Originally Posted by version 1.0 manual
The Age of Adventure
The guardian gods and goddesses known as the Twelve watch over the city-states of Eorzea. These tiny nations carved out a history of blood and betrayal, forging and breaking alliances as each warred over territory and sought to impose uncompromising interpretations of their patron deities' will.
The fate of the land would, however, soon change. Not fifteen years past, a new threat appeared from the east-the might Garlean Empire. With its fleets of behemoth airships and warriors brandishing weapons that spewed streams of fire, it crushed Ala Mhigo, the most powerful of the six Eorzean city-states. Galvanized by fear of a common foe, the remaining nations joined in a clandestine alliance. Fortunately, the dreaded invasion never came and an uneasy peace prevailed. Thus it was that Eorzea slipped into the "Age of Calm".
As the city-states continued to develop regular standing armies, a growing number of mercenaries and hedge knights found themselves without employment. Concerned at the rise in number of armed men and women resorting to acts of villainy to survive, several respected leaders gathered together to form a network of guilds. The guilds provided these lost souls with the chance to utilise their talents for the benefit of themselves and others.
Through the foresight and resolve of these leaders a new industry had emerged-and the era of adventuring had begun.