Are there any decent sites about where you can read about the story and lore?

[Makenshi]

The wiki's all seem to be 95% gameplay based.

I have played FF11 over such a large period of time that i end up forgetting details about the main story, or some times i take an interest in some of the background lore and i can never find any decent place to read about it.

[bungiefanNA]

The dialogues are usually given on the wiki, spoilered out so you have to reveal them, or go to an additional page.

IIRC, Japan got a physical Ultimania guide for the lore.

[Alhanelem]

The wiki does include (real) historical information where available, and the story as well as the dialogue and sometimes other information about NPCs. There isn't like a specific section where lore is specifically told seperately, but there is plenty of information to be found with a little digging.

If you're looking on BGWiki, they are more focused on the numbers, statistical info, drops, and technical stuff, while FFXIclopedia tends to have more of the non-gameplay information.

[bungiefanNA]

The old History of Vanadiel site tried to capture the lore back in CoP and early ToAU days, but the person compiling it just gave up and left. You can find archives of it though.

I suppose someone could start a lore guide on one of the wikis, but you'd need a large group of people that cared to update and maintain it, and the wikis seem to be lacking in population for contributors already. BlueGartr also has a story sub forum for FFXI, where you could ask questions, and read posted threads already.

[Alhanelem]

The wiki does have archives of the Vanadiel Tribune, which does have some interesting tidbits as well.

[Makenshi]

The dialogues are usually given on the wiki, spoilered out so you have to reveal them, or go to an additional page.

IIRC, Japan got a physical Ultimania guide for the lore.

(|English|) (|Version|) (|Can I have it?|)

[bungiefanNA]

They never translate any of the Ultimania guides to English. Nearly every FF gets multiple Ultimania guides. They have game guides, story guides, artwork and design guides, etc.

Heck, it took something like 10 years after FF IX released for someone who read English and Japanese to read the IX Ultimania guide an realize there was a sidequest for the Nero family we never knew about, and he posted a translation of how it worked.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-28-final-fantasy-9-sidequest-discovered-after-13-years

Also, don't forget that physical Vanadiel Tribune book Japan got last year, with a ton of content that was never posted to the Tribune web site.

Translating large volumes of text like that is expensive, and generally requires someone familiar with the lore and terminology in the first place.

[delukard]

Do what i did,
Start a new char, today getting to lv 99 to solo with trust the pre SOA story is easy.
I also forgot a lot of things about the story, and that's why i did this.

[Fahzewn]

http://www.neoseeker.com/final-fantasy-xi-chains-of-promathia/faqs/91383-final-fantasy-xi-history.html

I started reading this. Only goes up to CoP it seems and back stories to the jobs and some key figures. I admittedly didn't read all of it yet as I only found it not long ago.

Also, some lore on most of the primals according to another poster. Possibly lifted from the Vana'diel Tribune that used to post years ago. I miss those actually.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/605802-dissidia-012-duodecim-final-fantasy/58019846