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aion teleos information post.
There are three traits that primarily define Gabranth’s character: his ruthless determination, his priority of honor above nearly all else, and his steadfast loyalty to and pursuit of the people and things that matter most to him. Together these traits make for a well-rounded primary antagonist, but they also tell the story of a broken man who is both chained to his past and driven to regain his honor at any cost.
Throughout Final Fantasy XII, he is shown to interact with most others in a stoic, calm, sometimes aloof and often calculating manner, whether it’s reporting to the Solidors, dismissing an unruly bangaa bounty hunter, or discussing the safety of his charge with fellow Judge Magister Drace. But his true colors show when he confronts his brother Basch, or even when the subject of him comes up in conversation. The grudge Gabranth holds against him for abandoning Landis is one he’s carried for years, and the depth of his hatred shows through in nearly every interaction he has with the player party, and even beyond that. In Basch’s flashback to the night of Raminas’s murder, when Gabranth looks down at him, seeing his twin brother for the first time in many years and in the act of framing him for regicide — essentially sentencing him to death — he regards him with a smirk on his face. Atop the Pharos, he tells him “When you abandoned home and kin, your name was forever stained with blood,” and even after being defeated there, he accuses him of “leav[ing his] debts unpaid”.
He is relentless in most everything he does, but this ruthlessness and drive is particularly evident when it comes to anything concerning Basch. In Gabranth’s mind, the only thing that could absolve Basch of his sins is his death, and he will stop at nothing to deliver it to him. He says this much to Emperor Gramis himself, and it also shows in his interactions with Basch in the latter parts of the game. After his defeat at the Pharos, he still doesn’t lay down his swords until Venat violently incapacitates him; when he later encounters them on the Sky Fortress Bahamut, even though he’s still disgraced and heavily wounded from their previous encounter, he picks a fight with Basch anyway and doesn’t give up until he can no longer stand.
For all his hatred and begrudging of his brother, though, Gabranth’s resentment does not lie wholly with him. Even years after the fact, and despite all that he has accomplished in his service to Archadia, he is still wracked with guilt over joining the empire that conquered his homeland. He feels as though his honor was lost the day Landis fell, and his dignity continues to be broken down throughout the course of FFXII, after Vayne forces him to kill Drace and Dr. Cid condemns him for breaking Larsa’s trust; even though both of these instances were only partially his own doing, he blames himself for both and slips deeper into self-loathing. He believes the only way he could possibly lay claim to honor once again and atone for his own misdeeds is by somehow avenging his fallen homeland, which becomes clear when he addresses Ashe at the Pharos: in provoking her to battle, he tells her “we cannot escape the past,” and asks if her subjugated kingdom and fallen subjects do not demand revenge.
The fact that no vengeance can change the events of the past is something that Gabranth cannot bring himself to recognize, whether he’s too stubborn for it or simply unwilling to admit that all he has struggled for in his quest for honor has been for naught. When he finally is forced to come to terms with that reality, he doesn’t accept it easily; for all the shame, humiliation, and despair he has inflicted upon his brother throughout the years, all in the name of punishing him for abandoning his family and home, Basch still manages to maintain his own honor and dignity, which both vexes and enrages Gabranth. At his lowest and weakest point, he confronts Basch on the Bahamut: “You failed Landis, you failed Dalmasca — all you were to protect, yet you still hold onto your honor! How?”
Of course, Basch’s answer — that he has kept his honor by protecting the princess Ashelia, as Gabranth protects his lord Larsa — isn’t something he easily accepts either. He has spent so many years blinded by his hatred, resentment, and self-loathing that he has somehow failed to recognize what truly renders him an honorable man: his steadfast dedication to the protection and welfare of Larsa Solidor.
While he is one to double-cross others without much second thought should his orders call for it — as evident in his framing of Basch, as well as his reporting on Vayne’s doings with Dr. Cid — when he is truly loyal to someone, he is loyal to the very end. After assuming his father’s throne, Vayne uses and orders Gabranth like his own personal hound, but it’s clear that Gabranth’s true loyalties lie instead with Vayne’s younger brother Larsa, and it is that true loyalty that stirs him to battle once more. Despite his resentment of the empire, and despite the wounds and shame he’s suffered from his defeat just minutes prior, he raises his sword once more in open defiance to Vayne for the sake of protecting Larsa and the future of Archadia. In doing so, he is shown to be willing to ultimately put the lives of those he values above himself and above his own pain, no matter what the cost, and in giving his life to do so, he finally manages to prove himself an honorable man.
❖ Background ❖
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❖ Abilities & Skills ❖
Of Gabranth's abilities, his most notable would be his prowess with battle and swordsmanship. The position of judge is inherently military in Archadian government, and so his ascension to the rank of Judge Magister was propelled by more than mere politicking. His favored weapon — a pair of large swords that can be joined at the pommel into a double-headed lance, both signature of and unique to each of the Judge Magisters — is further evidence of his martial prowess, as its apparent unwieldiness attests to his skill.
Nevertheless, his skill with the ins and outs of Archadian politics is not one to be considered lightly. Despite the disadvantages and discrimination he undoubtedly faced as a foreign Landisser in Archadian society, the fact that he was able to attain the lofty office of Judge Magister at such a relatively young age is another testament to such skill. His position as head of the Archadian military's Ninth Bureau, charged with all matters concerning intelligence and espionage, indicates that he is well-versed in the art of gathering information through any means necessary, particularly means that are underhanded and at times brutal, and dealing with it however he must. To this end, he is shown acting as a double agent on at least one occasion, as he secretly investigates Vayne Solidor's affairs by the emperor's will.
Where supernatural abilities are concerned, Gabranth is shown to use only a very limited amount of magicks (mostly curative and protective buffs), but he does have the ability to wield Mist, whether it's to empower his sword strikes (as indicated by the orange glow which surrounds his blades) or to unleash a more explosive attack. In his boss encounters, he is shown to have two such Mist-empowered attacks, called "Guilt" and "Innocence" respectively.
❖ Resources ❖
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❖ Permissions ❖
Backtagging: yes!
Threadhopping: please ask first (but I'll probably be ok with it!)
Offensive Subjects: sexual assault and all related topics thereof. if you feel this subject is unavoidable in your character's interaction with Gabranth, please contact me so we can work something out!
Death/Dissipation: maybe. let's talk about it first!
Physical Affection: yes (though he might not know what to do about it)!
Shipping/Sex: yes yes yes!!! again, let's talk about it!
Mental/Communion: ask first, please!
Offensive Subjects: see above!
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