Vaan
"One of these days I’ll fly an airship of my own. I’ll be a sky pirate, free to go where I will."
Story
Vaan had a rough life. Growing up in Rabanastre, his parents were killed during a plague five years before the story's main events. Afterwards, his brother Reks took care of him, along with Penelo and her family.
During the Archadian occupation, Reks signed up as a Light Infantry soldier, and was sent into Nalbina Fortress, during the counter-attack led by the Insurgency. His squadron was led by Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg. Reks was fatally wounded by what appeared to be Basch during the counter-attack, forcing Vaan to take care of him thereafter in his final moments of life. All Reks could manage to say prior to his death was how Basch had betrayed them, leading Vaan to hate Basch.
Penelo's parents were also killed during a small scale raid of Rabanastre. As such, Vaan was forced to live in Lowtown with Penelo. He dreamed of becoming a sky pirate, while slaying rats in the Garamsythe Waterway as training. Because of this, Vaan gained the nickname "Vaan Ratsbane" from Old Dalan.
When Vayne Solidor was given the title of consul of Dalmasca, Vaan decided that it was the best time to sneak into the palace during a fete and steal things that once belonged to Dalmasca. During his raid, he found the Goddess' Magicite, and ran into sky pirates Balthier and Fran, who demanded that he hand over the object. However, Vaan refused, and managed to run from them when the attack on the palace began. However, he was cornered by Balthier and Fran outside, and when the Ifrit showed up, Balthier threw him over a ledge onto Fran's hovercraft.
When the hover crashed into the Garamsythe Waterway, Vaan was forced to join up with Balthier and Fran to escape. Eventually, they encountered the Resistance fighter Amalia and joined up with her, too. However, upon reaching the exit of the Waterway, they were surrounded by Vayne and a battalion of Archadian soldiers.
Imprisoned in the Nalbina Dungeon, Vaan got into a fight with three Seeq dungeon masters, and with the help of Balthier and Fran, managed to find an exit. At the exit, they found Captain Basch chained up. Upon hearing that Basch wanted freedom "for Dalmasca", Vaan snapped and started to scream at the chained man. His shouts attracted the guards, which in turn forced Fran to release Basch's cage. At the bottom of the pit, Vaan attempted to hurt Basch in a fit of rage, only to be stopped by Balthier.
Halfway through the Barheim Passage, Basch related his story to the others, about how it was really his twin brother, Noah fon Ronsenburg – better known as Judge Gabranth – who had killed Reks and King Raminas.
Back in Dalmasca, Vaan parted with the others to report his adventure to Old Dalan. Dalan was impressed, and gave Vaan a sword to deliver to a Resistance member, Vossler Azelas. At the Resistance base in Lowtown, Vaan found Vossler disrespecting the people who were at the Nalbina counter-attack, including Reks. Angered by this, he yelled out that Reks was no liar, which Basch – who had just walked into the room – agreed with, stating that Reks was the witness Archadia needed to make it appear that Basch had turned traitor.
After the meeting, Basch asked if he could go with Vaan, since he needed to find Balthier. On their way, Basch apologizes to Vaan – but Vaan said that he didn't need to, having let go of his hatred for the disgraced soldier, after realizing Reks' story of Basch's betrayal was part of Vayne's scheme. They found Balthier in the Sand Sea with a worried Migelo demanding that he look for Penelo, who had been kidnapped. Balthier reluctantly agreed to take Vaan to Bhujerba to help find her, since the kidnapping was part of a plan to lure him out.
At Bhujerba, the party meet Lamont, a well-spoken young Archadian boy, and went to the Lhusu Mines to free Penelo. There, they fought the Bangaa bounty hunter Ba'Gamnan, who had already let Penelo free. They also found out that Lamont was really Larsa Ferrinas Solidor, brother of Vayne, who later found Penelo outside the mines, and took her with him.
Onboard the Dreadnought Leviathan, they found Amalia ; who is revealed to be the Princess Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. While running to escape Vaan finally reunited with Penelo. He then traveled with the party for the rest of the story, generally staying in the background, giving advice and commenting on the things they saw. One thing of note was Vaan's shock when he discovered the long lifespan of the Viera, and he reacted with surprise, ending with him forgetting common etiquette and asking Fran her age.
Throughout the course of the adventure, Ashe sees visions of her dead love Rasler, and Vaan later tells her he can see the apparition, which appears as Reks to him. The two of them are the only ones capable of seeing the spirit, and keep the sighting secret between themselves. At the Sun-Cryst atop Ridorana, Gabranth arrives and announces himself as the murderer of King Raminas (and Reks), and encourages the party to take vengeance. However, Vaan overcomes his desire for revenge, he realizing that revenge is pointless, for it would not bring back the brother he had lost.
After the fall of the Sky Fortress Bahamut, Vaan finally gets his own airship and becomes a sky pirate with Penelo as his partner.
"One of these days I’ll fly an airship of my own. I’ll be a sky pirate, free to go where I will."
Story
Vaan had a rough life. Growing up in Rabanastre, his parents were killed during a plague five years before the story's main events. Afterwards, his brother Reks took care of him, along with Penelo and her family.
During the Archadian occupation, Reks signed up as a Light Infantry soldier, and was sent into Nalbina Fortress, during the counter-attack led by the Insurgency. His squadron was led by Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg. Reks was fatally wounded by what appeared to be Basch during the counter-attack, forcing Vaan to take care of him thereafter in his final moments of life. All Reks could manage to say prior to his death was how Basch had betrayed them, leading Vaan to hate Basch.
Penelo's parents were also killed during a small scale raid of Rabanastre. As such, Vaan was forced to live in Lowtown with Penelo. He dreamed of becoming a sky pirate, while slaying rats in the Garamsythe Waterway as training. Because of this, Vaan gained the nickname "Vaan Ratsbane" from Old Dalan.
When Vayne Solidor was given the title of consul of Dalmasca, Vaan decided that it was the best time to sneak into the palace during a fete and steal things that once belonged to Dalmasca. During his raid, he found the Goddess' Magicite, and ran into sky pirates Balthier and Fran, who demanded that he hand over the object. However, Vaan refused, and managed to run from them when the attack on the palace began. However, he was cornered by Balthier and Fran outside, and when the Ifrit showed up, Balthier threw him over a ledge onto Fran's hovercraft.
When the hover crashed into the Garamsythe Waterway, Vaan was forced to join up with Balthier and Fran to escape. Eventually, they encountered the Resistance fighter Amalia and joined up with her, too. However, upon reaching the exit of the Waterway, they were surrounded by Vayne and a battalion of Archadian soldiers.
Imprisoned in the Nalbina Dungeon, Vaan got into a fight with three Seeq dungeon masters, and with the help of Balthier and Fran, managed to find an exit. At the exit, they found Captain Basch chained up. Upon hearing that Basch wanted freedom "for Dalmasca", Vaan snapped and started to scream at the chained man. His shouts attracted the guards, which in turn forced Fran to release Basch's cage. At the bottom of the pit, Vaan attempted to hurt Basch in a fit of rage, only to be stopped by Balthier.
Halfway through the Barheim Passage, Basch related his story to the others, about how it was really his twin brother, Noah fon Ronsenburg – better known as Judge Gabranth – who had killed Reks and King Raminas.
Back in Dalmasca, Vaan parted with the others to report his adventure to Old Dalan. Dalan was impressed, and gave Vaan a sword to deliver to a Resistance member, Vossler Azelas. At the Resistance base in Lowtown, Vaan found Vossler disrespecting the people who were at the Nalbina counter-attack, including Reks. Angered by this, he yelled out that Reks was no liar, which Basch – who had just walked into the room – agreed with, stating that Reks was the witness Archadia needed to make it appear that Basch had turned traitor.
After the meeting, Basch asked if he could go with Vaan, since he needed to find Balthier. On their way, Basch apologizes to Vaan – but Vaan said that he didn't need to, having let go of his hatred for the disgraced soldier, after realizing Reks' story of Basch's betrayal was part of Vayne's scheme. They found Balthier in the Sand Sea with a worried Migelo demanding that he look for Penelo, who had been kidnapped. Balthier reluctantly agreed to take Vaan to Bhujerba to help find her, since the kidnapping was part of a plan to lure him out.
At Bhujerba, the party meet Lamont, a well-spoken young Archadian boy, and went to the Lhusu Mines to free Penelo. There, they fought the Bangaa bounty hunter Ba'Gamnan, who had already let Penelo free. They also found out that Lamont was really Larsa Ferrinas Solidor, brother of Vayne, who later found Penelo outside the mines, and took her with him.
Onboard the Dreadnought Leviathan, they found Amalia ; who is revealed to be the Princess Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. While running to escape Vaan finally reunited with Penelo. He then traveled with the party for the rest of the story, generally staying in the background, giving advice and commenting on the things they saw. One thing of note was Vaan's shock when he discovered the long lifespan of the Viera, and he reacted with surprise, ending with him forgetting common etiquette and asking Fran her age.
Throughout the course of the adventure, Ashe sees visions of her dead love Rasler, and Vaan later tells her he can see the apparition, which appears as Reks to him. The two of them are the only ones capable of seeing the spirit, and keep the sighting secret between themselves. At the Sun-Cryst atop Ridorana, Gabranth arrives and announces himself as the murderer of King Raminas (and Reks), and encourages the party to take vengeance. However, Vaan overcomes his desire for revenge, he realizing that revenge is pointless, for it would not bring back the brother he had lost.
After the fall of the Sky Fortress Bahamut, Vaan finally gets his own airship and becomes a sky pirate with Penelo as his partner.
