Could you share the stories with those of us who don't plan on spending precious money and time on finding out for ourselves? I'd like to know how they compare, personally.
As Promised:
The Story Of Final Fantasy XIThis guy, Fallen Angel X, has gotten a lot further in the game than I did, as save for the conclusion to the Chains of Promathia expansion, the entire 'main' plot for the game is found here, arranged in the chronological order. You, the player don’t actually come in until point 13. Discovering the truth behind the origin of Vana'diel and 'shaping' its future is part of the game's allure.
Of course certain 'special' storylines are excluded, such as the quests for the higher-level jobs (Summoner, Samurai, etc), and each of the three nations have their own unique problems to solve that may or may not involve the larger plot, but for all intents and purposes, the link above should be enough.