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Final Fantasy VI
"The world before the fall
Lovely is the light of dawn
Noble is the heart of man..." --Cyan, FF6

I, Astarinas, do pen this account, this thirteenth day of Firstmonth, WOR 37. Since the War of the Magi, we of the Celestial Order have endeavored to preserve the heritage of Aeolus, recording all that has and will transpire. As I gaze into the Time Globe, that ancient artifact given to the first of this order at the climax of the First War of the Magi, I see the ebb and flow of time; the future, boundless into eternity, becoming for one unmeasurable moment the present, and disappearing into the dark void of the past. For the first time in memory, these strands reveal calamity so great, so awesome, so as to threaten the very existence of the entire universe. We, who stood fearless at the destruction wrought by the War of the Magi, we who feared not as the world was torn asunder by the inbalance of the Goddesses trapped within their stone prisons, now know true fear. We fear not that we should perish, for such is our lot within this realm. No, we fear that the history, heritage, and events recorded within our records should pass from existence for all eternity. And so, endeavoring to preserve this rich history, I do hereby pen this account, hoping against hope that this record may be kept safe and passed on when all else has passed to dust.

Final Fantasy VI
Geography

The idea behind this portion of the Final Fantasy VI worldbook is to provide gamemasters and players an idea of what does the planet of Aeolus look and feel like. Although the title may say "geography", the planet's astronomy and calendar will also be examined here. Later we'll take a good look at Aeolus' geography, its moons, continental shifting and its effects on the planet, the normal weather patern for most of the planet, and the calendar (including important holidays).

The Planet Aeolus
The Moons of Aeolus
Continental Shifting
The Weather
The Aeolian Calendar

The Planet Aeolus

As with the other worlds of the Final Fantasy RPG, This war-torn planet called Aeolus is much like our own world. It supports both artic and antartic poles (despite the lack of their not existing in the video game) and sports a wid array of enviroments. One of the biggest difference, in terms of weather and enviroments, is its equator. On earth, the closer a continent is to the equator the hotter the weather. Aeolus, on the other hand, is mostly temperate throughout the planet. Granted, it is in fact a bit hotter on the equator but the difference might 5 to 10 degrees (fairenheight) nad most the world's deserts (specifically the Figaro desert) sit smack dab on it. Like Earth, the farther one goes toward either of the poles the colder it gets. Some of the towns in the northern reaches such as Kohlingen and New Doma tend to have frequent snowfall during the winters while Narshe is perpetually covered in it.

The Moons of Aeolus

High above Aeolus, two moons orbit the sky- Phaeleus and Rowantha. Phaeleus is roughly the size of our own moon. Much like our moon, it has no atmosphere and is dotted with potholes from passing meteors and asteroids save for a shiny purple tint that gives the night sky a purplish tint. Rowantha is a different matter. It supports its own atmosphere and has a light blue tint. Although no one knows for sure, a common myth is that people live on Rowantha. It's size is slighty

Continental Shifting

In the aftermaths of both previous magi wars, continental shifting is a common phrase used by geologists to describe the phenomenon where land masses that were lost in the war (or in the most recent case from the day of Kefka) are slowly recovered. No map from the pre-war of magi era exist (supposedly) but most scholars believe that the planet won't recover 100% of its mass. Nor will the map be full restored in the exact way that it appeared before the second war of magi. It's only been 20 years since the end of the war, so there's no saying if these changes will remain in place permamenty. In the 20 years the death of the mad demigod, continental shifting has already produced some major changes in the planet's face:

* A large amount of land has once again connected Narshe, Figaro, and Kohlingen into a single continent. With the seismic activity haveing completely vanished, most believe that the mountains that seperated Figaro and Kohlingen will not resurface. Furthermore, the islands that once ringed around the Figaro Desert will remain beach-front property.
* Another landbridge now links Kohlingen and Jidoor.
* The Island of Doma (the small isle where the ruin of doma existed in the WoR portion of the game) has fused with the island to the north (with is now considered the Providence of Doma).
* The Veldt has expanded a good bit south, almost in a paralell line to Mobliz.

The Weather

The Aeolian Calendar

The History of Aeolus

The world known as Aeolus has suffered several bloody wars over the past one thousand years. This portion of the Final Fantasy 6 worldbook gives an overall description of these events that have led up to the present situation that the worldbook takes place in. The material here split up into different eras: the golden age, the first war of the magi, the age of Chaos, the age of recovery, the Imperial war, the second war of the magi, the year of hell, and the present. If you haven't already done so, it would be best to look through the FF6 timeline before reading any further.

The Golden Age
The War of the Magi
The Age of Chaos
The Age of Recovery
The First Imperial War
The Age of Prosperity
The Second Imperial
The Year of Ruin
The Age of Healing

The Golden Age
(before 1000 WB)

Most likely due to the destruction and global annihilation of the War of the Magi, little record survives of the time prior to the War of the Magi. As a result, most of the knowledge of this time period has been lost for all time. The few scraps of evidence that remain seem to point to a world ruled almost exclusively by humanity, with no reference to any of the other less prominent peoples of Aeolus. While the subject of much debate, there is small evidence that magic in some form existed during this period. Further, one document in particular tells of highly advanced civilizations, containing technology beyond the imagination of even living today, such as floating cities, robots, mammoth vehicles, and technological weapons. Perhaps due to a highly advanced understanding of medicine, the average human lifespan was nearly 200 years, with little worry about disease or disability.

Although it would be more than another millennia before scholars would learn of it, other races existed in Aeolus during the Golden Age. Similar to their human counterparts, elven civilization reached its highest peak in this era, having constructed beautiful crystalline dwellings amongst the oldest forests in Aeolus. Although interaction between elf and human was rare, it was apparently not unheard of, although no document of such an occurrence exists today. Further, dwarves also dwelt within Aeolus, living in elaborate underground complexes constructed within beautiful mines of gold, silver, and other precious metals. Although their numbers were few, dwarven workmanship, whether weapon, armor, or building, was apparently unmatched in all of Aeolus, despite their otherwise low levels of technology. And, although even less evidence exists in support of this, it seems reasonable that moogles and imps roamed the world as well, although no large-scale permanent dwellings seemed to have existed.

Somewhere between 1100 WB and 1025 WB, new beings were created by the three so-called deities known as Doom, Poltergeist, and Goddess, which came to be known as espers. These beings, which were created from humans, possessed great magical powers unrivaled in Aeolus. Within the span of only a handful of years, it was discovered that these espers could be drained of their magical powers, and that their powers could then be channeled not only into humans, but also into machines as well, thus creating magitek. This discovery sowed the seeds of the War of the Magi.

By 1010 WB, hundreds of espers had been killed at the hands of power-hungry humanity, who in turn created magical machines whose powers were unstoppable. The three entities became more and more outraged with the actions of the humans, as they watched their esper creations gradually annihilated. In their rage, they created vast numbers of new espers, equipped them with awesome magical powers, and used them as biological weapons to attack all humanity. In response, humanity turned its technological knowledge to the creation of even greater war-machines, many of which were imbued with drained esper-magic. The resulting conflagration would come to be known as the War of the Magi.

The War of the Magi
(1000 WB)

Many of the espers waged war upon humanity using fantastical magical powers unrivaled in history. However, a few of the espers, worried about the seemingly insane rage of the three so-called deities, pledged their allegiance to a few of the more conservative nations. As the war continued to escalate, increasingly the conflagration pitted esper against esper. This destruction only further enraged Doom, Poltergeist, and Goddess, and their efforts became more and more powerful and destructive. Slowly, the tide of the war began to turn against humanity. As their numbers began to diminish, the Three began to individually support certain specific peoples and nations. Conflict arose amongst themselves regarding the fate of humanity. Soon, each of the Three was pledged to support a different nation within Aeolus, and controlled a certain faction of the espers. Not surprisingly, the Three began to war amongst themselves, each declaring that she alone should decide the fate of Aeolus. Their warfare was worse than any the world had ever seen. Whole continents shifted, lakes and stream dried up, or became toxic, and massive fires raged.

At the height of the War of the Magi, it seems that both the elven and dwarven peoples, fearing for their own survival, secreted themselves away from the rest of the world, hiding themselves by both arcane and mundane methods. Although their own losses were great, their escape allowed them to survive the destruction of the world with greater ease than their human counterparts. Both races would remain hidden away and unknown to the ranks of humanity for over a millennia.

By the end of 1000 WB, the world had been reduced to a scorched wasteland, and only a sixth of the pre-war population of Aeolus were still counted among the living. This global destruction finally brought the Three to their senses, and in a rare moment of clarity, they encased themselves into stone statues. Their final command to their esper creations was for the espers to seal themselves away from Aeolus, taking the Statues with them, and thus protect them for all time from the designs of humanity. With tears for the destruction of their world, the espers opened a rift into Esperworld, passed through the rift with the Statues, and sealed themselves away.

However, just prior to their departure, a sage by the name of Ceric Rynath was approached by one of the eldest of the espers. At that time, he was given our most sacred artifact, the Time Globe, and charged with recording the history and heritage of Aeolus. In addition, he was given a brief recounting of the War of the Magi, and a few documents that survived the disastrous war. On that day, the Celestial Order was established.

The Age of Chaos
(999-800 WB)

The next two-hundred years were dark indeed for the survivors of the War of the Magi. The once rich, flourishing planet of Aeolus had become a wasteland, filled with powerful monsters born from the vast energies of the magical conflagration. Plants and animals alike grew ill and died, leaving thousands of people to starve to death. Huge, ancient forests vanished, leaving behind empty plains and rocky hills. For the first time in Aeolus' history, huge deserts covered part of the globe, including much of the northwest continent. In the first twenty years, nearly half of the remaining population of Aeolus died. But those who survived became more and more hardened by their environment. Ever so

slowly, the world began to heal. Large settlements were formed across the globe, as the survivors came together in order to live within their harsh new world, bringing whatever possessions that had been spared destruction. Unfortunately, almost nothing remained of the technological wonders of the Golden Age. What little remained usually was completely non-functional, but would eventually serve as models for future scientific endeavors. As communities were established, the peoples of Aeolus began to look for a scapegoat to blame for their misfortunes. Amongst the survivors of the destruction were several esper- imbued humans, who retained some of their magical powers. It did not take long for most of the people of Aeolus to blame magic for the destruction of their world, and a result these esper-imbued humans were systematically hunted down and destroyed, and almost completely annihilated, save for those few who managed to hide their heritage and escape to eventually resettle in the east. By 850 WB, the towns of Narshe, South Figaro, Doma, Jidoor, Vector, and Maranda had been successfully established. Despite the still-hostile environment, widespread agriculture and industry emerged, ensuring the survival of the peoples of Aeolus.

The Age of Recovery
(799-362 WB)

Over the next four centuries, the world slowly began to emerge from the chaos caused by the War of the Magi. Their fate no longer uncertain, the people of Aeolus began efforts to regain the technology lost during the disastrous war. As these endeavors grew more and more widespread, global communication became necessary for the first time, as scientists were aided by the discoveries of their peers. Trade-networks began to develop, first simply between the larger cities and the distant villages, but eventually connected all of the major cities of Aeolus. Up until 700 WB, each of the large centers of civilization around Aeolus was essentially a independent city-state, as no centralized government had yet emerged. However, the increased revenue and slow advances in technology soon created conflict amongst the city-states. In addition, the increase in economy also brought an increase in crime, as those less-fortunate strove to steal in order to prosper. These two factors were key in the establishment of the nations of Figaro, Gastoria, and Doma. Large militaries were established in each nation, with the purpose of protecting that nation's interest from crime and the still-numerous monsters. Fortresses were constructed for the first time, serving as the center of each nation's government, known as Doma Castle, Figaro Castle, and Vector. As worldwide commerce and communication was established, lost technologies such as the steam engine, gun powder, steel-smelting, mechanical inventions, and others were reinvented. As prosperity continued to grow, so did the world's population, and other large cities began to emerge, especially around key ports. By 400 WB, the towns of Nikeah, Albrook, Kohlingen, Tzen, Zozo, and Mobliz were fully established as prosperous cities. Although the establishment of centralized governments brought world peace for a time, after 400 WB conflict once again arose concerning the trade and acquisition of several new technologies. Although peaceful negotiations were able to maintain the peace for several years, war soon became almost inevitable.

The First Imperial War
(361-340 WB)

In 361 WB, the current monarch of Gastoria is overthrown and assassinated by General Lance Chere, who proclaims himself Emperor of the Empire of Gastoria, whose boundaries then included the towns of Vector, Albrook, and Maranda. Outraged by the nation of Figaro's staunch refusal to share new technological advances, Chere declares war on Figaro's ally, the nation of Doma, and launches a brutal attack on the town of Tzen. Despite a fierce battle, the town of Tzen is quickly captured. From Tzen, Gastoria assembles a powerful fleet of warships, and soon cuts off trade between Figaro and Doma, as well as decimating Figaro's and Doma's meager naval forces. Gastoria's forces then move to capture the towns of Mobliz and South Figaro, both of which came under the Empire's control by 358 WB. Cut off from most of their agriculture, the people of Doma are soon desperate for food, and agree to withdraw from the war for the return of Mobliz and its vital food supplies. In 356 WB, Figaro forms an alliance with the city-state of Zozo, who contributes a great number of ground and naval forces. That same year, South Figaro is liberated by the combined might of Figaro's and Zozo's armed forces. Outraged, the Empire declares war on Zozo. In 352 WB, the Empire launches a surprise assault on the town of Zozo, and subsequently burns the city to the ground, leaving little but refuse, waste, and scorched buildings behind, effectively destroying the nation of Zozo. In the following years, the refuse eventually became the habitation of small gangs of bandits and thieves. The destruction of Zozo captures the attention of many of the other independent cities of Aeolus, each of whom pledge their aid to Figaro. With renewed vigor and forces, the war begins in earnest. By 348 WB, almost the entirety of the Gastorian naval forces are destroyed. In 347 WB, a massive assault-force lands on the southern continent, and recaptures the city of Tzen. Over the next six years, each and every city of the Gastoria Empire is liberated from the control of the Empire, excluding the city of Vector. His plans defeated and his army decimated, Chere is forcefully removed from his leadership position, and the First Imperial War is officially ended in 340 WB. He is replaced by his cousin, Albert Chere, whose descendants continue to rule the shattered remnants of Gastoria for the next three-hundred years.

The Age of Prosperity
(339-26 WB)

The Age of Prosperity is among the best in Aeolus' history, second only to the Golden Age. With the Imperial War ended, a new age of global peace and discovery is declared. Monster activity was at an all-time low, and the human lifespan reached nearly one-hundred years. Technology reached a new peak in this era, giving rise to many new innovations on older discoveries. Steam ships are first constructed during this era, as well as record-players, plumbing, advanced construction tools, geothermal heating systems, advanced weapons, and even a few limited vehicles. Although most of these technological advances are ignored by the people of Doma, both the nations of Figaro and Gastroria spend massive amounts of revenue financing and researching new technologies. Over the course of this era, both nations develop several vital technologies. In Gastoria, robotics are perfected, allowing the development of not only specialized war-vehicles, but also robots armed with new technological weapons such as missiles and lasers. In Figaro, other specialized weapons are developed, as well as key defensive technologies, including the top-secret ability for the entirety of Castle Figaro to tunnel underneath the desert sands. It was also during this time period that researchers uncovered ancient texts thought lost during the War of the Magi, telling of the now-legendary espers and magic, as well as unveiling the secrets of magitek and airships, the latter of which the nation of Gastoria quickly attempted to replicate. In addition, as Gastoria's technology began to increase, several people became concerned about the possibility of another global war. Hoping to avoid such a catastrophe, a group known as the Returners was created, and established several key hideouts throughout Aeolus with the hopes of defeating or at least slowing any Gastorian conflict, which would factor so importantly in the following years.

The Second Imperial War
(19-0 WB)

In the year 19 WB, the ruler of Gastoria, Cain Chere, is assassinated by Nicholas Gestahl, who disguises his actions as an accident. Gestahl declares himself Emperor of the Gastorian Empire, and promises to regain the world-wide prominence the Empire once enjoyed. He begins to raise a mighty army under the leadership of his two generals, Kefka Rowantha and Leo Sheridan. Despite the technological edge of Gastoria, Gestahl began to search for other ways of increasing the Empire's might. It was during this time that he uncovered the knowledge of the gate that connected Aeolus to the Esperworld and the technology of creating magitek through drained espers. In 16 WB, Gestahl's forces entered into the gate, attacked the espers, and were repelled by the esper's magic, but not before he had taken several espers prisoner. Using their powers, the first magitek machines were successfully built. In addition, after several fatal failures, Gestahl's top scientist, Cid Desefore, perfects the process of imbuing humans with esper magic. In his lust for power, Kefka volunteers to be the first to undergo the process. Although the operation was a success, a slight miscalculation resulted in extreme shock to Kefka's system, which would eventually drive him insane. With these discoveries in hand, Gestahl declared war on the nation of Doma in 10 WB, and began to attack the cities of the southern continent, each of which were ruled by Doma. Despite the best efforts of both the nation of Doma and the Returners, they were no match for the incredible powers of the Empire. By 2 WB, the entire continent had fallen to the Empire, and his forces quickly moved to finish off the nation of Doma at Doma Castle.

In 1 WB, the renown events of the famous Returners began, culminating in the withdrawal of the Empire from every city in the southern continent, the razing of Vector by the espers, the destruction of the Nation of Doma, the death of Leo Sheridan, the defeat of the espers at the hands of Gestahl and Kefka, the death of Nicholas Gestahl, and the acquisition of the Statues at the hands of Kefka. In 0 WB, Kekfa fatefully takes control of the Statues, and sets in motion a chain-reaction which nearly destroys Aeolus. This day is forever remembered as the Day of Kefka.

The Year of Ruin
(1-2 WR)

After the Day of Kekfa, a term which is synonymous with the Collapse, Aeolus was reduced to a state of general ruin. Through the power of the Statues, the continents of Aeolus shifted, much as they had during the War of the Magi. Much of Aeolus' land-mass sank beneath the waves, particularly in the southern continent. Even more bizarre, the Serpent Trench, a band of rapidly moving waters within a deep ocean trench stretching from Nikeah to Mobliz, rose above the ocean floor. Much of Aeolus' fresh water turned foul, polluted from the fallout of the power of the Statues. The oceans themselves became more brackish, killing off thousands of aquatic creatures. Violent earthquakes became frequent. The soil, as if somehow poisoned, became almost completely infertile, cutting off and destroying agriculture. Without food and water, hundreds died. To make matters worse, Kefka had created a tower in the center of the southern continent, assembled from the ruins of Vector, from which he reigned over Aeolus like a demigod. By his whim, huge bolts of energy were released upon any who stood against him, damaging and even destroying some cities. Among the hardest hit was the town of Mobliz, whose entire adult population was killed and nearly the entire village destroyed. To make matters even worse powerful monsters roamed Aeolus, set free by the conflagration of the Collapse. Once again, humanity had to struggle just to survive in a devastated world.

Fortunately, as the bards now recount throughout Aeolus, the Returners, who had been scattered by the Collapse, once again banded together with the purpose of defeating Kekfa once and for all. Again, their deeds are well-known, and thus I will not recount them here. But, in the end, they successfully defeated not only Kekfa, but destroyed the Statues as well, with decisive results. First and foremost, the legacy of the espers was completely annihilated from the world. All magic derived from drained espers, including not only the spells themselves but also any powers imbued from esper magic, ceased to exist, although this loss did not destroy the host itself in most cases. Most importantly, the connection between the Esperworld and Aeolus was severed. Second, the incredible release of magical power into nature restored a great deal of vitality to the world. In the days following Kefka's death, spring bloomed across all of Aeolus, allowing vegetation and plants to once again thrive, although not to the same extent as they did within the World of Balance. In addition, the release caused instability within the continents, leading to a great deal of seismic activity, especially in the region between the Fanatic's Tower, Mobliz, and Kefka's Tower, as the power that had once held the continents in balance did so no longer. Also, the oceans and other bodies of water became much more suitable again for the continuation of life.

The Age of Healing
(3-30 WR)

Following the defeat of Kefka, an event which has come to be known as the Day of Heroes, the great cities around the world began to rebuild, but the scarcity of supplies, food, and workers hampered most of their efforts. To solve this problem, cities began to band together, forming loose coalitions in order to survive the chaos of a slowly-healing world. For, with the destruction of the Gastorian Empire and the Nation of Doma, only Figaro retained its national government. Within ten years, the focus shifted from simple survival to an attempt to thrive once again. Ships became more and more common, as cities exported whatever goods they had in order to import those they did not. Port towns such as Nikeah, South Figaro, and Albrook began to thrive with the increased commerce. Organized bands of warriors began to form in order to drive off the monsters from inhabited areas. Unfortunately, other areas were not so lucky. In 13 WR, the town of Mobliz was abandon, and efforts were set in motion to rebuild the city near the southern fringes of the Veldt. In a similar manner, the Tower of Fanatics was nearly completely destroyed, although it had been nearly abandon anyway following Kekfa's demise.

In 14 WR, sages within Thamasa made a crucial discovery: magic, thought to have been destroyed, still existed. Instead of being based upon the power of the espers, magic seemed to have become focused within nature. Unfortunately, this shift made all previous knowledge of magic useless, and once-powerful mages were forced to begin their studies at the same place as the newest initiate. The spells were somewhat different than those derived from esper-magic, but some of the same elements still seemed present.

In 15 WR, a group of lumberjacks from Kohlingen were attacked and nearly decimated by a band of unknown attackers, who disappeared back into the forest following the attack. The sole survivor, who had hidden himself away during the attack, pursued the unknowing attackers. Although he was extremely knowledgeable of the forest, he soon found himself in an area he had never before seen. After a few more feet, he became the first human to look upon an elven city since the Golden Age. Fleeing, the man returned to Kohlingen, where he reported his discovery. A group of ambassadors from Figaro were sent to the forest, but were unable to relocate the elven city, even with the help of its discoverer. However, as they were leaving, they were approached by a band of elves, who apologized for the attack. This encounter would eventually lead to the first exchange between elves and humans since the Golden Age. For their part, the elves as a whole wanted to remain independent and withdrawn from their human neighbors, but from time to time offered their incredible workmanship and skills for an exchange of food stuffs or raw materials such as metals and other supplies. Not long afterwards, another elven city was also discovered in the forests near Jidoor, with similar results.

In 17 WR, efforts were made by a group of people to reestablish the Nation of Doma, which had laid abandon since the Empire's withdrawal from it just before the Day of Kefka. Their efforts were successful. Within the next five years, Doma not only survived, but began to thrive, due to a large extent to their new allies. For, in 20 WR, a band of dwarves, desperate for food and supplies, made contact with the people of Doma, and eventually formed an alliance between the two people. This alliance allowed the citizens of Doma access to great material wealth and expertise in weapon- and armor- smithing, which was crucial in their development as a world power, in exchange for their aiding the dwarves to free their underground labyrinth-like civilization from an infestation of monsters.

Twenty-nine years have passed since the defeat of Kefka and the subsequent destruction of Kekfa's Tower. The upheaval in the world remains great. Monsters continue to roam the world, although the gradual shift in climate has certainly affected their population. Agriculture, no longer impossible, has become merely difficult. Outlaws, brigands, and pirates, however, have become a constant menace. Although life is still hard throughout Aeolus, at last there is hope.

At the present day, 30 WR, the world has become divided into three essential areas. First, the cities in the south (Albrook, Tzen, Maranda, and Jidoor) have united in a coalition known as the Free Cities. Although each is ruled independently, these cities trade heavily with one another, and as a result have become wealthy off the profits, and have pledged to defend and protect one-another in the event of disaster. Second, in the northwest, is the Kingdom of Figaro, which unites Kohlingen, South Figaro, and Figaro Castle under the leadership of the King Edgar, one of the Returners. It is here that the influence of the Heroes is the strongest. Essentially, the Kingdom of Figaro has pledged itself to promoting peace and prosperity across the globe. Third, in the northeast, is the Kingdom of Doma, which consists of Doma, the newly formed Mobliz, and Nikeah. As a result of its prosperity, more mages live here than anywhere else in the world, with the exception of Thamasa.. As a result, a great deal of study is even now being done on not only magic as it now exists, but also in esper-magic as well. Not surprisingly, the city of Narshe has continued to promote its own independence from the rest of the world, while maintaining good relations with the Kingdom of Figaro. Zozo has continued in its thieving, lying, and conniving ways, and a new settlement, known as the Silver Dragon, has grown up around the Coliseum, and has become even more vile and corrupt than Zozo. Finally, Thamasa has become the new center of magic within Aeolus.

The Realm of New Doma

The region which men do refer to as the Realm of New Doma consists of the northeastern region of Aeolus, encompassing Northlund, Doma Isle, the Veldt, Northern Serpentia, and Triangle Island. This region is perhaps the most hostile climate within Aeolus, ranging from the rocky and treacherous cliffs of Doma Isle and Triangle Island to the wilderness of Northlund to the grasslands of the Veldt to the wasteland of Serpentia. Monster activity within this region remains high, particularly around the regions of Northlund and the Veldt. The climate within this region varies, tending to be more temperate towards the coasts and gradually becoming more and more alpine as one travels north and goes up in elevation, until eventually the climate could even be described as sub- arctic. The Veldt tends to be more of an exception, and remains strangely mild throughout the year. Storms within this region tend to be strong and violent, especially in the spring, but usually are short-lived. Summers are both short and cool, creating a somewhat reduced growing season. Both autumn and spring bring violent storms, whether they be fierce thunderstorms or raging blizzards. Winters, particularly in the northern region, tend to be snowy, windy, and frigid. Fortunately, the milder influence of the ocean somewhat diminishes this harsh climate.

Through its material wealth, the Realm of New Doma has become the most powerful nation within all of Aeolus, extending its rule throughout the northeastern sphere of the world, including the cities of Doma, New Mobliz, and Nikeah. Although each city is self-governed, each ruler answers to King Kalros himself. With the aid of their dwarven allies and the experience provided by the Dwarven War, the warriors of New Doma have no equal throughout Aeolus, possessing superior training, weapons, armor, and experience. Indeed, their skills in warcraft are so great that warriors throughout Aeolus have come to train within Doma City, many of them paying for their training by a five-year service within Doma's vast millitary. Further, the Realm of New Doma has the second greatest concentration of mages found in Aeolus, rivaled only by those in Thamasa. To house and facilitate training and research, the Black Tower was constructed as an addition to Doma Castle. Within its walls, which can only be entered through magical means, great research and experiments are being conducted. In addition, several of these mages have trained exclusively in battle-magic, and I expect will work alongside of Doma's millitary to aid them in their endeavors. It is unlikely, however, that most of those who serve under New Doma are actually aware of the true motive behind Kalros' actions, as I have chronicled elsewhere.

Geographical Areas of Interest

This region has several prominent areas of interest, including the Veldt, the Northlund Mountains, the northern tip of Serpentia, and Triangle Island.

The Veldt

The Veldt is a region extending the entire width and length of the continent east of Doma Isle. It is legendary across Aeolus as the migratory destination of many of the wilder denizens and monsters of the world. The Veldt consists almost entirely of slightly rolling, grassland plains, untouched by any signs of civilization save for the town of New Mobliz, which is located on the western fringe. Monsters of all shapes and sizes can be found along the Veldt. For the most part, these monsters tend to be fairly oblivious to their surroundings, and do not give most travelers any problems unless approached. Before the Collapse, this region was a major migratory stop for many of Aeolus' denizens, including some of its most formidable creatures. Much to the astonishment of my brethren, this region remains somewhat protected from the worst of this region's weather, and stays fairly mild throughout the year, which might account for its popularity as a migratory destination. Near the southern edge of the Veldt rises Mount Crescent, which is honeycombed by a deep, complex labyrinth of connecting tunnels and caves. It is rumored too that the Beastmaster Gau still roams the Veldt, working to preserve its natural habitat against any unwanted intruders.

The Northlund Mountains

The Northlund Mountains are located in the northeast of the continent of Northlund, north of Doma Island. Unlike much of the region, the Northlund Mountains have remained virtually untamed, being both beautiful and deadly in all its natural wilderness. These mountain are among the highest in elevation within Aeolus, are the most rich with natural resources including gold, other precious minerals, and iron, and are home to some of the fiercest of monsters within all of Aeolus, including the few dragons that still roam the world. For the most part, these peaks are steep, jagged, and nearly impassable. Nonetheless, this region played a vital role in the rise, like the phoenyx of legend, of Doma as a world power. Perhaps due to its hazardous conditions even before the Day of Kefka, Northlund was only sparsely settled by humanity, perhaps because of its proximity to the Sabil Mountains and the Veldt. Whatever the reason, this region became isolated from the rest of Aeolus by the continental shift caused by the Collapse, and as a result was nearly completely uninhabited by the time of Doma's rebirth. Doma's subsequent exploration of Northlund was critical to the events that have shaped the world into its present state. It was discovered that the mountain ranges within this region were uniquely rich with ores and minerals, especially the iron ore necessary for crafting steel weapons and armor. But of even greater importance was the rediscovery of the dwarven race, who had existed only within children's tales since the War of the Magi. Over their long history of isolation from the rest of Aeolus, these mountain-dwellers had carved out an extensive labyrinth of tunnels and passageways throughout the Sabil Mountains. It was their expertise and skill that became the backbone of Doma's rebuilding and expansion. Despite this rediscovery, this region has changed little. The region remains uniformly hostile, with treacherous mountain passes, thick forests, rocky hills, and trackless wilderness. Northlund seems to epitomize the harsh weather of this region of Aeolus, with some of the fiercest storms, coldest winters, and lowest temperatures in all of Aeolus.

North Serpentia

Although much of the world has remained fairly stable following the death of Kekfa, this region has been subject to seismic activity on a large scale. It is hypothesized that only the power of the Statues held this region in balance, and in their absence the entire continent is shifting towards a more natural balance, and as a result life amongst most of the continent is impossible. The few abortive attempts of building or maintaining any form of civilization within this area have all failed, often with fatal results. It was this great seismic activity that forced the abandonment of Mobliz in the year 19 WR, and the final destruction of the Fanatic's Tower not long afterwards. Only the city of Nikeah has managed to survive, and only because its extreme northern location has spared it some of the great earthquakes which have totally devastated the central region of the continent. Legends tell, however, that powerful artifacts from the Fanatics Tower remain intact within the region, buried underneath the rubble, waiting for someone powerful or foolish enough to retrieve them.

Triangle Island

Located to the east of Northlund, this small, rocky crag of an island supports little in the way of life or creatures, and is thought by many to be both uninhabited and uninhabitable. However, this small island teems with all manner of life, most of which exist beneath its rocky surface. Although the Time Globe seems almost reluctant to reveal specifics, it appears that a vast maze of twisting corridors, secret passages, traps, and pitfalls was created around WB 500 through the powers of a strange and perhaps demented mage. Further, her power twisted what little life existed on the island, creating all manner of strange creatures. Whatever powers were used in this transformation continue to reside within the island even to the present day, continually warping nature into stranger and stranger forms. Few know of the maze's existence, and even fewer can claim to have ever walked its strange, treacherous pathways. We of the Celestial Order one day hope to extensively study this area, with the hope of finally solving the many mysteries of this strange island.

Cities

Within this harsh realm exists several centers of civilization, including the city of Doma on Doma Isle, the city of New Mobliz located on the eastern fringes of the Veldt, the port town of Nikeah upon the northern-most tip of Serpentia, and the dwarven city of Lalihome, located within the Northlund Mountains.

The City of Doma

Government: Absolute Monarchy
Mayor: King Kalros Knighthawk
Population: 2300
Millitary: 400 Militia, 750 Foot Soldiers, 100 Knights, 75 Swordsmen, 25 Battle Mages
Imports: Food Stuffs, Clothing, Leather-Goods
Exports: Weaponry, Armor, Ore, Precious Minerals
Crime Rate: Virtually non-existent

The city of Doma is found upon Doma Isle, encompassing much of the island's small landmass. The city itself is built around Doma Castle, which sits upon the same foundations as it did since its original construction. As is elsewhere chronicled, Doma was abandon during the Imperial War, and remained so until WR 17, when it was reinhabited by refugees fleeing the destructive seismic activity on Serpentia. For two years, these refugees battled frigid temperatures, plague, and starvation until their situation became almost hopeless. Although I merely speculate, it seems likely that they would not have survived another winter unaided. However, during the summer of WR 19, the refugees first made contact with the dwarves of Lalihome, who had existed in secret in their labyrinth of caves within the Sabil Mountains since the War of the Magi. Within two months, an alliance was formed between the dwarves and the humans. In exchange for their service in fighting against the increasing monster activity within the Sabil Mountains, the dwarves agreed to send supplies and smiths to the people of Doma. Although the winter of WR 19 was hard, the survival of these new Doma citizens was no longer in doubt. Over the next ten years, the alliance between the dwarves and the people of Doma allowed both peoples to thrive. The dwarves' skill and expertise in mining the Sabil Mountains provided both Doma and Lalihome with new-found wealth. In time, the dwarves were able to almost eradicate all of the monsters from their home. Further, the people of Doma repaired and rebuilt Doma Castle, expanded it, and began to construct the city outside of the castle walls. With the expertise of the dwarves, the people of Doma were able to create weapons and armor unrivaled throughout all of Aeolus, and the gems, gold, silver, and other precious metals and minerals of the Sabil Mountains created increasingly lucrative commerce between Doma and the rest of the world. This wealth was central in the development of Doma into the world-power that it became. By WR 30, the city of Doma had become the capital of the Realm of New Doma, whose borders extended throughout Northlund, Doma Isle, the Veldt, the northern tip of Serpentia, and Triangle Island.

The city of Doma is now the center of Doma's millitary and magecraft, with extensive facilities for their housing, training, and equipment. Even as I peer into the Time Globe, I see the orderly city streets, running north-south and east-west across the city. Soldiers in the bright tabard of the phoenyx, with steel blade and mail, patrol the streets. Merchants hawk their wares in the marketplace, trading in merchandise from around Aeolus. Even more striking, crime is virtually non-existent, save for deeds done in the blackest of nights in greatest secrecy. Its citizens appear happy and content, going about their daily business as those who know their future is secure. While in the inns and taverns there is talk of war, most people merely shrug and go about their business as usual, unwilling to believe that the peace of that day could be broken. Meanwhile, shops resound with the sounds of metalcraft and smithing, as the business of crafting continues unabated throughout the city.

My vision shifts, and I behold the cool corridors of Doma Castle. Within the barracks, men practice for war, developing proficiency with the bow, sword, and spear. Weapons and armor are inspected, polished, and stored away. Huge stores of grain, foodstuffs, and other materials are stored as well, perhaps enough to feed and clothe the people of Doma for a year without resupply. In private chambers, generals and lords meet with one another, pouring over maps of Aeolus and discussing plans. Papers are written, letters sent, and envoys commissioned to travel throughout Aeolus, preparing for what is to come. All of this transpires under the watchful eye of Kalros, King of Doma, who reigns with a steady, swift, just, and hard hand. Finally, my vision shifts to the Black Tower itself. Laboratories great and small house mages of different orders, each carefully studying ancient tomes and refining their skills in magecraft. Some of the greatest mages within all of Aeolus study the great works of magic that have survived since the War of the Magi, and train others who will someday follow in their footsteps. Within the Black Tower, I see a great library, containing hundreds of books, both ancient and modern, pertaining to magecraft, espers, and nearly every aspect of life within Aeolus. Weapons are enchanted, potions brewed, spells researched, and relics prepared. Even as its military prepares for war, so too these mages make preparations for what is to come.

The Colony of New Mobliz

Government: Representative Monarchy
Mayor: Duane Rythar
Population: 950
Military: 100 Militia
Imports: Ore, Precious Minerals
Exports: Foodstuffs, Leather Goods, Clothing
Crime Rate: Low

The city of New Mobliz has an interesting and tragic past. Originally, before the Imperial War, the town, then known only as Mobliz, existed on the northeastern edge of the Veldt, cut off from most of the world save by carrier pigeon. The citizens lived off of the land, farming and cultivating the rich soil of the Veldt to produce food and obtaining other necessities from hunting within the Veldt. Following the Collapse, the town of Mobliz was torn away from the Veldt, and was pulled onto the eastern channel of the Serpent Trench, known now as Serpentia, which had been raised above the ocean. Not long after his rise to power, Kefka destroyed much of the town, killing off nearly the entirety of the population, save for some of the citizen's children, whom the adults gave their lives to protect and save. Separated from the rest of the world, and unable to fend for themselves, the children most certainly would have died if not for the intervention of Terra Branford, who quickly adopted the children as her own. After ensuring their survival, Terra left them for a time in order to destroy Kefka, and returned following the Day of Heroes. However, according to our studies, the land mass of Serpentia was held in balance only through the powers of the Statues, which Kekfa had twisted to serve his own ends. With their destruction, the continent as a whole began to subject to fierce earthquakes, gradually making life more and more impossible. Finally, in despair, the survivors were forced to abandon Mobliz entirely around WR 8. By WR 10, the refugees had resettled themselves along the eastern edge of the Veldt, and had begun to rebuild. Once again, the efforts of Terra the Matriarch were absolutely vital to the successful effort of rebuilding Mobliz, which then came to be known as New Mobliz. Despite the harsh climate, the citizens were able to not only rebuild, but also establish some agriculture along the Veldt, and once again turned to hunting to surplus their material goods. By WR 15, the fate of New Mobliz was no longer uncertain.

Perhaps due to its now thriving supply of foodstuffs, clothing, and leather goods, the citizens of Doma were quick to offer an alliance with the town of New Mobliz, which their leader, Duane Rythar, eagerly accepted in WR 22. Although the town came under the ultimate leadership of New Doma, the city was allowed to function virtually independently, and gained much in the way of financial support. The town is not large, nor materially prosperous, but has a very comfortable and laid-back atmosphere. As I can personally attest to, visitors are very welcome within New Mobliz, and are eagerly questioned for any news of the outside world. Not surprisingly, most of the citizens of New Mobliz are very young, and still possess the child-like innocence and trust which has become so rare within this world. Life certainly is not always easy within the region, as the disruption of the migratory patterns of the monsters on the Veldt has led to more than a few attacks upon the town itself. To complicate matters, the weather is also unfriendly, with almost incessant winds and the occasional fierce storm, although their proximity to the Veldt seems to somehow protect the town from the worst of the region's weather. Even as I pen these words, the Time Globe shifts, revealing the town to my eyes as it now stands. With the increased tension over the intentions of their ally, Doma, there appears to be much talk around the town as to what should be done. Nonetheless, most of the citizenry seem to enjoy the relative prosperity and increased trade that their allegiance to Doma has created, and are loathe to throw it away. Increasingly, Terra the Matriarch has spoken out against the Realm of Doma, and appears fearful that King Kalros' actions will plunge the world into another global war. However, at least for the moment, it seems the people of New Mobliz as a whole are content to wait and watch warily.

The Colony of Nikeah

Government: Representative Monarchy
Mayor: Prince Gwynedd Knighthawk
Population: 1500
Military: 140 Militia, 100 Foot Soldiers, 35 Knights, 15 Swordsmen
Imports: Foodstuffs, Leather Goods, Clothing, Timber, Ore, Precious Minerals
Exports: Ships, Jewelry, Magic Items
Crime Rate: Low to Somewhat Low

The city of Nikeah is established upon the northern tip of Serpentia, where it came to rest after being torn away from the Eastern Continent on the Day of Kefka. Despite this momentous event, the city has changed little throughout its history. Established as a port- city along well-used sea lanes, the events of history have done little to shape the bustling port city. Although the Day of Kefka temporarily halted worldwide trade, its position between the cities of South Figaro, Narshe, and eventually New Doma, ensured that the city's bustling commerce of high-seas trading would continue. Following the Day of Heroes, as global commerce began to dramatically increase, Nikeah's prominence quickly rose. In 10 WB, the city began to construct new sea vessels based upon the newly- recovered steam engine technology, and quickly began to export these designs throughout Aeolus. By 15 WB, Nikeah's population had nearly doubled since the Day of Kefka, making it one of the most prosperous and quickly growing cities of the post-Kekfa world. Nikeah's market continued to grow and thrive, to the point where almost any item bought and sold within Aeolus could be found therein. Increasingly, as magical artifacts which survived the Day of Kekfa were rediscovered, their trade occurred within Nikeah. In addition, artisans from Nikeah came into great world prominence and demand, particularly in jewelry. These factors and more contributed to the wealth of this port city. Unfortunately, this increase in wealth and size led to a dramatic increase in crime and piracy both in and around Nikeah, forcing the city to organize and maintain its own militia and police force for the first time in its existence. And, although none foresaw this development, Nikeah's great wealth and worldwide commerce was the driving force which led the Realm of New Doma to attack, raid, and seize the port city in 28 WB. Although the battle lasted only three hours, most of Nikeah's military forces were decimated by Doma's fierce attack combining both steel and magic. The current mayor, Albert Louvnon, was slain during the battle, and was replaced by Gwynedd Knighthawk, the eldest son of King Kalros, Monarch of the Realm of New Doma. Surprisingly, only five hours after the city was attacked, the commerce of Nikeah was resumed, naturally under the new leadership of Doma.

Today, little has changed in Nikeah. The city continues to thrive off of its worldwide commerce and exports, bringing much wealth into the coffers of New Doma. Otherwise, Doma interferes little in the lives of Nikeah's citizenry, allowing them to live in much the same way they did prior to the city's capture. Despite this, Doma's forces are hated by many of the town's citizens, even to the point of outright resistance. Under Doma's rule, such opposition is dealt with forthrightly and openly, usually leading to public execution of the criminals. Such events, though not uncommon at first, have grown rare in the last few months, as the town adjusts to life under foreign rule. Nonetheless, this opposition has led to a permanent detachment of Doma's military forces to be stationed in the port city, who regularly patrol the streets in an effort to maintain order. Not surprisingly, these forces have done much to curb the port city's once widespread crime.

Although the Time Globe sits gray and empty before me now, I well-remember glimpses within its crystalline depths of small, secret resistance groups within the city, who exist and meet in secret, and plot to overthrow their iron-fisted rulers. Although once small and almost non-existent, these groups have increased in size over the last few months, as public unrest continues to increase, albeit in secret rather than openly. Despite this, they still represent only a small minority of Nikeah's population, and seem unlikely to make much progress in the near future.

The Thanedom of Lalihone

Government: Oligarchy
Mayor: Thane Toranus Steeltoe
Population: 500
Military: none
Imports: Foodstuffs, Leather Goods
Exports: none
Crime Rate: Virtually non-existent

The Thanedom of Lalihone, while in truth thousands of years old, has only been known to most of the world for the last ten or so years. Although no documents exist as proof, it is retold within the lore of the Lalihone dwarves that at the height of the War of the Magi, this tribe of dwarves recognized the coming worldwide annihilation and sealed themselves away in the mountain range which would one day come to be known as the Sabil Mountains. Originally composed only of a handful of connecting caverns, over the one-thousand year span between the end of the War of the Magi and the Day of Kekfa the Lalihone dwarves carved out literally hundreds of connecting tunnels and caverns, crafting the earth into their permanent residence while perfecting the arts of the forge. By means as of yet unstudied by my brethren, the dwarves were able to perfect the art of underground agriculture, and thus provided their own food source separate from the rest of Aeolus.

No records exist which tell of the hardship caused by the end of the War of the Magi upon these earthen dwellers, but the Day of Kefka had both tragic and decisive consequences. The shifting of the continents collapsed several key tunnels and caverns within their underground home, and, even worse, opened several passages to the outside world. Cut off from one-another, the Lalihone dwarves found themselves besieged by hundreds of monsters, unsealed by the Day of Kekfa and unleashed into their underground caverns by the continental shifting. Although strong and hearty, and highly skilled in the forging of weaponry and armor, the dwarves could do little but hold their own against the new influx of monsters. Faced with this fierce opposition, the attrition rate of the dwarves grew steadily.

By 15 WR, the Lalihone dwarves managed to seal themselves off from the rest of Aeolus again, and trapped many of the remaining monsters within select passages and cut off any further monster invasion. Although these heroic measures brought some relief to the beleaguered dwarves, times were nonetheless desperate. As their situation grew worse, the dwarves unsealed a small entrance to the outside world, and sent a small, hand-picked band of dwarves to resurface and seek out aid, including two scholars who still possessed a rudimentary grasp of the common language. Apparently, many of the manuscripts and books possessed by the dwarves were written within the common language, and allowed the language to be preserved over the thousand years. At any rate, in the year WR 19, these dwarven ambassadors made contact with the refugees in New Doma. An alliance was struck within three months. In return for food supplies and their aid in defeating the remaining monsters, the Lalihone dwarves agreed to share their mastery of forging weapons and armor, as well as aiding Doma in efforts to mine the vast riches of the Northlund Mountains. On the eve of WR 22, the last monsters were driven out of the caverns and tunnels of Lalihone into the depths of the Sabil Mountains, thus ending what came to be known as the Dwarven War by the peoples of Doma. The dwarves kept their word, and, as recorded elsewhere, the people of Doma began to thrive off of the aid of their new allies. So great did the accord become between the two races, King Kalros Knighthawk in WR 24 ordered that the newly reconstructed geothermal technology be given to the Lalihone dwarves, who wasted little time in setting up the devices to warm their extensive tunnels. In WR 28, the Lalihone Council met for the first time in four- hundred years and declared Toranus Steeltone as the new Thane of Lalihone, a position equal to a monarch, which had been unfilled since 372 WB.

The Thanedom of Lalihone is ruled by the Council of Lalihone, which consists of the thanes of each dwarven clan, and is overseen by the ruling thane of Lalihone. This body governs all of the affairs of the Lalihone dwarves. Due to their culture and the relatively small area of their controlled caverns, crime is virtually unheard of, to the point where most of the few criminals willingly turn themselves in, with the hopes of escaping banishment, a punishment worse than death for most dwarves. Although the Lalihone dwarves have little love for the outside world, they are apparently fiercely loyal allies, and welcome courteous visitors, especially those living within Doma. Despite their reluctance to venture into the outside world, a few dwarves have been known to travel about Aeolus, using their travels to further their own agendas, be it wealth, fame, or knowledge.

The Free Cities

In southwest Aeolus is found the region now commonly known as the Free Cities. Amidst the seemingly worldwide movement towards unity under a national banner, this region stands out for its independence from any such entangling alliances. Although technically united under a protectionary trade alliance, organized government extends no further than the city level. Not surprisingly, this attitude has virtually eliminated any noticable response to the recent imperalism of New Doma.

Though separated by the Great Sea, the climate and geography of these two continents are highly similar. The coastline tends towards rocky crags and sheer cliffs, with only the occasional mile or so suitable for anchorage. The land rolls gently upwards from the coastline, gradually turning into more and more pronounced hills, until finally rising to the small mountainous areas along the highest points in the region. Gentled following the Day of Heroes, this region has perhaps the great recovery since that day, giving rise to flourishing vegetation and new growth. In response, this region has become the bread- basket of Aeolus, particularly in the more northern continent, and now exports much of the world's food supplies. Further, the lush conditions have allowed previously small forests to expand, creating an easy source of timber. Though still recovering from the Collapse, this region offers the least hostile and most temperate climate in all of Aeolus.

Though storms are not uncommon during the autumn and spring, and even the occasional snow storm not unheard of, the weather within this region seems mild, particuarly in comparison to the rest of Aeolus. Gentle rains nourish the vegetation, while steady days of sunshine provide ideal conditions for the growth of grains and other agriculture which prosper here. Not surprisingly, this rich, gentle climate has become highly attractive to the world's populace, and as such two-thirds of the population of Aeolus can be found within this region.

Like elsewhere, commerce is the life-blood of this region. If any unity can be found within the Free Cities, its tenuous ties are held through trade between the four major cities of the region. By a combination of nature and grueling labor, each of these cities support a thriving port. While not as diverse in material goods as the ports in the north, they are just as bustling and lucrative as those found elsewhere. In addition, trade caravans also are frequent, moving in well-established trade routes between major cities, servicing much smaller villages and towns along the way. Perhaps the increased profit and protection from such caravans provide the incentive for these merchants to temporarily thow in their lots together.

As I briefly touched upon above, no centralized government unites this region. Each city is essentially its own independent city-state, ruled by several different forms of leadership, although all encorporate a government whose power is divided amongst the people,. rather than in the hands of a priveledged few.

Finally, it is certainly worth noting that whoever could unite these independent and numerous peoples could easily control all of Aeolus, if only by its rich food supplies, which dominate far above its closest competitor. However, given the fiercely protected independence of the region, coupled with a worldwide desperate grasp on peace, such an attempt seems almost guaranteed to fail. Although both Doma and Figaro have sent envoys and lavished great gifts to the leaders of this region, its people nonetheless cling surbbornly to their stance of non-involvement in the global conflict which seems all-too- likely in the coming months.

Geographic Areas of Interest

Within this population center, several areas are worth special note. In addition, remnants of the pre-Kefka world survive here in abundance, standing as testiment to a world now a distant memory. These areas include the Opera House, Solitary Island, the Phoenix Cave, and the Temple of Kefka.

The Opera House

Perhaps no greater symbol of the elitism and wealthy-sophistication of the wealthy citizens of Jidoor exiss than the Opera House. No one remembers the origin of the Opera House. To those who populate its well-worn tiers, the Opera House has always existed. Glimpses into the Time Globe, of course, easily prove otherwise, but I doubt such knowledge would away the opinions of very many, if any. Interestingly enough, study by my brethren has revealed that the original complex of the Opera House predates even the War of the Magi. Apparently, it is constructed by methods that now rival even the greatest of architecture, whether magical or mundane. Even the Collapse caused only minor damage to the Opera House, prompting the people of Jidoor to seek refuge from the aftermath of that fateful day.

The Opera House is overseen by a man known only as the Impresario, a position which is not hereditary, but instead is bestowed upon the greatest student of music, drama, and art every twenty years or so. The position is for life, although it is customary for the current Impresario to hand down the position every twenty years, although tenures of fifty years or more are not unheard of. As Impresario, the man is responsible for selecting only the brightest and most skilled from the hundreds of applicants each year. To be commended by the Impresario is to be among the greatest in the profession of art, drama, or music in all of Aeolus. Of the many who audition before the critical eye of the Impresario, only a few are chosen to perform or contribute to even the meanest of productions within the Opera House.

Performances within the Opera House take place in a series, often retelling legends and bed-time stories and bringing them to life in a new and sometimes unusual fashion. It is not unheard of for a single tale to take an entire two or even three year period to tell in its entirety, broken up into much small segments each lasting only a handful of hours. Not surprisingly, attendance within the Opera House is expected of almost all citizens of Jidoor, and is often used as a sign of sophistication and nobility even among those citizens of other cities. Indeed, it is not unusual for governors, lords, and even kings to be seen in attendance for any given performance.

The Solitary Island

Scatted by their first-hand experience of the magical cataclysm caused by the disruption of the Statues and the subsequent destruction of their airship, it was upon this small, rocky crag of an island that Celes Cole, the infamous mage-warrior of the Returners, awoke to a world seemingly empty of joy or hope. Knocked into a serious coma by nearly fatal wounds, Celes was slowly nurtured back to health by Cid Desefore, who labored greatly to construct a shelter and carve out a living in the hostile aftermath of the Collapse. Due to a slow rot which spread throughout the island, its natural resources and denizens were slowly dying off, and this selfsame malady also nearly brought a premature end to Cid's life just following Celes' awakening from her coma.

Now, with the global rebirth following the death of Kefka, the situation at the Solitary Island has improved greatly. Ashamed of the destruction which he blamed upon himself, Cid felt no desire to return to the mainland of Aeolus. Thus, Cid continued in his efforts to tame the island, using his home there as his workshop for his many inventions and innovations, including the engine that one-day came to power the hovercrafts of Figaro. And, after many long and happy years, it was upon this island that Cid was buried and entombed following his death.

Over the past twenty years, Solitary Island has been populated by several rangers, who spend great effort trying to further heal the wounds the Collapse inflicted upon the island. Thanks largely to their efforts, birds, fish, and other marine wildlife thrive in and around the isle, while the few hostile monsters that once remained have been hunted to extinction. Several species of creatures have traveled to the island, seeking sanctuary and protection within its small shores. Although any are welcome within its small landmass, those who threaten the peace and tranqulity of this island sanctuary often do not live to tell of it.

In addition to the grand complex of Cid's former home and workshop, the wild beauty and solitude of this island have attracted several nobles to construct winter homes to retreat from the harsher climates found elsewhere. Unfortunately, these building projects have met fierce opposition by those who work to preserve the natural beauty of the island. While the exchange has yet to come to blows, such an occurence seems likely in the near future.

The Phoenix Cave

Not long after Nicholas Gestahl came to power within the Gastorian Empire, he set in motion events to scoure Aeolus for anything that could give his armies the edge over the other peoples of Aeolus. Though this search eventually unveiled the potential of a powerful breed of magic and technology, his labors yielded other, less feasible, alternatives. One of his earliest discoveries was the long-hidden location of the lair of the legendary Phoenix. It was his thought that such power to recall the dead to life would prove an invaluable asset to his forces. So rampant were the rumors surrounding the power of the Phoenix that the cave became known to conceal the greatest treasure of Emperor Gestahl. However, it was not long afterwards that his agents discovered that the legendary Phoenix was not a monster at all, but an esper, whose life had long since expired on Aeolus. The magicite shard was briefly in Gestahl's possession, but as the magical properties of magicite had yet to be unveiled by the Returners, the shard was returned to the Phoenix Cave, where it lay beyond the reach of men for several years.

Following the Collapse, Locke Cole, legendary 'treasure-hunter' and Returner, began to search the world for some way to save the life of his long lost love, Rachel Goldenrod. In his search, he uncovered rumors of the Phoenix's legendary power, and bravely ventured into its lair to recover the centuries-old magicite shard. Damaged heavily from time, it was feared that the power of the magicite was depleted. However, hoping against hope, Locke poured the magicite essence over Rachel, restoring her to life, if only for a few, fragile moments. After tender words which I will not record here, Rachel passed away, but not before giving her own life essence to resurrect the Phoenix, restoring full vitality to the magicite shard and bringing the Esper back to life.

Years later, a brave adventurer discovered that the Phoenix Cave has once again become the lair of the legendary Phoenix. Though the cavern has remained infested with powerful and hostile monsters, many have dared its fiery depths to plead for the life of a loved one. Most fail in the effort, and those who survive the dangers of the cave often catch only a far-off glimpse of the elusive Esper. Nonetheless, rumors persist of a fortunate few who plead their case before the Phoenix and return home to find their loved one alive and whole. These rumors are enough to inspire hope for many, and it seems these brave souls seeking the blessing of the Phoenix grow in numbers each year.

It is of considerable interest to my brethren as to how the Phoenix Esper manifests itself into Aeolus despite the seal between this world and theirs, which can only be breached temporarily be means of a focus for the Esper's power. Though much debate has been voiced on this issue, I am of the opinion that the souls of the lost serve as the needed focal point, and that the power to resurrect these fallen souls is drawn from the very life essence of the Phoenix itself. It is certain that this debate will be the subject of a great deal of further research in the future.

The Temple of Kekfa

With the power of the Statues at his disposal, Kefka channeled the ruins of the once glorious Gastorian Empire together into a cohesive whole, forming the dreaded Tower of Kefka, where the reknown final battle between the demi-god and the Returners was fought on the day which has since come to be known as the Day of Heroes. In the aftermath of the destruction of both the Statues and Kefka himself, the tower began to cumble, as the power that held it together faded from existance. The Returners were fortunate to escape witht heir lives, and not a moment too soon apparently. The rubble from the tower scattered in a huge radius, pummeling the nearby countryside. So great was the destruction from the falling debris that almost all life was annihilated within the radius of the ruin, as if in final tribute to the Kefka's highest ambition.

Awaken from their mindless servitude, the entranced Cult of Kefka at the Fanatic's Tower awoke in horror at the death of their god. With Kefka's power vanquished, the Tower gradually grew more and more unstable, a process only helped by the seismic activity which shook the continent of Serpentia. Eventually, the Cult went so far as to abandon the tower, and subsequently dispersed across Aeolus, seeking refuge wherever it could be found.

Nonetheless, ten years after the Day of Heroes, a devoted remnant of the Cult of Kefka began to build a monument to Kefka's existance on the still unstable ruins of Kefka's Tower. The monument gradually gave way to an entire complex, forming what has become known as the Temple of Kefka. Inhabited exclusively by the Cult of Kefka, little is known about either the temple itself or its twisted followers. Further, the horrors glimpsed within the Time Globe makes any of my brethren reluctant to search out its depths for any further information. However, I nonetheless record here what little has been learned over the past few years,

Central to the beliefs of the Cult is a steadfast, fanatical devotion to the rebirth of Kekfa, whom they claim was not entirely destroyed on the Day of Heroes, but continues to exist in some etherical state waiting for a suitable host through whom to be reborn. Sacrifice is apparently an integral part of this devotion, including countless human victims sacrificed in the name of that twisted, insane soul. Though it has yet to be substantialized, rumors further persist that the Cult has wormed its way into the upper echlons of every major nation in Aeolus, searching for one known only as 'the Chosen One,' who will be sacrificed upon the altar at the very heart of the Temple in a lengthy ritual that will lead to the rebirth of Kefka.

Naturally, the realm of death lays beyond even the scope of the Time Globe, so I can neither confirm nor eny the plausibility of the Cult's fanatical claims to Kefka's continued existance. Nonetheless, given the destruction of every remnant of Kefka's esper-induced magical powers, it seems unlikely that any force in the entire universe could restore Kefka to life. Besides, at this point the Cult's following is scattered and isolated, and certainly holds no threat to Aeolus as a whole, especially not in the wake of the crises prompted at the hands of New Doma's leaders.

Cities

The cities of this region now known as the Free Cities span two different lands, including Jidoor, Maranda, Zozo, Albrook, and Tzen. Despite their great similarities, each has it own unique and individual flavor.

The City-State of Jidoor

Government: Oligarchy
Mayor: Taren Lionir
Population: 2200
Military: 200 Militia
Imports: Food-Stuffs, Leather Goods, Timber
Exports: Art, Music
Crime Rate: Low

If two words could sum up the totality of the city of Jidoor, they would be wealth and splendor. First and foremost, Jidoor stands out by its absence of any presence of the lower class. The town is constructed on the basis of material wealth, with the middle class located in the lower sections of the city, with the wealth and opulence of the surroundings rising with elevation. Even in the lowest, poorest section of the city stand homes and buildings to rival those of the upper elite in any other town in Aeolus. No waste or squallor diminish the gradeur of the city, with every angle and arch designed with utmost care and skill to impress the eye. So consuming is this desire for elegance and opulence that Jidoor's elite have sought out the dwarven people and paid vast fortunes to have their most skilled artisans construct their homes.

Unlike the other cities located in the two land region known as the Free Cities, Jidoor has no agriculture to support its populace. So great is the wealth of its people that all the food stuffs within the city are imported from elsewhere, as are other materials such as leather good, timber, clothing, and the like. Instead, the citizens of Jioor are almost entirely devoted to what they term the 'higher-arts,' namely art, music, literature, and drama. Whether it be drama within the Opera House, a recital within the Grand Chamber, an art exhibit within Owzer's mansion, or public readings within the Square, the citizenry of Jidoor obsess over their first-love, devoting themselves to it almost exclusively. Of course, those of lesser means must juggle this devotion alongside their lucrative professions in order to finance such a costly obsession.

In the spirit of the independent streak native to this region, Jidoor has a very loosely organized and poorly defined system of government. Due to their individualistic approach to life, few decisions need to made that affect all of its citizenry. But, when such issues do arise and need to be resolved by the masses, Jidoor's elite meet within the Grand Chamber and proceed in a strictly governed debate, overseen by the current mayor. By a complex and seemingly incomprehensable set of rules, the debate is resolved, often by eloquence and power rather than by common sense and wisdom.

The only other passion of the people of Jidoor is the auctions held within the Grand Chamber. So popular are these events that the building itself is often referred to as the Auction House, rather than by its proper name. Auctions are always well-attended, and offer a selection of strange and unusual items from all of Aeolus, which are then sold for prices unimaginable to most people in the rest of the world. It seems unfortunate that in a world poised on the edge of another disasterous global war that such frivalous devotion exists at all, and is decidedly misplaced given the crises that may soon threaten all the peoples of Aeolus.

The City-State of Maranda

Government: Representative Democracy
Mayor: Sylius Aarene
Population: 3600
Military: 300 Millitia, 200 Foot Soldiers, 60 Knights
Imports: Weapons, Armor
Exports: Food Stuffs, Leather Goods
Crime Rate: Low to Somewhat Low

Just prior to the Second Imperial War, the town of Maranda was reknown throughout Aeolus as one of the most beautiful places in all of the world, nestled within the sylvan beauty of the Emerald Woods. Indeed, in an often recounted conversation with an elven traveler, it appears that it was suggested that the original town was not the work of humans at all, but instead the work of highly skilled elven artisans who blended the city elegantly in with the forest surroundings, despite the fact that the city was established long after the elves had gone into hiding to escape the destruction of the War of the Magi. At any rate, this natural splender was greatly ravaged during the Second Imperial War, when much of the town was put to the torch. Many ancient trees were destroyed as they were either cut down for badly needed timber or burnt to the ground to make the town more easily defended. Worse still, the town met even further devastation by the Collapse, destroying even more of the delicate beauty of the town.

Nonetheless, even before the Day of Heroes, Maranda's citizens banded together to restore their town to its one-time glory. If ever it was doubted that elven blood existed in the veins of these people, it was quelled by the amazingly similar architecture used to rebuild and glorify the city once more. And, following the emergence of the elven people as a whole back into the wider world, several elven artisans were commissioned to aid them in this process of rebuilding. With even their combined skill could not rival the work of eons ago, the town of Maranda slowly regained much of its one-time natural splendor and beauty.

No where else in all of Aeolus has a more pronounced elven presence the the city of Maranda. Openly hostile of many of the wider world's peoples, it seems the elven race recognizes a kindred spirit in Maranda's citizens. Elves openly walk the streets, often seeling wares whose workmanship cannot be rivaled in all of Aeolus. Even more amazing, marriages between elf and human have become almost commonplace within the city, much to the chagrin of elder human and elf alike.

The city is governed by a council, whose members are elected by all the citizens of Maranda. Both elf and human sit on the Council, and in recent times the Speaker of the Council has been elven, not human. All decisions must be ratified by a simple majority of the Council members and approval by the Speaker, or else a solid two-thirds majority of the Council members must override the disapproval of the Speaker.

Not surprisingly, the people of Maranda are highly protective of their city, and as a result spend much time, effort, and gold to train and develop a small standing army used to not only maintain order in the region, but to also protect the town's beauty and splendor from monster and marauder alike. Despite their prowess in other fields, elven weapon-craftsmanship is at best only comparable to that of human smiths, and as a result much of the city's military equipment is imported from other cities, especially Narshe. Further, unlike the other peoples of the Free Cities, the citizens of Maranda have grown increasingly concerned with the imperalistic actions of New Doma. Of course, due to the ever-present independence of these people, little has been done, at least openly, about these concerns. However, Maranda's current Speaker, a half-elf by the name of Sylius Aarene, has secretly supported the defensive measures of the Kingdom of Figaro, and has also given refuge and aid to the paladins from Thamasa who diligently work to prepare the world for the true threat behind Doma's actions.

The City of Zozo

Govenment: Anarchy
Mayor: none
Population: 650
Military: none
Imports: none
Exports: none
Crime Rate: High to Very High

As I stare into the Time Globe, it flickers before my eyes, and reveals a beautifully crafted city, with tall towers stretching towards the heavens, constructed of a beautiful blue tinted stone. Merchants hawk their wares in the streets, while chocobo-drawn carriages make their way up and down the streets amidst the crowds. Armor shining in the sunlight, guards patrol the streets, alert for the first sign of danger, despite the seeming tranqulity around them. The Time Globe shifts, revealing an organized army, sweating in the hot sun as they hone their fighting skills to perfection. Successes are commended, failures are discussed, as mock-battles rage back and forth. Along the coastline, several warships prowl the waters, sharpening winter-dulled skills under the close scrutiny of the captains...

Such was the nation of Zozo prior to the first Imperial War. Once, Zozo was a powerful, just, and peaceful nation, ruled with wisdom and honor. So great and powerful were their armed forces that none dared to oppose them, and all nations in Aeolus kept the peace wherever Zozo was concerned. However, as the Kingdom of Figaro came desperately close to being conquered by the Gastorian Empire, a desperate and costly alliance was made with the nation of Zozo. Their combined might would turn the tide of the war, but even that victory seems hollow compared to the great cost to Zozo's people. Outraged by Zozo's alliance with Figaro, General Lance Chere ordered a massive surprise assault upon the city itself, while another diversionary force attacked the city's main defensive forces. After twelve hours of intense combat, Zozo's forces were completely routed, and the city set aflame. Only a handful of Zozo's people escaped the rape and pillage of their home-town, and those that did escape were taken as prisoners by the Gastorian Empire. On that day, Zozo ceased to exist.

Hundreds of years later, the city became repopulated by a band of refugees from Jidoor, who had fled intense persecution. With their familes dead or starving, and their souce of income destroyed, these refugees had little choice but to turn to thieving and violence to survive. Seemingly overnight, the town became full of rogues, thieves, murderers, prostitutes, and other low-life scum, who burrowed into the ruins of the once great city like a pack of rats.

Surprisingly, the years have done little to change the city of Zozo. Crime continues to be the only way of life in Zozo, with every material possession and good being the result of such activity. However, many of Zozo's worst criminals have left the city, seeking new prospects further north in the only city in all of Aeolus that can boast of being worse than Zozo: the Silver Dragon. Although the neighboring cities have often brought up the possibility of razing the city of Zozo, such attempts usually never come to much more than a lot of heated talk. The fact of the matter is that the people of Zozo now pose little threat to anyone but themselves. Further, since the town itself is of no material or political importance, it seems the people of Zozo have been left to themselves, to continue in their way of life without any influence from the wider world.

The City-State of Tzen

Government: Democracy
Mayor: Garland Reorth
Population: 4200
Military: 400 Militia
Imports: none
Exports: Food Stuffs, Leather Goods, Clothing, Timber, Stone
Crime Rate: Somewhat Low to Medium

To journey to the city of Tzen is to take a step back in time to the Age of Prosperity, when the world was at its highest peak just prior to the beginning of the Second Imperial War. People from all walks-of-life roam the streets, from the lowest of street urchins to the high- born lords and ladies of the upper class. Tzen is easily the largest city in the post-Kefka world, boasting a population double the size of many northern cities. Indeed, the attractive climate and numerous jobs in and around Tzen have attracted many people from around Aeolus to resettle within Tzen, hoping to escape from the calamity and hardship of the Day of Kefka and to find the peace and tranqulity that once blossomed all-over Aeolus. Even the increase in crime over the last few years, probably as a result of increased growth, has done little to dissuade people from settling within this bustling town.

In addition to the increase in crime in the city of Tzen, its continued rapid growth has had several other important affects upon the city. Originally, the city of Tzen was designed in a highly defensive position, with the town sitting atop a low hill, allowing access to the city itself from only a few key chokepoints. And, though the original design left a lot of room for expansion of the city, the continued growth has finally outgrown the boundaries of the hilltop, and a result many new buildings are beginning to spring up in an almost haphazard fashion on all sides of the city. Further, this size limitation has forced many people to crowd into smaller and smaller areas, increasing the density of Tzen more and more each day. Unless something is done soon to eleviate such a problem, I fear that the crime rate and unrest within Tzen is likely to get worse, rather than better.

As all cities located within this region, Tzen boasts a booming port, through which the town makes a large percentage of its profits. In addition to the export of food, leather goods, and timber so common to this region, the city of Tzen also specializes in several types of stone, which are exported to other parts of Aeolus to serve as building materials, either as elegantly crafted homes for the wealthy or for defensive purposes in both Doma and Figaro. Interestingly enough, these stone quarries seem to have existed for hundreds of years, but lay completely unused until only about a decade or so ago. Since that time, the stone industry has dominated much of the city's trade, although it certainly cannot compete with the demand for food and other agricultural goods which are in such abundance in the Free Cities.

Tzen further stands out by its unusual form of government. The city is run by a group known simply as the People, which consists of a dozen or so citizens who are elected at random every three years. When the tenure for the current members of the People have expired, a great lottery is held within the city, in which nearly all the citizens participate, and the winners of the lottery become the People for the next three years. Although many of my brethren have criticized such a haphazard system of government, it must be said in its defense that this method of representation provides a very good indicator of the general ideas and desires of the people, and that since no one member of the People has more power than another, only those ideas which are widely held usually get adopted. Of course, the high turnover rate for Tzen's leaders also diminish any kind of firm commitment to any treaties or alliances formed among Tzen's neighbors, as every three years a different group of people emerge, with the power to overturn any such agreements merely by wide approval.

The City-State of Albrook

Government: Representative Democracy
Mayor: Cyrus the White
Population: 3200
Military: 200 Militia
Imports: Timber
Exports: Ships, Food Stuffs, Leather Goods
Crime Rate: Somewhat Low to Medium

At the height of the glory and power of the Gastorian Empire, Albrook nearly superceeded Vector as the city of highest importance and military might within the entire Empire. In both the First and Second Imperial War, Albrook played an important role as the vital staging area for nearly every naval offensive within the world. To this day, the shipyards of Albrook are unmatched anywhere else in the world, even in the greatest port city in all of Aeolus, Nikeah. Huge carrier ships were designed during the Second Imperial War, which carried hundreds of soliders and large quantities of military hardware to their destination, be it the shores of Doma, Figaro, or Narshe. Indeed, even Gastoria's final campaign to search out the mysterious island to the east where the city of Thamasa was eventually discovered was launched from Albrook upon one of the Empire's carrier ships.

Unfortunately, many of these large vessels were destroyed by the massive tidal waves and quakes that struck the city of Albrook on the Day of Kefka. Hundreds of ships, both large and small, sank to the bottom that day, and many more were severely damaged, as were the vital shipyards. This was a tragic loss, as only the fleets located in Albrook could have provided enough ships to get food and needed resources distributed to a world suddenly poised on the brink of annihilation. Despite the widespread destruction, the surviving citizens almost immediately went to work repairing their town and the vital shipping equipment that had been the lifeblood of Albrook for as long as any could remember.

Today, Albrook has regained its prominence as a thriving and bustling port. Many of the food stuffs and other prominent supplies that are in abundance are shipped to Albrook to be distributed elsewhere, rather than sent directly to the other ports within Aeolus. In addition, Albrook provides nearly all of the world's supply of commercial ships, which are exported around the globe. The mammoth trade industry, combined with the farms in the surrounding area, has made Albrook nearly self-dependent. However, the great demand for both the construction and repair of ships has made timber an expensive commodity within the city, forcing it to be imported from other areas where it grows in greater abundance. Perhaps of even more importance than the mayor of the town is the harbormaster, who oversees all of Albrook's oceanic commerce and endeavors and more importantly establishes order amidst the chaos of the bustling port.

Be that as it may, the town is overseen by a mayor, whose tenure continues until a majority of the people call for a re-election. With such a policy, it is not surprising that the current mayor has ruled in the city of Albrook for the last thirty years, and continues to be fairly popular with the citizens. In sharp contrast, the position of habormaster is one in which the elected offical must be reelected every year, or else be replaced by one who instills more confidence in the people as a whole. In addition, at any time the people may call for the harbormaster to be deposed, and another raised in his place. Not surprisingly, this position is perhaps the most stressful and most hazardous of all elected positions within all of Aeolus.

In final note, it is worth mentioning that the shipping industry of Albrook does tend to foster a higher crime rate, particularly among sailors who have been couped up on a ship for the past four months. The predominance of sailors and those associated with the shipping industry has given the city of Albrook a tough and rough exterior, in which minor crime has almost become a daily occurence. However, most of Albrook's citizens have become so desensitized to the situation that what would hardly be tolerated anywhere else in Aeolus is merely given a shrug and forgotten about in Albrook.

Twolands
Major City: Jidoor
Other Cities: Kohlingen, Zozo, Richland, Villa, Miranda
Landmarks: Mount Zozo, Mount Kolts, Sylvania Forest
Ruler: Baron Owzer Miranda
Major Races: Humans, Elves, Moogles
Conduits: None known
Hazardous Monsters:
Plains: Crawler, Harpiai
Desert: Sand Horse, Hoover, Deep Eye, Muus
Scrub: Crawler , Bogy
Forest: Reach Frog, Mantodea, Latimeria

Description

Twolands is an Oligarchy, ruled by the rich and the nobility. Baron Owzer was once an art collector and drama critic. He now rules by decree of the Company of Heroes, when they were searching for the most fit to rule. The Returners are weakest here than anywhere else. There is a fairly strong following of Magitek Hunters, but not many Foes to Figaro. There is almost no Cult of Kefka here, except in the wilds around Richland, to the north. And even then, they're pretty quiet.

Twolands is divided between the North Province, near Figaro, and the South Province, near Thamasa. South Province is famous for its Opera House.

The Hierarchy of Northern Twolands:

* Baron
* Master Merchant
* Merchant
* Apprentice Merchant
* Citizen
* Serf
* Beggar

Jidoor is the richest city in the world. It's a resort for the retired, and a place to buy and sell art. There's a hefty entertainment industry there, too. Bards are everywhere, but Engineers are few.

Richland is a town resulting from the Colosseum in the Northern Province of Twolands. Villa is a tribe of elves, located in the Sylvania Forest, north of Jidoor.

The Magitech manual

This article provides stats and rules for the mighty M-tek mecha once used by the Empire in Final Fantasy 6. These are provided since some campaigns may occur prior to the video game's events and they still exist in the time period of the FF6 worldbook. Presently only Magitech armor (heavy ground-based Magitech Mecha) are provide but future versions may provide rules for the M-tek aircraft from the Imperial Air Force (IAF) and other M-tek Mecha.

About the use of M-tek 'mecha'
The true name used for all M-tek powered war machines in final Fantasy 6 was "Magitek Armor". The alternate name, M-tek Mecha, is used both here and in the FF6 worldbook becuase of the fact that M-tek 'armor' comes in many different forms other than the typical ground vehicles. Consider M-tek mecha to be the broad name while the old names (M-tek armor, ect) are used for the specific models types.

Table of Contents
What is Magitech?
Magitek Weaponry
Magitek Armor
Options

What is Magitech?

Magitech, commonly abrieviated M-tek, is the fusion of magic and machinery. Its uses vary from simple gliders to the deadly war machines. This article (for now at least) will largely be for the big war machines and their use for the FF RPG. M-tek gets its power from an ingenious invention known simply as the M-tek engine. With an M-tek engine, a magician can convert his power into a pure energy that is nearly as potent as nuclear power. In system terms, a mage can spend 5 magic points to generate one 'charge'. This charge can then be used to power its M-tek Cannon or any other M-tek item as the GM sees fit. To charge up the M-tek mecha, there is a small cover on the left side of its torso that conceals a palm indentation. All the mage (black, white, red, caller, or whatever else has access to magic) has to do is put their hand on it and concentrate.

M-tek Mecha
The most well known use for M-tek power is that of the large robotic war machines. Before someone blows a blood vessel, these are not the humongous 100' behemoths of carnage used in any number of animes (a la Gundam). The tallest of the 5 used here is 15' tall, and while deadly to the normal person, they can be destroyed by mundane means. All normal weapons will only do half-damage against M-teks save for weapons of Artifact status which do full damage. Explosives- grenades, bombs, or rockets- will also do full damage as will black magic. Vehicle weapons (such as rival M-tek Mecha) will also do full damage.

Each also has its Hit Points scattered through different locales that make up the whole thing. If it loses all the hit points in a certain area, then that part is destroyed beyond repair and will need to be replaced. If its main body is depleted, then the mecha is trashed and probably only good now for spare parts for new mechas.

Also, for those looking to get through M-teks as fast as possible, All M-teks save for the scout have possibly one true weakness- the pilot's head and upper body is uncovered. Characters using throwing or ranged weapons can try making called shots (-20% penalty to hit) to snags the poor b*****d in the head. This also results in taking out the M-tek without harming (can we say 'salvage'?) Resourceful M-tek pilots can dodge the attacks by blocking them with one of the Mecha's arms.

Magitech weaponry
Although M-tek mecha provides a superior defense to most conventional armor, it also qualifies as a mobile weapon platform capable of doing incredible damage to everything in its way. With very few exceptions, all Magitech Mecha come equipped with a Magitech Cannon. Some, particularly the Magitech Armor models, are equipped with support weapons such as magitech laser cannons and Missle pods

Magitek cannons
All M-teks possess a super weapon known as the M-tek cannon. These awesome weapons require the firearm weapon skill to use properly, else you suffer the penalty for not having the proper proficency. As for damage, most start at a base of 3d6 damage but can increase their damage potential by using extra charges- either 2 (6d6)or 5 (8d6) for a super-blast. M-tek cannons count as a ranged weapon (meaning the damage equation is charge damage + agility x DC). Since the M-tek mecha is a vehicle, the vehicle systems skill is required for attacking rolls when the M-tek Cannon is used.

Support Weapons
In addition to the M-tek cannon commonly used by most M-tek mecha, there are several types of support weapons available. These come in the form of shoulder mounted M-tek Lasers and Missle pods.
M-tek Laser Cannons
M-tek laser cannons are capable of shooting a blast of energy somewhat less lethal then the standard M-tek cannon. It's pay-off, however, is that it can be shot off more often and doesn't hamper the use of the regular cannon.

Type Damage Ammo
Light 1d10 15
medium 2d10 10
Heavy 3d10 8
M-tek Missles
The nastiest M-tek weapons are arguably the missles. They are capable of destroying a large radius of an area and are more deadly than even M-tek Cannons in most cases. Their main drawback is a missle pod is fairly limited- a pod loaded with small rockets only has a payload of 8 missles. Some Imperial engineers have also engineered non-explosive missles as well. Heavy missles have earned the nick name "Nuke missle" by most soldiers.

Type Damage AoE Payload
Light 2d10 1 8
Medium 3d10 2 5
Heavy 4d10 3 5
Bio-bomb 2d6 2 5
Smoke --- 2 8
Stun-bomb --- 2 8
Sleep-bomb --- 2 8
Chaos gas --- 2 5

Special missle effects:

Bio-Bomb
A poison attack with a 40 + (level2) + agility% chance to inflict the poison status condition (normal lethality, vitality counters).

Smoke Bomb
The missle creates a large cloud of thick smoke when it hits. All characters (enemy and ally alike) suffer a -20% attack modifer for any attacks that either go into or out of the cloud.

Stun Bomb
Another gas bomb, this one has a 50 + (level/2) + agility% chance to inflict the stun status condition on all targets in its radius. (vitality counters).

Sleep Bomb
Another gas bomb, this one has a 50 + (level/2) + agility% chance to inflict the Sleep status condition on all targets in its radius. (vitality counters).

Chaos Gas
A favorite of particularly cruel commanders and generals, this gas bomb has a 50 + (level/2) + agility% chance to inflict the Confusion status condition on all targets in its radius. (vitality counters).

Magitek Armor
Most Magitek armor models are described by many engineers as 'big walking humanoid tanks that can blow the s**t of everything in their way'. During the Imperial wars prior to the day of Kefka, the Gastorian Empire used hundreds of magitek armor units as their heavy ground assault force. They can both dish it out and take heavy damage.
The Grunt-class M-tek Mecha
The Grunt is a large semi-humanoid war machine that resembles some 9' headless squat being. The guardian's torso is oversized compared to its stubby legs and arms that usually scrape the ground. None the less, the Grunt is fast and agile for its appearance and the most deadly weapon of the machine- the M-force cannon - is found in the gut of the machine. This cannon shoots like a beam from the M-tek Armor (the blast has a 4' diameter with a 5' Diameter from the source) which does a varying damage depending on how much charges the pilot wishes to spend. 1 charge does 3d6, 2 does 5d6, and 5 does 7d6. Grunts are also equipped with a light laser cannon.

Location HP
Arms: 100
Hands: 60
Legs: 100
Main body: 250

Speed modifier: -2
Defense: 30

* Melee attacks The Grunt can punch for 2d6 + 12 damage. All Small or Medium sized creatures must roll a d10 + strength (difficulty: 13) or be knocked of their feet. The Grunt has a Strength stat of 20

Variant Designs

Gladiator-Class M-tek Mecha
The Gladiator is a heavier armored variant of the Grunt. It's bigger and more sluggish than the original, but it can pack a mean whollup with its fists, which are often reinforced and made extra-heavy. Gladiatorscan do 3d6+23 points of damage with its fists and have a strength of 23. Gladiators are also equipped with medium laser cannons or light missle pod as a back-up.

Location HP
Main Body: 275
Arms: 150
Hands: 70
Legs: 150

Speed modifier: -2
Armor Rating: 35

Goliath-Class M-tek
The Goliath is the Heaviest of M-teks ever created standing at 15' tall and 3 tons in weight. They can easily crush Yetis in their hands. Attacks using the M-tek Cannon are unmodified. Goliaths deliver 3d6 + 25 points of damage with a punch and have the equivelant of a strength of 25. Goliath Magitek Armor also come equipped with a heavy laser cannon or Medium missle pod.

Location HP
Main Body 300
Arms 160
Hands 140
Legs 160

Speed modifiers: -3
Armor: 75
Scout-Class M-tek
The Scout M-tek Armor is more similar to the zentraedi battle pod (robotech) or the AT-ST from star wars than the Grunt. It has two long legs similar to an ostrich's and is capable of running as fast as 60 mph. The 'cockpit' (which looks like a big metal cocoon with a clear porthole so the pilot inside can see outside) is fairly large and the pilot climbs in from the top. The scout's sole weapon is its M-tek cannon which is a bit below the mecha's viewport. Standing straight up, the Scout is about 10' tall (3 meters).

Location HP
Body: 180
Legs: 80

Speed modifier: +1 (when running at top speed)
Defense: 20

Variants Designs

Scout Bomber
The scout bomber earns its name from a pair of missle pods on both of its shoulders. The left pod are loaded with medium missles while the right pod is armed with a collection of gas bombs (bio bombs, smoke, sleep, or Chaos gas). They have the same stats otherwise as the scout and are normally used as a long range assault unit by most militaries. Most have a light green paint scheme to make them visually different from the bigger brothers, the Heavy Scout Bomber.

Heavy Scout Bomber
Like the Scout Bomber, the heavy version of it is loaded with a heavy missle pod rather than a medium pod on its left shoulder. They are other wise the same as Scouts and Scout Bombers save for a dark red paint job.
Flame Dragon M-tek
The Flame dragon resembes a cross between the Grunt and Scout. It has no arms and ostrich-like legs similar to the scout but is heavier armored and the pilot sits on top like a Grunt. The most unique part of the Flame Dragon is it's M-tek Cannon, which shoots a pure beam of firey death. 1 charge does 3d8 dmg, 2 charges does 5d8, and 5 charges does 7d8 damage. Flame dragons are usually given to officers and commanders. These look exactly like the one that Terra rides on third page in the Final Fantasy 6 Intstruction manual.

Locations HP
Main Body 275
Legs 120

Speed modifier: -1
Armor Rating: 25

Flame dragon variants
There are also Frost dragons and Thunder dragons available. Instead of possessing the Flame cannon of a Flame dragon, they possess an Ice cannon (Frost) or Lightning cannon (Thunder). They are other wise unchanged.

M-tek Add-ons
These are listed so to versify the 5 m-tek mecha listed above. Thisstuff is optional, since it can potentially overpower a party of characters if allowed in the hands of a greedy munchkin. Ideas for newadd-ons are welcomed.

Communications array
All M-tek mecha come equipped with a basic radio reciever that allows the pilots to communicate with each other and their squadron leader (this never showed up in the FF3 but it's a neat idea anyway). The basic radio has a range of 1 mile (or 2 kilometers) and is fitted into the soldier's helmet.When the soldier gets on his M-tek, he can activate it by simply hooking a small plug into the helmet near the left ear.

M-tek Melee-weapons
One such modification may be to graft a weapon on the hand of the Grunt. The weapon may be one of the firearms or a melee weapon (the weapon must be possible to wield in one hand. No two-handed weapons). If a melee weapon, the weapon gains two additional dice of damage (thus a longsword would do 3d83d12 damage) while firearms remain as they are damage wise. All M-tek weapons cost 2000x their human-sized equivelants and require a M-tek repair check to install it properly.

M-tek Engines
The basic engine can handle as many as 10 charges, but some more advanced engines can store more. Each engine has a level and cosider the basic engine at level 0 (10 charges). Each level over 0 allows it to store 2 extra charges. Thus a level 5 engine (the absolute best) can store 20 charges maxinum.

Armor
Some M-tek models can sport extra or lesser armor. In such cases, they stack on heavier armor (extra HP & Defense) at cost of mobility (speed penalty) or take off a few layers of steel in the case of light armor. Keep in mine that the Gladiator and Goliath mechas are Grunts with heavy (gladiator) and x-tra heavy (goliath) and cannot have the below modifications.

Type +Body +legs +arms+ +hands Speed Armor Defense
Light -15 -7 -7 -7 +1 -5 +5
Heavy +50 +25 +25 +25 -2 +5 -5
extra heavy +100 +50 +50 +50 -3 +10 -10

Force Fields
A fairly rare gadget given to some officers and generals for their M-teks, an M-tek Force Field can help keep their owners from damage. The various versions are explained and better detail below but keep in mind that every round active the force field asorbs 1 charge. No field can be higher than level 5.

Type Base
Asorbancy + level Backfire% +level
Physical 50 +20 10% + 10%
Energy 50 20 15% + 12
Magic (lv.1-3) 50 25 15% + 13%
Magic (lv.1-5) 75 25 18% + 15%
Magic (lv.1-7) 100 25 20% + 15%

Backfire of a forcefield: when a forcefield takes more damage than its absorbency rating it goes down. furthermore there is a chance that the forcefield will 'backfire'. If it back fires the forcefield explodes and is utterly destroyed. furthermore, the blast does 12d6 damage to the M-tek and its pilot.
Types of shields

Each forcefield has a different effect that its resistant against. the 5 types are:

Physical
protects the M-tek against physical weapons and attacks such as sword blades, dragon claws, & rifle slugs among other things.

Energy
This includes M-force blasts and energy-based attacks (chi blasts, laser guns, ect).

Magic
The magic FFs protect the M-tek and it's pilot from spells for those levels specified above. Non-attack spells like charm and sleep can go right through the field although the character can get a +2 save bonus because of the FF.

Half-Esper

The offspring of an Esper and a Mortal, Half-Espers are born magicians. With naturally strong Wisdoms and Willpowers, they favour the magical classes, and often become adventurers to further their powers.

Half-espers, tend to have bizarrely coloured hair: bright greens, blues and the like are not uncommon. Personalities vary, although most tend to be mentally stable compared to other races, and less prone to psychosis.

A Half-Esper actually has two forms: a mortal form, and an Esper form. In their Esper form, which the Half-Esper can only assume for a limited time each day, they are enhanced versions of their normal selves: more angular features, more highly skilled, more powerful magically, etc. The Esper form is highly variable, and can look like almost anything. Above all, half-Espers are split personalities that usually, somehow, manage to stay sane.

The half-esper race has the ability to metamorph into an esper form for a short amount of time. During this state, the character realized increased power in a number of ways. Immediately after the time for esper metamorphosis has elapsed, the character reverts back to their somewhat normal human-like form. The character then experiences a `low', which is result of coming down off the extreme adrenaline rush experienced as an esper. Note that the term esper is used loosely, as these ARE NOT true espers, but rather the bi-product of an esper and a mortal.

Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
take the non esper parent's species stats and devide them by half (this is low due to their amazing abilities when transformed)

VITAL DATA

Representatives: Terra (FF VI)

Typical Height: Males: 5'4" + 1d8"/Females: 5'3" + 1d6"
Typical Weight: Males: 110 + 2d10 lbs./Females: 95 + 1d10 lbs.
Hair Color: Any strange color for that race ie. Green, white, black, silver, gold, blue
Eye Color: Any strange color for that race ie. Green, grey, silver, gold, violet
Habitat: Any
Average Lifespan: 1,000 years

The Half-Esper must pick a lineage to their esper parent, their choices are.

*Physical
*Elemental
*Fire
*Water
*Wind
*Earth
*Lightning
*Ice
*Time
*Non-Elemental
*Holy
*Shadow
*Healer
*Status-Effects

Physical
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+5 +0 +5 +5 +0 +0

Elemental
*Fire
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+5 +0 +3 +0 +5 +2
*Water
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+0 +5 +2 +2 +4 +2
*Wind
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+0 +5 +0 +5 +2 +3
*Earth
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+5 +0 +5 +0 +3 +2
*Lightning
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+2 +5 +0 +3 +5 +0
*Ice
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+4 +0 +4 +0 +5 +2

Time
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+0 +5 +0 +5 +5 +0

Non-Elemental
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+1 +1 +1 +1 +6 +5

Holy
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+0 +2 +3 +0 +5 +5

Shadow
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+2 +3 +0 +0 +5 +5

Healer
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+0 +0 +4 +0 +6 +5

Status-Effects
Str Agi Vit Spd Mag Spr
+1 +1 +1 +1 +6 +5
Note: if your parentage is mixed for the esper ie. Ifrit=physical/elemental fire you add up both bonuses and then divide it by two, and round down. Yes this gives them a greater selection for spells but also limits the amount of spells for each element they can have. Also this bonus cannot be higher than 15.
When transformed into their esper form these bonuses are doubled.

Half Espers can morph into Esper form 3 + (Lvl/33) times per day. In other words, a Esper of level 25 in his/her profession can morph three times per day (24 hours). A level 70 Esper can morph 5 times, a level 99 Esper 6 times, a level 50 Esper 4 times, etc.

Duration of Metamorphosis: If in battle - 1+(lvl/11) battle rounds. This means anywhere from 1 round of Esper form at levels 1-10, to 10 rounds at level 99. If doing strenuous tasks outside of battle, the duration is 5+(lvl/11) minutes. If doing light tasks etc, the esper form can be maintained for (lvl/11) hours. This includes flying, etc. if that ability is possessed.

Here's the new Half Esper Abilities, they can only be accessed when in Esper form. No ability may be chosen twice, Choose two for your Half Esper:

* Flight: Stay in Esper form for (9 + Level/5) hours at 200 miles per hour.
* Intangibility: Pass thru solid objects (Walls) at will. Being inside a wall etc during reversion would mean instant death. =(
* Chameleon: Meld into the appearance of the habitat currently in, regardless of atmospheric conditions, lighting etc.
* Breathe without air. Can survive underwater, within a vacuum etc.
*Minor Magical ability: Learns one level one spell from the bias of their Esper blood. Every 10 levels they learn a new spell From one level higher at a time ie. level 10 they learn up to a level 2 spell, but they cannot learn ultimate spells.

Transformation Rules:

* Can morph as often as once per hour, not to exceed 5 times per gaming day.
* Can revert at will.
* Will morph into esper form if under extreme stress or in dire situations (to be determined by GM) even if the character has exceeded morphing limits that day/hour (i.e. already morphed 5 times that day or once that hour).. it there are `morphs' left, one is subtracted from the `available morphs'.. if there are no `morphs' available, then metamorphosis is considered a `free morph' under extreme circumstance.
* Generally has control over actions as an esper, but this is somewhat affected by GM input. Memory in esper form is subject to GM restrictiosn also.

Society:

Half-Espers do not really have a society. Infact they tend to co-exist with others of their mortal parents species in most cases quite peacefully. In some cases they are feared and shunned, cast out from society, depending on how their powers manifest themselves. The more curative and helpful ones tend to be revered and the more destructive ones tend to be cast outs.

Roleplaying:

Each Half-Esper should be role-played with heavy influence by their mortal parents species. Whether this is good or bad will vary from player to player. No matter what though, due to their Esper heritage, they are something outside normal society. They are unnatural and are viewed as either holy or demonic in nature. Their nature varies depending upon their Esper parent. They tend to be either aloof or toughened by their existence.

Those who can get past the initial prejudice find that they can be powerful allies. No matter which Esper they are spawned from the Half-Esper has access to powers that other races do not, and they push themselves to excel in their chosen field. Their personalities are as various as their Esper appearance though most tend to do well in parties.

They tend to communicate in the languages of their mortal species, though some can speak the unique language of the Espers. Which is a musical language that no mortal can comprehend. Names tend to be unique or are influenced by their species.