The Legend of Heroes Series

So I'm getting myself re-addicted to this series >.<! 

Having (almost) finished Sen no Kiseki II (am going through the very last dungeon before the game pushes me into second playthru) I decided to pick up where I left off with Ao no Kiseki, another "arc" of the LoH series. Apparently all these different arcs intertwine with one another as each takes place in a different country/city, but within the same region... so:

Kingdom of Liberl (setting for the first arc)
Crossbell State (setting for the second arc)
Empire of Erebonia (setting for the third arc)
Republic of Calvard (setting for the upcoming fourth arc)
Principality of Remiferia (also in western Zemuria, beautiful scenery and the leaders in medical research and technology)
North Ambria (aka, that place with all the salt)
Ored (don't forget us!)
Leman State (central Zemuria, home of the Bracers Guild and the Epstein Foundation)
Holy Nation of Arterla (central Zemuria, headquarters of the Septian Church)

(sources: Guruda in the gamefaqs Trails of Cold Steel forum) 

The story so far... 

So Ao and SnK overlap one another because they are set within more or less the same timeline. In fact, after the main game of SnKII, there is a "side chapter" in which Lloyd (from Zero and Ao, the Crossbell arc) literally crosses paths with Rean (from SnK, the Erebonia arc). Ao does take the whole story/narrative further as by the end of that arc, Crossbell regains its independence (SnK ends with the Empire of Erebonia forcibly taking over Crossbell). It is a bit confusing only because Zero and Ao were released BEFORE SnK as games ... so the latest releases actually go backward in time (if you see what I mean). Perhaps the Calvard arc will now move the story forward again (i.e. starting from end of Ao, not SnK, timeline wise)...

Another fav track... 70s groove!