Multinational Expedition The Multinational Expedition is a major event in the background story of " Final Fantasy XI " . Examination of its details and consequences is the basis for much of the game ' s content . The expedition occurred thirty years before the beginning of " Final Fantasy XI " . The Republic of Bastok , Kingdom of San d ' Oria , and Federation of Windurst sent a party of six heroes to the Beaucedine Glacier to investigate Fei ' Yin , a ruined Zilart city . The mission failed , however , and only four returned from the Northlands . Story . Proposal . Ten years before the Crystal War a man visited the Bastok Metalworks carrying a piece of magicite . He showed it to Cid , who was amazed at the power radiating from the fist - sized object . Learning that it was a fragment of a larger crystal from the Northlands , Cid advised Bastok ' s president to send Mythril Musketeers there to claim the material for the Republic . He believed that such energy at Bastok ' s disposal would easily make it the most powerful nation in Vana ' diel . Word of Bastok ' s intentions leaked , however , and a secret mission against the interests of Windurst and San d ' Oria became impractical . The Republic therefore invited its neighbors to participate in the excursion . Together they would explore Fei ' Yin and determine what forgotten powers slumbered beneath it . Bastok ' s three best Mythril Musketeers — Ulrich , Cornelia , and Raogrimm — would spearhead the effort . San d ' Oria believed that it was a foolish proposal but , unwilling to see Humes freely crossing its territory and suspecting hidden motives , sent Francmage as the Kingdom ' s representative . In Windurst , on the other hand , Rhinostery minister Iru - Kuiru was eager to embark on any adventure that allowed him to study an ancient civilization . He hired Olzhirya n wayfarer Rabntah to accompany him . The multinational expedition was underway . Journey . The six companions traveled through Ranguemont Pass and across the Beaucedine Glacier . They found themselves overwhelmed in Fei ' Yin , however . Strange devices and undead creatures appeared in great quantities to bar their path . Unable to advance far enough into the ruins to achieve their intended research , they retreated and declared their mission a failure . In the interest of salvaging their time in the Northlands , the expedition turned west to see what might lie in Xarcabard . Faced with an uninhabited wasteland , they split up . During this time Yow Rabntah discovered a piece of magicite and , believing it would be revolutionary for the Mithra homeland , kept it to herself . Ulrich and Raogrimm , meanwhile , found themselves alone among the snowdrifts . Disgusted by Raogrimm ' s relationship with Cornelia and sympathy for Beastmen , Ulrich attacked the Galka without warning . The treacherous Hume easily gained the upper hand and prepared a killing stroke . Cornelia intervened , however , and threw herself on Ulrich ' s sword . She died with the wounded Raogrimm at her side . Ulrich fled in search of the other expedition members . He found them debating the nature of Xarcabard and quickly explained that the other Mythril Musketeers had fallen down a crevice . He then led them on a false search , waiting for them to feel that the cause was hopeless . Rabntah failed to detect anything with her tracking skills and Francmage concluded that they should withdraw before more of the party was lost . Iru - Kuiru wanted to continue but his other companions agreed with the San d ' Orian . The multinational expedition therefore ended and its surviving members went their separate ways . Ulrich returned to Bastok and served as captain of the Mythril Musketeers . Francmage resumed his life in San d ' Oria but had difficulty sleeping . Iru - Kuiru was banished from Windurst ' s Rhinostery and struck out for Elshimo to continue his research . Yow Rabntah sailed for Olzhirya and used the magicite she had obtained to craft the Bow of Light . Consequences . Having suffered Ulrich ' s attacks and Cornelia ' s death , Raogrimm was consumed by rage . As he died in the snowy wastes of Xarcabard his intense emotions resonated with a crystal hidden far below the Northlands . In that moment he was granted a new body and an army of Kindred soldiers . Embracing his anger , he was reborn as the Shadow Lord . The Shadow Lord turned first to vengeance , teleporting unseen across continents to murder the surviving members of the expedition . All four deaths would go unexplained for years . He then turned to conquest , rallying Beastmen into an army with the capacity to overrun Vana ' diel . This began the Crystal War and precipitated the Alliance of Altana . The war was not the only misfortune borne of the multinational expedition , however :