When the Duskwights were forced by famine to abandon their home of Gelmorra, Gridana went the extra mile to paint those who had rejected the surface and their elementals as violent rogues. Through desperation brought on by refusals to trade, the Gridanaian's created a self fulfilling prophecy where any Duskwight who refused the city state would either live in opposition to the shroud, or be banished to the greater world. Haruko's own father was a man of the latter quality; an alchemist and botanist determined to find a method to enable his people to return to Gelmorra. Despite never having lived in the city himself, he dreamt of traveling the world to find reagents and foods that could be cultivated to feed a city. Thus Duvicauroix Monranguin boldly left Eorzea, seeking a hope he would never find. By the time he reached the great city of Kugane, his quest turned to a bitter test of determination. He would take work where he could, often as a laborer due to the natural lack of trust that the surface held for Duskwights.
Before the Garlean Empire took Dalmasca and Yanxia to the blade, the merchant families of Kugane had taken an interest in knowledge and techniques from foreign lands.