Archival Record: Seventh Astral Era (Circa Year 5)
Source: The Eorzean Geographical Society, with addendums by the Sharlayan Astrologicum (Recovered Texts)
To the northwest of Aldenard, beyond the towering snow-capped peaks of Coerthas, lies the untamed and forbidding region of Dravania. For the average citizen of Eorzea, Dravania is less a physical place and more a terrifying myth—a dark, mountainous wilderness ruled by the monstrous enemies of the Holy See of Ishgard. Because Ishgard's Gates of Judgement remain firmly sealed to outsiders, direct knowledge of Dravania is remarkably scarce. What little Eorzea knows is cobbled together from ancient Sharlayan texts, the grim reports of Ishgardian knights, and the wild tales of smugglers and heretics.
Presently, during this dawn of the Seventh Astral Era, Dravania remains a land locked in an eternal, bloody stalemate with mankind.
Dravania is characterized by extreme geological diversity, though almost all of it is hostile to human habitation. The region is broadly divided into several distinct zones, each with its own treacherous ecosystem.
The Forelands act as a geographical buffer between Ishgardian Coerthas and the deeper draconic territories. Dominated by ancient, towering coniferous forests and jagged obsidian spires, this region is a primal wilderness. The canopy is often so thick that little sunlight reaches the forest floor, creating a damp, shadowy environment where massive beasts roam freely. The towering peak of Mount Mourn casts a long shadow over the area, serving as a roost for countless dragons. Ash and brimstone frequently choke the air near the mountain's volcanic vents, a constant reminder of the draconic presence.
Further west lies the Hinterlands, a vast, lush basin fed by the winding waters of the Thaliak River. Unlike the Forelands, the Hinterlands are temperate and fertile. However, they are defined by a haunting emptiness. This region was once home to a thriving Sharlayan colony. Today, massive alabaster bridges, grand libraries, and silent observatories lie overgrown with moss and vines. The wilderness is slowly reclaiming the white stone of the scholars, leaving behind a beautiful but melancholic ghost town.
High above Dravania, hidden from the eyes of common men by a permanent, violent squall of clouds, lies the legendary Churning Mists. Ishgardian theology and ancient myths speak of floating islands suspended in the sky by ancient magicks or crystals, where the great wyrms make their lairs. To look up into the Dravanian sky is to see only a roiling ceiling of dark clouds, from which the shadows of massive wings occasionally descend.
Dravania is devoid of a centralized human government, but it is teeming with distinct, isolated cultures that survive in the shadows of the Dragonsong War.
The true masters of Dravania are the dragons, led by the great wyrm Nidhogg. To the Ishgardians, dragons are mindless beasts driven only by bloodlust. However, recovered Sharlayan treatises suggest a drastically different reality: the dragons possess a profound, alien culture.
Dragons are immortal beings whose perception of time is vastly different from that of spoken races. A grudge born a thousand years ago is felt as keenly as a wound inflicted yesterday. They communicate in "Dragonspeak," a complex, rumbling language that requires vocal cords no man possesses. Their society appears strictly hierarchical, governed by age, brood, and raw power. The dragons do not build cities as men do; instead, they adapt natural formations, carving roosts into sheer cliffs and taking refuge in ancient, crumbling temples of unknown origin. Their culture is one of deep sorrow, searing wrath, and an unwavering loyalty to their sire.
Though the Sharlayans themselves have vanished, the echo of their culture dominates the Hinterlands. Before the Garlean Empire invaded Ala Mhigo in 1562 of the Sixth Astral Era, this colony was a beacon of knowledge. The Sharlayans built their society on the pursuit of truth, logic, and magical mastery, worshipping Thaliak, the Scholar.
When the Garlean threat grew too close, the entire population executed "The Great Exodus," packing up their most valuable tomes and returning to the Old World in a single night. They left behind automated golems, enchanted familiars, and magical traps to guard the ruins. The cultural footprint left behind is one of quiet, abandoned genius—a stark contrast to the primal fury of the dragons nearby.
In recent years, the fringes of Dravania have become a sanctuary for Ishgardian outcasts known as heretics. Led by the enigmatic Lady Iceheart, these renegades have abandoned the teachings of the Halonic Church. Hunted by the Inquisition, they live a brutal, survivalist lifestyle in hidden caves and icy ravines along the Coerthan border.
Culturally, the heretics are defined by their rejection of Ishgardian nobility and their bizarre, desperate reverence for the very dragons that seek to destroy their homeland. They practice forbidden magicks, and rumors suggest they partake in draconic blood to gain terrifying powers. Their society is highly secretive, bound together by mutual persecution and a fanatic belief that Ishgard's holy war is a lie.
Eorzean naturalists have recorded faint rumors of an insectoid beast tribe inhabiting the deep ravines of the Forelands. Known as the Gnath, these crab-like bipeds are highly territorial and violently xenophobic. Scant field reports suggest they operate under a unified hive mind, rendering them entirely devoid of individual personality or culture as Eorzeans understand it. They build towering, mound-like structures out of alchemically hardened clay and ash. It is heavily suspected by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn that, like the beast tribes of Eorzea, the Gnath may have the capacity to summon a Primal, though none have yet ventured deep enough into Dravania to confirm this.
As the Eorzean Alliance consolidates its strength following the defeat of the Ultima Weapon, Dravania remains a black spot on the map. The Holy See of Ishgard continues to pour its resources into the ceaseless defense of the central highlands, refusing aid from the Alliance and refusing to share intelligence about the lands to the west.
For the average adventurer, Dravania is a death sentence. The passes are blocked by Ishgardian steel and ice, and the skies are patrolled by Nidhogg's brood. It stands as a monument to ancient magic, lost knowledge, and an endless, burning war that the rest of the realm can only watch from afar.