confused about companies

[Secret_Reeve]

so maybe i missed a little bit of lore that explained this somewhere along the lines but correct me if im wrong,

the 3 companies where founded ALONG time ago to defeat a threat against the land.

threat was defeated.

companies kinda slithered away.

new threat arrises

companies are reformed.

now correct me if im wrong but to defeat something that threatens so larger population the 3 companies have to work together, SO WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THE RIVALRY?! i mean come on, why do the companies despise each other so?

some one possibly fill me in on this?

[grandm]

companies have been gone for a long time and in that time city states would have only interacted for trade. i guess they always put their own intrest's first, and don't know much about teamwork at this point. i hate referring to real life but i guess its a bit like china and america they know in this new world we live in they need to work together more, that don't mean they trust eachother fully tho.

[BloodPact]

Power? It´s more or less the same story with the cities in FFXI. They fought for ages, each ruling above the rest at different points in time, but in the end they had to forge an alliance with the duchy to defeat the evil that was about to consume everything. That doesn´t mean everything is ok nowadays though. They still hate each other, lol. I guess it´s more or less the same here. I´m about to complete the quest to become a member of Gridania´s so maybe there´s more story after where I´m at atm. If so, someone else who´s done them can answer your question with greater detail.

[Lyndis]

Pride, Power, etc.

Are any of the companies flawless? They all are guilty of their own sins and they all see the others as no better than beastmen. Each company has different ideals and they want that ideal to be the one Eorzea holds dear. That's why your choice is so important.

[Anonymoose]

Not to ruin the magic for you, but there's a pretty clear inspiration for the storyline.

Look familiar?
...
How about now?

The companies aren't working together because they have similar goals or values, they're working together because it's the only chance for Eorzea's survival.

Presently, each company is dealing with its own internal strife and accusing the other companies of sitting around, twiddling their thumbs over pettier things, while the world goes to Hells in handbaskets. Each thinks that they are the only company that can see their people through the Umbral Era while the other two cannot be fully trusted.

This is why you should choose the company whose leader struck you as most charismatic, whose goals and reasoning you resonated best with. Invariably, all three companies will face challenges and succeed in the end, but how and why they win against the Garleans will be entirely different, and they'll be happy about it and proud of it from different angles. If you choose a company that has values or strategies you don't resonate with, the whole story will be all the more shallow for it. The three-city-system exists to give the best chance for everyone to find a story they find meaningful and powerful. Try to tell me that there wasn't one storyline in FFXI that stood out miles above the others... Now, after you all nod and agree that there was, turn to eachother and say aloud which it was. Aaaaaand flamewar!

I really need to just dedicate myself to the writing the lore instead of playing the game.

[Akira_Tenshi]

Its just so they can add PVP later.

[Gramul]

Animosity can still form, even in the face of a great threat.

See also: WWII and aftermath.

[Fated]

Its just so they can add PVP later.

^ This practical answer aside, the leaders of the Grand Companies all sound pretty selfish and only devoted to their own causes.

[Holland]

Well... I believe the Leaders of each company know how real the thread is for Eorzea, seeing they were advised by that order of kowledge (What ever the name is). The ones who have their priorities mixed are the lower ranked officers who are striving for the suppremacy of their own GC.

[Gramul]

^ This practical answer aside, the leaders of the Grand Companies all sound pretty selfish and only devoted to their own causes.

Well they are politicians.