Leá Monde

Leá Monde is the location in Vagrant Story where most of the story takes place. It is a city with a 2000 year-old history and witnesses the power struggle of three groups: the Valendia Knights of the Peace, the Order of the Crimson Blades, and the cult Müllenkamp. It is located 31 miles south of the Graylands.
The architecture of Leá Monde is based on the town of Saint-Émilion, France.
== Story ==
Founded 2,000 years ago by the legendary Kildean dancer-priestess Müllenkamp who established a pact with demons and dabbled with the Dark Arts, creating what is known as the Gran Grimoire. Müllenkamp's cult grew so influential Leá Monde became known to many as the Dark City. The Temple of Kiltia was the center of Müllenkamp's activity.
After the Valendian Civil War the Iocus priesthood gained momentum and many followers converted, building the grand cathedral. This transformed the once dark city into a bustling metropolis. Monks in search of spiritual enlightenment dug deep below the city, opening up limestone quarries, creating what was known as the Undercity. Leá Monde was famed for its quality wine, which rivals the Valendian produce. The fortressed city entered its golden age with a population of 5,000.
The Dark tainted Leá Monde and the Parliament wished to control it, deciding to empower it by feeding souls to it. In a devious scheme 25 years BGI, the water daeva Marid and the earth daeva Dao were summoned to cause a catastrophic earthquake that killed the citizens of Leá Monde. The souls of the dead were consumed by Darkness, and the phantoms, beasts, and the undead roamed the empty city, now separated from the major landmass.
Duke Bardorba, who holds the legacy of Müllenkamp, the Gran Grimoire, refuses to let Darkness be misused. As a result, House Bardorba was antagonized by the nobles, who ordered an investigation on its relation to the cult to wrest the Duke's hold on the "key".
== Locations ==
=== Wine Cellar ===
An underground path and the only entrance left after the great earthquake. The Wine Cellar still houses Leá Monde's vintage wines. Ashley Riot first meets with resistance from wild creatures, such as bats and wolves, but deeper within has to fight a ghost, and later a minotaur. He discovers the city's grounds are not yet stabilized, yet goes on ahead.
=== Catacombs ===
The first area traversed by Ashley, this is where the basic knowledge of Leá Monde, particularly of the sigils, the grimoires, and the dark creatures that roam the city, can be obtained. One can expand their knowledge on the undead as graves and corpses are strewn around the area.
=== Sanctum ===
A sanctuary for the pilgrims and scholars of Iocus, many small libraries and warehouses can be found within its stone walls. The sound of the underground river flowing further soothes the atmosphere. Recent earthquakes have ruined the place along with the infestation of wraiths and dark skeletons.
=== Town Center ===
Bright daylight bathes the streets and despite being abandoned, the town's rustic charm is maintained; one may even find the carving of old Kiltian lettering strewn along the walls. The workshops keep metal of Hagane or Damascus steel for those who wish to explore the hidden reaches of Leá Monde. A river flows along the city, separating it into two sides.
=== City Walls ===
Encircling the abandoned town are walls that protect the city from intruders, and connect the city from within all corners of the compass. Nowadays even the walls are protected, by lizardmen and phantoms who grant no passage to the living.
=== Abandoned Mines ===
Miners of old loved the place so they not dare let anyone horde the treasures within, and lay hidden traps everywhere. The recent earthquake created gaping holes fit to swallow hundreds of men and the local demihumans and demons do not wish to share their good fortune.
=== Undercity ===
Once an area of solitude, the Undercity is the grimmest of places, where the undead roam freely. Even though the blue light from the lampposts and candles provides ample lighting, the shadows they create hide zombies, possessed dolls, lively skeletons, demonic harpies, evil eyes, and Liches.
=== Snowfly Forest ===
A labyrinthine forest that surrounds the city is named for its snowflies, which gather to where The Dark is strongest. The forest is inhabited by large insects and voracious lizards.
=== The Keep ===
A fortress covered in ancient writings. The entrance to the Iron Maiden is located within.
=== Limestone Quarry ===
Once a mining quarry leading deep within the earth, now abandoned and filled with beasts and demons, ogres, orcs and other demihumans. Adding to the danger is the city's frequent quakes.
=== Temple of Kiltia ===
Once the center where Kiltian priests held their rituals and ceremonies, its underground location allowed the Iocus priests to use it as a sanctuary and meditation chamber. Phantoms and possessed armors and statues fill the corridors, accompanied by imps and demons.
=== Grand Cathedral ===
An imposing structure of the priesthood built during the golden age. Built over the Temple of Kiltia, the Grand Cathedral is the center of the Gran Grimoire. Its spires and towers housed many relics of the Iocus priests, and many more of the Müllenkamp. The daevas of earth, fire, water, wind, and darkness gather here to guard the strongest magic point in Leá Monde.
=== Iron Maiden ===
A secret underground dungeon deep within the city, where Müllenkamp imprisoned the deity Asura and conducted many experiments and rituals. The dungeon is filled with Dullahans, Lichs, and Ogres and one can even bet to find Death itself here. The dungeon is shaped in the form of the Rood of Iocus.
=== Escapeway ===
A small location that goes between two areas of the Undercity West.
== Workshops ==
A Workshop is where Ashley is able to customize his equipment, store them inside a Container, and Save. Workshops are located throughout Leá Monde. However, only certain materials can be worked on each workshop.
Workshop	Location 	Materials Combined
 	Catacombs 	Wood, Leather, Bronze
 	Town Center East	Bronze, Iron
 	The Keep 	Bronze, Iron, Hagane
 	Town Center East	Wood, Leather, Bronze, Iron, Hagane
 	Town Center East	Silver, Damascus
 	Undercity West 	Wood, Leather, Bronze, Iron, Hagane, Silver, Damascus
==Other appearances==
===Final Fantasy XII===
Though the city itself does not appear, it is alluded to in Leamonde Entites that hail from the Nabreus Deadlands in the continent of Valendia.
===Final Fantasy XIV===
Leá Monde is the capital of Dalmasca Inferior, one of the two regions that the kingdom of Dalmasca on the Source was divided into by the Garlean Empire upon its conquest. The capital of the other region, Dalmasca Superior, is the now-destroyed Royal City of Rabanastre. An extremely rare and prized red wine named Valens is produced in Leá Monde.
== Etymology ==
Lea is arable land made for grazing and making hay.
A Monde is the spherical adornment atop of European crowns whose designs are similar to globus cruxiger due to Christianity's prominence in Europe during antiquity and classical periods of history.
Category:Locations in Vagrant Story
Category:Location lists