Is anyone else dying to get to Garlemald?

[YianKutku]

If they had not discovered magitek then they could very well have all perished or been wiped out completely.

circa 6A 800 - The Garleans are driven out of their original territory in southern Ilsabard and into the snowy northern lands. There, they discovered ceruleum, but used it mainly as a fuel source for warmth.

6A 922 - The Republic of Garlemald is born, after one town brought other smaller villages into the fold "through negotiation and force".

circa 6A 930 - The Garlean capital is raided by Hyurans from even further north. (Possibly Viking-analogues?)

6A 935 - Garlemald hires Roegadyn battle-mages from the mountain clans, and repels the raiders. They also stirred up trouble by "sending spies to incite conflict betwixt the surrounding nations".

6A 945 - The Roegadyn clans demand compensation for their services. Garlemald refuses. Negotiations break down (albeit after months), and the Roegadyn mercenaries leave.

6A 1513 - Brand new 24-year-old Legatus Solus Galvus learns of the newly-invented ceruleum engine, and focuses attention on it, leading to the development of magitek and its use in war.

6A 1515 - Garlemald "begins forcefully subjugating and annexing its neighbouring city-states".

6A 1517 - Garlemald first uses airships in war, conquering Dalmasca.

6A 1522 - Solus zos Galvus crowns himself Emperor.

So Garlemald survived as a nation for almost six hundred years (922-1513) without magitek. Their first major crisis putting them under threat of extinction was solved not through magitek, but by hiring mercenaries (which they then did not pay). Also, lots of spycraft.

If you described a country that survived almost six hundred years before expanding further as "could very well have all perished", I'm not sure what criteria of surviving is being used here.

(Source: Lorebook, pages 48-51 for the timeline, and 177 for the Garlemald background.)