Quote Originally Posted by uvuvwevwevweonyetenyevweugwemu View Post
(...)also the darker tones live in forest and caves (why??). The lore doesn't really match climate with races or works the opposite logic in eorZea.
The races in game are not humans. If you look at animals, the ones that live in caves are dark in color (if they live in shallow caves or go out of them, usually at night) or close to white (if they spend their entire lives in a complete darkness). Thus civilizations like Au Ra that obviously leave the caves and are active round the clock will be naturally darker skinned. That's for camouflage, which creatures in total darkness don't need.

Humans that live in sunny areas have darker skin for a simple reason. The cells of the body are less likely to be damaged by the exposure to sun. The pigments that are responsible for skin color and tone also protect from ultraviolet ray, and that comes with the sun. Some ultraviolet rays are needed for production of vitamin D, so in areas with less exposure to sun or weaker radiation (for whatever reason), protecting themselves from what little sun they get is a health hazard. If they don't have enough protection in sunnier areas with tons of radiation...the skin cells will start falling apart as a result of their DNA being damaged, possibly developing lethal skin diseases.

In Eorzea and with the other races...that point is moot. We don't know the intensity of ultraviolet radiation, or even whether it's needed. They may be producing vitamid D through the use of a different chemical reaction, they may get more of it from food or they may just not even need it to begin with.