Stardew Valley is set in the idyllic Pelican Town, where the player can go about their days as a simple farmer. In between planting crops and finding a villager to marry, however, the player can learn more about the greater world. While Pelican Town is generally detached from the big cities and global conflicts, there are plenty of opportunities to learn about them. It’s also worth noting that the world also has some fantastical elements to it.
That said, Stardew Valley lore is an interesting topic to delve into. Though information is scarce in the game, the player can piece things together through specific dialogue lines and contextual clues.
Stardew Valley, the War, and the Geographical World
Kent and his family have lines that describe an ongoing war between two nations in Stardew Valley: the Ferngill Republic, where Pelican Town is, and the Gotoro Empire. According to Kent, who had served as a soldier for Ferngill, the Gotoro people are ruthless. He even has terrible memories from his time in a Gotoro prison camp. But he’s not the only NPC who has been to the foreign land. The woman running the Traveling Cart also claims to have smuggled her goods out of the Gotoro Empire, thus the steep prices.
Though aside from the ongoing war, the player can also learn more about other locations in the Ferngill Republic. Zuzu City is the most easily recognizable as is often mentioned by NPCs, and Shane even brings the player there in one of his Stardew Valley Heart Events. Unlike Pelican Town, it appears more like a big city, with a sports stadium and other such structures. Other settlements that aren’t as talked about include Castle Village, Grampleton, the Fern Islands, and Prairie Island.
Finally, the Ferngill Republic (or, at least, Pelican Town) seems to have a dominant religion centering around Yoba. An intricate altar and shrine can be found in Pierre’s General Store. Additionally, its symbol — the Sign of the Vessel — can be found in multiple areas in the game, including in the opening cutscene. Just as ubiquitous as Yoba is the Joja Corporation of Stardew Valley, which is where the player worked before moving away. The megacorporation is infamous, especially in Pelican Town, for its push to expand its empire to the small town at the expense of smaller businesses.
Everything Else That’s Magical in Stardew Valley
With all the “human” affairs aside, it’s also worth tackling the more mystical elements of Stardew Valley. For one, magic exists in the game world. The Wizard and his abilities are proof of this. There is also a witch who sometimes appears after the player has gone to sleep. She can cast a spell over their Coop and make one of the chicken eggs into a Void Egg.
Next, there are plenty of races apart from humans, and some have settled in Pelican Town. There’s the Dwarf and Krobus, who hide in the quiet areas of the town and dislike each other as a result of an ancient war. Then there are the Junimos, who’ve settled in the abandoned Community Center. There are also the Goblins and Merpeople who aren’t as easily found. A fairy can also be encountered after the player has gone to sleep, and this creature makes a patch of crops grow instantly.
These hints toward magic and the presence of many Stardew Valley races reveal just how broad the fantasy element is in Stardew Valley. These fantastical aspects paired with the more human events make up the lore of Stardew Valley’s world. It’s quite surprising how much worldbuilding the farm simulator has, and fans are excited to see what Concerned Ape does with it in his upcoming game, The Haunted Chocolatier.
Stardew Valley is available on Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.