"Technology should never be allowed to imprison people. That's a hard lesson I learned from watching Gaius...and my father."

Cid was born the heir to Midas nan Garlond, chief imperial magitek engineer of the Garlean Empire. Following in his father's footsteps, the young pure-blooded Garlean studied magitek technology intently, and secured entry to the prestigious Magitek Academy. During his tenure there, he devised countless inventions, his rivalry with Nero Scaeva accelerating his overall development.

However, all was not well at home. Buried in his own research, Midas grew increasingly distant from his son. Cid became a ward of Gaius van Baelsar, a friend of his father's, and when Midas perished suddenly during an experiment gone awry, Cid was named Primus Architectus Magiteci. Yet he could not agree with Garlemald's indescretionary use of warmachina, and fled to Eorzea rather than accept the assignment. Now aged thirty-four, he works to ensure freedom through technology.