Ivalice

Template:Final Fantasy locations Ivalice (イヴァリース, Ivarīsu) is a fictional location in the Square Enix role-playing games Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Final Fantasy XII. It is a world in which its creator Yasumi Matsuno envisioned since he joined the game company Square in 1995. Ivalice is described by its creator as a complex world with a very long history, and in which the settings for the stories of Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy XII unfold quite close on the Ivalice world map.

The timeline between which the titles took place in Ivalice has been quite vague, and in which Matsuno himself had never revealed; while other venerable sources have their own conclusion on what the exact timeline is. The Ivalice of Tactics Advance, however, is a fictional world inspired from Ivalice, created from a magical book. In addition, developers of Final Fantasy XII created a different version of Ivalice for Final Fantasy XII from the that of Final Fantasy Tactics, though they are set in the same world.

In December 2006, Square Enix announced that three games set in the world of Ivalice, Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: The Sealed Grimoire, and a remake of Final Fantasy Tactics named Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion Wars, will be released as part of the "Ivalice Alliance" project.

Final Fantasy Tactics

In Final Fantasy Tactics, Ivalice is either referred to as an empire or as a kingdom, in which the story of Final Fantasy Tactics takes place. Ivalice is similar to a European country in the Middle Ages. It is a feudal society, with there being only one major religion, the Glabados Church, of which all Ivalicians are members, mirroring pre-reformation Christian Europe. Ivalice has recently suffered a series of wars that also involved the invasion of neighboring kingdoms of Ordalia and Romanda. The Fifty Year War in which Ivalice opposes the armies of Ordalia takes place before the game which has led to the current destabilized political situation, and The Lion War, which serves as the main plot of the game.

Ivalice in Final Fantasy Tactics.

Locations

• Gallione:
  • Igros Castle - The base of Prince Larg, ruler of Gallionne. The largest fort city next to Lesalia.
  • Magic City Gariland - The Royal Academy of Magic, which produced war heroes like the Wizard Elidibs.
  • Fort Zeakden - Fort built during war to protect against Romanda, across Larner Chanel.
  • Thieves Fort - Small floating fort. Once a fisherman's shelter, now a thieves' hideout.
  • Mandalia Plains - White limestone plains looking like tusks. Also knows as 'Beast Plains'.
  • Sweegy Woods - Primeval forest surrounded by a mountain range. Now-extinct Moogles once lived here.
  • Lenalia Plateau - Bare except for some bristles which cover what resembles gravestones.

• Lionel:
  • Lionel Castle - The base castle of Cardinal Draclau, ruler of Lionel. Where Saint Ajora was caught.
  • Zaland Fort City - Built on a hill, this aerial city also serves as the entrance to Fort Lionel.
  • Warjilis Trade City - Lionel's only trade city. A central trade port on the Burgross Sea.
  • Goug Machine City - This mining city produces mechanical weapons with generation-old technology.
  • Golgorand Execution Site - Site where Saint Ajora was executed. Now it's the Lionel public execution ground.
  • Zigolis Swamp - Bloody battlefield where many died in the War. Later, it degenerated into a huge poison swamp.
  • Barius Hill - Hill where Saint Ajora's first disciple, Bariaus, was executed by the Empire.
  • Barius Valley - Barren valley where Saint Ajora's first disciple, Bariaus hid from the Empire.

• Limberry:
  • Limberry Castle - The base of Marquis Elmdor, ruler of Limberry. A white castle on Lake Diara.
  • Dolbodar Swamp - Fertile swamps south of Limberry. Dolbodar River brings fertile soil to the plains.
  • Poeskas Lake - Once a huge lake, Death Lake is now dried up and covered with white salt.

• Zeltennia:
  • Zeltennia Castle - The base of Prince Goltana, ruler of Zeltennia. Made even tighter after the war.
  • Zarghidas Trade City - Central trade point with Sea Gull. Its glory faded after diplomatic relations ended.
  • Finath River - Flowing from Mount Zeara, 6000 dorma high, the water temperature goes below zero.
  • Germinas Peak - Oldest mountains on the continent. A barren land with little rainfall.

• Fovoham:
  • Riovanes Castle - The base of Prince Barinten, ruler of Fovoham. Romanda spires top the castle.
  • Yardow Fort City - Fort city with a 10th century history. Thick castle walls protect against invasion.
  • Yuguo Woods - Virgin forest full of 200 year old Yuguo trees. Scars from the War are still here.
  • Fovoham Plains - Huge plain covered in short grass. Strong cold winds blow from Larner Chanel.

• Lesalia:
  • Lesalia Imperial Capital - In the center of the Imperial Capitol of Ivalice, stands a beautiful regal palace.
  • Dorter Trade City - A crossroads in the trade routes, it became a trade city with many merchants.
  • Goland Coal City - Farmeria Plateau's rich in minerals. Snowstorms rage here all year round.
  • Bervenia Free City - Known as Saint Ajora's birthplace, this town is under the direct control of the church.
  • Orbonne Monastery - Monastery built twelve centuries ago. Has an underground library with many books.
  • Bethla Garrison - Natural Fort surrounded by cliffs on three sides and used as a front line base in the War.
  • Zelklaus Desert - Death Desert. The upwards of 50° Celsius in the day. It falls below zero at night.
  • Bervenia Volcano - Largest active volcano in Ivalice. Constantly flowing lava cover the sky with smoke and ash.
  • Araguay Woods - Vast forest area south of Lesalia. Treasury of wild animals.
  • Grog Hill - Largest granary in Lesalia. Most of the crops are sent to the capital, Lesalia.
  • Bed Desert - Wild desert area west of Limberry. An ancient royal palace is buried in the sand.
  • Zirekile Falls - Zirekile Falls flow from Mount Algost, fall alluringly down stair-shaped cliffs.
  • Doguola Pass - Mount Randoria stands 2000 dorma high. A holy place where priests trained and fasted.

• Murond, mostly submerged, under direct control of the Glabados Church:
  • Murond Holy Place - Murond base, strongest of the Glabados churches. Autonomous of the government.
  • Murond Death City - A lost city under the grounds of Murond where the Lucavi prepares for the resurrection of St. Ajora.
• Graveyard of Airships - Arena of the battle against the Lucavi Altima. Ancient airships are stowed at this lost site.
• Nelveska Temple - Ruins of an ancient sanctuary in the cliffs. Used as a guerrilla base during the War.
• Deep Dungeon - Lighthouse built to protect ships in the Bugross Sea. Partially destroyed in the War.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Ivalice is a world created when four ordinary children; Marche Radiuju, Mewt Randell, Ritz Malheur, and Doned Radiuju come across a dusty, old, and rather large book which Mewt purchases at his local used bookstore. Unaware that the book is the legendary Gran Grimoire with the power to change the world as its readers desires, the children transformed their hometown of St. Ivalice into an Ivalice of a Final Fantasy game.

Other than humans, four other races make Ivalice their home -- Moogles, Bangaa, Viera, and Nu Mou. The geography of Ivalice revolve around plains, mountains, deserts, forests, and swamps, and also introduces areas called jagds; lawless slums where no Judges dare to tread. Jagd is a German word which means 'the hunt'. Jagds are the only places in the game in which a character can die; everywhere else, they are protected from death by the judges and are simply knocked out.

Laws of Ivalice are enforced by a group of judges who set a forever changing, seemingly arbitrary "laws" that dictate what may and may not be done in battle. Although they are the object of intense enmity, the citizens of Ivalice nonetheless obey the judges out of fear of persecution or imprisonment. There are rumors, however, of a growing underground resistance movement which is reportedly spearheading a rebellion. Above the judges, the country is ruled by Queen Remedi, and her son, Prince Mewt.

The placement of location symbols on the world map after each story-related misson and certain other missions is controlled completely by the player, and there are potentially thousands of world map configurations varying by player. The "Treasure Hunting" system is deeply linked to location placement, and can sometimes result in items that cannot be found any other way. Four locations in the game always have default placement -- Giza Plains, Cyril, Bervenia Palace, and Ambervale.

Locations

• Bervenia Palace - Capital of Ivalice. The palace lies at its center.
• Cyril - Busy town. The monster bank is on its outskirts.
• Sprohm - Bangaa mountain town. Home to the prison.
• Muscadet - Mainly viera town hidden deep in the woods.
• Cadoan - Nu mou town. The seat of knowledge and alchemy.
• Baguba Port - Moogle town with a large mercantile airship port.
• Nubswood - Deep, dark forest. Popular hideout for thieves.
• Giza Plains - Rolling grassy plains. Muscmaloi grows here.
• Kudik Peaks - Towering peaks. Home to an endangered tiger.
• Uladon Bog - Deep and dangerous bog dotted with islands.
• Jeraw Sands - Hot sands blow in this largest desert in Ivalice.
• Lutia Pass - Much-traveled pass, with the occasional roadshop.
• Koringwood - Refreshing wood filled with ambient pure magic.
• Ulei River - Largest river in Ivalice. Winds through swampland.
• Aisenfield - Plains where the thirteen knights of legend fought.
• Roda Volcano - Volcano asleep for 300 years. Recently active.
• Eluut Sands - Dangerous desert; home of many fiends and treasures.
• Nargai Cave - A cool wind blows from inside this cave. An ancient city is said to sleep in its depths.
• Salikawood - The chirping of birds can always be heard here. An abandoned keep stands in the middle of the woods.
• Delia Dunes - Desert area famous for its barking sands. Said to be formed from a celestial beast's bones.
• Gotor Sands - Desert famous for its mirages and red chocobos.
• Ozmonfield - Gently rolling plains with occasional insect plagues.
• Deti Plains - Flatlands of yellow sand and red earth. Amber can often be found here among the rocks.
• Siena Gorge - Deep valley. A source of amber, like Deti Plains.
• Materiwood - Lush green forest famous for its materite ore.
• Tubola Cave - These caves were once mined for their mythril.
• Jagd Dorsa - Lawless "jagd". A deserted town.
• Jagd Helje - Lawless "jagd" where ghostly voices are heard.
• Jagd Ahli - Lawless "jagd" destroyed by its own wild magic.
• Ambervale - Beautiful valley where the rocks glow amber. The kings of Ivalice had a summer palace here.

Final Fantasy XII

Ivalice in Final Fantasy XII

In Final Fantasy XII, Ivalice is a region consisting of three continents; Ordalia in the west, Valendia in the northeast and Kerwon in the south, and other smaller continents such as the Purvama (Floating Lands) in the east. In ancient times, King Raithwall united the continents of Valendia and Ordalia to create the Galtean Alliance. As time passed, conflicts had split the continents again. Many races populate the world of Ivalice; this include Humes, Vieras, Bangaas, Moogles, Seeqs, Garifs, Urutan-Yensas, Nu Mous, Baknamy, Rebes and Helgas.

Final Fantasy XII takes place many years after the events of Final Fantasy Tactics. The continents are now dominated by an assortment of industrialized city-states; Bhujerba in Dorstonis - a Purvama, the Archadian Empire, the Kingdom of Nabradia and the Republic of Landis in Valendia, the Rozarrian Empire in Ordalia, and the Kingdom of Dalmasca. Strategically located between the rival neighboring states of Imperial Archadia and Rozarria, Dalmasca's position as a neutral buffer region between the two countries is eliminated when it is invaded by Imperial Archadia. With the fall of Landis and Nabradia, and presently reduced to an occupied territory under Archadian rule, Dalmasca is set to play a central role in the still-heated dispute between its neighbors which is escalating once more.

Jagds which were introduced in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance made a return in Final Fantasy XII. In these areas, airships could not fly due to the skystones in glossair rings disfunctioning mysteriously in Jagds. Glossair rings enable airships to fly, and without airships the Empires could not invade the Jagds. However, the Empire learned to overcome this with aid of nethicite, though still in the works.

Locations

File:Dalmasca.jpg

The Royal City of Rabanastre

• Dalmasca Region
  • The Royal City of Rabanastre - capital city of Dalmasca and home to a mixture of different races.
  • Giza Plains - a vast savannah south of Rabanastre, its weather changing drastically. Nomadic herders reside in the middle.
  • The Dalmasca Estersand - vast desert east of Rabanastre, home to many beasts and the roadway of merchants.
  • The Dalmasca Westersand - vast desert west of Rabanastre where sandstorms are frequent.
  • The Garamsythe Waterway - an underground waterway running deep beneath the Royal City of Rabanstre.
  • Barheim Passage - a railway passage to Nalbina fortress that have long since abandoned due to the advent of airships.
  • Nalbina Fortress - a fortress with a small merchant town and a rock quarry of Archadia.
  • Nalbina Fortress Underground Dungeons - gaol where war prisoners and fugitives of Archadia are sent pending judgment.
• Bancour Region
  • Jahara - one of the many Garif village dispersed throughout Bancour, close to Sogoht River.
  • The Henne Mines - Imperial Archadian mine with an abundance of varying types of magicite.
  • Ozmone Plains - wide plains of tall grass and scattered volcanic rock formations.

File:Archadia.jpg

The Imperial City of Archades

• Archadia Region
  • Phon Coast - coastal region along the Phon Straits which divide Archadia from Nabradia.
  • The Tchita Uplands - hilly region reaching to the south of Archadia, former highway to the imperial capital.
  • The Sochen Cave Palace - giant underground complex of natural caverns and a site of an ancient palace.
  • The Imperial City of Archades - capital of the Archadian Empire, more than half the population being Humes of higher class.
  • Old Archades - the original foundation of the capital, home to the lower class and the poor.
  • The Draklor Laboratory - weapons research laboratory, sponsored by the Archadian Imperial Army and headed by Dr. Cid.
  • The Port of Balfonheim - prosperous port on the Naldoan Sea renowned for its rich fishing grounds, and home to sea and sky pirates.
  • The Cerobi Steppe - windy highlands east of Archadia, where the highroad to Balfonheim Port passes through.
• Nabradia Region
  • Salikawood - forest in central Nabradia, where decaying tree-bridges were once used by travelers to and from Archadia.
  • Mosphoran Highwaste - mountain range between Nabradia and Dalmasca, well-known for its odd rock formations and ancient wellsprings.
  • Necrohol of Nabudis - ruins of a once regal palace of House Nabradia in a middle of a lake, now filled with vile creatures.
  • Nabreus Deadlands - barren landscape filled with thick Mists prior to the destruction of the capital city Nabudis.

File:Bhujerba.JPG

The Skycity of Bhujerba

• Purvama Dorstonis
  • Skycity of Bhujerba - city on the Floating Lands and home of Marquis Halim Ondore the IV.
  • Lhusu Mines - a magicite mine and Bhujerba's main source of income, filled with beasts.
• Jagd Yensa
  • The Ogir-Yensa Sandsea - part of the Great Yensan Sandsea of fine-grain sand, abandoned Rozarrian oil rigs dot the area.
  • The Nam-Yensa Sandsea - part of the Great Yensan Sandsea of fine-grain sand, leading to the Tomb of Raithwall.
  • The Tomb of Raithwall - ancient stone structure housing Raithwall's crypt and treasures for his royal lineage.
  • Zertinan Caverns - labyrinthine cavern complex spanning the inland sea between Ordalia and Kerwon.
• Jagd Difohr
  • The Golmore Jungle - sprawling jungle appearing as it was in the past, untouched by human hands for ages.
  • Eruyt Village - one of the many hidden villages scattered within Golmore Jungle and home to the Viera.
  • The Feywood - an ancient wood, the combination of dense Mist and regular snow enough to keep away even the Viera.
  • The Ancient City of Giruvegan - ancient city of a lost cilization said to lie deep within Jagd Difohr. A dense Mist conceals its actual location.
  • Great Crystal - crystal that holds a great concentration of Mist, floating within the Ancient City of Giruvegan.
• Jagd Ramooda
  • The Paramina Rift - a barren ravine of deep snow filled with ruins of airships and ancient cities.
  • Mt. Bur-Omisace - sacred shrine of the Kiltia sect where the doctrine was first established.
  • The Stilshrine of Miriam - ancient shrine of a fighter god chosen by a Gran Kiltias to house the Dynast-King treasure.
• Jagd Naldoa
  • Ridorana Cataract - an opening in the seafloor that created an endless whirpool, drawing the water downwards.
  • The Pharos at Ridorana - an ancient lighthouse on the island at the cataract's edge surrounded by ruins of a lost civilization.
• Other locations
  • Dreadnought Leviathan - Flaghsip of the 8th Fleet of the Archadian Imperial Army, under command of Judge Ghis.
  • Light Cruiser Shiva - Part of the 8th Fleet of the Archadian Imperial Army, sunk by the power of the nethicite.
  • Sky Fortress Bahamut - Imperial Archadia's strongest and largest airship to date, powered by Mist from the Sun-Cryst.
  • Ambervale - Imperial city of the Rozarrian Empire, and home to House Margrace.
  • Bervenia - an unknown location containing the "Cache of Glabados".

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

• Purvama Remless - a legendary Purvama where the Egul reside, and the setting for the story of Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.

Vagrant Story

The Kingdom of Valendia, the setting for Vagrant Story, shares the same name as a continent of Ivalice in Final Fantasy XII. The Kiltia religion, founded centuries before the events of Final Fantasy XII, is present in the form of a temple, and there are many references in dialogs to ancient Kildean letterings (an ancient language at the time of Final Fantasy XII). Also, a quotation from Alazlam J. Durai, a famous historian of Ivalice who lived 400 years after the Lion War (the narrator of the Zodiac Brave Story in Final Fantasy Tactics), is used at the beginning of the game.

References

External links

• Ivalice of Final Fantasy Tactics - fansite