FINAL FANTASY XIV takes the first intrepid steps into an unknown realm, and in doing so a new place for adventurers of all creeds to call home is born - Eorzea.

In the world of Hydaelyn, the term Eorzea denotes the geographical region comprised of the continent of Aldenard and its surrounding islands, as well as the civilization which spawned there.

Calling the area home are several independent city-states, the most notable being Limsa Lominsa, bustling port and pirate hub; Ul'dah, a desert city rich in mineral wealth; Gridania, nested deep within an ageless wood; and Ishgard, bastion atop the mountains.

Throughout the realm can be found climates both harsh and mild, as diverse as the skies are vast. Bleak, desolate landscapes stretch to uncharted horizons, their uninviting expanses yet to be traversed. Colossal monstrosities stalk the land, as if mountains primeval had somehow stirred and risen. Of all the things Eorzea may be said to be, hospitable is not among them.

In the past, the city-states battled tirelessly, vying for domination and hegemony. Death-mongering beast tribes molested the land unchecked, leaving only destruction in their wake. Unseen enemies lurked beyond the borders, striking at the slightest provocation or show of weakness. The history of Eorzea is a tapestry woven of war and strife, stained with the blood of those gone before, and the tears and ash of fallen endeavor.

And yet the love the gods bear this unforgiving land endures, now as always. What is the allure of this seemingly forsaken place? With what hope and to what end do would-be inhabitants journey here to live out their days?

The answer lies with that which gives form to Hydaelyn and all myriad creation in it--crystals. The cornerstone of all things, it is these crystallized manifestations of the aether that beckon the people to come, risking all in the undertaking.

And so it is that adventurers too have hearkened the call--to bear witness to the epic set to unfold in this land.

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 the, 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 he 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.

It is neigh on ten years since the fearsome beings known as the primals first appears 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 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.

The vast realm of Eorzea, comprising the continent of Aldenard and its outlying islands, has seen the rise of a civilization with peoples as diverse as its environs. Throughout its history, the landscape has played home to a number of city-states -- the tenuous relations among them fluctuating between friendly and hostile.

The pantheon of the Twelve is followed devoutly by most, and doctrine holds that the past wars of the realm were the wars of the heavens, with the gods and goddesses laying their favor with nations to champion them. In this way, war spread throughout the realm, discouraging unity and peace.

As a result, years passed without the lay of the land and its borders ever being mapped in their entirety. It was not until some 70 years ago, when an intrepid soul set out to wander the land, at great peril to himself, that the first map of Eorzea was completed.

Since then, the original rendering has been amended and improved by others, and the form it takes today is used by adventurers across the realm as an indispensable guide on their travels.