Characters of Final Fantasy Tactics

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This is a list of characters in the game Final Fantasy Tactics.

Contents

[edit] Major Characters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Ramza Beoulve

Ramza Beoulve (ラムザ・ベオルブ Ramaza Beorube?) is the main character of Final Fantasy Tactics. Ramza is a member of the Beoulve family and youngest son of the late Balbanes Beoulve, who was one of the key military figures responsible for bringing the Fifty Year War to a close.[1] He has one sister, named Alma Beoulve, whom he loves dearly and is very close to. He also has two half-brothers: General Zalbag of the Hokuten, and Duke Dycedarg who serves directly under Prince Larg. Ramza's desire to be a great hero and uphold the honorable name of his family, lead to his enrollment at the Royal Academy located in Gariland Magic City. He becomes caught up in a struggle with the Death Corps, a group of former knights who were abandoned at the conclusion of the Fifty-Year War.

The class warfare that motivates the Death Corps' actions, as well as the response of the Hokuten Knights, leads both Ramza and Delita to doubt the morality of their country's actions.

Following a confrontation between the Death Corps and the Hokuten Knights at Ft. Zeakden in which Delita's sister is killed, Ramza adopts his mother's last name "Ruglia"[2] (to avoid association with the Beoulves), and joins a group of mercenaries led by the former knight Gaff Gafgarion. They are hired to protect Princess Ovelia, but she is kidnapped by Delita, and Ramza sets out to rescue her.

This leads Ramza to discover a conspiracy involving the Murond Glabados Church and a group of 12 "Holy Stones", one for each sign of the Zodiac. He discovers that the Glabados Church is under the control of the Lucavi Demons, who plan to use the stones to resurrect their leader Altima.

After killing Queklain, a Lucavi demon that had possessed Cardinal Draclau, Ramza is branded as a "heretic" by the Church. Furthermore, Ramza's sister Alma is captured, and he must attempt to rescue her.

Ramza's quest eventually leads him to Murond Death City, where the Lucavi Hashmalum plans on resurrecting Altima using Alma's body as a vessel. At the Graveyard of Airships, Ramza intercepts and battles Hashmalum, but the Hashmalum commits suicide as a sacrifice to revive Altima. While Altima does resurrect, Alma is able to resist, and she separates from Altima. Ramza then defeats two forms of the Bloody Angel, and the airship explodes, seemingly before Ramza and his friends can escape. Ajora/Altima reveals before dying that Ramza is the descendant of the person who originally killed him/her centuries ago.

A funeral is held for Alma following this battle, while Ramza is not given a proper burial because of his heretic status. Following the departure of the mourners, Olan Durai and Balmafula sneak in to pay their regards. However, as Olan is just about to leave, two people who appear to be Alma and Ramza ride by through the cemetery on chocobos, to his astonishment. This seems to indicate that Alma and Ramza survived and found a way out of the Dead City of Murond.

Because Ramza killed several high-ranking Church officials, even though they had been given their bodies over to demons, Ramza's role in history was struck from many historical records by the Glabados Church. Though Olan compiled the "Durai Report, which chronicled Ramza's role during the Lion War, he was burned at the stake as a heretic and his report was suppressed; too much information was covered in those documents which was embarrassing and potentially a political liability.

It was not until a few centuries after the Lion War that the historian Alazlam J. Durai (Olan's descendant) discovered the true history of the Lion War when he found the "Durai Report".

Because the main theme in Final Fantasy Tactics is manipulation and the proper uses thereof, Ramza is one of the few characters that doesn't manipulate others for his own well-being. As an offset to the other characters, Ramza views any type of manipulation as wrong. He believes that people should have the right to choose their own destiny; others have no right to arbitrarily decide the destinies of others, even if the intentions are ultimately good.

[edit] Agrias Oaks

Agrias Oaks (アグリアス・オークス Aguriasu Ōkusu?) is a Holy Knight of the Royal Guard of Lesalia, an order of knights under the direct command of the Atkascha royal family. She is the bodyguard of Princess Ovelia.

In chapter 2, Agrias and two subordinates (the knights Lavian and Alicia) are sent to escort Princess Ovelia to the royal capital. In this task, they are ordered to cooperate with freelance bodyguards hired by the Hokuten Knights, namely the mercenary company of Gaff Gafgarion (which included Ramza, the main character). This proves to be an elaborate ploy devised by Prince Larg and his close advisor, Lord Dycedarg Beoulve, to murder Ovelia and frame Prince Goltana (Larg's principle political rival) for the crime, though Agrias is unaware of this at the time. Larg and Dycedarg arrange for men disguised in Nanten livery to kidnap and kill Ovelia. However, their plan is foiled by the Glabados Church, who sends Delita to intercept and take the place of the intended kidnappers, thus preventing the Princess' actual assassination. While Agrias and the rest of Ovelia's retinue combat Prince's Larg's men in front of Orbonne, Delita sneaks in from behind the monastery and kidnaps the princess. As Ovelia's sworn defender, Agrias insists upon pursuing Delita to save the princess; Ramza insists upon joining Agrias' pursuit in order to find out what happened to Delita, his friend who was long assumed dead. Surprisingly, Gafgarion joins as well.

They catch up to Delita and Ovelia at Zirekile falls, who are surrounded by Hokuten Knights. To Agrias' shock, the plot to assassinate Ovelia is revealed; it turns out that the knights have been sent to kill the princess, and that Gafgarion was actually hired by Dycedarg to help see through the assassination. Agrias, Ramza, and Delita win the ensuing battle against Gafgarion and the Hokuten knights. She and Ramza then escort Ovelia to Lionel Castle, hoping that Cardinal Draclau of Glabados Church would protect Ovelia from the feud between the Princes Larg and Goltana. Along the way, they are joined by the mechanic Mustadio.

Having reached Lion Castle, Agrias and Ovelia part ways with Ramza, who leaves to escort Mustadio back home. But despite his promises of protection, Cardinal Draclau soon betrays them and imprisons them both, ostensibly wishing to secretly kill Princess Ovelia at the execution site of Golgorand. Agrias manages to escape Lionel. The Cardinal's men catch up to her at Bariaus Valley, but there she is assisted again by Ramza, who had learned of the Cardinal's treachery through other events. Together, they defeat the Cardinal's men. Following the battle, Agrias tells Ramza of the Cardinal's plan to execute the princess, at which point the player is given the choice to let Agrias join Ramza's group.

If Agrias joins, she and Ramza hurry to Golgorand, only to find that the Ovelia's "execution" is trap set by Cardinal Draclau and Gafgarion. Surrounded by Gafgarion and other ambushers, a battle ensues. During the ensuing battle, Agrias learns that Ramza is a Beoulve. They win, and then Agrias joins Ramza in his attempt to sneak into Lionel Castle to save Ovelia.

[edit] Delita Hyral

Delita Hyral (Delita Heiral (ディリータ・ハイラル Dirīta Hairaru?) in the Japanese version) is a Ivalician commoner turned soldier, history remembers him as the one who ended the tumultuous Lion War between the Princes Larg and Goltana and ultimately became king through marriage to Princess Ovelia Atkachaska. He is hailed a hero in Ivalician history, titled the "Savior King."

Delita and his sister, Teta Hyral, were born to farmers on the Beoulve family fief. At some point in his childhood, both his parents died due to the Black Plague. Balbanes Beoulve subsequently took Delita and Teta under his own care, and despite their commoner status, raised them alongside his children. Delita and his sister befriended Ramza and Alma.

Delita later attended the Gariland Military Academy alongside Ramza, an elite school for those of noble blood, after Balbanes Beoulve requested that he be allowed to attend, despite his common origins. He accompanied Ramza Beoulve during Hokuten operations to suppress the Death Corps Rebellion, including the rescue of Marquis Elmdor, Lord of Limberry.

However, his days as a cadet ended during a confrontation between the Hokuten and the Death Corps at the Fort Zeakden. Teta, having been taken hostage was being used by the leader of the Death Corps, Golagros, as a human shield while he threatened to blow up the fort with explosives if the Hokuten give him any trouble.

As Delita and Ramza arrived at Fort Zeakden, Algus, acting on orders from Zalbag, fires at Gologros with a crossbow with disregard for Teta, grievously wounding both of them in the process. Mortally wounded, Teta calls out to Delita before she loses consciousness. At this Delita goes into a rage, killing Algus, but as he returns to Teta, Golagros, who has crawled inside the fort, sets off explosives, apparently blowing up the fort and Delita.

Delita survived the destruction of Fort Zeakden by being shielded by Teta's body, and in the years following, he acquired a job as an agent of the Glabados Church. Under employ of the Church, Delita foiled a scheme by Dycedarg Beoulve and Prince Larg to frame Prince Goltana for attempting to abduct Princess Ovelia.

Then, posing as a soldier of the Black Sheep Knights, a division of the Nanten Knights, he delivered Ovelia into Prince Goltana's keeping, gaining the Prince's trust. Soon after, he framed the commander of the Nanten Knights, Count Cidolfas Orlandu, for conspiring to commit treason against Prince Goltana. Prince Goltana subsequently appointed Delita as Orlandu's replacement.

Despite his employment by the Church and Prince Goltana, Delita shows little loyalty to anyone but himself, revealing himself to Ramza in order to supply him with information that sets him into conflict with the Church and Prince Larg and Goltana. During their first such encounter he comments that, "Teta saved me back then..." It is unclear whether he meant that Teta literally saved him by physically shielding him from the blast, or if he meant she symbolically saved him in some way. Regardless, Delita also reveals a new outlook that disregards class and rank, stating, "I won't be used. I'll be the one using! Those who used me must pay for what they've done!"

In addition to this, he assassinates Prince Goltana and frames Count Orlandu for it using an impostor. He also deals Balmafula, the spy sent by the Church to monitor him, though he does not kill her, instead continues to use her. By the end of the Lion War, Prince Larg, Prince Goltana, Lord Dycedarg, Lord Zalbag, and High Priest Funeral are dead, leaving a political power vacuum that Delita fills. He marries Princess Ovelia, and ascends to the Ivalician throne.

In the final scene in Final Fantasy Tactics, at some unspecified time after Delita's coronation, Ovelia assaults Delita as he offers her flowers, confronting him about manipulating Ramza & others. Delita responds by killing her with a dagger. As he staggers away from Ovelia's body, Delita asks, "Ramza.... What did you get? I.........".

[edit] Princess Ovelia Atkascha

Princess Ovelia Atkascha (Ovelia Astkaasa (オヴェリア・アトカーシャ Oweria Atokāsha?) in the Japanese version) is introduced as a princess of the Atkascha royal family, but her origins are more complicated. She is the much younger half-sister of the King Omdolia III, the recently deceased sovereign of Ivalice; both were born to King Denamunda IV by different mothers. Following the death of both of his sons, King Omdolia adopted Ovelia as his daughter, making her heir to the throne. However, soon after her adoption, Queen Ruvelia unexpectedly became pregnant with a third son, giving birth to Prince Orinas. Ovelia was then entrusted to the care of Prince Larg, who arranged for her to be brought up in Orbonne Abbey. Ovelia spent the majority of her life at Orbonne, where she grew up under the auspices of Father Simon pen Raksu and also befriended Alma Beoulve.

When she is 15, Prince Larg arranges for Ovelia to be escorted to the royal capital of Lesalia by a combined escort consisting of Ovelia's personal bodyguards, and a mercenary company hired by the Hokuten Knights. This proves to be an elaborate ploy devised by Larg and his close advisor, Lord Dycedarg Beoulve, to murder Ovelia and frame Prince Goltana (Larg's principal political rival) for the crime. Larg and Dycedarg arrange for men disguised in Nanten livery to kidnap and kill Ovelia. However, their plan is foiled by the Glabados Church, who sends Delita to intercept and take the place of the intended kidnappers, thus preventing the Princess' actual assassination. She was then briefly rescued by Ramza and Agrias, but they unwisely decided to turn to Cardinal Draclau to protect the Princess from the feud between Larg and Goltana. Cardinal Draclau eventually handed her over to the Shrine Knights, who in turn passed her to Prince Goltana, precipitating the Lion War.

While in the custody of the Shrine Knights, the knight Vormav reveals to Ovelia that she is not the real Princess Ovelia, but merely a substitute for the real Ovelia who had died a long time ago. The nobles of the Ivalician Senate despised Queen Ruvelia and feared a future where she ruled by proxy through one of her two sons. They thus assassinated both princes, and arranged for the substitute Ovelia to become heir apparent. This plan was ruined when Queen Ruvelia gave birth to her third son Prince Orinas (Vormav also suggests that Orinas may have not been fathered by the king). The truth of this story is never fully confirmed (although it seems rather unlikely that Vormav made up such an elaborate story for no reason).

Also during her custody, she (briefly) comes to trust and love Delita Hyral, who promises her freedom from being manipulated as a political tool. She marries Delita eventually, but becomes increasingly disturbed by Delita's own willingness to manipulate others, ultimately coming to view her marriage as merely a means by which Delita legitimizes his own ascension to the throne. In the last scene of Final Fantasy Tactics, Ovelia assaults Delita, confronting him about his manipulation of everyone (herself, Ramza, etc.). Delita responds by killing her with a dagger.

[edit] Teta Hyral

Teta Hyral (ティータ・ハイラル Tīta Hairaru?) is Delita's sister, and a close friend of Alma Beoulve despite class differences between the Beoulve and Hyral families.

During a failed assassination attempt on Dycedarg, she is taken hostage by the Death Corps. Dycedarg sends Zalbag and Algus to attack the Death Corps at Fort Zeakden, but Delita realizes that Teta will be killed if a large-scale battle occurs. He convinces Ramza to move up through the Lenalia Plateau to attack the Death Corps from the rear and rescue Teta.

Teta is being held at the windmill hut near Ft. Zeakden by Wiegraf, but when Wiegraf receives word that his sister Miluda has been killed, he is determined for revenge. He has Teta taken to Fort Zeakden, while he fights with Ramza. Zalbag and Algus arrive to attack the fort. Teta's captor, Golagros uses Teta as a human shield and threatens to blow up the fort if the Hokuten give him any trouble.

As Delita and Ramza arrive at Fort Zeakden, Algus, acting on orders from Zalbag fires at Gologros with a crossbow, even though he is shielding himself with Teta, grievously wounding both of them in the process. Mortally wounded, Teta calls out to Delita before she loses consciousness. When Ramza asks Algus why he did it, he states that it was on Zalbag's orders and Teta was only a "common girl". If the player, during the second battle of the game, chose to give the order to kill the enemies rather than rescue Algus, he also comments that his action was exactly what Ramza would have done since he chose to kill his attackers instead of rescuing Algus.

Delita goes into a rage and kills Algus, but as he returns to Teta, Golagros, who has crawled his way back inside, trips the explosives. However, according to the English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics, Delita says that Teta saved him from the explosion [1]:

Delita: Teta saved me...
Ramza: What?
Delita: Teta saved me back then...
Ramza: .........

It is unclear whether he meant that Teta literally saved him by physically shielding him from the blast, or if he meant she symbolically saved him in some way.

[edit] Alma Beoulve

Alma Beoulve (アルマ・ベオルブ Aruma Beorubu?) is the youngest child of the Beoulve family. Much of chapters 3 and 4 in FFT are devoted to Ramza's persistent attempts to rescue Alma from various captors. Her father is the late Balbanes Beoulve. Her siblings are her two elder half-brothers, Dycedarg and Zalbag, and her elder brother Ramza (with whom she is particularly close).

Alma attended the Igros Aristocratic School together with Teta Hyral; later, sometime during or after the Death Corps rebellion, she moved to Orbonne Abbey (possibly for her protection, following an attack by the Death Corps upon the Beoulve estate in which she nearly got kidnapped), where she befriended Princess Ovelia Atkascha. Later yet, she moved to live with Zalbag in the royal capital of Lesalia.

Like Ramza, Alma laments the debacle at Fort Zeakden that saw the death of Teta (and Delita, or so it looked at the time). Therefore, in chapter 3 she insists on joining Ramza in his mission to uncover the conspiracy behind the Lion War, despite her complete lack of training in combat. She and Ramza went to Orbonne Monastery to retrieve one of the zodiac stones, but unfortunately, they arrived at the same time a detachment of Shrine Knights was raiding Orbonne for the stone as well. Alma was captured there by the Shrine Knight Izlude Tingel; she remains separated from Ramza thereafter, until the end of the game.

In Riovanes Castle, Vormav had intended to kill her as part of his murderous rampage, but stops upon making a remarkable discovery: Alma happens to be the only suitable host for Altima (see St. Ajora), the Blood-Stained Angel, leader of the Lucavi. In the confrontation between Ramza and the Lucavi Hashmalum, Hashmalum kills himself to summon Altima into Alma's body. Somehow, Alma regains her body and fights alongside Ramza to defeat Altima in the final battle of FFT. Altima dies in a catastrophic explosion that destroys the ancient airship where the battle took place.

A funeral is held for Alma at the end of the game, Olan Durai and Balmafula being amongst the mourners present. However, as Olan is just about to leave, Alma and Ramza apparently ride by through the cemetery on chocobo-back, to Olan's astonishment. Presumably, Alma and Ramza survived and somehow found a way out of the Dead City of Murond.

She is a brave and kind girl, popular amongst friends and relatives for her cheerful, optimistic nature.

[edit] Dycedarg Beoulve / Adramelk

Dycedarg Beoulve (ダイスダーグ・ベオルブ Daisudāgu Beorubu?) is the eldest child of the Beoulve family. A talented magician, knight, and politician, his cunning and ambition is responsible for the much of the political intrigue in Final Fantasy Tactics. His father is the late Balbanes Beoulve. His siblings are his younger brother Zalbag, his younger half-brother Ramza, and his younger half-sister, Alma.

During the Fifty Years' War, Dycedarg encouraged his father, Balbanes to seize power from the Atkascha Royal Family and place House Beoulve on the Ivalician throne; Balbanes at the time was the commander of the Hokuten Knights, making him by far the most powerful military presence in Ivalice barring only the Nanten Knights under Cidolfas Orlandu. Balbanes refused, and in response, Dycedarg discretely poisoned his father with mosfungus using over a period of years. When Balbanes finally became too ill from the poison to command, Dycedarg took over his father's position. However, at Balbanes' behest, Dycedarg eventually stepped down in favour of his younger brother, Zalbag. Dycedarg subsequently became the right-hand man of Prince Larg, his role for the remainder of the game. In this capacity, Dycedarg concocts a series of an elaborate political schemes to bring Prince Larg to power over Larg's archrival, Prince Goltana-- and more importantly, to bring the Beoulve family to power over the rest of Ivalice.

The first such scheme happened during Death Corps Rebellion that followed the Fifty Years' War (Chapter 1). Marquis Elmdor, Lord of Limberry, was a powerful nobleman, and unfortunately also a strong supporter of Prince Goltana. Dycedarg and Larg wished to remove this inconvenient political power. Therefore, Dycedarg convinced the deputy-captain of the Death Corps rebels, Gustav, to kidnap the Marquis. A meeting in Gariland between Prince Larg and Marquis Elmdor was arranged; Gustav and his men attacked the Marquis' retinue enroute to Gariland, kidnapping Elmdor and demanding ransom from the Ivalician nobility for his release. But Dycedarg's scheme was foiled when the Marquis was independently tracked down and rescued by Wiegraf Folles and a group of Hokuten cadets, the former being the Death Corps leader seeking to punish his deputy for dishonourable conduct, the latter being discretely encouraged by Zalbag into investigating the Marquis' kidnapping and included Ramza (to some irony).

Dycedarg's next major scheme happens some years later (Chapter 2), and results in the Lion War. When she turned 15, Prince Larg arranges for Princess Ovelia Atkascha to be escorted to the royal capital of Lesalia by a combined escort consisting of Ovelia's personal bodyguards and a mercenary company hired by the Hokuten Knights. This is in reality an elaborate ploy devised by Dycedarg and Prince Larg to murder Ovelia and frame Prince Goltana for the crime. One of Goltana's liegemen, Minister Gelwan, sought to switch to Larg's camp; through Gelwan, Dycedarg arranges for men disguised in Nanten livery to kidnap and kill Ovelia. Even the mercenary company hired to protect the Princess turn out to be in Dycedarg's hire. However, this time his plan is foiled by the Glabados Church, who sends Delita Hyral to intercept and take the place of the intended kidnappers, thus preventing the Princess' actual assassination. A series of events eventually lands Princess Ovelia into Goltana's keeping, precipitating the Lion War.

During the Lion War, when windborne mosfungus poison spread by the Shrine Knights incapacitates both the Hokuten armies at the siege of Bethla Garrison, Dycedarg uses the chaos of the situation to assassinate his liege, Prince Larg. He stabs Prince Larg with a dagger, and tells his shocked brother Zalbag to frame one of the various unconscious (or dead) Hokuten soldiers present at the time as a Nanten assassin by placing the dagger in his or her hand. With Prince Larg leaving behind no apparent successor to his position (or none so influential as Dycedarg, at any rate), Dycedarg assumes leadership of the Hokuten.

Following Bethla, Dycedarg continues the war in spite of the fact that both Larg and Goltana are dead by that point, ostensibly to fulfill the wishes of his late liege. He refuses an offer from the Glabados Church to mediate a peace between the Hokuten and the Nanten. During a meeting with the Shrine Knight Rofel, the Church envoy, Rofel all but reveals to Dycedarg that he knows about Dycedarg's assassination of his own father using mosfungus poison. In addition, Rofel gives Dycedarg the Holy Stone "Capricorn".

Shortly afterwards, Dycedarg is attacked by Zalbag inside Igros Castle, who had overheard the conversation between Dycedarg and Rofel and had further uncovered evidence of his father's poisoning. Ramza happens to return to Igros at that precise time, and aids Zalbag. Dycedarg is mortally wounded in the ensuing battle between the Beoulve brothers, but before dying, he merges with the Lucavi Adramelk. As Adramelk, Dycedarg immediately kills/banishes Zalbag to some other dimension, but shortly afterwards is killed by Ramza.

As evinced by his extensive scheming, Dycedarg is portrayed as a devious man who stops at little to fulfill his ambitions. Notably, he is an untrustworthy character, appropriating lies and betraying others as it conveniences him. Aside from assassinating both his own father, Balbanes, and his liege, Prince Larg, he promised Ramza in chapter 1 that the destruction of the Death Corps would not proceed before Teta Hyral was rescued, a promise that in all likelihood he had no intention of keeping. Teta's death is a pivotal point in the story of Final Fantasy Tactics, particularly in the character development of Ramza and Delita.

(Note: "Adramelk" used in the English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics might be a mistranslation of Adrammelech, which is a mythological reference to a demon in Christian lore, and the name used in Final Fantasy XII for the same demon)

[edit] Zalbag Beoulve

Zalbag Beoulve (ザルバッグ・ベオルブ Zarubaggu Baorubu?) is the second eldest child of the Beoulve Family. He is the principle general of the Hokuten Knights, with the rank of Holy Knight, and is considered a hero by Ivalician commonfolk.[3] His father is the late Balbanes Beoulve. His siblings are his elder brother Dycedarg, his younger half-brother Ramza, and his younger half-sister Alma.

During the Fifty Years' War Zalbag, at Balbanes' behest, replaced Dycedarg as commander of the Hokuten. After the end of the war, Zalbag directed Hokuten troops in suppressing the Death Corps rebellion (chapter 1).

In chapter 1, when he meets Ramza, Delita, and Algus at Igros following the kidnapping of Marquis Elmdor, very discretely encourages the three cadets to investigate the Marquis' kidnapping on their own, hinting to them where they could start looking. This was despite the cadets having received explicit orders from his brother, Lord Dycedarg, to stand guard at Igros Castle.[4] Zalbag never finds out that the Marquis's kidnapping was in fact one of the many plots of his brother, Dycedarg.

Later, the Death corps assaulted the Beoulve residence and attempted to assassinate Dycedarg. The attack failed, but one of the rebels, Golagros, kidnapped Teta Hyral, the sister of Delita Hyral, mistaking her for a Beoulve daughter when she was in fact a commoner. Zalbag pursued the rebels to the rebel stronghold of Fort Zeakden. There, Golagros held Teta hostage in a bid to force the Hokuten to back down. But refusing to comply with the Death Corps demands for the sake of a commoner, Zalbag explicitly ordered the cadet Algus to shoot Teta and then Golagros, a pivotal event in the story of Final Fantasy Tactics witnessed both by Ramza and Delita.

Years later, he is visited by Ramza, who tries to tell him of Dycedarg's treachery, but Zalbag refuses to listen. After the decisive battle at Bethla Garrison, Zalbag finds both Dycedarg and Larg mildly poisoned. Dycedarg suddenly stabs Larg, and tells Zalbag to put the knife in the hands of a dead Hokuten, claiming that the Hokuten was a Nanten spy and killed Larg. However, Larg's dying words, accusing Dycedarg of killing his father Balbanes, shocks Zalbag and he resolves to find out more.

He travels to Igros, but ends up overhearing a conversation between Dycedarg and Rofel where Rofel gives several strong hints regarding Dycedarg's poisoning Balbanes with Mosfungus. Zalbag decides to find out once and for all; he hires a chemist to go to Balbanes' grave. The chemist confirms that Balbanes was killed by Mosfungus poisoning. Zalbag, in a righteous rage, heads back to Igros to confront Dycedarg. He kills him, but Dycedarg turns into Adramelk and destroys Zalbag, not even leaving a body. Zalbag is later resurrected against his will as a vampire, forced to fight Ramza in the basement of Murond Holy Place. Clinging to the remnants of his humanity, he begs Ramza to kill him; Ramza reluctantly complies, putting him to rest.

[edit] Balbanes Beoulve

Former leader of the Hokuten Knights, Balbanes Beoulve (バルバネス・ベオルブ Barubanesu Beorubu?) achieved the rank of "Heavenly Knight". While other Knights were being defeated, he produced many victories, even when he was outnumbered. A treaty was reached because of the fear he struck into the hearts of the enemies. He also fathered Dycedarg, Zalbag, Ramza and Alma Beoulve. He was murdered with Mosfungus poison by Dycedarg. He was also, ironically, a good friend of Cid Orlandu, the commander of the Nanten Knights, who were the chief opposition to the Hokuten.

[edit] Prince Bestrada Larg

Prince Bestrada Larg is the younger brother of Queen Ruvelia, Lord of Gallione, and supreme leader of the Hokuten Knights. The Lion War fought between Larg and his principle political rival, Prince Goltana, forms much of the back-drop for the story of Final Fantasy Tactics. The majority of his political support comes from knights and minor nobility of Ivalice. His standard is a white lion rampant upon a blue background.

Following the end of the Fifty Years' War, Prince Larg found himself in contest against Prince Goltana to be named regent to the young Crown Prince Orinas, a 3-year old child. In order to give himself an upperhand, during the Death Corps rebellion (chapter 1), Larg and his close advisor, Lord Dycedarg Beoulve, devised a scheme to eliminate one of Prince Goltana's supporters, Marquis Elmdor, Lord of Limberry. Dycedarg convinced the deputy-captain of the Death Corps rebels, Gustav, to kidnap the Marquis. A meeting in Gariland between Prince Larg and Marquis Elmdor was arranged; Gustav and his men attacked the Marquis' retinue enroute to Gariland, kidnapping Elmdor and demanding ransom from the Ivalician nobility for his release. But Larg's scheme was foiled when the Marquis was independently tracked down and rescued by Wiegraf Folles and a group of Hokuten cadets.

Years later, Larg still find himself in deadlock against Goltana, with tensions rising between them. Therefore, he accepts a new scheme proposed by Dycedarg. When she turns 15, Prince Larg arranges for Princess Ovelia Atkascha to be escorted to the royal capital of Lesalia by a combined escort consisting of Ovelia's personal bodyguards and a mercenary company hired by the Hokuten Knights. This is in reality an elaborate ploy devised by Dycedarg and Prince Larg to murder Ovelia and frame Prince Goltana for the crime. One of Goltana's liegemen, Minister Gelwan, sought to switch to Larg's camp; through Gelwan, Dycedarg arranges for men disguised in Nanten livery to kidnap and kill Ovelia. Even the mercenary company hired to protect the Princess turn out to be in Dycedarg's hire. However, this time his plan is foiled by the Glabados Church, who sends Delita Hyral to intercept and take the place of the intended kidnappers, thus preventing the Princess' actual assassination. A series of events eventually lands Princess Ovelia into Goltana's keeping.

Goltana immediately declares Princess Ovelia to be the true heir to the Ivalician throne, and marches upon Lesalia with the Nanten Knights, imprisoning Queen Ruvelia for treason (Ruvelia knew and apparently supported her younger brother's plot). In response, Larg declares Prince Orinas to the true heir, with himself as regent, and takes the Hokuten to war against Goltana, resulting in the Lion War.

Larg is assassinated by Dycedarg at the siege of Bethla Garrison, when both of them and the Hokuten army are immobilized by mosfungus poisoning. Prior to dying, he accuses Dycedarg of killing his own father, Balbanes, a claim overheard by Zalbag Beoulve.

[edit] Prince Druksmald Goltana

Prince Goltana is a cousin of King Omdolia III, Lord of Zeltennia, and supreme leader of the Nanten Knights. The Lion War fought between Goltana and his principle political rival, Prince Larg, forms much of the back-drop for the story of Final Fantasy Tactics. The majority of his political support is found amongst the great nobles of Ivalice. His standard is a black lion rampant upon a red background.

Following the end of the Fifty Years' War, Goltana found himself in contest against Prince Larg to be named regent to the young Crown Prince Orinas, a 3-year old child. Tensions mount, but the two remain in political deadlock. In chapter 2 however, Prince Larg and Lord Dycedarg Beoulve attempt to kidnap and assassinate Princess Ovelia Atkascha and frame Goltana for the crime, but this plot is foiled by the Glabados Church. The Church sends Delita Hyral disguised as Nanten solider to prevent Ovelia's murder, and delivers Ovelia into Goltana's keeping.

Delita advises Goltana to move against Queen Ruvelia and the Royal Family (Ruvelia knew and apparently supported the plot of her younger brother, Larg) and make Ovelia queen. Acting on Delita's advice, Goltana quickly changes his political stance. Goltana declares Ovelia to be true Queen of Ivalice, and attempts to install her as a puppet ruler with himself in charge (likely drawing upon the fact that Ovelia was named heir to the throne prior to the birth of Prince Orinas). He marches upon the capital city of Lesalia and imprisons Ruvelia. In response, Larg declares Prince Orinas to the true heir, with himself as regent, and takes the Hokuten to war against Goltana, resulting in the Lion War.

During the Lion War, Goltana is tricked by Delita into believing that his top commander, Count Cidolfas Orlandu, is conspiring with senior Glabados clergymen against him. He has Orlandu imprisoned, and appoints Delita to the command of the Nanten Knights in Orlandu's stead. This proves to be a grave mistake: at the siege of Bethla Garrison, when the Nanten army is immobilized by Ramza Beoulve's opening of the garrison flood gates, Goltana is assassinated by Delita amidst the confusion. Delita carefully frames Orlandu for the assassination using a look-alike.

[edit] Wiegraf Folles / Velius

Wiegraf Folles (Wiglaf Folles (ウィーグラフ・フォルズ Wīgurefu Foruzu?) in the Japanese version) is an ex-rebel who entered into the service of the Temple Knights of the Glabados Church. He eventually becomes a host for the Lucavi Velius. His sister is Miluda Folles.

During the Fifty Years' War, Wiegraf was the leader of the Knights of Death, a militia force formed of volunteers amongst the Ivalician commonfolk. After the war ended, however, the Ivalician government discharged all commoner soldiers without pay. To demand fairness and respect from the Ivalician nobility, Wiegraf founded the Death Corps, a rebel group formed of ex-veterans of the war and other commoners. Under his leadership, the Death Corps attacked and assassinated Ivalician nobility, in order to terrorize them into accepting commoners as equals and flatten Ivalice's social pyramid.

However, Wiegraf only believed in attacking the nobility to implement his egalitarian ideals, and opposed attacking them for profit; in Chapter 1, when he learned that his deputy-captain, Gustav, had kidnapped Marquis Elmdor for ransom, he personally tracked down and killed Gustav in order to rescue the Marquis (Wiegraf was also aware that Gustav had been convinced by Lord Dycedarg Beoulve into doing so). Wiegraf reached the Marquis just one step ahead of a rescue team of the Hokuten cadets (which included Ramza Beoulve, Delita Hyral, and Algus Sadalfas), and released the Marquis to them in exchange for his own freedom. Later, his sister, Miluda, also a member of the Death Corps, was killed by Ramza and Delita at Lenalia Plateau. Wiegraf attacked Ramza and Delita in an attempt to avenge Miluda's death, but failed. Before escaping, however, he revealed to Ramza that the Marquis' kidnapping was planned by Prince Larg, and more shockingly, Ramza's own brother, Dycedarg.

Ultimately, the Death Corps rebellion is crushed by the Hokuten Knights. Wiegraf evades capture, however, and disappears for a number of years before reappearing as a Temple Knight in the service of the Glabados Church. He is given the Zodiac Stone "Aries" by the Temple Knights. In Chapter 2, Wiegraf and Izlude Tingel are instructed to raid Orbonne Monastery for the holy stone "Virgo", coincidentally at the same time that Ramza and his sister, Alma Beoulve, have come searching for the stone as well. Alma is captured by Izlude, and Wiegraf tells Izlude to flee while he once again fights Ramza in another bid to avenge Miluda's death.

He loses again to Ramza, and is mortally wounded. But as he lies dying, a voice emanates from the Aries stone, offering Wiegraf great power and eternal life. Wiegraf accepts, and merges with the Lucavi Velius. Before Ramza can stop him, he teleports away.

Wiegraf then accompanies Vormav to a meeting at Riovanes Castle. When Ramza approaches the castle to rescue Alma, Vormav tells Wiegraf to deal with him. Wiegraf fights Ramza one-on-one in a hallway in Riovanes Castle in his mortal form, but after noting that Ramza's skill has improved, Wiegraf transforms into Velius and summons a host of demons to fight Ramza and his allies. He is killed by Ramza in the ensuing battle.

Like Delita Hyral, Wiegraf's character reverses dramatically over the course of the story, transitioning from idealist to cynic. Whereas the main character, Ramza, comes to respect the honour and integrity of Wiegraf's egalitarian ideals,[5] Wiegraf himself grows cynical about them, concluding that they are nothing if left unfulfilled, to the extent that he willingly stoops to serving the Glabados Church in order to increase his own power and resources, despite the selfish ambitions of the Church's plans.[6] Moreover, he becomes obsessed with avenging his sister Miluda's death.

(Note: "Wiegraf" used in the English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics might be a mistranslation of Wiglaf, a reference to a friend of Beowulf, the hero of the old English epic poem bearing his name. In addition, "Velius" might be a mistranslation of Belias, an evil being in Hebrew lore better known by the name Belial, and an Esper of Final Fantasy XII.)

[edit] Saint Ajora Glabados / Altima

[edit] His life

Ajora began as a petty spy, selling information about countries to the highest bidder. The Yudora Empire got wind of his actions and sent a spy, Germonik, to find out his activities. Germonik found more than he bargained for, though. It's unclear whether Ajora summoned the Lucavi or vice versa, but he was chosen to be the host for the Lucavi leader, Altima. Germonik found several Holy Stones (Virgo among them) and informed the Empire of Ajora's plans; the Empire, justifiably fearful of the havoc Ajora would cause, executed him.

[edit] The legend of his life

After his death, St. Ajora's life was distorted by legend. According to legend, the day he was born, he went to the town well and said that the well meant death; as it turned out, the well was tainted. His popularity grew until the Holy Empire Yudora began to be fearful of him; they executed him at Golgorand Execution Site after Germonik, one of his disciples, turned him in for money. However, days after his death, the headquarters of the Fara Church were destroyed in a giant tidal wave. This was taken to be a supernatural occurrence, and the Glabados Church was born. Legend also states that Ajora took 12 Zodiac Stones and 12 followers and defeated an evil demon summoned by a king of Limberry.

1200 years after Ajora's execution, Altima was resurrected by Hashmalum in Murond Death City, this time using Alma's body as the host. He was defeated yet again by Ramza and his party as the final boss and the last level of the game.

[edit] Cardinal Alphons Draclau / Queklain

Cardinal Alphons Draclau (Alphonse Delacroix (アルフォンス・ドラクロワ Arufonsu Dorakurowa?) in the Japanese version)[citation needed] was the second highest ranked clergyman in the Glabados Church, and Lord of Lionel. A renowned knight and theologian, he was a hero of the Fifty Years' War who enjoyed popular support upon his people. After the murder of his wife by Ordallian heretics during the Fifty Years' War, he devoted himself to hunting down heretics. Towards the end of the Fifty Years' war, Draclau uncovered the holy stone "Scorpio" beneath ancient ruins in Zeltennia, which led to his later corruption and merging with the Lucavi Queklain.

In Chapter 2, Draclau meets with Ramza, Princess Ovelia, Agrias, and Mustadio at Lionel Castle. Ramza and Agrias were seeking protection for Princess Ovelia from the feud between Prince Larg and Goltana, while Mustadio had come to ask for aid to rescue his father from the Bart Company. Draclau promised to help, though unbeknownst to all, he was party to a conspiracy between the Shrine Knights and the Glabados Church that incited the conflict between the two princes in order to increase their political power in Ivalice. Moreover, the Bart Company was searching for the Zodiac Stones under his employ.

Draclau instructed Mustadio and Ramza to return to Goug, promising to send troops ahead of them to deal with the Bart Company. After they leave, he imprisoned Ovelia and Agrias. While nominally promising to hand Ovelia over to Prince Larg and Lord Dycedarg, he actually intended to hand her over to the Shrine Knights.

Shortly thereafter Rudvich, leader of the Bart Company, and Gafgarion are in audience with Draclau, having returned with a fake stone crafted by Mustadio. Draclau plans an ambush for Ramza, allowing Agrias to escape thinking that Ovelia is scheduled to be executed. Gafgarion is dismissed to go ambush Ramza and his allies when they come to rescue the princess. Following Gafgarion's departure, Draclau kills Rudvich for his failure.

After foiling the ambush and killing Gafgarion, Ramza confronts Draclau at Lionel Castle later that night. He reveals his Lucavi form as Queklain but Ramza still kills him. Later this results in Ramza being labeled a heretic.

(Note: "Queklain" used in the English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics might be a mistranslation of Cúchulainn, which is a reference to a mythical hero in Celtic folklore and also the name used in Final Fantasy XII for the same demon.)

[edit] Marquis Mesdoram Elmdor / Zalera

Marquis Mesdoram Elmdor (メスドラーマ・エルムドア Mesudorāmu Erumadoa?) is the ruler of Limberry. Known as the "Silver Noble" by his allies, and the "Silver Ogre" by his enemies, he is a very skilled swordsman. He is taken hostage by the Death Corps, but Wiegraf releases him to Ramza in exchange for his own escape. He is later reported killed in battle. However, at some point, the Lucavi Demon Zalera merges with him to prevent said death. Two Ultima Demons work for him, disguising themselves as the human women Celia and Lede.

Elmdor, Celia and Lede appear at Riovanes Castle and attack Rafa, but Ramza intervenes and Elmdor flees back to Limberry Castle. Ramza later journeys to Limberry Castle looking for Alma. Elmdor is in the middle of a meeting with Vormav when Celia and Lede burst in to warn them of Ramza's approach. Vormav rushes off to prepare for Altima's resurrection, leaving Elmdor to fight Ramza. Elmdor, realizing he cannot defeat Ramza in his mortal form, lures Ramza into the basement where he summons several undead creatures to assist him. He then transforms into Zalera, an act which is witnessed by Vormav's daughter Meliadoul. Meliadoul realizes the truth about her father and joins Ramza in battle against the demon. They prevail, and Zalera is destroyed, obviously taking Elmdor with him.

Marquis Elmdor serves as the delivery vehicle of the Masamune and Genji equipment by giving you the opportunity to steal them from him in battle. These are recurring and typically somewhat difficult items to obtain in the Final Fantasy series.

(Note: Zalera is a reference to the angel of death Azrael, which its name is an anagram of.)

[edit] Gaff Gafgarion

Gaff Gafgarion (ガフ・ガフガリオン Gafu Gafugarion?) is a Dark Knight in his late 50's. In his past, he was a leader of the Touten Knights during the Fifty Year War. His brutal fighting style forced him out after the war ended. He then became a mercenary who was employed by Prince Larg to kidnap Princess Ovelia, but failed when Delita Hyral intervened. He was then ordered to deal with Ramza Beoulve. His first attempt involved a trap centered around the staged execution of a decoy Ovelia. Agrias, who had been taken prisoner at Lionel Castle, was allowed to learn of the execution, and she subsequently escaped and alerted Ramza, who walked right into the trap. Gafgarion's men emerged from hiding, and a battle ensued, but Ramza was victorious. Gafgarion retreated to Lionel Castle and waited for Ramza to arrive. When Ramza tried to slip over the wall to open the gate for his allies, Gafgarion triggered another ambush on Ramza's allies outside, and fought a duel with Ramza just inside the gate, but was defeated and killed. As both a non-playable 'guest' character and opponent, Gafgarion was a practictioner of the Dark Sword technique. He arrives with an assistant (the squire Rad).

[edit] Vormav Tingel / Hashmalum

Vormav Tingel (Vormalf Tingel (ヴォルマルフ・ティンジェル Vorumarufu Tinjeru?) in the Japanese version) is the leader of the Temple Knights of the Glabados Church, and a main antagonist in Final Fantasy Tactics. He is holder of the holy stone "Leo", and the host for the Lucavi Hashmalum. He has a daughter and a son, Meliadoul and Izlude, both of which serve him as Temple Knights, but neither of which are aware of what their father has become. Though pretending to help bring to fruition High Priest Funeral's scheme to control Ivalician politics, his real goal is to use the Church's power and influence to gather the Zodiac Stones and use them to bring Lucavi over into Ivalice, particularly St. Ajora (in the form of the Lucavi leader, Altima, the Bloody Angel).

Vormav's son Izlude is sent to collect the holy stone "Virgo" from Orbonne Monastery. He collects the stone and captures Ramza's sister, Alma, but is in turn captured by Grand Duke Barinten. The Duke subsequently invites Vormav to Riovanes. When Vormav is reunited with his son at Riovanes Castle, he denounces Izlude's incompetence for getting captured, slapping him across the face. The Duke attempts to coerce Vormav to cooperate into helping him, whereupon Vormav transforms into his Lucavi form and goes on a murderous rampage through Riovanes Castle, even mortally wounding his son Izlude in the process. At the end of his rampage, he stops short of killing Alma and kidnaps her instead when he notes that the Virgo stone, St. Ajora's stone, reacts to her, identifying her as a suitable host for Altima.

Some events later, impatient to resurrect Altima, Vormav travels to Temple of Murond (the headquarters of the Glabados Church). Aided by the Temple Knights Rofel and Kletian, he massacres the priests and clerics inside and forces High Priest Funeral to tell him the location of the gateway to the Dead City of Murond, on pain of death. After Funeral reveals that the gateway is in the basement of Orbonne Monastery and that a spell from the Germonik Scriptures is needed to unlock it, Vormav kills him anyway. Coincidentally, Ramza catches up to Vormav at Murond, and is coerced by Vormav into relinquishing the Germonik Scriptures.

Vormav then travels to the Graveyard of Airships in the Dead City of Murond, where he unsuccessfully attempts to resurrect St. Ajora. He concludes that the centuries of bloodshed since when Altima was last summoned were still insufficient to resurrect St. Ajora, and that more bloodshed must be necessary to summon Altima into Alma's body. When Ramza arrives at the scene, Vormav transforms again into his Lucavi form and tries to sacrifice Ramza and his allies to Ajora to create the necessary bloodshed, but he is wounded in failure. Deciding that he cannot win, Vormav commits suicide in the hope that enough bloodshed will result to cause Ajora's resurrection.

It should be noted that though this sacrifice results in a successful resurrection, Alma, the resurrected Altima's host, is able to resist a perfect synthesis and Ramza and his allies defeat Altima, thusly negating Vormav's efforts, though apparently dying themselves in the process.

(Note: "Hashmalum" used in the English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics might be a mistranslation of Hashmallim, which is a mythological reference to a class of angels in Jewish lore, and also the name used in Final Fantasy XII for the same demon, although retranslated as Hashmal - the singular form of Hashmallim. Given that Hashmalum is referred to as 'The Regulator,' and the Hashmallim regulate the activities of lower orders of angels, this reference seems very likely.)

[edit] Playable Minor Characters

[edit] Cidolfas Orlandu

Count Cidolfas Orlandu (シドルファス・オルランドゥ Shidorufasu Orurandu?) is an unswervingly loyal vassal of Prince Goltana, and the principle general of the Nanten Knights. The forces commanded by Orlandu and his close friend Balbanes Beoulve (general of the Hokuten Knights) were critical in turning back the Ordallian invasion of Ivalice and in getting Ordallia to agree to a peace treaty to end the Fifty Years' War. For his military genius and his skill as a swordsman, he is nicknamed "Thunder-God Cid". His foster son is Olan Durai.

During the Lion War, Orlandu urges Goltana to make peace with Prince Larg in order to alleviate the hardships afflicted upon the commonfolk both by the war and by natural disasters of the time. And unlike most nobles, Orlandu knows the Glabados Church is scheming behind the scenes of war and collecting the holy stones (Orlandu himself had the stone "Libra"), and that the Church is possibly manipulating the war between Goltana and Larg.

In any event, Orlandu gradually falls out of favour with Prince Goltana. Delita Hyral, at the time working for the Glabados Church, takes advantage of this situation to frame Orlandu for conspiring with senior Glabados clergymen to plot treachery against Goltana. Orlandu is imprisoned at Bethla Garrison and Prince Goltana appoints Delita to Orlandu's position as Nanten commander. However, prior to framing Orlandu, Delita had manipulated Ramza into heading towards Bethla. Ramza opens the floodgates at Bethla Garrison to prevent the Hokuten and Nanten armies from clashing; in the ensuing confusion, he sneaks into Bethla and rescues Orlandu from prison. At that point in the story, the player is given the choice to let Orlandu join Ramza in his quest.

Orlandu is famous for being extremely overpowered compared to most characters in the game. Similarly overpowered characters of other console role-playing games are often referred to as the Orlandu figure of that game in reference to him[citation needed]. This is especially common in strategy role-playing games. A common example is the fourth Suikoden hero as he appears in Suikoden Tactics.

[edit] Cloud Strife

When rumors lead Ramza and his party to a temple on Nelveska Island (if players of the game unlock this side-story), they discover a robot identified as Worker 7 guarding the temple grounds. After they defeat Worker 7, another Zodiac Stone (Cancer) falls out of it. This stone transforms Reis from her dragon form back to her human one, reuniting her with Beowulf, her lover.

Subsequently, when they insert the Cancer Zodiac Stone into Besrodio's machine, it briefly activates a portal, and Cloud tumbles out of it. His first words, "What happened? Last thing I remember was getting caught in the current," seem to imply that his appearance in Tactics takes place canonically after he falls into the Lifestream in Final Fantasy VII.

Cloud is disoriented after arriving in Ramza's world, seemingly remembering only bits and pieces of his life before coming out of the portal. After a short exchange with Ramza and the others, he is racked by one of the same seizures he suffers during the course of Final Fantasy VII. As it fades, he exclaims, "I must go...must go to that place...," before running out, Ramza and his friends close behind him.

He wanders into Zarghidas Trade City, where he encounters a parallel counterpart to the Aeris from his world, a flower girl bearing the same name. Cloud is still confused, presumably from his trip to Ramza's world, and is further confused by this encounter:

[Cloud walks through the streets of Zarghidas. A girl comes out.]
Flower Girl: Buy a flower? Only 1 gil.
Cloud: ......
Flower Girl: Something wrong? Do I resemble someone?
Cloud: No...it's nothing.
[Cloud walks away.]
Flower Girl: What's wrong with him?

As Cloud is leaving, Aeris is accosted by an apparent loan shark looking to collect on a 30000 gil loan. Cloud returns to help Aeris escape but starts to suffer another seizure as Ramza and his party catch up to him. After they save him, he joins Ramza's party, while Ramza agrees to help get him back to his own world:

Cloud: I lost...a very important thing...
Ramza: Cloud......?
Cloud: Ever since, I've been lost. Who am I? What should I do? What about this pain...
Ramza: Cloud...there's someone in your world waiting for you. We might be able to send you back where you came from by using the stone's power.
Cloud: Let's go, Ramza. I can't be here. Must go...to the Promised Land.

Presumably, since Cloud is saved from the Lifestream and plays further role in events taking place in Final Fantasy VII, Ramza succeeded in sending Cloud back to the Lifestream after events in Final Fantasy Tactics. (See also Cloud Strife)

Also a weapon named "Materia Blade" can be found at the top of Bervenia Volcano for unknown reasons, that allows Cloud to perform his limit attacks from "Final Fantasy VII".

[edit] Meliadoul Tingel

Meliadoul Tingel (メリアドール・ティンジェル Meriadōru Tinjeru?) is the daughter of Vormav Tingel and the elder sister of Izlude Tingel. Like her father and brother, she is a temple Knight in direct service to the Glabados Church.

In Chapter 4, Meliadoul mistakenly assumes that Ramza killed her brother Izlude at Riovanes, unaware that her father, Vormav, is the real murderer. She confronts Ramza on his way to search for Orlandu, and when Ramza is unable to convince her that Vormav is the real killer, they fight. Meliadoul is defeated, but remains determined to avenge her brother's death.

Meliadoul follows Ramza to Limberry castle, where she bursts in amidst the battle between Ramza and Marquis Elmdor. Upon seeing Elmdor as the Lucavi Zalera, Meliadoul realizes the truth to Ramza's words, and helps Ramza in the battle. During the battle, Zalera reveals to Meliadoul that her father Vormav has been possessed by a Lucavi. Following the Zalera's defeat, she asks to join Ramza's journey in order to find out more about her father, and why the Shrine Knight Rofel has been sent to give Dycedarg the holy stone "Capricorn" (a fact unknown to Ramza at the time).

If Meliadoul is present at the battle between Ramza and the Shrine Knights at Murond, Meliadoul has a brief conversation with Vormav, realizing at last that Vormav is possessed and no longer the father she once knew.

[edit] Mustadio Bunanza

The son of Besrodio Bunanza. Just like his father, Mustadio (ムスタディオ・ブナンザ Masutadio Bunanza?) has taken to excavating and rebuilding the ancient machines buried underneath the Machine City Goug. He wields an ancient weapon called a gun. After the discovery of the Taurus Zodiac Stone, Mustadio takes the stone and escapes along the way joining Ramza Beoulve's party hoping to also petition Cardinal Draclau for aid in rescuing his father from Rudivch. After talking to the Cardinal Mustadio with Ramza's help returns to Goug in order to rescue his father. Mustadio deceives Rudvich by giving him a false stone while giving Ramza the original. After this Mustadio joins the party as a full member.

He also works with his father in reactiving Worker 8 and operating the device to bring Cloud into Ivalice.

Mustadio and Besrodio share their surname with Ffamran (Balthier) and Cid Demen Bunanza of FFXII.

[edit] Malak Galthana

Malak Galthana (Malak Galtenaba (マラーク・ガルテナーハ Marāku Garutenāba?) in the Japanese version)[citation needed] is a young man who was orphaned with his sister, Rafa, when they were children. Rafa escaped from their adopted father, Barinten, but he stayed behind because he felt loyal to the man that saved their life. He is trying to get Rafa to rejoin them. Malak is a Hell Knight in control of the Un-Truth skills that, like Rafa's skills, cast powerful spells on random squares in a five-panel area.

[edit] Rafa Galthana

Rafa Galthana (Rafa Galtenaba (ラファ・ガルテナーハ Rafa Garutenāba?) in the Japanese version)[citation needed] is a young woman who was orphaned with her brother, Malak, when they were children. She escaped from the man who adopted her, Barinten, because he was only interested in their skills (as well as being abusive; a none-too-oblique line indicates that he raped Rafa). She is searching for a way to help Malak realize that he should not work for Barinten. Rafa is a Heaven Knight in control of the Truth skills that, like Malak's skills, cast powerful spells on random squares in a five-panel area.

On a side note, Rafa may have originally been a love interest for Ramza, however this is never explored after she joins his party/outlives her major role in the game.

[edit] Reis Dular

Reis Dular (レーゼ・デューラー Rēse Jūrā?) is a woman of uncertain origins. Has a relationship with Beowulf Kadmus. Cursed into the form of a dragon by a jealous priest of the Glabados Church, she disappears into the Goland Coal Mines. Fighting for her life inside the mine, she becomes the feared Holy Dragon spoken about in rumours around the area; miners believe that she was there to harm them. Ramza's help is requested by a hunter at Lesalia Imperial City's bar (Beowulf Kadmus) to search for this dragon in the late parts of the game; if the player chooses to help him, the choice will begin a difficult subquest to complete. Once the player rescues Reis from the mine after a series of battles in the coal mine, she is added to the party in the form of a 'Holy Dragon' which possesses incredible attacking power and all the breath abilities possessed by lesser dragons, but with limited movement range and unable to equip any equipment. By travelling to Nelveska Island in the next part of the subquest, the player can transform Reis back into her human form through the power of a holy stone, unlocking new abilities such as the Holy Bracelet and various dragon-related skills. (Note: all the 'Bracelet' skills are a mistranslation; they are intended to be 'Breath'.) She is arguably one of the most magically adept characters in the entire game.

Once in the party, Beowulf Kadmus must not be told to leave the party; otherwise, she will follow suit.

It is interesting to note that Reis may not use any equipment in her original class even after she has been converted back into a human; however, female-only equipments such as perfumes, bags, and ribbons may still be used. This does not apply once she has changed into another class. In addition, her normal physical attacks will have a chance of inviting a monster strong enough to survive them to join your party.

[edit] Beowulf Kadmus

Beowulf Kadmus (ベイオウーフ・カドモス Beioūfu Kadomosu?) is a former temple knight of Lionel. Declared a heretic by Priest Buremonda, he is exiled from Lionel after the priest had them branded as heretics in his rage of finding Reis in a relationship with the knight. Searching for Reis through the countryside, Beowulf encounters Ramza in Lesalia Imperial City, where he requests his help to search for Reis. Beowulf is a knight with Oracle skills of a higher success chance than the Oracle. Once in the party, Reis must not be told to leave or he will follow suit. He is named after the legendary Beowulf of the epic of the same name. This is ironic as Beowulf is in love with a dragon, yet in the epic he is killed by one. (The two share similar qualities, but one is based upon the other.)

[edit] Worker 8

Worker 8 is a robot constructed by an ancient civilization, and excavated in Goug by Besrodio Bunanza. It initially appears as a large metal ball, until activated by inserting the Aquarius Zodiac Stone (acquired in the course of Beowulf and Reis' subquest). Once this is done, Worker 8 unfolds into a burly humanoid configuration and joins the party, after Ramza humorously tests is abilities by ordering it to "beat Mustadio up". Unlike human party members, Worker 8 cannot change jobs from its basic Steel Giant class and cannot equip weapons or armor. Its unique job abilities require it to sacrifice some HP to attack, but also render it immune to the effects of terrain, weather, and all forms of magic. The latter is because magic's effectiveness in Final Fantasy Tactics is related to the Faith statistic of both the caster and the target, and Worker 8 permanently has zero Faith (presumably because its mechanical nature renders it incapable of faith). These traits are unique to Worker 8 and Worker 7, a nearly identical robot powered by the Cancer Zodiac Stone. (Note: if you have a character capable of raising Faith, such as a mediator, and continually use this ability on Worker 8, it IS possible to raise his Faith permanently. However, this process is slow and time-consuming, since it takes roughly a 90 point increase in a single battle to raise it by 1 point permanently. The bonus of having him affected by magic isn't worth it.)

[edit] Non-playable Minor Characters

[edit] Gustav Margueriff

Gustav Margueriff is a high-ranking warrior ("subleader") of the Death Corps and a Knights of Death veteran. Unlike most of his comrades, he was not always of low social status, which he attained as a result of his own actions, rather than his birth. Originally a Hokuten Knight during the Fifty Year War, he committed several reckless moves and criminal acts, such as robberies and rapes at seized towns, which ultimately led to his disgraceful dismissal. He continued to fight in the Fifty Year War nonetheless, by joining the Knights of Death, Wiegraf Folles' volunteer militia. When the Knights of Death were disbanded after the end of the Fifty Year War with no acknowledgment or compensation, he went on to join the rest in rebelling against the aristocrat structure in Ivalician society.

Gustav and Wiegraf find themselves at odds in regard to determining which of the Death Corps' goals are most important. Gustav is frustrated with Wiegraf's idealistic prioritizing of the social long-term, instead pushing for more immediate and materialistic gains. Despite Wiegraf's position as the Death Corps' leader, Gustav's views attract enough of his fellows that he is able to form his own small independent -- and borderline-mutinous -- subgroup within the organization.

Unfortunately for the Death Corps as a whole, the nobles are aware of this split inside the organization and devise to use it to their advantage in both quelling the Death Corps' revolution and preparing for their own bid for power. Gustav and his own men are approached by Bestrada Larg and Dycedarg Beouvle, who offer them money and amnesty to abduct Mesdoram Elmdor during his visit to Gallione under the pretense of a ransom kidnapping. Gustav agrees and does so. However, the protagonists, and the rest of the Death Corps, are on his trail and, separately, manage to track him down to the Zeklaus Desert, where Gustav himself is finally killed by Wiegraf.

[edit] Miluda Folles

Sister of Wiegraf Folles. She was a high ranking member of the Death Corps prior to her death. Miluda's death drove Wiegraf over the edge eventually causing him to join the Temple Knights in order to avenge her death.

[edit] Izlude Tingel

Izlude Tingel (イズルード・ティンジェル Izurēdo Tinjeru?) is a Temple Knight of the Murond Glabados Church. He is the son of Vormav. Vormav dispatches him, along with Wiegraf, to recover the Virgo Stone, located in the third basement of the Orbonne Monastery. He reaches the temple and proceeds inside, leaving Wiegraf behind. Ramza arrives just after him and, leaving his sister Alma behind, he pursues Izlude into the basement. Izlude recovers the Virgo Stone, but Ramza challenges him. Ramza defeats Izlude, who teleports to escape. Meanwhile, Wiegraf emerges and accosts Alma. As Ramza rushes back up the stairs to rescue his sister, Wiegraf sends Izlude away with Alma while he confronts Ramza. Ramza quickly defeats Wiegraf, but Izlude manages to escape. Izlude and Alma are subsequently captured by Malak, and brought to Riovanes Castle. Vormav also goes to Riovanes Castle, accompanied by Wiegraf, and Izlude is brought before them. A furious Vormav strikes Izlude across the face. Word arrives that Ramza is approaching, and Malak and Wiegraf are both dispatched to deal with him, leaving Izlude and Vormav with the duke. Negotiations between Vormav and the duke quickly go sour, and Vormav begins to act strangely. Only when Vormav pulls out the Leo Stone and uses it to transform into Hashmalum does Izlude realize the terrible truth about his own father. He attempts to stop Hashmalum, but is killed.

[edit] Olan Durai

Olan Durai (オーラン・デュライ Ōran Jurai?) is the adopted son of Count Cidolfas Orlandu. His real father was one of Orlandu's comrade-in-arms who died towards the end of the Fifty Years' War. Skilled in magic, military strategy, and reconnaissance/information gathering, he serves Prince Goltana's Nanten Knights.

Though he appears little in the game, the epilogue reveals that years after the end of the Lion War, Olan compiles his experiences into a book. The so called "Durai Papers" included an account of Ramza Beoulve's heroism and the injustices of the Glabados Church. Fearing public disclosure of the truth behind the Lion War, the Church has Olan burned at the stake for heresy, and confiscates the Durai Papers. Centuries later, Olan's work is discovered by Alazlam J. Durai, Olan's descendant and the narrator of the "Zodiac Brave Story".

Olan's mastery of the Astronomy skill grants him access to the game's most powerful status attack. With approximately a 75% success rate, the Galaxy Stop technique renders its victims disabled with the Don't Move, Don't Act, and Stop status anomalies.

[edit] Grand Duke Gelkanis Barinten

Gelkanis Barinten is the leader of Fovoham. Since the Grand Duke was not a warrior, he did not fight on the frontlines during the Fifty Year War. However, under the Grand Duke, a group of mercenaries were assembled from many countries, and fought in his name. Within his groups, a special unit specializing in assassinations exists, made up of orphans from the war. He as been given the name, Weapon King, because his kingdom produces very strong weapons. Realizing the powers of the Holy Stone and its significance in warfare, he steals the Holy Stone from the Lucavi. This action infuriates Vormav, and he has Gelkanis killed.

[edit] Besrodio Bunanza

A machinist who lives in the Goug Machine City. A well respected meister who produces advanced weapons. Also a devoted researcher who strives to implement and create new technology by disassembling machinery from previous generations. For unknown reasons, he has been kidnapped by the Bart Trading Company. Discovering the Stone, Taurus, in the mines of Goug, he was pursued by the Bart Trading Company, but was rescued by Ramza and the quick thinking of Mustadio, Besrodio's son.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Former leader of the Hokuten Knights, [he] achieved the rank of "Heavenly Knight". While other Knights were being defeated, he produced many victories, even when he was outnumbered. A treaty was reached because of the fear he struck into the hearts of the enemies. (In-game narrative.)
  2. ^ http://www.carbuncle.jp/fft/1main-1.html: "バルバネスの妾であった母親は平民の出(ルグリア家)であり..."
  3. ^ Dycedarg (to Zalbag): ‘Justice’? I’m embarrassed to think you even said that! You think such pretty ideals can govern the people!? Why are you able to use that sword? Why do you think the people call you a hero? It’s all because of me!! Because I dirtied my hands you’re here! You should be thanking me, not despising me!!
  4. ^ Zalbag: The messenger we sent still hasn’t returned. He’s probably in trouble, but the nobles say there’s no need to search for his whereabouts. Ramza: Where was he when you last heard from him? Zalbag: A trade city called Dorter, east of Gallione......Guarding a castle is boring work. Don’t you think?
  5. ^ Ramza: I pity you, Wiegraf. Even if you couldn’t fulfill your dream, your people wouldn’t have forgotten you. Your ideals and actions inspired your people and stirred up the old Noble customs! Your actions have meaning only if they hold true to your ideals... Miluda and your old comrades would be disappointed with your current choice of actions. If you need someone else to fulfill your dreams, they lose their value, wouldn’t you agree?
  6. ^ Wiegraf: You don’t understand how hard it is to fulfill your ideal. Even if your ideal is great, it’s just a dream if you can’t fulfill it! So how can you fulfill it? You need power! That's the politics of the world! I can see it clearly now! You can’t fulfill your dreams without power! You say I’m a dog of the church! Go ahead!! I don’t care! You can despise me, but I’ll be laughing in the end. You’ll all submit to me!