FF12 Characters

Al-Cid Margrace Show Images: A leading member of the ruling Margrace family of Rozarria, Al-Cid also happens to be a smooth lady-killer with a heavy Spanish accent. He's constantly surrounded by fawning female retainers. His ham-it-up lines belie a cunning intellect and political savvy, and a genuine desire for peace and prosperity. He comes to Mt Bur-Omisace to meet Ashe and Larsa to plan a peace treaty, but the death of Emperor Gramis changes the tides. He has interest in going against both the Empire and the Resistance in their strong desire for war.
Amalia: See Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca.
Anastasis, Grand Kiltias Show Images: The spiritual leader of the Light of Kiltia, Anastasis dwells in Mt Bur-Omisace. He is a dreamer, and can see much while sleeping that many cannot while awake. He sends Ashe to the Stilshrine of Miriam to find the Sword of Kings, but while she's gone, he is killed in the Empire's brash attack on the holy mountain.
Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca, Princess [HERO] Show Images: Better known as Ashe, the heroine of FF12's story, Princess Ashe had her uncle Marquis Ondore announce her death of a broken heart after her husband, Rasler, and father, Raminas, were slain by the Archadian Empire. She is a fierce leader, even harder on herself than those she leads, and is cold to the point of solitude. She joins Vossler as part of the resistance against the Empire, going under the name Amalia, in her attack against the Royal Palace during Lord Vayne's fete. She is later captured by Archadia and put aboard the Dreadnought Leviathan. Eventually, she goes with Vaan and the others in her long quest to restore Dalmasca to its former honor. She is almost obsessed with nethicite, seeing its power as the best way to effect that restoration, but is conflicted about whether she wants to use it to actually destroy the Empire, her hatred of the Empire sometimes blinding her. Matters aren't made any better when she discovers that the Occuria are using her to effect their own views about how hume history should go. She eventually decides that using the nethicite is wrong, and destroys the Sun-Cryst, preferring to attack the Empire conventionally and overthrow it, with the help of Larsa, rather than destroy it.
Ba'Gamnan Show Images: A bangaa headhunter chasing after Balthier for the bounty. We first see him when the party is thrown into Nalbina Dungeons; later, Ba'Gamnan kidnaps Penelo and leaves a letter telling Balthier to come to Lhusu Mines to rescue her. Ba'Gamnan later (in a side quest) begins chasing after clan hunters. Montblanc and Monid, a bangaa Centurio clan member, set up a bogus mark in a far-out place (the Nam-Yensa Sandsea), intending Vaan and Balthier to take it, so that Ba'Gamnan will show up and be defeated - which inevitably happens. Voiced by Steven Blum.
CP: Being a bangaa headhunter, intent on capturing the sky pirate Balthier. Vicious and cruel, he will do anything to claim a bounty, not hesistating for a moment to dirty his own hands. Though Ba'Gamnan is guilty of more than enough to deserve a price on his own head, his unofficial role as Judge Gabranth's dark hand ensures his good name with the law. His three henchmen are, if anything, crueler and more lacking in mores than he, were that possible.
Balthier [HERO] Show Images: (Aliases: Balthier (NA), Balflear (JP)) Real name: Ffamran Bunansa. The self-proclaimed leading man of the story. Balthier is the closest thing to James Bond yet found in an RPG: suave, action-packed, carrying firearms, casually hanging out with scantily-clad women, and, of course, British. Balthier lives the good life as a carefree sky pirate and captain of the Strahl, searching for treasure wherever it takes him, with his viera sidekick Fran. In his journeys he meets up with Vaan and Ashe, and quite against his will finds himself caught up in the fray. Though one wouldn't call him kind (his act in demanding Ashe's wedding ring as payment for his services seems unnecessarily cruel), he doesn't leave his friends in the lurch. Of course he's got a tragic past: he's the son of Dr. Cid, whom he ran away from after Venat essentially drove Cid insane. He was apparently made a Judge at his father's behest, which illustrates just how crazy Cid must have been (it seems similar to Caligula making his horse a senator... in a certain light at least).
Basch fon Ronsenburg, Captain [HERO] Show Images: A serious and unemotional knight, privy to many terrors. Originally from Landis, he fled to Dalmasca after Landis's fall to the Archadian Empire. He was present at Rasler's death as a knight of Nabradia, then at King Raminas's death at Nalbina Fortress soon after. He was set up for the crime by his brother Gabranth. His guilt and execution were announced by Ondore, though Vayne quietly stayed it to life in solitary prison in the Nalbina Dungeon; Basch is meant to be a blackmail tool against Ondore if he should step out of line. He is rescued by Vaan and Ashe in their own escape attempt. Though both Vaan and Ashe initially blame him for the deaths of their brother and father, respectively, they eventually come to realize that he truly was innocent of his crimes. Basch devotes himself entirely to protecting Princess Ashe in her quest to restore Dalmasca, and grows weary of the fighting. He is a keen, cunning, and noble warrior, and after the game ends he becomes a Judge, taking over his brother's goal of protecting Lord Larsa.
Bergan, Judge Show Images: A cruel man, one of the heads of the Empire's army. Bergan packs his entire body with manufacted nethicite, giving him incredible physical strength, but also causing him to be manipulated by Venat. He leads the attack on Mt Bur-Omisace and fights the party when they return in an attempt to gain the Sword of Kings. He is killed in the attempt. Voiced by Gary Martin.
CP: Judge Magister of the Archadian Imperial Army, director of the 2nd Bureau. A warrior by training, he has a personal affinity for weapons and combat. His experience with warfare has positioned him as the Empire's preeminent Judge overseeing invasion and military envoys. A staunch supporter of Lord Vayne (also a believer in administration by force), he has dedicated his life to ensuring Vayne's aspirations come to fruition.
Cidolfus Demen Bunansa, Doctor [VILLAIN] Show Images: A departure for the series, this Dr. Cid is one of the main villains of the game. As usual, he is a technological genius, but here takes it way too far, largely deteriorating into insanity. Much of that is probably due to the influence of Venat, who is usually invisible, but Cid's maniacal laughter doesn't help much. The party first fights him at the top of his Draklor Laboratory, at which point he taunts them and tells them to go to Giruvegan. He next meets them at the top of the Pharos Lighthouse, where he sics Famfrit on them and then succeeds in energizing his ultimate creation, the Bahamut... and then dissolves into Mist. Whatever love he once had for his son Balthier dissipated soon after he first met Venat six years ago, and Balthier is left with only regret.
CP: Chief of the Draklor Laboratory, the top-secret weapons laboratory of the Archadian Empire. Full name: Cidolfus Demen Bunansa. Age: 58. Pursues a program for manufacting nethicite, a variety of magicite with the property of absorbing magickal energy. Friend to Vayne. Though their ages are different, they share many of the same ideals and beliefs.
Dalan Show Images: Known as Old Dalan to most, Dalan is an ancient living in Lowtown, brimming full of wisdom and anecdotes. He helps Vaan sneak into the Royal Palace during the fete for Consul Vayne. He also has some ties with the Resistance, as he sends Vaan on an errand to Vossler. Voiced by Dwight Schultz (same as Anastasis).
Drace, Judge Show Images: The only female Judge, Drace has no love for Vayne, whom she sees as ruthless and untrustworthy, and has high hopes for Larsa. When Vayne has Emperor Gramis killed, she accuses him of treason and draws her sword, an act for which Vayne sentences her to immediate death. Gabranth carries out the sentence with a heavy heart.
Elza Show Images: One of Reddas's three henchpersons, she is blindly loyal to him and has a sharp tongue.
Ffamran Bunansa: See Balthier.
Fran [HERO] Show Images: A viera typical of her species; she rebelled against the insular culture of the wood and left. (Judging from the number of viera outside Eruyt Village, those who left outnumber those still there.) She is tall, beautiful, and has what could be considered a provocative taste in clothes, especially from the back. (Though, again her sister vieras seem to share the same styles.) She doesn't speak much, but is full of wisdom and skill in all areas, from weapons to magick to airship engineering. She has a funny, hopping gait and a strange accent, where every consonant seems to be stressed (again, shared by other viera). She is sisters with Jote and Mjrn, and has latched onto Balthier as his sidekick in the sky pirate business. She has a rather subtle sense of humor.
Gabranth, Judge Show Images: Basch's twin brother, whose real name is Noah fon Ronsenberg, Gabranth became loyal to the Empire after the fall of Landis. He disguised himself as Basch in Nalbina Fortress two years ago and assassinated King Raminas, putting the blame on Basch. He later becomes a Judge, working first for Emperor Gramis, then Vayne. He is ruthless and does much of the Empire's dirty work, but after Gramis tells him to make sure that Larsa does not become as ruthless as he, he slowly begins to change. He is forced to kill Judge Drace, whom he feels a sort of kinship with, by Vayne. He hates himself for his loyalty to the ones who destroyed his homeland, and takes out his hatred on Basch when he meets him. Basch does not share his hatred, though, feeling only sadness. The party meets him first in the Nalbina Dungeons, fights him at the Pharos Lighthouse, then again in the Bahamut. Gabranth redeems himself at the end when he faces Lord Vayne in an attempt to protect Larsa, and makes Basch promise to take over his role of Larsa's protector. Voiced by Michael Rodgers.
CP: Being a member of the Order of Judges of the Imperial Archadian Ministry of Law, and Judge Magister of the 9th Bureau. The 9th Bureau, led by Gabranth, is primarily concerned with the gathering and dissemination of information. As a result, many of the bureau's activities are shrouded in secrecy. Gabranth, and his power, are respected by other Judge Magisters, and Emperor Gramis himself places great faith in this younger Judge.
Gerun Show Images: The King of the Occurians, Gerun and his people are ageless. They constantly manipulate hume society and politics to their liking, sometimes instigating the destruction of entire cultures to fit their idea of pruning the bush. Their main tool is nethicite garnered from the Sun-Cryst at the Pharos Lighthouse. They previously provided King Raithwall with three nethicite shards, and now profess interest in giving further shards to Ashe - for her to destroy the Empire with. Venat has rebelled against the Occuria, and is working with all his power to undo their plans. Voiced by Bernice Stegers.
Ghis, Judge Show Images: The commander of the Leviathan, Ghis was sent to Bhujerba to keep an eye on Larsa and Ondore. A nasty piece of work, snide and overbearing, Ghis has ambitions to the throne but plays his cards well. Ashe and party are eventually captured by Ondore and sent to the Leviathan, where Ghis taunts the party and fights them. He later shows up with his ship at the Tomb of Raithwall, where he takes the newly acquired Dawn Shard from them. Unable to contain his ambition, he orders tests done on the nethicite shard, which results in the explosion of the Leviathan. Voiced by Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox in the original broadcasts of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).
CP: Being one of the Judge Magisters of the Archadian Empire. Officiant of the 13th Bureau and commander of the Leviathan, the flagship of the 8th Fleet of the Western Armada, led by Lord Vayne. In addition to official duties as Judge, he also works in secret, carrying out tasks assigned him by Vayne personally.
Gramis Solidor, Emperor Show Images: The aged ruler of the Archadian Empire is practical but hardline, keeping with an expansionist doctrine and sometimes using excessive force to achieve this goal. However, he seems to regret his past actions, and strongly desires that Larsa not become as ruthless as the Empire has been, going so far as to adjure Gabranth to ensure this is so. At the end, he is put to the sword by his own son, Vayne.
Gregoroth, Chairman Show Images: The chairman of the Archadian Senate, and the pawn used by Vayne to assassinate Emperor Gramis. Whether he actually did the act or not is irrelevant; Vayne has him killed for it before he can protest.
Gurdy Show Images: The Moogle in charge of renting out Chocobos in various places, and apparently Montblanc's sister.
Havharo Show Images: The chief agent of Ondore's Resistance in Bhujerba; he and the entire resistance masquerade as guides to more easily keep an eye out. He takes Vaan into custody after Vaan goes all around town claiming to be Basch, and arranges a meeting with Ondore.
Jote Show Images: Fran's elder sister and the leader of Eruyt Village, Jote is fiercely dedicated to the insular policy of the village, and looks upon Fran as no longer a viera. Her stance softens slightly after the party rescues Mjrn.
Jules Show Images: A streetear in Old Archades who apparently is an old friend of Balthier's, and always has an eye out for the money. He helps the party get into Archades and then Draklor Laboratory. He trades in information, and is keenly interested in Balthier's doings as a profitable endeavour.
Kytes Show Images: A young child, one of Vaan's friends in Rabanastre and another orphan under Migelo's care. He hangs out with Vaan and does errands for Migelo, but tends to get distracted easily.
Lamont: See Larsa Ferrinas Solidor.
Larsa Ferrinas Solidor, Lord [GUEST] Show Images: Vayne's younger and more idealistic brother, Larsa is dedicated to a peace treaty between Dalmasca, Rozarria, and Archadia. Unfortunately, he wields little power in the Empire. He has much respect for his brother, verging on hero worship, but is quickly disillusioned by Vayne's increasingly harsh rule and his role in their father's death. Larsa joins the party as a guest twice during the game, first during their visit to Lhusu Mines, under the name Lamont, where he searches for manufacted nethicite to assuage his suspicions about the Empire's source for it. Next he comes with them to Mt Bur-Omisace in an attempt to plan a peace treaty. Vayne treats Larsa as a minor annoyance, but appears not to wish him any harm. He instructs Gabranth to protect Larsa, a task Gabranth passes on to Basch after his death and Larsa's appointment as the new Emperor at the end of the game.
Migelo Show Images: The bangaa proprietor of Migelo's Sundries in Rabanastre, he serves as a sort of father figure to Vaan, Penelo, Kytes, and apparently other orphans. He provides odd jobs for them to keep them solvent. A piercingly sharp businessman, he apparently has cornered most of the market on wine and food, landing an exclusive contract with the palace for the fete for Consul Vayne. A kind bangaa, but a tough disciplinarian.
Mjrn Show Images: Fran's younger sister. She leaves the woods and heads to Henne Mines to investigate the increased Empire activity, but soon is captured and subjected to the mist from manufacted nethicite. She is then taken over by Venat, after which the party finally catches up with her and breaks her of his control. She strongly disagrees with Jote's isolationist policy, and claims that the viera must take part in the fate of the hume world. However, Fran convinces her to stay in the wood; she believes that her own rebellious status should not be shared with her sister.
Montblanc Show Images: A young moogle, the head of Clan Centurio in Rabanastre. He founded the clan after his master was killed by the wyrm Yiazmat, and often has rewards for Vaan after difficult hunts and bosses. He has five siblings: Nono, Gurdy, Hurdy, Horne, and Sorbet (the last three are Moogling attendants in Rabanastre).
Nono Show Images: Montblanc's brother, the Strahl's mechanic.
Noah fon Ronsenberg: See Judge Gabranth.
Ondore, Marquis Halim IV Show Images: Ashe's uncle and the marquis of Bhujerba, Ondore is an older man, requiring a cane, who serves as the narrator for much of the game; we hear his memoirs read out by him at pivotal points in the plot. He has the unfortunate role of playing a gyroscope politically; though secretly part of the Resistance, he professes subservience to the Empire and allows them control of much of Bhujerba, biding his time. He even has Ashe captured by the Empire and thrown into the Dreadnought Leviathan to hide his true intentions, though he also arranges her rescue by Vossler. His desire to overthrow the Empire, oddly enough, is stronger than even Lady Ashe's, and she spends much of the later part of the game trying to preempt his aim to declare war on the Empire. He speaks with an odd Southeast Asian accent, as all Bhujerbans do.
Penelo [HERO] Show Images: An easygoing, energetic young girl and Vaan's childhood friend, she hangs out with Kytes and Vaan in Rabanastre, doing odd jobs for Migelo or anyone else who asks. She and Vaan seem to have more than a friendship, though we never see any overt romance in the game... unless we perhaps consider the fact that Penelo travels all across the country with Vaan for no other apparent reason. Then again, I suppose she has nothing else to do.
Raithwall, King Show Images: The unifier of the land 1100 years ago and the instigator of the Galtean Alliance. Raithwall was given the Sword of Kings and three nethicite shards (Dawn, Dusk, and Midlight) by the Occuria to carve an empire out of the warring countries. The alliance lasted 400 years before breaking up. Raithwall left the Dusk and Midlight Shards to his descendants, who later became Houses Dalmasca and Nabradia, and the Dawn Shard in his tomb. The Sword of Kings was installed in the Stilshrine of Miriam. Little else is known about him.
Raminas, King Show Images: The King of Dalmasca at its fall, Raminas announced a peace treaty (or, as Ondore puts it, terms for Dalmasca's surrender) with Archadia at Nalbina Fortress. However, Gabranth, ordered by Archadia, disguises himself as Basch and kills him before he can sign the treaty, allowing Archadia to take over Dalmasca by force. Ashe mourns for her father, and her husband Rasler, and swears revenge.
Rasler Helos Nabradia, Prince Show Images: Prince Rasler was married to Princess Ashe of Dalmasca up until the invasion of Nabudis by Archadia two years previously. Rasler went to the front lines and was slain by Archadian forces. However, his ghost appears to Ashe throughout the game in an attempt to get her to follow the Occurians' orders. It appears that the ghost is simply an illusion produced by the Occurians, however - either that, or death has so changed him he no longer maintains the same values he once did.
Raz Show Images: One of Reddas's three hench...things, Raz is a tiny man with a parrot on his shoulder who speaks with a low-class accent and claims to be able to take the measure of a man by smelling him.
Reddas [GUEST] Show Images: The Pirate King Reddas was previously a Judge in the Empire known as Zecht. He was the one responsible for using the Midlight Shard to destroy Nabudis. Ashamed at his folly, Reddas became a pirate of the sea and sky, eventually building up the port at Balfonheim to a true hub of commerce, and weeding out those pirates who gave the rest a bad name. He has both detractors and supporters in his doings. He first meets the party in the Draklor Laboratory, where he confronts Cid. He is against Ashe using the nethicite to restore Dalmasca, but goes along with her (joining the party as a guest) to the Pharos Lighthouse in any case, desiring to atone for his crimes. He succeeds by holding back the Sun-Cryst, allowing Ashe and the others to escape and giving his own life for theirs.
Reks Show Images: Vaan's brother, older than him by two years (he was 17 two years ago). A private in the Dalmascan Army, he was sent with Captain Basch to defend King Raminas at Nalbina Fortress two years ago. The player controls him during the introduction. He was killed by Gabranth disguised as Basch, and his death provides the major impetus for Vaan to aid Ashe throughout the game.
Rikken Show Images: The head of Reddas's three henchmen, he has the best brain on his shoulders and a propensity for racing. He also offers the Pylraster hunt.
Tomaj Show Images: The proprietor of the Sandsea, a pub in Rabanastre. Tomaj is also a member of Clan Centurio, and provides Vaan with an introduction to licenses and hunting marks.
Vaan [HERO] Show Images: In this game, you're Vaan and Vaan's you. Although he does have some stake in the story, for most of it he's more of an observer than anything else. Vaan is the brother of Reks, the soldier killed by Gabranth (disguised as Basch) two years previously. He lives as an orphan in Rabanastre, with Migelo as a sort of foster father for him and his friends, giving him odd jobs to do. He is a relatively simple, lively, friendly, sometimes clumsy seventeen-year-old, with absolutely no fashion sense (and an apparent aversion to washing his face). He loves adventure, dreaming to one day own his own airship and become a sky pirate. He has no love for the Empire, but his hatred of it isn't as great as one might think it'd be. He would like to see Dalmasca back in its glory, though, so he tags along with Ashe to protect her in her quest to get it done.
Vayne Solidor, Lord [VILLAIN] Show Images: A ruthlessly ambitious member of the ruling House of Archadia, Vayne got his way up first to the Dalmascan Consul and then to the throne by essentially killing all his older brothers and his father, though never in a way that would incriminate him. He is fairly pragmatic for a despot, and his true goal is shared with Cid: to shake off the chokehold of the Occuria on hume affairs. To that end he allies with Venat against Dalmasca and the Resistance. He endures his younger brother Larsa, whom he sees as insufferably optimistic. He's a fairly good actor, giving a speech in his inauguration as consul which seemed to go well (at least, most of the commoners seemed to want to give him a chance, rather than ripping him apart as they might be excused for wanting to do). At the very end, he merges with Venat and the Bahamut to form The Undying, the final boss of the game. He perhaps does not realize that by fighting against being a pawn of the Occuria, he unwittingly ended up being a pawn of Venat.
Venat [VILLAIN] Show Images: Venat is one of the Occuria, the ageless manipulators of humanity, who rebels against their control and avers that the humes should decide their own fates. To that end, he himself turns to manipulating particular humes (i.e. Cid and Vayne) to go against the Occuria's current goal of the destruction of the Empire (and, in particular, he schemes to get the humes to destroy the Sun-Cryst). He is the one who taught the secret of manufacting nethicite to Cid. Apparently he is able to control those who are subjected to manufacted nethicite, as are Mjrn and Judge Bergan. Only at the very end of the game does Venat do anything active: he merges with Vayne and the Bahamut to create the Undying, the final boss. (Although I use "he" to describe Venat, it's impossible to tell what, if any, gender he actually is.)
Vossler Azelas [GUEST] Show Images: An old friend of Basch's, Vossler was with him and Reks at the attack on Nalbina two years ago. After learning of the king's death, he immediately headed to Rabanastre to help Ashe escape. Since then, he heads the Resistance and protects Princess Ashe. He is suspicious of everyone, and quite difficult to get along with (rather like Ashe herself, in fact). He later rescues the party from the Dreadnought Leviathan at the behest of Marquis Ondore. He then catches up with them on the way to Raithwall's Tomb, but his true aim is to take the Dawn Shard and hand it over to the Empire in exchange for them allowing Ashe to take her throne. He gives the party over to Judge Ghis on the Shiva, but is defeated by them after their escape, and explodes with the rest of the ship.
Zargabaath, Judge Show Images: The commander of the Empire's 12th Fleet and the Alexander. A pragmatic man whose loyalty to the Empire sometimes preempts his conscience, but his conscience still remains. He supports Vayne in his bid for the throne. He tries to convince Vayne to pardon Judge Drace, but is unsuccessful, and is ashamed of his role in the attack on Mt. Bur-Omisace.
Zecht, Judge: See Reddas.