[Soyweiser]

I also think it is possible, as long as you just get inspired by the nations. And not copy anything. I think the following would be acceptable for example:

Abyssia, a nation of strong people who live close to a group of active volcanoes. They have harnessed the steam power of these volcanoes to power their large smithies. (Which is a bit more steampunk, but that is also very like FF). Their people are strong and well armoured, can withstand high heat. But they lack gunpowder weapons, and other ranged weaponry (gunpowder and bowstrings tend to ignite in the high volcano heat).

In earlier days there also lived a group of intelligent half man half dinosaur people who where accustomed to the intense heat of the lava flows. Averaging at two and half meters tall, with dark black and red scales, these non-humans where the ideal inhabitants of the caves surrounding the volcanoes.

The early Abyssians regarded them as half-gods with control over the volcanoes, and offered themselves as slaves to them. Eventually this led to interbreeding. And now the half-dinosaurs are all but extinct. But most of the abyssians have some strange features, such as little body hair, darkened skin, and an tendency to develop horns and scales. Some even have tails and cloven hoofs as feat.

The abyssians where a peaceful and hard-working tribe. Taking pride in creating ornamental clothing out of metal, using the ore and heat which was so abundant in their region.

All this changed when the explorer Dante Alighieri arrived in the main underground volcano city of the abyssians. He had been found in the wilderness, malnourished and running a dangerous fever. The abyssians tended to him as best as they could, but the hot climate, and the lack of proper medicine quickly took his toll. And the Abyssian high dragon (king) ordered his finest guards to escort the sick Alighieri to the nearest non-abyssian trading post.

After weeks of fighting his high fever, Alighieri finally fought of his terrible disease. But he was changed forever, for in his fevers dreams he had seen the devil himself. They had dragged him to hell itself, where they used heat and strange rituals to torture him further. Eventually he wrote a book about his travels, and the country of Abyssia was described in the "Inferno" chapter. The "Purgatorio" and "Paradiso" chapters described his visits to the countries of Pangaea and Caelum.

When the Dante's inferno was finally read by the holy church, they saw it as a sign of god and started a crusade against the Abyssians. Army after army was send towards the southern lands to cleanse it of the unholy 'demons'. At first these wars went well for the crusaders, the Abyssians where unaware of the threat, and had little time to prepare. But after a few years of fighting, the tide turned on the crusaders. Using the iron and lava to create superior arms and armour, the Abyssians fought a successful campaign against the invaders. And in the end, going on a crusade was considered to be a death sentence.

But the Abyssians had changed forever. No longer peaceful and creative, they had become bitter, vengeful and warlike. Using lava flows as death-traps, and enslaving and torturing invaders. Many ex-crusaders now work in the heated underground cities of the Abyssians, mining ever more ore for the hungry Abyssian warmachine.

This was three hundred years ago. And there has been war ever since. Not always as grand and open as the crusades during the dark ages. But border clashes and hatred between the two people is still very common.

Note: Yeah I was bored. And I got inspiration. Of course it isn't totally a dom3 abyssia version. As you could argue that they are a bit to 'dwarf' like because they have a lot of smiths and metal weapons. And they are back to the roots of EA abysia, having strongly armoured infantry.

But I thought the usage of slaves as labour would have a bit of blood magic feel in it. And the non-human roots would give it the devil roots.