Over the last six years, Stardew Valley has been enjoyed by millions across the globe, but a good proportion of those players may have never discovered the lore behind the game's world and setting. Much like FromSoftware's Souls series, Stardew Valley opts to tell its story in some slightly more obscure ways, only providing lore details through dialogue and item descriptions. So while some players may put hundreds of hours into Stardew Valley, if they haven't combed it for lore tidbits, they may never find out the truth behind its mysterious setting.
While all the details are not revealed to the player, no matter how hard they dig, there are a few key pieces of lore that fans have come to a general consensus about. One of the biggest confirmed pieces of lore revolves around Stardew Valley's two nations, the Ferngill Republic, and the Gotoro Empire, who are currently engaged in a brutal war in some distant land.
The Ferngill Republic and the Gotoro Empire- Two Warring Nations
By playing Stardew Valley for a few hours, players will eventually learn that the titular farming town is located somewhere in the nation of the Ferngill Republic. According to Dr. Harvey's radio, Stardew Valley is located on the southern coast of Republic. Most fans believe that the Ferngill Republic is the small landmass in the North East section of Stardew Valley's world map furniture item.
Below the Ferngill Republic is the Gem Sea, which has a few islands peeking out of the water. These small spots of land are known as the Fern Islands, which also belong to the Ferngill Republic. Players can visit one of these islands, Ginger Island, when they've repaired the boat.
Just below these islands is a gigantic stretch of land that is easily triple the size of the Ferngill Republic. This nation is believed to be the Gotoro Empire, the current enemies of the Ferngill Republic. Through Kurt's dialogue in Year 2, players can learn that he has just been discharged from the war. Hailing from the Ferngill Republic, Kent fought against the Gotoro Empire for some time, implying that the war between the nations has lasted a while.
Some have theorized that this war is why farming can be such a lucrative venture for the player, as the Ferngill Republic have been forced to ration their food due to the ongoing conflict. When speaking with Stardew Valley's traveling merchants, players will discover that they are smuggling goods from the Gotoro Empire, perhaps suggesting why their prices are inflated.
From speaking to Kent further, players will learn a few more tidbits about the distant conflict. When players hand him a gift he hates, such as tacos, he'll tell the player that that's what he was given at the Gotoro Empire prison camp, before shuddering and ending the conversation. Based on his occasionally standoff nature and some of his dialogue, players will likely make the assumption that Kent is suffering from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, suggesting that the war is a pretty brutal one.
Aside from these few key points of detail, not much else is known about the game's two main nations. Fans are still unsure exactly where this conflict is taking place, though many believe that it's likely happening in the Gotoro Empire itself, as Kent has arrived back home after being overseas. When looking at Stardew Valley's world map, there are two landmasses off to the West. With it looking much bigger than the Ferngill Republic, it would seem likely that the Gotoro Empire would have more of a presence in the game, but as far as fans are aware, there are no lore details about it in-game.
Stardew Valley is available on Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
