Post by Al-Cid, Rakesh, Paloma, Mateo on Nov 27, 2012 14:22:35 GMT -5
"I would lay down my life at a single word to be sure... but I harbor no maundering delusions of valiant grandeur."
—Al-Cid Margrace
Name: Al-Cid Margrace
Nicknames/Alias: ? ? ?
FF: FF12
Age: 29
Height/build: 6’ with a muscular build
DoB: Circa Old Valendian 677
Race: Hume
Weapon: Chaos Rifle, Outsider, Peacemaker, Silver Cannon, Long-barrel
Level: 35
Strength: 105
Physical: 50
Magical: 0
Agility: 55
Special Skill(s): Diplomacy and Flirting
Also...
Reconnaissance Skill(s):
Escort - Covers the Women, "I would lay down my life at a single word..."
Flourish - The more Women in his company, the better he does, "If it is a fight you want, you shall have it..."
Fawn - Grants Regen and Astra upon the Women, "A rose on the battlefield is a thing of beauty, no?" (Astra is a Veil/Resist that protects the Women from falling under certain Doom)
Enchant - Charms a foe or raises an ally’s attack and magic, "Lend me your strength, my lady."
Interrogate - Shows a target’s treasure, items, and gill. Also reveals invisible enemies and traps, "What do my little birds have to say?"
Succor - Restore HP and removes debuffs, "A moment's rest for the weary."
Impassion - Grants Berserk to an ally and raises Critical Hit chance, "It's all in the wrist."
Reckless Abandon - Damage and lowers target’s Speed, "Time to take off the proverbial gloves."
Magic: None
Summon: None
Appearance: Al-Cid is a tall, dark, and handsome with hair on his chest and a smooth-talking swagger that shows he is a romantic man who knows his way around the fairer sex. His sense of attire, though functionally practical in design, and muted in color, can carry a touch of eccentricity through his penchant toward wearing an open collar, pinstripes, sunglasses, and the odd accessory. His armor tends to be leather made, to better facility the ease of flexibility and quiet movement.
Personality: A man who prefers to make love (with the women), not war.
A first glance, Al-Cid may come across as a poetic, somewhat hedonistic, melodramatic, dandy who is quite the chivalrous womanizer, and who is often seen in the company of a beautiful female maids (who may or may not be counted among his little birds).
Although refined in some manners, his speech toward other men--especially rulers, or those who would be--is that of a casual confidence. To would-be emperors and queens, he speaks to them as though he is their equal, and maybe he is. Even if it is something not always appreciated by others, his sense of humor can be both teasing and brazen.
But do not let his lascivious demeanor fool, he is a man well informed and a shrewd diplomat. Intelligent, cunning, politically savvy--he is the administrator of Rozarria's spy network. It is through these little birds that he keeps up-to-date about the ongoings of the world. He carries a genuine desire to maintain Rozarria's prosperity through peaceful relations with other empires and nations. In order to seek such peace and prosperity, he will go to great lengths, if needed; even if he has to take matters into his own hands and go behind his family’s back for clandestine meetings with others of like mind. Despite being a leading member of Rozarria's ruling family, he is humble in attitude about his position--often dismissing himself as being just “one of very, very many."
History:
"One of the Margrace family who controls Rozarria. Masters of espionage who travel the world in search of information. They are well known for keeping a woman, or several, in every port."
—Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Before Merge...
Al-Cid is a member (albeit, one of very, very many) of the Noble House Margrace, rulers of the Rozarrian Empire. He is first encountered at Mt. Bur-Omisace, where he came to meet with Larsa, to ask his assistance in preventing a war between Arcadia and Rozarria. He also informs Larsa of Emperor Gramis’s assassination, which changed their plans for pursuing peace. When an attack is set upon Mt. Bur-Omisace, and after Larsa departed with Judge Gabranth with the intention of trying to stop it, Al-Cid was forced to defend himself against the Judge Bergan’s troops. Meanwhile, the Gran Kiltias was murdered by the Judge. After the fight ends, and Bergan was defeated by Ashe’s party, Al-Cid offered that she return to Rozarria with him-she declined. Al-Cid then returned to Rozarria, planning to do what he can to prevent the oncoming war. He is seen later in Balfonheim, where he gives Ashe a warning that should war break out--with the Resistance and Rozarria against Archadia--the battleground would be Dalmasa. He invites Ashe to come visit her sometime in Rozarria, the Ambervale of Clan Margrace specifically, which she does shortly before the Revenant Wings.
Lastly, the Ambervale of Clan Margrace, the royal family's summer retreat, seems to be where Al-Cid likes to spend a great deal of his time. Negotiating. With women. Alone.
After Merge...
Al-Cid has been using his resources to gather information about the political makeup of the world, as the new empires, kingdoms, nations, and factions that exist within it.
He seeks, in part, to find out what happened to cause this Merge. Also, looking out for the welfare of Rozarria, and the desiring to aid in the stabilization of this New World’s political climate, and to attempt to prevent war from breaking out over territorial disputes, he has undergone negotiations with neighboring counties.
FACTS ABOUT ROZARRIA:
-Built up during Galtean Alliance
-One of Ivalice’s greatest Empires, second only to Arcadia.
-Military may come to aid of smaller nations, if a larger one threatens hostilities. IE Archadian expansion.
-No longer holds interest in territorial expansion.
-Military State, where the armed forces carry a large amount of political power.
-Army force that can equal Archadia.
-By urgence from the Margrace Imperial Family, the government is going under reformations to restrict the scope and authority of the military.
-On the Galtean Peninsula, around the Ogir-Tensa Sandsea, there are many abandoned oil rigs and tanks. Rozarria had aimed to prospect oil from this desert, but the sandstorms and Urtan-Tensa hindered progress. Oil drilling in this region was abandoned.
UNCONFIRMED RUMORS ON ROZARRIA (Gathered from various wikis across the web):
-Rozarria is a massive producer of agriculture, with many small farming villages. Grapes and olives are quite abundant, as well as citrus fruits, wheat, corn, and other foodstuffs.
-Culturally they are great lovers of music, poetry, and love heroic stories with a strong belief in chivalry.
-Capital is Rozara, a coastal city.
-The House Margrace cannot claim to trace their origins to the Dynast King, but they are still an old and proud family.
NOTES: For sake of RP, I'm going to make the assumption that Al-Cid is a prince of Rozarria, probably the son of their emperor, whom I'm going to assume is still living. Whether Al-Cid is just a prince, or a crowned price, remains yet to be determined... Either way, I'm going to assume the members of the Noble House Margrace get along much better than those did of House Solidor.
Also, Larsa introduced Al-Cid as a ruler of Rozarria, to which Al-Cid clarified that he is just one of very, very many [rulers]. Taking into consideration that Rozarria is an Empire, and that an Empire can be theorized of many smaller states or countries, it can be surmised that Al-Cid might be the ruler or prince of one of those states/countries.
Alternately, or more logically, the comment of Al-Cid being just one ruler among very, very many could be a reference to Rozarria's Military power. Being a Military State, it could mean that a large number of Rozarria’s administrative/political power may be held by the Military, rather than Imperial Family. Rozarria's Military seems to have its own power and influence, and can declare war even if those of the Margrace family are against it. Perhaps it is even a separate branch of their government. The Imperial family, although very influential, may not have executive power, but rather legislative. Executive power (possibly judiciary too) may be within the scope of the military, or under the direction of a leading general or prime minster of sorts. Hence House Margrace’s desire for governmental reformation in order to limit the power and scope of the Military.
Under this setup, it is possible that Al-Cid is heir to House Margrace, and may be next-in-line himself for emperor--explaining not only his attitudes toward both Ashe and Larsa, but also his lack of influence to stop a war on his own. If he is not heir-apparent himself, then he is the brother of the one who his.
Iffy on this, but I am considering the idea of him actually being the former heir-apparent, who passed on the position in order to pursue a humble lifestyle of espionage and intrigue.
Whatever the case, the House Margrace sounds like a fairly large family with a lot of members residing both in Rozarria and abroad (with possibly even more illegitimate ones at every port).
ADDENDUM: Looking at the style of clothing Al-Cid and his assistant wear, along with taking into consideration the Rozarrian oil rigs to be found in game, I might venture a guess that Rozarria's technology could be more industrial based with the type of technology that uses oil to run... Although drilling activities have been abandoned in the Galtean Peninsula, that doesn’t mean that it could have been abandoned altogether. Perhaps oil was sought elsewhere. With the coming of the merged world, there may be some interest in prospecting some of the new desserts that can now be accessed.
