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                           Final Fantasy XIII-2

                           "Fragments & Datalog"

                         Version 1.0 February 2012

                       by bivium6 ([email protected])


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~~*~~  Table of Contents  ~~*~~

1)  Fragments by Category

       Fragment Items
               Chaos Crystal
               Black Hole Gem
               White Hole Gem
               Entropy Board
               Falcon's Compass
               Control Device Password 1
               Control Device Password 2
               Paradox Scope

       Monster Bits
               Gogmagog Fragment Alpha
               Gogmagog Fragment Beta
               Gogmagog Fragment Gamma
               Atlas Fragment
               Aloeidai Fragment
               Mutantomato Fragment
               Proto Fal'Cie Adam Fragment
               Zenobia Fragment
               Amethyst and Luvulite Fragment
               Miniflan Fragment
               Goblin Fragment
               Ghast Fragment
               Kalavinka Fragment
               Fragment of Invincibility
               Ugallu Fragment
               Ochu Fragment
               Gorgyra Fragment
               Long Gui Fragment
               Yomi Fragment
               Twilight Fragment Alpha
               Twilight Fragment Beta

       Academic Reward
               Academic Rank: Monster Professor
               Academic Rank: Paradox Professor
               Idea Circuit
               Enigma Codex
               Difference Engine
               Travel Guide: New Bodhum
               Travel Guide: Bresha Ruins
               Travel Guide: Yaschas Massif
               Travel Guide: Oerba
               Travel Guide: Sunleth Waterscape
               Travel Guide: Academia
               Travel Guide: Augusta Tower
               Travel Guide: Vile Peaks
               Travel Guide: Archylte Steppe
               Travel Guide: A Dying World

       Great Mog Wisdom
               Delicate Crystal
               Time's Stardust
               Time's Shell
               Time's Coral
               Spinning Moonstone
               Sparkling Runestone
               Astonishing Limestone
               Thrilling Milestone
               Lovely Starstone
               Bubbly Stone
               Scorching Firestone
               Dewy Bloodstone
               Mossy Rosetta Stone
               Bittersweet Chiffon
               Tremulous Muffin
               Beloved Cinnamon
               Selfish Pancake
               Farewell Madeleine
               Teatime Mont Blanc
               Dishonest Mille-feuille
               Pink Parfait

       Bounty Hunter's Prize
               Ruthenium Ring
               Rhodium Ring
               Palladium Ring
               Osmium Ring
               Iridium Ring
               Platinum Ring
               Mythril Ring
               Adamantite Ring

       Crimson Memories
               Waltraute's Flower
               Gerhilde's Blossom
               Ortlinde's Bloom
               Schwertleite's Flower
               Heimwige's Nightshade
               Siegrune's Spiritbloom
               Rossweisse Skyblossom
               Book of Avalon
               Book of Shambala
               Book of Valhalla

       The Honor of Blitz Squad
               Torreno's Last Light
               Baxter's Last Light
               Falcon's Last Light
               Ray's Last Light
               Thunder's Last Light
               Sarge's Last Light
               Blitz Squadron Mission Report

       Fate's Recollection
               Heart Prism
               Vita Lyrica
               Anima Miseria
               Unio Mystica
               Ars Symphonica
               Pathos Jewel
               Misery's Bead
               Amur's Sphere
               Innocence's Sacred Sphere
               Orb of Clotho
               Sword of Lachesis
               Mirror of Atropos
               Giant Egg
               Extraordinary Egg
               Woolly Stone
               Setzer's Dice
               Cartesian Board
               Laplacian Board

       Quiz Mastery
               Quiz Rank: Private
               Quiz Rank: Sergeant
               Quiz Rank: Lieutenant
               Quiz Rank: Colonel
               Quiz Rank: General
               Stoic Virtue
               Epicurean Song
               Lyceum Knowledge
               Academia Wisdom

       Graviton Core
               Graviton Core Alpha
               Graviton Core Beta
               Graviton Core Gamma
               Graviton Core Delta
               Graviton Core Epsilon
               Graviton Core Zeta
               Graviton Core Eta

       An Affectionate Message
               Words of Light
               Father's Song
               Vanille's Fruit
               Fang's Crown
               Hope's Message
               Noel's Message
               Serah's Message
               Chocochick Down
               Lucky Coin
               Priceless Gift
               Lapis Lazuli
               Heliodor Ore
               Carnelian
               Celestine
               Cosmo Aura

       Oracle of Etro
               Ultima Brand
               Omega Brand
               Chaos Brand
               Crimson Crystal
               Azure Crystal
               Forest Crystal
               Amber Crystal
               Violet Crystal
               Etro's Sorrow
               Pulse's Resolution
               Lindzei's Desire
               Mwynn's Tenderness
               Bhunivelze's Sleep

       Paradox Ending
               Transcript: A Giant Mistake
               Transcript: Vanille's Truth
               Transcript: Mog's Marvelous Flan Plan
               Transcript: Test Subjects
               Transcript: The Future is Hope
               Transcript: Beneath a Timeless Sky
               Transcript: Heir to Chaos
               Transcript: Fate and Freedom

2)  Datalog

       Significant Persons
               Lightning
               Serah Farron
               Snow Villers
               Oerba Dia Vanille
               Oerba Yun Fang
               Hope Estheim
               Sazh Katzroy
               Alyssa Zaidelle
               Mog
               NORA
               Chocolina
               Yeul
               Noel Kreiss
               Caius Ballad

       Paradoxes
               Time Gates
               Artefacts
               Historia Crux
               Paradoxes
               Cocoon's Fall: The Prophecy
               The Crystal Pillar
               Gates of Augusta
               Paradox and Memory
               Atlas
               Proto Fal'Cie Adam
               The Thirteenth Ark

       Society
               Fal'Cie and L'Cie
               L'Cie and Cie'th
               Catastrophe
               Magic
               Summoning
               The Gran Elevator
               The Academy
               Proto Fal'Cie Project
               Man vs. Machine
               Duplicates
               Time Capsule
               Graviton Cores
               The New Cocoon

       Locales
               Cocoon and Pulse
               New Bodhum
               The Bresha Ruins and the Purge
               Academia
               Augusta Tower
               Serendipity
               The Coliseum

       History and Myth
               The Goddess Etro
               Valhalla
               Guardians
               Heart of Chaos
               Eyes of Etro
               Oracle Drives
               The Farseers
               Unseen Chaos
               Etro's Gate
               Death of a Goddess
               An Immortal Wish

3)  Legal Stuff


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~~*~~  1)  Fragments by Category  ~~*~~

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Fragment Items 8/8
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Chaos Crystal - Item Info

       A shard of twisted time, frozen in crystal.  It
       is a key component in the paradox weapon,
       which is being developed in Academia of the
       5th century AF.

       This remarkable and extremely rare
       substance is formed by spacetime
       singularities, and is believed to be the seed
       substance that causes Time Gates to
       manifest.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black Hole Gem - Item Info

       A stone recovered from inside a faeryl.  This
       substance was responsible for summoning
       up a tempest, sucking up huge numbers of
       monsters, and sending them flying to another
       spacetime.

       Faeryl monsters like to swallow crystals that
       sit in their stomachs and ignite the flames
       they breathe from their mouths.  This
       particular monster must have swallowed the
       fragment by mistake, thinking it another
       crystal.

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White Hole Gem - Item Info

       Countless flan are emerging from the gate in
       the Sunleth Waterscape and disrupting the
       balance of the ecosystem.

       This fragment is the twin of the Black Hole
       Gem.  It has the power to take monsters
       absorbed by a Black Hole Gem, generate a
       rift in spacetime, and disgorge those same
       monsters into a different era and place.

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Entropy Board - Item Info

       The Entropy Board allows you to activate a
       switch in Augusta Tower (200 AF).

       Use the board to replace circuits crosswired
       across time periods and bypass the
       malfunction.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falcon's Compass - Item Info

       This compass was given to you by Falcon of
       Blitz Squadron, in the Vile Peaks, 200 AF.

       A Security Regiment compass logs the
       actions of its possessor.  By analyzing the
       data it holds, it is possible to deduce the
       identity of the previous owner.


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Control Device Password 1 - Item Info

       This is one of the passwords needed to
       access the Atlas control device (100 AF,
       Bresha Ruins), which was locked by some
       unknown person.

       Access to the control panel was lost when
       the researcher who held the passwords
       disappeared from the site.  After that, the
       Academy changed its password management
       policy to avoid similar incidents in the future.

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Control Device Password 2 - Item Info

       This is one of the passwords needed to
       access the Atlas control device (100 AF,
       Bresha Ruins), which was locked by some
       unknown person.

       The encryption technology appears to use
       the paradox to enhance lockdown security. A
       virtual space exists inside the control
       device.  Enclosed within is a temporal rife-to
       get the password, the puzzles in the rift have
       to be solved.

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Paradox Scope - Item Info

       The 'Paradox Scope' is a lens that shows the
       possibilities of different timelines.  The
       bearer gains the ability to sense the
       crossroads of history.

       The scope bends the rules of the universe
       and makes the impossible possible.  As a
       result, you may find yourself able to do
       things such as defeat unbeatable foes, and
       experience a future that should have never
       come to pass.


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Monster Bits 21/21
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Gogmagog Fragment Alpha - Best of the Bestiary

       Gogmagog is a giant of the Void Beyond.
       Banished from this world for violating the
       laws of time, the beast forever wanders the
       Void in search of escape.

       Many enchantments were needed to contain
       its immense power.  The charms and magic
       seals that cover the beast are mute
       testament to the courage of those who
       banished it.

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Gogmagog Fragment Beta - Best of the Bestiary

       Ancient documents provide scant
       information about the true nature of
       Gogmagog.  Researchers believe that there
       may be two Gogmagogs, and that the name
       refers to the species, not the individual.

       Others believe that Gogmagog is a fal'Cie
       who was punished for trying to travel the
       timeline.  This may well be the most
       compelling explanation for the beast's
       immense power.

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Gogmagog Fragment Gamma - Best of the Bestiary

       The legends are not clear on the reason why
       Gogmagog searches for an escape from the
       Void Beyond.  Some say that what he truly
       seeks is oblivion.  Should he find a way out
       and be reunited with his lost half, only then
       will he find release.

       A certain passage in the legend reads thusly:
       'Gogmagog once believed he had found his
       missing half within the Void Beyond-it was,
       however, but a shadow of his past self,
       searching endlessly through the mists of
       time.'

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Atlas Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       Atlas is a giant war machine that was
       excavated from the Bresha Ruins.  The
       technology appears to be of human origin,
       rather than fal'Cie.  This suggests that it is a
       relic from a future civilization.

       The machine can be operated through its
       crystal-controlled AI and sensory perception
       apparatus.  Academy scientists hypothesize
       that the machine was built to combat large-
       scale fal'Cie, but stress that their research
       is still in the early stages.

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Aloeidai Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       Aloeidai is the mortal enemy of the giant
       Gogmagog.  The legends say that in order to
       exact revenge against Gogmagog, who had
       caused him to be banished from hi
       homeland, Aloeidai cursed Gogmagog to
       wander forever in the rifts between eras.

       Aloeidai loathes all things that live in this
       world, and when he is defeated, he twists the
       surrounding spacetime in an effort to take
       his enemies with him into death.

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Mutantomato Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       Mutantomatoes are flan mutations that
       arose suddenly in Cocoon's Sunleth
       Waterscape nature preserve.  Researchers
       believe that the creatures feed on the
       crystal latticework that runs through the
       interior of Cocoon and helps support it in
       the sky.

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Proto Fal'Cie Adam Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The Proto fal'Cie known as Adam was built
       by humans.  Some of the memory modules of
       the fal'Cie Eden, which once controlled
       Cocoon, were transplanted to the artificial
       fal'Cie.

       In 400 AF, the automated Academia defense
       networks began to attack the population
       they were tasked with protecting.  However,
       the time traveler Serah Farron was able to
       eradicate the malfunctioning systems.  At
       least, according to certain records of
       unknown providence.

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Zenobia Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       Zenobia is one of the fearsome group of
       Cie'th known as the 'Undying.'  After
       descending upon the Haerii Archaeopolis and
       wreaking untold havoc, she disappeared
       from the pages of history.

       In 400 AF, Zenobia was summoned through a
       crack in spacetime by the Proto fal'Cie
       Adam, and became the harbinger of death
       for the seeress Yeul.  It is said this moment
       was 'seen' and recorded within an Oracle
       Drive.

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Amethyst and Luvulite Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       Pacos Amethyst and Pacos Luvulite are
       crystalspawn born in the chaos of Valhalla.

       Amethyst was once a pure chuck of ice
       floating on the seas of entropy, while
       Luvulite was a pool of molten magma that
       erupted from the unstable ground.  Once
       both mad matured to a certain size, they took
       on the apparent shape and cunning of
       beasts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miniflan Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The self-styled miniflan musketeers are a
       gang of five kinds of flan who somehow
       acquired self-awareness.  The group consists
       of cool Blue, emo Black, lady Pink,
       mischievous Yellow, and their hot-blooded
       leader, Red.

       Red is a regular miniflan.  As for the others, it
       is not clear if they will turn the same color
       as they age.  In any case, scientists are
       praying that they won't grow any bigger.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goblin Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The goblins that inhabit the Archylte Steppe
       of Pulse are highly intelligent carnivores who
       lay traps for their prey and hunt in packs.
       For this reason, they are a direct threat to
       the hunters who also live off the plains.

       Climate change can cause a decline in prey
       and force the goblins to wander closer to
       human settlements in search of food.  They
       love a good fight and like to pounce on
       unwary humans.  We recommend staying in
       large groups when traversing goblin-infested
       lands.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ghast Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The Cie'th, including monsters such as the
       Ghast, are created by fal'Cie from living
       humans.  When people who have been made
       l'Cie are unable to fulfill their Focus, they are
       transformed into Cie'th.  Places where fal'Cie
       were once active are often infested with
       large numbers of wandering Cie'th.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kalavinka Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The Kalavinka Striker is a bioweapon that
       was deployed by the elite PSICOM forces of
       the defunct Sanctum government of Cocoon.
       It was believed these weapons were all lost
       in the catastrophe, but at least one
       apparently fell into the Void Beyond.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fragment of Invincibility - Best of the Bestiary

       The War of Transgression that pitted Cocoon
       against Pulse took place 700 years before
       the catastrophe.  The common wisdom on
       Cocoon is that the war was sparked by a
       Pulse invasion; however, Pulse records
       claim that the culprit was a 'demon from Cocoon.'
       Historians remain divided to this day.

       The people of Pulse had always feared
       invasion from the sky, and made
       preparations accordingly.  These included
       'immortals,' war machines of immense
       strength and durability that were able to
       fight fal'Cie even when half-destroyed.  The
       ancient weapons where designed for a
       defensive war on the ground, not offensive
       airborne assaults.  Some historians claim
       that this proves it was Cocoon that
       instigated the war.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ugallu Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The monster Ugallu once descended upon
       ancient Paddra.  Many a l'Cie and mighty
       warrior faced the beast, but none were able
       to subjugate it.  Only the seeress Paddra Nsu-
       Yeul of the Farseers knew the true extent of
       the menace it posed.

       Ugallu was a monster from the seeress's
       future.  Its very existence in her time was a
       contradiction, an impossibility.  If it was not
       destroyed, the tear in spacetime would grow
       until it consumed the entire nation.  So the
       seeress made the fateful decision to break
       her own vows and seal the beast within the
       Void Beyond.

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Ochu Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       Ochus are wild plant-monsters that live on
       Gran Pulse.  Variants include the small
       microchu and its close cousin the neochu, as
       well as the rapidly mutating chaochu.

       Because the ochu and its relatives inhabit
       similar environments, they are fierce rivals
       for food and resources.  On Pulse, evolution
       acts on populations remarkably quickly; new
       varieties and species emerge in a matter of
       years.  That said, however, the ochu and
       neochu have been in competition for much
       longer.

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Gorgyra Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       There was once a female warrior of Paddra,
       bound to serve the goddess, who was
       tricked by an enemy and almost caused the
       seeress to be killed.  Now, the seeress loved
       the warrior like a sister, and she forgave the
       mistake.  But the warrior did not, and as
       penance she asked a fal'Cie to turn her into
       a Cie'th.

       When the warrior finished her prayer to the
       fal'Cie, an ominous voice rang through her
       head. 'I have heard your plea.  You shall lose
       your five senses, be plunged into black
       flames, and wander the eternal darkness.
       Your words shall be a song of agony; your
       screams a curse of death.  And thus shall
       you remain, until a merciful one destroys
       your soul and frees you from your torment.'

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Long Gui Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The long gui is one of the largest monsters
       on Pulse.  All members of the oretoise family
       have long life spans, and some researchers
       believe that long guis are actually shaolong
       guis that have survived even longer than
       normal.  Others assert that they constitute a
       distinct species.

       Evidence exists to support both sides of the
       argument, but as the creatures live for
       centuries, generations must pass before a
       consensus is reached.

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Yomi Fragment - Best of the Bestiary

       The Archylte Steppe becomes a very
       different place when thunder rolls across
       the heavens, for it heralds the coming of
       Yomi, one of the host of the Undying that is
       also known as the Wings of Death.

       Why does it only appear with the lightning?
       The answer lies in its former life.  Yomi was
       once a great hero, driven to prove that he
       was the most powerful warrior of his age,
       but he was struck down by lightning on the
       steppe before he could complete his quest.

       Now he wanders the very same steppe where
       his life was so suddenly cut short.  Amidst
       the crashing thunder and howling wind, no
       one hears his tormented screams.

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Twilight Fragment Alpha - Best of the Bestiary

       The malevolent Twilight Odin is the 'dark
       shadow' that enveloped the Blitz Squadron in
       the Vile Peaks, 10 AF.

       This entity exists outside time and can
       manifest in several eras at once.  The source
       of its power, however, is but a single
       fragment, and the loss of this crystallized
       memory would weaken the shadowy being
       across every age.

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Twilight Fragment Beta - Best of the Bestiary

       The creature known as 'Twilight Odin'
       appears as a shadowy twin of the original
       Eidolon.  In truth, it is a formless being of
       chaos that seeped into the mortal world
       from the Unseen Realm.  This malignant force
       used a crystallized memory found in the Vile
       Peaks as a mold, and assumed the form of
       Odin.

       The memory belongs to a certain l'Cie who
       saved Cocoon.  It was in the Vile Peaks that
       she first faced and overcame the equine
       Eidolon warrior.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Academic Reward 15/15
______________________________________________________________________________


Academic Rank: Monster Professor

       You have investigate and created detailed
       reports on every known monstrous life-form.
       In recognition of your contribution to the
       Academy's Weapon Development
       Department, I hereby confer upon you the
       honorary title of Monster Professor.

       Academy Lead Advisor, Hope Estheim

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Academic Rank: Paradox Professor

       You have recorded topographical data and
       provided complete and detailed maps for
       every notable paradox location.  For your
       contribution to the Academy's paradox
       research, I hereby confer upon you the
       honorary title of Paradox Professor.

       Academy Representative Telaf Raeland

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Idea Circuit - The A.Z. Files

       I got a message the other day, and when I
       saw who it was from, well golly, I nearly
       keeled over in surprise.  It was from Hope
       Estheim himself!  I remember when Elida used
       to be classmates with him in middle school.
       It's hard to forget the names of the people
       who were involved in the catastrophe.

       Anyway, he said he was really interested in
       my report about the gates, and wanted to
       know if I'd be willing in joining his team. Team
       Alpha.  Wow.  With them, I'd have all the
       resources I need to continue my research.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enigma Codex - The A.Z. Files

       We're learning more and more about the
       properties of spacetime.  We know that when
       the future is altered, the past is reorganized
       to maintain the logic of the timeline.  Even
       people's memories are overwritten with the
       new reality.  And we also know that multiple
       possibilities do not co-exist.

       In the end, one timeline is chosen, and that
       becomes the true history.

       I wonder what happens to the other
       possibilities, the ones that aren't chosen.
       And in which of the those worlds will I end up?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Difference Engine - The A.Z. Files

       I still don't know if it was me or my friend
       who died that day.  No matter how many
       times I check that gravestone, the doubts
       remain.

       Timelines that are not chosen eventually
       disappear.  Other possibilities only exist for
       as long as spacetime is broken.  When the
       paradoxes are resolved, and the true
       timeline restored, will it be like the main in my
       dreams says it will?  Will I disappear forever,
       gone even from the memories of the people
       who remain?

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Travel Guide: New Bodhum - Area Information

       New Bodhum is a seaside village located
       some distance from Cocoon's pillar.  Most of
       the residents are refugees from the former
       Cocoon town, Bodhum.

       The residents are trying to recreate the
       fireworks festival for which old Bodhum
       became famous.  If they succeed, the town is
       sure to become a major tourist destination.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       Be sure to drop by NORA House, a peaceful
       cafe right on the beach that serves up a
       fatally delicious dish of deadly whitefish.
       When we asked the very attractive chef what
       exactly was in it, she told us 'It's better that
       you don't know!'

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Travel Guide: Bresha Ruins - Area Information

       The Bresha Ruins are the remains of an
       ancient city that once stood on the shores of
       Lake Bresha, one of the eeriest sights on
       Cocoon.  During the events of the Purge that
       immediately preceded the fall of Cocoon, a
       Pulse fal'Cie turned the waters of the lake
       into crystal.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       Even burning flames became crystallized,
       creating spectacularly evocative and
       unusual landscapes.  However, because the
       waters of the lake are now frozen solid, the
       famous fish restaurants that once dotted
       the shore are sadly no more.

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Travel Guide: Yaschas Massif - Area Information

       The Yaschas Massif, in Pulse's southern
       reaches, is home to the ancient ruins of
       Paddra.  Paddra was the only advanced
       civilization of ancient Gran Pulse, but after
       the War of Transgression between Pulse and
       Cocoon, it began a long decline that ended in
       its complete disappearance.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       The tough, mountainous terrain is a popular
       draw for mountaineers and other outdoor
       types.  We recommend visiting Paddra, awe-
       inspiring even in ruins.  Also worth a hike is
       the viewing platform next to the dormant
       fal'Cie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: Oerba - Area Information

       Oerba is an abandoned village located in the
       northern reaches of Pulse.  The sand that
       covers the ground is powdered crystal that
       fell during the War of Transgression.

       In recent times, large numbers of Cie'th have
       been seen in the area.  Presumably, they were
       created from living humans to serve some
       mysterious fal'Cie purpose.  Cie'th are former
       l'Cie who failed to complete their Focus.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       Oerba is a designated Special Protected
       Zone, so visitors are not allowed.  However,
       you might get permission from the Academy
       for an airship flyover.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: Sunleth Waterscape - Area Information

       The Sunleth Waterscape is a nature preserve
       located inside Cocoon.  After the
       catastrophe, the various fal'Cie that
       controlled the weather became dormant and
       the light of the fal'Cie Phoenix, which once
       served as Cocoon's sun, dimmed considerably.

       For these reasons, the native biosystem has
       broken down and the site is now a haven for
       monsters.

       From the Editor's Desk:  Jars of
       concentrated miniflan mucus are sold
       exclusively at the local Academy branch
       office.  Known as Firaga for the Tongue, the
       spice is wildly popular with chefs who need
       to give their dishes an extra dash of hellish
       heat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: Academia - Area Information

       Academia is the capital city of the
       settlements that have sprung up around the
       base of the Cocoon pillar.

       In the east is the merchant's area, with
       Grand Avenue running down the middle, and
       in the west is the residential district called
       New Town.  To the north stands the
       headquarters of the Academy organization, a
       popular sightseeing spot for visitors and
       locals alike.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       After a full day of shopping, we recommend
       heading to the Academy HQ building and
       checking out the night views from the
       restaurant on the top floor.  The restaurant
       is run directly by the Academy, and it serves
       up dishes that tickle the intellect as well as
       the palate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: Augusta Tower - Area Information

       Augusta Tower is the giant electronic brain
       of Academia.  The AI mind that occupies the
       tower stores precious data and records
       from centuries ago that cannot be found
       anywhere else.  Apparently, there are
       freelance data miners who do nothing but
       search the archives for new information
       discoveries.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       When the tower was first built, a number of
       galas and parties were held featuring the
       tower mascots, Augy and Towpy.  When the
       tower was closed to the public the mascots
       were discarded, to the dismay of small
       children everywhere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: Vile Peaks - Area Information

       Located in Cocoon, Vile Peaks is a massive
       dumping ground of waste and refuse.  When
       the fal'Cie built Cocoon, and during later
       modifications, large quantities of material
       were lifted up from the surface of Gran
       Pulse.

       The unused surplus was discarded here, and
       now it is infested with roaming war machines
       of ancient Pulse.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       Forget about sightseeing.  Not even the
       military is allowed full access.  That said,
       there are a few brave collectors of retro war
       weapons and relics who sneak in here to
       scavenge for parts...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: Archylte Steppe - Area Information

       The Archylte Steppe is a broad plain located
       in a remote corner of Pulse.  The few
       explorers who reach the steppe return with
       reports of a tribe of fiercely independent
       nomadic hunters who have lived off the land
       here for centuries, cut off from the rest of
       human civilization.

       The actual location has not been made
       public, but tourists with a bent for adventure
       might consider renting an airship and putting
       together their own expedition.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       Some believe that the hunters are
       descendents of the original inhabitants of
       Pulse, while others claim they are a lost
       tribe of Cocoon.  If you could get close
       enough to win their trust, they might tell you
       their story.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Travel Guide: A Dying World - Area Information

       One of the prophecies recorded on the
       Oracle Drive excavated from the ruins shows
       a mysterious place called the Dying World.  It
       appears to be inhabited by descendants of
       the ancient Paddra Farseers, as well as
       refugees from Cocoon.  Scientist believe
       that this world is our distant future.

       From the Editor's Desk:
       Frankly, we're not sure if anyone would
       actually want to visit the place.  But "We'll
       take you to the ends of the earth!" is our
       motto, so we've sent our crack intern
       researcher to check it out.  We'll let you know
       the moment we hear from him again.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Great Mog Wisdom 21/21
______________________________________________________________________________


Delicate Crystal - The Wisdom of Moogles

       A time labyrinth is a work-in-progress space
       that its creator couldn't be bothered to
       finish because of a paradox, kupo.  We can
       transform it into what it should be by
       resolving the paradox, kupo!

       I'll bet the creator was lazy and
       irresponsible, kupo!  What?  That sounds like
       me?  N-no, it doesn't, kupo!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time's Stardust - Mog Confidential

       Ever wondered how moogles fly so fine in the
       sky?  It's all thanks to our magic bobbles,
       kupo!  They're made of crystal, kupo, and
       they conjure up an anti-gravity field that
       never lets us down.

       Our little wings are just for show, so people
       won't get jealous of our brilliant bobbles.
       Hehe.  Now you know something no one else
       does, kupo!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time's Shell - Mog Confidential

       Tick-tock, the moogle clock runs on
       clockwork, kupo.  If I forget to wind it up, it'll
       stop dead and we'll be in untimely trouble!

       ...And you want to know something really
       super secret?  My moogle body is actually a
       puppet, and the real me is inside the clock!

       I am totally, absolutely telling the truth. Kind
       of.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time's Coral - Mog Confidential

       I have to do everything that Lightning tells
       me, kupo.  Everything!  In Valhalla, the losers
       obey the winners.  It's the law, kupo.

       Where did I fight Lightning, you ask?  In
       Valhalla, of course!  It was an exciting duel.
       She threw down scissors three times in a
       row, kupo!  I wasn't expecting that.  Maybe I
       should have picked swords after all, kupo...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spinning Moonstone - Mog Trivia

       Fragments are little nuggets of information
       like frozen shards of time.  You just have to
       touch them to fill your head with what's
       inside, kupo.

       You see, they are made of the same crystal
       that's inside the Oracle Drive.  That's how
       they hold memories and stories and so much
       more.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sparkling Runestone - Mog Trivia

       Snow is a stray cat that Yuj found, kupo!
       Gadot was just joking when he said they
       should call her Snow, but the name stuck
       and that was that.

       But in fact, everyone in the town has their
       own name for her, such as Esmeralda and
       Mewmew.  It's one thing to call a girl cat
       'Snow,' but when you give her a dog name like
       Spot, that's just wrong, kupo!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Astonishing Limestone - Mog Trivia

       The survival knife was a birthday present
       from Snow and Serah to Lightning, kupo.
       Serah treasures that knife because it reminds
       her of Lightning, but Gadot toot it, polished
       it, and then left it lying on the beach.

       It was a good thing I found it, kupo.  But why
       did Gadot clean it, then leave it out to get
       rusty in the salt air?  It makes no sense.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thrilling Milestone - Mog Trivia

       When Snow proposed to Serah, he gave her a
       very special necklace, kupo.  It's shaped like
       the planet Cocoon, and it symbolizes how
       Snow and Serah will be together
       forever-just like Pulse and Cocoon, kupo!

       That was the idea, anyway.  But the marriage
       is on hold until they find Lightning again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lovely Starstone - Mog Trivia

       The NORA Special is a dish served up tasty
       hot at the NORA House in New Bodhum.  The
       cook is Lebreau, the best chef on all of
       Pulse, kupo!

       The menu changes every day, kupo.  But
       whatever it is, Lebreau uses only the
       freshest veggies from the garden and fish
       from the ocean-it's a surf 'n' turf treat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bubbly Stone - Mog Trivia

       Guess what?  Gadot designed and built most
       of the buildings in New Bodhum, kupo.
       They're not exactly fine art, but they're tough
       and built to last, just like the architect.  Not
       to mention, they're comfy like an old sofa,
       kupo.

       It's just the same as people.  When it comes
       to homes, it's what's inside that counts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scorching Firestone - Mog Trivia

       When he used to live on Cocoon, Maqui sold
       all kinds of weird gadgets at a place called
       Lenora's Garage, kupo.  These days, there are
       a lot of researchers over at the Academy
       who are getting good use out of his skeleton
       key set.

       He was trying to keep his little side business
       confidential, but Lebreau soon twigged what
       he was up to.  She's got a nose for profits,
       that's for sure, kupo!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dewy Bloodstone - Mog Trivia

       When the folk of New Bodhum have a gripe
       or need advice, they always turn to Yuj.
       Gadot's too scary, Lebreau's too busy, and
       Maqui's too wacky.

       If Snow doesn't get back soon, he might find
       he's out of a job.  It's hard staying king of the
       hill, kupo!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mossy Rosetta Stone - Mog Trivia

       There used to be this hit vidshow called 'The
       Katzroy Files,' kupo.

       The lead character was an unlucky detective
       who kept a chocobo chick in his hair.  He
       wasn't much of a detective, but he was
       honest and always looked after his family.  He
       was very popular, kupo.

       Apparently, he was based on a real person.  I
       wonder if it's anyone I know, kupo.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bittersweet Chiffon - Cuddly Chronicles

       Mog has been alone ever since he can
       remember.  One day, a chocobo chick fell into
       the Void Beyond and asked him a question.
       'Say, are you a Mog who's a moogle?  Or are
       you a moogle who's also a Mog?'

       Mog replied, 'I'm a moogle, of course, and my
       name is Mog!  And what a strange question
       from a chocobo chick with no name!'  When
       she heard that, the chocobo chick fluttered
       her wings angrily, and said, 'I DO have a
       name, I do!'  It was an encounter that stayed
       with Mog for a long time.  Even now, he
       sometimes thinks back to that day, and
       wonders what happened to that little
       chocobo chick...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tremulous Muffin - Cuddly Chronicles

       Poor Mog had never met anyone of his own
       kind.  One day, a group of quivering flan were
       whisked into the Void Beyond.  'Look at him,
       he's all round and white!  He can join us!  Then
       we'll be six!' 'Welcome to the miniflan
       musketeers-all for one, and one for all!'  And
       so, just like that, Mog was a flan.

       One of the flan said, 'We flew here from the
       forest of Sunleth!  Come fly back with us!
       'But you didn't fly here, you were just carried
       into the Void Beyond,' objected Mog.

       Befuddled, the flan looked at each other...and
       then suddenly, all five of them were sucked
       into another gate!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beloved Cinnamon - Cuddly Chronicles

       You know how Mog can turn himself into a
       weapon?  Well, one day, in the Void Beyond,
       he met a monster much like himself.  It was a
       flying weapon called a Centaurion Blade.  It
       told Mog that these days, it wasn't fighting
       many battles.

       'Are you a summoned weapon, Mog?  Can you
       turn into a sword?'  Mog replied, 'Of course I
       can, kupo!'  And just like that, he turned
       himself into a handsome sword.  Now, when
       Mog is a weapon, he can't move on his own.  If
       he did, he'd just get in the way of whoever
       was trying to use him.  When he explained
       this, the Centaurion Blade shook his pommel
       sadly.  'You are not one of my kind,' he said,
       and then disappeared.  'What a rude sword,
       kupo!' said Mog, and he stayed cross for a
       long time after.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Selfish Pancake - Cuddly Chronicles

       Mog had no idea if he was a monster, or an
       Eidolon, or just a simple monster.  But one
       think he knew for sure, he wasn't a stuffed
       toy!  After all, he told himself, how many
       stuffed toys can fly?

       One day, Mod got sucked into a weird and
       scary corner of the Void Beyond where he
       met a giant monster called Adam.  'Are you a
       fal'Cie?' asked Adam.  'Are moogles my
       brethren?' 'No, moogles are moogles!' Mog
       replied proudly.  Then Adam said, 'I have no
       use for stuffed toys,' and disappeared
       before Mog had a chance to reply.  'Watch
       your manners, kupo!' shouted Mog after him,
       but Adam was gone, never to be seen again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Farewell Madeleine - Cuddly Chronicles

       One day, Mog heard rumors about another
       creature that looked just like him.  So he set
       off through the Historia Crux to find the
       monster people called an imp.  For sure, the
       imp and little flapping wings, just like Mog,
       and it could even hover in the air.  But the
       more Mog looked, the less moogly the
       creature appeared.

       'Are you a kind of imp?' asked the monster.
       'Er, no, my eyes don't stick out nearly as
       much as your,' replied Mog.  Well, this made
       the imp madder than anything, and he called
       his ahriman friend and chased Mog all over
       the Crux.  No matter how much Mog
       protested that he meant it as a compliment,
       the imp would not forgive him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teatime Mont Blanc - Cuddly Chronicles

       Mog could never remember how he ended up
       in Valhalla.  The first monster he met was
       mighty Odin, towering over him.  'There is only
       one law in Valhalla,' intoned Odin.  'The weak
       must obey the strong.'  Then, suddenly, he
       attacked!

       'Seems like a silly law to me,' said Mog, 'but if
       that's the way it has to be...kupo!'  With that,
       he launched himself gallantly at his giant foe,
       only to be swatted down in an instant.  'Well, I
       guess I lost, and that makes you the boss.
       What do you want me to do, kupo?'  But Odin
       just glared down at him, and said, 'Bah!  I
       have no use for one as weak as you.'  Mog
       learned a valuable lesson-sometimes, words
       can hurt more than enormous boss
       monsters...

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Dishonest Mille-feuille - Cuddly Chronicles

       Valhalla is a world where only the strongest
       survive.  Those who are born weak must hone
       their strength and skills in battle against
       more powerful foes.  Mog heard that one of
       the strongest monsters around was the
       Knight Valfodr, so he decided to issue a
       challenge.

       Valfodr was not the kind of monster to show
       mercy, even when battling the puniest of
       foes.  Despite his total, crushing defeat, Mog
       was pleased with the outcome.  Now, he
       thought, he was ready to serve the mighty.

       But instead, Valfodr rejected him, saying, 'I
       have no use for one so weak.'  Still, he left
       Mog alive and without a scratch.  Maybe
       Valfodr wasn't so bad, after all?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pink Parfait - Cuddly Chronicles

       Lightning first found Mog lying on the shores
       of chaos, in the heart of Valhalla.  Mog was
       trying to live down his title as the Weakest
       Monster of the Void, so he challenged
       Lightning to a duel, which he promptly lost.

       Mog assumed that Lightning would treat him
       like all the other victorious foes, and leave
       him where he lay.  But instead, she said,
       'Come.  Get up, Mog.'  He couldn't believe his
       moogle ears! 'You want me to follow you?'

       'That's the rule, right?  You lost, and now you
       have to do my bidding.'  After that, Mog
       vowed he would serve Lightning for the rest
       of his life, no matter what, kupo.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Bounty Hunter's Prize 8/8
______________________________________________________________________________


Ruthenium Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       Look, I'm gonna spell it out for you, nice and
       clear.  The Bresha Ruins are suffering from a
       serious monster problem.  There's a big
       reward for anyone who can shut down the
       infestation once and for all, but in the
       meantime, the government's handing out
       bounties for single monsters.

       We've got no choice if we wanna keep
       Cocoon safe for humans.

       The government has assigned us agents the
       task of handing out the bounty to registered
       mercs.  We used to demand the head of every
       monster as evidence, but some heads are
       pretty hard to collect-from bombs, say.  So
       now it's all automated and recorded direct
       to the kill count.

       Today's Kill Count:
       13 monsters confirmed dead
       6 hunters injured, none seriously

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhodium Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       The mercs around here love their gold, yes
       they do.  And silver, and gems, and whatever
       else they can turn into cash.  Back in the old
       days, we used debit cards; almost no one
       carried hard currency.

       But when the paradox screwed up the entire
       system and no one could prove how much
       they owned, well... That was the nail in the
       coffin for virtual money!

       We'd always had a black market currency,
       under the authorities' radar-you know how
       people don't like paying taxes.  Anyway, it was
       simple enough to switch over to that.  And now
       even the government uses it.  So metals are
       king again, and everyone loves their gold.

       Today's Kill Count:
       17 monsters confirmed dead
       3 hunters injured, 1 seriously

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Palladium Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       Monsters were too hot to handle today.  Lots
       of casualties.  Score one for the monster
       army, I guess.  We gotta get more hunters on
       the job, or we're gonna be in a world of
       trouble.

       What's that?  Why don't we leave the
       monsters alone, you say?  Nah, wouldn't
       work.  The government tried abandoning
       these ruins once, years ago.  Oh, man, that
       was a disaster, let me tell you!

       The monsters kept comin' and comin'.  They
       poured out of the ruins, out of the Hanging
       Edge, and started appearing in our cities.  If
       we'd let things go on, Cocoon would have
       turned into one giant monster nest.  So we
       introduced a bounty system and started to
       drive them back, bit by bit.

       Today's Kill Count:
       3 monsters confirmed dead
       20 hunters injured, 6 seriously


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Osmium Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       Monster extermination operations in the
       Bresha Ruins are being assigned to mercs by
       government agents.  The Academy has
       adopted a total hands-off policy.  Hmph.  I
       guess this is all the government is good for
       now.  We sit around and hire other people to
       do the dirty work for us.

       The Academy scientists are sucking up all
       the resources for that big project of theirs,
       and the government gets the crumbs.  Still, if
       the gate research is completed and the
       monster infestation problem isn't solved, the
       Academy'll find it harder to steal our funding.

       Today's Results:  26 monsters confirmed
       dead.  10 hunters injured, 3 seriously

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iridium Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       The government sent me to one of the
       branch offices, so I have no idea what
       happened in the ruins, which means no
       report today.

       ...Although, I could tell you about my trip, I
       guess.  I went to the old commercial city of
       Palumpolum, and I couldn't believe how many
       people are still living there.  I guess it's not
       surprising.  The city was barely touched in
       the catastrophe, and the provisional
       government was located there for a while.
       The residents have even kept the old name.
       Guess they like it.

       Today's Kill Count:
       15 monsters confirmed dead
       10 hunters injured, none seriously

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Platinum Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       We had our first fatalities today.  They were
       fools who ignored orders, but still-you don't
       like to see it happen on your watch.  We'll
       raise a toast to them tonight.

       It's getting hard to keep up with the kill
       count.  The mercs are expanding the area of
       operations throughout the ruins.  The
       improvements in the AMP tech are amazing,
       but we're still trying to figure out how to
       deploy the weapons effectively in the field.
       Lots of confusion, lots of mistakes, which
       means more work for me.

       Today's Kill Count:
       36 monsters confirmed dead
       2 hunters killed, 35 hunters seriously injured

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mythril Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or
       reason to the kind of monsters that come
       out of the paradox.  We get wild beasts,
       ancient Pulse weapons, everything.  Even
       military security bots attacking civilians.  I
       wish I knew how they get up here into
       Cocoon.

       A lot of stuff that comes out, we have no
       idea what era it comes from.  We get
       advanced bioweapons from the future,
       extinct monsters, creatures from what must
       be some other dimension.  According to the
       eggheads, it's the gate that does it, pulling in
       beasts from all over the timeline.

       Today's Kill Count:
       27 monsters confirmed dead</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
       5 hunters injured, 1 seriously

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adamantite Ring - Bresha Ruins Monster Mop-Up

       We've got some interesting news to report.
       It's about the mystery device that was
       unearthed in the Bresha Ruins in 5 AF.  I'm
       talking about the control device for Atlas.
       Turns out the technology in this thing is a lot
       more advanced than in the giant itself.

       We could actually build Atlas today, with our
       current know-how.  The problem is, the
       engineers haven't been able to figure out
       how the device works, and we'd have no way
       to control the giant.

       The controller appears to read human
       thoughts and transform them into physical
       action by some kind of...telepathy.  No one
       knows who built it, or how.  It's like an object
       from another world.  A real paradox.

       Today's Kill Count:
       33 monsters confirmed dead
       17 hunters injured, 5 seriously



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Crimson Memories 10/10
______________________________________________________________________________


Waltraute's Flower - Message of the Orbs

       The crimson orbs hold the memories and
       remorse of people who were taken from this
       world through tears in the fabric of time.  The
       spheres hover silently above the ground
       until someone draws near whose heart is
       sensitive enough to hear their message.

       The crimson orbs are born as a rite of
       penance, sealed in time.  The stronger the
       remorse, the greater the price that must be
       paid before the burden can be lifted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gerhilde's Blossom - Message of the Orbs

       Eidolons are beasts that dwell in Valhalla.
       L'Cie chosen by Etro are pitted against
       Eidolons in a trail by combat.  Those who
       emerge triumphant receive a crystal called
       'eidolith,' which they may use to summon the
       beast to fight at their side.

       The weak must obey the strong.  This is the
       inviolable law of Valhalla.  Like any other
       denizen of the Unseen Realm, Eidolons are
       bound to answer every call of their master.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ortlinde's Bloom - Message of the Orbs

       In the city of Paddra sits a fal'Cie, sent there
       by the might god Pulse.  The fal'Cie channels
       the visions of the Farseer seeress and
       records what she sees on the Oracle Drive.

       The people of Paddra pay homage to the
       fal'Cie and worship Pulse who stands above.
       Devotedly, they bow their heads to the fal'Cie
       and the prophecies; fearfully, they kneel
       before Etro, the goddess of death whom the
       seeress serves.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Schwertleite's Flower - Message of the Orbs

       In ancient times there was a mighty spell
       that could summon meteorites and cast
       them upon the heads of foes.  The meteorites
       had crystalline cores, grown abnormally
       large in another spacetime.

       The attributes of the meteorite would differ
       depending on the nature of its core crystal.
       Some meteorites even held within them rare,
       otherworldly crystals knows as 'artefacts,'
       which in special circumstances might be
       used to open portals to other places-and
       other times.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heimwige's Nightshade - Message of the Orbs

       Caius, the peerless hero celebrated in
       Paddra legend, was a Guardian, appointed to
       serve and protect the seeress.  The sagas
       sung of his countless victories, of foes
       vanquished in the thousands.  He was called
       'Caius of the Ballads,' but despite his
       renown, none knew his true origin.

       He took the name 'Ballad' because of the
       one battle that nearly killed him.

       The foe was a fellow warrior of the Farseers.
       Overwhelmed by the strength and skill of his
       opponent, Caius was driven back and back,
       until it was only a matter of time before the
       final blow would fall.  But their duel was
       interrupted by an enemy attack, and during
       the ensuing battle Caius's opponent gave his
       life defending the seeress.  Caius believed
       that it was he who should have fallen in her
       defense.  Thus, to honor the fallen warrior, he
       took his name.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Siegrune's Spiritbloom - Message of the Orbs

       The most famous of the prophecies left by
       the seeress Paddra Nsu-Yeul concerns the
       descent of the monster Ragnarok in the
       great battle for Cocoon.

       Long before this came to pass, the seeress
       named the two 'sisters' who would summon
       the beast.  'They shall come from the far
       north, and the black-haired one shall be of
       the family Yun, and the red-haired one of the
       family Dia.'  The truth of the prophecy was
       later confirmed by the priests of Oerba.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rossweisse Skyblossom - Message of the Orbs

       At the height of Paddra civilization, the
       seeress Paddra Nsu-Yeul of the Farseers
       prophesized its destruction.  In one of
       history's great ironies, the prophecy itself
       ignited the civil war that destroyed the
       nation.

       The seeress realized that her very words
       had the power to change history and the
       future, and so, with her Guardian Caius and a
       few select escorts, she left the city for the
       wilderness.

       She covered her face with a veil, cast off the
       crown that made her ruler of Paddra, and
       became simply Yeul the Seeress.  Soon after
       that, she and her small band of followers
       disappeared from the pages of history.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book of Avalon - Words of the Seeress

       Hark, and hear the secret words of the
       Farseers.

       Only those blessed with chaos by the
       goddess may travel the portals of time.  Even
       the fal'Cie, with all their great power, could
       not enchant the blessed and make them turn
       against the goddess.  The goddess's
       protection is nearly absolute.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book of Shambala - Words of the Seeress

       Hark, and hear the true words of the
       Farseers.

       On the day that the power of the l'Cie shook
       Cocoon from the sky, the goddess took pity
       on the people, forgave them their sins, and
       reached out a hand of salvation.  In that
       instant, two sisters were touched by
       Valhalla's might, and chaos was settled deep
       in their hearts.

       The symbol of Valhalla that shines on their
       garb is proof of their status.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book of Valhalla - Words of the Seeress

       Hark, and hear the sacred words of the
       Farseers.

       The weak must obey the strong.  This is the
       inviolable law of Valhalla.  Each monster that
       falls in battle becomes the servant of the
       victor.  For those whose hearts brim full with
       chaos, the power to bend monsters to their
       will extends beyond the borders of the
       Unseen Realm.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

The Honor of the Blitz Squad 7/7
______________________________________________________________________________


Torreno's Last Light - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       Immediately following the catastrophe, the
       Guardian Corps took control from the
       Sanctum, Cocoon's then-governing body.  A
       provisional government was formed,
       consisting primarily of military personnel.

       The Cavalry, an elite unit of the Guardian
       Corps, spearheaded the administration.
       Seeking to rebuild society on the strength of
       human science and free from dependence on
       the fal'Cie, they founded an institute called
       the 'Academy.'  Slowly but surely, the
       provisional government transferred authority
       to this new organization.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baxter's Last Light - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       Since the Academy's inception, its founders
       planned to focus heavily on social sciences
       and eventually merge with the existing
       government.

       The responsibility for defending the populace
       from Pulse's hostile creatures also passed
       to the institute, and so, drawing on
       personnel from the former Guardian Corps,
       the Academy Security Regiment was born.

       Blitz Squadron is a part of that regiment-an
       elite unit trained specifically to neutralize
       paradox-related threats.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falcon's Last Light - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       Blitz Squadron's first duty was an operation
       at Lake Bresha.  The device used to control
       Atlas had been stolen by an anti-government
       group, and the squadron retrieved it within a
       single day.  It was a testament to the
       efficiency of the Academy Security Regiment.

       The criminals in question were former
       PSICOM military, people opposed to the new
       society the Academy was striving to build.
       Even after the catastrophe, many residents
       remained on Cocoon, and more than a few of
       those pushed for the fal'Cie to be restored.
       This was one of the incidents that occurred
       in the midst of general unrest.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ray's Last Light - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       Along with the monsters and bioweapons
       from other time periods that appear near the
       gates, there are also many unique creatures
       whose natural habitat is in the Void Beyond.
       These creatures are known as 'Rift Beasts.'

       It was Blitz Squadron that learned the
       ecology of nektons and meonektons.  The
       former swim freely through the Void, while
       the latter attach themselves to a particular
       spacetime.  It was the squadron's expansive
       compilation of data that allowed the
       Academy to build theories on the non-space
       that connects the gates.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thunder's Last Light - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       In 9 AF, Blitz Squadron was given orders to
       apprehend an anti-government group basing
       its operations out of the Pulse frontier
       lands

       The mission was a success, and at the
       group's base they discovered evidence of
       some incredible research.  The terrorists had
       obtained data on Atlas, the Bresha Ruins
       giant, and were attempting to build their own
       mega-soldier.  This incident would later prove
       to be the catalyst for an unexpected debate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sarge's Last Light - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       In 9 AF, Blitz Squadron foiled an anti-
       government group's attempt to construct
       their own Atlas.  This incident sparked a
       heated debate among the members of the
       Academy.

       One faction insisted that they delete all Atlas
       data files to prevent future misuse, while
       another claimed that the construction of the
       giant weapon was a necessary evil.  If Atlas
       was indeed a future weapon, they argued,
       someone must build it or history would face
       another paradox.  With no conclusion
       forthcoming, the data files were eventually
       stored within Academy headquarters to
       await a final judgment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blitz Squadron Mission Report - Blitz Squadron Chronicles

       In 10 AF, Blitz Squadron, an elite Academy
       Security Regiment unit, returned from duty
       in the Vile Peaks.  During their mission, their
       entire airship vanished...and the crew along
       with it.  All hope for their survival was lost,
       until they miraculously reappeared three
       weeks later.

       During an awards ceremony that took place
       some time after, the squadron's leader was
       asked how they team got its name.  He
       revealed that it was an homage to one of
       their former squadmates from their Guardian
       Corps days, who went by the code name
       'Lightning.'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Fate's Recollection 18/18
______________________________________________________________________________


Heart Prism - Lenora's Garage Latest

       You're not going to believe this.  More and
       more people in New Bodhum have been
       learning spells after moving here from
       Cocoon!

       It makes sense that Serah has magic powers,
       'cause she spent time dreaming in crystal,
       but when kids start screaming 'Fire!' and
       conjuring flames out of thin air, you have to
       start wondering.

       We asked Serah how she does her magic
       tricks, and she said something about
       'channeling the crystal within'-whatever that
       means.  Well, maybe some mysteries are not
       meant to be understood...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vita Lyrica - The NORA House Chronicles

       Serah has left on a journey, too, so things
       are going to get busy around here.  She was
       the only one who knew how to cook all the
       NORA House dishes; with her gone, it's just
       me holding down the fort.

       Serah used to get good grades back in
       school.  History was her favorite subject.  She
       was teaching the kids the odd class here and
       there, but Snow and her were talking about
       building a proper school right here in New
       Bodhum.  When they get back, we're all going
       to pitch in and make it happen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anima Miseria - The NORA House Chronicles

       The last time Serah saw Lightning was right
       before she was turned into crystal.  She told
       Lightning about her plans to marry Snow, but
       when Lightning refused to bless their
       marriage, she took off running.  That's no way
       to say good-bye.  Those two still have
       unfinished business.

       Here in New Bodhum, Serah spent a lot of
       time looking up at the night sky, talking to
       Lightning.  She's never been able to let go.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unio Mystica - The NORA House Chronicles

       Back in Bodhum, on Cocoon, there was this
       weird relic called a Vestige which had been
       lifted off Pulse back when Cocoon and Pulse
       were fighting.

       Turns out that it was an old Pulse temple,
       and there was a fal'Cie inside that turned
       Serah into a l'Cie.  It seems crazy to think
       now that no on thought to check inside
       before they set it up next to our hometown.

       When Serah got turned into a l'Cie inside the
       Vestige, the Cocoon fal'Cie used the incident
       for their own purposes.  Serah's not a l'Cie
       anymore, and the brand is gone from her
       arm, but she's still able to use magic.  I
       wonder if the power just stayed inside her
       after she was cured.  Or is it new, from
       somewhere else?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ars Symphonica - The NORA House Chronicles

       Everyone in NORA came from Bodhum
       originally, but there's not a soul living there
       anymore.  When Cocoon fell and almost
       smashed into Pulse, the whole town was
       wiped out.

       Funny thing is, no one was in the town thanks
       to the Purge that the Sanctum and PSICOM
       carried out.  Does that mean the Purge was a
       good thing?  Well, I wouldn't say that.

       Bodhum used to be famous for its fireworks
       festival, and our cafe would be busy as
       anything the night of the show.  I hope
       someday we can bring those good times
       back here in New Bodhum.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pathos Jewel - NEW: Lenora's Garage Latest

       This new column, penned by your favorite
       junk and gadgets dealer, introduces newbies
       to the ins and outs of machines of all kinds.

       The crystal used inside the ancient Oracle
       Drive devices is a really amazing material.  It
       resonates with the thoughts of nearby
       people and reconstructs them in its atomic
       structure!

       Plus, if you inject energy into the crystal,
       you can freeze the structure into place.  So,
       if you think about something really hard, and
       then run a current of energy through the
       crystal lattice, you can trap the images that
       were inside your head.  Scientists have even
       figured out how to date the recordings.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Misery's Bead - NEW: Lenora's Garage Latest

       Since I started dealing junk parts, I've been
       building quite a collection of broken weapons
       components.  I've divided them into tow main
       categories: military weapons and ancient
       weapons.

       Military weapons include things like
       bioweapons and mechs that were used by
       the old Cocoon military.  A lot of the top-
       secret stuff features streamlined designs
       and AMP (Antimatter Manipulation Principle)
       technology.

       The ancient weapons are mostly military
       hardware that extinct Gran Pulse
       civilizations left behind.  These relics tend to
       be tough and heavy, like construction
       machinery, but some are really weird
       contraptions using far-out technologies.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amur's Sphere - NEW: Lenora's Garage Latest

       We'd been having problems with our
       automated delivery system, and customers
       were complaining they didn't get their goods.
       For a virtual shop like us, this is a serious
       problem.  Then again, I only started this as a
       hobby, so do I really care if we go under?

       Well, anyway, we patched the problem by
       borrowing space on the Moogleworks
       system, which is why some of you have been
       greeted by a squeaky 'Welcome, kupo!'...Say,
       wouldn't it be wild if that shop was run by a
       real live moogle?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Innocence's Sacred Sphere - NEW: Lenora's Garage Latest

       The upgrades we do on wristwatches make
       them pretty much indestructible.  It all
       started when Snow asked us to customize a
       watch for him, with a guarantee that it could
       survive absolutely anything he might throw
       at it.

       Not sure why he'd want to try and wreck his
       own watch, but the customer knows best, I
       guess.  Besides, the way Snow runs around
       like a behemoth with its head cut off, I figure
       he should worry more about himself than his
       watch.

       People complained about how the earlier
       models looked, so we've brought my pal Yuj
       on board to spiff up the design.  If anyone
       knows about matching outfits, it's Yuj.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orb of Clotho - The Book of Haerii

       This is the prophecy as told by Clotho,
       messenger of the otherworld.

       Great Fenrir is the fal'Cie of the skies above.
       By the will of the might god Pulse, Fenrir
       ceaselessly wanders the heavenly vault,
       searching for the great door lost at the
       equinox of existence.  This is the destiny of
       the fal'Cie Fenrir.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sword of Lachesis - The Book of Haerii

       This is the prophecy as told by Lachesis,
       messenger of the magic world.

       Ragnarok the beat shall bring down Cocoon.
       After the War of Transgression, two girls
       from the far north shall come to Cocoon, the
       nest of Lindzei, and transform into the beast
       that destroys it.  Until the end of time, this
       day shall be known as the Day of Ragnarok.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mirror of Atropos - The Book of Haerii

       The is the prophecy as told by Atropos,
       messenger of the heavens.

       The Thirteenth Ark is the fortress that
       protects the heavenly vault.  When the heroes
       gather unto mighty Pulse to do battle in the
       war that must be fought, this shall be the
       stronghold.  Know now and remember that
       the Ark shall by the salvation of all Pulse's
       children.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giant Egg - A Research Director's Notebook

       What was the ultimate purpose of the
       Paddra Oracle Drives?  The dominant theory
       is that they were archiving devices for
       preserving images of the future.  These
       'archives' appear to consist of broken
       fragments of the seeresses' prophecies.

       To gain a clear picture of the timeline, it will
       be necessary to amass a large collection of
       these images and then piece them together.

       We have noted that the ancients stopped
       recording visions after a certain point in
       history.  Did the process of recording to the
       Oracle Drive become an empty ritual?  Was
       some other means found to preserve the
       prophecies?  Or did the visions of the future
       grow so terrible that the Farseers thought it
       best they never be seen?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Extraordinary Egg - A Research Director's Notebook

       I still find it difficult to believe.  Today, we
       uncovered a recording of Snow in the
       machine.  There was nothing unusual about
       the image itself.  We expected that Snow
       might be traveling the timeline.  What shocked
       me was the brand.  He bore the mark of a
       Gran Pulse l'Cie.

       Since the catastrophe, the Pulse fal'Cie have
       had nothing to do with human affairs.  They
       have shown no interest in attacking Cocoon,
       and they have no reason to make anybody a
       l'Cie.  Which leaves only one possibility-Snow
       himself asked for the brand.

       What is happening to Snow, in that distant
       future?  What terrible need drove him to take
       the l'Cie brand?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Woolly Stone - The Melancholy of the Lambs

       We're the sheep of Gran Pulse
       and our wool is the best,
       We grow it this thick
       so it keeps off the pests.
       But the men chase us down
       with scissors and shears,
       And cut it all off
       before it covers our ears.

       Our Rough Wool is strong
       and makes saddles and carpets,
       Our Thick Wool makes hats
       and booties and blankets.
       But it's our fine Fluffy Wool
       that holds them in thrall,
       When plucked at the roots,
       it's the best wool of all.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Setzer's Dice - A Gambler Speaks

       They say the future isn't certain.  But neither
       is the past.  Until someone checks, no one
       knows if a tossed coin comes up heads or
       tails.  For a brief moment, both possibilities
       exist.  The coin is heads-and-tails, potential
       realities overlapping.  A paradox.

       You've seen the evidence all around you.
       Don't tell me you haven't.  Treasure boxes
       that appear out of nowhere, landscapes that
       shouldn't be there, gates that shimmer and
       flicker.  This is what happens when worlds
       collide.  It's like I always say... There's
       more to this universe then meets the eye.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cartesian Board - Valhalla Analects

       The Void Beyond is a chasm between the
       seen and unseen worlds.  It is a space made
       of shadows that are cast long and dark from
       Valhalla itself.  Many form closed, incomplete
       worlds that are known as temporal rifts.

       There are other kinds of places here, too,
       such as palaces and battle arenas molded
       from nothing more substantial than hopes,
       dreams and passions.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laplacian Board - Valhalla Analects

       There is no death in the Void Beyond.  Souls
       who long to die instead live within dreams
       that are spun from the fabric of their
       deepest desires.  Once trapped within these
       dreams, they have no means of escape.

       Next time you look into a mirror, peer closely
       at the edge.  Do you see the ghostly
       shimmering?  That is the world of dreams,
       known to some as the Mirror World.  It is an
       eternal place of wishes fulfilled and happy
       memories made real-yet the ghosts who
       inhabit it know not they are prisoners of
       eternity.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Quiz Mastery 9/9
______________________________________________________________________________


Quiz Rank: Private - Figures of Note

       Captain Rygdea is a former Cocoon soldier.
       Following the catastrophe, he played a
       central role in running the provisional
       government.

       Rygdea crushed the budding resurgence of
       the former administration by revealing the
       Sanctum's manipulation by the fal'Cie, and
       their subsequent slaughter of innocent
       civilians during the Purge.

       He lent his support to the Academy
       scientists who sought to promote 'human
       independence,' and encouraged the shift in
       authority from the government to this new
       institute.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiz Rank: Sergeant - Figures of Note

       Elida Karmic is a singer hailing from
       Palumpolum, Cocoon, and was popular
       during the 10s and 20s following the
       catastrophe.

       Her most memorable appearance was during
       the New Nautilus Auditorium Opening
       Concert, where director of the New Cocoon
       Project, Hope Estheim, handed her a
       bouquet of flowers.  Karmic and Estheim
       were classmates all through middle school.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiz Rank: Lieutenant - Figures of Note

       Colonel Yaag Rosch was an officer in the
       Sanctum's elite PSICOM Division.

       Along with PSICOM officer Colonel Nabaat,
       he acted as one of the primarch's
       staunchest supporters.  During the
       catastrophe, however, he chose to abort the
       operation ordered by the fal'Cie.  Rosch
       redirected the military's efforts into
       evacuating citizens, and in doing so saved
       countless lives. His fate following those
       events is unknown, but it is assumed he was
       killed in action.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiz Rank: Colonel - Figures of Note

       Bartholomew Estheim was originally an
       economist for a Sanctum-affiliated institute.
       Following the catastrophe, the newly formed
       provisional government employed him as a
       financial advisor, where he was instrumental
       in the founding of the Academy.

       He is the father of Hope Estheim, the
       director of the New Cocoon Project.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiz Rank: General - Figures of Note

       Lieutenant Amodar was a soldier in Cocoon's
       Guardian Corps.  Although he once retired
       from duty in disgust at the military's handling
       of civilians during the catastrophe, Amodar
       re-enlisted to help protect people from the
       hostile creatures of Pulse.

       The lieutenant's unique appearance was
       used to create a duplicate-a 4D attraction
       code-named 'Captain Cryptic' that proved
       incredibly popular with children.  The original
       Amodar is said to also have been fond of
       quizzes and trivia.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stoic Virtue - Academy Datafile

       The deterioration of the crystal pillar
       supporting Cocoon continues, and it will only
       be a matter of years before a complete
       structural collapse occurs.

       Academy scientists are moving forward with
       plans to create a 'metashield'-an invisible
       cushion of force that will soften Cocoon's
       impact significantly, thereby minimizing the
       damage to Pulse's surface and preventing a
       catastrophic upheaval in the lowerworld's
       ecosystem.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epicurean Song - Academy Datafile

       With our continuing progress into paradox
       research, we've come to learn that the
       future can influence the past.  Once events in
       the future are decided, the past is altered to
       support that outcome.

       For people in the future, the past is like an
       unopened box.  Say, for example, at a certain
       point in time, someone makes a discovery in
       a set of ruins and learns a fact about the
       past.  In that instant of understanding, past
       reality is defined.

       But then the question must be asked: who,
       along the entire span of history, is
       considered to be 'in the future'?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lyceum Knowledge - Academy Datafile

       The language of the human race has changed
       little since ancient times.  Records show that
       the tongue spoken by the people of Paddra
       almost a thousand years ago is functionally
       identical to that used by the present citizens
       of Academia.

       Although the language is much the same, it
       seems strange that the alphabets of Gran
       Pulse and Cocoon should vary so widely.
       Perhaps this variation stems from the fact
       that human language was not a naturally
       occurring phenomenon, but a tool given to
       us by the fal'Cie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Academia Wisdom - Academy Datafile

       The last Primarch in Cocoon was the ill-fated
       Cid Raines, who was killed in a coup d'etat
       shortly after his rise to office.

       The Cavalry, the military unit leading the
       rebellion, once followed him without question
       in their bid to overthrow the Sanctum.  They
       considered his acceptance of the
       government's highest position as
       incontrovertible proof of his betrayal.

       Captain Rygdea, member of the Cavalry and
       instigator of the coup d'etat, was the driving
       force behind the provisional government
       formed following the catastrophe.  Although
       he spoke little of his former commander, he
       did have this to say of Cid Raines: 'He was
       exactly the sort of man we needed for this
       new age.'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Graviton Core 7/7
______________________________________________________________________________


Graviton Core Alpha - The Hero's Trail

       Well, this is it.  I'm off to find Lightning.  Serah
       says her sister is alive, and if I don't believe
       her, who will?  And this isn't just about
       Lightning.  Fang and Vanille are waiting for me
       to find a way to help them outta that pillar,
       too.

       I'm going to leave my engagement pendant
       with Serah.  It's not the right time to get
       married, not while we still don't know the
       truth.  Besides, I still need to get Lightning's
       blessing!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Core Beta - The Hero's Trail

       Whoa, that was one crazy dream.  I didn't
       really get that talk about gates and artefacts
       and stuff, but ya gotta do what big sis tells
       ya, right?

       Looks like this journey is going to take
       longer than I figured.  But, Serah, and Gadot
       and the gang, they'll understand.  Right?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Core Gamma - The Hero's Trail

       Hey, Serah, can you hear me?  It seems like
       wherever I go, I leave this graviton ore stuff
       in my steps, which you're going to need at
       some point down the road.  Guess that means
       I should keep walkin', even if it doesn't get
       me anywhere.

       Who knows, maybe you'll hear this message
       some day, through the crystal.  At least then I
       won't have been talkin' to myself the whole
       time.  So, Serah?  If you're listening, take care
       and come home safe!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Core Delta - The Hero's Trail

       So, this is Oerba, where Fang and Vanille
       came from.  You know, I always figured they'd
       be the last ones to turn to crystal and sleep
       forever.

       Although I guess they'd slept for centuries
       before they met up with us; I only ever knew
       them when they were up and runnin' around.

       If I'm going to free them, I need to get
       stronger-much stronger.  Strong like I was
       back then.  When I was a l'Cie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Core Epsilon - The Hero's Trail

       I passed by someone when I was in the
       Historia Crux.  He was sleeping, just bobbing
       along time's current.  I didn't get a good look
       at him, but crazy hair looked really
       familiar.  It was Sazh-I'd bet my favorite
       bandanna on it.

       Thing is, last I heard he was piloting some
       airship.  I hope he didn't get caught up in any
       of this trouble.  He's had enough bad luck for
       one lifetime.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Core Zeta - The Hero's Trail

       Hey, Serah.  It was good to see you-but hard
       to say good-bye again.  Don't worry about
       me, though.  I found my own gate.  And now
       I'm followin' my path.

       Hey, and Noel?  You there?  You make damn
       sure Serah finds her sister, you hear me?
       Together, you can do it.  I know you can.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Core Eta - The Hero's Trail

       So here I am, in the Void Beyond.  I heard
       there's some kind of coliseum place up
       ahead.  I've got something I need to do there.

       All I have to do is climb on Shiva and head
       straight in.  Only one thing I'm worried about...
       What exactly is that Caius guy up to?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

An Affectionate Message 15/15
______________________________________________________________________________


Words of Light - Message from Lightning

       There is no time in Valhalla.  Events happen in
       chaotic order.  Noel Kreiss, I already sent you
       to Serah's side.  And yet, here I am in a place
       where we have yet to meet.  You get used to
       it, I guess.

       My battles with Caius rage on, our conflict
       eternal.  But should I lose even once, and
       existence by destroyed, an empty void is all
       that would remain.  I cannot lose the war for
       Valhalla.

       I'm sorry, Serah.  This nightmare realm is
       where I need you to be...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Father's Song - Message from Sazh

       Hey there, Serah, I've got some 'intel' for you.
       Well, it's something I heard from Lightning in
       a dream.

       They guy you're fighting, he's got some
       serious backup.  How'd it go?  'Winged and
       fanged, born from chaos.  A cursed beast of
       blackest night.'  I'd tell you more, but her
       voice go cut off all of a sudden.

       Me?  Right now I'm in some weird kinda
       palace.  I get this feeling I'm gonna run into
       someone I know, but I never seem to find
       'em.  But don't you go worrying about ol'
       Sazh.  You just watch your back!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanille's Fruit - Vanille's Echo

       I've wanted to apologize to you for so long,
       Serah.  I'm the reason you were turned into a
       l'Cie.  It's my fault you had to suffer.  I
       couldn't say it before, so I'm saying it now.
       I'm sorry.  I'm so very sorry.

       Did you know that you were the first miracle
       in all of this?  You defied your l'Cie fate and
       turned to crystal of your own will.  It was
       your miracle that showed Fang and me that
       we had the power to save Cocoon.

       So don't ever stop believing in yourself.  You
       can make another miracle and protect
       Cocoon.  I know you can do it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fang's Crown - Fang's Echo

       I meant to apologize when we met, but I
       never did.  So, Serah, this is my chance.
       Everything was my fault.  You were made into
       a l'Cie because I messed up.  Sure, I helped
       you out a little, but that doesn't make things
       right.  Vanille and I, we'll repay our debts by
       keeping Cocoon in the sky.

       It's not so bad.  I have Vanille here with me,
       after all.  Don't you worry about us, you just
       get yourself to Lightning.  That Caius guy
       she's fighting?  We've heard his name before.
       He's bad news-a real monster.  So hurry
       along, and help your sister out.  You're the
       one she needs to see more than anyone in
       this world!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope's Message - A Letter from Hope

       Serah, can you hear me, out there in the
       future?  I'm sending you an access code for a
       supply sphere.

       I trust this may help you in the fateful battle
       to come.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noel's Message - A Letter from Noel of the Future

       Hey, Noel.  You're not going to believe this,
       but this message is a message from you.  I'm just a
       little further ahead in the timeline than where
       you are now.

       I've got a warning for you, my past self.
       Things are going to get a lot harder from
       here on out.  But just remember to hang in
       there, no matter what.  You just might
       surprise yourself; you're a lot tougher than
       you think.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serah's Message - A Letter from Serah of the Future

       I don't know where I am.  I can't hear anything.
       I can't see anything.  It's cold, and dark, and
       I'm all alone.  This place is...dead.

       But I don't have any regrets.  I fought to the
       end.  I never ran away.  I just hope someone
       will remember me, now that I'm gone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chocochick Down - A Letter from Dajh

       Daddy went away for a while.  He said he was
       going to help Serah and her friends.  Let's do
       it Daddy!  I want to help, too!

       Hey, remember my daddy's chocobo chick?
       Well, its a girl.  So I've decided to call her
       Chocolina.  Cool, huh?

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Lucky Coin - Sazh's Soliloquy

       You wanna know what I think?  This place
       I've ended up at, it's like a paradise for dead
       folk.  See, some people die before they have
       a proper chance to live, but here they can
       enjoy themselves and forget about their
       regrets.

       Maybe in the beginning it was just a fairy
       tale, but some kind of cosmic switcheroo
       made it as real as day.

       Thing is, I'm not suppose to be here.  I
       guess when Dajh and me got caught up in
       that mess a few years back, the powers-that-
       be thought I got killed or somethin'.  But I
       didn't.  I'm as alive as can be.  So I'm leavin'
       and headin' back home to Dajh-just as soon
       as I hit one more jackpot!

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Priceless Gift - Sazh's Soliloquy

       The casino owner told me somethin'
       interesting the other day.  He said there's a
       Coliseum out in the Void Beyond.
       Supposedly, dead heroes from all over-or at
       least, copies of them-gather there to duke it
       out for honor and glory.  Of course, I'm no
       hero, so it's got nothing to do with me.

       Makes me wonder, though.  This palace is for
       dead people, and that Coliseum, too.  Do you
       have to be dead to get into the Void Beyond?
       I sure hope not, cause I'm not done livin'!

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Lapis Lazuli - Dreams of the Daughters

       In the future, Fang and I are called the
       'daughters of the goddess,' right?  It's kind
       of embarrassing, to be honest.

       When they say goddess, I guess they mean
       Etro.  I remember her.  When Fang and I first
       tried to hold up Cocoon, we felt this...kindly
       strength, surrounding us.  It was the same
       feeling as back when I first turned to crystal.

       I bet Fang doesn't remember it as well as
       me, but I think maybe it was the goddess we
       felt.  Although the priests back home always
       made her out to be much scarier than that.
       So maybe I'm wrong?

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Heliodor Ore - Dreams of the Daughters

       While we're here, sleeping inside the pillar
       that holds up Cocoon, Lightning is fighting to
       protect Etro.  I wonder why.  Etro is a cruel
       goddess.  She sends Eidolons to persecute
       dying l'Cie and slaughters her 'children' as
       carelessly as we swat flies.

       I don't really know what Lightning's game is,
       but I can tell you this.  She's in a really bad
       place.  Once she set foot in there, she had no
       way to get out.  It's hard for her to be heard
       while she's in there, too.  So, Serah, you've
       got to help.  Listen to your heart-you might
       hear Lightning if you do.

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Carnelian - Dreams of the Daughters

       Hope visited again.  We always know when he
       does.  He comes to check on the pillar.  Fang
       and I are lost in our dreams, but even so, we
       know when our friends are close.  We can feel
       them in our hearts.

       We're fine here, inside the crystal.  But I
       worry about the future.  I...I caused so much
       trouble for the people of Cocoon.  And for
       Serah, and her sister, and their friends and
       family.  Hope, we're counting on you to save
       the future and stop the tragedy from
       happening all over again!

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Celestine - Dreams of the Daughters

       That idiot Snow is hell-bent on going to the
       Coliseum.  There's nothing there, except dead
       fools fighting for a glory that no one will ever
       know.  Is he really that obsessed with
       becoming strong?  The worst part is, he's
       doing it for our sake.

       I really wish we could tell him to forget
       about us and help Serah and Lightning.  It
       was our fault they got caught up in this
       mess in the first place.  If things keep going
       the way they are, maybe our nightmares'll
       come true, and those two girls won't ever
       see each other again.

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Cosmo Aura - Dreams of the Daughters

       Serah, can you hear me?  Fang and I just had
       the most wonderful dream.  We were in a
       place I didn't know, with a young man and
       woman who I've never met.  They were
       laughing together, enjoying the moment.  They
       were so happy.

       When I think that we're helping to build a
       future for people like that, the weight of
       Cocoon doesn't seem that heavy at all.  Fang
       and I are here inside the crystal, but even so,
       we can feel you in our hearts.  So, Serah,
       don't give up, okay?  You can make a future
       where everyone can be happy again.  I know you
       can.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Oracle of Etro 13/13
______________________________________________________________________________


Ultima Brand - Words of Protectors Past

       The Heart of Chaos does not grant the
       Guardian power-it eats away at their
       physical self.  Caius did not gain an immortal
       body, but was cursed with eternal life.

       Heed my words, Noel.  You are the last
       protector, and the only one who can wrest
       the Heart's strength from Caius.  In the
       instant you strike the life from his body, you
       shall either inherit the curse, or break its
       eternal grip.  Only your will can sway fate one
       way or the other.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Omega Brand - Words of Protectors Past

       The eidolith that summons Bahamut is set
       into the hilt of Caius's greatsword.  Bahamut
       is an Eidolon of Valhalla-a gift from the
       goddess of chaos to her l'Cie.

       No one now living knows why Caius
       possesses the crystal eidolith of a l'Cie.  It
       was centuries, nay, more than a thousand
       years past that he became a Guardian, and
       his companions of that age have long since
       departed this mortal realm.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chaos Brand - Words of Protectors Past

       A massive battle once raged on Gran Pulse.
       Paddra was besieged by a great army that
       sought the life of the seeress.  In the face of
       this assault, Caius chose to perform an
       'incarnate summoning.'  This ritual merged his
       essence with that of the Eidolon Bahamut,
       and drew forth all their latent power.

       An incarnate summoning expends the life
       force of the summoner, and thus did Caius
       perish.  But he returned from death's domain,
       an immortal heart heating within his breast.
       That dark summons is now his to wield at
       will-as long as the Heart of Chaos pumps
       eternity through his veins.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crimson Crystal - Tablet of Memory

       Valhalla is a world that is connected to every
       age, every timeline.  When the seeress of the
       Farseers gazes into the future, Valhalla is at
       the heart of the vision.

       The seeress also has the power to send her
       inner voice through Valhalla and then to the
       time and place of her choosing.  However,
       only those with great chaos in their hearts
       are able to hear the words of the seeress.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Azure Crystal - Tablet of Memory

       In the heart of Valhalla stands Etro's temple.
       The throne that sits within, the throne of the
       goddess, is always empty.

       No one can say how long the goddess's
       temple has stood in this place.  In a world
       where time does not exist, such a question
       has little meaning.  Some speculate, however
       that the goddess built the temple with her
       own hands, as a prison for some long-
       forgotten enemy.

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Forest Crystal - Tablet of Memory

       The seeress of the Farseers knows the exact
       moment she will die.  However, she is
       forbidden to change the timeline in order to
       save herself.

       The seeress has no choice but to accept her
       preordained end.  This is the law of the
       Farseers.  Each change of the timeline
       creates new victims, spawns new tragedies,
       and not even the seeress can tell how great
       those losses shall be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amber Crystal - Tablet of Memory

       Valhalla, where the temple of the goddess
       stands, floats on the vast ocean of chaos
       into which all things must flow.  There is no
       beginning or end to chaos.  Those that fall
       into its waters are condemned to float for
       eternity in the rift between life and death.

       The ocean of chaos has drowned the
       Pedestal of Time.  There, on that holy of
       holies, did the goddess Etro first step into
       the Unseen Realm.  But as her power waned,
       the sacred spot where her foot touched soil
       sank beneath the sullen waves.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Violet Crystal - Tablet of Memory

       The seeress of the Farseers has left us
       many prophecies, but amongst them the
       most enigmatic must surely be this: 'When
       Valhalla consumes the sky, a new star
       flashes like lightning, and in the heavens
       twinkles distant hope.'

       What does it mean when 'Valhalla consumes
       the sky'?  What is the new star that flashes in
       the sky?  Does this prophecy foretell a future
       of salvation-or destruction?  No one can
       say.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Etro's Sorrow - Yeul's Confessions

       Etro granted the most selfless of gifts.  Her
       power and strength flowed through the gate
       to the Unseen World, and with each passing
       second she drew weaker and weaker.

       Now the goddess sleeps within the Heart of
       Chaos.  Should she cease to exist, then the
       power that she granted to humanity, the
       power that makes their universe whole, will
       disappear.  When the sands of time run out
       on the goddess, so too do they on the world
       of man.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pulse's Resolution - Yeul's Confessions

       When the people of Cocoon first came down
       to the surface of Gran Pulse, magic filled the
       earth.  Among the people, there were those
       who awakened to this power.  I saw it happen.
       I saw time distorted and twisted.

       When the timeline was changed and history
       broken, fissures appeared in the wall that
       separates the spirit and the material.  The
       crystal power that was once bestowed only
       upon the l'Cie was released, and it
       permeated deep into the soil.  Now normal
       humans can spin enchantments and spells-if
       they know how.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindzei's Desire - Yeul's Confessions

       The part of the humans we call 'soul' is a gift of
       the goddess.  In all our hearts flickers a
       small piece of the chaos of Valhalla.

       From Valhalla, you can see every age, every
       timeline.  I see the future because Valhalla
       lives in my heart.  The Eyes of Etro is not a
       unique gift, reserved for the special.  Every
       human who claims a soul can gaze into the
       future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mwynn's Tenderness - Yeul's Confessions

       Our bodies are made of the blood of the
       goddess.  Our souls are formed of the chaos
       which she bestowed upon us.  The Farseers
       were an ancient people who embraced the
       chaos more than any other.  They were
       Pulse's oldest tribe, and I was their seeress.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bhunivelze's Sleep - Yeul's Confessions

       In the physical world, it contains within its
       form endless chaos.  By the will of the </pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
       deities, it gives birth to all things.  I
       speak of crystal.

       The eternal dream world of the crystal lies
       within the Unseen World.  Even the gods long
       to find their way to that place.  In all crystal,
       the heart that shines mostly brightly is called
       Bhunivelze.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________________________________________

Paradox Ending 8/8
______________________________________________________________________________


Transcript: A Giant Mistake - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       'Okay.  So ultimately, it was the Academy
       themselves who built Atlas?'

       'Looks like it,' replied Serah, scanning the
       data they had just recovered.  'It started
       when the forces who were trying to restore
       the old Cocoon reactivated the dormant
       fal'Cie.'

       'Atlas was a weapon built to protect humans
       from the fal'Cie?'

       'Yeah...' said Serah, before lapsing into
       silence.  Noel followed her gaze skyward.  If
       the Academy had not built Atlas, more and
       more of the fal'Cie would have been
       awakened by the other side.

       But even so, was there no other way to
       counter the threat?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: Vanille's Truth - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       Long ago, in ancient times, Cocoon and Pulse
       fought a terrible war.  Two women called Fang
       and Vanille released a monster and began to
       march on Cocoon.  At that moment, the
       goddess unleashed a powerful spell and
       turned them both into crystal statues.
       Their slumbering forms were placed in a
       temple in Oerba, which, in time, was lifted up
       into Cocoon itself.  There they slept until,
       hundreds of years later, a young girl
       wandered into the temple and was made a l'Cie.

       That girl's name was Serah.  This was the
       moment that marked the beginning of the
       thirteen days of the Purge.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: Mog's Marvelous Flan Plan - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       It all began with a chance meeting with a
       single flan.  Mog translated from the flan
       tongue to humanspeak, and back again.  The
       flan had some incredible news.  'The true
       Royal Ripeness has been born, kupo!'
       (Although, the flan didn't really say 'kupo.')

       'Does that mean we failed?  We didn't change
       history after all?' asked Noel.  Mog nodded in
       response.  Noel and Serah looked grave.  How
       could they hope to defeat the greatest flan
       that ever lived?  It was even more powerful
       than the original Royal Ripeness!  The
       situation was bleak indeed.

       Unless...'I have an idea, kupo! Mog can save
       the day, kupo!' Noel and Serah had never
       seen Mog so confident.  They looked at each
       other gloomily.  They weren't looking forward
       to hearing Mog's idea....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: Test Subjects - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       'Let's go!' barks the officer.  At his command,
       several soldiers pound into the elevator.  This
       is Augusta Tower, central information
       processing facility.  The men are members of
       the resistance.

       It is 400 AF.  After the Cie'th Incident, the
       Proto fal'Cie Adam now rules Academia.
       Adam is manufacturing an army of military
       fal'Cie which it will use to control the human
       population.

       But humanity is fighting back.  The soldiers
       have infiltrated the tower in an attempt to
       steal the machines' crystal supple and put a
       halt to the fal'Cie production.  At the same
       time, something is changing inside the
       captive Noel and Serah...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: The Future is Hope - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       Snow was riding the highways of time when
       he came across a gate projecting strange,
       flickering images-images with showed
       Serah.

       Snow saw her receiving an artefact from an
       unknown young woman, hesitant, unsure of
       the gift.  Then as he watched, the scene
       changed, and changed again, and again, a
       tumbling kaleidoscope of visions, countless
       fragments of histories Snow has never
       known.

       'Damn!  Someone is trying to rewrite history!'

       Snow realized he had to act fast.  He leaped
       onto trusty Shiva and headed for the gate.  A
       new adventure was just beginning-the hunt
       for the thirteen crystals!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: Beneath a Timeless Sky - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       Yeul knows that this was the world she
       wanted.  'Noel is here, I'm here.  That's all I
       need.  No Caius.  Just us.  We can start over
       again, and this time make it better.'

       But Noel wants more.  He wants a future.  He
       wants everything.  People, life, all of it, the
       bad as well as the good.

       Yeul lifts her head.  'If that's what Noel wants,
       then I want it, too.  Look, Noel, a star is
       falling.  A new door is open.  Perhaps beyond
       it, the real future is waiting...'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: Heir to Chaos - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       Across Noel's mind flitted one of Caius's
       memories.  A memory from a thousand years
       ago: Caius fighting a warrior and losing,
       pushed to the brink of defeat.

       But the gods refused to bless either of
       them, and the warrior was called to Valhalla
       before the duel reached its climax.  Caius
       might have been saved from his curse of
       eternity.  Instead, he had to wait.  Wait for the
       birth of Noel.

       Noel's eyes snapped open.

       'You make your own myths, Caius.  But I'm
       going to save everyone my way.  Yeul, and
       Serah, and yes, you, too.'

       So saying Noel's mouth curled into the old,
       familiar smile.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcript: Fate and Freedom - Excerpts from an Alternate History

       'Hey, can moogles talk?' Dajh has dropped by
       NORA House to play, and as usual he's
       peppering me with questions.

       'Of course they can.  They know lots of
       things, and love answering just about any
       question you might have.'

       'Hohoho.  Since when did you become a
       moogle expert?' laughs Sazh as he strides
       into the house.

       He has a point.  Why do I think I know about
       moogles?  I mean, they're just make-believe
       creatures from children's books.
       Yet...somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm
       sure I've met one.

       'What's wrong?' Dajh is looking up at me,
       wondering why I've suddenly become so
       quiet.

       I tell him it's nothing.  But it isn't nothing, and
       for the rest of the day, my head is full of
       thoughts of moogles...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


~~*~~  2)  Datalog  ~~*~~

______________________________________________________________________________

Significant Persons 14/14
______________________________________________________________________________


Lightning

       Lightning is now the goddess's champion,
       and has sworn to protect Etro's temple in
       the Unseen Realm of Valhalla.  She fights
       a never-ending battle against Caius Ballad, the
       man who would destroy the goddess and
       unleash the energies of chaos upon the
       world.

       From Valhalla, where the entire span of
       history can be seen, Lightning sends her
       voice to past companions and guides them
       to where the timeline needs them most. After
       a brief reunion with her sister in a future
       New Bodhum, the former soldier entrusts
       Serah and Noel with a mission to prevent the
       prophesied fall of Cocoon, while she herself
       prepares for a final confrontation with Caius
       in the city beyond time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serah Farron

       Serah began her journey through time to
       search for her sister, Lightning, who
       somehow slipped through the cracks of
       history.  She is a gentle person at heart, but
       shows her strength of will when faced with
       difficulty or hardship.

       During the events leading up to her
       departure from New Bodhum, Serah was
       'blessed' with the ability to see changes to
       the future-a power known as the 'Eyes of
       Etro.'  This power has its source in the
       chaotic realm of Valhalla, and each ripple in
       history drains a little more of her life force.

       Even knowing the danger in which this puts
       her, Serah is determined to accompany Noel
       as they strive to make changes and bring
       hope for the world of tomorrow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Snow Villers

       Snow is Serah's fiance and a former l'Cie.
       Three years ago, he proved himself a hero
       when he saved Serah alongside Lightning.
       After the catastrophe that befell Cocoon, he
       left on a journey to find Serah's missing
       sister.  The determined NORA leader has
       vowed not to return until he is successful,
       and left Serah with an engagement necklace.

       Snow once escaped the cursed fate of a
       l'Cie, but his arm still shows the glowing
       brand of servitude.  It appears the
       irrepressible hero encountered more than
       just Time Gates during his journey to find
       Lightning.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oerba Dia Vanille

       Vanille was born in the Gran Pulse village of
       Oerba.  She fought against Cocoon in the War
       of Transgression hundreds of years ago, but
       turned to crystal before her Focus was
       complete.  The catastrophe that occurred
       centuries later was set in motion when she
       awoke from crystal stasis.

       After meeting with Lightning and Snow,
       Vanille decided to fight for the home of her
       new friends, and sacrificed herself to save
       Cocoon.  Even now, the Gran Pulse native
       sleeps within the crystal pillar that supports
       the fallen shell.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oerba Yun Fang

       Fang is a l'Cie from the same village as
       Vanille.  She transformed into the monster
       Ragnarok during the War of Transgression
       and came close to destroying Cocoon.  In her
       moment of triumph, however, an irresistible
       force intervened and scorched her brand.
       Fang and Vanille then fell into a premature
       crystal slumber.

       When she awoke with Vanille several
       centuries later, their actions started a
       catastrophic chain of events.  Fang eventually
       redeemed herself by being part of the
       miracle that saved Cocoon, and now sleeps
       within the crystal pillar alongside her fellow
       Gran Pulsian.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope Estheim

       Hope is a high-level advisor for the Academy.
       He proposed, and came to direct, the New
       Cocoon Project started in 10 AF.

       To oversee the completion of the project,
       Hope and Alyssa Zaidelle entered a time
       capsule in 13 AF, and awoke in the year 4XX
       AF.

       A charismatic figure overwhelmingly popular
       with the people, Hope feels a duty to protect
       the project's founding ideals.  Even more so,
       he is consumed with a need to rescue Fang
       and Vanille from their slumber within the
       crystal pillar.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sazh Katzroy

       Sazh is one of the former l'Cie responsible
       for protecting Cocoon.  With a chocobo chick
       as his constant companion, this courageous
       father three himself into battle to rescue his
       son, Dajh, from a fate worse than death.

       In his regular occupation, Sazh works as a
       top-class pilot.  He continued to fly airships
       after the fall of Cocoon, but one day he
       simply disappeared along with his son.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa Zaidelle

       Alyssa has been promoted to Hope's main
       assistant, and is the foremost researcher in
       the field of Time Gates and paradoxes.  It was
       her report on the events that took place in
       the Bresha Ruins in 5 AF that caught Hope's
       attention and led to her rapid rise in the
       Academy.

       There are some who believe she is using
       Hope to further her own ambitions, but her
       knowledge of spacetime theory is such that
       the young director entrusts her with an
       entire branch of research.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mog

       Mog is a small, mysterious creature covered
       in white fur.  He has bat-like wings that he
       often beats as he flits around, but his power
       of flight does not appear to rely on them.

       Mog has a crystal bobble that reacts to the
       presence of anomalies, and he is proficient
       at finding lost objects, but his most
       astounding feature is his ability to transform
       into a weapon.  With the right components
       available, Mog is capable of evolving into
       even more powerful weaponry.

       Lightning came across Mog in Valhalla, and
       asked the strange little being to act as
       Serah's protector and good luck charm.

       Although he closely resembles the fictitious
       moogles described in Cocoon's fairy tales,
       the connection is uncertain.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NORA

       NORA is a vigilante group of young do-
       gooders from the Cocoon town of Bodhum.
       No strangers to fending for themselves, the
       group went on to found the settlement of
       New Bodhum in the harsh environment of
       Pulse.

       NORA consists of four core members: the
       intimidating Gadot, Snow's right-hand man;
       the amiable mood maker, Yuj; the mechanical
       genius, Maqui; and the NORA House resident
       chef, Lebreau.

       Snow, NORA's founding member, is presently
       away from New Bodhum.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chocolina

       Chocolina is a time-traveling merchant who
       can be found all over the world.  There are
       reports of this mysterious trader appearing
       in almost every age in history.  Some rumors
       say that she is a certain creature that took
       on human form...

       Aside from offering an assortment of wares,
       Chocolina is also an expert craftsperson,
       able to synthesize special weapons and
       items from raw materials.  She will, however,
       always insist on collecting a fee.

       Chocolina derives great joy from offering her
       services to needy time travelers, and seems
       to know much about Serah and Noel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeul

       Yeul is a seeress, burdened with the power
       of prophecy-her life span grows shorter
       with every vision of the future.  She dies at a
       young age, only to be born once more among
       the Farseer people.  Each reincarnation has
       the same appearance and ability, and is given
       the name 'Yeul.'

       The Yeul who Noel befriends is the last
       seeress.  She promises the young hunter that
       they will meet again, before breather her
       last.  The last vision she sees is not one of
       despair, but of hope.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noel Kreiss

       Noel is the last child of humanity, born in a
       world 700 years after the catastrophe.  He is
       the hunter from the future who encouraged
       Serah to step out of the present and into the
       flow of time.

       Noel is one the Farseer tribe, and became
       the seeress Yeul's protector at a young age.
       The earnest hunter yearned to best Caius in
       combat, but was abandoned by his mentor
       before he had the chance to prove himself.
       Finally, unable to save Yeul from her mortal
       fate, Noel was left alone, the last human on
       earth.

       Noel refused to give in to despair, and when
       he reached out his hand to Etro, the goddess
       sent him to Valhalla to meet with Lightning.
       Thus began Noel and Serah's mission to save
       the future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caius Ballad

       Caius Ballad is a former l'Cie and the
       immortal Guardian of the seeress, Yeul.

       Everything this man has done for the past
       several centuries has been for the purpose
       of freeing his charge from her curse of
       eternal reincarnation.  If he can kill the
       goddess and send the artificial Cocoon
       plummeting into Pulse, the resulting flood of
       volatile chaos through Etro's Gate would
       shatter the boundary between Valhalla and
       the mortal realm.  Life and death would cease
       to hold meaning, and Yeul's cruel fate would
       finally be undone.  Or so Caius believes...

______________________________________________________________________________

Paradoxes 11/11
______________________________________________________________________________


Time Gates

       Time Gates appear as strange glowing
       portals, and each requires a specific
       'artefact' to activate it.

       By passing through these gates and traveling
       outside the timeline, it is said one can
       eventually arrive in Valhalla.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Artefacts

       Artefacts are the keys that activate Time
       Gates.  These objects can appear in any form,
       and are only identified as 'things that
       shouldn't exist' or 'items from another time,'
       making the search for an artefact a difficult
       task.

       Artefacts are strongly tied to their
       possessors, and are also said to take on
       completely different shapes depending on
       the person who handles them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Historia Crux

       The Historia Crux is the crossroads that lies
       between the Time Gates.  It is a separate
       dimension connecting one age to the next.

       This surreal plane is said to be the border of
       the chaotic realm of Valhalla, and only those
       with an affinity for the power of chaos are
       able to use it to travel through time.  Even
       the godlike fal'Cie are not free to enter the
       Historia Crux as they please.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paradoxes

       Following the appearance of the gate that
       appeared in New Bodhum in 3 AF, Time Gates
       began showing up in a multitude of locations.
       The research institute, the Academy, gave a
       name to the anomalies that accompany the
       arrival of these gates and cause impossible
       things to happen-they called them
       'paradoxes.'

       In any location where a paradox is present,
       people report strange occurrences, such as
       the sudden appearances of unusual
       monsters, and odd connections to other
       times and places.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cocoon's Fall: The Prophecy

       In the Oracle Drive images that Hope shows
       at the Yaschas Massif, there is a scene that
       clearly shows Caius causing Cocoon to fall.

       Oracle Drives are said to hold the
       prophecies of the seeress.  And in Noel's
       world, seven hundred years in the future,
       Cocoon has already fallen.  From these two
       facts, it is predicted that the crystal pillar
       will crumble within the next few centuries,
       and send the massive sphere plummeting
       towards the surface of Pulse.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Crystal Pillar

       During the catastrophe of 0 AF, a gigantic
       crystal pillar appeared and caught Cocoon in
       its embrace.  This miracle was the work of
       Fang and Vanille, two women who sacrificed
       themselves to achieve the impossible.

       In the centuries that follow, however, erosion
       weakens the massive structure.  This second
       threat to Cocoon triggers a war among its
       people, and the resulting violence brings the
       sphere crashing to the ground.  The
       apocalyptic age in which Noel was born is
       what remains of the world after those tragic
       events come to pass.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gates of Augusta

       ACADEMY DATANET FILE

       This information is accurate as of the year
       200 AF.  The highest floor of Augusta Tower
       is the site of the gate that behaves differently
       from a standard time portal, instead leading
       to a 'virtual space' within the AI mainframe.

       To activate this special gate, one must climb
       to the top floor of the tower and directly
       access the AI's core.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paradox and Memory

       Something strange is happening to Noel's
       memory.  The affected parts appear to be
       anything related to Yeul, Caius, and the
       history of Cocoon's fall.

       The problem is not with Noel-interference in
       history has destabilized the past, giving rise
       to another type of paradox effect.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Atlas

       Atlas is a massive, humanoid war machine
       found within the Bresha Ruins, and it began
       an uncontrolled rampage when the paradox
       effect was triggered.  Only the left hand of
       Atlas was uncovered, but the rest of its
       invisible body is thought to exist in a
       different spacetime.

       Despite being excavated in the ruins of an
       ancient city, the technology that powers the
       giant is far beyond the capabilities of that
       age.  Researchers theorize that Atlas is
       actually a man-made weapon pulled into
       present from some future time period.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proto Fal'Cie Adam

       ACADEMY DATANET FILE

       Proto fal'Cie Adam is an artificial fal'Cie that
       oversees the city of Academia.

       This man-made entity handles all of the roles
       previously filled by the Cocoon fal'Cie.  Adam
       is an all-powerful being who protects the
       lives and interests of the citizenry-a fal'Cie
       for the people.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Thirteenth Ark

       ACADEMY DATANET FILE

       The Thirteenth Ark is an ancient Gran Pulse
       military facility capable of sustained self-
       levitation.

       The floating fortress is currently deserted,
       and a number of Academy research teams
       have been sent inside to investigate.
       Scientists are primarily interested in the
       mechanism that allows the Ark to remain
       afloat without a constant supply of power
       from the fal'Cie.

       The purpose of the facility remains unclear.
       Some theories posit that the Ark was in
       operation during the war between Pulse and
       Cocoon.


______________________________________________________________________________

Society 13/13
______________________________________________________________________________


Fal'Cie and L'Cie

       The fal'Cie are supernatural entities that
       once governed the floating paradise of
       Cocoon.

       These godlike beings possess the power to
       curse humans, transforming them into 'l'Cie.'
       Lightning and Serah were once enslaved as
       l'Cie, and given the task of destroying
       Cocoon.

       Lightning defied the will of the fal'Cie, and
       steered her fate down a different road.
       Following the catastrophe, the fal'Cie of
       Cocoon fell into a slumber.  A different group
       of fal'Cie exists on Gran Pulse, but they
       show little interest in the activities of
       humans.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

L'Cie and Cie'th

       L'Cie are cursed human servants of the
       fal'Cie.  Those chosen to serve find their
       bodies marked with a 'brand,' and are given
       orders in the form of a vague vision.  This
       vision is known as a 'Focus,' and l'Cie are
       granted magical powers in order to fulfill
       their abstract destiny.

       L'Cie that complete their Focus are
       transformed into eternal crystals.  Those who
       fail to do so within the allotted time are
       stripped of their brand, and become hideous
       monsters known as 'Cie'th.'  These mindless
       creatures are bereft of emotion and reason,
       and lose all semblance of humanity.

       Serah was once chosen as a l'Cie, but
       through the heroic efforts of her fiance and
       her sister she was safely returned to her
       human self.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Catastrophe

       Three years ago, mankind stared into the
       face of extinction when Cocoon almost
       crashed onto the surface of Pulse.

       The sphere's fall was halted by Lightning's
       companions, Fang and Vanille.  Their
       desperate sacrifice summoned a massive
       pillar that cradled the plummeting Cocoon in
       its crystalline branches, averting an
       unimaginable disaster.  The two l'Cie now
       sleep within the pillar in crystal form, and
       there are some who believe Lightning
       slumbers alongside them.

       A new age began from that day forth, with
       each subsequent year marked by the letters
       AF, or 'After the Fall.'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Magic

       'Magic' is the ability to draw on the crystal
       power residing within oneself and make
       possible all manner of incredible feats.  This
       power was once only the province of l'Cie,
       but since the catastrophe and the migration
       to Pulse, some former citizens of Cocoon
       have suddenly developed the ability to wield
       magic.  Serah is one of these people.

       Many of those who now command magical
       energies are simple civilians, and have never
       had Serah's experience of once being a l'Cie.
       It is theorized that the move to Gran Pulse
       has awoken these abilities, and people are
       beginning to see magic as just another tool
       in their everyday lives.  Noel is also capable
       of casting spells, but doesn't seem to think
       of himself as anything special.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summoning

       Serah's ability to summon monsters is
       another power born from chaos.  The
       summoner seals defeated creatures in
       crystals, and calls them forth when needed.
       The weak serve the strong-it is the this law of
       the Unseen Realm that binds the summoned
       monsters to the will of their master.

       Some l'Cie command Eidolons, and the
       underlying principle is similar.  The difference
       that sets this new power apart, however, lies
       in the ability to acquire multiple monstrous
       allies.  In her dream, Serah saw Lightning
       leading an entire army of beasts, and this is
       likely a more powerful version of the same
       ability.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Gran Elevator

       The Gran Elevator is an ambitious project
       that aims to build a conveyance that will
       travel along the crystal pillar and connect
       Cocoon to Gran Pulse.  The main purpose of
       the elevator is to provide a means to
       transport materials from inside Cocoon, and
       help speed construction of the city springing
       up at the base of the pillar.

       With completion of the elevator scheduled
       for 4 AF, it is still under construction when
       Serah and Noel first pass through a Time
       Gate in 3 AF.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Academy

       The Academy is the institute that governs
       the world's people, and has its headquarters
       in the city of Academia.  It is a research-
       based organization founded with the aim of
       promoting human independence from the
       fal'Cie, and has rebuilt society based on the
       pursuit of this ideal.

       The scientists of the Academy are currently
       moving forward with a plan to relocate the
       entire human race to a new, man-made
       Cocoon by the year 500 AF.  For that
       purpose, the provisional government body
       has granted the institute various
       administrative powers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proto Fal'Cie Project

       ACADEMY DATANET FILE

       The Proto fal'Cie Project began in 13 AF,
       under the direction of the Academy.  The
       objective was to develop an artificial fal'Cie
       in order to re-levitate Cocoon.  The project
       was proposed and designed by Alyssa
       Zaidelle, and directed by Hope Estheim.

       The Proto fal'Cie Project is currently
       underway in Augusta Tower, the Academy's
       central network facility.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Man vs. Machine

       CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

       In the decade following the commencement
       of the Proto fal'Cie Project, a conflict arouse
       in the Academy between the AI construct
       and its human creators.

       The construct insisted that the Proto fal'Cie
       be imbued with the full powers of a fal'Cie,
       but the scientists countered with the
       argument that the more dangerous combat
       functions were unnecessary.  With no
       compromise forthcoming, the project faced
       termination.

       In 13 AF, the project director, Hope Estheim,
       was assassinated and the debate died with
       him.  The Proto fal'Cie was eventually created
       with the fully functional ability to change
       humans into l'Cie or Cie'th.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duplicates

       A duplicate is a human-like entity created by
       the Academy by scanning a person's
       molecular information and reproducing it as
       a solid model.  It is basically a physical copy
       of that person, but incapable of independent
       thought-certain molecular functions cannot
       be reproduced and are supplemented with
       approximate calculations.

       Although possessed of a physical body, and
       some military-purpose models do exist,
       duplicates are essentially solid, three-
       dimensional images.  For this reason, should
       a duplicate ever be disconnected from the
       network it would cease to exist.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time Capsule

       The time capsule, designed by Alyssa
       Zaidelle, is a device that enables a limited
       version of time travel.  A powerful
       gravitational field is produced within the
       capsule, significantly decelerating the flow of
       time.  This results in a phenomenon where a
       single day for the occupant translates to the
       passage of several centuries in the outside
       world-for all intents and purposes bringing
       the capsule's interior into the future.

       Considering a passenger cannot return to
       the past, and substantial risks concerning
       life-support system failure have been
       projected, the time capsule has yet to
       progress beyond experimental trials.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graviton Cores

       A Graviton Core is an extremely rare
       material discovered within the Thirteenth
       Ark.  The Ark is kept aloft by the buoyant
       force produced through the cross-reaction
       between crystal ores clustered within the
       core.  This system provides a semi-perpetual
       energy source, eliminating the need to rely
       on outside power supplies.

       The man-made Cocoon and its massive
       population will require far more power to
       stabilize than the floating fortress. In order
       to maintain constant levitation, scientists
       calculate that at least five separate Graviton
       Cores will be needed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The New Cocoon

       The New Cocoon Project, proposed by Hope
       Estheim, entails constructing an entirely new
       shell that will house the relocated human
       race.

       This project began based on predictions that
       the crystal pillar supporting Cocoon will
       eventually collapse.  A proposal to re-float
       the current Cocoon was also considered but
       subsequently rejected due to the necessity
       of reviving the fal'Cie to provide a compatible
       power source.

       Construction of the man-made Cocoon
       began in 10 AF, and is scheduled for
       completion in the year 500 AF.


______________________________________________________________________________

Locales 7/7
______________________________________________________________________________


Cocoon and Pulse

       Cocoon is a massive sphere, constructed
       and set in the sky by the powerful and
       enigmatic beings known as the 'fal'Cie.' Up
       until 0 AF, it was a floating paradise that was
       home to several million people.  Now,
       however, the broken shell rests on an
       immense crystal pillar, bereft of the power
       source that once kept it aloft.  The interior of
       the sphere has deteriorated, forcing the
       population to relocate to the land below.

       The lowerworld, known as either 'Pulse' or
       'Gran Pulse,' is an unforgiving wilderness
       infested with predatory monsters.  This world
       once boasted a civilization that stood in
       conflict with Cocoon, but traces of its
       culture exist only in ruins.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Bodhum

       New Bodhum is one of the settlements built
       by immigrants from Cocoon on the shores of
       Pulse.  Many of its residents, including Serah
       Farron, are former inhabitants of Cocoon's
       seaside town of Bodhum.

       Serah's finance, Snow, chose the settlement's
       name.  The members of his group, NORA, help
       work the fields and protect the townspeople
       from roaming monsters.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bresha Ruins and the Purge

       During the catastrophe that befell Cocoon,
       the Bresha Ruins were the site of terrible
       casualties.  The reason for this can be found
       in the Purge.

       The Purge was the name given to the mass
       deportation of Bodhum's residents.  The
       fal'Cie manipulated the actions of the
       Sanctum and the elite army unit known as
       PSICOM, sowing chaos and inciting conflict
       among Cocoon's populace.

       Many civilians fled to Lake Bresha and its
       ruins to escape the Purge, but a great
       majority were crushed by ancient structures
       that collapsed when Cocoon's momentum
       was suddenly halted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Academia

       ACADEMY DATANET FILE

       Academia is the capital city of the
       settlements that have sprung up around the
       base of the Cocoon pillar, and the location of
       the Academy Headquarters.

       Construction of Academia began
       approximately four hundred years ago.  Later,
       the artificial fal'Cie Adam was completed and
       set to oversee the running of the city.

       Academia is protected by a highly advanced
       security system.  In the event that intruders
       enter the city, a range of countermeasures
       will be set in motion to contain and eliminate
       the threat.

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Augusta Tower

       ACADEMY DATANET FILE

       Augusta Tower is the central information
       processing facility of the Academy.  The
       entire edifice is occupied by the machinery
       of an artificial intelligence that possesses
       unprecedented processing power.

       The tower also houses the Proto fal'Cie
       Project, an ambitious plan to create a man-
       made fal'Cie.

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Serendipity

       'Serendipity' is the name of the fantastical
       wonderland that appears in the folklore of
       Gran Pulse, and was first imagined by a
       certain minstrel of old.

       This mythical palace exists on the border
       between life and death, and is said to only
       open its doors to those chosen by Lady
       Luck.  The fortunate souls that gain entrance
       experience joy and amusement beyond
       measure, cavorting in an eternal 'now' that
       knows neither day nor night.

       The minstrel who penned the original fable
       vanished before its completion.  Some say
       the goddess herself invited him to
       Serendipity.

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The Coliseum

       In a lost corner of the Void Beyond, there is
       a place where might souls gather.  It is a
       testing ground for powerful warriors from
       every age and every reality, who come to pit
       their fighting skills against one another.  On
       the Day of Reckoning, it is said these
       combatants will join the battle to end all
       battles.

       Only one law governs the Coliseum-the weak
       serve the strong.  The one that stands
       triumphant in this arena commands
       unswerving loyalty from the rest.


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History and Myth 11/11
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The Goddess Etro

       In the ancient annals of Gran Pulse, Etro
       appears as the goddess of death and chaos.
       She is said to reside in the world where the
       souls of the dead find their rest-Valhalla.

       The people of the lowerworld worship Pulse,
       the great deity from which the land takes its
       name.  Many tales from their folklore portray
       Etro as the abhorrent goddess of the
       afterlife.

       In the city of Paddra, however, faith in the
       goddess was commonplace, and it was said
       that the seeress drew her prophetic powers
       directly from Etro.

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Valhalla

       Valhalla is an otherworldy dimension, also
       known as the Unseen Realm.  According to
       Pulse legend, it is the final resting place of
       the souls of the dead, and the chaotic world
       where the goddess Etro makes her home.
       Some theories describe it as a city that
       exists beyond the flow of time, and others
       claim it is a future where time has come to a
       standstill.

       The seeress of Paddra describes it thus:
       'The entire span of time can be seen from
       Valhalla.  But to exert power beyond its
       borders, one must first open Etro's Gate.'

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Guardians

       The warriors who accompany and protect
       the seeress Yeul are chosen from among the
       most capable of the Farseer people.

       A Guardian is the strongest of these, a
       defender that wields the power of chaos.
       This power is said to surpass even the
       godlike might of the fal'Cie.

       Only one true Guardian is permitted to exist
       at any one time.  Another protector of the
       Farseer tribe who challenges and defeats
       this champion becomes the new Guardian
       and wielder of chaotic energy.

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Heart of Chaos

       The Heart of Chaos is the goddess Etro's
       own heart, given to Caius.  It is the font of the
       immortal Guardian's power.  Only if another
       potential Guardian defeats him and takes
       this power can Caius truly be killed.  And the
       only person remaining in this world with that
       potential is Noel.

       In the new Guardian has enough strength of
       will, he can release the Heart's power and
       put an end to immortal destiny.  If he wavers,
       however, he will be enslaved in chains of
       chaos, and become the latest in a line of
       eternal servants.

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Eyes of Etro

       The 'Eyes of Etro' is another name given to
       Yeul's power to see changes in the timeline.
       Not restricted to the past or future, Yeul can
       witness any period in history.  This ability is
       associated with the power of chaos, and is
       thus seen as a blessing of the goddess.  The
       fact that Serah shares this ability is a sign
       that she has come under the gaze of Etro at
       some point in the past.

       Every time a seeress has a vision, a part of
       her life force is drained away.  For this
       reason, all the Yeuls of history have died
       before their twentieth birthdays.  The Eyes of
       Etro cannot be voluntarily closed, and most
       often open when history undergoes a
       significant upheaval.  Noel is afraid that every
       change they make during their journey is
       eating away a little more of Serah's life span.

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Oracle Drives

       Oracles Drives are ancient image-capturing
       devices found across the breadth of Gran
       Pulse.  They appear to hold the visions seen
       by the Paddraean seeress.  Images that
       depict the future as seen from that time
       have been proven to be accurate.

       An Oracle Drive was discovered near the
       Paddraean Ruins by Hope and his team of
       researchers.  Due to the appearance of
       several gates in the area, the scientists are
       focusing on the relationship between the
       drive and the paradox effect.

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The Farseers

       Centuries in the past on Gran Pulse, a
       people known as the Farseers built the
       prosperous city of Paddra.  They flourished
       under the guidance of the seeress, whose
       predictions of the future guided the growth
       of their civilization.

       After the War of Transgression that took
       place between Cocoon and Pulse, it is
       thought that the Farseer civilization died out.
       Another theory suggests that the people of
       Paddra became a nomadic tribe, and still
       roam the wilds of Gran Pulse.

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Unseen Chaos

       The chaos of the Unseen Realm is a
       malevolent energy that seeps through into
       the world of mortals.  The existence-defying
       darkness witnessed by Lightning is an
       immense and inexorable force, a creeping
       doom that she is not even certain acts with a
       unified purpose or will.

       Where the chaos of Valhalla leaks into the
       mortal realm, the laws of the physical world
       are undone.  This paradoxical energy seeks
       to return all existence to the Unseen Realm,
       but at times it seems to show an almost odd
       affection for those who share an affinity with
       chaos.

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Etro's Gate

       The instant Etro's Gate opened, a world-
       devouring darkness slipped through from
       Valhalla.  The goddess turned back the river
       of time and that terrible darkness-the
       Unseen chaos-was sealed away.

       Her power exhausted, Etro fell into a sleep
       from which she would never awaken.  It was
       Lightning who sensed that someone meant to
       exploit that weakness and destroy the
       goddess for good.  She learned of the man
       called Caius Ballad.

       If the goddess is destroyed, the chaos of the
       Unseen Realm would be unleashed, and the
       mortal realm devoured by Valhalla.  Lightning
       decided to stand and fight, to protect Etro
       and see her benevolent will upheld.

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Death of a Goddess

       The goddess is dead.  Noel plunged his sword
       into the Heart of Chaos, and Etro's very
       presence faded away like mist.

       Freed from the deity's constraints, the chaos
       of the Unseen Realm then rose up in a great
       wave and smashed apart Etro's Gate with
       contemptuous ease.  The swirling maelstrom
       roiled forth with a strength beyond
       imagination.  All of existence was engulfed in
       darkness, and the world that remained was
       bereft of life and death, past and future.

       At the height of her battle with Caius,
       Lightning realized this fate was unavoidable.
       The weary warrior accepted her defeat, and
       entered into crystal slumber with but one
       wish in her heart.

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An Immortal Wish

       To destroy the divine heart within his breast,
       and unleash the maelstrom of chaos-this
       was Caius's only wish.  And so he waited.

       He needed one who could surpass him in
       battle and had the potential to still the Heart
       of Chaos.  When Noel was born, the
       Guardian's prayers were answered.  If Caius
       failed to open Etro's Gate, he would force
       Noel to slay the goddess.  With the timeline
       still bent and distorted, the chaotic energy
       freed by that act would rise of its own
       accord and shatter the gate.  It was his only
       hope.


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~~*~~  3) Copyright 2012  ~~*~~


This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission by me Cynthia Cassini. Use of this
guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly
prohibited, and a violation of copyright.

All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.



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