There are three nations you may choose for your allegience: the Kingdom of San d'Oria and the Republic of Bastok from the Quon continent, and the Federation of Windurst from the Mindartia continent. There are two other major nations, The Duchy of Jeuno in between Quon and Mindartia and the Empire of Aht Urghan to the far east, however, they are not an option for allegience. Each of these three major nations is opposed by Beastmen forces: orcs in San d'Oria, quadav in Bastok, and yagudo in Windurst. Jeuno, being central to the world, shares in all three of these oppositions. Scattered across all of Vana'diel is the adaptive Goblin and Moblin forces, though some have taken it upon themselves to befriend citizens of the major nations. In the Quon northlands, you will find the Demon Beastmen stronghold. In Aht Urhgan, the empire defends against three different Beastmen forces: the Undead Swarm, the Mamool Ja Savages, and the Troll Mercenaries.
Quon is the largest continent of Vana'diel. Climates vary from the frigid cold of the northern glaciers to the sweltering heat of the southern deserts. This land has an abundance of plant and animal life, and a large variety of mammals make Quon their home. The Quon continent is populated by the Hume, Elvaan, and Galka races at a ratio of 6:3:1. The main nations are the Elvaan Kingdom of San d'Oria, situated in the central northern forest belt; the southern Hume Republic of Bastok, surrounded by mountains and desert; and the Hume-governed Duchy of Jeuno, built upon the bridges that connect Quon to the continent of Mindartia. The staple food of San d'Oria is wheat, while Bastok relies on harvesting rye and popotoes. Many regions also herd giant sheep as livestock. The advance troops of the Orcish Empire to the north and the stronghold of the Quadav in the swamplands to the east comprise the two main beastmen powers on the continent.
The continent of Mindartia is situated to the east of Quon. With the exception of Sarutabaruta in the south, Mindartia is mainly comprised of dry, rocky badlands. The vegetation here has adapted to suit the arid conditions, and animal life is dominated by reptile and insect species. The main races of people are the Tarutaru and the Mithra at a ratio of roughly 8:2. The Federation of Windurst is the homeland of the Tarutaru, and features the magical city of Windurst and the port town of Mhaura as its centers of civilization. Corn and popotoes are the staple food source of Windurst, with dhalmels and rarabs kept as livestock. The beastmen presence takes the form of the Yagudo Theomilitary, a race that makes its home to the west of the continent and maintains a pretense of friendly relations with Windurst.
This kingdom of proud Elvaan warriors is situated to the north of the Quon continent and was built on the ashes of a brutal civil war. It has been ruled by a succession of kings from the d'Oraguille royal family for a span of more than five hundred years. The kingdom's capital of San d'Oria is a walled city defended by two orders of knights: the Royal Knights, who patrol the country's borders and seek to expand its territories, and the Temple Knights, responsible for protecting the city itself and maintaining domestic tranquility. Despite the fact that San d'Oria's culture revolves around the use of iron, it is a technologically stagnant society. However, with traditional methods passed down over generations, San d'Orian bladesmiths forge weapons that rival the swords of the East and are known throughout the world for their quality. The ancient forest capital shows signs of deterioration, but with population growth in a state of gentle decline and many residences left vacant, overcrowding has not become an issue. The region is also blessed with an abundance of fertile land for crops, and food is plentiful. However, heavy taxes and long military tenures leave few hands to work the fields, making life a challenge for the citizens of San d'Oria. Even though it lies in a relatively cold region, San d'Oria has long been able to export its verdant crops of wheat and rye, along with shipments of lumber, through the independent town of Selbina. Also, large imported Selbina sheep can be seen grazing in the furthest reaches of the kingdom.
The San d'Orian army is divided into two arms: the Royal Knights and the Temple Knights. As well as having different duties, both orders are structured in different ways. The Royal Knights are under the direct command of the king, forming the backbone of the San d'Orian army. Their main duties include regular punitive expeditions against the beastmen, along with patrolling and defending the country's borders. The order consists of around one hundred units led by a general. A single unit is headed by one Royal Knight, with a retinue of two to three Royal Swordsmen and four to five Royal Squires of the same bloodline. The body of the unit is made up of around sixty Royal Archers and Royal Spearmen. A Grand Knight of the Realm has ten Royal Knights as subordinates, and accordingly commands a force ten times the strength of a normal unit. The Royal Knights are generally well-trained Elvaan nobles or Elvaan adventurers with extensive battle experience--men and women of unfailing morale and unquestionable loyalty to the crown. In times of war, numbers are bolstered by provincial troops from all corners of the kingdom.
The Temple Knights are a religious order charged with maintaining civil harmony within the capital. In times of peace, the Temple Knights are responsible for arresting criminals and heretics, providing security for the Chateau d'Oraguille and the cathedral, and putting down civil strife. When war engulfs the kingdom, they are often sent to the battlefield; in war, their duties extend to holding prayers for victorious outcomes and punishing crime and acts of immorality within the San d'Orian army. The Order of the Temple Knights consists of around sixty units led by a general. An average unit is formed by thirty Myrmidons under the command of a Temple Knight and ten Temple Squires who have been baptized by the papsque. A Grand Temple Knight has ten Temple Knights as subordinates, and accordingly commands a force ten times the strength of a normal unit. All funding for Temple Knight activities comes from the San d'Oria Cathedral, so while they are theoretically under the command of the king, any large-scale mobilization requires the permission of the papsque.
The Royal Guard is unit of knights responsible for the protection of the king and the royal family. Exact numbers are unknown, but this unit is thought to hold close to one hundred members, traditionally chosen from the two orders of knights. It is considered to be an extremely high honor to be offered a position in the Royal Guard, and recently many adventurers of remarkable achievements can be found within their ranks. This title is given to mercenary and volunteer groups that have been officially sanctioned by the King of San d'Oria. Since they are only paid during times of war, most members of these groups take up adventuring while waiting for the call to arms.
In the southern reaches of Quon lies the Republic of Bastok, a nation founded by the technologically gifted Humes. The president, elected from among the Hume population every few years, takes an active role in leading the government. Bastok was originally built on the wealth gained from the mining of mythril, a precious metal. But with recent developments in metal refining and processing techniques, Bastok has become famous as a craftsman's town. The southern area of the city is home to many Galka, a race of hulking humanoids. They have made valuable contributions to the expansion of the mines, but despite this, there is a deep-seated tension between the Galka and the Humes. Surrounding the city of Bastok is the inhospitable Gustaberg region, an unforgiving land of sparse vegetation. Beyond the refinement of iron, the craftsmen of Bastok have made numerous breakthroughs with new kinds of metal, such as mythril, darksteel, and cermet. The research of Cid, a genius engineer, has led to the development of engines that utilize crystal energy and allow rapid advances in technology. The rich, spiritual culture of the Galka is rapidly being assimilated by the materialistic Hume lifestyle. To say that Bastok's culture has become predominantly Hume would not be far off the mark. In recent years, the remarkable nation of Bastok has had the largest population explosion of any country (most notably in the Hume population), but due to limited space for residential buildings, the average citizen's home is small and uncomfortable. Also, most of the profit made from ore export is consumed by the need to import large quantities of food. For most inhabitants of Bastok, daily life can be a struggle--and food shortages are becoming a serious problem. With practically no rainfall during the course of the year and all of the ground water concentrated under the city of Bastok, the surrounding environs are a barren, desolate landscape. Besides popotoes, very little can be grown; the Republic of Bastok must rely heavily on imported foodstuffs. However, a ready supply of copper, iron, silver, gold, and mythril ore provides a bountiful source of wealth for the industrial town.
The Republican Army is an organized militia where the president serves as high commander. The army is formed by citizens and adventurers who join as part of a voluntary conscription system. Even the legions that make up the core of the army are generally not career soldiers. A military organization led by the Strategic Command of the Department of Defense. The legions, of which there are four (including a naval legion), are the main fighting forces of the Republican army. The smallest unit of the legions is called a contubernium, and consists of ten foot soldiers led by a Decurion. Ten contuberniums form one centuria (led by a Centurion), and a cohors (led by a Praefectus) is formed by nine Centuria plus a unit of engineers. A single legion (led by a Legatus) is formed with seven cohors plus three thousand extra soldiers, including heavy infantry, cannoneers or cavaliers, and supply troops. In all, the Republican Legions have close to forty thousand soldiers, a military force that surpasses that of any other nation. This number is only a basic calculation, however. In times of peace, one infantry legion and one naval legion are on active duty, while all other soldiers of less than Decurion rank are held in reserve. Also, there are various ways to avoid military service, which cut the actual number of soldiers on active duty down to less than two-thirds of the usual legion strength. It is possible to have someone take your place for active duty, and there are many cases of Humes offering to pay the often poverty-stricken Galka to stand in for them. In effect, these Galka become career soldiers, and the overall strength of the legions is ultimately increased.
The Iron Musketeers are a permanent unit commanded by the Trade Defense Section of the Department of Industry. This unit was originally formed by the Department of Industry to secure trade routes in and out of Bastok, but is currently deployed on a regular basis to deal with the Quadav. A single company, led by a Musketeer Commander, consists of ten Senior Musketeers and thirty Junior Musketeers. There are presently around one hundred companies in existence, and their members are drawn from the best soldiers of the Republican Legions. Provided with the latest equipment and possessing extensive battle experience with the beastmen, the Iron Musketeers are an elite fighting force.
Gold Musketeers are a permanent investigation unit commanded by the Surveyor Section of the Department of Mining. Charged primarily with discovering promising seams of ore, the Gold Musketeers are called upon to scout foreign lands and enemy territories--either secretively or by using force. As they often find themselves in remote areas where supplies become scarce and communication with Bastok impossible, each separate company and soldier within that company is rigorously trained to act independently. The structure of the Gold Musketeers is identical to that of the Iron Musketeers, with sixty companies currently in existence.
Tribes of Tarutaru from the sweeping grasslands and neighboring islands of southern Mindartia united to form this league of states. It is governed by a council of representatives from the five ministries of magic, legacies of the five founding tribes. Their decisions are based on the prophecies of the mystic Star Sybil who resides in the fabled Heavens Tower. In one section of the city live the Mithra, a race of natural hunters whose skills have brought a new source of wealth to Windurst.The capital, Windurst City, was razed in the war twenty years ago, but this prominent center of learning has since been restored to its former glory. Windurst is surrounded by the vast fields of Sarutabaruta, a wild grassland home to many unique species of plants. A highly advanced form of magical energy is used in many aspects of Windurstian life. The doll-like Cardians and brightly glowing fluoro-flora are just a few examples of this power put to practical use. Industry in Windurst also includes the refinement of bronze, but the use of metallic substances is generally not favored. The individual cultures of the Tarutaru and Mithra tribes are respected and treasured, and evidence of this can be seen in every area of the city. The Federation of Windurst was the hardest hit by the ravages of the Great War, but with the assistance of the Mithra, the damage has been completely repaired. Tarutaru culture is far from materialistic. In relation to the Tarutaru's small size, their residences are spacious and comfortable. The city always has an abundance of food; Tarutaru magic enhances crop yields, and the Mithra use their hunting and fishing skills to keep the markets overflowing with meat and fish. The environment surrounding Windurst does not receive large amounts of precipitation, but nevertheless features numerous rivers and streams. The warm climate has encouraged the Tarutaru to grow a wide variety of crops, which they cultivate and harvest with the help of magical techniques. Many of these crops are exported to other countries. Tarutaru farmers also raise rabbits knowns as "rarabs," while the Mithra in Windurst Woods raise towering dhalmels. This livestock provides Windurst with a source of milk, meat, and leather.
The Federation Forces of Windurst are led by a Warlock Warlord, chosen once a year from the Parliament of Patriarchs, and consist of twelve brigades of War Warlocks and four brigades of Mithra Mercenaries. The body of the Federation Forces is comprised of twelve brigades. Each brigade is led by a Master Caster, who is advised in strategy and command matters by several Wise Wizards. The actual fighting is carried out by the eight Caster Companies, each headed by a Caster Captain who commands thirty veteran soldiers known as Combat Casters. A Caster Company is further reinforced with one hundred Cardians controlled by a group of Tactician Magicians. Combat Casters must undergo several grueling testing procedures before being accepted into the War Warlocks, so their level of expertise in the magical arts is exceptionally high. While the number of War Warlocks is relatively low, their power can turn the tide of a battle.
A mercenary organization comprised chiefly of Mithra. There are four brigades in the Mithra Mercenaries, and, unlike other nations, they are not a permanent part of the Federation Forces. The free-spirited Mithra, despite being the central element of the army, did not wish to become a regimented force; the Mithra selected to choose the looser structural organization of a mercenary force. The Mercenary Major has several Mercenary Companies under her command, but this number can rise or fall depending on the hunting season. Each Mercenary Company is led by a Mercenary Captain, with around one hundred mercenaries assigned to each company. These companies are often joined by an extra fifty or so Freeswords, inexperienced soldiers that come under the tutelage of the veteran mercenaries.
A unit charged with the protection and security of the various ministries and the Parliament of Patriarchs. For the sake of security, their numbers and equipment have not been made public, though the unit is thought to hold close to one hundred members.