharmr of Waloed is the Dominant of Odin, Warden of Darkness.

    The first Dominants appeared a hundred years after the signing of the Continental Accord.

50. #50Continental Accord

    Keys: The Continental Accord, Continental Accord

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    An international pact made at the dawn of the present era, in which such matters as the treatment of Bearers and the establishment of the realm-wide currency were laid out. It formed the basis of much of Valisthean society as it stands today, including the branding of Bearers and their status as non-persons. It also put in place a universal calendar, marking a symbolic fresh start for mankind—albeit one that put magic-users at a crippling disadvantage.

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