Ivalice (Final Fantasy XII)



Ivalice is an entire geographical region in the world that consists of three continents: Valendia to the north, Ordalia to the west and Kerwon to the south. The region is populated by a handful of unique races, each with its own culture and traditions. The Ivalice in Final Fantasy XII shares subtle similarities to the Ivalice of other games.

Geography
Ivalice is made up of three continents, though only small regions of each are explored in Final Fantasy XII. This explored area, centered on the Galtean Peninsula, is particularly mountainous in the western and southern sides, while the northern part is mostly rolling plains. The three continents; Ordalia, Valendia and Kerwon all have distinct characteristics. The Galtean region of the Ordalia continent is a desert area with rocky mountains spread out at the western reaches, making airship travel more feasible, though not entirely possible with the presence of Jagds. Vast plains are found in Ordalia's interior, away from the coast.

The Valendia continent is lush and verdant. Southern Valendia is mostly hilly grasslands, as seen with the landscape of the Cerobi Steppe. The Kerwon continent is more arid than most areas in Ivalice, even in its lowlands; though the highlands mostly experience snow. This continent is heavily forested and filled with Jagds. For the record, there has been no successful attempt to explore this continent.

The Naldoan Sea is the largest water body in Ivalice. It is located east of the region, in the Jagd Naldoa. Further east, the Naldoan Sea rushes down the slopes known as the Ridorana Cataract. It is believed that in ancient times, this area was once land, but for some mysterious reason, the ground collapsed, leaving behind a majestic waterfall. Because this area is Jagd, it's nigh accessible; ships will be pulled down the waterfalls, and airships can't fly in Jagds.

Jagds are a prevalent geographical element in Ivalice. They are heavily filled with Mist and are, as such, shaped by it. Jagds can be found all around Ivalice, and each have different characteristics, for example, Jagd Difohr is snowy while Jagd Yensa is mostly desert.

Climate
Climate in Ivalice can be naturally occurring or heavily influenced by Mist. For instance, the Giza Plains experience two seasons; The Dry where sand sweeps into the plains, and The Rains where water floods the lowlands, making several areas inaccessible. Mediterranean climate is experienced in areas like Balfonheim, Rabanastre and Bhujerba. Rainclouds can be seen forming in the Cerobi Steppe before falling in the Giza Plains.

Other areas are heavily influenced by Mist. The Jagds are one such area, where snowstorms and sandstorms are prevalent, attracting creatures known as the Elementals and Entites.

Calendar
The calendar used in Ivalice is the Old Valendia Calendar. It was started by the Galtean Alliance founded by Dynast King Raithwall of House Galtea. Its first year begins with the creation of the Galtean Alliance.

It is unknown if the Project Memorandum found in the Urutan-Yensa bestiary follows this calendar, but if it did, then this calendar would have 29 days in one month, but one year may mean more than 30 months.

History
Ivalice was once governed by the Occuria, powerful entities with supernatural powers that relied heavily on Mist. Able to communicate with all living beings, including dragons, their rule was absolute. Some creatures had mystical bindings laid upon them, hinting that the creatures might have served the Occuria. At one point, the Occuria created the Espers who would become their servants and do menial tasks for them. However, the Espers, thinking themselves more powerful than their creators, revolted against them in what would be the Thousand Year War, led by the High Seraph Ultima.

The Occuria managed to defeat the Espers and bind them in glyphs, then sealed them in unknown locations. Feolthanos, a member of the winged aegyl race, married a viera, starting a sub-race called the Feol Viera. Seeing this an abomination to order, the Occuria attempted to punish Feolthanos, but he fled into the sky continent of Lemurés where he sealed himself and his people. After the tragedy, the Occuria withdrew into Giruvegan, where they watched over Ivalice as their "all-seeing gods".

Ivalice was thrown into chaos almost immediately, but somehow order returned when Raithwall, a nobleman from Valendia, won the favor of the Occuria and was granted three shards of deifacted nethicite and with their power successfully subjugated a vast region stretching from the continent of Ordalia, the entire Galtean Peninsula and the continent of Valendia, creating the Galtean Alliance and called himself the Dynast King.

Two of the shards of nethicite were passed on to the ruling families of the kingdoms of Dalmasca and Nabradia, while the third the King kept for himself. During his reign, the city-states of Archadia and Rozarria rose to become a military might and, years after the Dynast King's death, became Empires. Other areas were expanded to become the kingdoms of Nabradia and Dalmasca and the Republic of Landis.

However, the two Empires continued their expansion on the guise of "protecting their interests". A single Occuria known by the name of Venat deserted Giruvegan and allied itself with Dr. Cid of Archadia, teaching them how to manufact nethicite, attempting to severe the Occuria's hold on mankind. Cid began lusting after true deifacted nethicite for his studies, and Archadia, also wary of Rozarria's attempt to invade its borders, subjugated the kingdoms in the Galtean Peninsula; assimilating Landis, destroying Nabradia obtaining Midlight Shard, and finally invaded Dalmasca, obtaining the Dusk Shard. Marquis Ondore of Bhujerba, a so-called neutral country, rallied the Resistance, a band of rebellious forces from all of Ivalice, to fight against the military might of Archadia.

The battle took place in Dalmasca's capital Rabanastre, with Archadia's mightiest airship, the Sky Fortress Bahamut, leading the charge against the insurgence. The Sky Fortress was fueled by Mist from the Sun-Cryst, a giant piece of nethicite brimming with Mist. The Sun-Cryst was destroyed, ending the Occuria's hold on mankind, and the Mist that spilled forth from its depths was absorbed by the Bahamut, activating it. However, the battle ended when Archadia's war leader, Vayne Solidor, was defeated in battle by Ashe, the princess of Dalmasca, said to have died in the initial Archadian invasion.

After peace was forged and order restored to Dalmasca, sky pirates discovered Lemurés, which was revealed when the Mist from the Sun-Cryst destroyed its barrier. Ivalice was again under threat from the Judge of Wings, an enigmatic figure out to drain the Auraliths of anima to gain immense power to destroy Ivalice. A sky pirate band attempted to stop this threat, and forged an alliance with Llyud, member of the aegyl.

Their efforts led them to Feolthanos, who had become a god-like figure to the aegyl and who attempted to conquer all of Ivalice to exact his revenge upon the populace. His attempts were put to an end by Vaan and his band of sky pirates, and Ivalice again was at peace. After Feolthanos's defeat, the sky continent of Lemurés shattered, and the aegyl left Ivalice to look for a new home.

Demography
Many races populate the region of Ivalice. Revealed throughout the game are humes, viera, bangaa, moogles, seeq, garif, Urutan-Yensa, nu mou, baknamy, Occuria, rev and helgas. It is possible that there are other races in the game, such as the four-armed humanoid leading Princess Ashe and Lord Rasler's wedding parade. The aegyl were revealed as a hidden race, prominent in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.

Politics
The main political forces in Ivalice are those in Archadia and Rozarria, constantly warring after Archadia's takeover of Dalmasca and Nabradia. Archadia's Imperial Senate contains the Emperor and some of his trusted people. The Senate, more particularly House Solidor, also controls the Ministry of Law, with the Judges at its head. The Archadian Senate controls most of Ivalice. However, the only House known to exist in Rozarria is House Margrace, when Al-Cid meets the party at Mt. Bur-Omisace. The Rozarrian army is rumored to be the equal of the Archadian army.

Religion and Beliefs
The people in Ivalice generally are worshipers in the Light of Kiltia religion. The religion was founded by the prophet Kiltia who saw a vision of the gods and saw it his mission to spread the message given to him. This polytheist faith system established itself in Mt. Bur-Omisace, where, to this day, faithfuls cross the dangerous Jagds in their self-imposed pilgrimage. The Kiltias, many of which are humes and nu mou, tend to the pilgrims, who make a camp on the base of the area.

In recent years, the war between the empires, Archadia and Rozarria, caused many to be left homeless, and refugees flocked to the Paramina Rift in Jagd Ramooda, increasing the burden of the Kiltias to tend to their needs. In a shocking move, the Archadian Empire defiled the temples of Mt. Bur-Omisace and murdered their leader, the helgas Gran Kiltias Anastasis in search of Larsa Solidor. Even so, the Kiltias had not lost hope and continued to preach their faith.

Revenant Wings

 * Dalmasca Region
 * Royal City of Rabanastre
 * Giza Plains
 * The Dalmasca Estersand
 * Jagd Ramooda
 * Paramina Rift
 * Bervenia
 * Glabados Ruins
 * Roda Volcano
 * Purvama
 * Lemurés

Trivia

 * On official North American site of Final Fantasy XII, when clicking on one of the country names, the map of Ivalice pops up and turns 3D.