Jakoh Wahcondalo's mother, a mercenary by trade, took her daughter with her to the Marquisate of Tavnazia. Since her mother was often absent due to her chosen profession, the young Mithra received her education at a famous private school in the Marquisate's capital.

It was in Jakoh's eleventh year of life that war descended upon the city. Through her mother's insistence, Jakoh was accepted aboard a departing merchant vessel already overflowing with refugees. The ship later capsized in violent weather, leaving the Mithran girl to drift on the ocean for days, clinging to a piece of the battered vessel. She was eventually picked up by the Bastore pirate Gilgamesh, rescuing her from an almost certain death.

In the year of 871, a maturing Jakoh learning the pirate's life in Norg was to face the biggest challenge of her life. While sailing around the shoreline of Elshimo Island, the Bastore pirates became embroiled in a territorial dispute with the fisherwomen of Kazham. With neither side willing to back down, it was decided that the question of territory would be answered by the outcome of a duel between two chosen champions. For whatever reason, the hope of the pirates fell on the slim shoulders of Jakoh Wahcondalo, who had yet to raise a blade in battle. Her opponent was to be the boomerang-wielding "Headhunter Polly," one of the most renowned warriors in Kazham. To the amazement of all those present, Jakoh defeated her experienced adversary using nothing more than a single dagger, a keepsake from her mercenary mother. The deed catapulted her to hero status overnight.

Impressed by the young Mithra's courage and cunning, the then Chieftainness Romaa Mihgo kept her side of the bargain by surrendering part of Kazham's territorial waters. In addition, Romaa also proposed the export of foodstuffs to the supply-poor pirates, on the condition that Jakoh consent to become a citizen of Kazham. After reflecting on the words of Gilgamesh who simply said, "Your path is your own," she chose to leave Norg and take up a position as Romaa's assistant and bodyguard.

In 879, Romaa Mihgo declared her retirement and elected Jakoh as her replacement before the entire town. Though originally skeptical of Romaa's decision to invite the fiery Mithra into their community, the inhabitants of Kazham had grown to love the former pirate's courageous daring and straightforward manner. The decision to accept Jakoh as Chieftainness was unanimous.

After assuming the position of Chieftainness, Jakoh used her negotiating skills and the intelligence gathered by her pirate allies to vastly improve Kazham's economic standing. She transformed what had previously been an isolated settlement into an independent power that demanded the respect of the Mithran homeland to the south, and the nation of Windurst to the north. Romaa Mihgo's faith in her chosen successor had proven to be well placed.

In the year 855, Kam'lanaut and his brother were picked up by a fishing boat and taken to Jeuno. There are no solid facts regarding their lives before they arrived in Jeuno; however, Kam'lanaut claims that he was the pupil of a sage deep in the mountains, where he and his brother Eald'narche studied the knowledge of the ancients until the sage's death. According to his story, they then gained passage on a merchant's vessel to Windurst, the capital of learning. However, they met with rough weather, and the ship capsized, leaving them adrift.

At the time, Jeuno was teeming with young people yearning for the opportunity to make a quick fortune, so Kam'lanaut and his brother did not attract attention--despite their unusual appearance.

Kam'lanaut began introducing the ancient art of crystal synthesis to the masses in the streets, making him a household name in Jeuno. This new art looked like some kind of magic trick, but miraculously produced genuine results. In addition, Kam'lanaut did not use synthesis for merely his own benefit, but liberally taught his methods to all who were willing to learn. Soon, Jeuno was filled with Kam'lanaut's followers.

Crystal synthesis resulted in a rapid industrial revolution, which loaded Jeuno's banks with gil and made Kam'lanaut an object of veneration for the masses. As a result, there were nearly no objections the following year when Kam'lanaut was selected as Jeuno's representative with immense financial backing.

However, his first move as representative greatly disappointed the populace. Kam'lanaut began working together with San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst for technological development. In particular, he gave the other nations the secrets of crystal synthesis, resulting in the Jeunoans feeling a sense of betrayal. An angry crowd rallied in the Ru'Lude Gardens* until Kam'lanaut emerged undaunted and explained that sharing the secrets of wealth was a simple method to ensure the safety of Jeuno. Kam'lanaut went on to explain that he was planning the construction of a residential tower high enough to reach the skies as a solution to the city's housing problems. The townspeople listened and were stunned into silence. When the construction was finished, skilled craftsmen began gathering in Jeuno from all across Vana'diel, and became a driving force in the city's development.

In the year 859, a historical assembly was held with the San d'Orian king, the Bastokan president, and a representative from Windurst's Parliament of Patriarchs. They expressed their thankfulness to Kam'lanaut and with their joint signatures, recognized Jeuno as a duchy, with Kam'lanaut as the archduke. In reality, however, the craftsmen already viewed Jeuno as a greater economic power than the three other major nations, and the nations' leaders likely decided to work in unity to act as a restraint on Jeuno's power, even while granting a certain amount of authority to Kam'lanaut.

In the year 862, the Shadow Lord rose to power, and his beastman armies began invading the lands of Vana'diel. Kam'lanaut's response was as quick as if he had foreseen the war. He immediately dispatched a group of trusted men in his inner circle, including Nag'molada, to persuade the leaders of the three major nations to meet him for a conference in the Ru'Lude Gardens. There, he arranged for the unification of the nations' armies against the beastman forces.

In the twelfth month of 862, he unfolded a bold strategy to lure the bulk of the beastman forces to the area around Jeuno. Kam'lanaut personally stood at the forefront of battle. By the first month of the following year, the beastmen were retreating, and the allied forces were finally able to launch a counteroffensive.

After the defeat of the Shadow Lord, friendly relations between the nations continued, resulting in currency unification across continents, the establishment of airship routes, and the initiation of Conquest, among several other cooperative measures. Kam'lanaut lent an immeasurable contribution to reconstruction and development after the war.

Kam'lanaut's vigor and the quality of his plans are expected to continue unchanged through the current age, just as his physical appearance has uncannily remained the same for over fifty years.

^* Ru'Lude Gardens: The grounds of Kam'lanaut's grand estates, the Ru'Lude Gardens were named by the archduke himself and opened to the population as a place of respite in times of peace. Unfortunately, during the Crystal War, the gardens, the estate, and the bridge on which they were built were all destroyed by boulders thrown by gigas. After the war was over, the Ru'Lude Gardens were reconstructed on the roof of the residential tower on an even grander scale for all the people of Vana'diel to enjoy.

Ironheart was once the captain of a trading vessel plying the Bastore Sea, but a chance meeting with disaster cost him both his ship and his crew. Never one to dwell on misfortune, the elderly Hume took up the profession of adventurer and set out on foot to map all the lands of Vana'diel. His seemingly ludicrous plan was originally the source of much derision and amusement; however, once the precision of his cartography became well known amongst sailors and travelers, the Kingdom of San d'Oria and the Republic of Bastok acknowledged the value (and danger) of his work with financial backing.

Ironheart eventually met a heroic demise at the hands of Orcish marauders while exploring the last unknown frontier of the Quon continent--Valdeaunia. His quest was continued by his daughter Enid, who traveled to the continent of Mindartia and successfully mapped the remaining territories.

The accuracy of the Ironheart maps was proven more than a century later with the appearance of the first airships. With various notations being constantly added, these maps are still relied upon by adventurers today.

Gwynham Ironheart's gravestone lies in Valdeaunia and was inscribed with the following words by his Elvaan rival, Lord Torresapet B Ordelle: "Here lies a most courageous man who brought the safety of charted lands to Vana'diel."

The ninth king of San d'Oria who ruled from 558 to 567; fourth son of Harvest King Resviel. At the age of sixteen, he personally slew his stepbrother--a contender to the throne--to become king. Unlike his father, who concentrated on domestic affairs, Acheufagais focused his efforts on war, leading campaigns against foes such as the Orcs and the Republic of Bastok. In his short life, he fought in thirty-three battles, and was feared by enemies and allies alike as the "Warking".

King Acheufagais's bold, lively personality and undaunted courage on the battlefield were beloved by knights and soldiers, but he would conversely earn the scorn of the aristocracy. When the Warking suddenly died at the young age of twenty-five, rumors of foul play by the aristocrats ran rampant throughout San d'Oria.

The tenth ruler of the Kingdom of San d'Oria, who reigned from 568 to 588. Cousin to the Warking. After losing her parents while she was still an infant, she was secretly adopted and raised by the family cook. When she was ten years old, the Warking suddenly died on the throne, leading to heightened tensions between regional leaders. Just when it seemed that a civil war was imminent, Marelinne's name surfaced as the rightful successor to the throne, when it was proven that she was a blood relative of the late king. However, the turmoil did not end there--the dispute was now over who would be the young monarch's guardian until she was of age. Marelinne eventually grew weary of the intrigue surrounding her, and left the capital under the pretext of surveying the outer regions. She would never again return to the capital, always issuing her orders from wherever she had journeyed.

In 588, Marelinne vanished without a trace, never to be seen or heard from again. Her efforts to bolster the defenses of the outer regions were highly praised in later years.

Ranperre R d'Oraguille, the 24th king of San d'Oria, reigned from 782 to 832. Also known as the Dragon King, Ranperre was hailed as the greatest monarch of the d'Oraguille family. He was born the eldest son of the crown prince of West San d'Oria, and diligently studied the arts of war from childhood. Ranperre acceded to the throne after agents of East San d'Oria murdered his father.

After ten years of fighting, the Dragon King subdued the East San d'Orian forces and put an end to the long and bloody civil conflict. He continued to build his legend by expelling the Orcish hordes from Ronfaure, and ridding the kingdom of marauding black dragons. Rumors still flourish concerning the pact Ranperre supposedly made with a black dragon to protect his expansive tomb.

From an early age, Erpalacion served as a page to the king. In addition to performing his duties in the royal court, he studied under the tutelage of a dragoon veteran. Erpalacion showed amazing promise, and, at the tender age of 16, he was conferred the rank of master dragoon.

In the year 786, his achievements as a general in the Elshimo Campaign earned him recognition in his home of San d'Oria and beyond.

Following these endeavors, Erpalacion was selected to become the general of the Royal Knights--the youngest in recorded history--and went on to secure a string of victories in the king's name against the Eastern San d'Orian insurgents.

He continued to assist in the reunification of the kingdom, but disappeared while returning from an overseas expedition. Although his body was never recovered, a state funeral was held in his honor in 816. As no successors remained to continue his profession, Erpalacion is also widely referred to as "The Last Dragoon."

Born in the lands of the Near East, the first president of Bastok held office from 494 to 503.

While still a youth, Mayer was seduced by the gold rush's promise of easy wealth, and stowed away on a ship bound for the Quon continent. His tireless excavations in the Gusgen Mines earned him the nickname of "Ironman Mayer".

When his wife was killed by a San d'Orian soldier, Mayer put down his pickaxe for a sword, and formed a partisan force along with his friend Dalha. Mayer triumphed against the San d'Orian army by luring the Elvaan into a narrow ravine, gaining him fame and respect among the working class. The Republic of Bastok was declared in 494. After being elected as president for life, Mayer was responsible for building the foundation of the republic by forging diplomatic relations with other countries and drafting the nation's constitution. He was assassinated nine years later by a Galkan youth.

Born in 738, He was a centurion, engaged in numerous battles with the San d’Orian knights and the Mithran Navy. While a praefectus, led skirmishes against the Quadav Shieldwarriors and thwarted various ambushes conceived by the Sahagin. After being promoted to legatus, focused efforts on eradicating the growing number of pirates on the Bastore Sea.

After the Great War, Invincible Shield retired from his position of legatus, and spent the next several years writing the world-renowned “Ginuva's Battle Theory” while continuing service in the Republican Army’s first reserve. However, during a tour of inspection encompassing several countries in the Far East, Invincible Shield obtained crucial information that hinted at impending danger for Bastok and eventually all Vana’diel. Upon his return to the Republic, he immediately reenlisted himself in the army and returned to his position as legatus. Invincible Shield’s current duties focus on the retraining and reeducation of the Republican Army’s forces using methods based on various Conflict exercises.

First captain of the Gold Musketeers. Friese was born to a peasant family and became apprentice to a Galkan blacksmith at an early age. At age 19, her work caught the attention of the chief of the Department of Industry, who set her to the task of helping plan the construction of Bastok’s windmills. This earned her great fame. During construction, she recorded her observations of the Quadav and approached the Department of Mining with her writings. Friese became acquainted with the department senator and was appointed as the captain of the newly formed Gold Musketeers. In the year 684, the Musketeers struck mythril in the Palborough Mountains. Friese assumed command of the excavations in the following year, decimating the mountains’ Quadav inhabitants using a devastating weapon dubbed the “Dancing Flames.” The incident brought enormous wealth to Bastok, but created an eternal enemy in the Quadav.

The Star Sibyl at the dawn of the Magic Age, reigning from 290 to 298. At three years old, she unconsciously cast her first black magic spell, unwittingly incinerating her own home. She was then summoned as an apprentice scribe into the service of Tabilolo, the Star Sibyl of the time. Upon Tabilolo's passing in 290, Tukuku was named to succeed her as Star Sibyl. However, not one Tarutaru chieftain attended the rite of succession; the advent of magic had escalated conflicts between the tribes to new heights. In 294, Tukuku appeared at the site of a major battle between two tribal alliances, and cast a powerful spell that stunned both sides of the conflict. She then gathered all of the chieftains and strongly urged them to unite as one nation. Thus after three days and three nights of negotiations, the Federation of Windurst came into being. To the lament of many, Tukuku passed away soon afterwards, in 298.

Minister of the Optistery during the Great War.

Karaha-Baruha earned his genius reputation from his time at the School of Magic; he completed every available unit in only a year and earned multiple degrees. Following his graduation, he ignored the fierce recruiting attempts of the various ministries and eventually applied to enter the Optistery. After assuming the position of minister, Karaha-Baruha worked tirelessly with the other ministries and founded a system of mutual cooperation.

However, at the behest of the Star Sibyl, he sequestered himself within an underground laboratory and delved into the mysteries of summoning magic. After disappearing from the public eye, the name of Karaha-Baruha was eventually forgotten.

In the year of 862, as the city of Windurst stood on the brink of destruction, Karaha-Baruha reappeared to smite the invading beastman army with the forbidden art of summoning. With his own lifeforce spent in unleashing the towering energy that defeated the howling beastmen, the great genius of Karaha-Baruha was lost forever.

An accomplished Warlock Warlord during the Age of Magic, Lungo-Nango discovered his talent as a beastmaster and became a Combat Caster after a fallout with Windurst's School of Magic. Eventually he was promoted to the position of Master Caster and Magistrate over the Norvallen region.

After accepting his post, Lungo petitioned to the Parliament of Patriarchs for the subjugation of the Elvaan tribes who had laid waste to the area. He then built an army to deal with insurgents and achieved countless victories, paving an unconventional path to the title of Warlock Warlord.

Warlord, Lungo swept across the Quon continent with decisive force, subduing its varied inhabitants. He was immediately declared a hero and called back to the capital for a victory parade.

Following the celebration, however, the parliament accused Lungo of insubordination and removed him from his post. His armies dissolved and his status gone, Lungo-Nango disappeared from the public eye in a state of despondency.

Commander of the Bloodwing Horde, an Orcish army sworn into the service of the Shadow Lord. Also known as "Kingslayer Doggvdegg."

Doggvdegg is said to have risen from the ranks of the common soldiers, but little is known of his origins. His notoriety began in 851, when Doggvdegg single-handedly slew King Grantieul R d'Oraguille and his retinue of ten bodyguards during a royal hunt. (The name of Doggvdegg became public knowledge after an Eastern San d'Orian dissident was arrested for planning the assassination, and forced to reveal the full details of the crime.) In 858, Doggvdegg acted as a captain in the Bloodwing Horde during the Orcs' clash with the armies of the Shadow Lord (the War of Savages). The Orcish forces were defeated, and Doggvdegg was incarcerated in the dungeons of Castle Zvahl for an entire year after slaughtering over three hundred demons on the field of battle. When his imprisonment ended, he was returned to the Bloodwing Horde--now the Orcish arm of the Shadow Lord's army--and was eventually promoted to the position of commander.

In the year 862--the beginning of the Crystal War--the "Kingslayer" lured the San d'Orian Royal Knights into the forest and decimated their ranks with devastating ambush tactics (the Battle of Jugner). He followed up on this victory by invading Ronfaure and laying siege to the capital for a period lasting three weeks.

Doggvdegg was a gigantic Orc, and his appearance on the field, often on a bugard mount, would be accompanied by a characteristic tremor that would echo all the way to the chateau, terrifying the citizens of San d'Oria on a nightly basis.

He was also known to have commanded the Bloodwing Horde during battles fought in Valkurm, Gustaberg, and Batallia. However, Doggvdegg disappeared from the history pages after the conflict in Xarcabard, where it is said he defeated the San d'Orian general Phillieulais in single combat. (Beastmen records concur with this account.)

While people remember Doggvdegg as a vicious and cunning monster, the Orcs revere his memory as a merciful and just warrior--a hero among soldiers.

Tzee Xicu was born as the nineteenth^* to a militaristic farming household following the Seventh Yagudo War^**. However, the members of her family were scattered just days later in a night raid by the Federal Forces of Windurst. The young Xicu was picked up and raised by a Mithran beastmaster from the enemy forces. She learned the common language and began singing at Windurst's taverns, drawing crowds with her majestic voice and uncommon appearance.

When Tzee Xicu was four years of age, she managed to escape from Windurst and return to Giddeus. However, she could not understand the language of the Yagudo and was interrogated for deviance, a crime punishable by death. However, the head of the Divine Inspirers, the war choral unit of the Yagudo Theomilitary, had heard Xicu's voice, and argued fervently to save her life. Afterwards, Tzee Xicu became a member of the Divine Inspirers herself.

Tzee Xicu's life took a sudden turn after she became famous for singing. Soo Luma the Manifest claimed that a divine revelation had shown that Xicu's voice was in the range of the gods, and declared her the new Manifest, the divine incarnate.

In the year 858, Tzee Xicu was faced with formidable difficulties. An army of beastmen led by the Shadow Lord swarmed the continent of Mindartia and pressed for obedience from the Yagudo Theomilitary.

Originally, Tzee Xicu planned an all-out revolt, but abandoned the idea after seeing the overwhelming strength of the Shadow Lord's forces. Xicu instead opted to defer, holding in her pride as Manifest, and pledged her loyalty to the Shadow Lord.

After becoming a part of the Shadow Lord's army, Tzee Xicu turned her attention to spreading the Yagudo religious teachings throughout the various races of beastmen and poured her efforts into military service. She led her army to great victories during the Crystal War, and was especially renowned for her efforts in the second siege of Windurst. A special unit of her army, equipped with magic-resistant armor, successfully besieged Fort Karugo-Narugo, eliminating a key defense point for Windurst. Her army then invaded Windurst directly, entering the nation using the magical defense devices that Xicu used to escape the town as a youth. Her forces were eventually driven back by Karaha-Baruha, but Tzee Xicu was highly praised by the Shadow Lord for dealing a devastating blow to the Federation.

In time, signs of defeat increasingly began to show, and rumors of the Shadow Lord's defeat spread through the beastman population. The Yagudo Theomilitary under Tzee Xicu was the only army that was not devastated, and they began a solemn return to Castle Oztroja. Even having held their own valiantly against the great armies of Altana, Xicu's armies were not accustomed to the fighting style of the Mithran navy, who infiltrated the castle and forced the Yagudo to surrender. Tzee Xicu went missing after the battle, and rumors stated that she took her own life.

The Federal Forces of Windurst disarmed Xicu's forces, and the Yagudo, having lost their army and their faith, were beset by mass starvation. However, in the year 871, Tzee Xicu suddenly reappeared and pronounced her return. Under her leadership, the morale of the Yagudo rose once again, and reconstruction of Castle Oztroja and the Yagudo Theomilitary began^***.

^* The nineteenth: Tzee Xicu was the nineteenth chick hatched to her family. Eggs that failed to hatch are not included in the number.

^** The Seventh Yagudo War: In the year 812, Nee Lufa the Manifest led the Yagudo Theomilitary in a battle against the Federal Forces of Windurst in West Sarutabaruta over a span of several years. Utilizing the hostility between the War Warlocks and Mithran navy, Nee succeeded using a diversionary strike from the sea, earning a great victory for the Theomilitary. The Yagudo used their conquest over West Sarutabaruta to establish Giddeus in view of the Federation.

^*** Tzee Xicu has lived unusually long for a Yagudo, who generally have short lives. Some beastman scholars propose that behind the mask of the Tzee Xicu who reappeared to reconstruct the military and castle is actually a different, younger Yagudo, who simply happens to possess a similar high voice.

Also known as "Du'Dha the Ever-Young," Du'Dha ruled the Quadav for an exceptionally long period of time, beginning in the Age of Magic in the year 250, and extending until the Age of Power, when his reign ended around the year 524.

According to Quadav accounts, Du'Dha was a delicate youth. He shed the shell in which most Quadav find great pride, and instead spent his days in leisurely pursuits, such as climbing trees in order to read books undisturbed. Despite his royal blood, no one suspected that he would one day inherit the kingship. However, he became well known for fortune telling, and his shell readings were said to be extremely accurate. He was summoned by the king to be an advisor until policies for the safety of the state could be formed, and was eventually designated as heir to the throne.

Du'Dha first appeared in national histories in the year 291 when he was recorded by the Rounole Commentaries as leading a Quadav offensive on the Coumlaud^* in Derfland, which the Elvaan tribe was using as a hunting ground. It is written that he led his armies from a palanquin due to his feeble legs, leading to the belief that Du'Dha was already of great age by the time of the battle.

Regardless of his victory, Du'Dha decided to abandon the fertile soil he had conquered and instead chose to settle in the barren Pashhow Marshlands. Thus began the construction of Beadeaux. This allowed the Quadav and the Coumlaud to work out a truce, and neutral zones were designated on both sides. Some time later, the forces of Windurst defeated the Elvaan tribes, threatening to propel the region into turmoil. However, Du'Dha maintained a stance of nonintervention, suppressing radicalism and focusing on enriching his own kingdom by several means, such as reorganizing the army by rank based on shells ornamented with gold or jewels.

In the year 381, Du'Dha's national policy reached a turning point when Lanfeaur d'Oraguille, chief of the Elvaan San d'Orian Tribe^** and later the first king of San d'Oria, paid a visit to Beadeaux in person. Impressed by the chief's courage and competence, Du'Dha praised him as a distinguished associate and formed an alliance with his tribe. Afterwards, he lured the Windurstian armies to Pashhow and surrounded their forces to score a great victory for Chief Lanfeaur.

Du'Dha continued to be on friendly terms with Lanfeaur after the Kingdom of San d'Oria was founded until Lanfeaur's death. He reportedly brought a great number of attendants with him to mourn the king's death at his funeral, earning the respect and admiration of the San d'Orians. Around the year 500, Du'Dha realized his death was imminent and began fasting rites, ordering his policies for the next hundred years to be carved onto his gravestone as an epitaph. Thus, he actually continued to reign for nearly twenty years after his death, at which point a Quadav named Vo'Gho infiltrated the king's chambers and usurped the throne, declaring the former king's death to the kingdom. Vo'Gho destroyed Du'Dha's epitaphs and mobilized the kingdom for conquest and territorial expansion.
 

^* Coumlaud: An Elvaan tribe that dominated the central Quon continent before the founding of San d'Oria.

^** San d'Orian Tribe: An Elvaan tribe that dominated the modern Ronfaure region. The tribe's command over the region was once overthrown by Windurst, but was later restored by the tribal chief Lanfeaur d'Oraguille to become the foundation of the Kingdom of San d'Oria.