FFXIV Lore: A Quick Look at the Geography of Hydaelyn

Hey there, G! It's Dark again with the latest installment of Final Fantasy 14 Lore. Previously, I had run down the importance of aether and how it operates as the catalyst for magic in the game. Now, before I get into the true lore and history of Eorzea, there is one more topic to cover: the geography of Hydaelyn.

    Something I found myself doing constantly in the game is thinking of Eorzea as the name of the world; in reality, it is just the general name given to one of the Three Great Continents of Hydaelyn. In this world, there are three noteable collections of land, with their own unique history and people, as well as a few regions separated from these continents that become more important as you're playing through
the game.

    We begin with Alden....wait, Aldenard? Well, Aldenard is the true name given to the continent that consists of a collection of city-states more commonly referred to as the realm of Eorzea. You know them pretty well by now; you spend a sizeable chunk of A Realm Reborn playing gopher for the various leaders of this realm. However, as this
is a lore section, it's impossible to avoid talking in length about it. So buckle up, buckaroos! This is going to be my longest article yet :D

     Starting near the center of Aldenard is Gridania, a city-state situated in the forest area known as the Black Shroud. Isolated from the other city-states by its location, Gridania keeps to itself for the most part. Its people are known for their connection to the various elementals of the forest, offering prayers to them in exchange for protection from their enemies; thus, up until the advent of airships and politics between the nations, it was rare to find outsiders in the Shroud. As a result, they're primarily interested in peace, preferring the arts of healing and woodcraft, as well as
defending their land.

     Southwest of this region lies a mountainous area known collectively as La Noscea. Most notable in this area is the island Vylbrand situated off of the main continent (though before the Great Flood, it used to be attached to the mainland, though I won't go into detail here. You'll have to keep reading :p ). Here is where the city-state known as Limsa Lominsa set up camp. Known for their history of piracy and pillage, their new leader has prohibited the practice, offering harsh consequences to any caught doing so. Their navy is unparalleled, as is their penchant for battle. Thus, its people focus on militaristic arts, employing strength, stealth, and superior knowledge in the fields of magic. Also, being an island nation, they make good use of the fish in the sea, offering guilds for catching them, then turning them into culinary masterpieces.

     Above Gridania is an arid region known as Thanalan, wherein lies a society with a strong disposition for warfare, as well as a deep and layered history: Ul'Dah. Unlike the other societies, Ul'Dah is a bustling, vibrant backbone to the economy of Eorzea. Once its inhabitants found a way to turn sand into gold, it solidified their status as the capital of Eorzea and the center of culture. In times following the Calamities, they used their wealth to help make alliances with the other city-states, offering them support in a changing world; however, with wealth comes corruption, and none more
so than the elites of Ul'Dah who, despite having no official position in the government or the decisions of the Sultanate, ultimately influences both, and not always with the people in mind. Staying true to their reputation as protectors and warriors, the Sultanate reveres those of its people that show adeptness in battle, giving them positions in its Royal Guard and helping protect and fight for its citizens. The same holds true in the study of magics, as Ul'Dah houses a guild devoted to Thaumaturgy, using arcane spells in powerful and dangerous ways. Outside of military, its people still make full use of their gold-making abilities, housing centers in both alchemy and goldsmithing, as well as mining the mountains surrounding Thanalan.

     In these mountains lies the last of our current city-states: the Coerthas Highlands, where we find the land of Dravania and the Holy See of Ishgard. Once a fertile area, Dravania was hit hardest by the latest Calamity. Shifting its aetheric aspect towards Ice, the lands surrounding Ishgard have become a frozen wasteland, mostly inhospitable. As such, their people have sequestered themselves from the affairs of the other city-states, preferring to focus on adjusting to their new way of life and their continuing war with the dragons. In this solitary society, its people adhere to the codes of their church, The Holy See. Its scholars study the movement of the stars, creating new fields in healing that use celestial energy to shift the tide of battle. Their knowledge also extends to technology, known for their advances in machinery.

     Now, you may have noticed when I mentioned that Ishgard was the last of our "current" city-states. Well, there are two other city-states that share in Aldenard"s history: Ala Mhigo and Sharlaya. However, due to the Empire of Garlemald's conquest (we'll get to them in a sec), Ala Mhigo was taken as a foothold for the Empire to advance into Eorzea. Fearing that they would soon share in the fate, the Sharlayans fled to nearby continents, abandoning their centers for learning and scholarship. This unfortunate event has led to massive migration of refugees into Ul'Dah, severely straining its resources and causing a growing rift between its inhabitants and the refugees.

     Whew, this has gone on a bit, hasn't it? Well, I hope your stamina is up to a bit more, because that was just the first continent, but don't fret: as Eorzea is abundant in aether and cultivation, most occupants of Hydaelyn have made their home on its land; therefore, the other two continents don't play as much into the game's lore. To the northeast of Aldenard lies our next continent, Ilsabard, wherein lies the aforementioned region of Garlemald. Much like Ishgard, Garlemald is a cold, inhospitable land with extremely low aether. As a result, its people do not have access to the wealth of magics that flow through Eorzea. To compensate, their people invented the study of Magitek, whis infuses magic into their machinery through the use of ceruleum. When they had mined their supply of ceruleum dry, they set their sites on Aldenard, determined to take its resources from those they viewed as savages. as well as gaining access to the natural ceruleum formed from its abundance of aether. 

     But hey, if you're going to conquer one continent, why stop there? At the same time that Garlemald pushed into Ala Mhigo, they also sent their troops east to the last continent Othard, where reside the regions of Yanxia and Doma. Supported by the water that melts down from the snows that coat their mountains year-round. Their culture is vastly different from that of Eorzea, mainly due to the sheer distance between the two continents. Though connected geographically, the presence of Garlemald makes travel between the two continents near impossible. It's ironic, then, that the invasion of the Garleans sent a massive flood of refugees from Doma to sail for Aldenard, where they were met with a frosty reception from Ul'Dah, considering their tensions with refugees as it is.

- Darkmaelstom Stewart