... I'm going to try to make sense of what you wrote, because as I said, I'm not familiar with your inspirations, and the way you explained it sounded like your role-play is straight up Final Fantasy, or at least gives the impression that you have to know Final Fantasy to join, which personally doesn't garner my interest.
The setting is the span of three different countries with their own terrain and technological development and fantastic monsters.
The missions somehow revolve around... I don't know. Protecting crystals and opening a gate to the afterlife? I don't know. I can't make it out from what you decided to write.
The enemy is someone who... wants to harness the power of souls to force open the gate. I assume. So I'll further assume he'll be a reaper of sorts and the missions are mostly pointed in the direction of stopping this guy making rounds in other countries.
I really don't know.
Sorry, my thoughts were a bit scattered when I wrote that. Either way I see the point you are raising and I think I won't base it so heavily in the FF universe and only draw inspiration from it. Essentially where it is going to stand is that the players are school students who are also a military unit and go on missions. The story of FF I think is too direct to be able to spin my own twists on it in a way that would be enjoyable for the players, so I'll keep that in mind.
I'll be developing a plot later or tonight and posting it, so please--check back in a couple hours and see if it still catches your fancy.
I need to come back to roleplaying over summer and a FF-style roleplay would be awesome. Although I'd like the opportunity to pick solo missions as well, just because I have found joint posts hard to do in the past :c. A bit of variety could suit everyone.
The School/Missions mix is a good one, I likey.
I feel your pain on the whole joint posts thing, I could see where solo missions/tasks arise--but ultimately joint posts are going to have to be a thing.
EDIT:
I have the barebones worked out:
Tasmadia )(Taz-muh-d-uh): A tribal nation is largely weary of all outsiders and very based in their traditions. Most of them bear the mantle of a warrior mage. They have the ferocity of the Arentites, with the cunning the Olmites. The magic that they wield is very different from the Olmites, so different that some believe it to come from a different source entirely. They revere their Great One, who is believed by them to have created all live--and it is, they believe, their reverence of him that gives them such strength. They have deep rooted traditions and while they have no central leader, different tribes are led by witch doctors, powerful casters or magicks that can call upon the spirits.
Arentas(Uh-rent-us): Proud military people, Roman like; utilize monsters in combat. Ahead of only Tasmadia in technological advancement, they Arentas are proud warriors who rely on their steely discipline and uncanny ability to bond with monsters to maintain their presence as one of the four major countries. Even the weak are capable of dispatching enemies at a rate of 3 to 1, while the strongest of all is said to have killed 300 Tasmadians before succumbing to the sweet embrace of death. Magic is not common in this country, as it is considered a weakness of spirit; in battle the only magic wielded is that of the monsters they command. They are led by an Emperor, who is stead fast in his rule.
Malynar(Mal-i-nar): Modern civilization, technological based. While magic is possible for those born in Malynar, they don't quite have the affinity of Olmium and Tasmadia, relying on their technological prowess to raise themselves to an even playing field. Whether it is complex weaponry, advanced robotics, or crazy innovation, the end result is the same: their vast array of technology makes them a force to be reckoned with. Before the treaty was signed, they had many skirmshes with Olmium, resulting in technology that can absorb, reflect and nullify magic. The Maylnar are a largely militaristic country, ruled by the brass, the Imperial Marshal himself.
Olmium(Ol-me-um): Magic based civilization; while they have technological advances on par with Malynar, everything runs off and is powered by magic. Very few are actual front line warriors who engage in melee combat, most relying on summons or powerful defensive magic to take the brunt of enemy offensives while they cast magic from the back line. Their magic comes in a variety of offensive and defensive forms, restricted only by the creativity of the mage who slings the spells. Given their conflict with Malynar, a large number of spells were developed that are capable of disabling machinery, which renders many of the Malynar army helpless. Ruled by a council of five, the leadership of this country largely resembles an oligarchy.
Zimcir(Zim-seer): A secretive force who wields a power that is unrecognized as any form of magic or technology. History has no record of them and where they came from or what their exact goals are is largely unknown. The only thing that is for sure is that they are determined to achieve their goal--whatever it is--and they don't care who gets in their way
Academy that combines all 4 of the nations in an effort to create a bond of peace between the warring nations. Said to cultivate some of the worlds best and brightest, the children graduating from this academy are supposed to be the new world leaders, but many can’t help but feel they are the pawns in something greater.
The Zimcir utilize some sort of otherworldly strength that is making them difficult to challenge, even with the allied forces of the four united nations. This isn’t helped by the fact that none of the nations particularly want to dedicate their forces to a full out assault on the Zimcir for fear out of weakening themselves against an invasion by one their loosely allied states.