Final Fantasy XIII Reference Information

[Griever]

History and Myth

Pulse

Resting in Cocoon's shadow, the sprawling and enigmatic lowerworld of Pulse is home to a multitude of terrors. The land is commonly believed to be inhospitable to human life, and a strict ban on interworld travel forbids citizens of Cocoon from venturing there to challenge this hypothesis. Not even members of the Sanctum's upper echelon can claim to have seen the surface with their own eyes, but the attempted invasion by the world's savage armies several centuries ago is well documented. Widespread fear of a repeated assault persists among the populace even today, with colloquial references often likening the world to a manner of living hell.

Pulse Fal'Cie

Fal'Cie are an existence beyond human comprehension, possessed of an incredible magic power. The ones responsible for Cocoon's construction are protectors of humanity, but there are others of their kind as well: the fal'Cie who dwell on Pulse and name themselves enemies of Cocoon.

Humans who encounter Pulse fal'Cie are cursed, being turned to l'Cie and ordered to destroy Cocoon. It is for this reason that most ordinary citizens support the Purge--anyone who may have come into contact with one of these fal'Cie represents a dire threat.

Pulse L'Cie

The beings known as fal'Cie possess the power to enthrall unwilling human instruments, compelling the victims to serve their will. These individuals, known as l'Cie, are marked with indelible brands. They gain the gift of magic, but also bear the burden of completing a task known as a Focus for their fal'Cie master.

Pulse l'Cie--tools of fal'Cie from the world below--are considered dangerous enemies of Cocoon's society. As there exists no means of removing the l'Cie brand and the curse thereby imposed, Pulse l'Cie are hunted relentlessly.

Cie'th

When a fal'Cie takes a human to be one of its l'Cie servants, that person is given a Focus to be completed. Should the l'Cie fail to fulfill this Focus before his or her brand advances to its final stage, that l'Cie becomes a Cie'th.

Mired in eternal sorrow and regret, and robbed of all free will, Cie'th are damned to wander the world, unliving and undying, until their corrupted flesh at last can move no more. For Cie'th, there is no salvation.

Brands

The brands that mark a l'Cie as one of the fal'Cie's chosen change gradually, passing through several different stages. When the 'eye' at the center opens--the brand's final stage--the l'Cie becomes a Cie'th.

A brand's rate of progression depends partly on the difficulty of the l'Cie's Focus. It is also linked closely to the individual's mental state, with severe psychological trauma sometimes spurring rapid advancement. In the most extreme cases, severe fear and shock at being made a l'Cie has turned newly made l'Cie to Cie'th at the instant of their branding.

Crystal Stasis

For l'Cie, successful completion of a Focus holds the promise of eternal life in the peaceful slumber of crystal stasis--or so the legends say. Yet to spend an eternity as an immobile crystal is not so very different from death. The people of Cocoon consequently fear being marked as a l'Cie, equating the fal'Cie's brand with a death sentence.

Faced with only the choice between eternal damnation as a Cie'th and eternal imprisonment in crystal, it comes as little surprise that many l'Cie decry their fate.

Eidolons

These mystical entities reveal themselves before only a select few l'Cie. It is said that they are saviors, come to rescue hopeless l'Cie who find themselves bound to a Focus against their will. If this is true, they offer a brand of salvation few indeed would seek willingly: without exception, Eidolons attack the l'Cie whose presences they grace.

There have been no l'Cie in Cocoon for centuries, and as a result, no way of determining the truth behind tales of these beings. To the citizens of Cocoon, they remain the stuff of bedtime stories.

The War of Transgression

Several hundred years ago, the armies of Pulse attempted to invade Cocoon in a conflict known today as the War of Transgression. The Sanctum's fal'Cie were able to repel the lowerworld forces before they breached Cocoon's interior, but not before they managed to seriously damage areas lying near the world's outer rim.

Details surrounding the clash remain shrouded in mystery, but the government's swift and decisive response to this violent Pulsian transgression minimized casualties and greatly boosted public faith in both the Sanctum and their fal'Cie.

Lowerworld Artifacts

In the aftermath of the War of Transgression, regions near Cocoon's outer rim were left uninhabitable due to the severe trauma they had sustained. To undo this damage, the fal'Cie gathered materials from the surface of Pulse and rebuilt Cocoon's wounded landscape using them.

Bodhum was one city so affected, and like the others, it still bears lingering traces of post-war reconstruction in the form of leftover lowerworld artifacts. The Pulse Vestige that hid a dormant fal'Cie was one such artifact.

Cie'th Stones

L'Cie who fail their Foci become Cie'th, cursed to wander the wilds in a form of living death. Only after many years and much suffering do they extinguish the last of their strength and cease to roam. When this happens, the Cie'th's remains slowly fossilize, turning into what is known as a Cie'th Stone.

However, this transformation does not mark an end to the Cie'th's regret and sorrow at having failed. Even after having turned to stone the Cie'th cry out, imploring other l'Cie to fulfill the Focus they could not.

The Undying

The Undying are fearsome Cie'th who, cursing their former fal'Cie masters for forsaking them at the end of their forced servitude, refuse to surrender their connection to this world.

Whereas normal Cie'th eventually cease their wanderings and turn to stone, the Undying rage on, fueled by a jealous hatred of all living things. Retaining the defiant strength of will they knew in life, they act on instinct, doling out death and destruction to all that dare cross their path.

[Griever]

Locales

Cocoon

From her lofty seat, the world of Cocoon has long enjoyed tranquility. The interior of her spherical shell supports several sprawling cities and a population numbering in the tens of millions. Although a variety of dangerous beasts prowl the wilds, advanced technology and the protection of the world's fal'Cie keepers ensure residents a peaceful and prosperous existence. Travel to the lowerworld of Pulse is forbidden, but given their deep-seated cultural fears of the place, Cocoon citizens would not even think to venture beyond the paradise they know.

The Hanging Edge

A relic of days before the War of Transgression, the Hanging Edge is located near Cocoon's outer rim. The area was once a thriving urban center, but residents were forced to abandon the location when an attack by Pulsian forces cracked Cocoon's shell during the conflict several centuries past. It was since designated a restricted zone and, with civilian access prohibited, soon became nothing more than a name on local maps.

Pulse Vestiges

The fal'Cie sculpted Cocoon in antiquity, using resources harvested from the world below. When Cocoon's shell was fractured in the war, they repaired it with raw materials again gathered from Pulse--buildings chief among them. Remnants of these structures, termed Vestiges, can still be found throughout Cocoon today. The centuries-old Vestige outside of Bodhum was believed to be nothing more than a harmless curiosity. The discovery of a Pulse fal'Cie inside its walls proved this false, however, leading to the detainment and subsequent Purging of countless citizens whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bodhum

This modest city by the sea is the hometown of Lightning and Serah, as well as that of Snow and the members of NORA. Known for its relaxing, resort-like atmosphere, the location is a popular destination for vacationers. Bodhum's largest tourist draw is its annual beachfront fireworks display, but this year's event was ruined by the discovery of the Pulse fal'Cie within the nearby Vestige. The Sanctum quarantined the city on the day after the discovery, announcing its plan to Purge Bodhum's entire population, along with the hapless tourists, to Pulse.

Lake Bresha

Lake Bresha is located near Cocoon's outer rim, directly beneath the Hanging Edge. Once a bustling center of activity, this desolate area is now home only to monsters that lurk amongst the centuries-old remnants of civilization. The final wave of power released by the falling Pulse fal'Cie has locked the waters of the lake in a solid crystal form, creating a beautiful and unsettling landscape.

The Vile Peaks

The Vile Peaks are built of debris--the castoffs of material originally lifted up from Pulse by the fal'Cie and used in the construction of Cocoon and later additions of landmass. These towering piles of refuse now serve as lairs for all manner of beasts, including lowerworld mechanical horrors that, intentionally or not, hitched a ride with what became the building blocks of Cocoon. The Sanctum military endeavors to clear out the dangerous inhabitants of the peaks, but some say they leave the job half done to discourage civilians from entering the lowlands.

The Gapra Whitewood

The Gapra Whitewood is the border zone that separates the wilderness of the Vile Peaks from the civilization of Palumpolum. Under the jurisdiction of the Sanctum military, the Whitewood serves as an experimental facility for conducting research into bioweapons. The security of this classified area is built into its design--the paths winding through the trees are deliberately confusing, causing intruders to become hopelessly lost.

The Sunleth Waterscape

Off-limits to civilians, this unusual nature reservation is often visited by Sanctum officials engaged in ecological field studies. Research into the local ecosystem is conducted via climate-control mechanisms installed in the area. These mechanisms provide direct access to the fal'Cie in charge of manipulating weather conditions.

Euride Gorge

Euride Gorge is located near the town of Bodhum. The area is best known for its energy plant, a facility whose output is generated by the fal'Cie Kujata. Many school students can be found visiting the plant to learn about the role of fal'Cie in society, but the gorge also sees a large number of tourists who come to view the spectacular scenery. Eight days prior to the Purge there was an incident at the plant involving Pulse l'Cie, but the details were suppressed to prevent civilian panic.

Palumpolum

Hope's hometown, Palumpolum is one of the biggest cities of Cocoon. Retail stores line the streets--a rarity in a society where online purchases are the norm. With the goal of promoting their 'hands-on' approach to commerce as a tourist attraction, the local government actively encourages businesses to set up shop in Palumpolum.

Nautilus

Centered around the ever-popular Nautilus Park, the 'City of Dreams' is essentially a giant fairground built by the Sanctum for the amusement of Cocoon's citizens. Tourists visit from all corners of the world, keeping the city busy and bustling all year round.

Nautilus Park

Nautilus Park is the crown jewel of the Sanctum-built City of Dreams. It houses numerous attractions constructed with the latest technology, but the true stars of the park are the chocobos and sheep found in the family-friendly petting zoo. With the wilds of Cocoon crawling with all manner of vicious beasts, people find the presence of the docile park animals to be a rare and reassuring change.

The Fifth Ark

This Gran Pulse structure lies deep below the capital city of Eden, its existence unknown to the members of the Sanctum. According to legend, Arks are Gran Pulse armories that hold living weapons in stasis, in preparation for war with outside forces. These facilities also supposedly serve the function of awakening a l'Cie's latent powers.

Why this 'Fifth Ark' is on Cocoon, and whether there are other Arks hidden elsewhere, is uncertain.

Eden

This city, Cocoon's capital, shares its name with its fal'Cie patron. Host to the world's centers of culture and government, it functions as the heart of human society on Cocoon. At the city's core rises the monumental Edenhall, seat of the Sanctum's administration. The fal'Cie Eden dwells deep within the structure's interior.

Gran Pulse

This savage world derives its name from that of the god Pulse. Its vast wilderness is populated by creatures ranging from the monstrous to the deadly, and its fal'Cie seem to have taken a decidedly less friendly approach toward human dealings than those of Cocoon, cultivating the land for settlement, but demonstrating little concern beyond that.

At one time in its history, Gran Pulse was home to a thriving civilization and many great cities. Now it is home to many great ruins, and people are nowhere to be seen.

Vallis Media

This is the area where Lightning and her companions set up camp after their escape from Cocoon and emergency landing on Gran Pulse.

The valley has been formed through great shifts in the earth's crust and centuries of erosion, and scattered among its twists and turns are mechanical remnants of Gran Pulse's civilization. Half-buried in the ground and overgrown with vegetation, these abandoned artifacts tell the tale of a fallen age.

The Archylte Steppe

This great plain covers a vast expanse of Gran Pulse.

With an unobstructed view clear to the horizon, creatures can easily spot intruders into their territory. Perhaps this explains why so many beasts of the steppe are merciless predators--victors of the unending struggle for survival.

The Yaschas Massif

This mountain group stretches across a southern region of Gran Pulse. The area's geography is diverse, consisting of scenic highplains, sheer escarpments, and deep fault valleys, with mammoth fallen trees a common sight across its landscape. At the massif's southernmost tip lies the ruin of the fallen city-state of Paddra. Once the flourishing center of an advanced culture, it is now nothing more than a Cie'th-infested archaeopolis.

The Mah'habara Subterra

Mah'habara is an underground labyrinth of tunnels excavated by the fal'Cie Atomos. The advanced civilization of Gran Pulse once established mining operations here, targeting the mineral and ore deposits exposed by the fal'Cie's digging. Long-abandoned engineering and excavation drones are now the only traces of human society that remain, the miners having disappeared long ago.

Sulyya Springs

These subterranean springs rest within the mountainous northern reaches of the Archylte Steppe. A unique environment, the springs have spawned an equally unique and diverse ecosystem.

The bioluminescent plants that line the waterfront represent a particular danger to unwary visitors. Their beautiful, ghostly plays of light often draw unsuspecting onlookers to the water's edge, where the area's guardian fal'Cie is quick to strike.

Taejin's Tower

This towering spire was built by the fal'Cie in ages past. While the purpose of the structure is unclear, its original height suggests that the mighty beings sought to pierce even the heavens in their insatiable quest for expansion. No matter the reason for its construction, the tower now lies in ruin, its great spine snapped, and its crumbling interior serving as a lair for the fal'Cie Dahaka.

Oerba

Fang and Vanille's former home, the village of Oerba is located at the northernmost edge of the Gran Pulse mainland. Villagers from several clans shared a communal lifestyle here, honoring the fal'Cie Anima as their patron and protector. Today, what remains of the abandoned village is overrun by Cie'th and in the process of being swallowed by an encroaching sea of ashen crystal sand dunes.

[Griever]

Cocoon Society

The Sanctum

Cocoon's central government, the Sanctum holds supreme executive, legislative, and judicial power. It also maintains directive authority over the military.

Despite the fact that Cocoon was built by the fal'Cie, and not by humans, fal'Cie opt to participate only superficially in governmental affairs, leaving Cocoon's administration entirely at the discretion of the human Sanctum and its Primach, Galenth Dysley.

The Purge

To the millions who call Cocoon home, the lowerworld of Pulse represents a constant source of fear. Suspected association with Pulse means stigmatization as an enemy of the state and all mankind--even for born and raised citizens of Cocoon.

The recent discovery of a fal'Cie from Pulse near the city of Bodhum caused widespread civil unrest. After placing the city's entire population under quarantine due to the possibility of contamination, the Sanctum then announced its intent to forcibly relocate the affected to Pulse in an emergency measure dubbed by authorities as the Purge.

Sanctum Fal'Cie

The Sanctum fal'Cie are the unfathomable entities that constructed the floating shell of Cocoon in ages past, and even now watch over the world's human inhabitants. Each is assigned a specific task that supports the existence of Cocoon's grateful populace, such as generating energy or manufacturing food. The fal'Cie rarely intervene directly in the governing of society, leaving that responsibility to appointed human representatives. One theory states that, including the lower hierarchy, the total number of Sanctum fal'Cie exceeds eight million.

Sanctum L'Cie

During the War of Transgression, a number of warriors were made into l'Cie to engage the forces of Pulse alongside the Sanctum fal'Cie. Since that time, there is no record of a Cocoon fal'Cie taking a human as a l'Cie.

It is possible that there have been unrecorded cases, but even if that is so, any and all accurate information about the nature of Sanctum l'Cie has been lost in the intervening years. Even Sanctum researchers have been able to achieve no more than speculation.

PSICOM

The Sanctum military is composed of two main branches: the Guardian Corps, responsible for maintaining security in various jurisdictions throughout Cocoon, and PSICOM--Public Security and Intelligence Command.

PSICOM is an elite special operations unit charged with protecting Cocoon from Pulsian incursion. In contrast to the lightly armed Guardian Corps, PSICOM employs an array of advanced heavy weaponry and cruiser-class airships. As PSICOM bears responsibility for any and all threats of Pulse origin, it was PSICOM who conducted the Purge.

Guardian Corps

The Guardian Corps is the branch of the Sanctum military responsible for maintaining peace and stability within Cocoon.

Within their assigned jurisdictions, the soldiers of the Guardian Corps fulfill the role of police officers and protectors, working to eliminate all manner of criminal activity as well as rampaging wildlife. As a unit that works alongside the general population, it rarely employs heavy weaponry or cruiser-class airships. However, the Corps does retain squads of highly mobile shock troops.

Wide-area Response Brigade

The Wide-area Response Brigade is a Guardian Corps unit commanded by Brigadier General Cid Raines. The brigade is more famous for its unofficial name, the 'Cavalry.' A mobile unit without a designated jurisdiction, the Cavalry patrols the uninhabited expanses between cities, ready to respond to emergency situations at a moment's notice. For this purpose, the brigade commands a cruiser-class airship--the sole exception in the Guardian Corps.

The Lindblum

Due to the expansive area it patrols and the need for mobility, the Wide-area Response Brigade has no fixed base. The Lindblum is the command ship of the brigade and serves as both home and headquarters for its soldiers. It is heavily armed and armored for a Guardian Corps craft, but is easily outclassed by the anti-Pulse gunships built for the main PSICOM fleet.

The Palamecia

The flagship of the Sanctum Skyfleet, this imposing craft is an anti-Pulse juggernaut built using the latest in military technology. The Palamecia bristles with powerful weaponry, and its multiple decks hold several dozen warships, as well as hundreds of crew members.

During the Purge, the Palamecia transported the entire Pulse Vestige to the Hanging Edge.

Bodhum Security Regiment

The Bodhum Security Regiment is a section of the Guardian Corps stationed in the coastal community of Bodhum. Before the events of the Purge, Lightning belonged to this unit.

Public security issues rarely arose in the sleepy seaside town, and with little trouble from the local fauna, the regiment was one of the least active units of the Corps. During long spans of downtime, BSR troops were often sent to aid in exterminating dangerous wildlife in frontier regions.

Woodlands Observation Battalion

This unit is part of the Guardian Corps, but unlike the Bodhum Security Regiment, the Woodlands Observation Battalion patrols non-residential areas. Its main duty is to prevent wild creatures from encroaching on suburban districts.

The battalion also provides the bulk of security personnel for the Gapra Whitewood bioweapon research facility, despite the facility's status as a PSICOM-run initiative.

Palumpolum Security Division

As the name implies, this Guardian Corps unit is stationed in the city of Palumpolum. In order to properly patrol the immense Capital of Commerce, the division consists of a large number of troops broken down into many small regiments.

As a force primarily entrusted with maintaining public security, it is not outfitted with heavy combat equipment. However, the division is known for its high morale, and its soldiers were drafted to serve under PSICOM's Colonel Rosch during the l'Cie operations.

Nautilus Security Regiment

This Guardian Corps unit is responsible for maintaining security in Nautilus, the popular City of Dreams. With the fun-filled amusement park requiring little supervision, the Nautilus Security Regiment spends much of its time practicing combat maneuvers.

The regiment's highly trained soldiers are often deployed in support of PSICOM operations, and many of its members joined the sweep teams searching for fugitive l'Cie in the Vile Peaks.

The Homeguard

This Guardian Corps unit is stationed in the capital city of Eden. The most elite soldiers in the Corps, the Homeguard is on equal footing with PSICOM in terms of sheer military might.

As part of an organization that accepts only the best troops the army has to offer, Homeguard veterans are well respected in Cocoon society even after their retirement.

Bioweapons

The Sanctum has developed a vast arsenal of weaponry to defend against the constant threat of Pulse, and these living weapons are one of the many fruits its research has borne.

Ordinary Cocoon wildlife transformed into efficient killing machinery through selective breeding, intense training, and physical augmentation, bioweapons retain all the raw power and feral fury of their natural counterparts while obeying the commands of their handlers with unwavering loyalty.

AMP Technology

Antimatter Manipulation Principal (AMP) forms the foundation for a variety of technological wonders, enabling phenomena ranging from phase-space interference to the manipulation of gravitational force.

Humans ordinarily lack the means to wield magic, but through the use of manadrives--another product of the principle--it is possible to synthesize its effects.

The Pompa Sancta

This festive nighttime dance parade depicts the events of the War of Transgression in a stylish and dazzling display of pageantry. Held in Nautilus, the production portrays Cocoon fal'Cie as Eidolons who combine their powers with those of flamboyant 'Sanctum l'Cie' in order to overthrow the villainous l'Cie of Pulse.

In the show's dramatic finale, a Pulse l'Cie transforms into an abomination reminiscent of Ragnarok before finally being slain by a righteous l'Cie from Cocoon.

NORA

The paramilitary organization known as NORA is a group composed of like-minded youths, assembled by Snow and self-funded by the operation of a seaside cafe in Bodhum. Functioning as a neighborhood watch of sorts, NORA members patrol the vicinity of Bodhum for trouble. Most often, 'trouble' consists of encroachment by dangerous forms of wildlife.

NORA had never openly acted out against the Sanctum prior to the Purge, and because of this, the military had been content to turn a blind eye to the group's activities.

Chocobos

These large, yellow birds are always crowd favorites.

Wild chocobos are almost unheard of on Cocoon, but thanks to the antics of a certain TV program's feathery main character, owning chocobo chicks has become the latest fad among children.

Although the tiny chicks are easy to handle when young, their rapid growth as they approach adulthood has forced an increasing number of families to donate their oversized avian pets to zoos and farms.

[Griever]

The Fal'Cie

Eden

The namesake of Cocoon's capital, this fal'Cie directs the others of its kind who support the world's day-to-day existence. While Cocoon's other fal'Cie do not communicate with humans, Eden does. Presiding over the Sanctum's otherwise human administration, the fal'Cie is known to issue orders to the Primarch and step in to correct political gaffes on occasion.

As the sole operational nexus linking untold numbers of fal'Cie, it is not unthinkable that the loss of Eden could spell the end of Cocoon itself.

Phoenix

Cocoon's own light in the sky, Phoenix is a Sanctum fal'Cie tasked with providing warmth and illumination. It floats at the center of Cocoon's inner atmosphere like a miniature sun, bathing the surrounding world in its radiant glow.

It is the fal'Cie who are responsible for Cocoon's climate, regularly adjusting weather as deemed necessary. Just as Phoenix regulates daylight, other subordinate fal'Cie maintain patterns of wind and precipitation.

Kujata

The task of this Sanctum fal'Cie is providing Cocoon with the power its advanced urban population demands. From the plant at Euride Gorge, it sates the voracious energy appetites of surrounding cities.

Eight days before the Purge, Kujata detected a Pulse l'Cie presence near the plant and took emergency defensive action. Hoping to use a human instrument to search out the enemy l'Cie, the fal'Cie branded Sazh's son, Dajh, who had wandered into the facility, turning the boy into a Sanctum l'Cie.

Carbuncle

Carbuncle is a Sanctum fal'Cie charged with food production. Stationed in Palumplum's subterranean nutriculture complex, this fal'Cie oversees a process of ultra-efficient hydroponic farming employing mobile paddies and careful regulation of light and water.

A parallel process within the facility generates raw protein to supplement the vegetable foodstuffs produced.

Anima

This fal'Cie had been hibernating deep within the Bodhum Vestige. It branded Serah, as well as Lightning, Snow, and the others, condemning them all to the grim fate of Pulse l'Cie.

Although it appears Anima was brought to Cocoon in the Vestige centuries ago, Sanctum authorities had no knowledge of the alien stowaway's presence. Its discovery, and the resultant fear that Bodhum's population may have been tainted by its magic, spawned the Purge.

Atomos

Atomos toils endlessly beneath the surface of Gran Pulse, ever extending the world's network of snaking, subterranean passages. Common speculation purports that the fal'Cie's goal is excavation of habitable underground environments, but the truth of the matter is shrouded in mystery.

What is known is that Atomos's digging often exposes deposits of valuable mineral resources. For this reason, the human inhabitants of Gran Pulse long ago established mining operations in Mah'habara.

Bismarck

An aquatic fal'Cie, Bismarck dwells within the watery refuge of Gran Pulse's Sulyya Springs. Wary and cunning, the whale-like creature vehemently defends its territory, employing various indirect means to eliminate tresspassers.

Bismarck's duty appears to be the slow and painstaking reshaping of the land through water erosion. This is likely the reason for its aggressive defense of the waters it inhabits.

[Griever]

Language

Cocoon



Lowercase writing is on the top row, while uppercase is on the bottom.

Gran Pulse



Gran Pulse has no upper or lowercase to its writing system.

Etro



Named for the goddess Etro, this alphabet is found on Eidolons and the crests that appear when they are summoned. The writing is always in Latin.

[Griever]

Brands

Both Pulse and Cocoon l'Cie brands are divided into thirteen stages, with the bearer turning into a Cie'th when the brand reaches the thirteenth.

Cocoon



Pulse