The four kingdoms are now on a path to recovery and discovery. They have united in a common cause to restore their once bountiful existence. Only the chaotics of the Hunting Grounds can stop them.
Following is a history up to the present year of 572 N.R. The game "Final Fantasy - The Hunting Grounds" takes place in the year 571 N.R. - you will be a part of Darlow's history. There is also a description of the four cultures. Enjoy.
The tribes of southwest Skure go overseas to southern Kreland. These people establish themselves as Daines.
The people of the Dal'r Desert move west to the forests and plains (more hospitable) and meet with the people in southeast Skure. These two tribes join together after a fair bit of conflict and peace periods. These people become the Ruozians.
The tribes of the Polar South remain in their caves to adapt to the surroundings - lack of light, cold temperatures, underground. These people become established as the Jununs.
Technology has progressed to using heavier metals. Farming develops, populations slowly increase. Building becomes more advanced. Houses spring up. Towns agglomerate. Still no sign of applied intellect; reading and writing is still absent. Records are kept through verbal encounters only and there is no established form of governance. Ship-building remains small but effective only for the Daines.
The civilizations hail the sight of the eclipse as a blessing from a higher power. The Anarans give it the name "Nexus" for its bounty and gift upon their world. For the first time in their existence, the tribes understand that there is a higher power that is benevolent upon them. They become peaceful and kind, slowly coming together to form civilizations.
The effect of the eclipse extends to Darlow's people. For the next few generations, intelligence increases rapidly and technology evolves to incorporate written books about everything that can be recorded. Large structures are built to accomodate more organized societies. The tribes prosper to eventually become kingdoms.
The Kingdom of Dainaria hails its first king, Neronis, in the year 84 N.R.
The Kingdom of Ruoze boasts its first royal family led by King Taghasr and Queen Shalaesa in the year 87 N.R.
The tribes of the Jununs don't organize themselves into a single, large body until the year 124 N.R., led by their humble leaders of The First Rise (The Jununs did not have kingdoms like the others did).
Small pockets of people slowly migrate to these kingdoms.
As technology continued to progress, magic slowly became harnessed. The first "professional" mage, "Kuchuk" of Ruoze, was known throughout the world in 95 N.R.. Magic slowly developed into different disciplines for different reasons. Because of the dedication and time commitment required to learn even the most basic of magical skills, magic never became a hobby. It remained as a special skill that few, but an increasing number, understood.
Ruoze declared war on Dainaria in 202 N.R. and had many large battles in western Skure at the port of Dainaria that connected it to Kreland. Ruoze's enormous army defeated Dainaria's army after 3 seasons and by 203 had occupied the port, which became known later as the port of Ruoze. Dainaria was weakened and now locked in southern Kreland where their central city remained. Dainaria was determined to get revenge and many ship battles were waged. In the end, Dainaria was battled back to its borders where its port was eventually destroyed in 208. Dainaria was now land-locked, having only their city and many villages on their countryside and the great cathedral in the far south. Their dependence on the northern villages became greater as the wars progressed. The towns in North Kreland began to grow.
With the whole of Skure under its control, Ruoze became richer and richer and Dainaria became increasingly threatened. Then Ruoze shifted its tactic to Hassen after it discovered the Polar South continent during an exploration in 209. Dainaria was land-locked and it would have been difficult for Ruoze to make an attempt at a takeover. Noting the vast wilderness and the passive nature of the people of Junuli and Hassen, they attacked the Jununs in 211. Their port was occupied and the Jununs were severely shook up. They battled back furiously for the next 15 years but never reclaimed that port.
As Ruoze began to prepare a takeover of The Jununs and The Kingdom of Hassen, there were several problems developing. By 220, it was clear that The Kingdom of Ruoze had been divided by the cultures that it was trying to hold together - those of southeast Skure and the others of the western Dal'r Desert. The latter became the wealthy and ruling class while the former became oppressed and poor. A civil war was beginning to develop. On top of this, Ruoze's attention towards this matter as well as Hassen left them ignorant of Dainaria, and in 226 a blow was struck when a force of 3,000 warriors and 500 mages from Dainaria invaded the port of Anara in the northeast Dal'r Desert. It was a backdoor attack and successful. Ruoze shifted a good portion of its fleet and its army to compensate. Hassen then set up a blockade that destroyed several Ruoze ships and made it increasingly difficult to supply their armies as they travelled northeast through the desert.
As Ruoze's attention became increasingly divided, their strength began to fall apart. The striking blow was made when the oppressed people in the city of Ruoze revolted after two collaborators, one from Dainaria and the other from Junuli, assassinated the leader of the western Ruozian army in 235 N.R.. Over half of the people that lived in Ruoze (some 70,000 people) revolted against the governing body and The Kingdom itself. Huge battles were fought over the next 15 years. By 251, the rebels had decimated the city of Ruoze and fled north to small villages, trying to establish themselves. Their leader was Lir, and this culture of people that broke away later became known as The Rebels of Lirea.
The remaining kingdom of Ruoze was split so hard that it stopped fighting Dainaria and Hassen. It concentrated all of its effort into destroying The Rebels. This forced The Rebels north, over the Vorisian mountains, a trek never taken before. Nearly a quarter of its people died on the trip but the Lireans prevailed as they reached the plains of northern Skure. Over the next 40 years, they built a city in the northwest and a bunch of villages, a temple, a port, and they established their name as one of The Four Kingdoms by 296 N.R.
Ruoze was no more. With a third of its population gone and so many sides to fight, The Kingdom signed a treaty with Hassen and Dainaria in 276. It reformed itself to become The High Kingdom of Anara. Once it had re-established its boundaries, it began war again in 298 when Hassen continued to press for the reclamation of its port. Hassen and Dainaria also began to fight when Hassen attempted to expand into the unoccuped portion of southwest Kreland. Then Lirea intervened in 304 N.R. against Anara, allied with Dainaria, which continued to press (and now fight) Anara to reclaim its port in southwest Skure. The Four Kingdoms were deadlocked in fighting until the winter of 316 N.R.
By 325, the people of the world found that animals and even living plants had become increasingly violent.
By 330, people were reportedly being killed by ferocious monsters, especially in southern Kreland, southwest Skure, the Death Mountains (as they had come to be called by the Lireans) and the caves of Junuli. Other violent areas still existed but were unoccupied by humankind.
By 338 The Four Kingdoms had managed to cease their fighting and began concentrating their efforts on retaliating against what became more organized bands of creatures and monsters.
By 350, all the kingdoms signed official peace treaties with one another in the hopes of working together against this new threat that became more and more pronounced. Dainaria was having serious problems. The city was surrounded several times by beasts of all kinds on a seasonal basis.
By 361, people were being murdered on a regular basis. The Four Kingdoms began to seek refuge. They found it in areas where The Hunting Grounds had not reached.
By 368, mass migrations by all of the people except those of Lirea occurred into areas of safety. The Daines fled to northern Kreland where they had established towns already. Anara reluctantly abandoned the mighty fortress of Ruoze. And the people of Junuli fled east to Hassen, out of their caves. This mass migration by The Kingdoms was written in texts for decades to come. Nearly half of the people that were involved in these migrations were slaughtered before they reached their destinations; it was the bubonic plague of Darlow. It was in the year 371 that the areas of the "chaotics" (monsters) were christened The Hunting Grounds, for it was the people that were being hunted.
By 374 the migrations had stopped and the kingdoms were slowly recovering from the devastation they had suffered and the losses that had mounted.
In the year 390, they had reformed. Dainaria was no more. It was only the kingdom of Dainan now. Anara had no more ties with the once powerful kingdom of Ruoze. And Junuli was completely destroyed; only Hassen remained.
The next century was filled with economic depression and sadness. Technology ceased to develop and trading was severely hindered. The Four Kingdoms were weak and confused and humanity began to lose faith in Nexus. The Followers managed to keep that faith from disappearing however. Slowly, the kingdoms recovered.
The first investigations began in 492 N.R. when the four kingdoms organized large bands of 50 to 100 troops to actually go into The Hunting Grounds. This series of investigations was a disaster. Not a single group had penetrated any great deal of distance into the areas of the "chaotics" before large bands of monsters began to organize and hunt them down. Research was done by scholars of the kingdoms and by The Followers to find an alternative.
The second series of investigations into The Hunting Grounds began in 520 N.R. The Kingdom ordered small bands of their soldiers, no more than 10, to search small pockets of the areas and bring back findings. This series was more successful and less dangerous to individual investigators. Many groups from Dainan and Hassen made it deep into chaotic territory. Many groups perished, but important findings were made. The smaller the groups that entered, the less attention they received from the chaotics. These investigations led to new mapmaking and discoveries of the ancestries of The Kingdoms. Anara found Ruoze, Dainan found Dainaria, and Hassen found Junuli. The Followers found out a whole lot more, but their explorers were locked from The Kingdoms in the process. They had to be found.
The third and final series of investigations into The Hunting Grounds began in 557 N.R. after each Kingdom had finally re-established trade with the other and information was beginning to flow. The Followers had been separated through their exploring and it was time for bands of strong warriors and mages to come together, either by the order of The Kingdom or independently. By 572 N.R., it was understood that Nexus was a physical entity that had been injured and that groups of people would have to gather all of their clues to reach The Pits of Pain. Many perished in this attempt. A few succeeded. A group of 40 called "The Enlightened" that represented the strongest and bravest of humankind from Dainan, Lirea, Anara, Hassen, and The Followers had reached The Pits and had decided on how to proceed.
This is where you come in, as one of the investigators in the year 571 N.R. Which culture will you represent?"
Daines have always been reputed to be proper, proud and serious. They are generally friendly in encounters with strangers but quick to get down to business. In conversation, Daines are quite blunt to get to the point. They loathe long and meaningless conversation and their sense of humour is very dry. Daines are by far the most disciplined of all four cultures and it shows in both their army and their lifestyle.
The Kingdom of Dainan was always noble and held the idea of a strong nobility quite high. This has given the culture a reputation for being quite elitest. If you can not make it in Daine culture, then you shall remain in your place to help those who can. Individuals who prove themselves worthy of a high position shall receive it with gratitude by the rest of society. It is a very independent culture. Families and friends interact but are expected to uphold their own end in poor times.
Daines highly respect duty, honour, and loyalty. Lying, cheating, and betraying are heavily frowned upon in the Daine culture and such actions have been known to be worthy of heavy punishment. While they understand that each person is their own, the Daines also understand that the collective works as a greater being than those that make it up. So Daines expect people to uphold the law and be truthful. They feel that justice is a strong point to any working society.
In terms of material values, the Daine culture has mixed views. For the populous as a whole, material things are not really a high priority although Daines do appreciate a high material standard of living if they can have it. However, for the nobility, the public feels that they should be made as comfortable as possible because they are their leaders and should be treated with the utmost respect.
As for the current situation, the Daines, and particularly the kingdom represented by the nobility, have made it clear that something must be done. Dainan has taken charge of aiding the initial explorations for all investigators to ensure possible success. The other three kingdoms have agreed to allow Dainan, being the most neutral, to brief and initiate investigators who take it upon themselves to enter The Hunting Grounds. The Daines themselves are frightened that their ancestral home has been destroyed and they are determined to get to the root of the cause, even if it means appointing various members of their army to explore.
Lireans have two defined appearances. Some have bright blonde, almost golden, hair. They are light-skinned, more so than Daines, and usually have green or brown eyes. The facial features between men and women do not vary much. Other Lireans have slightly darker skin (still not as tanned as those of the Daines) and much darker, shorter hair. These Lireans have some Anaran blood in them from back when Ruoze incorporated both peoples.
Lireans are renowned for being the friendliest of people. They welcome strangers with open arms and treat everyone with kindness. Lireans know how to organize social gatherings and are extremely interactive. They don't like being quiet with people. They do a lot of talking and are usually quite loud with, most certainly, the best sense of humour of the four cultures. Despite this difference with the Daines in terms of interaction, the two cultures have always gotten along well throughout their history.
The Lirean system of government was attached to their values of how a civilized society should run - completely equal. Lirea was the only kingdom that allowed both men and women into all areas of life, including the army, politics, and leadership roles. For many years, women held the majority of positions in their circle of leaders and the people felt that to be completely normal. Their tolerance for difference and open attitude have continued into the Age of Death where Lireans are often making others feel at home in these dangerous times.
As has been mentioned, Lireans highly value equality. They also place courage, adventure, kindness, positivity, and hard work as the highest of their values. Lireans feel that if everyone is treated kindly, then they will treat others kindly, and this way of life will become more enjoyable. There is a bit of a darkside to this seemingly endless supply of positive behaviour. Lireans can be fairly stubborn. They cling to their way of life as one of real happiness and don't accept ideas from other cultures too well. They listen, but they won't accept. Also, when angered, Lireans become violent. They don't anger easily, but if a serious event comes up that rubs a Lirean the wrong way, whoever did it better be careful. Lireans do not forgive easily and they never forget. Grudges have been known to be kept for decades. Nevertheless, this angry attitude is quite rare and never became a prevalent feature of the Lirean culture. Only a defining one.
Because of their somewhat extravagant attitude towards social interaction, Lireans place material things on a low priority. They do not see their lack of material goods as grounds for being poor. They value "wealth" in terms of friendship, livelihood, and through nature; Lireans are very nature sensitive. This is not to say that Lireans do not handle money well. They simply have no need for it beyond their immediate needs like food and shelter. The other cultures look on such a view as being a little strange.
In the current age, the Age of The Hunting Grounds, it is interesting to note that the Lireans optimism has gone unblemished during this time period. They continue to enjoy their happy, free way of life almost as if nothing happened. This has partly to do with the fact that they claimed no loyalty to Ruoze or Anara when the former was destroyed. But the optimism of the Lireans has not prevented them from taking action, and many members of their army have volunteered to travel in order to aid their brothers and sisters in the other kingdoms. The council of Lirea never refuses to send out those who wish to explore on their own or members of their army, and the people are fairly concerned about this state of affairs. The Lireans really just want to live in peace.
Anarans are dark-skinned that ranges from a well-tanned to deep brown. They have long, black hair and deep, yellow eyes that are piercing. Sometimes their eyes are a dark brown. Anaran men are notably larger than women. Some Anarans have slightly lighter skin and lighter hair, almost dirty blonde. These Anarans have their blood mixed with that of Lireans from the days of Ruoze.
The Anaran people are an interesting sort because of their unpredictability. In the main, though, Anarans are proud, happy, caring people. They don't have a well-developed sense of humour themselves but always enjoy hearing the deeds of others. They are the listeners that enjoy good conversation. And food. Anarans love good food.
They look to others for knowledge and are always willing to learn new things. It may be a generalization to say that the Anarans are the most creative, but when one looks at their technology and how they have used it, such a generalization becomes fair. Anarans are intelligent and quick to pick up new ideas. They enjoy sharing information and are largely responsible for passing info back and forth for the world at present.
The creativity for new things and a discipline second only to Dainan afforded the Anarans with the largest known kingdom worthy of being called an Empire. A strong, hierarchical system of goverance with powerful, wealthy leaders that were able to lead the masses allowed Ruoze (when it existed) to expand hugely. The motives for war by the Anarans was a question answered often with arrogance. Often, Anarans feel that they are the people of Darlow, that they were meant to unite the other kingdoms under one flag, and that the resistance by the enemies they created was a mistake that the Anarans would not take lightly, thus the wars. Not surprisingly, this amazingly arrogant attitude has kept all of the other cultures wary of them even now.
The Anarans embraced Nexus more so than any of the other cultures. They felt that Nexus had bestowed upon them the gift of true intellect and independence and a way of life never seen before. They maintained the faith even after The Hunting Grounds appeared and never once looked at their god as though it had failed them. Anarans are sensitive towards Nexus and discussions of related nature. They take their religion very seriously. Their faith is a part of their daily lives.
Anarans have distinct values. Physical wealth, power, kinship, family, knowledge, bravery, religion and ideas stand at the top. Discipline and hard work are also strong within the Anaran mindset. They feel that well-established laws and a wealthy, vibrant city make for a good lifestyle that all deserve to have. They are benevolent to one another. If an Anaran family is having problems making ends meet, members of the wealthier classes are not hesitant to come to their aid.
This attitude of "all shall benefit as one humanity" has done a couple of things. It has made Anarans quite brotherly and loyal, and when they learn (as individuals) to respect other cultures, Anarans mentally evolve into so much more than the arrogant, inward-looking warriors that they are normally perceived as. The attitude has also helped them develop powerful technology and building techniques. Anara was always at the forefront of technological progress in Darlow.
In the Age of The Hunting Grounds, the Anarans have taken the fiercest attitude towards making change. Having witnessed the city of Ruoze destroyed against the massive hordes of monsters from the Hunting Grounds, Anarans everywhere are incensed, and many more are also frightened. The kingdom as a whole has made it clear that it will use whatever provisions, army, and resources necessary to find out how the Hunting Grounds came to be and to discover and implement a solution. The people are determined, the kingdom is determined, and all have agreed to go along with the plans of the other kingdoms, particularly Dainan, to find and implement such a solution.
Physical parts of the Hassite body began to adapt to the conditions the people lived in. Surviving underground in caves of black rock with white ice, the lack of colour in nature made them colour-blind and the lack of sunlight coloured their skin to a sort of camoflauge with the snow and ice around them. As a result, Hassites have big red, pupiless eyes that first appear quite intimidating. Their skin is as white as snow and their hair is gray and thin. Their physical appearance, again, is quite startling to the other cultures. Hassites were looked at as non-human before their sentience was acknowledged. Once understood, Hassites were looked at with curiosity and even benevolence (especially by the Lireans) for their different colour of eyes and skin. Hassite men and women are generally of equal size but are distinct in appearance despite the lack of variation in their colouring.
Hassites developed within calm regions and without interaction with other cultures, making their appearance and their demeanor unique. The Polar South and the Ice Caves of the southwest were quiet areas, and the Hassites grew to be quiet people. They don't speak much, the least of the four cultures, and are actually quite shy to strangers, though not hostile. They really enjoy listening and learning from others. Their lack of interaction with the other cultures throughout their evolution makes them curious and friendly. They are eager to meet people and share stories once they get over their shy attitude of the unknown. The Lireans really enjoyed this attitude; the only thing that kept the two cultures apart was their geographical distance from one another, which was huge.
So Hassites are quiet people that value wisdom and equality; women are allowed into low ranks in the army. They are also trustworthy and kind, so much so that they have a reputation for being somewhat gullible, having not experienced some of the darker sides of the other three kingdoms. Hassites are soft people used to harsh conditions. Their faith in Nexus is an interesting one in that they see themselves side by side with their god, not below it as the others typically do. This type of faith has encouraged the religion into their daily lives; they are second to Anara in allowing Nexus to be a part of them.
When they were first attacked by the Anarans, they reacted with ferocity never seen before. Had they the manpower and resources, they could have easily battled their enemies back. As it was, they had to admit defeat. This has reinforced their attitude of humility. A Hassite will never brag.
Aside from equality and a quiet lifestyle, Hassites, like the Daines, value honour. They also have a healthy respect for community and closeness with all others and other forms of life. The Hassite society became the most socialist by the time The Hunting Grounds appeared. There are no stone-written rules of how to act and how not to act. They simply abide by a way of life that has transcended all the other cultures - an anarchist way of life with a complete lack of selfish greed. No Hassite will put themselves before others, or profit at the expense of others. It is a frame of mind that has been looked down upon by the Anarans as insignificant and weak. Nevertheless, Hassen as a kingdom never had any crime or poverty.
It is not startling to realize that in the Age of The Hunting Grounds, the Hassites are very saddened. Having lost their home beneath the surface, they grieve as the collective they are. The kingdom and nobility made a policy years after The Hunting Grounds were formed that any Hassite that wishes to explore the causes of this incident is free to do so on their own. Nobody will be appointed to such a position. Despite this relaxed mood, many Hassites know that their deep sense of loss so many years ago cannot be allowed to prevent them from helping their allies. Volunteers from the army, from the schools, and even from the guilds have put their lives on the line for the greater good, travelling the enormous geographic distance to Dainan to begin their new adventures, for better or for worse.