So for those of you in the game already <_< if you didn't already have a Click and Buy account and still haven't been able to verify it yet, did it prevent you from playing? Cuz, we're in the middle of the verification process and said it may take a couple days..
called, told me they couldn't help me without a ticket number, and hung up on me, tried to send an eail to get a ticket number, and the email ssytem failed...are you effing serious?
Well seeing as we're getting a load of threads pop up on different things popping into the game, I thought it would be easier if I made a general thread.
Firstly, I'd like to say the following:
If you want to come into this thread just to start shit with people who are going to buy XIV, please refrain from doing so. I'm not making you do this, but nearly every XIV thread so far has gone to the flame-core, and I'd rather keep at least one topic about the game that will be civil. If you have a personal opinion on the game, then feel free to vent it, but please do it in a positive way instead of flame-baiting. Thanks.
I thought I'd start off with some general information on the different aspects of the game. All this information has been gathered from The XIV website or interviews.
Here we go!
Story The Age of Adventure Men are wont to suffer
And forget wherein they’ve sinned
Ne’er hearkening back on tragedies past
Lest the Twelve might humble them
— Unknown
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 villages 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 weapons 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 north, the remaining nations put aside their differences and clandestinely joined hands to form a loose alliance to ensure they 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 Eorzea’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 units were restructured into legitimate standing armies which could be quickly called upon and mobilized if the need arose.
Unfortunately, this left a majority of the realm’s hireswords with nowhere to pledge their fealty, and with their livelihood ripped out from under them, many of these men and women resorted to acts of villainy 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 themselves by aiding others.
Through the foresight and resolve of these leaders a new industry known as “adventuring” emerged, its advent helping usher in the current era—an era of hope in a time when shadows of uncertainty loom ever closer.
A Realm Divided
It is nigh on ten years since the fearsome beings known as the primals first appeared in these lands. Ten years since they were summoned forth by the destructive ambition of the beast tribes. Ten years, and still those tribes, drunk on the power granted them by the primals, continue to wreak havoc upon the free peoples of Eorzea.
To the northeast, the Garlean Empire stirs, casting an ominous shadow across the realm. Seeking dominion over the continent of Aldenard, the Garleans set out on a campaign of conquest, smiting all opposition with their superior technology and overwhelming military might. In a relentless drive to the south and west, they lay ruin to the once flourishing city-state of Ala Mhigo.
It is in the midst of this embattled Eorzea that a mysterious power surfaces. Known simply as the Echo, it is said cause the souls of those touched by it to resonate with others. And of this is born the ability to relive their past experiences—to see and feel them as though they were one’s own.
Can these seeds of the past somehow serve to sow hope for the future?
What is the origin of this eldritch power?
Is it a deific gift of righteousness? Or the deception of some sinister sorcery?
To what end has it been given?
The search for the answers to such questions falls to you. So go forth. Seek out and join your brethren. And together claim your place among legends in the annals of time.
— 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 cultural progress, and are now widely attributed with 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.
Midlander
The Midlander clan comprises over half of the total population of Eorzea’s Hyur. They have established themselves throughout every city in the realm and lead lives as diverse as their heritage. Trained in letters from infancy, the Midlanders are generally more educated than many of the other races and clans.
Highlander
The Highlanders derive their name from a long tradition of inhabiting Eorzea’s mountainous regions. Compared to their Midland brethren, the Highlanders are noticeably larger in build. These days, it is rare to see Highlanders save for those who fled Ala Mhigo after its fall, and now work in the other city-states as mercenaries and sellswords.
— 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.
Seekers of the Sun
The self-proclaimed Seekers of the Sun are the diurnal clan of the Miqo’te race. Their preference for the warm light of day pervades all aspects of their culture, as is apparent in their devout reverence for Azeyma the Warden, goddess of the sun. They are perhaps known best for their striking eyes — the result of their vertically aligned pupils and faintly colored irises.
Keepers of the Moon
The nocturnal among the Miqo’te have dubbed themselves the Keepers of the Moon. Shying from the garish light of day, they revel in the shroud of night, and offer their piety to Menphina the Lover, goddess of the moon. The custom of applying war paint to the face is still regularly practiced by the Keepers of the Moon, enhancing their already distinctive appearance.
— 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 now one of the more populous races and are well established throughout the region, though they remain averse to cold climates.
The short, rotund builds of the Lalafell belie an incredible agility, and their seemingly 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 place a great deal of significance on familial bonds, but are by no means unfriendly to outsiders. This is evidenced by the fact that they continue to share prosperous relations with all of the other races of Eorzea.
Plainsfolk
The flat landscapes of the Plainsfolk’s home islands are dotted with the clan’s traditional thatched huts, beneath which lie intricate networks of underground passageways. Their distinct hair coloration — a myriad of earthy and grassy tones — mimics their native environment, and their long, pointy ears are said to be able to detect the faintest scampering of the prairie’s various fauna.
Dunesfolk
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Dunesfolk culture is its traditional dwellings — structures affixed to the backs of large beasts of burden. The luminous eyes of the Dunesfolk are the result of a glossy, protective layer which covers the pupil, an evolutionary response to the glaring sunlight of their home region. Many individuals wear a small gemstone on their forehead, representing their zodiacal sign.
— Noble and Refined —
The Elezen are a traditionally nomadic people who in former times claimed sole dominion over Eorzea, their 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 are part of a successful adaptation to the land’s various environments. Indeed, it is said that their highly sensitive ears can discern the squeak 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 a 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.
Wildwood Elezen
For hundreds of years the Wildwood Elezen have lived in the safety of Eorzea’s lush forests. They possess an incredibly keen sense of sight — a contributing factor in their unparalleled expertise as archers. With the formation of the realm’s governments, many Wildwood ventured forth from the forests, drawn either to the exhilarating cosmopolitanism of the urban centers or the simple nomadism of the plains.
The Duskwight Elezen
The Duskwight Elezen have spent centuries in the peace and seclusion of Eorzea’s caves and caverns. They have developed an acute sense of hearing, capable of detecting the faintest of sounds. This natural gift, and the uncanny awareness it grants, has proven advantageous in the field of hand-to-hand combat. Many of the reclusive Duskwight resort to robbery and pillaging to survive, earning them the scorn of their woodland relatives.
— Size Matters —
The Roegadyn are a maritime people whose largest concentrations are found in the northern seas, by 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 also be found. Roegadyn in and around the Limsa Lominsa area are typically seamen putting in at port, but many have also settled permanently, 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.
Sea Wolves
The Sea Wolves originally hail from the islands of the far north seas, where they still subsist as fishermen and women. Long ago, no vessel or coastal village was safe from their maritime brand of brutality. Now, it is not uncommon to see them employed as sailors or naval mercenaries on all manner of vessels.
Hellsguard
The Hellsguard are a clan of Roegadyn with body and mind tempered by the unforgiving heat of the volcanic regions they inhabit. Believing these mountains of flame to be gates to the underworld, their line has for centuries stood vigil over them to prevent the passage of souls back to the realm of the living. Their sheer girth and steely demeanor open to the Hellsguard a wide range of paths, from the martial to the monastic.
