Leá Monde

A bird's eye view illustration of Leá Monde.

Lea Monde, you magnificent, wicked city! Your castle walls are mightier than any fortress, more resplendent than any palace in the whole of Valendia.

A.J. Durai

Leá Monde (レアモンデ, Reamonde) is a location in Vagrant Story, a city with a 2000 year-old history. It is here that a large portion of the story take place, witnessing the power struggle of three groups; the Valendia Knights of the Peace, the Order of the Crimson Blades, as well as the cult Müllenkamp. It is located 31 miles south of the Graylands.

History

Founded in its early days by the legendary Kildean dancer-priestess Müllenkamp, who established a pact with demons and dabbled with the Dark Arts, creating what is known as the Gran Grimoire. Müllenkamp's cult grew powerful and influential, that Leá Monde was known to many as the Dark City. The Temple of Kiltia was the center of Müllenkamp's activity.

However, after the Valendian Civil War, the Iocus priesthood gained momentum and many followers converted, building the grand Cathedral. This transformed the once dark city into a bustling metropolis. Monks in search of spiritual enlightenment, dug deep below the city, opening up limestone quarries, creating what was known as the Undercity. Leá Monde was also famed for its high-quality wine, which easily rivals the Valendian produce. The fortressed city enters its golden age with a population of 5,000 people.

Nevertheless, the Dark still taints Leá Monde. The Parliament wished to control the Darkness within the city, and decided to empower it by feeding souls to the Dark. In a devious scheme 25 years BGI, the water daevas, Marid and the earth daeva Dao were summoned to cause a catastrophic earthquake that killed all citizens of Leá Monde. The souls of the dead was then consumed by Darkness, and the phantoms, beasts, and the undead roamed within the empty city, now separated from the major landmass. However, Duke Bardorba, who holds the legacy of Müllenkamp, the Gran Grimoire, refuses to let Darkness be misused. As a result, House Bardorba was antagonized by the nobles, who ordered an investigation on its relation to the cult to wrest the Duke's hold on the "key".

Locations

Wine Cellar

An underground path and the only entrance left after the great earthquake. The Wine Cellar still houses Leá Monde's vintage wines. Ashley first meet with resistance from wild creatures such as bats and wolves, but deeper within he had to fight against a ghost. He also discovers that the city's grounds has not yet stabilized, yet went on ahead.

Catacombs

The first area traversed by the Riskbreaker, this is where the basic knowledge of Leá Monde, particularly of the sigils, the grimoires, and the dark creatures that roam the city, can be obtained. One can also expand their knowledge on the undead; graves and corpses are strewn around the area.

Sanctum

A sanctuary for the pilgrims and scholars of Iocus, many small libraries and warehouses can be found within its stone walls. The sound of the underground river flowing further soothes the atmosphere. Recent earthquakes have ruined the place a bit, and so did the infestation of wraiths and dark skeletons.

Town Center

Bright daylight bathed the streets, displaying the unrivaled idyllic atmosphere of the city. Due to it being abandoned, the town's rustic charm is still maintained; one may even find the carving of old Kiltian lettering strewn along the walls. The workshops still keep much needed metal of Hagane or Damascus steel for those who dream to explore the other hidden reaches of Leá Monde. A pristine river flows along the city, separating it into two sides.

City Walls

Encircling the abandoned town are walls that protect the city from intruders, and connect the city from within all corners of the compass. Nowadays even the walls are protected, by lizardmen and phantoms who would grant no passage to the living.

Abandoned Mines

Miners of old loved the place to bits, that they not dare let anyone horde the unimaginable treasures within, and lay hidden traps everywhere. If that's not enough, consider the recent earthquake created gaping holes fit to swallow hundreds of man. If not, consider the demihumans and demons that do not wish to share their good fortune.

Undercity

Once an area of solitude, the Undercity is the grimmest of places, where the dead and undead roam freely. Even though the blue light from the lampposts and candles provide ample lighting, the shadows they create hide a thousand nightmares, from zombies to possessed dolls, to lively skeletons, to demonic harpies and evil eyes, and Lichs that creep upon to unleash the most powerful magic on the living flesh.

Snowfly Forest

A forest that surrounds the city like the sea surrounding an island, Snowfly Forest is named for its snowflies. Snowflies gather to where the Dark is strongest, said Rosencrantz. Many who follow this advice follow it to their deaths, lost and confused by the flurry of snowflies, and by the forests labyrinthine ways. If not for these elements, then surely the large insects and voracious lizards of the forest will bring doom.

The Keep

A fortress covered in ancient writings.

Limestone Quarry

Once a mining quarry that went deep within the earth, now abandoned and filled with beasts and demons. A dangerous place to be treading, especially because of the many ogres, orcs and other demihumans that lived within its cavernous passages. Adding to the danger is the city's frequent quakes.

Temple of Kiltia

Once the center where Kiltian priests held their rituals and ceremonies, its underground location allowed the Iocus priests to use it as a sanctuary and meditation chamber. Phantoms and possessed armors and statues filled the corridors, accompanied by imps and demons.

Grand Cathedral

An imposing structure of the priesthood built during the golden age. Built over the Temple of Kiltia, the Grand Cathedral is the center of the Gran Grimoire. Its spires and towers housed many relics of the Iocus priests, and many more of the Müllenkamp. The daevas of earth Dao, fire Ifrit, water Marid, wind Djinn, and darkness Nightmare gather here to guard the strongest magic point in Leá Monde.

Iron Maiden

A secret underground dungeon deep within the city, where Müllenkamp imprisoned the deity Asura and conducted many experiments and rituals. As a result, the dungeon is filled with Dullahans, Lichs, and Ogres. One can even bet to find Death itself here. One may also find that the dungeon is actually shaped in the form of the Rood of Iocus.

Escapeway

A small location that goes between two areas of the Undercity West.

Trivia

• Leamonde Entites appear in Final Fantasy XII, apparently named after the city. They hail from the Nabreus Deadlands in the continent of Valendia.
• The Necrohol of Nabudis in the aforementioned game is also somewhat a throwback to Leá Monde, having suffered a similar fate.
• The architecture of Leá Monde was based on the town of Saint-Émilion, France.

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