Ivalice

Overview

Ivalice is the fictional setting for Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Vagrant Story. Square Enix has reported that all these games take place near each other, but no direct connection between the the games has been made. The world was created by Square's Yasumi Matsuno. It is a world where magic and technology coexist, and where many of the Final Fantasy standards can be found, such as crystals and chocobos. The visual style in Final Fantasy XII is based on a mix of medieval Mediterranean cultures; the designers stated specifically that Turkish architecture, India's art-deco architectural style, and several sources of Arabic culture found in Europe contributed to their conception of Ivalice. New York City's skyline was also a source of inspiration. 

Connections

There has been much speculation on the timeline of the games set in Ivalice. For many years, fans had to fill in the blanks, until Square Enix released a timeline for FFXII and FF Tactics. Vagrant Story was not specifically named, but there are several key locations from that game also mentioned. For example, the setting for Vagrant Story has the same name as the continent where Final Fantasy XII takes place. The religion followed by the the citizens in the town of Lea Monde is also followed by the inhabitants of Final Fantasy XII. Both games also feature the historian Alazlam in different capacities, narrating or describing certain items. So it seems that Vagrant Story is related in some way, though not officially stated by Square Enix.
 
 

Inhabitants

The world of Ivalice is inhabited by a variety of races, many of which are playable in the Tactics series of titles.
 

Humes

Humes are the generic Human-like race in Ivalice. They have no physical distinctions from Humans in real-life and their culture and appearances are modeled after the Medieval and Mediterranean peoples.
 

Moogles

Moogles are a staple in the Final Fantasy series and make an appearance in Ivalice. These Moogles have a different appearance, being more human-like with long, rabbit-like ears. Moogles are the most resourceful race in Ivalice and are responsible for designing Airships and the teleporting system found in Final Fantasy XII.
 

Bangaa

Bangaa are a tall race of lizardmen, often with red colored skin. They are the most integrated into the Hume Society compared to the other races. All Bangaa have poor eyesight and rely on other senses to survive, many of them wearing a blindfold as part of their outfit. Bangaa also find the the term "Lizard" to be a derogatory remark.
 

Viera

The Viera are a race of slender, human-like rabbit people. They live in secrecy in the forests of Ivalice, split into three distinct sub-races, the Veena, who have lighter skin, the Rava, who are darker skinned and the Veol, who have shorter ears. The Viera are so tied to the forests of Ivalice that they consider any one of their own who leave the woods to be an outsider and unwelcome in Viera society, much is the case for the character Fran in Final Fantasy XII.
 

Nu Mou

The Nu Mou are a short, dog-like race which can live 3-times as long as Hume. Nu Mou are adept at magic and also have the unique ability to speak with the monsters of Ivalice.
 

Other Races

Other non-playable races include the Seeq, an unintelligent but powerful pig-like race. The Garif, a thick-furred Tribal race and the Urutan-Yensa, a savage crab-like race who dwell as nomads in the Yensa Sandsea, among several others.