Oh? I never took it to be a tropical isle or any such thing, nor indeed much of a conflict, but rather the dream of a sort of prophet-king. The kingdom would already exist, and it would rather advance in power much as, say, the kingdom of Numenor in Tolkien's mythos does. To which, I must add, Zeal bears enormous resemblance... more than just between typical Atlantean types, but rather in that both are destroyed by the instigation of a villainous power that speaks in the ears of the ruler, corrupting them and leading to the downfall. Not to mention both fall on a quest for eternal life. Of course, I highly doubt that those writing CT had any knowledge of The Akallabeth which Tolkien wrote, or his Lost Road, so it's just an interesting coincidence. All the same, being first versed in Tolkien's work, I have always taken Tolkien's rather more thought-out scheme to fill in the stylistic details of Zeal, and the mood of Numenor was always transferred over to Zeal.
Anyway, since this is speaking of the founding of Zeal, when I wrote my giant fanfiction ever so long ago, I did include in the Appendix a segment about the founding of Zeal. So, in the spirit of this thread, here was my conception of how this occurred. Note also that my ideas always held for Zeal's founding some thousands of years before what we see in Chrono Trigger. That is, it is already ancient by that time. Certain rogue thoughts of the time, considerations of making a sequel via RPGmaker and what not, included ideas of bringing in an ancient prince of Zeal from the time right after the founding to a later time, sort of the first heroes and ancient princes of the kingdom. Anyway, here's what I'd written. I always thought what we saw in Zeal seems to imply this. For example, the stratification between the Dreamers and the Scientists seems one that would have arisen only after a long period of contemplation in which the standard roles of society had ceased to have meaning.
Anyway, here's what I'd written regarding the founding (and disregard the horrid style and the like which pervade it... it was written many years ago. Were I to write such a thing nowadays it would undoubtedly bear far more grace and, most definitely, do away with the faux antiquated use of word like 'yea', a practise which I nowawadays deplore. All the same, I've copied it here in its entirety for interest's sake.)
A note concerning the history of Zeal of the Thousand Names, from the preface to the volumes pertaining to it in the later writings of the mistress of lore, Schala Faeri:
It is often thought, wrongly, that the time of the dominion of Zeal was for only one generation. It lasted, rather, for a span of no less than one thousand years, over the course of which near to thirty kings and queens ruled from its throne. Certainly it did not possess its great might at its founding: that grew through its ages until it became the greatest and most powerful kingdom that the world had ever seen, and perhaps shall ever see.
The first king was, in origin, a captain of some renown in the kingdom of Antaras which thrived yet in those years. He had fought countless battles both upon the sea and in the northern wastes (that in those years were still encroaching further south). It came to pass, in time, that this captain rose to such power amongst his people that he was made king of all Antaras, and took the name Ter-Meredior, which is ‘the king who is a man of glory’ in the old tongue of that land.
When he had sat on the throne for but a few years he summoned to his court all the greatest of the sorcerers of men from all corners of the earth, and spoke to them concerning a grand dream that had come to him for many nights. He told of a fortress and city, built high amongst the clouds of heaven, untouched by the tumults of the earth. Upon hearing this all the people and wizards were amazed, and wondered at how it might be accomplished, whereat the king brought forth a great treasure that had for long been forgotten. This, it is said, was the ancient gem known as Selinost, or dreamstone. And he spoke saying the following words:
"This is a gem of great power and ancientry, kept safe and secret by my kin since the first days, and through it may many things of wonder be achieved. Yea, even this dream that I have had! Though the years of building may be long, should this come to fulfilment, as I indeed think it our destiny to be, we shall be the greatest of all mortal kingdoms, and may in time encroach even upon the realms of immortality."
And all who heard his words that day thought them to be exceedingly fair and wonderful, though long after, in the years following the Great Ruin, it was thought that perhaps the dreams and thoughts that brought about the kingdom of Zeal were not so pure, and born only out of man’s sinful desire for unending life and power. But for then things seemed yet good, though in the great will shown by Ter-Meredior this new kingdom was named Selevroth (that is Zeal in the latter tongue of the west.) For zealous indeed was the king, as were all the people of the earth as they rose to help him in this endeavour.
And even as he had prophesied, it was not short in building. Great towers and cities, more fair than aught others that graced the earth in that age, were raised on the plains of Rosannoth. These fields were a hundred leagues across, and lay in the west-most lands of Antaras.
And then at last the long awaited day arrived, and there gathered all the sorcerers of the world, from least to greatest, and they ringed about the entire field. And in the very centre of the plains, upon the tower of the King, upon a spire of gilded limestone, stood Ter-Meredior. Holding high the dreamstone, he spoke ancient words of power long since forgotten, and it is said that his voice that day echoed even across to the verge of the plain, and all the magicians who heard it took up the call. And even as they did so the land shook and a great earthquake began. An lo! the plains themselves, bound to the sigaldry of the king and the stone of dreams, rose from the earth. As the day waxed the plains loosed themselves from their bond to the earth. And so, in that day, was the kingdom of Zeal born.
Little else is remembered, for the later people of that fair land were more eager to remember their own deeds than those of their forebears, but this at least is remembered: that when the twilight grew dim on that day, and the great shadow of Zeal for the first lay long upon a wondering earth, a prophet by the name of Tiresias stepped forward. He was blind, and had had no part in the great raising, for his powers were only those of foresight. Then he stood tall amongst the wizards, and raised high his voice so that all heard. And he cried:
Hear me, children of this new kingdom! On this day is born what is fated to be the greatest of the kingdoms of men, so rejoice! But do not hold too dear this land of your making, nor become too enamoured of its fair halls, nor forget that you are but mortal. For behold! I see in the sky circling ten ravens. For each of these will this land last one hundred years, and in this time will it prosper and grow, and none shall surpass it in beauty or might; all shall flock to its halls and call it blessed. But when the tenth raven has died, then beware! For should you have forgotten who you are, and that you are mortal, then shall you find all that you have built and hold dear crumble to ruin."
Then most jeered, and mocked him for but a blind fool. But the wisest of those that heard the words took especial thought to them, and never did they or their children forget those words that were spoken. And so when, after a thousand years, the last queen of Zeal, Tiros-Rosmered, sought to take the power of the ancient demon Lavos for her own, so as to become immortal, there were some that became wary, and remembered well the words of the old seer. And these worked in secret against her designs, in guard against the prophesied day of ruin they feared was nigh. But this is told elsewhere, in the great lay The Fall of Zeal and, also, in the poem called Tirnis Selevrotho, or the Princess of Zeal, which recounts the grim fortunes that befell the last daughter of that great house. Yet her tale is woven into many another, and has no place in this chronicle.
