FF12 Story

The Age of Gods:

A legend states that the gods withdrew into a "city of their own making", sounding as if the gods (in the Esper legends) are the Occuria. In the ensuing years, the Occuria use their Sun-Cryst, source of deifacted nethicite, to give power to particular humans over others, shaping history as a gardener shapes plants.
The Espers are created by the gods, but, led by Ultima, rebel against them (apparently this is the Thousand-Years War mentioned in Hashmal's Clan Primer description). The gods bind them into glyphs, forcing them to serve whoever summons them.

More than 2000 Years Ago:

Kiltia founds the religion later called the Light of Kiltia.
Several years later, Saint Ajora founds a break-off sect, the Glabados Church.

Approx. 1150 Years Ago:

King Raithwall, a noble of a small country in Valendia, is contacted by the Occuria and given three shards of deifacted nethicite (the Dawn, Midlight, and Dusk Shards) and the Sword of Kings. (Apparently the Occuria first give it to the garif, who find themselves unable to use it, before giving it to Raithwall.) He uses these to unite Ivalice into the Galtean Alliance. Archadia and Rozarria, members of the Alliance, take root during this time.
Raithwall defeats the Esper Belias and binds it to him.

Approx. 1100 Years Ago:

Raithwall dies. He leaves the Dusk and Midlight Shards to his descendants, the House Galtea; the Dawn Shard is left in his tomb. The Sword of Kings is placed in the Stilshrine of Miriam under the tutelage of the Gran Kiltias. Belias is adjured to keep watch over the Tomb of Raithwall and the Dawn Shard.

706 Years Ago (Year 1 Old Valendian/O.V.):

The last of Raithwall's direct descendants dies, ending the Galtean Alliance and beginning the rule of House Dalmasca, started by the second prince of Dalmasca, and House Nabradia. The Dusk Shard is given to the new Dalmascan King, and the Midlight Shard to Nabradia.

Approx. 200 Years Ago (500 O.V.):

Archadia's senate-run republic is replaced by a military governance system. Archadia begins an expansionist invasion policy. It eventually wars several times with Rozarria.
House Solidor, a powerful Senate family, struggles to remain in power, creating the Ministry of Law and installing Judges as its head. It remains in power until the present.

Fifty Years Ago (656 O.V.):

Fran flees the viera Eruyt Village, averring that she can no longer simply watch as the hume society attacks each other. Her sister Jote, leader of the village, declares her no longer a viera.

Some Time Before Six Years Ago:

Venat rebels against the Occuria and begins searching for a way to deny them their plans of controlling humanity.

Some Time Ago:

The Republic of Landis is conquered by the Archadian Empire. Two brothers, Basch and Noah fon Ronsenburg, are left adrift. Basch flees to the Kingdom of Dalmasca, whereas Noah pledges fealty to the Archadian Empire. He quickly rises in the ranks, and soon becomes Judge Gabranth of the Ministry of Law.
Lord Vayne Solidor, son of Emperor Gramis, rises in the ranks of the Empire. He has his own elder brothers accused of treason and put to death, at the behest of his father, leaving only his younger brother Larsa.

Six Years Ago (700 O.V.):

Cidolfus Demen Bunansa, lead researcher for the Archadian Empire, enters Giruvegan, city of the Occuria. He finds Venat there, who becomes his confidante, showing him how to manufact nethicite and beginning a plan to rebel against the Occuria.
Cid becomes infatuated with Venat's plans, and begins to act erratically. He appoints his son, Ffamran, as a Judge. Ffamran, upset at his father's behavior, flees on the Strahl, an experimental Archadian airship, and becomes a sky pirate, going under the name Balthier. Cid becomes close with Vayne. Emperor Gramis appioints Judge Gabranth to be Vayne's right-hand man, but also to report back to him on his doings.

Six Years Ago to the Present:

Balthier meets up with Fran, and she joins him in his journeys.
Cid creates the Bahamut, a giant and powerful warship. However, he requires an enormous amount of energy to power it; even manufacted nethicite can't do the trick. He begins a scheme to access the Sun-Cryst, the source of all nethicite, to destroy the Occuria's power over man and give Archadia ultimate control over humanity's destiny.

Five Years Ago (701 O.V.):

A plague consumes Rabanastre. The parents of Vaan and Reks are killed in it.

Two Years Ago (704 O.V.):

Princess Ashelia (Ashe) B'Nargin Dalmasca and Prince Rasler Helos Nabradia are married.
Nabradia, afraid of Archadia's growing power, makes a treaty with Rozarria to place Rozarrian troops near the Nabradian border. Archadia pressures Nabradia to dissolve the pact, to no avail. In response to the escalation, Archadia invades the Nabradian capital Nabudis (the force is led by Judges Bergan and Zecht). The Archadian forces capture the Midlight Shard. Judge Zecht is ordered by Doctor Cid to use the shard against Nabudis as a test, and does so, not realizing the consequences. Nabudis is instantly vaporized; no one in the city survives. Soon a layer of thick Mist envelops the city, and fiends begin to multiply, turning it into the Nabreus Deadlands, and the Verdpale Palace of Nabudis becomes a necrohol. Nabradia is swallowed up by the Archadian Empire.
Judge Zecht, ashamed and torn by his actions, flees the Ministry of Law and takes the name Pirate King Reddas. He moves into the port at Balfonheim and begins to clean it up of its more unsavory citizens. Soon he is the de facto leader of the town.
Drunk on its power, Archadia continues the war with an unprovoked attack on Nalbina Fortress, which lies between Nabradia and Dalmasca. Losing the fortress to Archadia would give it the run of Dalmasca. Prince Rasler goes to the front lines of Nalbina, and is slain in battle.
The people of Dalmasca largely lose their will to fight. A brave force, including Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg, Vossler Azelas, and a young soldier from Dalmasca named Reks, mounts a counterattack against Archadia. Before being sent out, Basch is given a task by King Raminas in the event of the king's death: to secure the Dusk Shard and give it to the Princess, as proof of her lineage, allowing her to take the throne of Dalmasca. The Dalmascan force, however, is utterly defeated. Soon after, Archadia offers terms of Dalmascan surrender. King Raminas of Dalmasca agrees to sign the treaty at Nalbina Fortress.
The remaining Dalmascan forces, including Basch, Vossler, and Reks, quickly leave for Nalbina to protect King Raminas from Archadian forces, who they fear will assassinate him as soon as he signs the treaty.
Judge Gabranth, Basch's twin brother, appears disguised as Basch and murders the king and most of the Dalmascan forces, including Reks. Basch is taken into custody and publicly accused of regicide (the motive is given that the king was "selling out" Dalmasca). His execution is announced by Marquis Ondore, leader of the neutral city of Bhujerba, who is ordered by Vayne to do so. Soon afterwards, the Marquis also announces that Princess Ashe has taken her own life of a broken heart due to the deaths of her husband and father (it is unclear if Vayne is behind this announcement as well).
Dalmasca soon offers an unconditional surrender to the Archadian Empire. Gabranth has accomplished his goal of leaving Dalmasca a broken and emasculated kingdom.
Contrary to Ondore's proclamations, neither Ashe nor Basch have died. Basch is interred in the Nalbina Dungeons by Gabranth to ensure he does not embarrass his plot, and to keep as a last-ditch blackmail tool against Ondore. Ashe goes underground, taking the name Amalia, and joins a resistance effort against the Empire. Vossler accompanies her as her protector.

Recently:

The wyrm Yiazmat murders Montblanc's master. Vowing revenge, he begins Clan Centurio in Rabanastre as an attempt to attract the best monster hunters to eventually take on Yiazmat. (See Side Quests for further information.)

The Present (706 O.V.):

Imperial soldiers are a common sight in Rabanastre, capital of Dalmasca. Vayne is appointed as the new Consul for Rabanastre.
Ondore slowly begins easing the shackles of the Empire by diverting the purest magicite from the Lhusu Mines before it reaches the Emperor, sending it to the Resistance. Judge Ghis is dispatched to Bhujerba to investigate, with a cadre of Imperial soldiers. Draklor researchers are also sent to the Henne Magicite Mines, searching for a new source of magicite in case Bhujerba's should cease.
Vaan (Reks's brother), Penelo, and Kytes are orphans living in Rabanastre under the care of Migelo, a bangaa who runs the sundries store. They are all employed in various odd jobs. We first see Vaan doing rat extermination. Migelo has acquired an exclusive contract to provide for the fete of the incoming consul, but the caravan with the goods has been waylaid in the Estersand. Migelo sends Kytes to Tomaj in the Sandsea Pub for replacement goods, then sends Vaan after Kytes when Kytes fails to come back.
Vaan finds Kytes in the Sandsea studying a notice board where a hunt has been posted for a mark (Rogue Tomato) in the desert. Kytes suggests that the tomato is the cause of the caravan's lateness. Vaan sends him back to Migelo and accepts the hunt. Tomaj gives him a writ of transit and Vaan makes his way into the Estersand, defeats the Rogue Tomato, and heads back towards the city, but the gates are locked. Migelo arrives with a liquid bribe for the guards and gets Vaan, Kytes, and Penelo (who came to look for Vaan) back inside the city.
Vayne gives a speech to the citizens of Rabanastre, where he humbly declares his desire for peace and the defense of Dalmasca; the people, who previously spouted jibes and insults, seem placated.
Vaan decides to sneak into the Royal Palace during the fete, in an effort to find some treasure to give back to the people of Dalmasca. Penelo suggests he go to Old Dalan in Lowtown. Vaan takes her advice. Dalan describes a secret way into the palace, gives him a Crescent Stone, and tells him that he needs a Sunstone from the Giza Plains to recharge it.
Penelo meets Vaan by the south gate, and tags along to the Giza Plains. Vaan collects a Shadestone from the nomads in Giza, travels around the Plains recharging it until it turns into a Sunstone, and returns to the city. Penelo leaves to watch Migelo's shop, and Vaan heads back to Dalan, who tells him that the secret way to the palace lies through Warehouse No. 5 in Lowtown and thence to the Garamsythe Waterway.
While Vaan is attempting his coup, both the Resistance (led by Amalia and Vossler) and Balthier and Fran are also entering the palace through the waterway; the Resistance is attempting to assassinate Vayne, whereas Balthier is looking for treasure. Vayne has been alerted to the Resistance's plot, however (it is unclear who the mole was), and prepares the Ifrit to attack them.
Vaan finds his way into the palace treasury with the help of Dalan's Crescent Stone, and takes a bright stone, actually the Dusk Shard. He is confronted by Balthier, who demands the stone, but before the standoff can continue, Imperial soldiers draw near. The Ifrit finds the Resistance and begins a large-scale attack. Vaan flees, and Balthier, who is still after the stone, follows. They escape on a motorcycle-like air vehicle, but the vehicle soon stops working (the Dusk Shard absorbs the Mist inside the skystone magicite in the vehicle). After a harrowing ride, they end up back in the waterway.
They soon meet up with Amalia, fighting Imperial soldiers in the waterway. Vaan saves Amalia from the soldiers, and they escape together, but are arrested by Vayne. Penelo runs up and tries to convince them to let Vaan go, but is unsuccessful. Balthier hands Penelo his handkerchief for safekeeping until they get out. Ba'Gamnan, Gabranth's dirty-work bangaa headhunter, looks on in disgust (he desires the bounty on Balthier's head himself). Vaan, Balthier, and Amalia are thrown into the Nalbina Dungeons.
Vaan happens upon three seeqs beating up a bangaa inside the dungeon. The seeqs turn on him instead, and Balthier helps him knock them out. They meet up with Fran and espy Judge Gabranth conversing with Ba'Gamnan, both upset that Balthier has eluded them. Gabranth heads to speak with Basch, and opens the magicks binding the way. The party follows quickly afterwards.
Gabranth interrogates Basch about Amalia, but Basch says nothing. The Judge leaves. Balthier and Fran enter the room; Fran detects Mist coming from below Basch's swinging cage. Balthier ignores Vaan's protests and takes everyone down with the cage, freeing Basch. Vaan is suspicious of him, but agrees to let Basch accompany them through the Barheim Passage. Basch manages to explain his version of events, and Vaan slowly begins to change his mind about him.
They emerge in the Dalmasca Estersand, and head for Rabanastre. The party separates. Vaan heads to Migelo's to find Penelo, but instead finds Kytes, who has an errand to do from Old Dalan. Vaan offers to do it instead. Dalan gives him a Sword of the Order to give to Vossler. Vaan finds Vossler's hideout, where the Resistance is fiercely debating the meaning of the fact that Basch still lives. Basch comes out, in new clothes, but Vossler refuses to completely trust him. Both Basch and Vossler agree that they need to contact Marquis Ondore in Bhujerba to try to secure Amalia's release.
Basch goes with Vaan to the Sandsea to find Balthier and Migelo, but instead find that Ba'Gamnan has kidnapped Penelo in an attempt to lure Balthier out. He has left a note telling Balthier to come to the Lhusu Mines in Bhujerba. Balthier is reluctant to go, but Vaan offers him the Dusk Shard if he takes him. Balthier agrees. Basch also goes along, intending to meet Ondore in any case.
Vossler succeeds in reaching Ondore. Ondore has him smuggled onboard the Dreadnought Leviathan, where Amalia is being held captive. He bides his time, waiting for a chance to get her out.
The Strahl arrives in Bhujerba to see the Imperial forces on a search for Lord Larsa. Larsa meets them just outside the aerodrome, introduces himself as Lamont, and asks to go along with them to the Lhusu Mines.
In the mines, Larsa/Lamont finds a piece of manufacted nethicite, the proof he was searching for that the Empire has been doing experiments on it in Lhusu. They suddenly happen upon Ba'Gamnan, who says that he's already let Penelo go, but attacks them. The party flees and Ba'Gamnan loses them in the mines.
Penelo is picked up by Judge Ghis, who later meets Larsa. Larsa apologizes, then asks Ondore to put Penelo up in his mansion. Both Vaan and Basch wish to meet Ondore, so they need a way to find the people associated with him. Vaan decides to make a stink, proclaiming around Bhujerba "I'm Captain Basch!". Finally, Havharo, the leader of the Bhujerban cadre of the Resistance, has Vaan apprehended. Basch then walks in, and one of Havharo's agents, a servant of Ondore's, agrees to take them to him.
Vaan asks Ondore to see Penelo, but she and Larsa have already left for the Dreadnought Leviathan. Basch also asks Ondore to help rescue Amalia. Their plan involves Basch drawing his sword against Ondore, and being arrested and taken to Judge Ghis aboard the Leviathan, where Amalia is being held. Ondore knows that Vossler will help them escape.
Ghis tells Amalia (revealed to be Princess Ashe) that he will release her if she swears fealty to the Empire, which she refuses to do. Unfortunately, she has no way of proving her lineage and reclaiming her throne. Basch tells Ashe that he was bidden to give her the Dusk Shard, whose location only he knows - however, it begins shining in Vaan's hand. Ghis is delighted, and demands the shard. Vaan hands it over after extracting a promise not to execute anyone. Ghis agrees, and sends the prisoners away, quartering Ashe separately.
The soldiers escorting Balthier, Basch and Vaan scuffle with them; Vossler, walking behind, enters into the fray and they succeed in freeing themselves. They find their way to Ashe and free her. She agrees to trust Basch for the moment, but does not attempt to hide her hatred for him.
On the way to the Leviathan's harbor, they meet up with Larsa and Penelo. Larsa tells them that Ghis is aware of their escape. He gives Penelo the manufacted nethicite he found in the mines. Vossler leaves to secure an airship, and Penelo goes with the rest of the party.
They meet Judge Ghis before they can find an airship. Ghis attacks them with magic, but Penelo's nethicite absorbs it. They defeat Ghis, and Vossler enters, directing them to an Atomos he found. They make it back to the aerodrome in Bhujerba. Penelo returns Balthier's handkerchief to him. Vossler tells Ashe that he must search for another way to restore Dalmasca, and for her to take Basch as her protector in the meantime.
Ashe heads to Ondore and asks for his help, but Ondore reasons with her that she cannot do anything until she obtains proof of her lineage. That night, Ashe steals aboard the Strahl, intent on obtaining the Dawn Shard from the Tomb of Raithwall. Vaan happens upon her, as does the rest of the party. Ashe asks Balthier to "kidnap" her, and tells him that Raithwall's Tomb contains much treasure. Vaan and Penelo have no wish to stick around either, so they all head to the closest they can get to Raithwall's Tomb: the Dalmasca Westersand.
Emperor Gramis asks Gabranth to protect Larsa, especially from Vayne, and ensure that he does not become as ruthless as Gabranth himself.
Vossler discovers Ashe's goals, and contacts Judge Ghis. He offers him a trade: the Dawn Shard for giving Ashe back her kingdom. Ghis agrees.
The party heads west to the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea, where Vossler meets up with them. They deal with the Urutan-Yensa as they head past the Ogir-Yensa and Nam-Yensa Sandseas, to the Valley of the Dead and Raithwall's Tomb.
The party make their way through the tomb, defeat Belias and obtain its aid. They continue and obtain the Dawn Shard.
When they exit the tomb, Judge Ghis is waiting for them with the Shiva and the rest of the 8th Fleet. Vossler tells her to give him the Dawn Shard; Ghis assists her judgment by threatening Balthier with death. Ashe hands the shard over.
Although they were ordered not to test the shard immediately, Ghis has it tested anyway, intending to use it to gain power over Vayne. The shard begins reacting, throwing Fran into a berserk rage. They break out of their bonds and attack the Imperial guards, but are stopped by Vossler. They defeat him.
The Dawn Shard drains Mist from the ship's engines. Vossler tells Basch to take up his charge of protecting Ashe. The party manages to escape on a stolen airship in the nick of time - the Shiva explodes, taking Ghis and Vossler, and the entire 8th Imperial Fleet, including the Dreadnought Leviathan, with it. The party spots the Dawn Shard streaking away in a ball of flame, and retrieves it.
Ondore takes advantage of this loss to the Empire to begin recruiting Resistance members in earnest. The pirate city of Balfonheim agrees to supply the Resistance, but not to fight with them. Ashe returns to Rabanastre, but declines to announce her presence, as such an announcement would be detrimental to Ondore's efforts (since it was he who announced her death, and exposing this as a lie would lower his esteem in the eyes of potential recruits). Rozarria begins assembling for war under the pretext of training exercises. The Archadian Senate expresses its displeasure at Vayne for his reckless display of the Fleet. Vayne is summoned back to Archades.
Ashe resolves to use the Dawn Shard to attack Archadia. However, she does not know how to use it. They decide to head for the garif village of Jahara to ask the elder there. Balthier demands payment before accompanying them, and asks for Ashe's wedding ring. He tells her he will return it once he finds something more valuable.
The garif war-chief is unable to help Ashe, but he tells her that the Dawn Shard has lost its Mist and is useless at the moment. They then are found by Larsa, who asks Ashe to accompany him to Mt Bur-Omisace, in an effort to end the coming war. He hopes that the Gran Kiltias can confirm Ashe as Dalmascan royal blood, and a peace pact could be forged then and there to stop Ondore and the war. (Al-Cid Margrace of Rozarria is also invited to Bur-Omisace by Larsa.) He convinces her to do this; despite the fact that she would be helping the Empire, Larsa correctly informs her that Dalmasca would be the battlefield of any war. Vaan decides to go with them, in search for answers about his direction in life.
Judges Drace and Gabranth, though in conflicting minds about the propriety of Vayne's ascendancy to the throne, agree that they must protect Lord Larsa, both from Vayne and the Senate, who would react badly when they discover that Larsa is not the puppet they thought he was.
At some point in the recent past, Mjrn, Fran's sister, leaves Eruyt Village, concerned about the increased Imperial activity in the Golmore Forest, near the Henne Magicite Mines. She follows them to the mines, where she is captured by Draklor researchers. She is subjected to manufacted nethicite, which opens her to possession by Venat. She goes berserk, killing the researchers and wandering the mines.
The party passes through Golmore Jungle, but the forest refuses to let Fran pass. Fran opens the way to Eruyt Village and instructs Vaan to find Mjrn. Vaan instead finds her older sister and leader of the village, Jote. While they speak, Fran enters the village and demands to know where Mjrn is; she has sensed that Mjrn is not in the forest. Larsa interprets Jote's subsequent words to say that Mrjn is in the Henne Mines, where the party heads. They meet Mjrn, who either summons or happens upon a great Tiamat; the party defeats it, and Venat flees Mjrn's body.
The group returns to Eruyt Village, where Jote gives them Lente's Tear, a relic that allows the party to pass the jungle. Mjrn wishes to come with them, but Fran refuses, telling her to stay in the wood. The party passes through Golmore Jungle and Paramina Rift, and enters Mt Bur-Omisace.
In the meantime, Vayne executes a coup, assassinating his father Emperor Gramis. He blames the act on Gregoroth, chairman of the Senate. The Senate is stripped of its authority by the Ministry of Law, and Vayne is endowed with autocratic powers and installed as the new Emperor. Judge Drace accuses Vayne of treason and draws sword against him, not realizing that the Judges support him. Judge Bergan disarms her, made inhumanly strong by manufacted nethicite. Vayne orders her execution (though Zargabaath tries to convince him otherwise) and Gabranth obeys his order reluctantly, after being made aware that Vayne knows of his regular reports to Gramis on Vayne's doings. Vayne orders Zargabaath to take the Alexander to Mt Bur-Omisace and bring Larsa back, apparently by force. Zargabaath takes Bergan and Gabranth with him.
The deposed Senate makes a token resistance with the forces available to them, but it is quickly quelled.
The party meets with Gran Kiltias Anastasis and Al-Cid, who brings them news of the Emperor's death. The previous plan would have involved Larsa having the ear of Emperor Gramis; but with Vayne at the lead, he would simply declare Ashe an impostor. Ashe decides to try and gain a greater power than Vayne and fight rather than sue for peace. Anastasis informs her of the Sword of Kings, a relic of King Raithwall that can destroy nethicite. With it, she can cancel Vayne's use of the Dusk Shard, and have a fighting chance with Ondore and Rozarria against Archadia. He sends them to the Stilshrine of Miriam to retrieve the sword.
Battling past another Esper, Mateus, Ashe obtains the Sword of Kings. Balthier suggests she use it to destroy the Dawn Shard as a test. The ghost of Rasler appears to her, trying to dissuade her from doing it (the Occuria, who are projecting the image, want the nethicite to remain as their tools). Ashe swings the sword, but deliberately misses. Fran detects a cessation of Mist from it, and understands that the sword is real.
Upon heading back to Mt Bur-Omisace, they find it under attack by Imperial forces. Larsa has been taken away by Gabranth, and Bergan has slain Anastasis. The party attacks Bergan and kills him, finding that his entire body has been lined with manufaced nethicite. Al-Cid, who survives, asks Ashe to come back to Rozarria and convince them to stand down their troops, but Ashe refuses, telling him of her plan to use the Sword of Kings against the Dusk Shard. Balthier suggests that the shard is in the Draklor Laboratory, in Archades.
The party heads to the Mosphoran Highwaste and then to Salikawood, where they gather a bunch of moogle artisans to fix the road forward to the Phon Coast. They pass through the Coast, the Tchita Uplands, and the Sochen Cave Palace, finally reaching Old Archades. Balthier meets an old acquaintance of his named Jules, who helps them pass through to Archades proper by starting a commotion, in exchange for the juicy tidbit of Balthier's return. Balthier goes to the Central section and investigates a way of getting to Draklor; he gives Jules some chops to give to Vaan to allow him to reach him. Jules pockets the chops and essentially makes Vaan run around town collecting his own chops to pay the ferry, delaying him. In the meantime, a cadre of Judges reinforces the service entrance, ensuring that Vaan and co. won't be able to sneak in quietly. While Vaan makes a disturbance, Jules will be collecting his own info about Draklor to sell to the highest bidder.
Jules shows them to a cabbie who takes them to Draklor. In the meantime, however, Zecht/Reddas has made his own way into Draklor, intending on confronting Cid. Vaan finds most of the guards already incapacitated. When they reach the 70th floor, Reddas attacks them, but quickly realizes his mistake. They confront Cid together at the top floor. After the fight, Reddas leaps at Cid, but is deflected by Venat, who finally shows himself. Cid escapes on an airborne vessel, but taunts Ashe, telling her to go to Giruvegan, where she might find a new stone, and that he intends to go there as well.
Reddas takes them back to Balfonheim. Balthier suggests they follow Cid to Giruvegan; Cid has the stone, and if they destroy it with the Sword of Kings, Vayne will be left without his trump card, and the allied Resistance and Rozarrian forces can crush Archadia. Reddas declines to accompany them, instead investigating documents he found in Draklor which point to the Ridorana Cataract and the Pharos Lighthouse. The party heads to the Feywood, where a sea of Mist awaits. A vision of Rasler appears to Ashe and opens the way forward, towards the city of Giruvegan. The gate which bars the door only answers to the one who commands Belias, the Gigas. Though Balthier wants to wait for Cid at the entrance, Rasler's ghost appears and leads Ashe deeper into the city.
After reaching the Great Crystal and defeating the Esper Shemhazai, Ashe finds herself alone in a strange place. The Occuria speak to her, give her the Treaty Blade, and entrust her with the task of destroying the Archadian Empire and Venat. They give her hints leading to the Pharos Lighthouse at Ridorana, where she is to find the Sun-Cryst and cut new nethicite from it. Basch is against her listening to them. Balthier realizes that Cid never meant to come there; he wanted Ashe to meet with the Occuria, though he does not yet divine Cid's true purpose of powering the Bahamut.
Larsa begs Vayne to treat with Ashe, but Vayne claims that Ashe seeks war, not peace. Larsa and Vayne dispatch Gabranth to spy on Ashe and see which she desires.
Reddas's pirates run into becalmed waters in the Ridorana Cataract, due to a huge sea of Mist. After a rescue operation, Reddas gives Balthier a skystone which works in jagd (liberated from Draklor), allowing him to fly directly to Ridorana. Reddas accompanies them on their way.
Balthier tells Vaan to take the Strahl should something happen to him. They find an inscription by King Raithwall telling them of the three bosses that await them, and not to trust illusion. They fight another Esper, Hashmal, on the way up. They find themselves in the Sun-Cryst room. Rasler again appears to Ashe, indicating that she should use the Sun-Cryst to destroy the Empire. Gabranth appears then, cajoling her to do it. He attempts to madden her by telling her that he was the one who killed her father. (Apparently he secretly desires to see the Empire fall, still nursing a grudge against them for the destruction of Landis.) He fights Reddas, who reveals his true identity as Zecht. Ashe finally realizes that Rasler is just a construct of the Occuria, and resolves to destroy the Sun-Cryst. Gabranth battles them, until Cid shows up.
Cid dismisses Gabranth, who attacks him, only to be thrown back by Venat. Cid uses the Sun-Cryst to awaken the Bahamut. The party battles Cid, who summons the Esper Famfrit. They defeat him, and soon his body fades away. Ashe and Vaan both try attacking the Sun-Cryst with the Treaty Blade and Sword of Kings, but cannot reach it due to the incredible power flowing out of it. Reddas takes the sword from Ashe and tells them to run. He leaps at the Cryst himself, striking it and causing it to explode. The rest of the party escape, but Reddas is consumed in the blaze.
The party heads back to Balfonheim, to find Al-Cid waiting for them. He informs them that he was unsuccessful in securing Rozarria's peaceful intent; military generals went right to the Resistance. A column of fighters ended up in old Nabradia, fighting Imperial forces. This required a declaration of war on the part of Archadia and the Resistance both - and the battleground is Dalmasca. Rozarria currently waits for the Empire to tire fighting the Resistance, but it is only a matter of time before they join in.
Vayne commands the Bahamut and heads for Rabanastre. The Strahl heads for the Bahamut. Vaan hides his voice as Larsa using Balthier's voice-hiding gadget, and Ondore is convinced to let them continue for the Bahamut through the air battle. (Larsa tries to convince Vayne to ease off on the Resistance battleships, but Larsa demands complete annihilation.) The party disembarks and goes off to find Vayne. On the way, they are again attacked by Gabranth. He is defeated, and Basch tries to convince him to end his hatred.
They find Vayne and Larsa, who finally raises his sword against his brother. They defeat Vayne, but he uses manufacted nethicite left him by Cid to become Vayne Novus, a grey-skinned monstrosity. Vayne tells Gabranth to defend Larsa afterwards; Gabranth responds by raising his sword against Vayne. The party battles Vayne Novus; after the battle, Gabranth succeeds in piercing Vayne. Vayne unleashes a blow against Gabranth, sending him across the room. He summons a final attack against him, but it is absorbed by Larsa's nethicite. Vayne escapes to the outside, aided by Venat against Vaan.
Vayne, though he believes himself to be dying, is directly possessed by Venat, summoning pieces of the Bahamut to himself until he resembles a giant mechanical dragon. He begins destroying ships left and right. However, the party attacks this new boss, The Undying, and prevails.
The party (with Larsa, and Basch carrying Gabranth) escapes to the Strahl, but the Bahamut's glossair rings stop working. Balthier and Fran head back inside to fix them, without telling the rest of the party. Gabranth adjures Basch to continue his oath in protecting Larsa, then passes away.
The Strahl begins moving. Basch, using Balthier's voice-mimicking device, pretends to be Judge Gabranth and broadcasts a cease-fire, with Larsa confirming the order. Ashe then gets on the mike and repeats the cease-fire to Ondore. They declare the war over.
Judge Zargabaath, onboard the Alexander, broadcasts a message: The Bahamut is on a crash course for Rabanastre. He intends to ram it with the Alexander, and orders his ships to fire on Alexander's remains afterwards. Balthier then contacts Ashe, asking her to get them to lay off the fire until he fixes the rings. We see him carrying Fran (unconscious from falling debris). Then the Bahamut falls to the earth, well past Rabanastre.

One Year Later (707 O.V.):

Lord Larsa has taken over as Emperor. Basch is now a Judge and his personal protector. Ashe's coronation as Queen of Dalmasca is set to take place in one month.
Penelo and Vaan return to Rabanastre to live (the Bahamut remains as a presence on the town's outskirts). They take care of the Strahl in Balthier's absence. Vaan also has somehow gotten the cash to buy his own airship.
Penelo returns to the Strahl's hangar to find it "stolen": a letter and ring remain. The letter reads: "Something more valuable: the Cache of Glabados. I await in Bervenia." The ring is Ashe's wedding ring, which is returned to her.

Side Quests:

You can take on 45 different monster hunts (marks), either from notice boards or Montblanc in Clan Centurio. At one point, there are reports of a bangaa attacking mark hunters. Monid, a bangaa member of Centurio, and Montblanc post a dummy hunt in an effort to get Vaan and Balthier to take it. They do so, and go to the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea, where they meet up with the one and only Ba'Gamnan, whom they finally defeat.
The final hunt is Yiazmat. To unlock it, first you must defeat the Hell Wyrm in the Sochen Cave Palace. Hell Wyrm has 10 million HP and many life bars. Yiazmat is in the coliseum in the Ridorana Cataract, and has 50 million HP. Beating him (which requires several hours, though you can leave and return to continue) nets you one of the three ingredients of the Wyrmhero Blade, and reunites Montblanc with his five brothers.
Two of the hunts can be found in the Pharos Subterra, the three lowest levels of the Pharos Lighthouse which are available after beating it the first time.
Another one is in the deepest part of the Lhusu Mines. To fully explore it, two keys need to be found; one in the Antlion hunt, and one lying around in the Phon Coast Hunter Camp afterwards. The mark in this case is none other than Gilgamesh. The party meets him first on a bridge (hence the title of the hunt, "Battle on the Big Bridge"); after fighting him and his sidekick Enkidu, he runs off. The second battle is much harder. After beating him, he leaves behind a replica of the Wyrmhero Blade, which he quickly sneaks back in and grabs while the party leader's back is turned.
Other than the five storyline Espers, there are no less than eight others to be obtained.
- Speaking to a nu mou in Mt Bur-Omisace after it is attacked yields a key that works on a waystone in the Stilshrine of Miriam. Following the waystone leads you to the Esper Zeromus.
- In the Mosphoran Highwaste, the shrines dotting the rest area contain "floatweed". Floating up the correct weeds opens a path to the Esper Exodus.
- The Zertinan Caverns open up after a point in the story, and a previously unreachable area now contains the Esper Adrammelech.
- The Garamsythe Waterway sluices (which work after completing the White Mousse hunt) can be used to eventually open the way to the Esper Cúchulainn.
- The Barheim Passage can be opened up with a key obtainable after helping to heal a bangaa traveler in the Dalmasca Estersand village. The Passage can be further explored to find the Esper Zalera.
- Three nu mou guard a key to the Necrohol of Nabudis. The leader is in the Nabreus Deadlands; one is in the Archades Magic Shop, one is in Dalan's house in Lowtown of Rabanastre. After some convoluted medallion collection, they open the way to three doors in the Necrohol. Past the third door lies the Esper Chaos.
- Once you've collected ten Espers, a geomancer in Jahara will open a gate in the Henne Mines. At the end of the newly opened section lies the Esper Zodiark.
- After beating Shemhazai in the Great Crystal of Giruvegan, a new way will open up, with many gates named after Zodiac symbols. At the end lies the Esper Ultima, as well as the path to an extremely difficult boss, Omega Mark XII. Beating Omega yields another of the three requirements for the Wyrmhero Blade.
You can go fishing by getting a rod (the Muramata) in Balfonheim and giving it to a man in the Dalmasca Estersand village. After fishing enough times, and beating Gilgamesh, you must go on a long treasure hunt involving many different clues. It leads you to a point in the Barheim Passage, where Gilgamesh again shows up. He gives you the Matamune rod, claiming he was looking for another legendary blade, but just found a fishing rod. With the new rod, you can fish till the end, gaining the third element of the Wyrmhero Blade.
The Phon Coast Hunter Camp allows you to start a quest whereby rare monsters will show up. There are no less than 80 of them (though only 30 yield the trophies you can give to the Camp).
The Giza Plains colony takes care of cockatrices; however, at a point in the story, they all run away. You must collect them from practically every city in the world before you're done with the sidequest. You can speak with them by finding the "Feather of the Flock" item in the rainy Giza Plains.
You can race Rikken and his friends in Balfonheim in a similar race to Vivi's in FF9, though the prizes aren't great.
You can find bottles of Bhujerban Madhu (liquor) around Bhujerba and sell them to people in the city.
Going on the commerical airships, you can start a quest where you must meet the cabin chief of each airship (they're all sisters); giving them all letters keeps an amorous male family from bugging them with their advances, and you'll get a prize.
You can find a viera in Rabanastre and match her up with her "soulmate" after running around after both of them.
Ktjn, another viera in Rabanastre, will ask you questions throughout the game; your decisions will affect what she finally decides to do with her life, and you'll get a prize.
There are several other minor quests to do, but none of them really deserve a mention here.