Archadia



The Archadian Empire is one of the main political powers in Final Fantasy XII. A vast Empire to the northeast of Ivalice, it is the largest Empire in Ivalice and can be considered the primary antagonist of the game.

History
A small kingdom before the Galtean Alliance, it prospered during peacetime and grew to be Ivalice's mightiest republic state. Ruled by a cadre of senators, the might of its military turned Archadia into an empire subjugating its neighboring lands. Emperors are chosen from those most active in the military. It was not until the House Solidor took over 200 years ago that things really began to change. To make sure their rule was absolute, they created a law system that benefited them. This introduced the Judge system in Archadia. Archadia then developed by expanding into other smaller nations, taking their lands, and ruling over them with the same level of law as in their capital.

However, the Rozarrian Empire did not agree with Archadia's imperialistic advances, and so hostilities started to develop between the two nations. It was not until Archadia invaded Dalmasca and Vayne Solidor became Emperor that the hostilities almost turned to war. However, with the death of Vayne Solidor, the war never happened, and Larsa Solidor took over from his brother as Emperor.

Phon Coast
A large coastline that expands far over Archadia. Anyone travelling by foot will arrive here first. There is a Hunter's Camp located somewhere along the beach.

Tchita Uplands
Grasslands that connect Archades to the lower parts of Archadia. The area is overrun by monsters, making prolonged travel here undesirable.

Sochen Cave Palace
A network of caves under old Archades and Archadia, it possesses intricate palace chambers built during the Galtean Alliance. Deep within its halls lies the fearsome Hell Wyrm.

Old Archades
The lower sections of Archades. Once the main part of the city, it has now become a slum for lower class people. It is thought that once you come down here, you never leave.

Imperial City of Archades
The heart of the Archadian Empire, and its capital. The Imperial Senate is located here in the Administrative District. The city is run by members of the aristocracy, who generally look down upon those who are at a lower social status. Archades is a very segregated city. A social sign in the city is the wooden chop. The more you have of these chops, the higher your social status, and the more parts of the city you can access. Archades is also home of the famous Draklor Laboratory.

Draklor Laboratory
A giant laboratory run by Dr. Cid. It researches many things, from airships to weaponry. Recently however, all the lab's resources have been dedicated to developing nethicite. Entrance is impossible, unless you know the right people.

Balfonheim Port
A port city, inhabited mainly by pirates, including the famous Reddas. While it is located in Archadia, the city tries to retain neutrality as best it can. This town is one of the few ports left, and one of the only ways a traveler can reach Mt. Bur-Omisace from Archadia.

Cerobi Steppe
Wilderlands north of Balfonheim. There are many windmills located here which the group of Craftsmoogles have been attempting to repair. Their true purpose has been long forgotten though.

Demography
The composition of Archadia is 95% Hume, and 5% other races, including bangaa, seeqs, and moogles, and even one nu mou is seen as part of a sidequest. No viera are ever seen in the Imperial City of Archades.

As seen in Final Fantasy XII, Archadians speak with distinct English accents, depending on their social status. The common people, most notably the rank-and-file soldiers, speak with a dialect resembling Cockney. The nobility, such as Vayne and Larsa, use a well-spoken "Queen's English" dialect.

Military
Archadia is known for her fearsome military, the foundation of its power. Its military consists of troops, airships, and a navy.

Troops
There are several ranks in the Archadian military.

Imperial Soldier
Being the rank and file of the Archadian Imperial Army. The greater part of the Imperial army is comprised of swordsmen. In addition are hoplites in heavy armor for charging enemy fortifications, mages for ranged support, and others still for various more specialized roles.

Mastiff
Dogs specially trained for battle. Their ability to follow commands and their unswerving loyalty make them a vital part of the Imperial war machine. Training takes place at the hands of skilled "beast tamers", with a mastiff usually requiring two to three years before it is ready to see combat.

Imperial Elites
Name given to a highly trained group of soldiers who have undergone the most rigorous selection procedures to become the pride of the Imperial army. Elites are separated into three divisions by role: gunners, being marksmen trained in the use of rifles; pilots, being combat airship pilots; and beastmasters, being those who train the mighty mastiff dogs that fight alongside Imperial soldiers. Those who make it past the selection process go to the Imperial military school known as the "Akademy", there to learn the specialist skills of their allocated division.

Rook
Dr. Cid has been working on developing thought-driven combat weapons, called "rooks", for some time now. Test models saw their first combat use in a recent incident at the Draklor Laboratory. Three new models have been produced based on data collected during the Draklor Laboratory incident.

The Judges
A special order of knights under the Imperial Archadian Ministry of Law. With the spread of Archadian influence came a rise in crime and regional conflicts. To reduce the amount of time required by the judicial process, a military court was established, this being the origin of the Order of Judges.

Judge Magisters
One of the most prestigious ranks within the Archadian Empire. The Judge Magisters act as chief arbiters and enforcers of Archadian law. They are also the commanders of the Imperial Army.

Air Fleets
Archadia has many airships. Out of these, only the 8th and 12th fleet are shown. These fleets consist of airships of all shapes and sizes, but they are usually lead by Dreadnought Class ships, like the Leviathan.

Navy
Since the invention of the airship, Archadia's navy has decreased in size. However, it still vigilantly guards Archadia's coasts from anyone who would try to enter.

Musical Theme
The "Theme of the Empire" (帝国のテーマ) acts as the anthem of Archadia. Its leitmotif is used in several tracks involving Archadia, such as "Coexistence (Imperial Version)", "Upheaval (Imperial Version)" and "Sorrow (Imperial Version)". It also acts as the battle theme during the first fight against Lord Solidor. "Theme of the Empire" is composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto.

In the original soundtrack "Theme of the Empire" is the eleventh track in Disc 2. The track is also included in Dissidia Final Fantasy Original Soundtrack as the 19th track in Disc 2. In-game, it plays during the the map stages of Distant Glory - Redemption of the Warrior. The track is also found in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy as an Event track.

Trivia

 * The symbol of the Empire is also used in Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift whenever a Judge is summoned. It is also the symbol for "Distant Glory: Redemption of the Warrior" in Dissidia Final Fantasy, the storyline that unlocks Judge Gabranth as a playable character in that game.

Archadia