Final Fantasy VI timeline

The Settei Shiryou Hen guide book for Final Fantasy VI lists a timeline of events that begins during the War of the Magi and details events in history up until the game starts.FFVI Ultimania: Settei Shiryou Hen Translation Project The timeline details the rebuilding of humanity after the War of the Magi, as well as detailing the origins of several countries and places within the Final Fantasy VI world. Some of this information conflicts with what is stated in-game and in other creation materials; in such cases, in-game information prevails. This timeline assumes that the player completes all sidequests, recruits all optional characters and makes optimal in-game choices.
Figaro no Kekkon: Tales from Desert by Kaori Tanaka is not officially canon and is thus excluded from this timeline.
==Timeline==
===Mythical World===
====Unknown time in this period====
*The War of the Triad is fought among the Warring Triad; Demon, Fiend and Goddess.
*The three gods create espers to fight for them.
*Realizing the destructiveness of their war, the three gods petrify themselves and task the espers with sealing away their remains.
===Ancient World===
====c.-5400====
*Mt. Kolts erupts, growing to its present-day height and pushing up a surrounding mountain range.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 63
====Unknown time in this period====
*The War of the Magi breaks out as humans try to seize the espers' powers for themselves.
*Humans infused with esper magic come into existence, called "magi".
====c.-1200====
*Doma is founded as a nation according to oral tradition.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 65
====Unknown time in this period====
*The esper Odin is petrified by a sorceress while defending the Ancient Castle, along with his Queen.
*The esper Valigarmanda is frozen and ends up hidden where the Narshe Mines are later dug.When Valigarmanda regains consciousness in the World of Ruin, he asks if the War of the Magi has ended.
====c.-1000====
*The Ultima Weapon (sword) and Ultima Weapon (beast) are created.
*The esper Crusader is sealed away by the eight legendary dragons.
*The espers relocate to the Esper World, taking with them the statues of the Warring Triad.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 48
*Left to their own conflicts, humans turn on the magi and hunt them down for their magical abilities.
*A group of surviving magi hide out in Thamasa.
*With both the espers and the magi gone, the War of the Magi comes to an end. Over time, magic fades into legends.
===Post-War of the Magi===
====-980====
*The remaining copies of "The Authentic Record of the War of the Magi" at Doma are lost.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 65
====-735====
*Governments around the world, chiefly the Autonomous Military Organization, convene the World Peace Council.
*The Head of the Council declares "espers are extinct".Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario, p. 162
====c.-700====
*The Northern continent is split between Jidoor in the west, Figaro in the central desert, and Doma in the east. Narshe and Nikeah are founded as free cities in the northern mountains and at the mouth of the Lethe River, respectively.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 49
*Albrook, Maranda and Tzen are founded on the Southern continent.
*Mt. Kolts becomes well-known as a training ground for ascetics.
====-685====
*The Autonomous Military Organization becomes an unnamed Empire (the predecessor of the Gestahlian Empire), and declares an intention of policing world peace.
====-600====
*Warriors called "Samurai" start formal training in Doma.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 65
====-520====
*The last large-scale renovation of Doma Castle is completed.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 65
====Unknown time in this period====
*A human wanders into the Esper World for the last time before Madeline.During the flashback scene when Madeline enters the Esper World, an esper remarks that "hundreds of years" have passed since the last time a human came upon their realm.
===Industrial Revolution===
====-208====
*Successive industrial revolutions and artistic revivals occur.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 51
====-202====
*Figaro Castle is constructed in the northern Kingdom of Figaro.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 59
*South Figaro experiences rapid growth.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 61
====-199====
*The discovery of a large coal vein in Narshe leads to a "coal rush", and Narshe starts to become industrialized.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 57
====-150====
*Narshe gets its first real government. A political organization is formed with the aim of facilitating trade.
====-120====
*Rumors of abundant treasures in the caves of Mt. Kolts draw many people to the area.
====-84====
*After the industrial revolution, the mechanization of Figaro Castle proceeds.
====-72====
*Figaro Castle's first submerge attempt ends in a catastrophe, with hundreds of casualties.
*Survivors from the Figaro Castle disaster take refuge in South Figaro, where a temporary palace is built for the king.
====-70====
*Birth of Strago Magus in Thamasa.Final Fantasy VI The Complete, p. 172
*The weapon shop owner in Narshe takes over the shop from its previous owner.
====-68====
*Figaro Castle's third submersion is a success. From then on, it is feared as the "illusory castle".
*Military checkpoints are built at Mt. Kolts. South Figaro guards Figaro's borders whenever Figaro Castle is submerged.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, pp. 61-63
===Rise of the Empire===
====-59====
*A coup d'etat occurs in the Empire. Gestahl's father is heavily involved.
====-54====
*Banon is born in South Figaro.FF6 The Complete, p. 180
====-50====
*Birth of Cyan Garamonde in Doma Castle.FF6 The Complete, p. 164
*Gestahl is born.FF6 The Complete, p. 182
====Unknown time in this period====
*Strago and Gungho unsuccessfully attempt to hunt Hidon.The sinking of Ebot's Rock around 49 years before the game's start marked the end of the hunt as far as Strago was concerned.
====c.-49====
*Ebot's Rock sinks beneath the ocean.In the World of Ruin, it is mentioned that Ebot's Rock is visible for the first time in 50 years.
====c.-46====
*Cid Del Norte Marguez is born in Vector.FF6 The Complete, p. 182
====-38====
*The Empire expands its military.
*The Imperial Palace at Vector is completed.
====-35====
*Birth of Kefka Palazzo.FF6 The Complete, p. 181
====-30====
*Birth of Leo Cristophe in Vector.
====-27====
*Birth of the twins Edgar Roni Figaro and Sabin Rene Figaro in Figaro Castle.FF6 The Complete, pp. 158-160
*Birth of Setzer Gabbiani.FF6 The Complete, p. 170
====-25====
*Birth of Locke Cole.FF6 The Complete, p. 157
===Expansion of the Empire===
====-20====
*Gestahl becomes Emperor. He displays uncanny charisma.
*The Empire is named the Gestahlian Empire.
*Because of the Gestahlian Empire's aggression, the weapons trade of Narshe rivals the size of its coal trade.
*Narshe and the Gestahlian Empire sign a non-aggression pact. Narshe declares itself neutral in all matters regarding the Empire's expansion.
====-18====
*Emperor Gestahl launches his first war of conquest, known as the First Gesthahlian Campaign, on the Southern continent. The war lasts for at least two years.
*A young woman named Madeline enters the Esper World and meets the esper Maduin.FF6 The Complete, p. 156
*Terra Branford, daughter of Madeline and Maduin, is born in the Esper World.
*Celes Chere is born in Vector.FF6 The Complete, p. 162
====c.-16====
*Duane and Katarin are born in Mobliz.
====-16====
*The Gestahlian Empire attacks the Esper World and abducts Terra and several espers.Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario, p. 171. Also, during the flashback in-game, the raid is stated to have happened two years after Madeline entered the Esper World. The Esper Elder sacrifices himself to expel the invaders and set up a magical barrier to prevent future incursions.
====Unknown time in this period====
*Kefka Palazzo becomes the first experimental Magitek Knight, granting him the ability to cast powerful magic. However, his mind was damaged in the process, transforming him into a destructive madman.
*Celes Chere is infused with magic.
====-13====
*Birth of Gau. Gau's mother dies and his father, mad because of the loss of his wife, considers the child like a monster and abandons him in the Veldt.FF6 The Complete, p. 166
===Revival of Magic===
====-12====
*The reorganization of the Imperial army command structure with Kefka Palazzo, Leo Cristophe and others is completed.
*The Gestahlian Empire announces the initial results of its research at the Magitek Research Facility.
====c.-11====
*Birth of Mog in the Narshe Mines.FF6 The Complete, p. 176
*An outlaw duo known as "the Shadow Bandits" carries out a botched train robbery. One of them, Baram, is gravely injured and begs his partner, Clyde Arrowny, to kill him. Clyde refuses and runs off alone, and he eventually ends up in Thamasa, where he gets married.While this event is not dated, Clyde must have arrived in Thamasa at least nine months before Relm is born.
====-10====
*Birth of Relm Arrowny in Thamasa to Clyde Arrowny and his wife.FF6 The Complete, p. 174 In an unknown time afterwards, Relm's mother dies, and her father leaves Thamasa with the family's dog, taking on the alias "Shadow". Relm is left alone with her grandfather, Strago.
*The King of Figaro is poisoned and dies. The Gestahlian Empire is rumored to have been involved.
*Still a teenager, Edgar Roni Figaro succeeds his father as King of Figaro.
*Sabin Rene Figaro goes to Mt. Kolts to be trained by Duncan Harcourt.
====c.-9====
*Rachel saves Locke Cole from a collapsing bridge, but falls into a chasm herself. Locke takes her home, but when she wakes up, she does not remember him. Heartbroken and with Rachel's father blaming him for the accident, Locke leaves to let Rachel start a new life without him.Rachel was later killed in the Raid on Kohlingen, which must have taken place eight years ago during the Second Gestahlian Campaign.
====-8====
*Start of the Second Gestahlian Campaign, in which the Empire targets western parts of the Northern continent.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 54
*The Raid on Kohlingen takes place. Rachel is killed, but she regains her memories shortly before her death. Locke learns of this, and he takes her body to an old man who uses a herbal concoction to preserve it. He dedicates himself to finding a "legendary treasure" that can revive the dead.
*Magitek Armor is tested in battle for the first time.
*Figaro forms an alliance with the Empire.Final Fantasy VI 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario, p. 162 King Edgar is not sincere about the alliance, and later starts to provide clandestine support to the Returners.
*Upon allying with the Empire, there is a small riot in South Figaro. The Returners are said to have instigated it.
====c.-7====
*Darill perishes when crashing her airship, the Falcon.Darill's death is not dated in-game. However, one can deduce from in-game dialogue that Setzer (who is 27 in-game) was in his late teens or early twenties at the time. One must also take into account that it took a year for Setzer to find Darill's body. Presumably he spent a long time rebuilding the Falcon and constructing Darill's Tomb. In the World of Ruin, Setzer states that he has not visited the tomb "in years", which would mean at least two years.
====c.-6====
*Setzer finds Darill's body and the wreck of the Falcon southwest of Kohlingen. He reconstructs the Falcon, but is unable to stand the sight of it and buries it under Darill's Tomb.
====-3====
*Birth of Umaro.Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 1, p. 300
*Skirmishes between Doma and the Gestahlian Empire begin.Final Fantasy VI Settei Shiryō-hen, p. 64
====-2====
*Emperor Gestahl launches the Third Gestahlian Campaign.
====Sometime between -2 and 0====
*The Empire conquers Albrook.When Edgar and Kefka meets for the first time in-game (before the Burning of Figaro Castle), Edgar remarks that he has heard that the Empire has "been busy down south, taking over a country or three". An NPC later remarks that "Tzen and Albrook, too, fell to the Empire" (see Final Fantasy VI SNES script). This likely means that the conquest of Tzen and Albrook happened recently. Given its proximity to Vector, it is likely that Albrook was the first country to fall, followed by Tzen.
*The Empire conquers Tzen and kills its royal family. All young men are conscripted, leaving the town populated with women, children and the elderly. All trade between Tzen and Nikeah ceases with the Imperial takeover.Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario, p. 167
*The Siege of Maranda takes place. After a bloody battle that sees the city torched, Maranda is occupied by the Empire and its male population is conscripted.
*Ramuh, Kirin, Siren and Cait Sith escape the Magitek Research Facility. Only Ramuh survives, and he hides away in Zozo.
*Lola's boyfriend is conscripted and sent to Doma. He escapes and takes refuge in Mobliz, but is paralyzed from wounds he suffered during his escape.
*Jealous of Sabin, Vargas attacks his father Duncan Harcourt and beats him to near-death.Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 1, p. 281
*Kefka puts a Slave Crown on Terra's head and orders her to burn fifty soldiers of her own army as a test.
*A frozen esper is discovered in the deepest part of the Narshe coal mines, drawing the interest of both the Empire and the Returners.
====0====
*Final Fantasy VI begins.
*The Empire sends Biggs, Wedge and Terra to seize the frozen esper in Narshe, violating its non-aggression pact with the town. The Raid on Narshe fails, and Terra regains her free will.
*Terra is rescued by Locke Cole and taken to Figaro Castle. Kefka sets the castle on fire to force Edgar to hand over Terra, but this fails when the castle submerges.
*Locke, Terra, Edgar escape to South Figaro and later to the Returner Hideout. Sabin joins them on their way across Mt. Kolts and defends them against Vargas.
*The Empire occupies South Figaro and Mt. Kolts. A planned attack on the Returner Hideout is never carried out. The Returners escape down the Lethe River, but are split when Ultros intercepts them.
*The Siege of Doma ends in the genocide of Doma's population. Among the dead are Elayne and Owain, Cyan Garamonde's wife and son. After escaping, Cyan joins the Returners.
*A major rock slide north of Nikeah temporarily blocks the sole overland route to Doma.
*Locke infiltrates South Figaro and rescues Imperial general Celes Chere, who had been branded a traitor and sentenced to death.
*Cyan, Sabin and Shadow accidentally board the Phantom Train, but manage to escape. They make their way to the Veldt where they recruit Gau, before making their way to Narshe via Nikeah and South Figaro.
*Terra, Edgar and Banon sneak into Narshe, where Banon unsuccessfully tries to sway the Elder of Narshe to join the war against the Empire.
*The Empire makes a second, more determined attempt at seizing the frozen esper in Narshe. The subsequent Battle for the Frozen Esper ends in a victory for Narshe and the Returners.
*Successful Returner raid on the Magitek Research Facility in Vector. The Empire's supply of magic is cut off, but in turn, they learn that magicite is a better source of magical energy than the forced extractions from live espers. The facility is subsequently dismantled.
*Convinced that war is inevitable, the Elder of Narshe agrees to ally with the Returners. They start planning a direct attack on Vector.
*In an attempt to enlist espers for the Returner cause, Terra tries to enter the Esper World. However, the espers lose control over their powers once they enter the human world, and they decimate Vector before flying off.
*Vector is occupied by troops from Narshe and the Returners.
*Emperor Gestahl declares a truce. Imperial troops are withdrawn from South Figaro, Doma Castle and the Imperial Observation Post near the Cave to the Sealed Gate. Vector itself is soon completely abandoned as well.
*A joint Imperial-Returner expedition is arranged to find the espers and get them to talks. The expedition finds the espers in Thamasa. Having regained control of their powers, the espers regret their actions and quickly agree to peace. However, Emperor Gestahl's truce is a ruse; Kefka ambushes the espers and kills most of them, along with General Leo Cristophe.
*With the Esper World unguarded, Emperor Gestahl and Kefka use the Warring Triad to raise the Floating Continent.
*The Returners destroy the Imperial Air Force in the Battle over the Floating Continent.
*Kefka kills Emperor Gestahl and disturbs the balance of the Warring Triad, provoking the cataclysm that ends the World of Balance and brings about the World of Ruin. Afterwards, he absorbs the power of the triad and becomes the God of Magic, the absolute ruler of the world.
===World of Ruin===
====During the Cataclysm====
*The world map is completely altered. The Serpent Trench and Ebot's Rock rise above the sea, while the Sabre Mountains disappear beneath the waves.
*The Empire and the Returners are wiped out in the cataclysm.
*The eight legendary dragons are released.
====Shortly after the Cataclysm====
*Mobliz is targetted by Kefka's Light of Judgment, killing all the adults in the town.
*South Figaro is destroyed by Kefka's Light of Judgment, but the citizens rebuild the town within a year.
*Narshe is overrun by monsters, with all but a few individuals fleeing the town.
*Vector is completely destroyed, and its debris is used to erect Kefka's Tower.
*Figaro Castle submerges, possibly as a move to avoid the Light of Judgment, but gets trapped underground when its engines stall. Sandworms burrow into the castle and tentacles entangle themselves in its engines, trapping the inhabitants. The Crimson Robbers manage to reach the surface through the sandworm tunnels.
*With the collapse of the Empire, the occupied cities on the Southern continent effectively regain their independence.
*The Cult of Kefka is founded, led by the Magic Master and based at the Cultists' Tower. At some point, Strago joins the cult after being hypnotized.
*The Dragon's Neck Coliseum is built.
*Terra reaches Mobliz and becomes a surrogate mother for the orphans there. The demon Humbaba attacks the town a number of times, and Terra barely manages to fend him off.
*Sabin ends up in Tzen.
*Setzer ends up in Kohlingen and develops a drinking problem.
*Gau returns to the Veldt.
*Mog returns to the Narshe Mines, and discovers that all the other Moogles have died.
*Cyan settles at Mt. Zozo.
*Relm goes to Jidoor, where she works for a rich man named Owzer and becomes a famous painter. However, a demon named Chadarnook posesses a painting of the esper Lakshmi, and monsters take over Owzer's art gallery.
*Shadow travels the world on a search for a weapon called the Ichigeki, and frequents the Dragon's Neck Coliseum. At some point he goes to the Cave on the Veldt, where he is trapped by the Behemoth King.
====1====
*Celes awakes on a solitary island, where she cares for a sick Cid.
*Embarking on quest to find other survivors, Celes builds a raft and sails off to the mainland.
*Celes arrives in Tzen, which is shortly thereafter targetted by Kefka's Light of Judgment. She finds and rescues Sabin, who joins her in her search for other survivors.
*Celes and Sabin travel to Nikeah, where they run into King Edgar, disguised as "Gerad".
*"Gerad" tricks the Crimson Robbers into showing him the way to Figaro Castle. With the aid of Celes and Sabin, he kills the tentacles that are entangled in the engines, enabling them to restart the burrow mechanism and bring the castle back to the surface, saving its inhabitants.
*The playable party find Setzer in Kohlingen and convince him to rejoin them. He takes them to Darill's Tomb, where they find Darill's airship, the Falcon.
*The playable party intercept a pigeon post and trace it to Mt. Zozo, where they find Cyan, who rejoins them.
*Leviathan attacks a ferry between Nikeah and South Figaro, but is beaten by the playable party.
*Cyan and three other Returners revisit Doma Castle, where Cyan is attacked by the Dream Stooges in his sleep. To save him, his companions enter the Dreamscape, a dream world formed by Cyan's trauma. The party discover and defeat Wrexsoul, freeing Cyan from his mental torment.
*The playable party find Gau in the Veldt.
*The playable party rescue Shadow from the Behemoth King and take him to Thamasa. As soon as he recovers, he returns to the Dragon's Neck Coliseum. 
*The playable party go to Jidoor and rescue Relm and Owzer from Chadarnook.
*The playable party go to the Cultists' Tower to rescue Strago. After they kill the Magic Master, the Cult of Kefka loses mosts of its followers.
*The playable party go to Mobliz and defeat Humbaba, inspiring Terra to rejoin them.
*The playable party go to the Dragon's Neck Coliseum and challenge Shadow to a fight. He rejoins them after they beat him.
*Following a hint from Owzer's mansion, the playable party travels to the Phoenix Cave, where they run into Locke and acquire the magicite Phoenix. The party then return to Kohlingen where Locke uses the magicite to revive Rachel, but she can only stay alive for a few minutes. She thanks Locke for all the happiness he had given her, and tells him to let go of his pain and allow himself to love again. Invigorated by this, Locke rejoins the Returners.
*The playable party visit Narshe, where they beat Valigarmanda, are rejoined by Mog, and recruit Umaro.
*Strago and Relm visit Thamasa, where Gungho challenges Strago to go after Hidon at Ebot's Rock. They travel there and defeat Hidon.
*The playable party visit Triangle Island, where they are swallowed by a giant worm known as the Zone Eater. They meet Gogo inside the Zone Eater's Belly, who joins them in their quest to beat Kefka.
*One by one, the playable party defeat the eight legendary dragons and gain the Crusader magicite.
*The playable party visit the Dragons' Den, where they defeat reincarnations of the eight legendary dragons and their leader, the Kaiser Dragon.
*The playable party visit the Soul Shrine, where they defeat the Kaiser Dragon for the second time.
*Having regrouped, the playable party fly the Falcon to Kefka's Tower, where they fight and kill Kefka and the Warring Triad. The Tower collapses, and everyone evacuates except Shadow, who opts to stay behind.
====After Kefka's defeat====
*With the deaths of the Warring Triad, magic and espers disappear from the world. Due to her attachment to the orphans in Mobliz, Terra remains alive and becomes a normal human.
*Balance is restored to the world. Wildlife returns and plants start growing again.
*Katarin gives birth to a child in Mobliz.
*Reconstruction work in Thamasa.
==Notes==
===Annotations===
===Citations===
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