Yet these inhospitable lands hold irresistible lure for man and monster alike, for wide and deep flow the currents of aether, and rich are the veins of power-infused crystal. In this harsh though vibrant region, the people of Eorzea have carved out their histories—a cycle of prosperous Astral and disastrous Umbral eras. The First Umbral Era brought an end to the age of the gods, and there have been six such eras of calamity since the First Astral Era ushered in the age of man. Each of the Umbral catastrophes has, in turn, borne the characteristics of one of the six elements. With all the elements now represented, it was believed the current Astral era would last into eternity.