Glossary

From Dynasts End

Al-Cid

Literally, 'The Lord', al-Cids are the male heirs of Rozarria's most powerful aristocratic families who primarily serve as council to the king. There are nine al-Cids total, eight advisers and one king. Should the current king die, his eldest son will be named al-Cid and the full nine of them will elect a new king. Despite the delicate balance of these proceedings, bloodshed rarely occurs, the Rozarrian lords opting instead for rumor-mongering and public disgrace. Therefore it is not uncommon for only one or two al-Cids to accept candidacy to succeed as the next Rozarrian monarch.

Within Rozarria's cities, al-Cids can be likened to celebrities. And, when a kind word from one of them can elevate even the lowliest of paupers to a place of prestige, few dare cross them. Or tell them the truth.

Chocobo

Chocobos are a race of avian mounts used throughout the whole of Ivalice. They are often used as transportation around the world due to the fact that they are capable of outrunning most monsters. Chocobos are used as replacements for horses, serving nearly all the functions horses perform in our world. For example, the cavalries of Ivalice are casually referred to as "Chocobo Knights". Though they are used as horses, they are biologically the same as birds, being born from eggs.

The Chocobo comes in a variety of colors colors, the most common of which is yellow, though some are blue, black, white and even gold. Their cry is transcribed as, "Kweh!" in Archadian and the chocobo's favorite food is the vegetable gysahl greens.

Clans

A group formed for the main purpose of driving beasts and fiends from civilized areas, called to action in particularly bad cases, when individuals and town watches are not deemed equal to the task. Able to react more swiftly than equivalent military units, the clans are used by many smaller municipalities as rapid-response peacekeepers. As a result, few clans' activities need heed the boundaries between territories, and they move freely across wastes and sacred lands alike.

Entry to a clan is not publicly known; usually members of the clan would scout out potential clan members who proved their worth by defeating a mark.

Dorstonis

A region of the Purvama Continent colonized by terrestrial Ivaliceans. The Skycity of Bhujerba acts as an functional capital of the lands, though to this day Dorstonis remains un-united.

Dynast-King

When the Occuria decide that Ivalice's history has become too wayward, they decide to select an individual to do their bidding, and guide history to the way they see fit. To this end, they choose a person of great power, usually a king, and give them an item of even greater power, the stone of the gods, Nethicite. With this nethicite, the Dynast King will unite Ivalice, and do what the Occuria bid, usually without the awareness of their manipulation.

Fifty years ago, a new Dynast-King was set to rise. Vayne Solidor, the elder brother of Archadia's current emperor, Larsa Solidor, sought to declare himself Dynast-King of Ivalice, while Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca was chosen by the Occuria. Through a series of events that has since passed into a legend of which there are dozens of versions, the great Nethicite cryst was destroyed and subsequently neither ruler rose to the position of Dynast-King. The Occuria, as legend states, have since left men to their own devices.

Should you be interested in hearing the legend first hand, there is an old sky pirate who can usually be found at one Bhujerban tavern or another who is always eager to tell the tale of how he, the leading man, almost single-handedly brought Occurian control to an end.

Espers

Beings of strange form and appearance made by the gods in ancient times. Favored with great strength and intellect, the Espers knew power far beyond that of men, but their power made them proud, and at length they sought to challenge the gods. Seeing this, the gods were angered and struck down their blessed children, and binding their souls and flesh with the Glyph of the Beast, they stole their freedom for all eternity. Now they are bound to live only when summoned by their Glyph, to serve whosoever called them forth.

Fane

The aegyl have also built temples to enshrine geological formations that are sacred to them. These buildings are called "Fanes", and four exist in Lemurés.

Feolthanos

The former leader of the aegyl and their self-proclaimed God, Feolthanos was brought down as a tyrant after Lemures reemerged from the mist that bound it some fifty years ago. Since then, a senate has been established to rule Lemures, the aegyl people wise to never again bestow such power on a single, corruptible being.

Galtean Alliance

The Galtean Alliance is a moment in Ivalice's history when all the great countries were united. Started by Dynast-King Raithwall with the three shards of Nethicite, great nations rose during the Galtean Alliance, such as Archadia and Rozarria. The reign of Raithwall's direct descendants, House Galtea, drew to a close after 400 years, marking the end of the Galtean Alliance, and the beginning of rule by House Dalmasca.

Dalmascan reign continued for nearly seven centuries, until the Archadian invasion brought their era to an end. However, a few years later, Archadia left Dalmascan territory.

Galtean Penninsula

The meeting place of Kerwon, Ordalia and Valendia, the Galtean Peninsula is a cultural and economic hot spot. Dalmasca and Nabradia are the two nations that make up the peninsula with Jagds scattered here and there. The region's climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

The Green Word

The Law of the Wood, this is the code by which traditional Vieras live their lives. It prohibits them from making contact with the outside world. Some Viera opt not to live by this code and leave Golgmore Jungle to integrate themselves into another Ivalicean society or to spend the remainder of their long lives in hermitage.

House Solidor

In the days following Archadia's establishment as an empire, House Solidor, one of its noble families, found itself in opposition to the then-powerful military. Having won the ensuing struggle, it then initiated far-reaching revisions to the law in an attempt to prevent any further challenge to its supremacy. Subsequently, the Ministry of Law was created to monitor the military, with the order of Judges at its head, and the Archadian senate was dissolved.

House Solidor's firm grip on the workings of the Empire can be felt to this day, with Emperor Larsa in succession of Solidor emperors.

Kerwon

The Kerwon continent is more arid than most areas in Ivalice, even in its lowlands; though the highlands mostly experience snow. This continent is heavily forested and filled with Jagds. For the record, there has been no successful attempt to explore this continent.

The Light of Kiltia

Religion begun by the prophet Kiltia over two millennia ago. The religion of the Ordalian peoples is a dualistic system -- a polytheistic pantheon with a God of Light, Faram the Father, at its head. After embarking on a pilgrimage to proselytize and deliver the word of the vision he had seen to the people, Kiltia came to Mt But-Omisace, and from there his teachings spread. The Light of Kiltia, as his teachings were called, continued even after his death, until they covered all of Ivalice. Though the followers and churches of Kiltia are spread far and wide, they do not interfere in affairs of state or governance. Though at one point the church held considerable influence, they willingly discarded that power, fearing oppression. Ever since, church officials with the rank of celebrant or higher have been forbidden from participating in statecraft. In addition, Mt Bur-Omisace maintains a mutual non-incursion policy with the surrounding territories. Several years after Kiltia's founding, Saint Ajora began a new teaching, claiming that Faram alone was the one true god, the popularity of this new sect further lessening the power of the Light.

Madhu

A exceedingly sweet, exceedingly potent liquor that is popular in Bhujerba and by connoisseurs the world over.

Magicite

Common name for stones containing magickal power, or as it is commonly manifest, Mist. There exist varieties: Spellstone, being used for the preparation and working of magicks, Skystone, giving flight to airships, and Memstone, holding fast sounds heard and visions seen, that they might be experienced again. Though their color, shape, and size may differ, these have no bearing on the quality of the stone. Some of the smallest stones are the most powerful, and some of the largest contain only a small amount of Mist, and are as good as useless. It is a property of magicite that it loses its Mist over time, and once spent, a stone's Mist cannot be renewed. Magicite without Mist is mere rock. The ability to manufact magicite of some power has only recently been attained, and this after many long years of research.

Mark

Beasts - scourge of the common peoples of Ivalice. Foul creatures who take the greatest relish from inflicting the most gratuitous harm. Of these, the worst are identified as a public menace and made "marks", for the slaying of which a bounty is offered. Most mark hunting petitions come from commoners or local officials, though kingdoms have been known to issue requests for the slaying of particularly malevolent menaces. Mark hunters range from professional hunters to casual adventurers. The unwary be warned: though mark hunting is imagined by some to be a short road to fame and fortune, it is oft-times found to be a short road to an early grave.

Mist

Naturally occurring energy, found in almost all regions of the world, affecting all living things, the climate, and even the land itself. Magick is but one of the diverse methods of harnessing the power of Mist, the most common being via its controlled release from magicite, an ore known to hold high concentrations of condensed Mist within its crystalline structure. For larger effects, a greater amount of Mist is required, making particularly rich magicite a valuable commodity. There are marked regional differences in the amount of Mist contained in the atmosphere and soil. While typically invisible to the naked eye, high densities of Mist will occasionally manifest in very visible phenomena. The highest concentrations of Mist can even do damage, leading to over-rapid changes in the environment, and violent behavior among animals and those more sensitive to the Mist's effects.

Nethicite

A variety of magicite with the unusual property of absorbing Mist, thereby nullifying the effects of magick. Though there is some mention of nethicite in ancient tomes, it had been lost, or perhaps consumed, with no mention or record appearing for several centuries. Sky pirates call it the magicite of legend. Latterly, methods of manufacting nethicite have been developed in Archades, and at the time of writing, several test samples are in active use.

Ordalia

The western continent of Ivalice, upon which Rozarria is situated. Vast plains are found in Ordalia's interior, away from the coast, while beaches and desert wastelands skirt its outlines. A mountain range half-separates Ordalia from the Galtean Penninsula, though several passes have been created by the Rozarrians over the centuries.

Valendia

The northernmost terrestrial continent of Ivalice. Archadia and its territory, Landis, both lie upon it. Valendia is verdant and home to the widest diversity of crops in the world.

Yarhi Beasts

Illusory monsters that terrorize the aegyl of Lemures to this day. They are similar to Espers, in that they are summoned by some unknown source and fade into nothingness when they are killed. The Yarhi Beasts are only found on the continent of Lemures.