The following is a glossary of some of the main terms used in the other sections of this site. If you've completed the game you probably won't need it, but I've included it just in case anyone has forgotten anything.

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Black Materia
One of the two most powerful Materia in the world (the other one being the White Materia) - the Black Materia is used, as shown by the paintings on the walls of the Temple of the Ancients, to summon a Meteor to crash into a Planet. Though the Cetra manage to seal it away within the Temple, Sephiroth retrieves it (see the Temple of the Ancients section further down this page for more information) and plans to use it - again, as prophecised by the paintings - to cast Meteor on the Planet. The idea is to cause a wound so great the Planet will be unable to heal itself, and Sephiroth will be able to take over the Lifestream and be reborn as a god.

Forgotten City, The
Also known as the City of the Ancients or the Forgotten Capital, the Forgotten City is the last remaining home of the Cetra in the world; located in the centre of the Northern Continent. Obviously it is deserted since all the Cetra are dead apart from Aeris (and, for a brief period, Ifalna), but the party visit it twice in the course of the game. The first time is when Aeris uses the White Materia to cast Holy (to counteract Meteor) - this is at the end of disc 1, just before Sephiroth kills her. The party return to the City in disc 2, with Bugenhagen, to activate the image waterfall using the Key to the Ancients (just before the Sister Ray is moved to Midgar and the party fight the Diamond Weapon).

Geological Stratum
According to the Collins English dictionary, "geology" refers to the science of the Earth's crust and rocks; and a "stratum" is simply a layer - so the full phrase, a "geolocical stratum", is a layer of rock in the Earth's crust. Everywhere I've ever seen any information about Jenova, it always says that she was found in a geological stratum by Professors Gast and Hojo - so, this definition suggests that they found Jenova's body within a layer of rock. They can't have been looking specifically for her, since they didn't even know what she was to begin with - they then, as we know, went on to wrong assume that she was an Ancient. I guess they were just digging for fossils and had a lucky find - although thinking about it, they would have been better off if they'd never found her. =D

Jenova Project
The term used to describe the experiments carried out by Professors Gast and Hojo. The basic way in which the experiments were carried out were that the subject(s) were infused/injected with cells extracted from Jenova's body. The subjects were then exposed to huge amounts of Mako energy, taken from one of the Mako reactors. The term "Jenova Project" does not apply to the earlier part of Jenova's existence (i.e. the 2000-odd years between when she landed on the Planet and when she was discovered by Gast and Hojo), just to the experiments that were performed. Sephiroth and Cloud were the only specimens to survive the infusion and exposure to Mako energy.

Key to the Ancients, The
A large, spiky, key-shaped item found underwater somewhere underneath the Northern Continent (obviously, you have to use the submarine to find it). It is a Key Item and only serves one purpose: during disc 2, when you revisit the Forgotten City with Bugenhagen, it activates the blue crystal and the image waterfall. If you don't know where to find it, Bugenhagen will slowly give you clues as he translates them from the writings around the crystal - but this takes ages, so it's much easier to refer to a walkthrough to find out its location, and just go straight out and collect it. =P

Lifestream
The natural "soul" of the Planet, where pure Mako energy comes from and where all souls return to after death. Also the part of the Planet that Sephiroth is trying to control - he believes that, by becoming one with all the energy and souls in the Lifestream, he will be reborn as a god.

Materia
Although this entry is not strictly relevant to the Jenova Project, it is important to understand the reasons why Shinra, Inc wanted all the Planet's Mako energy - for the production of Materia. Materia are basically little compressed blobs of Mako energy which contain magic spells and summons (among other things), and are only found naturally in places where absolutely pure Mako energy can be found. Shinra, Inc's collection and use of Materia means that the Planet's Mako supplies are slowly but surely running out.

Mako Energy
The natural energy concealed within the Planet's Lifestream. It is collected by Shinra, Inc, who collect and sell it to make their money. The company is slowly using up all the available Mako. It is also used as one of the two main parts of the Jenova infusion process: one is the infusion of the subject with Jenova cells, the other is the exposure of the subject to large amounts of Mako energy. The Planet's Mako energy is gradually running out since Shinra, Inc are using so much of it (just like the real world's fossil fuels are running out because we use them too much). Other than for power, Mako energy's main purpose is for the production of Materia (see the "Materia" entry further up this page).

Mako Reactors
Power stations which convert Mako energy into normal energy which can be used in various appliances; then sold by Shinra, Inc to people all over the Planet.

Nibelheim Reactor
A Mako Reactor situated in the Nibel Mountains near the small town of Nibelheim. It was not used as a normal Mako Reactor, but as a storage area for the failed specimens of the Jenova Project (they were stored in pods in the main area of the Reactor building). It is also home to Jenova's physical body, until Sephiroth takes off her head and the rest of the body is moved back to the Shinra headquarters in Midgar. Cloud, Zack, Sephiroth and Tifa visit the Reactor after being dispatched by Shinra, Inc to investigate reports of monsters escaping from it.

Northern Crater
The huge Crater in the North of the Planet, surrounded by snow and close to Icicle Town and the Chocobo Ranch. There are three main views on how it was actually created, which are discussed in detail on the Northern Crater Formation page.

Promised Land, The
The ultimate reward which the Ancients were seeking. They would travel to each Planet in turn, making it peaceful and tranquil, before moving on. Eventually, once they had healed enough planets, they would arrive at the Promised Land. The land is rumoured to be full of Mako energy, which is why Shinra, Inc are tring to find it. Sephiroth also wants to have it for himself, although for a different reason: he's claiming it for Jenova, who he still believes to be his mother.

Shinra, Inc
The huge company using Mako energy to make money. Originally controlled by President Shinra (as far as I can remember, his first name is never given) until his murder (by Sephiroth), after which it is run by the president's son - Rufus Shinra. The company is also responsible for the Jenova Project (Gast and Hojo were scientists working for the company) - the elite soldiers produced by the Project were to be used as the company's secret army.

Temple of the Ancients
The Cetra's original Temple, situated in the south of the eastern continent. It is a pyramid-shaped building which consists of a large number of intricate tunnels and passages (including a clock-shaped hallway) and is where the Black Materia was housed by the Cetra. Actually the Temple itself IS the Black Materia - the original Cait Sith sacrifices himself to get it for Cloud and the rest of the party. As soon as he removes it from its pedastal, the whole Temple collapses: this was the Cetra's last trick to prevent the Black Materia from falling into enemy hands - anyone who tried to remove it from the Temple would die when the Temple collapsed on them, which is why Cait Sith sacrifices himself to retrieve it. As soon as he does, however, Sephiroth appears and tricks Cloud into handing it over - and the chase continues. On a less relevant note, Aeris' Ultimate Weapon (the Princess Guard) can be found in a treasure chest in passageway number four (represented by IIII, although strictly speaking it should really be IV) from the clock hallway.

White Materia
The second of the two most powerful Materia in the world (the other one being the Black Materia). It was predicted by the Cetra that the White Materia would be used by someone with a pure heart and soul (Aeris) to cast Holy and save the Planet from Meteor (cast by Sephiroth using the Black Materia). Aeris carries the White Materia with her all the time (it's the white bead in her hair) and manages to use it before Sephiroth kills her in the Forgotten City. After he kills her, the Materia comes loose from her hair and falls into the water in the main area - it can be seen glowing a pale green colour to signify the coming of Holy. Also, when the party fight Bizarro Sephiroth at the end of the game, the shining green glow of Holy can be seen behind Sephiroth's normal form just before the battle begins.