Ducorde

Ducorde is the world of Final Fantasy Horizon. The relevant pieces of it span two continents, Thalind to the north and Serica to the south, surrounding the Dicelan Sea that separates the two. Ducorde is well past the medieval era many Final Fantasy games are set in, but is not to the post-modern world that many other Final Fantasy games are set in, so here is a brief Technology page that covers a bit of what is and isn't here. A partial Timeline of Ducorde is available.
Alterna
The Kingdom of Alterna based its capital on the juncture between Thalind and Serica, bridging the two continents across the Gap of Termina, a once-volcanic island that made the passageway from the western ocean incredibly dangerous. The Alternan technology made the Gap passable, and according to what few records survived, trade flourished through the city. The city-states are separated by the Sea — formally known as the Dicelan Sea, but never referred to by that name, since there’s only one sea worth sailing in the remains of Alterna. Alterna hoarded its technology, with the city-states under its care receiving only a tiny fraction of the advances made in the capital itself. The Great Crystal warranted the finest protection and the strongest defenses. When the Gap closed after the Crystal shattered, the city-states were suddenly left to fend for themselves, and after a brief period of tumult and chaos, they did. After the shattering, Alterna itself fell into ruin, the old waterways ruptured, the magical enchantments that once strengthened the city now broken and ruined, casting the heart of the empire into dangerous disrepair. Only the brave and foolish dare venture there now. (consider a clock face — Alterna is positioned on the 9)
Cardia
Cardia holds the north, crowned by the impassable Rinkan mountains to the far north, with much of its land covered in snow. A land made strict by its unforgiving weather patterns, Cardia has seen a number of academies rise in the last hundred years, though none more renowned and difficult to gain access to than the Dravanian Academy, nestled in the foothills of Dragonking Peak. Cardia holds dragons in high reverence, something that they say they have always done, even during the time of the Empire, though this is a matter of some debate for historians.

Machanon
Home to study and worship of the Twelve, Machanon makes a point of never closing its borders, even during times of crisis and of disease. The eleven cities within its vague borders, each named for one of the gods, welcome all travelers, and serve as the new gateway between the two continents. With the most eastern-facing ports, Machanon also looks to the horizon to find new lands to the east across the vast ocean, though no voyages have found anything yet.



The Triad  Phiro, Sofia, and Zurvan, a trio of independent states bound under the Triad, with each major decision brought before the three rulers and a majority rule. In the immediate aftermath of the crystal's breaking, three tribes/factions/families/whatever battled for supremacy over the region, stopping when they each realized that if any of them acted against another, the third would be victorious. Every year since then, ceremonial three-way competitions are held, breaking new ground in swords, in sports, and in the arts. The nations are built across three close islands in the eastern side of the Sea, bridges and old ships lashed between them, forming a latticework of ramshackle technology. They serve as an excellent stopping off point for any internal trade, though Machanon still stands to the east.

Saron
Just south and east of Alterna, Saron was said to be the closest vassal state of the Empire, almost situated as a right hand. Saron is in the midst of a civil war of ideologies, with neither side willing to relent or actually explain themselves.


Caerwyn
The south edge of Serica, Caerwyn is a beautiful land of rolling hills, endless plains, and brave warriors, a land of legends and an obsession with heroism. Populated only by legends and their families, Caerwyn has turned heroism into a valuable commodity, with particular valorous deeds granting citizenship for future generations.


SAINÉ A former client state of the Alternan Empire, Sainé is renowned for its massive city-wide libraries and tremendous schools. It is also an intensely private and very small country, nestled deep within Caerwyn, wholly surrounded by the country of legends.


AUGUSTINE The first client state of Alterna to declare independence, Augustine won its fierce and bloody war, declared themselves "guardians of the world," and promptly closed their borders. A string of mountain towns between Alterna and Cardia, Augustine has said little in the nearly four hundred years that followed, making almost no global impact politically. (A map is coming once the GM plays with map creation software, but he hasn't had a chance to do that yet.)