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The Kingdom of Lucis (ルシス王国, Rushisu-Ōkoku?) is a nation in Final Fantasy XV, said to keep the last known crystal in the world. It is described as a nation both highly advanced and developed, and culturally intact, with tradition vibrant and still alive with the "songs of swords and sorcery."
Its capital city is Insomnia, a sprawling metropolis. Despite this, all trailers to date have depicted the city as being largely deserted. In the January 2011 trailer, toll gates located outside the city were seen stopping incoming traffic. It is unknown as to why the city may have been on lockdown. Locations within or around the city include Vallis Acerba (Latin for "Harsh Valley") and Nihilsomno (Latin for "Sleepless").
Through the power of its crystal, Lucis is an advanced country. Though its vast power bears great influence, allowing its citizens have a high standard of living, its standing has alienated Lucis from the rest of the world, now controlled mostly by the Empire of Niflheim. Niflheim seeks the last crystal, but Lucis is protected by its King, Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, the crystal's current guardian, who maintains the shield around the kingdom to repel all enemy attacks toward the nation.
Lucis is ruled under a monarchy, whose current ruler is King Regis. His only son, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, is the heir to the kingdom's throne. The royal family has been compared to a mafia crime family, and are said to have reigned and protected over the kingdom since its ancient beginnings. Regis is around fifty years old, but has aged well beyond that due to maintaining the magic barrier around Lucis. The rapid aging is the unfortunate fate of the king, and Noctis could also meet this fate if he inherits the throne.
When a Lucian king dies, their wisdom is passed to the next generation, and thus, the royal line lives on. This accumulated wisdom and power is held within the Ring of the Lucii, the heirloom of the dynasty, and the summoned swords each king can wield are also inherited from his predecessors.
Lucis is attacked by Niflheim under the ruse of a peace treaty signing, its soldiers clad in medieval armor and wielding guns. Regis, Noctis, as well as the oracle Lunafreya Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae are reported dead, but in truth Luna escaped to the city of Altissia, and Noctis was not in Insomnia when it was invaded. He embarks on a journey to rendezvous with Luna and save the last crystal.
Creation and developmentEdit
Lucis is based on Shinjuku, a part of the city of Tokyo. The kingdom is associated with the color black and the motif of a Grim Reaper. In old Final Fantasy Versus XIII material a large Grim Reaper statue held a painting of Etro, but the figure also appears in crests, banners and on the throne.
Director Hajime Tabata has explained that black has historically been treated as a special color in Lucis. Thus the attire of the royal family, and those in occupations closely tied to it, wear black. Due to age-rating concerns in some countries, the theme of reaper-worship originally present in Final Fantasy Versus XIII had to be toned down for XV; explicit references were replaced by the use of black as a special color.
Etymology and symbolismEdit
Tenebrae exists in juxtaposition to Lucis, its name meaning "darkness" in Latin. Lucis's capital of Insomnia is an urbanized metropolis with skyscrapers, neon lights, modern society in modern clothes, whose royals use the Crystal's magic and magical summoned weapons. Tenebrae on the other hand represent an "old school" fantasy kingdom overgrown in nature with floating castles and rock formations with giant physical sword-like pillars around the kingdom, and, judging by Luna, physically carried weapons. Luna, from Tenebrae, dresses in white, whereas Noctis, the prince of Lucis, dresses in black.
- In a community-driven Q&A, Tabata called Lucis's government "friendly" when compared to the administration of Japan's current prime minister Shinzō Abe, but stopped short of making exact comparisons.
- ↑ TGS 2015: New Final Fantasy XV story beats, chocobos, fishing and more in latest ATR (Accessed: September 18, 2016) at Nova Crystallis
- ↑ http://www.siliconera.com/2014/12/20/final-fantasy-xv-tons-details-jump-festa/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Luna shows up as a guest party member in Final Fantasy XV (Accessed: September 18, 2016) at Nova Crystallis
- ↑ http://www.finalfantasy.net/xv/final-fantasy-xv-director-japan-expo/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Why Noctis and his companions are dressed in black? Hajime Tabata's answer (Accessed: September 18, 2016) at Official Final Fantasy XV Forums
- ↑ Final Fantasy XV Japanese community questions answered (Accessed: September 18, 2016) at Gematsu