Lay of the Land (Final Fantasy XVI)

Lay of the Land is a section of Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy XVI that shows information on the game's locales. The available locations to view on the field are the ones where the player is situated currently or the one depicted in the cutscene, and any possible plot-related locales and topics related to the locales, such as nation states and their armies and political entities. The entire Lay of the Land section of Active Time Lore can be viewed at the Thousand Tomes library at Cid's Hideaway and The Hideaway.
===Valisthea===
A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals stand timeless vigil. At the foot of each, great cities have risen up over the eons, and around them, powerful nations. Though the land has been blessed with the light of magic since time immemorial, in recent years, a creeping blackness has begun to gnaw at its borders—the Blight.
Basic Information
A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals stand timeless vigil. Timeless, that is, until Cid and his disciples commended their campaign to bring each one—starting with Drake's Head—crashing down, spreading chaos and confusion throughout the great cities and nations of Valisthea.
After the Fall of Drake's Head
A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals stand timeless vigil. Timeless, that is, until Cid and his disciples commenced their campaign to bring each one crashing down, spreading chaos and confusion to every corner of the land. When ill-omened clouds summoned by Ultima gathered over Valisthea, the delicate balance governing the magic-yielding power of aether was finally shattered, and the realm was changed forever.
Following Primogenesis
:Unlocked after defeating the boss in the Interdimensional Rift
A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals once stood vigil. Countless eons ago, Ultima arrived here, fleeing the Blight that devoured his own homeland, and resolved to rebuild the world and usher in a new and final age of pure reason. It was he who placed the Mothercrystals in each corner of the land that they might harvest the aether he needed to achieve this end.
Hidden Truths
===Storm===
The westerly of Valisthea's two great continents. With its frozen northern reaches, its temperate, marshy midlands, and the searing heat of the south, it boasts a breadth of climes and cultures not seen anywhere else in the known realms.
===Ash===
Though slightly smaller than her sister to the west, the eastern continent of Valisthea is markedly more altitudinous, her lightly wooded shores guarded on all sides by nigh unscalable cliffs. Having been ravaged by the Blight still more grievously than Storm, the kingdom of Waloed is now her sole remaining nation.
===Cid's Hideaway===
A refuge hidden in the Blighted lands of central Storm, from which Cid operates a secretive community of freed Bearers. While survival in the deadlands is widely considered impossible, a combination of near-indestructible Fallen ruins and considerable ingenuity have led to the establishment of a safe haven where those who rally to their leader's cause are only just about able to eke out an albeit meager existence.
Basic Information
A hidden refuge built on Fallen ruins in the Blighted lands of central Storm. It is from here that Cid operates his secretive society of freed Bearers. So accustomed are most so-called “Branded” to ill treatment at their masters' hands that their first experience of something approaching freedom within the hideaway's walls—be it even something as small as a hot meal or a soft bed—can come as a considerable shock.
A Home for Bearers
A refuge hidden in the Blighted lands of central Storm. Here, Cid and his adopted family or freed Bearers from across the Twins made their home. That is, until the fledgling utopia was brought crashing down after its location was discovered by Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan in the year 873. In but a single night, the hideaway was destroyed—fewer than half managing to escape the slaughter visited upon them by Kupka and his men.
Following the Destruction of the Dominion
===The Hideaway===
Established under the leadership of Clive Rosfield, who took the title of Cid after his former leader's passing, and Titan's destruction of the old hideaway, here a community of like-minded individuals from across the realm has gathered to build a place where people can live and die on their own terms. Like its predecessor, it is built within Fallen ruins deep within the deadlands of central Storm. Decidedly unlike its predecessor, however, it is located in the center of a lake—Bennumere—across whose waters any invading enemy can easily be spotted long before their arrival.
===Bennumere===
A lake in the Blighted lands on the southern edge of the former Grand Duchy of Rosaria named for the dragon that some tales say created the basin when it fell from the sky. Fallen airships dot its expansive waters like forgotten cenotaphs, leading some to liken it to a graveyard. Its remote location—far from any trade route and deep inside the deadlands—make it an obvious choice for Clive when faced with rebuilding Cid's legacy.
===The Cursebreakers===
A unit drawn from those of fighting age and martial training among the residents of the hideaway, who conduct operations to liberate Bearers from slavery. Beginning as a loose collection of like-minded individuals in Cid's hideaway who chose to rid themselves of their Bearer brands that they might serve the cause out in the field, the order has greatly expanded both its ranks and its operations since the move to Bennumere—all under Otto's watchful eye.
Basic Information
A unit drawn from those of fighting age and martial training among the residents of the hideaway, who conduct operations to liberate Bearers from slavery. Beginning in Cid's hideaway, the order has greatly expanded both its ranks and its operations since the move to Bennumere. While Otto manages their activities, day-to-day operations are led by Dorys and Cole. Potential new recruits must undergo rigorous training and pass an induction test before joining the Cursebreakers' ranks.
Joining the Ranks
===The Fall of the Hideaway===
An assault by Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan, and his private guard, on the first hideaway of Cid the Outlaw in the year 873. The safe haven, established amongst forgotten ruins long consumed by the Blight, was entirely destroyed, and many of Cid's collaborators and the Bearers they had freed from servitude were slain.
===The Grand Duchy of Rosaria===
The nation occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm, with Rosalith as its capital. Rosaria was originally formed from a collection of smaller dominions, all of which now stand united under the banner of Archduke Elwin Rosfield. Not possessing a Mothercrystal of its own, the duchy has long been locked in bitter conflict with the Iron Kingdom over possession of Drake's Breath, which lies still further to the west, in the midst of the Boiling Sea.
Basic Information
;The Imperial Province of Rosaria
A nation occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm, with Rosalith as its capital. When the duchy was left leaderless in the aftermath of the attack on Phoenix Gate in the year 860, the Ironblood seized the opportunity to attack the capital. Their campaign did not last long, however, as the Holy Empire of Sanbreque soon returned in full force to stake its own claim, leaving the once-proud duchy no choice but to submit and become an imperial vassal state.
Following Imperial Annexation
The lands comprising the western reaches of the continent of Storm. Formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, it became an imperial province after its annexation by the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in the year 861. Anabella Lesage, once Duchess of Rosaria and now Empress of Sanbreque, was granted stewardship of her former home and the title of vicereine, a role she embraced with sadistic relish, enacting a regime of crippling taxation and constant surveillance, along with renewed persecution of the Bearer population.
Under Anabella's Purview
A nation formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm. With the fall of Drake's Breath, life for the people of Rosaria grew steadily more difficult, and countless thousands were forced to seek refuge in and around the country's already overcrowded cities. Then, in 878, Hugo Kupka's forces invaded. piling further misery on the downtrodden populace, but loosening the empire's grip somewhat in the process.
Following the Siege of Rosalith
A nation formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm. While Rosaria has been a vassal state of the empire for nigh on two decades, the uprising in Twinside led by Prince Dion Lesage and his loyal dragoons, and subsequent death of both holy emperor and empress in the year 878, has left Sanbreque with barely the wherewithal to rule itself, rendering the erstwhile dukedom a subject of the empire in name and little else.
Following the Destruction of Twinside
===Rosalith ===
The capital city of the Duchy of Rosaria. Rosalith Castle, seat of the archduke, stands at the heart of the storied settlement, whose marketplaces teem with activity. Alas, the encroaching Blight has rendered vast swathes of the land to the north uninhabitable, driving refugees south in ever greater numbers, and placing an unbearable strain on Rosalith's all too finite resources.
Basic Information
The former capital city of the Duchy of Rosaria. Anabella Lesage, who once ruled alongside Elwin Rosfield as Duchess, now wields absolute power as Holy Empress of Sanbreque, and has established an administrative government under her command. The majority of Rosalith's citizens fled or were captured when the Iron Kingdom invaded, and now the only inhabitants are a handful of nobles and sundry others who have sworn allegiance to the empire for fear of retribution.
After the Fall of Phoenix Gate
The former capital of the Duchy of Rosaria. When Hugo Kupka's forces invaded, the entire city was put to the torch, and the magnificent castle sacked, causing many of its inhabitants to flee.
Following Hugo's Assault
=== Rosalith Castle===
Situated in the heart of the ducal capital of Rosalith, it is from this towering ivory fortress that the Archduke and his family rule their nation. An architectural feat the Founder himself would be proud of, the castle has stood since the early days of the duchy, and watched over the rise of this proud nation and the people who inhabit the city beneath.
Basic Information
Situated in the heart of the ducal capital of Rosalith, it was from this towering ivory fortress that the Archduke and his family once ruled their proud nation. A well-armed Sanbrequois garrison has been stationed here since 860, when the duchy was annexed by the empire following the tragedy at Phoenix Gate and the subsequent invasion by the Iron Crusade.
Following Imperial Annexation
Situated in the heart of the ducal capital of Rosalith, this towering ivory fortress has been under Sanbrequois command since 860—although little remains for them to command since much of the capital was destroyed in the siege set by Hugo Kupka and his private guard.
Following the Siege of Rosalith
===Phoenix Gate===
A walled keep situated near Rosaria's northwestern border. It was originally constructed to serve as an outpost in the wars against the Northern Territories, but its true significance lies deep within the ruins atop which the stronghold stands. Here, in an ancient chamber accessible only to the Dominant of Fire, is held the Rite of Ancestral Communion—an important ritual in which it is believed that the Phoenix can hear the words of the duchy's forbears.
Basic Information
The remains of the fortress destroyed in the year 860 on what came to be known as the Night of Flames—the castle's invasion by Sanbrequois saboteurs and the battle between the two Eikons of Fire that arose in its wake. The earth is still riddled with fissures and tears—testament to the ferocity of the fight that unfolded here. The Gate itself was buried beneath piles of soot-stained rubble, and with Rosaria's pride, falling as the duchy did to the empire not long afterward.
Following the Destruction of the Dominion
The remains of the fortress destroyed in the year 860 on what came to be known as the Night of Flames—the castle's invasion by Sanbrequois assassins and the battle between two Eikons of Fire that arose in its wake. Ancient ruins lie beneath, and are reached by means of an underground pathway. Prior to Rosaria becoming an imperial province, the Gate was of great importance to the people of the duchy, being the site of the Rite of Ancestral Communion.
The Apodytery
===The Apodytery===
A place of worship located in the depths of Phoenix Gate, an ancient stronghold on the northwestern border of the former Duchy of Rosaria. A large mural dominates this sacred chamber, where the Rite of Ancestral Communion—a ceremony carried out by the duchy's Dominant prior to marching into battle—was once performed.
===The Ducal Army===
The loyal soldiery of the Duchy of Rosaria. They serve under the standing army's lord commander, whose task it is to enact the will of their sovereign, the archduke. Those who show sufficient aptitude, or who are blessed with sufficient nobility of birth, are made "Shields"—personal retainers to the archduke himself.
===The Guardians of the Flame===
A clandestine group of ducal loyalists who lead the rebellion against the imperial occupation of Rosaria and Empress Anabella. Many of their number are drawn from those who survived the imperial attack on Phoenix Gate in the year 860, who know full well the empire's involvement in the duchy's fall. They make their home in the abandoned Lazarus district outside Port Isolde, from where they conduct their raids to free Bearers from the imperial yoke.
Basic Information
A clandestine group of ducal loyalists who lead the rebellion against the imperial occupation of Rosaria and Empress Anabella. Many of their number are drawn from those who survived the imperial attack on Phoenix Gate in the year 860, who know full well the empire's involvement in the duchy's fall. After their base in the Lazarus district was lost to an aetherflood, they moved north, continuing their operations to revive the duchy hand in hand with Martha. They finally resettled in Eastpool, where they now labor to revitalize the village hand in hand with the Bearers they and Martha freed.
As Allies
===House Rosfield===
The highest of the noble houses of Rosaria. The Dominant of the Phoenix is always born into the Rosfield line, and so it is always a Rosfield who sits upon the ducal throne.
=== The Seven High Houses===
The highest noble houses of old Rosaria, of which House Rosfield is the first and foremost. They have their roots in the ruling dynasties of the small independent nations that were united upon the founding of the duchy. The houses had a prominent voice in ducal politics, but this was silenced when the region fell to the empire, and Empress Anabella took Rosaria's reins.
===The Undying ===
:Unlocked after meeting Jote in Tabor during "Cloak and Dagger"
A secretive order who serve the lords of Rosaria from the shadows. They revere the mighty Phoenix and its Dominant, and once presided over the rites of Ancestral Communion at Phoenix Gate. Few outside the order know of its existence—even among the highest ranking members of Rosarian nobility. And to this very day, with Rosaria reduced to a mere imperial province, they continue to serve the rightful Keeper of the Flame—His Grace Joshua Rosfield.
Basic Information
A secretive order who serve the lords of Rosaria from the shadows. They revere the mighty Phoenix and its Dominant, and once presided over the rites of Ancestral Communion at Phoenix Gate. Few outside the order know of its existence—even among the highest ranking members of Rosarian nobility. Their loyalty to His Grace Joshua Rosfield is absolute, and none among them would hesitate to lay down their lives for his sake. At his command, their efforts are currently devoted to uncovering the truth behind the mysterious being known as Ultima.
A Search for Answers
===Ducal Loyalists===
Those who maintain allegiance to the late Archduke Elwin and work for the revival of the fallen Duchy of Rosaria. After Rosaria was incorporated into the empire, most swore loyalty to their new vicereine, the Empress Anabella—even more converting after they saw how those who refused to change their allegiances were persecuted. The persecution was to only grow, culminating in the burning of Eastpool by imperial troops on the pretext that their reluctance to surrender Rosalith's Bearers to the constabulary proved their disloyalty to the Holy Throne.
The term had a different meaning in the time before imperial occupation. Rosaria was founded by the union of several small, independent nations, each led by its own noble house. These houses remained powerful even after unification, sometimes leading to friction between the loyalists who argued for the Archduke's ultimate authority, and the separatists who pushed for a return to autonomy.
=== Martha's Rest===
A small settlement huddled atop a rocky tor overlooking the swampy lowlands of southeastern Rosaria. Sellswords gather in its barracks, hawkers in its streets, while those short on work can be heard singing over flagons of ale from morning until night in the village's eponymous tavern. While the former duchy may want for cheer since being annexed by the empire, the Rest is a rare spot of sunshine among the gloom, and most travelers make a point of stopping over when they're passing through.
===The Bloodaxes===
The band of sellswords tasked with the protection of Martha's Rest, in the absence of any assistance from the nearby imperial garrison. It falls to them to keep watch on the roads, and keep the beasts and bandits of the swamplands from Martha's gate.
===Glaidemond Abbey===
A clutch of humble stone buildings perched above Sorrowise Bay, in the Imperial Province of Rosaria's southeastern lowlands. The abbey was built in order to propagate the Greagorian faith after the Duchy of Rosaria was made part of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and as such, is one of the rare examples of imperial architecture in the region.
===Eastpool===
A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria. It was once surrounded by fertile farmland, but the southward creep of the Blight eventually drove out most of the inhabitants.
Basic Information
A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria. It was once surrounded by fertile farmland, but the southward creep of the Blight eventually drove out most of the inhabitants. In the aftermath of the attack on Phoenix Gate in 860 and the Ironblood invasion that followed, many fled here, including Bearers who had lost their masters. The majority of that population, however, was wiped out in the "culling" of Bearers ordered by Empress Anabella, and the village now lies abandoned and in ruins.
Following the Culling
:Unlocked from "Rekindling the Flame"
A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria. It was deserted after the "culling" ordered by Empress Anabella, with bandits eventually moving in to occupy the ruins. The bandits were eventually driven from the ruins, and the hamlet claimed by a group of freed Bearers and Sir Wade's Guardians of the Flame, who had but recently lost the Lazarus District of Port Isolde to an aetherflood.
After the Reclamation
=== The Purge of Eastpool===
The Purge was a brutal attack on the Rosarian village of Eastpool in the year 873. Anabella Lesage, Holy Empress of Sanbreque and Vicereine of Rosaria, ordered that all Bearers being harbored by the villagers be slaughtered, along with those "ducal loyalists" who had given them shelter. In the ensuing massacre, Eastpool's population was effectively decimated, and ultimately the village was abandoned.
===Amber===
A sleepy settlement nestled amongst the lofty peaks of southern Rosaria. Located far from the capital, its people survive by trading what produce they can coax from the stony soil, and what little else they can gather from the surrounding hills.
===Auldhyl Docks===
A once thriving village of shipwrights located at the mouth of the Talons, Rosaria's largest bay. Its people were slaughtered at the hands of the viceregency's Black Shields after it was discovered that the Guardians of the Flame were sheltering Bearers there.
===Bewit Bridge===
A bridge built in the golden days of the duchy that spans part of the bay known as the Talons, and connects eastern Rosaria with the capital of Rosalith. It was originally meant to be part of the Trans-Rosarian Aqueduct that would carry water to northern areas affected by the Blight, and with it, employment for local craftsmen and tradespeople, but this plan was abandoned when Archduke Elwin died.
===The Lazarus District===
An exclusive walled residential area situated just outside the eastern edge of Port Isolde. It was once the jewel in the city's crown, and home to many of the nobles of the duchy. However, after the empire moved its capital to the Crystalline Dominion, Port Isolde was all but abandoned, and this once-grand district was soon overrun with thieves and cutthroats.
Basic Information
An exclusive walled residential area situated just outside the eastern edge of Port Isolde. It was once the jewel in the city's crown, and home to many of the nobles of the duchy. After the empire moved its capital to the Crystalline Dominion, this once-grand district was soon overrun with what appeared to many as thieves and cutthroats, but were in fact a band of ducal revolutionaries known as the Guardians of the Flame. Their occupation, however, came to an abrupt end at the hand of an aetherflood.
Following the Flood
===Port Isolde===
A port city situated on the southwestern coast of the Imperial Province of Rosaria. Only Rosalith rivals it for size, and in the glory days of Archduke Elwin's reign, its streets bustled with traders from across Valisthea. Sadly, those days are long since gone, and Sanbrequois occupation has seen everything, from marketplaces to military institutions, subverted to the will of the empire.
===Cressida===
A village located deep within the wetlands of central Rosaria. It was once the site of an aqueduct that was hoped would carry water to the capital, Rosalith, but these plans never came to fruition due to both the Holy Empire's annexation of the duchy, and a sudden influx of feral beasts displaced by the Blight's march south through the Dim. Now it lies abandoned, many of its residents having fled to nearby Martha's Rest.
===The Night of Flames===
An imperial attack on Rosarian forces stationed at Phoenix Gate made under the cover of night in the year 860. Archduke Elwin Rosfield was killed in the fighting, as were his two sons, though the bodies of the latter were never recovered, having thought to have been wholly consumed by hellfire. The attack was widely rumored to have been facilitated by the traitorous Duchess Anabella, though official explanations attempted to shift the blame onto the Phoenix having run inexplicably rampant.
===The Territorialization of Rosaria===
In the year 861, taking advantage of the discord arising from Rosaria's internal woes in the wake of the Night of Flames, the Ironblood launched an attack that inflicted devastating losses on the already crippled nation, robbing it of what little power remained. Later that same year, Sanbreque stepped in and forced the once-proud duchy to submit to one final humiliation by becoming a vassal state of the empire—just as Duchess Anabella and her imperial conspirators had planned.
===The Siege of Rosalith===
An incident in which Hugo Kupka, hoping to gain his revenge for the death of Benedikta Harman, attempted to draw out Cid—whom he now knew to be Clive Rosfield—from hiding with an attack on the capital of his beloved former homeland. The city became a battlefield, and amidst the death and destruction, many innocents lost their lives.
===Stillwind Marsh ===
An area of swampland that stretches northeast from Rosalith Castle. The odd village could once be found here, but nothing to compare to the lively settlements that line the main roads of the realm. And with the encroachment of the Blight and the creatures driven before it, even these scant settlements were soon deserted. 
===Three Reeds===
An area of marshland in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria, just south of Martha's Rest. Numerous shacks and hovels dotted about the swamps suggest that the area was once at least sparsely populated. However, now most lie broken and abandoned, their owners having fled for more habitable climes once the waters began to rise.
===Hawk's Cry Cliff===
A location in the southern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria known for its distinctive rock formations. There are myriad theories as to how the unique stratification was achieved, from natural shiftings of the earth, to clashes of bygone Eikons, to lost Fallen magicks. The people who live in their shadows, however—such as those residents of the tiny village of Amber—will merely tell you a rock is a rock.
===The Holy Empire of Sanbreque===
A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm, with the great city of Oriflamme as its capital. Sanbreque is the realm's largest theocracy, and home to the Mothercrystal Drake's Head. Under the rule of the holy emperor, the people of Sanbreque enjoy life of plenty thanks to the crystal's blessing, which they believe to be the gift from the goddess Greagor Herself.
Basic Information
The nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm, Sanbreque is home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Head, at whose foot stands the Holy Capital of Oriflamme. The empire has been at war with the Kingdom of Waloed—situated just across the Strait of Autha—ever since the Battle of the Twin Realms in 865, and judging by the clash at Belenus Tor in 873, neither side shows any sign of backing down.
The Battle of Belenus Tor
A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm, with the great city of Oriflamme as its capital. Political power in the empire technically resides with the five cardinals, but even they are bound to the whims of the holy emperor in those manners of state in which he takes interest. In the year 860, at Emperor Sylvester's[sic] behest, the cardinals agreed upon a plan to "liberate" Rosaria from the marauding forces of the Iron Kingdom, after which the duchy had little choice but to bend the knee and become an imperial province.
After the Annexation of Rosaria
A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm, with the great city of Oriflamme as its capital. Sanbreque is the realm's largest theocracy, and home to the Mothercrystal Drake's Head. The empire is ruled by the holy emperor—the one true goddess made flesh, according to the Greagorian faith—who is served unquestioningly by the sworn knights of the blessed dragon, known more commonly as the dragoons.
Faith in the Goddess
A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm. After suffering the ignominy of losing Drake's Head to an audacious assault by the outlaw Cid in 873, the empire set its sights on the Mothercrystal of its nearest neighbor, the Crystalline Dominion. Sanbreque's legions duly stormed the historically neutral territory, and installed the imperial capital at Twinside. This brazen act of conquest sent shockwaves across Valisthea, and heightened the already considerable tension between the empire and ai the Dhalmekian Republic.
After the Fall of Drake's Head
A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm, with Twinside as its capital. Apparently not content with the upheaval caused by removing his court to the recently seized Crystalline Dominion, Sylvestre Lesage chose to compound the uncertainty by installing his second son, Olivier, as holy emperor while still a child.
Following Olivier's Ascension
A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm. After its administrative capital moved to Twinside in the neighboring Crystalline Dominion in the year 873, an insurgency led by Prince Dion Lesage upended the political and military order, spreading unrest and disruption across the land. This disruption was further worsened when Ultima unleashed Primogenesis, obliterating Twinside, and plunging the realm yet deeper into chaos.
A Son's Betrayal
===Oriflamme===
The capital of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, located in northeastern Storm on a peninsula that dominates Oillepheist Bay and is home to the Mothercrystal known as the Drake's Head. All the empire's major institutions are located here, including Whitewyrm Castle, seat of the Holy Emperor, and meeting place of the cardinals.
Basic Information
Former capital of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. After its Mothercrystal was destroyed in an attack by Cid the Outlaw in the year 873, the decision was made to move the throne and her armies south to the Crystalline Dominion—regardless of whether or not the Dominion's citizens approved. Oriflamme has since fallen gradually into decline, having lost the Mother's blessing and all the benefits it brought.
Capital No Longer
===Whitewyrm Castle===
The towering citadel from which the holy emperor of Sanbreque rules over the entirety of his demesne. With the Mothercrystal rising above it and the imperial capital of Oriflamme spread out below, this ivory edifice is truly a wonder to behold.
===Drake's Head===
A Mothercrystal situated on the Sea of Grace in northern Sanbreque. Drake's Head towers over the Holy Capital of Oriflamme, its mighty form a testament to the power and permanence of the empire. However, mysterious aetherfloods and the specter of the ever-encroaching Blight have led to some in power to call that permanence into question.
Basic Information
The Mothercrystal upon whose wings did Sanbreque ascend to geopolitical supremacy. It towered over the Holy Capital or Oriflamme, its mighty silhouette a testament to the power and permanence of the empire. And then, in the year 873, it fell at the hands of Cid the Outlaw.
After the Mother's Fall
===The Fall of Drake's Head===
In the year 873, Cid the Outlaw, along with certain of his allies, infiltrated the Sanbrequois capital of Oriflamme, bringing down its Mothercrystal in a daring and unprecedented attack. Investigations after the fact concluded that the infiltrators took advantage of the disturbance caused by an aetherflood to gain entry to the empire's holy sanctum. In the aftermath of the incident, Cid was declared a wanted man, and the faction he led a criminal enterprise, to be hounded across Valisthea.
===Caer Norvent===
An imperial stronghold located along the southern fringes of Sanbrequois territory, far from its capital of Oriflamme. It occupies a key strategic position adjacent the Crystal Belt, and is suitably formidably fortified as a result. Within its walls there are living quarters, a church, a gaol, and sufficient storehouses to see the occupants through a lengthy siege.
===The Imperial Army===
The assembled forces of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. While officially under the command of the cardinals, it is Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage whom the legions truly serve. On the battlefield, the dragoons—peerless lancers renowned throughout the realm—are the empire's keenest weapon, descending from the skies to sow terror and disarray among their hapless foes.
===The Bastards===
A unit of trained assassins deployed to the Nysa Defile, deep within Dhalmekian territory, and tasked with the elimination of an enemy Dominant.
Basic Information
A unit of imperial army assassins tasked with taking the head of the Iron Kingdom's Dominant, Warden of Ice, and vessel for the Eikon, Shiva. All of its members, including its leader Tiamat, are Bearers—branded men pressed into servitude for their ability to wield magic.
At the Battle of Nysa
===The Holy Knights Dragoon===
Elite troops of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, led by Prince Dion Lesage. Drawn largely from the nobility of the realm, their status as knights of the sacred dragon affords them still higher standing in the eyes of the people. In the Battle of the Borderlands in 873, as in so many conflicts down the years, they proudly led the charge as the empire entered the fray.
Basic Information
Elite troops of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, led by Prince Dion Lesage. Drawn largely from the nobility of the realm, their status as knights of the sacred dragon affords them still higher standing in the eyes of the people. In the Battle of the Borderlands in 873, as in so many conflicts down the years, they proudly led the charge as the empire entered the fray. However, Prince Dion's opposition to the machinations of the Holy Empress Anabella spurred the dragoons to rise up against their emperor in an insurgency which saw them fall suddenly and decisively from grace.
Revolt
===Dragoon===
A lance-wielding knight of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. The dragoons are trained in a unique, acrobatic fighting style modeled after the movements of dragons, which is characterized by sudden thrusts and disorienting leaps and dives. The Greagorian scripture hold the creatures to be divine—a gift from the Goddess herself—and so too are their namesakes revered by the populace.
===The Holy Order of Shields of the Blackened Pinion===
The official name of the order of knights established in the Imperial Province of Rosaria, who persecute and purge Bearers and those who shield them. Commonly known as the Black Shields after the color of their armor—a hue seemingly chosen to differentiate this new elite order from the silver-clad dragoons. Unlike the heroic dragoons, however, they are feared and loathed throughout the imperial province.
=== The Black Shields ===
An order of knights instituted by Empress Anabella in one of her first acts as vicereine of the newly established imperial province of Rosaria. They are tasked with "purging the impurities" from the province—which in practice primarily involves slaying Bearers upon the slightest pretexts.
Basic Information
An order of knights instituted by Empress Anabella in one of her first acts as vicereine of the imperial province of Rosaria. While they most often march in small groups, their main host has been known to rally together to conduct large-scale raids. They are tasked with "purging the impurities" from the province, to which end they conduct cullings of both Bearers and those judged to be ducal loyalists.
The Main Host
An order of knights instituted by Empress Anabella in one of her first acts as vicereine of the imperial province of Rosaria. They were tasked with "purging the impurities” from the province, to which end they conducted cullings of both Bearers and those judged to be ducal loyalists. After Anabella died and the Black Shields were left without a leader, many returned to Sanbreque, entering the service of the former Lord Chief Justice and keeping watch on Lostwing.
After Anabella's Death
===The Council of Elders===
Advisors to the Holy Emperor of Sanbreque, and the highest body of government in the empire. The council consists of the five Cardinals of the Greagorian church, who are intended to rule in the emperor's stead. The emperor, meanwhile, is expected to serve as a constitutional monarch, but there is little to prevent one who wishes to impose their will upon the council from playing a more autocratic role.
===The Five Cardinals===
The senior statesmen that make up the highest office of government in Sanbreque after the Emperor himself—the Council of Elders. The council is comprised of the High Cardinal, representative of central Sanbreque and the Holy Capital Oriflamme, and the four cardinals who administer the outer provinces—the northern, southern, eastern, and western sees.
===The Lord Chief Justice===
The highest ranking judge in the Sanbrequois judiciary. Quinten served under the previous holder of the office, and respected the man deeply for supporting him in his crusade to rid the ranks of corruption. However, all this was to change when he discovered that his idol hunted Bearers for sport—the Lord Chief Justice's backing for Quinten no more than a veil of morality to disguise the rot beneath. Quinten turned his ire upon the man, only to be met with swift and severe retribution—the slaughter of his entire family.
=== The Viceregency===
After the incorporation of Rosaria into the empire, Emperor Sylvestre elected not to rule the new province directly, but to make it a viceregency with Rosalith as its provincial capital.
Basic Information
The imperial province incorporating the lands that were once Rosaria, ruled over by Anabella, former Duchess of Rosaria. One of her first acts as vicereine was to institute a new order of knights—the Black Shields—who were dispatched to every corner of the province to "maintain order." They would later come to serve as her personal army, settling her grievances against Bearers and ducal loyalists.
Anabella's Tyranny
===Lostwing ===
A settlement located in central Sanbreque, on the northeastern edge of the Greatwood. Having initially found prosperity as a stopover point for traveling traders, it fell from favor when newer, better roads bypassed it, and eventually fell off the map entirely. The village is built both in and around Fallen ruins that the people of Lostwing claim was once called an "airship."
Basic Information
A settlement located in central Sanbreque, on the northeastern edge of the Greatwood. Having initially found prosperity as a stopover point for traveling traders, it fell from favor when newer, better roads bypassed it, and eventually fell off the map entirely. Presently, its obscurity serves as a cover to mask its burgeoning status as a safe haven for Bearers who work the nearby vineyards for Quinten—caldorman and co-conspirator of Cid's—while casks of Gaultand Rouge aged in Lostwing cellars provide the village with much needed income.
A Village with a Secret
:Unlocked from "For Great Justice I"
A settlement located in central Sanbreque. It had fallen almost entirely into ruin after new roads bypassed it—that is until Quinten, a co-conspirator of Cid's, took it upon himself to rebuild it. His chief aim in doing so was to amass enough manpower to take revenge on the Lord Chief Justice of Sanbreque, and he found no shortage of others who had suffered at the man's hands willing to join him. Fearing this coming retribution, the Lord Chief Justice set the Black Shields to seek out the village in order to destroy it.
A Target for the Empire
:Unlocked from "For Great Justice II"
At one time, this small village in central Sanbreque boasted a thriving winery, with the Gaultand Rouge produced there being prized by connoisseurs across the land. Alas, all the years of hard work were brought crashing down in an instant when the Black Shields, sent by the Lord Chief Justice of Sanbreque, turned Akashic, sowing death and destruction in their wake. However, before those few villagers who survived the assault could rebuild, an aetherflood descended, forcing them to take refuge in the vineyards to the east. There, Ealdorman Quinten seeks to start a new village with his "family."
Following the Flood
===The Hanged Man===
Quinten's tavern in Lostwing. It is very much the beating heart of the village—not only do the villagers congregate here to eat, drink, and make merry, it is also frequented by traveling traders seeking to load their wagons with Lostwing's famous wine.
===Northreach===
A town which doubles as a defensive gateway to Sanbreque's Holy Capital of Oriflamme. It was originally a purely military outpost—a towering bastion constructed to prevent land-based assaults on the capital from the southwest. To this day, a heavily guarded checkpoint ensures that none can pass through the wall without prior authorization, and as such, the need to linger here prior to entering has led to the rise of a thriving market and various other commercial enterprises on the wall's southern side. The garrison, however, along with the inns and brothels most of the soldiers frequent, as well as the residences of the nobles who make Northreach their home, remain on the northern side.
Basic Information
When Sanbreque moved its capital to the Crystalline Dominion, Northreach went from being a vital gateway to the seat of the empire to a forgotten country backwater in a matter of moons. And with the fall of Drake's Head, the aether was soon leached from the lands around it, leaving the fields fallow, and the once-thriving environs barren and lifeless.
Following the Fall of Drake's Head
A town which once acted as a defensive gateway to Sanbreque's Holy Capital of Oriflamme. Not long after the skies took a turn for the ominous and most of the old capital was lost to an aetherflood, the Imperial High Cardinal arrived with designs to build a new empire, but at great cost to the citizens of Northreach. It was at this time Ultima's thralls descended upon the fields both north and south of the great wall, forcing those citizens to choose between abandoning their town, or fighting—and possibly dying—for those they loved. The people chose the latter, and after a hard-earned victory, the High Cardinal was finally convinced to join hands with Madame Isabelle, and a modicum of order was at long last restored.
Following the Attack of the Thralls
===The Veil ===
Northreach's premier house of companionship. While it is frequented mainly by Sanbreque's nobility and military, Lady Isabelle welcomes all with the desire—and the coin—to partake in the pleasures her skilled "courtesans" and "courtiers" offer. Few establishments in the empire are as well-loved, or as oft-visited.
===Moore===
A farming village located in the rye fields of the Royal Meadows not far from the Sanbrequois capital of Oriflamme. Her residents harbor a strong hatred for Bearers—more even than elsewhere in the empire—making it a very dangerous place to visit for those who bear the brand.
===The Battle of Belenus Tor ===
The Battle of Belenus Tor was a conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Kingdom of Waloed in the year 873. Having lost vital territory to Sanbrequois forces eight years earlier in the Battle of the Twin Realms, the Waloeders launched an assault on the eponymous peak, looking to regain a foothold in the imperial lands on the opposite side of the Strait of Autha. Both sides fielded their Eikons, and in the ensuing showdown between Odin and Bahamut, an entire Sanbrequois legion was lost, and the Waloeders regained their outpost on Storm.
=== The Accession of the Emperor Olivier===
Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage handed power to Olivier, his second-born son and only child by the Empress Anabella, in a turn of events that shocked a nation. None was more shocked, however, than his first-born son Dion, who was presiding over troop movements in the area surrounding the Crystalline Dominion when the news first reached him.
Basic Information
Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage handed power to Olivier, his second-born son and only child by the Empress Anabella, ostensibly in recognition of the part he had played in the agreement of a peace between the empire and Dhalmekia. While the accession of one so young was unprecedented, Emperor Sylvestre reassured those bold enough to express doubt at the wisdom of such a choice by maintaining that as “Great Greagor made flesh” he would merely serve as an advisor to the young new emperor until he came of age. Prince Dion, the Emperor's first-born and rightful heir to the holy throne, was violently opposed to the plan, but his objections fell on deaf ears.
Hidden Truths
===Rise of the Wyrm ===
A rebellion of the Holy Order of the Knights Dragoon that took place in the Crystalline Dominion. It was provoked by Emperor Sylvestre Lesage's decision to overlook his eldest son, Dion, and make his second-born, Olivier, child of the Empress Anabella, crown prince in his place. Seeing this as yet another victory for Anabella in her long campaign to subvert Sanbrequois politics for her own ends, Prince Dion ordered the dragoons into action. But having lost control of his Eikon, he inadvertently laid waste to the city he had tried to save.
===The Greatwood===
A vast forest in the southwestern part of Sanbreque. Wildlife thrives here, but the delicately balanced ecosystem has been thrown into disarray in recent years by the encroachment of the Blight, and the beasts driven before it. So dangerous has it become that travelers rarely venture here anymore.
===Orabelle Downs===
In southwestern Sanbreque where the Greatwood ends, lie the secluded meadows of Orabelle. Here, the soil is rich and the climate temperate, while the sloped terrain provides ample runoff for rain, making the location perfect for the growing of wine grapes—something the residents of nearby Lostwing take very seriously.
===Norvent Valley ===
An expansive river valley that cuts through southern central Sanbreque. The fortress of Caer Norvent rises along its eastern edge.
===Glorieuse===
A key strategic point in central Sanbreque. Its location just south of Oriflamme makes it a vital first line of defense against any assault on the Holy Capital. The road from Northreach to Caer Norvent ad beyond to the Crystal Belt bisects the area, ensuring a constant traffic of Sanbrequois soldiers and traveling merchants.
===The Dragon's Aery===
A gently sloping plain stretching east from the Sanbrequois checkpoint of Northreach. As the name implies, it is heavily populated by all manner of wild wyrms, and as such the lands remain relatively unspoiled by mankind.
===The Kingsfall===
Located in western Sanbreque near the Rosarian border, the Kingsfall is a towering cataract fed by the waters of multiple converging tributaries. Though these waters long played an integral part in the lives of nearby settlers, an influx of displaced beasts fleeing from the Blight has forced many to abandon their claim to the resource.
===The Eye of the Tempest===
A raging vortex born upon Benedikta Harman's descent into madness and loss of control over her Eikon, Garuda. Its power is such that not only are entire villages swept up by its passing, but the very ground beneath it is gouged and disfigured.
Basic Information
Here once did rage a storm born of a Dominant's madness—a storm within which the Eikons Garuda and Ifrit clashed...and from which only one would emerge. Their struggle saw the landscape razed as holts, farms, and villages that had stood for ages were in but mere moments struck from existence. Now all that remains is a blackened waste somehow even more lifeless than the blighted deadlands.
Garuda Fallen
=== Belenus Tor ===
Named of the highest of its "peaks," Sanbreque's Belenus Tor is a region of rolling, grassy hills slightly inland of where the Strait of Autha meets the Sea of Grace. In the year 873, it was the site of a decisive battle in the Kingdom of Waloed's failed bid to regain a foothold in Storm.
===The Breadbasket===
A region overlooking the Strait of Autha in the eastern part of Sanbreque. The bounty provided by its rich soil fed the empire for generations, until the ever-encroaching Blight intervened, displacing thousands in the process—a disturbance that played no small part in the troubles that were later to engulf the imperial capital.
===The Dhalmekian Republic===
A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm, and has its capital in Ran'dellah. It is also home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Fang. There is no official state religion, and citizens are free to worship as they please. Dhalmekia's key political entity is the parliament, which is formed of ministers representing each of the states, with the Prime Minister at its head.
Basic Information
A nation formed from the federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm, and has its capital at Ran'dellah. Also home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Fang, inside which stands Castle Dazbog, home of Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan and Warden of Earth.
Kupka's Fiefdom
A nation formed from the federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm, and has its capital at Ran'dellah. Also home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Fang, inside which stands Castle Dazbog, home of Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan. Kupka, obsessed with finding Cid and exacting his revenge for the murder of Benedikta Harman, co-opted the soldiers of the realm and had them commit a series of atrocities in an attempt to flush him out of hiding.
In Pursuit of Cid
A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm, and has its capital at Ran'dellah. Having lost both Drake's Fang and the mighty Titan, the political situation in Dhalmekia has deteriorated drastically—the government scrambling to withdraw their troops from the ill-starred siege of the Crystalline Dominion that they might be redeployed to quell the unfolding chaos at home.
Destabilization
A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm, and has its capital at Ran'dellah. After the fall of Drake's Fang, a combined force of Akashic soldiers and ores descended on the capital, and came perilously close to destroying what little order remained. However, thanks to the intervention of Prince Dion Lesage of Sanbreque and his knights dragoon, disaster was averted at the last moment.
A Republic on the Brink
===Ran'dellah===
Capital of the Dhalmekian Republic. It is a thriving hub of commerce, where merchants and traders gather from across Valisthea. Its streets bustle with life, even late into the night, when the twinkle of countless lanterns illuminates the landscape. The nation’s affairs are managed from the Ministry of Law in the heart of the city, wherein sits the Parliament of Ministers.
Basic Information
The capital of the Dhalmekian Republic. It was once a thriving hub of commerce, where merchants gathered from across Valisthea, and people enjoyed a life of peace and prosperity under the guidance of the Parliament of Ministers, who oversaw the nation’s affairs from the safety of the Ministry of Law. Since Ultima brought about Primogenesis, however, Ran'dellah's streets have been all but abandoned to Akashic Waloeder soldiers and beastmen on the hunt for flesh.
Following the Sack of the Capital
=== Castle Dazbog===
A castle built within the dome-like mountain that contains Drake's Fang. It is the primary residence of Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan, and is lavishly appointed to suit his extravagant tastes.
===Drake's Fang===
One of Valisthea's five remaining Mothercrystals, located in the Dhalmekian Republic. Unlike its sisters who jut from the earth to tower above the landscape, Drake's Fang is completely enclosed within the vast hollow of an ageless mountain, its citrine fingers reaching inward to the barrow's heart. Excavation of these crystals has, over centuries, showered the Dhalmeks with substantial fortune, and as such, is seen as a symbol of the nation's prosperity.
Basic Information
A Mothercrystal that was located in the heart of the Dhalmekian Republic. While it is widely reported to have been destroyed by Cid the Outlaw in the year 878, rumors also abound of orcs—subjects of the Kingdom of Waloed—having been sighted there at the time. Regardless of the cause, the loss of their Mothercrystal and the Dominant upon whom they so heavily relied soon brought the Dhalmeks to the negotiating table in a desperate bid for cessation of hostilities with the empire.
After the Mother's Fall
===The Fall of Drake's Fang===
Drake's Fang, Mothercrystal of the Dhalmekian Republic, was destroyed by Cid the Outlaw and his associates in the year 878. Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan, also disappeared in the attack, and was presumed to have died. The loss of their Eikon led to the Dhalmeks hastening their withdrawal from the conflict with the empire that was ongoing at the time.
===Fort Zirnitra===
A stronghold situated in the western end of the Nysa Defile in the Dhalmekian Republic. In the year 873, it served as the site of a meeting convened by the Dhalmekians with their Waloeder allies in an attempt to enlist their aid in driving back the Ironblood, who had been a thorn in their side since the Battle of the Twin Realms eight years before.
===The Men of the Fist ===
Dhalmekia's standing army. While officially an organ of the Republic, each of its five states is granted relative autonomy with regard to the management of its troops. Aside from certain specialized squads, battle deployments are mostly comprised of small units employing a mixture of soldiers and battlemages. The former are known and feared for their curved swords and prodigious axes, and the deadly skill with which they wield them.
===The Men of the Rock ===
Hugo Kupka's personal guard. On Kupka's orders, they ruthlessly gutted and destroyed Cid's original hideaway—vengeance for the brutal beheading of Benedikta Harman. But Kupka's thirst for revenge is not get slaked, and it is with reckless abandon that he employs his minions to commit atrocities across the realm in a bid to drive Cid from hiding.
Basic Informtaion
A private army under the command of Hugo Kupka. Originally employed by the Dhalmekian parliament to guard Drake's Fang, the bulk of the force was co-opted by Kupka when he seized control of the Mothercrystal, and has served him and only him ever since. Most Men of the Rock idolize their commander for his political and financial achievements. After all, few can claim to have been made Permanent Economic Advisor to the Dhalmekian parliament and built a wealth worthy of several generations in a single lifetime.
Loyalty Bought
A private army under the command of Hugo Kupka. Originally employed to guard Drake's Fang, the bulk of the force was co-opted by Kupka when he seized control of the Mothercrystal, and has served him and only him since. After Kupka’s death, his forces scattered, largely returning to the countryside where many now engage in banditry.
A Republic on the Brink
===The Republican Parliament===
The highest council of government of the Republic of Dhalmekia. Seven ministers are responsible for ruling the nation—though their will is often molded to that of their permanent economic advisor, Hugo Kupka, who leverages his power as the Dominant of Titan to shape the republic's policy.
Basic Information
The highest council of government of the Republic of Dhalmekia. Seven ministers are responsible for ruling the nation. After the death of Hugo Kupka and destruction of Drake's Fang, the republic descended into chaos, and it fell to the ministers to pick up the pieces of their crumbling country.
Dhalmekia in Chaos
===Kostnice===
A town located in the rugged northern reaches of the Dhalmekian Republic. Though it was once a thriving trading post, the coming of the Blight has served to both discourage travelers as well as drive off long-time residents. All that now remain are refugees fleeing from elsewhere, the black marketeers who prey upon them, and barely enough soldiers to keep the peace—or rather, to pretend to when they're not being bribed to look the other way.
===The Dalimil Inn===
A literal oasis in the Velkroy—a desert in the western part of Dhalmekia—Dalimil offers goods, food and respite to those travelers who endure the long march through sweltering sands. In particular, the hot spring baths, fed from nearby waters, will not only ease the pains of the road, but are also rumored to cure all manner of ills, from boils and buboes, to the various afflictions of the groin—many of which are like to be contracted at one of Dalimil's many brothels.
Basic Information
:Unlocked from "Lines in the Sand II"
A literal Oasis, Dalimil offers goods, food and respite to those travelers who make the long march through the western Dhalmekia's sweltering Velkroy Desert. Since the fall of Drake's Fang, however, what was once a constant flow of visitors has dried to all but a trickle, leaving the town in dire straits and tensions amongst its citizens high. When faced with a horde of Akashic bandits beating at both of their gates, L'ubor, renowned blacksmith, convinced the town guard and its league of merchants to put aside their differences and join hands to fight for their people's survival. For his accomplishment, he earned not only the respect of his peers, but with it the position of mayor, despite being a Bearer.
Under new Leadership
===The Briar's Kiss===
L'ubor's forge in Dalimil. Its name is known across the republic for the quality of its steel and the skill of its smiths. The forgemaster of the Briar's Kiss is a man of many titles—forgemaster nonpareil, Desert Hare, Ruzena Dalimil, and dear friend and ally of the late Cidolfus Telamon.
===The Town Guard===
The volunteer fighting force assembled and led by Konrad. Unlike the Men of the Rock or the mercenaries previously charged with keeping Dalimil safe, every member of the guard is a Dalimilian born and bred and has the future of the town at heart. Many of the miners who lost their livelihoods when Drake's Fang fell have found a new purpose in the guard, swinging swords and axes in place of picks.
===The League of Merchants===
The group responsible for filling and maintaining Dalimil's collective stores, that all might be supported in these troubled times. It draws its membership from the traders of the town, and is led by Natalie, overseer of the markets. It was she who recognized that Dalimil's future could not be secured by force of arms alone—only by bringing the entire town together might they summon the strength to drive back the bandits.
===Lord Underhill===
Clive's alter ego—albeit one that was forced upon him by L'ubor's fondness for theatrics. It was Lord Underhill of Ran'dellah League of Merchants who made it known to Natalie that help from the capital would not be forthcoming, and that the people of Dalimil must work together to fill their own stores. Jill was rather more convincing in the role of Lady Jayne of the Red Wings, who planted the idea of forming a town guard in Konrad's mind. Both Konrad and Natalie still address Clive by this name—though in Natalie's case, this would appear to be naught but a courtesy to his dramatic efforts.
===Boklad===
A busy market town situated on the northeastern coast of Dhalmekia. Also known as the "Thousand Tables," its streets throng with merchants from across the realm, each loudly hawking their wares to keen-eyed customers intent on finding a bargain.
Basic Information
A busy market town situated on the northeastern coast of Dhalmekia, where the Strait of Autha drains slowly into the gaping crater of Dzemekys Falls. Also known as the "Thousand Tables," its streets throng with merchants from across the realm, each loudly hawking their wares to keen-eyed customers intent on finding a bargain. The gate at the rear of the town leads directly onto the Crystal Road, and therefore out of the republic. As such, it is heavily guarded against unauthorized entry or exit.
Gates Closed
===The Crimson Caravans===
The most prestigious portering company in the market town of Boklad, led by the brother and sister team of Theodore and Eloise. For a small fee, they will move anything that needs moving—and if the cargo happens to be Bearers recently released from slavery, they may even consider paying it from their own purses.
===Tabor===
An ancient settlement in central southern Dhalmekia that seems to cling to the very cliffs which dominate the landscape of the region. Its proximity to the Free Cities of Kanver gives Tabor a ready market for the high quality leather its tanners produce, as well as the salt and minerals mined from beneath it. The town's long history of isolation, however, has clouded the hearts of its residents, and to this day many remain unwelcoming to outsiders.
Basic Information
:Unlocked after talking to Jote in Tabor during "Cloak and Dagger"
An ancient settlement in central southern Dhalmekia that seems to cling to the very cliffs which dominate the landscape of the region. Its proximity to the Free Cities of Kanver gives Tabor a ready market for the high quality leather its tanners produce, as well as the salt and minerals mined from beneath it. Unbeknownst to its citizenry, it is from here that, since the fall of Rosalith to the empire, the secretive coven of ducal loyalists known as the Undying have carried out their duties to the Phoenix.
A Haven for the Undying
:Unlocked after "Carved in Stone"
An ancient settlement in central southern Dhalmekia that seems to cling to the very cliffs which dominate the landscape of the region. It is famed for its leatherworking, the signature stench of its tanneries ever prevalent in the canyons that lead in and out of town, and as such, skilled craftsmen abound, transforming hides into all manner of wondrous creations. Tabor was founded by the so-called "Guardians of the Crystal," who were later joined by nomadic peoples and hunter gatherers, creating a rich, mixed culture which gives the town its unique flavor. It was those same hunters whose skills were employed to gather the raw materials on which the leatherworking industry was built.
Origins
===Ceratina===
:Unlocked from "Lines in the Sand II"
A humble settlement situated on the far-northern edge of western Dhalmekia's Velkroy Desert. Though long abandoned by its original residents, the so-called "League of Outlaws" had taken up residence here for a time, but the sudden arrival of an aetherflood rendered the bandits Akashic, all but sealing the village's fate.
===Kasjlok===
:Unlocked from "Trading Places"
An old, abandoned village built on the banks of Cerdra's Thread in the Dhalmekian Republic. Kasjlok long served as a depot for crystals ferried up and down the river, but frequent attacks on the slow-moving transports by bandits prompted the republic to establish new caravan trails for fleet-footed chocobo coursers, essentially rendering the village obsolete. Soon after the final inhabitants departed, wild beasts moved in; however, there is an effort currently underway by Eloise and her Crimson Caravans to rebuild the town and provide it as a safe haven for displaced Bearers.
===Kretov===
:Unlocked from "Duty Undying"
A small Dhalmekian village of bean farmers and goatherds built in the shadow of Fallen ruins. Though located at the edge of the Fields of Corava on a caravan trail that runs through Titan's Wake to the Free Cities of Kanver, it has historically received few visitors, as most merchants choose instead to take the less perilous Gilded Path north. It receives even fewer now that plague has taken the lives of most of its residents.
===Dravozd===
:Unlocked from "Blacksmith's Blues III"
A town located in the rugged mountainous mining region of central Dhalmekia. It is known for its ironwork, and armor and weaponry forged here has long enjoyed a reputation as the realm's finest. This is in no small part due to the quality of ore the mines produce, as well as the veritable army of local blacksmiths whose skills are said to be unrivaled.
===The Southwestern Alliance===
:Unlocked upon reaching Level 6 of Thousand Tomes
An entente formed between Dhalmekia and the Duchy of Rosaria in the year 850 with the aim of preventing the Free Cities of Kanver from claiming independence from the republic. While the alliance eventually became a three-way affair when Sanbreque joined, bonds between the Dhalmeks and the Rosarians remained particularly strong, with Rosaria sharing the secrets of vital techniques such as irrigation, and the free flow of various diplomats between the two nations.
===The Battle of Nysa===
The Battle of Nysa was a short, yet bloody clash between the Iron Republic and the Republic of Dhalmekia in the year 873. The Dhalmekians, hoping to force an end to their long-running conflict with the Ironblood, at convened a council that Zirnitra Stronghold, and entreated their Waloeder allies to aid them in their cause. However, talks soon broke down, and the Dhalmekians were left with no choice but to rely once more on the power of the mighty Titan, to whom they already owed a considerable debt. Thus was the stage set for a showdown between Titan and Shiva—the Ironblood's own Eikon—in which losses on both sides were too many to count.
===The Zirnitra Consult===
Looking to bring an end to their long-running conflict with the Iron Kingdom, the Dhalmeks convened a council with their Waloeder allies at Zirnitra Stronghold. However, the Waloeders were unwilling to concede to the Dhalmeks' requests, leaving the republic no choice but to field its Dominant, Hugo Kupka. In doing so, parliament further indebted itself to this already powerful player in the national politics.
===The Nysa Defile===
A deep, arid valley located in the eastern part of the Dhalmekian Republic. During the Battle of the Twin Realms in 865, it was the site of repeated skirmishes as the Iron Kingdom attempted to make incursions into Dhalmekian territory.
===Velkroy Desert===
A vast, arid wilderness located in the Dhalmekian Republic. The further west one travels, the deeper and more forbidding the sand grow, and the more frequent the signs of settlements long-since deserted. To the south, water can at least be found, albeit piping hot—a quality which has given rise to Dalimil Inn and the hot springs surrounding it. Despite the forbidding environment, trade ensures a steady flow of traffic north and south, served by various inns along the way.
===The Jaw===
A wild, mountainous region of southwestern Dhalmekia, from which Drake's Fang can be seen looming in the distance.
===Laetny's Cleft===
A narrow sandstone valley that cuts through northeastern Dhalmekia. As its terminus can be found the vast crater of Dzemekys Falls, upon the lip of which are nestled the bustling markets of Boklad.
===Dzemekys Falls===
A vast cavity in the earth located in the Steps of the Forgotten—a desolate coastal region of eastern Dhalmekia. Despite the fact that, for centuries, seawater from the Strait of Autha has flowed into the plumbless crater without cease, it shows no sign of filling. The tragic tale that came to be known as the Sins of Dzemekys is said to have taken place here.
Basic Information
:Unlocked from reaching Level 7 in the Thousand Tomes
A vast, circular cavity carved from the Dhalmekian coast, it is here the Mothercrystal known as Dzemekys once stood. In the age of the Fallen, man, hoping to claim the power of the gods, laid siege to the crystal in an attempt to gain entry to its aether-rich heart. Rather than attempt to fend off the assault, he instead responded by destroying the Mothercrystal and its heart—the great crater left behind standing as a reminder of man's hubris.
Hidden Truths
===The Krojit Echoes===
A bleak, ochre wilderness stretching through central Dhalmekia. In northern half is a veritable warren of claustrophobic canyons and Fallen detritus, lacking paved roads or outposts of any kind. In the south, however, the area finally opens up to Rysanov Flat, and beyond it the reclusive community of Tabor. This, and the lonely trade route leading to the Free Cities of Kanver, provide the region with at least some semblance of civilization.
===The Kingdom of Waloed===
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. A warlike land, its considerable military might serves to keep neighboring countries at bay. While Waloed does maintain a notional alliance with the Dhalmekian Republic in southern Storm, it is very much a marriage of convenience.
Basic Information
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. A warlike land, its considerable military might serves to keep neighboring countries at bay. Not all are deterred, however, and the constant need to fight off hordes of beastmen prevents the royalists from launching a full incursion into Storm.
Trouble in Ash
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. Its ruler Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, recently dispatched units of intelligencers to Storm with orders to scout ahead prior to a full-scale invasion. Having ceded territory to the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in the Battle of the Twin Realms in the year 865, the Waloeders launched an attack on Belenus Tor in 873 with the intent of regaining their lost foothold on the continent across the Strait.
At the Battle of Belenus Tor
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. Its ruler Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, who has long harbored ambitions of extending his reach into the neighboring continent of Storm. Somewhat surprisingly, the Sanbrequois Empire's incursion into the Crystalline Dominion prompted no immediate response from the king, who appears to be biding time and considering his next move.
Following Imperial Occupation of Twinside
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, who has somehow managed to bring the hordes of marauding beastmen that once plagued his lands to heel, and persuaded them to direct their aggression at his enemies instead. These bloodthirsty forces have been deployed as far afield as Drake's Fang, in the Dhalmekian Republic.
At Drake's Fang
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, who—it transpires—has formed an alliance with the mysterious being known as Ultima.
Machinations
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, who—it transpires—has formed an alliance with the mysterious being known as Ultima. After Ultima brought about Primogenesis, Tharmr's combined force of Akashic soldiers and beastmen was deployed across Valisthea, tasked with sowing chaos and mayhem.
The Beastmen Armies
The sole surviving nation in Ash. Shortly after the death of Barnabas Tharmr—scion of Dzemekys and catspaw of Ultima—Drake’s Head was shattered, leaving the capital of Stonhyrr without Mothercrystal and king.
After the Capital’s Fall
===Stonhyrr===
Capital of the Kingdom of Waloed, located on the coast of Frigg's Calm, Ash's northernmost bay. Its Mothercrystal, Drake's Spine, sits just off shore and is connected to the city proper via a massive span that legends say required a hundred years and an entire mountain's worth of stone to construct.
Basic Information
Capital of the Kingdom of Waloed, located on the coast of Frigg's Calm, Ash's northernmost bay. Its Mothercrystal, Drake's Spine, was eventually destroyed by Cid and his allies, but by the time, the city had already been lost, its leader perished atop a distant spire, its citizens reduced to mindless thralls, and its streets claimed by Orcs and masterless beasts.
After the Nation's Fall
===Drake's Spine===
A Mothercrystal located in Stonhyrr, capital of the Kingdom of Waloed. Its sheer walls strikingly similar to the towering cliffs that line the coasts of Ash, the interior can only be gained by means of a solitary stone span that stretches from the heart of the city proper. Being the last remaining Mothercrystal on Ash, the crystals harvested from its surface are a vital lifeline for the Waloeder people, but even then their number is far from enough to sate the kingdom's appetite, thus forcing her king to seek sources elsewhere.
Basic Information
A Mothercrystal that towered over Stonhyrr, capital of the Kingdom of Waloed. The fall of Drake's Tail meant that, for a brief moment, it was the last remaining Mothercrystal in Valisthea. That moment, however, ended abruptly when the Spine fell following Clive's otherworldly struggle with Ultima.
After the Mother's Fall
===The Fall of Drake's Spine===
In the year 878, the Waloeder capital of Stonhyrr, already besieged by Akashic and beastmen, was rocked yet further by the destruction of its Mothercrystal, Drake's Spine, at the hands of Cid the Outlaw and his companions.
===Veldermarke===
Formerly the most powerful kingdom in Ash, until Barnabas Tharmr led his armies in rebellion against its rule and established his own Kingdom of Waloed upon its still-smoking ruins.
===Ravenwit Walls===
Ravenwit's towering rampart fills the narrow valley betwixt two adjacent peaks, creating a nigh impenetrable barrier that serves to protect the royal capital of Stonhyrr from armies that might attempt an approach from the southwest. Once manned by a garrison of hundreds, the walls are now empty save for a handful of orcs and those beasts of war that managed to escape from their pens.
===Balmung Dark===
:Unlocked from "Nobody's Tool"
A colosseum-like prison located immediately north of Ravenwit Walls in the Kingdom of Waloed. Bearers sent here became the unfortunate subjects of an ambitious military endeavor designed to train untrainable beasts of war. When the Kingdom fell, and the wardens lost their wills to the aether, those same Bearers were left in their cells to starve, which most did.
===Gjallarhorn===
:Unlocked during "Footfalls in Ash"
An aging fortress in the western reaches of the Kingdom of Waloed. Due to its proximity to Storm, it is oft used as a staging point for the royal army.
Basic Information
An aging fortress in the western reaches of the Kingdom of Waloed. Similar to other constructs across Valisthea, the keep appears to have been built on the site of ancient ruins, and it was in an underground chamber not unlike Phoenix Gate's Apodytery that a fully intact rendition of Ultima's Eikonical pantheon was discovered.
Beneath the Keep
===The Royal Knights of Waloed===
The kingdom of Waloed's main battlefield forces, also known as the Kingsguard. While they ultimately answer to King Barnabas, the Knights' orders are usually issued by their Lord Commander. The Royal Intelligencers—a special unit led by Benedikta Harman, Dominant of Garuda—are a notable exception to this rule, reporting as they do directly to the king.
Basic Information
The kingdom of Waloed's main battlefield forces, also known as the Kingsguard. At Ultima's instruction, King Barnabas supplemented his ranks with orcs, creating a hybrid force which he duly dispatched to wreak havoc across Valisthea. Even after Barnabas's death, the chaos Ultima had sown with the casting of Primogenesis continued to spread, dooming the better part of the late king's army to end their days as mindless Akashic thralls.
The Beastmen Armies
===The Royal Intelligencers===
An elite unit of the Royal Knights of Waloed led by Benedikta Harman, who lead clandestine incursions deep into the territory of enemy nations for myriad purposes—espionage and assassination chief among them.
Basic Information
An elite unit of the Royal Knights of Waloed led by Benedikta Harman, who lead clandestine incursions deep into the territory of enemy nations. Unlike Waloed's main battlefield forces, whose orders are usually issued by their Lord Commander, the Intelligencers reported directly to the king—or at least, they did, until their dissolution in the aftermath of Cid and Clive's surprise attack on Caer Norvent.
At the Sack of Caer Norvent
===Eistla===
:Unlocked during "Footfalls in Ash" main quest
A settlement situated in mining country in the center of Waloed. The miners make homes among their excavations, and live there with their families.
Basic Information
A settlement situated in mining country in the center of Waloed. The miners make homes among their excavations, and live there with their families. However, with the advent of the Arche, its residents disappeared, and now the village is all but deserted.
Dark Skies
===Mikkelburg===
:Unlocked from "Duty Undying II"
A settlement situated in the south of Waloed. After being abandoned by its former residents, it became something of a gathering place for followers of the savior cult recently arisen on Ash, leading the Undying to dispatch an investigative mission there.
===Garnick===
:Unlocked from "An Inconvenient Truth"
An idyllic mountain village in the Kingdom of Waloed—or at least, what remains of it. Here, an old acquaintance of Harpocrates's made his home, quietly amassing a rare collection of tomes before Ultima and Barnabas's machinations rendered the realm Akashic and stripped him of his very will.
===Thalan===
A mining settlement in the southern part of the continent of Ash. It is known for the adamantite it produces—a resource highly prized for its unrivaled durability—but this is both a blessing and a curse, leading as it has to repeated attacks by marauding orcs over the years. Though previously well-protected, the encroaching of the Blight has seen citizens deserting in their droves, leaving the town ever more vulnerable to attack.
===The Badbach Conservatory===
:Unlocked from "Litany of Errors"
A dilapidated orphanage for Bearers that sits upon a hill overlooking the verdant plains of Vidargraes in Waloed. The children who lived here were not cared for, but rather experimented on, enduring harrowing tortures designed to turn them into fearless, mindless weapons—an education that few were to survive.
===The Shadow Coast===
:Unlocked during "Through the Maelstrom"
The forbidding cliffs that line the Naldia Narrow on the Ash side of the channel. Though viable ascents exist, their numbers are few and the paths narrow and perilous. That said, they have more than once been used as a staging ground for covert incursions into the kingdom. Now, the land above having been all but consumed by the Blight, it is only the boldest of adventurers who dares set foot here.
===Reverie===
:Unlocked during "Footfalls in Ash"
An impossibly tall tower in central Waloed that seems to pierce the very heavens. The few followers of the Circle of Malius remaining on Ash believe it to have been built by the gods, who would one day pass their judgment from its heights. It has long been considered hallowed ground, whereupon mere mortals fear to tread.
Basic Information
:Unlocked at max level of the Thousand Tomes
An impossibly tall tower in central Ash that seems to pierce the very heavens. It was built by Ultima when he first arrived in Valisthea. From its heights, he examined the flow of aether through the land, and thereby determined the optimum placement for the Mothercrystals.
Hidden Truths
===Iron Kingdom===
Also known in the local tongue as Haearann, the Iron Kingdom is an archipelago nation situated off the west coast of Storm, with its capital at Creag Loisgte. The Mothercrystal, Drake's Breath, rises from a volcanic island situated just within...or without...its borders (depending on whom you ask), and has been the subject of long-standing conflict between the Ironblood and the neighboring Duchy of Rosaria. The Iron Kingdom's inhabitants shun any contact with outsiders, which has given rise to a unique, if largely inward-looking, culture.
Basic Information
An archipelago nation situated off the west coast of Storm, with its capital at Creag Loisgte. The Mothercrystal, Drake's Breath, rises from the volcanic island situated just within its borders, and is worshipped as a god, just as the state religion—the Crystalline Orthodox—dictates. This same religion decrees the use of magic to be anathema, and the Bearers and Dominants who use it to be sinful aberrations, leading to an even greater discrimination than that suffered by their brethren on the mainland. Given their stated desire to control all the Mothers, the Ironblood's attitude to other nations is one of indelible antagonism.
Faith Unbending
An island nation situated off the west coast of Storm, with its capital at Creag Loisgte. Despite being nominally a monarchy, the Patriarch, the most powerful priest of the Crystalline Orthodoxy, is in truth the most powerful person in the kingdom. He rules from the isle of Beinn Leodladh—more commonly known in Storm as Mt. Drustanus—on which sits the Mothercrystal, Drake’s Breath, focal point of the faith. Here, countless Bearers kidnapped from their homes in Storm and Ash are made to suffer in the name of a religion which deems them less than human.
The Patriarch
An island nation situated off the west coast of Storm, with its capital at Creag Loisgte. In the year 878, its Mothercrystal, Drake's Breath, was destroyed in an attack launched by Cid the Outlaw. The loss of the crystal, and of the Patriarch—chief of the priests who served it—plunged the kingdom into chaos, leaving this monarchy wanting for a leader beyond its politically impotent royalty.
After the Fall of Drake’s Breath
===Creag Loisgte===
The capital city of Haearann, or the Iron Kingdom, located on the Boiling Sea island of Ironholm, several hundred leagues off the western coast of Rosaria. Its name means "charred rock" in the Haearanni tongue.
===Drake's Breath===
One of Valisthea's five remaining Mothercrystals, located on the volcanic isle known to the Ironblood as Beinn Leodladh, in the seas between Rosaria and the Iron Kingdom. Though its occupation can historically be traced to the duchy, control of the crystal was recently wrested from Rosaria's grasp by the Crusade following a series of bitter conflicts.
Basic Information
A Mothercrystal that once commanded the waters between Rosaria and the Iron Kingdom. After centuries of bitter conflict, the Ironblood took control of the crystal and the island upon which it stood. That is, until the year 878 when the sacred spire was brought crashing down by none other than Cid the Outlaw.
After the Mother’s Fall
===The Fall of Drake's Breath===
The Mothercrystal Drake's Breath, held by the Iron Kingdom since before the fall of the Duchy of Rosaria, was destroyed in the year 878. When its heart was shattered, the ensuing destruction took with it not just Mount Drustanus, but the entire isle of Beinn Leodladh. Imreann, Patriarch of the faith known as the Crystalline Orthodoxy, was also killed in the attack.
===Mt. Drustanus===
A solitary volcanic isle rising from the brutal and unforgiving sea. Known in the Ironblood tongue as Beinn Leodladh, it was once a province of Rosaria, but eventually fell to the Crusaders, who consider it both a gateway to the continent of Storm, and, more importantly, the wellspring of their faith: the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Breath.
===The Iron Crusade===
The fighting forces of the Iron Kingdom. Ultimate command rests with the king, who issues orders directly to the commanders of each of his battalions. Ironblood soldiers generally prefer heavy clubs and great axes over swords and other lighter weapons. This rather brutal approach is indicative of their overall attitude, which has earned them a reputation on the continent as savage, if somewhat primitive warriors.
===The Boiling Crusade===
A surprise attack launched by the Iron Kingdom on the Duchy of Rosaria in the year 860. Rosaria was critically weakened at the time, having lost Archduke Elwin Rosfield and been plunged into chaos in the aftermath of the attack on Phoenix Gate. The Ironblood unleashed a wave of murderous destruction on the Rosarians, and returned home with human spoils in the form of countless young women and children—Jill Warrick among them.
===The Crystalline Dominion===
A tiny, independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash. Its capital Twinside is built on the tiny Isles of Ark from which its Mothercrystal—Drake's Tail—rises. The lack of a Dominant has seen the dominion become the subject of constant maneuvering over the years, both political and military, and it was only through recent convening of a council of all nations that a non-aggression treaty towards the neutral body was forged, and a tenuous stability amongst centuries-old rivals achieved.
Basic Information
Once independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash. Its capital Twinside is built on the tiny Isles of Ark from which its Mothercrystal—Drake's Tail—rises. After Drake's Head was destroyed in 873, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque declared Twinside its new capital in defiance of the long-standing non-aggression treaty. While controversial, the move—carried out by Prince Dion and his Knights Dragoon—proceeded mostly unopposed, largely due to the dominion's lack of a Dominant of its own with which to intimidate the interlopers.
As the New Imperial Capital
A once independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash. With the incursion of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in the year 873, its independence was reduced to little more than a pretense, but things changed once again in 878, when Prince Dion Lesage and his dragoons instigated a bloody coup. As imperial institutions fell into disarray, so did the situation in the dominion and beyond. After five years, Sanbrequois dominance in the region ended as quickly as it had begun.
Following Dion's Rebellion
A once independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash. Sanbrequois dominance here, and with it, any semblance of order, was brought crashing down in the bloody coup led by Prince Dion Lesage. Not long afterward, Twinside's luckless inhabitants were subjected to further misfortune when the fall of the realm’s final Mothercrystal at Drake’s Spine caused an ancient construct to rise from beneath their city, sowing death and devastation in its wake, and effectively decimating the already reduced populace.
Following the Emergence of Origin
===Twinside===
The former capital of the Crystalline Dominion. After a unilateral maneuver by the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in 873, it became the imperial capital.
===Drake's Tail===
A Mothercrystal located in the Crystalline Dominion. It is one of the only five remaining in Valisthea, and is the largest of its kind. Silhouetted by the setting sun, the islands of the Dominion spread out before it, the Tail is truly a wonder to behold.
Basic Information
A Mothercrystal that was located in the Crystalline Dominion. It was one of the only five remaining in Valisthea, and the largest of its kind. It was lost in the chaos that followed the rebellion spearheaded by Prince Dion Lesage and his knights dragoon, but not being undergoing a fantastical transformation heretofore unwitnessed in the entirety of Valisthean history—a literal blossoming of the crystal, its shards peeling away like petals of a snow daisy to reveal the sacred heart within.
After the Mother's Fall
===The Fall of Drake's Tail===
In 878, an insurgency by Sanbreque's Knights Dragoon, led by Prince Dion Lesage, resulted in the destruction of much of the Crystalline Dominion's capital, and the Mothercrystal Drake's Tail along with it, after the prince lost control of his Eikon, Bahamut. One curious thing to note is that many who survived the night of chaos claim to have witnessed the crystal "bloom" like a flower before its demise.
===The Isles of Ark===
The cluster of tiny islands upon which the Crystalline Dominion stands. They are largely man-made, having been built on top of existing ruins, and are arranged with an administrative hub at the center surrounded by the citizens' dwellings, and beyond those, the slums in which various refugees make their homes. The glistening spire at the islands' center is home to the Dominion's Mothercrystal.
===Non-aggression Treaty===
A pact in which was codified the agreement between nations to refrain from invading the Crystalline Dominion and laying claim to its Mothercrystal, Drake's Tail. It both cemented the Dominion's position at the center of world politics, and placed checks on the ability of key players to exploit that position.
===The Crystalline Impasse===
A conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Republic of Dhalmekia in the year 878, largely concerning control of the Crystalline Dominion. The Dominion had previously been subject of a non-aggression pact between the Valisthean nations, but in 873, the empire claimed Twinside for its new capital, an act which eventually spurred Dhalmeks into military action.
Basic Information
A conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Republic of Dhalmekia in the year 878. The dispute was born from the Dhalmekians' fierce objections to Sanbreque's occupation of Twinside, capital city of the Crystalline Dominion. However, when the republic finally entered the fray, it found itself sorely outmatched. Cid the Outlaw's destruction of Drake's Fang further weakened their position, and with their homeland in chaos, the Dhalmeks were forced to negotiate a withdrawal. Credit for this turn of events was largely attributed to Olivier Lesage, second-born son of the Holy Emperor, in light of which he was made crown prince of Sanbreque.
Following the Republic's Destabilization
===The Crystal Road===
A protected trade route, designed to allow easy access to the Crystalline Dominion for travelers and merchants. An agreement between the nations safeguards the lands around it—known as the Crystal Belt—from military encroachment, and as such, it features neither fortresses nor checkpoints. However, in recent years, it has been overrun with refugees fleeing the Blight—an issue that has yet to be satisfactorily resolved.
===The Free Cities of Kanver===
A federation of neighboring independent city-states located to the southeast of the Dhalmekian Republic. While originally part of Dhalmekia, the cities achieved their independence in the year 857, hoping to step away from the republic's internal struggles and focus instead on the commerce upon which their prosperity had been built. Political power currently resides with a council of guildmasters—prominent Kanverian traders and craftspeople. The lack of a Dominant or a Mothercrystal to covet, along with its considerable financial resources, allows Kanver to retain both its independence and neutrality in the face of considerable turmoil elsewhere. As such, it lacks a standing army, the defense of its walls having been relegated to a small, yet well-trained, city guard.
Basic Information
A federation of neighboring independent city-states located in the southeastern part of the continent of Storm. While originally part of Dhalmekia, the cities achieved their independence in the year 857. Kanver lacks an army of its own, and relies instead on a city guard formed of mercenaries hired by its merchants and tradespeople. Unfortunately, the city guard, and indeed the city itself, were decimated in an attack by Akashic Waloeder troops in 878. Having lost its political leaders and the bulk of its citizenry, the Free Cities ceased at that point to be a nation in any meaningful sense.
Following the Waloeder Invasion
===Old Kanver===
The capital of the Free Cities of Kanver, located at the tail end of Titan's Wake in southeast Storm. It is a hive of mercantile activity, where one can hardly move for the trade transacted on night every cobbled corner.
===The Kanver City Guard===
A private military force employed to keep the peace in the Free Cities of Kanver. The Guard is paid for by the cities' merchants and tradespeople, and is employed in the absence of an official state army. Its duties mainly consist of patrolling and maintaining order within the city walls.
===The Ironworks===
A fully functioning shipyard nestled within the hollow of the sea grotto on the outskirts of Kanver—the high cliffs and violent tides which surround it effectively concealing the interior from prying eyes. It is here that Mid, along with other allies from the hideaway, strives in secret to finish work on the Enterprise, a revolutionary high-speed sea vessel.
===Kanver's Independence===
The Free Cities' bid for independence began in 849, when several prominent Kanverian guildmasters announced their desire to secede from the Republic of Dhalmekia. After a bitter struggle lasting eight long years, this independence was finally achieved in 857.
===The Continent===
:Unlocked from reaching Level 7 of the Thousand Tomes
A vast landmass situated far from Valisthean shores. Aside from the most intrepid traders—and the odd particularly curious scholar—few have been known to brave the journey there and back, for which reason, the character and customs of its peoples remain a mystery to most.
Basic Information
A vast landmass situated far from Valisthean shores. Aside from the most intrepid traders, few have been known to brave the journey there and back, for which reason, the character and customs of its peoples remain a mystery to most. Legends claim that the remnants of the Fallen fled thither from the Twins when their civilization collapsed…but even the most bookish continental would be hard-pressed to explain what became of them in the intervening millennium.
Lore
===Bandits===
Those who make their coin by stealing from others—or from their corpses. Banditry is outlawed in every corner of the realm, so those who turn to it must make their beds far from the eyes of the constabulary—often setting up camp in abandoned villages. Some brigands will elect to band into small armies, that together they might have the strength to make raids upon towns and villages in search of the food and funds they need to survive.
===The Cast Stones===
A brand of brigands who set up camp in Laetny's Cleft on the outskirts of Boklad, preying on those feeling the crumbling republic in order to line their own coffers—forcing them to either empty their own pockets, or pick the pockets of others, on threat of death.
===The Silverpeak Consortium===
:Unlocked from "Trading Places II"
One of the largest and most prestigious trading houses in Dhalmekia, who sought to scout Eloise. Their mercantile operations extend far beyond the borders of the republic, as Eloise learned when they stepped in the last moment to purchase the Bearers for which the Crimson Caravans had long been bargaining with the army, and sell them on to a trader from the outer continent. In truth, they had been interested in the trade from the very start, and only withheld making their own offer as a courtesy to Eloise—one that was rescinded after she failed to respond positively to their offer to her.
===The Boiling Sea===
The sea that lies between Rosaria's western coast and the distant isles of the Iron Kingdom. For centuries have the navies of the duchy and the Crusade traded blows on these unnaturally tepid waters, which lap at the foot of Mount Drustanus, home to the Mothercrystal of Drake's Breath.
===The Naldia Narrow===
:Unlocked from cutscene of the Einherjar sailing
A region of sea south of the Strait of Autha, lying between the continents Storm and Ash. The trading ports of the Free Cities of Kanver dot its western shores, making it the busiest stretch of commercial water in all of Valisthea. Though her currents are swift, storm-free skies and an abundance of marine life allow the Narrow to serve as the source of much of the region's food.
===Strait of Autha===
The narrow channel to the north of the Crystalline Dominion that separates the continents of Storm and Ash. With Sanbreque to the west, Waloed to the east, and the Dominion to the south, its shores are never short of soldiers—or political tension.
===The Northern Territories===
A bitterly cold region in the northern reaches of the continent of Storm. It was originally home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Eye, around which a series of small nations sprang up—nations whose belligerence proved troublesome for Rosaria over the centuries. In time, however, the Mothercrystal's power dwindled, and with it, the power of these warlike nations. With the Blight encroaching on their territory ever more, the remaining tribes were united and pacified by Archduke Elwin Rosfield of Rosaria in the year 854.
Basic Information
A bitterly cold corner of Storm's most northerly reaches. The loose collection of nations that sprang up around the region's erstwhile Mothercrystal—Drake's Eye—were united and pacified by Archduke Elwin Rosfield of Rosaria in the year 854. However, in the years following Rosaria's annexation by the empire, a combination of both the Blight's inexorable advance and Sanbreque's lack of interest in the territories has only worked to quicken the area's destabilization.
After the Fall of Phoenix Gate
===The Southern Isles===
:Unlocked from "Tears of Mercy"
A nation once based on an archipelago in the seas to the south of Valisthea. It maintained a healthy trading relationship with Dhalmekia and the Free Cities of Kanver, where its medicines, which employed plants found only on the islands, were particularly prized. Unfortunately, the gradual incursion of the Blight destabilized, and eventually destroyed, this society entirely.
===Drake's Horn===
:Unlocked upon attaining Level 7 of the Thousand Tomes
A Mothercrystal which stood in southern Ash—an area now lost to the Blight. The fall of Drake's Horn left Drake's Spine the only Mothercrystal on the continent and sparked a decades-long conflict for control of its aetherial bounty. After much bloodshed, it was the erstwhile nation of Veldermarke which finally subjugated the warring tribes of Ash and established a kingdom around what is now Stonhyrr.
===Drake's Eye===
A Mothercrystal which stood in the frozen wastes of northern Storm—lands now lost to the Blight. Soon after the Mother first fell, the tribes of the north, in a bid of desperation, marched south into Rosaria, Shiva's Dominant at their fore. A terrible battle ensued in which fire was pitted against ice, but eventually the Phoenix and the ducal armies succeeded in driving back the invaders. For a time.
===Dzemekys===
:Unlocked upon attaining Level 6 of the Thousand Tomes
A Mothercrystal that is believed to have stood in an area in the northeastern part of Dhalmekia. Legends tell that it was destroyed in a battle between men and gods—a battle so ferocious that it left behind the great crater that can be seen today.
===The Sins of Dzemekys===
An incident told of in myths and legends throughout Valisthea. If the tales are to be believed, mankind, drunk with avarice, thought to challenge the gods, and in return for his hubris, was met with divine retribution. The enormous crater in Dhalmekia said to have been the site of the final battle of this great conflict is surrounded by relics and ruins which would seem to suggest some truth behind the tales.
Basic Information
:Unlocked from max level Thousand Tomes
An incident in which the Fallen launched an assault on the Mothercrystal Dzemekys to claim its power, and in so doing, stoked the ire of Ultima himself. In response, the self-proclaimed god destroyed the Crystal, leaving behind both a great yawning crater, and a cautionary legend that has since spread throughout Valisthea.
Hidden Truths
===The War of the Magi===
:Unlocked from reaching Level 7 of the Thousand Tomes
One of the many great conflicts waged near the end of the age of the Fallen in which mankind—fielding fantastical clockwork armies fueled by powerful magicks—fought for control of the Mothercrystals. This, however, worked to hasten the drain of aether from the land, and thereby give rise to the Blight. By the time the fighting had ceased and peace was restored, the wounds suffered by both humanity and the land had grown too deep to heal, and civilization began its slow, yet inevitable march into darkness. It was only a matter of winters before the thousand years of knowledge used to build the great "magitek" faded, and was eventually lost to history.
===The Greagorian Church===
The state religion of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, whose followers worship the goddess Greagor as the one true deity. At the church's head stands the holy emperor, voted into office by his fellow cardinals, and supposedly their equal—though this is widely recognized to be a convenient fiction. The followers of Greagor worship dragons as sacred servants of their goddess, and since the founding days of the empire, have both doted and depended upon them.
===The Crystalline Orthodox===
A religion dedicated to the worship of the Mothercrystals. Its priesthood enjoy great power, with the Patriarch—leader and chief shepherd of the faithful—the most powerful of all. While best known as the state religion of the insular Iron Kingdom, it was once practiced throughout Valisthea. To its believers, the Mothercrystals are literal gods, and the wasteful expenditure of aether through the use of magic is strictly forbidden. As such, those who do use magic—Dominants and Bearers both—are seen as sub-human abominations.
===The Circle of Malius===
:Unlocked from attaining Level 7 of the Thousand Tomes
An ancient religion once prominent across the entirety of Valisthea, its key ideologies were rooted in the sacred nature of the Mothercrystals, and the worship of Ultima as a god. Though long since faded, scholars believe the faith eventually branched off into what is now widely known as the Crystalline Orthodoxy.
Basic Information
The ancient religion from which more recent savior cults grew. Its beliefs were originally drawn from murals left behind by the people who lived near the Mothercrystal, Dzemekys. But while at one point it was a faith followed throughout Valisthea, time, and the fading memory of the ancient culture that spawned it, saw it gradually fall from favor.
Hidden Truths
===Savior Cult===
:Unlocked from "Duty Undying II"
A religion that has arisen in recent years in Ash, and which has its basis in the Circle of Malius—an ancient faith whose followers worshipped Ultima as a god. It was popularized by King Barnabas Tharmr of Waloed, who spread its prayers and rituals among his people. Believers see becoming Akashic as a means of achieving purity, and of being freed from the torments of the mortal realm.
===The Bank of Gilbard the Great Lender===
:Unlocked on reaching Level 6 in the Thousand Tomes
A folk religion popular in the Free Cities of Kanver. Gilbard the Golden was a legendary trader who not only introduced the concept of fiat currency to Valisthea, but founded Kanver's very first merchant's guild. When that same guild was later entrusted with administering Valisthea's common currency, they chose the name "gil" in honor of their revered founding father. The faith is organized largely along the lines of a commercial organization, and prayers tend to be aimed at bringing prosperity and success in business.
===The Battle of the Twin Realms===
The Battle of the Twin Realms was a conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Kingdom of Waloed in the year 865. Sanbrequois forces, with the power of the Eikon Bahamut on their side, took the Strait of Autha back from Waloed, putting an end to a blockade that had lasted several decades. The Waloeders, looking to hold back the Sanbrequois advance by any means necessary, formed an alliance with the Dhalmekian Republic—who themselves were waging war against the Iron Kingdom on the western front—and prevented the empire from progressing any further.
===The Triunity of 859===
:Unlocked upon attaining Level 6 in the Thousand Tomes
A tripartite alliance formed in the year 859 between Rosaria, Dhalmekia and Sanbreque. Its purpose was to oppose the independence of the Free Cities of Kanver, due to its fears that this might inspire similar independence movements elsewhere in the realm. The alliance was disbanded in 860 in the light of the attack on Phoenix Gate, and the dispute over Sanbrequois culpability in the affair.
===The Triunity of 878===
:Unlocked from "Three's Company"
An alliance formed by Lord Byron Rosfield of the Seven High Houses in the comfort of his well-appointed mansion in Port Isolde. According to the agreement reached between those he summoned to his aid, Lord Rosfield would take charge of supplies, Field Marshal Eugen Havel of military affairs, and Quinten of Lostwing would handle political affairs. With these key angles covered, they hoped to lead Valisthea forward on a path of unity, given their home countries of Rosaria, Dhalmekia, and Sanbreque respectively, the name of the famed treaty of old all but suggested itself.
===The Interdimensional Rift===
:Unlocked during "Streets of Madness"
A place beyond time and space—termed both a "rift between worlds" and "our darkness" by its creator, Ultima. Clive and Joshua were forcibly summoned here by the mad deity that they might reflect upon their transgressions.
Basic Information
:Unlocked upon progressing to "Back to Their Origin"
A place beyond time and space—termed both a "rift between worlds" and "our darkness" by its creator, Ultima. Clive and Joshua were forcibly summoned here by the mad deity when they ventured too close to the heart of Drake's Spine. Upon fighting their way free, the pair emerged to find that their victory over Ultima had resulted in the shattering of the Mothercrystal.
Hidden Truths
===Origin===
:Unlocked in "Back to Their Origin"
A vast structure that lay dormant beneath the Crystalline Dominion four countless centuries. When Ultima's scheme reached its final stages, it was summoned from the depths, sowing untold destruction, and leaving bleak, black skies in its wake. It eerily resembles a Mothercrystal.
Basic Information
:Unlocked at the end of the game
A vast structure that lay dormant beneath the Crystalline Dominion four countless centuries, and which was revealed to have been the vessel on which Ultima and his brethren first arrived in Valisthea. Though it ceased to function while its former passengers slept, it was finally reactivated to put into motion the final stages of Ultima's plan for recreating the world in his image.
Hidden Truths
===Accolade===
:Unlocked at the end of the game
The Rosarian ceremony wherein the Dominant of the Phoenix ordains his First Shield and imbues him with the Eikon's Blessing. In the Year of the Realm 860, heir to the ducal throne Joshua Rosfield awarded the accolade to his brother Clive, making proof of the deep love and respect the young prince had for him.
==Notes==
category:Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy XVI