The World of Ivalice

Ivalice is the world which comprises the settings of FF Tactics, FFTA, FF12, and Vagrant Story. Although the connections are tenuous, there is much evidence that the four games really are meant to take place in the same world. An absolute timeline is difficult to construct, so for the moment we would like to at least present the common themes throughout the different games. Note that FFTA's Ivalice is actually a "fictional" Ivalice, brought to life from a book called the Gran Grimoire, and based on a video game called "Final Fantasy". Hence, it's almost certain that it is not directly connected with the other games.

There are further crossovers to other games, viewable from the main In-Crossovers page.

The Zodiac

The twelve signs of the Zodiac play an enormous role in Ivalice. In FF Tactics, every character has a sign which affects the damage ratio to units with similar or opposite signs. The story revolves around the Zodiac Stones, which are intimately connected with the demon Lucavi. The story itself is subtitled "The Zodiac Brave Story". It also introduces Serpentarius, the thirteenth Zodiac sign. FF12 continues the theme with Zodiac gems sprinkled around the world as general loot items, the best spear and shield being called the Zodiac Spear and Zodiac Escutcheon, twelve Zodiac gates in the Great Crystal area, and thirteen summonable Espers, each representing one sign. Many of the Espers are former Lucavi from FFT, others are Totema from FFTA; bosses from FF1, 4 and 5 and the Zodiac summon from FFT also are involved. Most of them have some sort of connection with their Zodiac sign. Here is a complete list.

	Belias FF12 Title: The Gigas Also Appears In: FFT as Velius the Warlock Sign: Aries, the Ram Limit Break: Hellfire (Ifrit's usual spell) Element: Fire CP: Mesha Ascendant. Scion of darkness and guardian of the Holy Realm, made by the gods in opposition to the Transcendent Loghrif, scion of light. Called the Gigas for his appearance: man and monster fused as one. Considered a mistake upon his making, and receiving not his intended role, the Gigas challenged the gods and lost. Scorned by his masters, he found another: the Dynast-King, whose tomb he swore to protect for eternity.
	Mateus FF12 Title: The Corrupt Also Appears In: FFTA as the Human Totema. Sign: Pisces, the Fish Limit Break: Frostwave Element: Ice CP: Meena Ascendant. Scion of darkness ruling and protecting those who live in the underworld, in opposition to Lahabrea, Abyssal Celebrant and scion of light. In the course of his rule, he submitted to avarice, and the darkness took his heart, transforming him until he was both evil and corrupt. Then in his cowardice did he bind a Goddess of the Demesne of Ice, and using her as a living shield, he challenged the gods. Defeated before their might, he fell screaming into the depths of hell, there to be imprisoned for eternity.
	Shemhazai FF12 Title: The Whisperer Also Appears In: N/A Sign: Sagittarius, the Archer Limit Break: Soul Purge Element: Soul CP: Dhanus Ascendant. Scion that is both horse and woman, wielding utter control over the souls that wander the underworld, in opposition to the Martyr Igeyorhm, scion of light. Though she once served the gods as a guardian, when Ultima announced her rebellion, Shemhazai went to her, whispering of the gods' hidden weaknesses. She then descended upon the land without leave of the gods, and taught men of destruction and evil. For this was she stricken down and bound.
	Hashmal FF12 Title: Bringer of Order Also Appears In: FFT as Hashmalum the Regulator Sign: Leo, the Lion Limit Break: Gaia's Wrath (Titan's usual spell) Element: Earth CP: Simha Ascendant. Scion sent by the gods to wield and manipulate the laws of his world, and with holy power lead mankind to order. Created in opposition to Fandaniel the Protector, scion of light. Desiring to bring order to all things, he joined with Ultima in her battle against the gods. He gave his body to the Thousand-Years War, and when his strength was spent, down into the burning inferno he fell.
	Famfrit FF12 Title: The Darkening Cloud Also Appears In: FFTA as the Moogle Totema. Sign: Aquarius, the Water Carrier Limit Break: Tsunami (Leviathan's usual spell) Element: Water CP: Kumbha Ascendant. The hideous, darkly clouded form of Famfrit, scion in opposition to Holy Queen Emmerololth, scion of light, was anathema even to his creators. Thus, after a great battle, was he broken and sealed within armor laced with wards. The confines of his armor are void of light, and so is he called the Darkening Cloud. Men fear the rain that falls from the black clouds that ooze from that giant ewer as a herald of chaos and waste.
	Adrammelech FF12 Title: The Wroth Also Appears In: FFT as Adramelk the Ghost of Fury; in FFTA as the Bangaa Totema. Sign: Capricorn, the Goat Limit Break: Judgment Bolt (Ramuh's usual spell) Element: Thunder CP: Makara Ascendant. Emperor among the scions, able to reduce to nothing aught he strikes with a single vengeful blow of his fist, created in opposition to Deudalephon the Benevolent, scion of light. Though he was made by the gods to quell the fiends that raged in the Otherworld, his immense strength and fearsome visage drew the fiends to his side, and turned him against his creators. Adrammelech rose to prominence in the Otherworld, whence he led a fiendish horde against the gods, but in the end, he was defeated.
	Zalera FF12 Title: The Death Seraph Also Appears In: FFT as Zarela the Dark Angel Sign: Gemini, the Twins Limit Break: Condemnation Element: Death CP: Mithuna Ascendant. Heretic scion who wrapped the world in dark energies, seeking to take the souls of all living things to himself. Created in opposition to Emet-Selch, Angel of Truth, and scion of light. Originally tasks with the judging of men upon their deaths, his soul was tainted by the curses of those who raged against the heavens, and seizing one of the gods' servants, a shamaness, as a hostage, he rebelled against his creators. Even now, in defeat, he clutches the shamaness to him in his right arm, and with the aid of her death-wail does he summon the soul of darkness to do his bidding.
	Exodus FF12 Title: The Judge-Sal Also Appears In: FF5 as Exdeath, the final boss; in FFTA as the Viera Totema. Sign: Libra, the Scales Limit Break: Meteor (used in FF5 as well) Element: None Note that his FFTA version had a tree theme, which is closer to Neo Exdeath, whereas his FF12 version is closer to Exdeath's regular form. The backstory presented in the Clan Primer coincides with FF5. CP: Tula Ascendant. Most ancient of the scions, created in opposition to Halmarut, the Arbiter, and scion of light. Tasked with keeping watch over the world, with the authority to judge the value of all things. As he watched, unseen, unknown, his attachment to the world dwindled and faded until it was as nothing. Fitting that he would desire to make the world, too, as nothing. Yet he fell in the war against the gods, and was thwarted, imprisoned in punishment for his heresy.
	Cúchulainn FF12 Title: The Impure Also Appears In: FFT as Queklain, the Impure King Sign: Scorpio, the Scorpion Limit Break: Blight Element: Poison CP: Vrishchika Ascendant. Scion created to rid the world of its impurities by swallowing them within himself, in opposition to Nabriales the Majestic, scion of light. The world, however, was more filled with impurity and corruption than even the gods dared imagine, and having swallowed it all, the once beautiful Cuchullain was transformed into a hideous thing, a deity of filth, and so did he turn against his creators. Wherever his feet should fall, there all life withers to dust.
	Zeromus FF12 Title: The Condemner Also Appears In: FF4 as the final boss Sign: Cancer, the Crab Limit Break: Big Bang (used in FF4 as well) Element: Gravity CP: Karka Ascendant. Honoring the law more than any other, a scion of holy order and condemner of criminals. Created in opposition to Knight-Star Pashtarot, scion of light. He turns his deep, abiding hatred for those who break the law into living darkness, therein to plunge the guilty in fell judgment. Over time, he came to care less for upholding the law and more for condemnation, and so tainted by hate, he sought to condemn the gods themselves to death. Thus did he earn the title of "The Condemner", and thus did he fall from grace.
	Chaos FF12 Title: Walker of the Wheel Also Appears In: FF1 as the final boss; in FF7 DoC; in FFU. Sign: Taurus, the Bull Limit Break: Hurricane Element: Wind Note that the Clan Primer backstory coincides with FF1's story. CP: Vrishabha Ascendant. Tutelary deity of the sacred crystals fasioned by the gods at the time of the Great Making. Created in opposition to Mitron the Chastiser, scion of light. Upon entering the world of Man, he was enveloped in the turmoil rampant there. Lost, he died and was reborn countless times, a walker of life's wheel, eventually to rage against the gods that had so fated him. By sitting in meditation upon the Uneh Pedestal does he clear heart and mind until all that has order and reason and thought is made as nothing.
	Ultima FF12 Title: The High Seraph Also Appears In: FFT as Altima, the Arch Angel and final boss; in FFTA as the Nu Mou Totema. Sign: Virgo, the Maiden Limit Break: Perfect Ultima Element: Holy CP: Kanya Ascendant. Masterpiece among the scions created by the gods, and mastermind of the plot to rise against them. Prior to her betrayal, she was tasked with guiding souls to heaven and aiding in their reincarnation. Called the High Seraph for her angelic wings of glimmering gold, yet it was on wings of deepest black that the tainted angel Ultima rose against the gods. Since her fall, her heart is without light, and impossible to know.
	Zodiark FF12 Title: Keeper of Precepts Also Appears In: FFT as Zodiac, the final summon Sign: Serpentarius, the Snake Element: Dark Limit Break: Last Eclipse CP: Ashlesha Ascendant. Strongest of the scions created by the gods, they feared his growth, and so kept him a child. So indomitable is his strength that all things are by him twisted and pressed into oblivion. He alone fasions the laws governing all things, and administers punishment in place of the gods. So is he Keeper of Precepts, and his authority is absolute.

History and People

There are several crossovers between the games. Again, this is not necessarily a proof that they are factually connected (the names may just be cute references).

• The biggest link is that of Saint Ajora. In FF12, the Clan Primer mentions that Saint Ajora started a spinoff of the Light of Kiltia religion, the Glabados Church, approximately two thousand years earlier. In FFT, Saint Ajora's life is placed as 1200 years before the events of the game. This would seem to place FF12 800 years after FFT. If this were the case, the "Holy Empire Yudora" in power at the time of Ajora's life would predate King Raithwall's Galtean Alliance by 900 years, and the "Fara Church" would be FFT's name for the Light of Kiltia (Faram being the name of the ultimate deity in both). However, there are some problems with this: in FFT, the Glabados Church is the primary religion of the time, whereas the original Light of Kiltia is dominant in FF12. Arguably, though, this could have happened once Saint Ajora was exposed as a fraud in the events of FFT. Another obvious problem is the total lack of non-hume races in FFT - again, one would have to say that the races immigrated to Ivalice or were discovered by humes in the ensuing 800 years. Though a bit of a stretch, given that humes are the dominant species in Ivalice in FF12, it's not impossible.
• The Lucavi of FFT are part of the Espers in FF12. The history of the Espers (given above) indicates Ultima leading a revolt against the gods. In FFT, the Lucavi are known as demons, and their leader is Ultima/Altima. However, instead of being summoned as separate bodies using glyphs, they are reborn and take over the body of a human using Zodiac Stones. One could be inventive in squeezing the two legends together to work, but it's difficult.
• Vagrant Story's introduction is given by "A.J. Durai" - this is Alazlam from FFT, himself a descendant of Olan from the same game.
• Vagrant Story has four items that reference FFT characters: "Agrias's Balm", "Beowulf", "Orlandu", and "Altema".
• Vagrant Story has a Kiltian Temple as one of its later dungeons; the Light of Kiltia is the main religion in FF12.
• Both FF12 and FFTA have moogles named Montblanc and Nono, who occupy basically the same positions (one is a clan leader, one works with airships).
• The "naturalist Merlose" is often quoted in FF12's Clan Primer; Callo Merlose was a major character in Vagrant Story.

Geography

It is difficult to completely reconcile all areas of geography in the various games, but the names of many of the countries, continents and areas do cross over fairly consistently.

Ivalice

The main area in FFT, FFTA, and FF12. FFT describes it as a country, FFTA as a world, and FF12 as a region:
CP: The region consisting of the three continents of Valendia, Ordalia, and Kerwonm, blessed throughout with verdant natural landscapes and climatic conditions supporting a great variety of life. Regional climate trends are thought to be determined largely by the density of Mist present in the air, though this correlation is not yet well understood. Many humanoids call Ivalice home, each belonging to a distinct cultural sphere. By far the most prevalent of these are the humes, and it is around their civilization that affairs throughout the rest of the world revolve.

Described as a country in FFT and a continent in FF12. Ordalia undertook a Fifty Years' War with Ivalice in the backstory of FFT.
CP: Continent on the western edge of Ivalice. The vast plains in the interior are home to the great Rozarrian Empire. To the east of Rozarria the land is arid and largely desert. The Galtean Peninsula on the eastern portion of the continent is a crossroads connecting to Valendia and Kerwon both, and a strategic prize sought by empire and kingdom alike. Though Dalmasca controlled the peninsula for the last several hundred years, it was lost to the Archadian Empire in an invasion two years past.

Not mentioned in FFT, FF12 describes it as one of the great continents, and the home of the destroyed Nabradian kingdom. More importantly, Valendia is the setting for Vagrant Story.
CP: Continent lying to the northeast of Ordalia. The climate is overall quite clement, and levels of Mist are far more stable than on the other two large continents. Many towns and villages dot the hilly region stretching from the continent's interior to the shores of the Inner Naldoan Sea, most under the direct control of Archadia. The Kingdom of Nabradia, lying on the Phon Straits in western Valendia, prospered here until its destruction in the Archadian invasion of two years past, its capital of Nabudis becoming a deserted wasteland.

The only place other than Ivalice to be mentioned in all three FF games. Bervenia is described in FFT as being the birthplace of St. Ajora, controlled by the Glabados Church. There is also a volcano in the area. Bervenia is the royal capital in FFTA, and is mentioned in the ending of FF12 as holding a treasure called the Glabados Hoard.

There are several places which exist in both FFTA and FF12; however, since FFTA's places are arbitrarily positioned and often have no direct bearing on the story, there's no indication if they're really meant to be the same. These place names are: Eluut Sands (possibly turned into Eruyt Village in FF12), Giza Plains, Ozmonfield/Ozmone Plain, and the Salikawood. Al-Cid also mentions the "Ambervale of Clan Margrace" in Rozarria; in FFTA, Ambervale was also a private retreat for royalty. Lesalia - It's possible that Lesalia from FFT is identical with Rozarria in FF12. Not entirely sure, though.

Miscellaneous

• All three games have a side quest involving a pet Malboro named Carrot that runs away and needs to be retrieved. FFT has a Proposition, "Ultimate Atavism"; FFTA has a mission named "Carrot!"; FF12 has Carrot as a mark.
• Balthier's and Cid's last name, Bunansa, is the almost the same as that of Mustadio and Besrodio in FFT, Bunanza.
• Cid's first name from FF12, Cidolfus, is pretty much the same as Orlandu's first name in FFT, Cidolfas.
• One of the clan ranks in FF12 is Riskbreaker, Ashley Riot's title in Vagrant Story.
• One of the enemies in FF12 is the Leamonde Entite. Leá Monde is the city of the dead which most of Vagrant Story takes place in.
• The final boss of FF12 highly resembles that of Vagrant Story; both used to be human; both are now winged monstrosities which circle around a circular area with a psychedelic background. Both have two forms, and the first form of both of them have grey skin and an attack called Ascension (or Last Ascension in VS).
• FFTA mentions the "Grand Grimoire", a possible reference to Vagrant Story's Gran Grimoire. Regular grimoires play a role in VS's gameplay as well; FF12 also has many "forgotten grimoires".
• Many of FF12's monsters construct "palings" to ward off damage, a concept first explored in Vagrant Story.
• Vagrant Story has "cloudstones", floating stones which play heavily in puzzles. Cloudstones are also mentioned in FF12 as the loot item einherjarium, obtainable from the Babil enemy.
  CP: The emissaries of the gods descend to us from the paradise far above the sky we know. Therefore must they travel between the land and the sky, for which they use the wondrous metal einherjarium, otherwise known as cloudstone. The babil, servants of the gods, have bodies rich in this substance. How many have tried to steal the cloudstone from them and thereby reach paradise? How many have the gods stricken down for that heresy?
• Snowfly Forest is an area of Vagrant Story where the exits on the map do not line up with each other, making it very easy to get lost. Snowflies appear as a loot item in FF12 as well, dropped by the Nightmare enemy.
  CP: The uncharted wooded marches known as the Forests of Chaos are spoken of in legend, and though many are said to exist, little is known of their actual location. These dense forests, where the snowflies foregather in great flurries, brushing against the faces of all who pass, are so named because the sound of the snowflies' whirring wings pitch even the halest of wayfarers into confusion. They wander, lost, never again to leave the forest. While the marches may hide countless treasures, they are also places of unknown and unknowable danger. Consider your future, wayfarer. Consider your fate, and venture not into such places.
• All three games contain written documents (narrated in FF12), written after the fact, which illustrate certain events in the game. In VS they were written by the Valendia Knights of the Peace and Callo Merlose; in FFT they were written by Alazlam (who apparently is telling us the entire Zodiac Brave Story) and in FF12 it's Marquis Ondore's memoirs.
• In FF12, on the way to Golmore Jungle, Vaan and Penelo are playfully teasing each other. The lines are not subtitled, but Vaan clearly says, "I guess this one was a success.", followed by "I got a good feeling!" Penelo soon after mocks him by repeating "I got a good feeling!". These lines are from the infamously bad translation of FF Tactics' Proposition success screens.
• In FF12, if you speak to Fermon the storyteller at the Alley of Muted Sighs in Old Archades, he makes the comment, "you should show a little more respect...for faerie tales." That's a line that Sydney uttered in the introduction sequence of VS. (Thanks to Adam Elmahdi.)
• A huge number of items and equipment are shared between FFT, FFTA, and FF12. A full list would be unnecessary, especially considering that FF9, which is not part of the Ivalice world, also shares many of these items. Notable items which do not appear in other FF games include the Perseus Bow, the Escutcheon, and the Materia Blade.
• All three games have the Don't Move and Don't Act statuses.
• Both FFT and FF12 have the Oil status.
• FFT, FF12, and Vagrant Story all feature invisible traps which trigger when stepped on and either damage or cause status effects, and can only be revealed by various special abilities.
• FFT, FFTA, and FF12 all have a weaker version of the Coeurl called Panther or Red Panther.
• FFT, FFTA, and FF12 all give guns a 100% chance of hitting its target.