Final Fantasy XII INFO

The death of Lord Rasler Helos Nabradia was but one of many tragedies to befall the Kingdom of Dalmasca.

The air of hope that had surrounded Her Royal Highness Princess Ashe's Wedding was now quite lost: Dalmasca had been set adrift, at the mercy of history's restless tides.

At this time, the great empires struggled for dominion over Ivalice: Archadia in the east, and Rozarria, the west. The invasion of the kingdom of Nabradia was Archadia's first step in its westward march.

With Lord Rasler's beloved homeland consumed by the hell-fires of war, it seemed clear that Archadia would soon mete out a like fate to Dalmasca. The fall of the fortress at Nalbina tolled the destruction of the greater part of Dalmasca's forces.

A counter-attack was mounted by the order of the Knights of Dalmasca, ever brave and faithful, but against the martial might of the Archadian armies, they stood little chance of victory.

Indeed, their defeat was to be absolute.

Soon thereafter, Archadia came forward offering terms of peace. Or, as one might rather put it, terms of Dalmasca's surrender.

Lord Raminas, King of Dalmasca--and my dear friend--had no choice but to accept these terms. It was, thus, only with reluctance that he set out for Nalbina fortress--now under Archadian occupation--to affix his seal to the Emperor's treaty of peace.

The King had scarce departed his royal city of Rabanastre when the remnants of the Order made their return. And not a moment too soon, for a terrible revelation awaited them.

The treaty would be signed with steel and writ in royal blood.

Memoirs of Mqs Halim Ondore IV, Chapter 12: Of the Fall of Kingdoms.

Vaan
Hume, 17 years old
A boy who sees freedom in the skies.
Living in the Rabanastre slums, Vaan maintains an air of hope even under the oppressive rule of the Empire. But he longs for more: a life without borders or authority. He dreams of becoming a sky pirate, free to go where he will.


Ashe
Hume, 19 years old
A princess who had lost everything.
The only child of King Raminas and sole heir to the Dalmascan throne, Ashe is believed dead following the invasion. She meets Vaan and the others under the most unlikely of circumstances.

Ashe knows all too well she lacks the power to right the wrongs committed against her and her kingdom, but she will not allow herself to admit defeat.


Penelo
Hume, 17 years old
Vaan's friend.
Like Vaan, Penelo calls Rabanastre's Lowtown home. She watches over Vaan, trying to keep him from getting into too much trouble.

Though she lost her family in the war with the Empire, Penelo is ever cheerful, making her way by doing odd jobs in and around the city.

She enjoys the lighter side of life, but Penelo is not altogether unfamiliar with battle. While she remains untested in a true fight, her brothers, who belonged to the Order, taught her the fundamentals of combat.

Penelo believes that in perseverance, there is hope.


Basch
Hume, 36 years old
A loyal knight branded as traitor.
A captain in the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca, Basch achieved renown as a gallant and brave hero credited with countless victories on the battlefield. He is a man of justice who cannot abide inequity.

Unlike the other captains, who are chosen from the aristocracy, Basch is of common blood and enjoys the love of the people, until he inexplicably murders the King on the eve of the treaty-signing with Archadia. He is led away in chains.

What could drive so loyal a man to slay his oathsworn liege?


Balthier
Hume, 22 years old
A dashing sky pirate.
He would describe himself as a noble thief, stealing only from those who deserve it. He goes where he pleases, swearing fealty to no one.

While roaming the skies of Ivalice with Fran, his Viera partner, he still makes time to charm the ladies with his silver tongue and put wrongs to right--grinning all the while.


Fran
Viera, age unknown
A master of weapons.
A viera warrior, Fran is as much at ease with a sword as she is her bare hands. Her proficiency with a blade is matched only by her skill with a wrench, as she also handles the maintenance of Balthier's airship, the Strahl.

The lifespan of the Viera is far greater than that of Humes, and many secrets lie hidden in her long history. Yet, the divide of race does nothing to diminish the bond of trust between her and Balthier.