Editing Final Fantasy (section)

==Settings==
The Final Fantasy series is both simple and complicated to get into for one major reason: it's not a continuous series, but rather a shared title. Different games take place in their own worlds, and whilst some games share a common universe (the world of Ivalice is particularly fleshed out), the connections between are... rocky at best. Instead, games tend to share common themes or elements, like different realms in D&D. Monsters, items, spells, and other things(such as having a guy named Cid, or a duo called [[Star Wars|Biggs and Wedge]]) are pretty much the same across the series, even though their storylines are completely separate. This does mean that for the most part, you can get into the series from just about any game you like, at least as far as the main-line games are concerned. 

At the very least there are hints of a shared [[Multiverse]] with the mention of the Interdimensional Rift/The Void, something that was created for Final Fantasy V and more or less the Final Fantasy equivalent of the [[Warp]]. However, the canonicity of this explanation is debatable, as much of this was added in via remakes and [[retcon]]s. Some notable settings include:

===Compilation of Final Fantasy VII===
This setting consisting of a world simply known as Gaia or The Planet, is one of the more fan-favorite worlds in the FF series; despite being far more restricted in terms of development and story. It's very Midgar and "main story" centric; as we rarely see much of the world that has nothing to do with the massive Shinra corporation or the main character Cloud and antagonist Sephiroth's shared journey. Despite this, due to Final Fantasy VII being one of the most popular and arguably the most influential game in the series, it's setting is one of the most developed in the series, with spin-off games, animated series and even a full remake (only about 1/3 complete as of this writing) that greatly expands on the original (the first part of the remake is about 30 hours in length, while the story arc it covers was only around 5 hours in the original game) made to further flesh out the setting.

Gaia's stated to be somewhat of a "living" planet, with a form of blood in the form of the Lifestream and its product of [[Mana|Mako]]. All things are created from the planet, and return to the Lifestream upon death. To a massive mega corporation like Shinra, Mako is a very powerful and useful resource, due to its ability to create Materia, [[Ioun Stone]] like orbs that can be inserted into weapons and armor to provide magical abilities. Raw Mako itself is also useful as a power source; something Shinra has built its technological empire around. 

Some important locations include:

*'''Midgar:''' A company nation created by Shinra to help create more workers. It consists of multiple sectors and both an upper plate and the lower slums. There is a near constant war between the ecoterrorists of AVALANCHE and Shinra; until the former is mostly annihilated and later ousted during the first disc of FF7.

*'''Wutai:''' It's optional in the original FF7, but it's very important to the Final Fantasy 7 lore. Although it's a tourist spot by the time players get to it in the game, it was once a proud nation that clearly serves as a Far-East analogue. However, Shinra obliterated Wutai's status as a nation, and let it become a mere tourist trap.

*'''Nibelheim:''' This seemingly insignificant town is the impetus for everything wrong in Final Fantasy 7. Hometown of Cloud, the protagonist, this town becomes infamous for its later razing by the main antagonist Sephiroth. Before the razing, its reactor housed multiple tanks dedicated to horrible monsters, Makonoids, and the former home of the alien parasite, Jenova. After the razing, the town is housed by strange hooded individuals and fake civilians planted by Shinra.

===Ivalice===
{{stub}}
The other major fan favorite of the settings, Ivalice is a broad world with many locations, and peoples. Races are described in the section dedicated to them below.

Unlike most other Final Fantasies, the games that take place in the Ivalice world (collectively known as the Ivalice Alliance) not only take place in multiple locations, but also at different times and realities:
*'''Final Fantasy XII''': The earliest playable point in the Ivalice timeline, and even this period has prior history that strongly influences the events of the game. Set at the conjunction of three major continents of the world, follows a princess leading a Resistance to retake her throne. Notable across all the major Final Fantasy games to heavily emphasise nations and politics in its themes, a sharp contrast from the other run-of-the-mill heroes-save-the-world concepts prevalent across the franchise.
*'''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''': The game was exclusive to the Nintendo DS and was among the few true real-time strategy titles on the platform. Taking place one or two years after the events of XII, it follows the protagonists of the original game as they explore an unknown floating continent.
*'''Final Fantasy Tactics Advance''': The one divergent reality in the timeline, since the world itself was created by the wishes of its main characters. It is unclear where exactly FFTA lies on the timeline but it is generally agreed to take place before A2 and after XII, but does not inhabit the main timeline itself. Despite the cutesy and colorful characters, it had just as serious a story as XII, involving the protagonist trying to return to the real world while all his friends attempt to stop him.
*'''Final Fantasy Tactics A2''': Returning to the main timeline by synthesising many of the characters and ideas from both XII and FFTA together into a true sequel, A2 takes place on the western fringes of the original world, in a region called Jylland. Had a considerably lighter story but was tempered by darker subplots. 
*'''Final Fantasy Tactics''' (including ''War of the Lions''): Jump forward several centuries and the original world is no longer recognizable - after an age of calamity that wiped out most of the non-human races, the world has regressed into a feudal society with little hope for change. Follows a convoluted plot of dynastic marriage, demonic conspiracy and shadowy heroes in possibly the bitterest plot of the franchise. The game itself isn't actually part of the Alliance due to being released in 1997, but is considered the main ancestor for the whole Alliance.
*'''Vagrant Story''': Technically not even a Final Fantasy title but it gets a special mention because it is by the same director as Final Fantasy Tactics and dropped several hints that it takes place far into the future after Final Fantasy Tactics. It's about an agent investigating a Duke's involvement with a cult.
====Continents====

Ivalice is never explicitly defined as being the official name of the entire world, but the manner in which it's referenced by in-game characters make it de facto the title for the world that encapsulates all the locations across all the games in the setting, with the possible exception of FFTA. 

Major land regions featured across the Alliance include:
*'''Valendia''':
*'''Ordalia''':
*'''Kerwon''':
*'''Jylland''':

===Vana'diel (Final Fantasy XI)===
{{stub}}
Though a somewhat undercooked as a setting, the setting of the first Final Fantasy MMO still holds some love from its diehard fans. Its races are showcased in a section below. Important nations include:

*'''Republic of Bastok:'''

*'''Kingdom of San d'Oria:'''

*'''Federation of Windurst:'''

*'''Grand Duchy of Jeuno:'''

*'''Empire of Aht Urhgan:'''

*'''Sacred City of Adoulin:'''

===Hydaelyn (or, the massive FFXIV clusterfuck)===
{{WTF}}
Final Fantasy XIV, due to its status as one of the strongest selling Final Fantasies and also being a strong MMO, has grown to be quite popular as a setting, but also a massive clusterfuck of a setting. Only Final Fantasy VII can match Final Fantasy XIV's setting in terms of detail and attention, and that game has had decades of spinoffs. Its races are below.

Due to Final Fantasy XIV's nature as a "celebration" of all things Final Fantasy, nearly anything and everything can turn out to be canon in this game or show up. Final Fantasy VI's Warring Triad and Magitek? In it. Ivalice? A region in a far more massive world. Final Fantasy VII's weapons? Bio-organic weapons created by the ancient Allagan Empire and the Garlean Empire.

However, it's foolish to believe that this world is just ''one world'', because it's actually one Source world that split into thirteen Shards because of a catastrophe that happened eons ago. Much of the backstory involves ancient beings trying to merge these Shards back together; It gets weirder from there, and it's STILL going.  But it still manages to be less disjointed than [[World of Warcraft]] has become.

Like Gaia, Hydaelyn {{Spoiler|actually called Eitherys}} (the Source and all her Shards) has a Lifestream, where all creatures are born from aether and their aether returns to Hydaelyn. However, certain beastman cultures can summon Primals; beings that consume vast quantities of aether and are a drain on the Lifestream, as if their rampaging ways and tendency to enslave followers weren't already enough motivation to get rid of them. However, the nature of the planet and Primals get stranger as the Warrior of Light, the player character, ventures deeper into their adventure.

Some important locations include:

====The Source====
The primary world of Final Fantasy XIV. It's where you start and spend the majority of the game.

*'''Eorzea:''' Also known as '''Aldenard''', the home of the Eorzean Alliance; a faction consisting of three nations, '''Ul'dah''', '''Gridania''', and '''Limsa Lominsa''', though the nations of '''Ishgard''' and '''Ala Mhigo''' are also here and later join Ul'dah, Gridania and Limsa Lominsa's Eorzean Alliance..

:*''Ul'dah:'' The desert jewel of Thanalan, and one of the three starting cities. Run by moneygrubbing Monetarists, and is supposedly a Sultanate. Their military is the Immortal Flames; formerly run by Raubahn Aldynn. You can obtain the Pugilist, Thaumaturge and Gladiator base classes, the Miner gathering class, the Alchemist, Goldsmithing and Weaver crafting classes, and the Monk, Black Mage, Paladin, Red Mage and Samurai jobs here. Their main leader is Nanamo ul Namo; the Sultana and figurehead of the state (though recently managed to reclaim some of her power and transfer it to help Ul'dah become a republic). Also the source of the first major "oh shit" moment when the Warrior of Light is framed for attempting to assasinate the Sultana, and is forced to flee Ul'dah.

:*''Gridania:'' A nation in the midst of the heavily forested Black Shroud, and one of the three starting cities. Infamously racist against Ala Mhigan Highlanders, Keepers of the Moon and Duskwights on the grounds of them disrupting the balance of the forest, Gridania is [[What|led by Padjals, a race of unaging, horned children]] who are apparently directly blessed by the Elementals. The Padjals' leader, Kan-E-Senna, runs the Order of the Black Adders, their military. You can obtain the Conjurer, Lancer and Archer base classes, the Botanist gathering class, the Carpenter and Leatherworker crafting classes, and the White Mage, Dragoon, Bard and Gunbreaker jobs. It also houses most of the Summoner quests when that's obtained.

:*''Limsa Lominsa:'' A nation of former pirates in the island of Vylbrand, and one of the three starting cities. Run by Admiral Merwylb Bloefhiswyn, she was the one who personally disbanded the practice of piracy, but still let some of the more stubborn crews serve as privateers against the invading Garlean Empire. Obviously, this is a very contentious point. They're also somewhat expansionist much to the dismay of the native Kobolds (who look less like cute squat dragons and more like moles. Their military is the Maelstrom; and very obviously naval in nature versus the more land bound militaries of the Flames and Adders. You can obtain the Arcanist and Marauder base classes here, the Rogue base class after obtaining level 10, the Fisher gathering class, the Armorer, Culinarian and Blacksmith crafting classes, and the Scholar, Summoner (though the Summoner quests are in Gridania), Warrior, Ninja, Dancer and Blue Mage jobs.  Player-wise, Limsa is always the most crowded of the three main cities due to it being the only one to drop its aetherite plaza next to its market.

:*''Mor Dhona:'' A neutral land used as a hub for traveling adventurers, contested by the Eorzean Alliance and Garleans. Due to [[Bahamut]] nuking Eorzea (and mostly this region), Mor Dhona has a large collection of aetherically charged crystals. [[Bahamut]]'s wave of destruction also helped to unearth the Crystal Tower. In the midst of Lake Silvertear is the "carcass" of the king of dragons, Midgardsormr. Infamous for being the headquarters of the opportunistic Rowena and her House of Splendors.

:*''Ishgard:'' A two tierd, primarily Elezen city in the ice-blasted region of Coerthas and the primary focus of the first expansion, ''Heavensward''. When the players first encounter it, it's a Holy See run by Archbishop Thordan VII. Later, it gains a parliment similar to the UK consisting of the House of Lords and House of Commons and becomes a republic. Its military, the Temple Knights, was and still is led by Aymeric de Borel. Before and during Heavensward, Ishgard found itself embroiled with a war versus dragons. At first, it was believed the Ishgardians were in the right, when it later turned out it was the Ishgardians who murdered a mighty dragon known as Ratatoskr and incensed Nidhogg into creating a near permanent grudge. Unlike other expansions, you can find three jobs here; Dark Knight, Astrologian and Machinist. 

:*''Dravania:'' Less a nation and more a region, Dravania is the home of dragons, [[Chocobo|Chocobos]] and Moogles, and also the former location of a colony of Sharlayan; a nation of scholars that nope'd out of the region when the war with Garlemald began. Also contains Alexander; a machine created by the Sharlayans that was later stuffed with a time-based Primal by goblins. And apparently cultivated the events surrounding its raid. Of course, Rowena has her House of Splendors here.

:*''Ala Mhigo:'' Found in the arid region of Gyr Abania, this nation is half of the focus of Stormblood. It was invaded very early in Final Fantasy XIV's lifespan (in fact, it was invaded before 1.0, the failed release of the game), and only liberated during Stormblood. Garleans led by Gauis van Baelsar (later, Zenos yae Galvus) were the previous owners of the place, and the nation was used as a guinnea pig for horrible weapons; including the calamitous Black Rose.

*'''Radz-at-Han:''' The focus of Endwalker and the nation on Thavnair, home of alchemical research.

*'''Othard:''' The other focus of Stormblood; consisting of several notable regions.

:*''Kugane:'' Capital of the island nation of Hingashi, and a neutral zone as far as the war between other nations and Garlemald.

:*''Azim Steppe:'' Home of the Xaela Au Ra; and is basically fantasy Mongolia with Mongolian tribes. Also apparently Rathaloses from Monster Hunter exist here, and are fully canon.

:*''Doma:'' A nation obliterated by Garlemald and ruled over by Zenos and his viceroy Yotsuyu, but reclaimed and rebuilt during Stormblood.

*'''Dalmasca:''' Conquered by the Garleans, and had an alternate version of Ivalice history.

*'''Bozja:''' Home of the Hrothgar, this nation was all that basically stood against the Allagans during the Third Astral Era. Eventually, the Garleans attacked Bozja, and obliterated the city and its inhabitants. Now, a group of resistance attempt to reclaim the former nation; even as they unearth the sins of the nation.

*'''Garlemald:''' The big bad nation, armed to the teeth with [[Magitek]] and the willingness to use it. Once a backwater nation bullied by other nations due to their lack of magic use, they invented technology that puts them on equal footing and decided that they've been pushed around long enough. They have a fetish for the ancient Allagan Empire; and are an Empire themselves. However, due to events in Shadowbringers and soon to be seen in Endwalker, the nation has all but collapsed.

====The First====
A world drowned in light. No, this isn't a good thing; as the vast majority of the world is surrounded in raw stasis. The Warrior of Light fixes it after calling themselves the Warrior of Darkness for a bit during Shadowbringers. [[Grimdark|Light aspected demonic entities known as Sin Eaters also infest the world, and turn other creatures into Sin Eaters by slaying them due to the overdosage of Light aether.]] All locations here take place on the only known continent, Norvrandt.

*'''Crystarium:''' A nation built around the Crystal Tower, led by a mysterious individual known as the Crystal Exarch. Yes, ''that'' Crystal Tower from Mor Dhona. Yes, there is in fact an explanation. The Crystarium is also known as one of the few places resistant if not immune to Sin Eaters. It is situated in the region of Lakeland.

*'''Eulmore:''' Situated on an island off the shore of Kholusia, this nation was formerly led by a horrifically obese man known as Vauthry; claimed to be able to control the Sin Eaters. Now, it's a republic, thanks to the efforts of the Warrior of Light.

*'''Kholusia:''' This region wouldn't be too noteworthy (other than Eulmore) if it weren't for the fact that a pocket of [[Wat|YorHa machine lifeforms and androids were found here; including 2B and 9S of Nier Automata fame.]] This is canon as well.

*'''Amh Araeng:''' The edge of the Flood of Light, where the First's Warriors of Light gave their lives to stop the Flood of Light that they caused. Also the entryway to the Empty, where the massive Sin Eater, Eden resides.

*'''Rak'tika Greatwood:''' Formerly the location of the Mesoamerican-themed Ronkan Empire, now the home of the Night's Blessed, a group of people who (somewhat rightfully) shun the Light and wish for a return of the night, and a tribe of Viis; who descended from vassals of the Ronkan Empire.

*'''Il Mheg:''' The nation of the Fae; including Pixies, Nu Mou, Fuath and various other fantastical creatures. Not even the Fae are immune to the effects of the Light, as seen by their infected King, Titania.

*'''The Tempest:''' The floor of the ocean isn't interesting enough, make it a reference to Rapture (Yes, THAT Rapture; after all, is an Ascian not entitled to the sweat of his brow?), and confirm the theory and claim that Hydaelyn and its thirteen shards were all once one world. One world that was populated by Ancients, beings who were incredibly powerful, unaging and basically created all life as we know it in the worlds.