Tales of the Abyss

Synopsis

Luke fon Fabre, the spoiled son of a noble from the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lavaldear, has been confined inside his father's mansion ever since he was kidnapped seven years ago by a rival country, the Malkuth Empire. Now Luke's memory of the life he led before is missing, and a strange voice, which only he can hear, has been calling out to him ever since. One day while training with his mentor, Van Grants, a strange woman called Tear breaks into the mansion with the sole intent of taking Van's life. During the struggle Luke is transported far from home, along with Tear, and now that Luke has finally gained the freedom he's been dreaming of, what awaits him in the outside world will shatter everything he's ever known about himself.


Main Character

Asch

Age - 17
Weight - 69kg
Height - 171cm

Asch the Bloody is a God General of the Order of Lorelei. He can be arrogant and rebellious, and almost always seems angry.

He has a tremendous amount of pride and cares deeply for his country and the people around him. He is also an extremely talented cook.

Despite his smart and calculating exterior, Asch has moments of incredible goofiness. At one point he masquerades as Luke and is asked (by someone who had met Luke a few days previously) how his hair had changed from short to long in such a short time. Asch's improvised excuse was, "My hair grows fast."

Most of what Asch does is the "behind the scenes" work - though works towards the same goal as Luke and friends.
However, most of the time, he outright refuses to work with them. At the end of the game, he even fought Luke over who would fight Van.


Asch openly despises Luke as the person who replaced him. He hates how Luke considers himself (as the clone) to be the inferior one, as not only is he a copy of Asch (and Asch has a tremendous amount of pride) but he was the one who essentially usurped Asch's life with no effort whatsoever. He also considers them rivals in swordsmanship as they are both pupils of Van.

Although he thinks that Luke is supposed to be his replacement, and thus the same as him, there are many things in the game that say otherwise. Perhaps the most obvious of these is that Luke's hair is light at the ends, and Asch's is darker. Their clothing is also like this, with Luke's white and gold contrasting with Asch's black and silver. Yet another difference between them is that Luke is left handed, and Asch is right handed. Also, as Luke gradually changes throughout the game, Asch always stays the same.

Luke and Asch fought (due to Asch's stubbornness) at the end of the game to settle the issue over who the "real" Luke was. In the end, Luke did win, yet Asch still thought of Luke as his replica. One of his last actions was to take his name back as his own, as a small step in accepting Luke, and acknowledging that he wasn't inferior.

Upon his death, he gave Luke some of his power, allowing Luke to use second-order hyperresonance (and to fully control it at that). It gave Luke the power he needed to finally defeat Sync and Van. 

Ion

Hometown: Keterburg
Age: 14
Weight: 58 kg
Height: 166 cm
Occupation: Fon Master
Weapon: Staff

Fon Master Ion (導師イオン Doushi Ion?) or Ion (イオン Ion?) is the highest leader in the Order of Lorelei, a neutral theocracy currently trying to calm the power struggle between the Malkuth and Kimlasca kingdoms in Tales of the Abyss. He is the only one who can read the Closed Score and unlock Yulia's seals. It is unclear whether the Fon Master is born with this power or it is achieved with the title. He is calm in most situations, and can utilize Daathic Fonic Artes, though that can be exhausting.
Ion joins the party first at Cheagle Woods and on and off throughout the game. Although he is often featured in skits he never fights, presumably because of his weak condition. When Tear and Luke encounter him he nearly faints due to using his powers.

Personality
Ion is an optimistic and soft-spoken figure who tends to pick up on the best aspects of people's characters, even if their negative qualities are overwhelming. Despite being docile and physically weak, Ion is by no means a pushover. He tries his best to be a leader who wants to see peace in the world and exhibits a great deal of maturity. Ion refuses to be a puppet and creates a separate faction to oppose the strictly traditional Grand Maestro Mohs, the second in command of the Order.
Ion is worried about the state of the world and its obsession with the fulfillment of the Score. Unlike most members of the Order, he believes that the Score is but one of many possibilities that can occur.

It turns out that Ion is the seventh replica of the original Fon Master Ion. He was made along with 6 others and chosen because he had the best abilities out the replicas, and the other replicas were thrown alive in the Mount Zaleho volcano, as stated by Sync, another replica of the Fon Master. The original Fon Master Ion was very sick, so Van and Mohs made the replicas, but eventually the original died and the chosen replica became the Fon Master.



7th and final replica of the original Ion.

Ep.23: There's another replica of Ion made.

Guy Cecil (ガイ・セシル)

Age: 21
Weight: 79 kg
Height: 184 cm
Occupation: Servant
Weapon: Swords

A servant in Duke Fabre's mansion, also Luke's best friend. Guy's biggest quirk is his fear of women.

Relationship with Luke

Guy is Luke's best friend. Aside from Tear, Guy is usually the one Luke turns to for advice. In the beginning of the game, while Luke treats nearly everyone else with impatience or disdain, he does show a certain degree of respect for Guy. After the events of Akzeriuth, Guy is the only person in the party to willingly go back for Luke after leaving him in Yulia City following his loss of consciousness. Even after everyone else has shunned Luke for his ill treatment and refusal to take responsibility for his actions, Guy chose to believe in him and to help him change.

The two are shown to have a strong bond, and, while they tease each other at times, one will not hesitate to help the other if he is in trouble. Their close friendship also shows in that Luke cannot seem to hide anything from Guy, despite his best efforts to hide that his seventh fonons are deteriorating and that he expects to disappear as a result.

Personality

Guy is a kind and hard-working young man. He is also somewhat a charmer, and he seems to know exactly what to say, often resulting in women swooning over him, much to his dismay. He always seems to want to help those in trouble, regardless of gender, and even saves Anise from falling to her death during an earthquake, despite his gynophobia.

He also seems unable to refuse a request from anyone, and is often told by Emperor Peony to walk his pet rappigs (which he doesn't actually mind doing). When Princess Natalia orderes him to carry something in the Tower of Rem, at which point he was no longer a servant to house Fabre or even a citizen of Kimlasca, he does as she asks simply out of habit. Jade also tells Guy to explain many things to people, and, despite protesting this role, he never actually refuses to do so.

Jade Curtiss (ジェイド・カーティス)

Hometown: Keterburg
Age: 35
Weight: 74 kg / 163 lbs
Height: 186 cm / 6'1"
Weapon: Lances

Dr. Jade Balfour, more commonly known as Jade Curtiss or as Jade the Necromancer is a colonel serving in the Malkuth military and an exceptional wielder of Fonic Arts well known throughout Auldrant. He always seems to be smiling, or at least cheerful, regardless of the events taking place about him, giving little indication of his true thoughts on anything.

Jade is known as the father of Fomicry, the science of extracting data from an existing entity to produce a perfect copy known as a 'replica'. His first attempt was when his sister, Nephry, broke her favorite doll, at which point Jade created a replica to soothe her tears. He was nine at the time.

In his youth, he was, as described by his sister, a "devil" highly adept in casting Fonic Artes; his sister saw him as one who did not understand the significance of life or perhaps that anything but himself could be sentient -- and he, therefore, enjoyed killing monsters through Fonic artes even adults found difficult. Sometime after Luke's conversation with Nephry regarding her brother, Jade confesses to Luke that he still fails to understand what it means for someone to die.

He was, however, significantly changed by his teacher, Dr. Nebilim, a healer who commanded the Seventh Fonon, which Jade could not command himself. Though he had great respect for his teacher, Jade attempted to cast a spell using the seventh fonon, but instead unleashed a power beyond his control that resulted in the death of Nebilim.

As Nebelim lay dying, Jade extracted her data and created a replica of her, though rather than resurrecting his beloved teacher, he only succeeded in creating a monster which he found himself forced to destroy.

At some time after these painful events, Jade's talents in fonic artes and fomicry were recognized, and he was adopted into House Curtiss, a family of high position within the Malkuth military. Jade was eventually convinced to cease his endeavours with Fomicry by his close friend, Emperor Peony the Ninth, who spent his childhood years in Jade's hometown of Keterburg. It is also revealed that Jade forbade the practice of Fomicry on living organisms due to both ethical and technical issues arising from the subject.

Dist (also one of Nebilim's students), however, still didn't accept Nebilim's death. His dream was to see Jade return to normal, and help him resurrect her again. However, Jade had always refused, and often opted to make fun of Dist instead.

He introduces himself as "Colonel Jade Curtiss, Third Division, Malkuth Imperial Forces." He doesn't ever refer to himself as Jade the Necromancer (his given nickname that arose due to his habit of scavenging corpses after a battle), but acknowledges others when they call him the Necromancer.

Personality
Jade is at first mostly an enigma, his teasing smile always hiding his true thoughts. Often, when the actions of those around him are less than thought through, Jade uses sarcasm to show that he disapproves. Other than amusement, Jade rarely shows signs of any emotions at all, though occasionally they get out of his control. Deep inside, Jade feels guilty for all the people he has killed, especially Professor Neblim.

Abilities
Jade could be considered the strongest character in Tales of the Abyss, given all of his powerful Fonic artes. When Luke first encounters him, Jade is Level 45, with artes like Blessed Drops and Ground Dasher. Largo the Black Lion (a God-General), however, uses a fon slot seal to seal Jade's Fonic artes. Jade's Level is immediately dropped to 5 and he loses all his artes except Energy Blast and Sonic Spear. His increases in level, therefore, actually represent how much of the fon slot seal he has undone.

Through leveling up, Jade gains one high-tier Fonic arte for each element but light and darkness: the aforementioned Blessed Drops and Ground Dasher and Thunder Blade and Infernal Prison. Through sidequests, however, Jade can also learn Absolute, Prism Sword, and Meteor Storm. Also, each of Jade's high-tier Fonic artes invokes a fully charged Field of Fonons of its element after it is used. Each of Jade's four Strike artes--Sonic Spear, Thunder Lance, Impaling Heaven, and Soveregn Gale--is changed by a different element of FoF, meaning that Jade can use any fully charged FoF to change a Strike arte.

Tear Grants (ティア・グランツ)

Hometown: Yulia City
Age: 16
Weight: 50 kg
Height: 162 cm
Occupation: Order of Lorelei, Military Wing
Weapon: Staves

The Fende family was originally from the Island of Hod which was destroyed in the Hod War that left a large portion of the continent devastated by its effects. The island fell into the Qliphoth, taking both Tear's mother who was pregnant with her at the time and Van, her older brother, into the miasma-filled world under Auldrant's crust.

Raised by Van, the Commandant of the God-Generals, and her adopted grandfather, Mayor Teodoro of Yulia City. She quickly joined the Order of Lorelei when she was of age. She is a Locrian Sergeant in the Oracle Knights Intelligence Division, a section of the Oracle of Lorelei that presides over the Score.

Tear's detached demeanor came from her mentor, Legretta the Quick, Van's assistant and one of the Six God-Generals. To this day Tear considers Legretta the reason why she became so cold, concise and calculating - that and wanting Van's approval.

It has been said that Tear and her family are the descendents of Yulia, the original fonist who discovered the Seventh Fonon and as a result, Tear is able to use it. However, unlike those that are able to use the Seventh Fonon, she is currently the only one to date save for Yulia that is able to use the Grand Fonic Hymn, a compilation of seven Fonic hymns, that provide its recipient with increased statistics which makes them more or less invincible for a time.

At the start of the anime, Tear discovers that Van is determined to destroy the main world, and takes an assignment from Grand Maestro Mohs to locate the Seventh Fonstone in order to get to the Outer Lands. Along the way, she crosses through a portal and breaks into the Fabre manor where she finds Van, feigning as young Luke Fon Fabre's swordmaster and mentor, and proceeds to attack him but Luke steps in the way, blocking her assault. Without either Tear or Luke knowing that he possesses the power of the Seventh Fonon, a hyperresonance occurs between them and sends the two into the Malkuth Empire.

Once realizing that they're no longer in Baticul, Tear promises to get Luke back home and they set out not knowing that they are in enemy territory. Just as they make it out of Tataroo Valley and hitch a ride on a passing wagon, they see a Colonel Jade Curtiss' dreadnaught (whom they do not know at the time) chasing another coach across toward the Rotelo Bridge. The coach tosses out some explosive barrels which destroys their quickest way out, forcing Tear and Luke to take shelter in a nearby town known as Engeve, the main farming town of the Malkuth Empire. Once they pass the threshold of the city they find themselves drawn deeper into the plot that threatens to leave Auldrant in its wake.

Personality & Interests
Despite a usually cold demeanor, Tear actually loves anything cute and/or fluffy including Mieu, the bearer of the Sorcerer's Ring. Even in Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology, she thought Eugene Gallardo and Mormo were cute (much to their respective dismays).

She is modest about her own body and avoids revealing too much whenever possible. For instance when the Malkuth emperor, Peony IX, gives her a bikini that is too risque for her, she opts out for a rented one piece with a garter belt for her throwing daggers thus giving her the title Rental Beauty. She also gets angry when her body becomes a subject of jokes, for instance, in a skit where Anise Tatlin says she dreams of having grown-up body as well developed as Tear's, Luke blurts out that there's no way Anise could develop "melons" (breasts) as big as hers, and Tear gets embarrassed and immediately scolds the two, forgetting their current situation. Tear is also afraid of ghosts. For example, when the party was traveling in the mountains Jade remember the story of a ghost of the mountains and Tear walks away while trying to rushing th others but Luke asked if she was scared she immediately denies while blushing; causing them to laugh at her much to her chagrin.

Along with her interests is her romantic interest. Throughout the game, Tear develops feeling for the game's protagonist, Luke fon Fabre. The two have been together since the beginning of the game. Tear has shown that she has a soft spot for the red head when she taught him how to control his hyperressonance, and she has been the character that explains many things to Luke. She is the only one to stay behind with Luke in Yulia City when he is unconscious. Everyone in the group seems to notice Tear's feeling for Luke, except Luke himself. There have been many hints from the others to Luke that Tear likes him, but all of them seem to fly over Luke's head. The duo has been made fun of by the others in the group. There is a skit when the two are arguing, and Guy Cecil and Anise Tatlin tell the two to break up their "lover's quarrel," which they respond by blushing while they immediately deny it. In a scene in Nam Cobanda Isle, when the group meets another Ant Lion Man, the player is given a choice to say which character is most important to Luke. If the player picks Tear, Tear disappears and Luke starts to panic. When he meets up with her, Luke admits that he was worried about her. Tear blushes and asks if he really was which leads to Luke making up an excuse about why he was worried. This leads to Tear’s disappointment, and Luke calling himself an idiot. Yet, Luke does try to return the feelings. The night before the group’s final battle, Luke seems to attempt to tell Tear something important, but, in the end, is too nervous to say it. They both supported each other when the other was risking their life to save the world. Tear, however, was extremely upset when Luke decided that he would sacrifice himself the rid Auldrant of the miasma. At the very end of the game, after the battle with Van, each member of the party says something to Luke. Tear’s speech is begging Luke to come back after everything is over, and she ends her speech by whispering ‘I love you’ which Luke cannot hear.

Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear (ナタリア・ルズ・キムラスカ・ランバルディア)

Hometown: Baticul
Age: 18
Weight: 53 kg
Height: 168 cm
Occupation: Princess of Kimlasca
Weapon: Bow

Natalia is the princess of Kimlasca. She is engaged to Luke and has been ever since the two were children, although with Luke's memory loss he doesn't remember making a promise with Natalia, thus isn't very keen on the idea of marrying her. However, Natalia is very attached to him, and she continues to hope that Luke will remember their promise someday. Natalia is a trained archer and healer, both of which she excells at. Her main quirks are her terrible cooking and gullibility.

Personality
Although at first Natalia seems demanding and somewhat harsh, she cares deeply for her kingdom and her people, and is strongly devoted to them. Her promise with Asch to change her country so that "no one has to be poor" and that "war never happens" is just one example of her love for Kimlasca. She was sometimes among her people as well, rather than just hearing about them in her castle.
It is obvious that the people of Kimlasca love her very much in return. When Natalia and Luke are declared impostors and sentenced to death, the civilians aid their escape by standing in the way of their pursuers, putting their lives on the line. To the people of Baticul, all that mattered was that their dear princess, of royal blood or not, was safe.

Natalia is a strong leader and a passionate humanitarian. After the events of the Absorption Gate, she travels Auldrant to make sure the peace is kept between Malkuth and Kimlasca, and to help cities in need. For six months, she is hard at work trying to make Auldrant a better place.

During the party's trip to Mt. Roneal, it is shown that Natalia is rather fond of ghost stories, and was ecstatic at the chance to hear one from Jade Curtiss. Tear Grants did not share her excitement, and quickly cut Jade off.

It is later revealed that Largo is her real father. In episode 13, it is also revealed that her real name given by her parents is Meryl.

Anise Tatlin (アニス・タトリン)

Anise is a Fon Master Guardian from Daath. Her duty is to protect the Fon Master, Ion at all times.

Anise is good at deceiving others, especially Natalia, and she is also rather greedy with an intense love of money.

The stuffed doll, Tokunaga, that she keeps strapped to her back can grow to gargantuan size, and she fights while riding on its back. She hopes to marry rich, and ever since meeting Luke she has been plotting to become his future duchess.