Countless moons have waxed and waned since wandering tribes from across Hydaelyn first arrived in Eorzea and settled its untamed lands. The benevolent deities who ruled the empty continent and its surrounding islands were impressed with the resilience of these primitive men and women, and in an act of mercy each saw fit to ensure their welfare.
These gods and goddesses soon came to be known as the Twelve, and the village thrived in their light until the land was bespeckled with several independent city-states. Though, where man walks, strife follows, and for generations, these tiny nations carved out a history of blood and betrayal built upon broken oaths and the sun-bleached bones of the fallen.
However, the fate of the land would soon change. Not fifteen years past, a new threat appeared without warning from the east. Metal-clad warriors brandishing weappons that spewed streams of fire, fleets of behemoth airships belching oily smoke that would block out the sun for days at a time...
A resistance was amassed, but to little avail, and it was not long before Ala Mhigo, once considered the most powerful of the remaining six Eorzean city-states, had fallen to the mighty Garlean Empire.
As the empire's dreadnaughts continued their march of terror across the blood-soaked fields of the nroth, the remaining nations put aside their differences and clandestinely joined hands to form a loose alliance to ensure they would not meet the same fate, should the invaders turn their eyes southward.
Fortunately, the invasion never came, and just as quickly as it had arrived, the empire was gone again.
However, echoes of their grim message rang clear in the hearts of Eorsea's people-its effect on them, profound and irreversible. The realm would never be the same.
And it was thus that Eorzea slipped into the "Age of Calm", during which an uneasy peace prevailed.
To prepare for the coming storm, the first task of the newly-formed alliance was to fortify their defenses. In the previous era, few city-states maintained organized militaries, opting instead to hire the services of mercenaries and hedge knights to champion their causes. However, after the fall of Ala Mhigo, city guard uniters were restructured into legitimate standing armies which could be quickly called upon and mobilized if the need arose.
Unforunately, this left a majority of the realm's hireswords with nowehere to pledge their fealty, and with their livelihood ripped out from under them, many of these men and women restorted to acts of villiany to survive. For fear of the situation worsening and the land falling into chaos, several respected leaders from around Eorzea gathered together and formed a network of guilds to provide these lost souls with the opportunity to redeem themeselves by aiding others.
Through the foresight and resolve of these leaders a new industry known as "adventuring" emerged, its advent helping usher in current era-an era of hope in a time when shadows of uncertainty loom ever closer.
The City-States
Limsa Lominsa "No man may tread upon me, for I am the sea." - 77th Admiral of Limsa Lominsa, N'Bolata TyataOn the southern island of Vylbrand, under the shadow of ancient cliffs worn by the relentless onslaught of the Rhotano Sea, lies the marine city-state of Limsa Lominsa. Said to be blessed by the goddess of navigation, Llymlaen, the city is spread out over countless tiny islands, each connected by the brilliant ivory bridges. It is this that has earned her the name the "Navigator's Veil" from traveling bards who have witnessed the city's beauty from afar. Legends holds that Limsa Lominsa was founded shortly after the remnants of a giant armada fled its homeland following a crushing defeat. Llymlaen is said to have taken pity on the plight of these brave sailors, and guided them to the shallows of a rocky bay where the ships were grounded upon the sharp rocks. With no home to return to , the sailors chose to settle in this newly-found land, and used the remnants of their vessels to begin construction of a city.
However, the sailors never forgot their nautical background, and once a new fleet was in order, they would take to the waters again. It was only a matter of time before their influence had spread and they ruled with the five seas of Eorzea. Thus the Limsan thalassocracy was born.
Remnants of this legend live on even today in the nation's ruling party, whose members still addressed thei leader as Admiral.
While fishing and shipbuilding are prominent, a majority of the city's wealth comes from the shipping industry, with over half of the city's population being employed in logistics. To maintain shipping routes, the thalassocracy employs a powerful navy known as the Knights of the Barracuda, who patrol the Eorzean seas, ensuring safe passage for all those who do business with the nation.
However, even in the waters nearby the city, pirate bands run rampant, reaving and pillaging, leading neighboring nations to suspect that the Knights of the Barracuda and the local bandits are in some way working together to profit off the unwary traders.
Ul'DahInformation coming soon
GridaniaInformation coming soon
The Inhabitants of Eorzea"Never did we expect to encounter such diverse and so wealthy a people! And so very tall!"
-from Travel Logs of a Lalafell,
Jajariku Nanariku
The Elezen 
-Noble and Refined-The Elezen are a traditionally nomadic people who in former times claimed sole dominion over Eorzea, thei presence predating that of the other races. Believing this prominence to be ordained by the gods, they came to develop an esteemed sense of honor and pride.
Their characteristically tall, slim physiques and elongated limbs part of a successful adaptation to the land's various environments. Indeed, it is said that their highly sensitive ears can discern the of a field mouse at a distance of up to several malms.
The Elezen perceived the immigration of the Hyur as tantamount to invasion, and as result the two share a past plagued by warfare. At present, however, they can be seen coexisting peacefully, the exception being the reclusive Duskwight Elezen.
The Lalafell
-More Clever by Half-The Lalafell were originally a group of agriculturalists inhabiting the fertile islands of the south seas. With the introduction of transmarine commerce, they soon found their way to Eorzea via trade routes. They are not one of the more populous races and are well established throughout the region, though they remain averse to cold climates.
The short, rotound builds of the Lalafell belie an incredible agility, and their seeminly feeble legs are capable of carrying them long distances over any terrain. Many among them are also known for possessing highly developed and cunning intellects.
The Lalafell places a great deal of significance on familial bonds, but are by no means unfriendly to outsiders. This is evidenced by the fact that continue share prosperous relations with all the other races of Eorzea.
The Hyur
-Diversity in Numbers-Boasting the largest population in Eorzea, the Hyur came from neighboring continents and islands in three great migratory waves. With them they brought a sophisticated technology and complex ethos tempered by the breadth of the outside world. They rapidly became a driving force behind the cultural progress, and are now widely attributed with the spearheading advances in Eorzean civilization.
One of the Hyur's strengths is the staggering variety of languages and social institutions they exhibit. This is said to account for their firm conviction in individual freedoms, though it also results in a relative lack of solidarity and group cohesion.
Two distinct groups now exist among the Hyur- Highlanders, denizens of mountainous areas, and Midlanders, who reside in lower elevations.
The Roegadyn-Size Matters-The Roegdyn are a maritime people whose largest concentrations are found in northern seas, by the way of which they came to Eorzea.
They possess enormous, muscular builds and are known for the cultural emphasis they place on competition and unflinching courage, though tender introspective individuals can be also found.
Roegdyn in and around the Limsa Lominsa area are typically seamen putting in at port, but many have also settled permenently, becoming mercenaries, bodyguards, or even pirates by trade. Far away, deep in the mountains of Ul'dah, live mountain clans of reclusive Roegadyn known as the Hellsguard, said to have mastered the magical arts.
The Miqo'te-A Tribe of One-During the Age of Endless Frost, as the seas turned to ice and passage over them became possible, Eorzea saw an influx of foreign fauna to her shores. This in turn brought the hunting tribes which subsisted upon them, the modern descendants of whom are today known as the Miqo'te.
Since then, the Miqo'te have diverged into two physically distinguishable groups--the diurnal Seekers of the Sun and the nocturnal Keepers of the Moon. Both groups share a superb olfactory sense and powerful leg musculature, results of a long evolution geared towards hunting and predation.
Comparatively few in number, they maintain an insular group mentality, tending to avoid contact with the other races. Many individuals lead isolated lifestyles, even when residing in the more populous cities.
