Application for gargleblasted
OOC:
Name: Freshy
Are you over 16?: Yes!
Personal LJ: fresh_debonair
Email: fresh.debonair@gmail.com
Timezone: EST
Other contact: AIM- sleepingslaves
Characters already in the game: Tavros, Pip, Fugo, Holmes
How did you find us?: I don't even remember...it was so long ago
IC:
Character name: Basch fon Ronsenburg
Fandom: Final Fantasy XII
Timeline: Right after his twin brother Gabranth/Noah entrusts Larsa to him.
Age: 36!
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths:
Well. technically, Basch can use magic, also known as 'magick', in his world. However, he's not really a magick-oriented person, so his use of it would be limited to very basic things: Cure and Protect come to mind first, as well as very standard black magic (that I never used in-game with him anyway). Above anything else, Basch's strengths lie in his adept ability with a sword, which is less about magic and more about HARD TRAINING for more than half of his life. He also has an ability called 'Quickenings', but they mostly rely on the presence of 'Mist' power which wouldn't be available on the Thor-- so scrap that, he wouldn't be able to use his Quickenings in space.
How would they use their abilities?:
Basch is, first and foremost, a knight. He uses his strength and his swordsmanship to protect and fight for what he believes is right! So unless he really has a reason to, he won't take up arms. He may be an expert swordsman, but brute force isn't his solution to everything-- he only fights to maintain peace, which is what he really wants. If prompted, however, Basch would probably be willing to do some bodyguarding jobs, though he might not even have to use his sword for that purpose.
Appearance:
Basch is a 36 year old piece of PURE MAN. Admittedly, being cooped up in a birdcage for two years has made his strong frame a little skinnier, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't still wash your laundry on those abs of steel: I mean, just look at those arms, man. Standing at a fairly impressive 5'11'', his muscular build easily suggests his profession as a military man. He has semi-long, light blond hair that's always slicked back, facial hair in the same coloration, and blue eyes. He also has a prominent scar along and across his left brow.
His mode of dress is...admittedly a fairly ridiculous combination of knightly gear and informal dress. Characteristic of Dalmascan attire due to the desert environment, Basch is clad in gear that's heavy but still allows his skin to breathe: shorts with metal guards, a sleeveless vest and a light 'shirt' underneath, and sandals that cover the front of his legs but reveals the calves (this sounds so counter-intuitive). His excuse is that he wasn't given much of a choice-- it's an outfit that was literally thrown together last-minute, and it shows. His attire is a mishmash of things that might have worked cohesively in a better-thought-out wardrobe, but alas. He's a fighter, not a fashion model.
Not pictured: he has a SHITLOAD of scars on his back, and some behind his shoulders, from general battle-scars to being tortured in a cage for two years.
Background/Personality:
Basch's story really begins at the beginning of his conception-- born in 670 Old Valendia, in a small republic in the world of Ivalice known as the Republic of Landis, Basch was one of two sons born to a Landisian father and an Archadian mother. Not much of his early childhood is known, but it is implied that Basch and his younger twin brother, Noah fon Ronsenburg, lost their father fairly early on in their lives, leaving them to fend for themselves and their sickly mother as the men of the family. But even despite the absence of a father, Basch, Noah, and their mother lived a fairly peaceful life in the Republic.
However, in 687 Valendia, when Basch was still only 17, Landis was invaded by the Archadian Empire (his mother's homeland, ironically), whose main intent was to absorb the Republic's territory for its own. Landis stood no chance against Archadia, the strongest and most prominent force in all of Ivalice-- Landis' eventual defeat was inevitable and obvious despite the best efforts of its inhabitants, and no one was blind to this fact. Perhaps due to the inevitability of it all, Basch, at age 17, refused to allow the Empire to take possession of the only homeland he had, and resolved to flee Landis to escape to the Kingdom of Dalmasca. Basch's hope was that he would be able to gain enough power and training in Dalmasca as a Knight of the Order so that he could one day return to Landis and restore its previous peace. This decision, however, created a great rift in Basch's family: his twin brother, Noah, saw Basch's leaving as a sign of betrayal and abandonment, a treasonous act against Landis, against their sickly mother, and against himself. Noah denounced Basch, saying to him that if he left, he would never consider Basch his brother again, that he'd never forgive him. But even despite his brother's anger and despair, Basch left Landis to do what he believed would set things right.
However, while Basch was training in Dalmasca to become the Knight that he aspired to be, Landis fell completely to the hands of the Empire. There was no longer a homeland for Basch to restore, and Basch was left with painful memories concerning his brother and his mother, whom he assumed were either dead or forcefully assimilated into the Empire. With Landis gone, the only thing Basch could fight for was the country that had adopted him-- and fight for Dalmasca he did, with an unwavering resolve and loyalty that quickly won him his title as Captain. Basch dedicated himself to protecting the royal family of Dalmasca, including King Raminas and his only daughter, Princess Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca.
But of course, it wouldn't be a story if turmoil didn't follow peace. When Princess Ashelia came of age to be engaged, the plan was for her to be betrothed to Lord Rasler of the neighboring Kingdom of Nabradia. However, there were those in Nabradia that opposed this allegiance, believing that Nabradia was better in the hands of the Rozarrian Empire: an empire that was far more powerful than the Kingdom of Dalmasca, and therefore better equipped to fight against Archadia. This faction in Nabradia, known as the Neo-Rozarrians, plotted to kill King Raminas and pin the assassination on the Archadian empire. Then, they could absorb both Dalmasca and Nabradia into the Rozarrian empire in order to gain more manpower and territory to defy Archadia.
...This is starting to sound like a history lesson, but it's relevant! In short, two big superpowers didn't like each other, and two smaller kingdoms got caught up in their mess. Basch fits into all of this by being the one to stop King Raminas' assassination, solidifying himself as a true Knight of Dalmasca and gaining absolute trust in the eyes of both King Raminas and Princess Ashelia. As a devoted servant of Dalmasca, Basch became a hero in many peoples' eyes. He was a figure to be admired, a real paragon of loyalty to one's country.
And that's why his 'betrayal' in Valendia 704 was all the more shocking.
To give Basch's 'betrayal' more context, in the same year, there was an insurgence by the Neo-Rozarrian faction in Nabradia, in the Kingdom's capital of Nabudis. Archadia saw this as a chance to overtake Nabradia-- by the orders of Vayne Solidor, the son of the emperor of Archadia, the capital Nabudis was wiped out with one massive explosion of a magical power called Mist. Basically, Archadia destroyed Nabudis in one fell swoop, and everyone knew that at this rate, Dalmasca would be the next to fall. Basch and his troops, accompanied by Lord Rasler of the former Kingdom of Nabradia, retreated to Dalmasca's Nalbina fortress in order to fend off Archadian troops. A fierce battle ensued, but it was clear that the Archadian forces had the upper hand: Basch pushed for retreat and told Rasler as much, but upon his liege's insistence to hold out a little longer, there wasn't much Basch could do but protect Rasler's will.
Unfortunately, as they were finally retreating, Rasler was killed by an arrow that Basch couldn't defend him from. Nalbina fell, Basch brought a dead husband back to Princess Ashelia, aaaand everything was bad and nothing was good. The only potentially good prospect of the future was a peace treaty between Dalmasca and Archadia, which was, once again, ruined thanks to that wonderful Vayne Solidor leaking information about, "hey, we're going to assassinate your king!" Basch, being the ever-loyal servant of Dalmasca, gathered up his men to prevent the King's assassination with another Knight of the Order, his best bro Vossler Azelas. A young soldier named Reks accompanied them as well, determined to fight for his country and to defy the Empire: because seriously, Archadia, why you gotta rain on everyone's parade like that, bro.
And this is where, FINALLY, we get to the issue of Basch's betrayal. Instructing Reks and Vossler to stay behind and take care of the Archadian troops, Basch went ahead on his own to make sure that King Raminas was safe-- however! This was where he was overtaken by Archadian troops that had been waiting for him to appear, including...
...who else but his twin brother Noah, who had become a Judge of the Empire? Basch and Noah fought, Noah denouncing his old name and asserting himself as 'Gabranth' and eventually giving Basch the scar on his forehead that'd differentiate the two. After detaining Basch, Noah/Gabranth posed as his twin brother and killed King Raminas, waiting for Reks to arrive as the perfect witness to the King's assassination. Noah/Gabranth stabbed Reks, coldly telling him that King Raminas was a coward for trying to negotiate with Archadia. Reks didn't die, but he believed that Basch was responsible for the slaying of the king, and that was indeed what Basch was accused of.
Basch, his reputation now in the mud, was known as the 'King Slayer', condemned of high treason, sedition, and assassination. Dalmasca, now without a peace agreement to keep itself afloat, was overtaken by Archadia because of Basch's supposed actions-- it wasn't too surprising when Basch was sentenced to death for his actions, but what was more surprising was that, even despite the formal announcement of Basch's execution, he was still kept alive in top-secret for political purposes. FFXII: THE GAME OF POLITICS. This was also when it was announced that Princess Ashelia had committed suicide due to all this grief, but we the players know that this was totally not the case. BUT, MOVING ON.
In any case, the next 2 years of Basch's life was basically spent being starved and hanging from his wrists in a birdcage. He occasionally got visitations from Noah/Gabranth, but that consisted mostly of his twin going NEENER NEENER at him and occasionally torturing him, so that wasn't really. Fun at all. Basch's got the scars to prove it.
AND NOW THE GAME ACTUALLY STARTS.
I promise I'll make this more brief and relevant to JUST BASCH, even though, okay, that's admittedly kind of difficult...
ANYWAY. After dangling in a cage for 2 years in Nalbina Prison, one day, Basch finds his liberation when he meets a young hume (which is just terminology for 'human') named Vaan and a sky pirate hume-Viera (aka BUNNY PEOPLE) duo by the name of Balthier and Fran. The trio is surprised to find the notorious King-Slayer to be alive, but Vaan is less than pleased by the discovery: it turns out that Vaan is the younger brother of Reks, the young soldier that was branded a traitor along with Basch and eventually died of emotional and physical drain. Vaan blames Basch vehemently for taking Reks away, for the ruination of Dalmasca, and yells at Basch that everything is all Basch's fault. The commotion caused by Vaan's yelling alerts the guards, and Balthier and Fran decide to drop the suspended cage that Basch is trapped in down to a basement passage, to avoid further encounter by the enemy. The impact of the fall breaks Basch's cage, consequently freeing him from his bonds so that he can momentarily form an alliance with the trio to get out of the basement passage alive. This is also where Basch reveals the truth behind what happened and tells the trio that it wasn't him that killed the king-- Balthier believes Basch, but Vaan isn't convinced of it.
Eventually, the four of them escape the passage and return to Rabanastre, the Dalmascan capital that has remained occupied and controlled by Archadian forces even 2 years after the king-slaying incident. Fighting the Archadian control is the underground Resistance group, headed by Basch's old war buddy, Captain Vossler Azelas. Basch leaves Vaan, Balthier, and Fran to find Vossler and get filled in on the details, and also to inform them that the Empire has now detained a member of the Resistance: a woman by the name of 'Amalia'. GEE, I WONDER WHO THAT COULD BE. While Vossler is skeptical and unable to trust Basch (understandably), he entrusts a test of faith to Basch, to deliver a sword of the Old Order to the Marquis Ondore in the sky city Bhujerba. Since technically Basch is a dead man walking and should probably practice discretion due to his reputation, Basch decides to consult Balthier and Fran for transportation needs-- they're sky pirates with no particular allegiances, after all. Basch requests Vaan to lead him to the duo, where he also apologizes profusely for how the war has affected his and Reks' lives. Vaan accepts the apology, seeing that Basch isn't the sort of man to lie about what he talked about, and finally believes Basch's innocence. It also just happens that Vaan's childhood friend, Penelo, was captured and taken hostage in Bhujerba by a bounty-hunter called Ba'Gamnan, in order to lure out Balthier. So, being that they have a common destination, the four of them set out for the Sky City to do the things that are required of them.
THINGS HAPPEN HERE that I'll only put into bullet points because this is getting so long:
-Basch and gang meet a boy named Lamont who turns out to be Larsa Solidor, the younger brother of that wonderful Vayne Solidor that we mentioned earlier
-Penelo is now under Larsa's care in the Empire's Dreadnought Leviathan
-Basch manages to get a meeting with the Marquis thanks to Vaan running around Bhujerba yelling I AM CAPTAIN BASCH FON RONSENBURG OF DALMASCA. How this plan actually managed to work, nobody knows
In any event, Basch meets with the Marquis Ondore and requests his aid in finding the woman Amalia. Ondore's brilliant solution to this request is to get all of them arrested by the Empire's Judge Ghis so they can be hauled onto Leviathan, where Amalia is currently being detained. Basch OKs this plan despite everyone else being all HELL NO, and the party finds itself cuffed and brought in front of Ghis by the next day. This is where Basch has a tearful reunion with Princess Ashe, which consists of him getting promptly slapped across the face and basically being told to gtfo and diaf. After some 'negotiation', Basch and the others are taken away, only to be rescued by Vossler who'd boarded the Leviathan incognito under Ondore's support. All of them, Princess Ashe included, manage to leave Leviathan in one piece to speak to Ondore once again. Since Ashe had publicly been declared dead, much like Basch, she has nothing to prove her identity-- consequently, she decides to go find the 'Dawn Shard', a relic which had been passed down in the Dalmascan royal family for ages, which would prove her lineage beyond a doubt. Basch resolves to accompany her and protect her along the way.
Eventually they find the shard, but are all quickly recaptured by Judge Ghis and dragged back onto the Leviathan. It's revealed here that Vossler'd formed a pact with the Empire to let Ashe reclaim the Dalmascan throne in exchange for giving up the Dawn Shard (a relic that turns out to be something called 'Nethicite', which holds an insane amount of power). She'd still mostly be a puppet to Vayne and the Empire's whims, but Vossler believes this to be the only option left for the Resistance and for the future of Dalmasca. This course of action angers the ever-honorable Basch, who sees Vossler's actions as a complete breach of his and Ashe's trust. Basch and Vossler fight, while Ghis tests out the power of the Dawn Shard-- it turns out that the Dawn Shard is pretty much too powerful to be harnessed, much like the explosion of Mist that destroyed Nabudis. In short, Vossler falls, entrusting Ashe to Basch's care, and Leviathan explodes, since Ghis was stupid enough to test something as powerful as Nethicite on a floating ship. Figures.
The party escapes from the explosion and sets upon a journey to seek a means of restoring peace to Ivalice. Basch stays true to his promise and resolves to protect Ashe at any cost, also subtly telling her that perhaps peace can be obtained through a truce between Dalmasca and Archadia. The crux of this truce lies in Vayne Solidor's younger brother, Larsa Solidor, the second in line for the Archadian throne who also wishes for peace without bloodshed. Ashe is still unsure, however, and her unsurety is fueled even further when she learns of the fact that Vayne is using Nethicite (such as the Dawn Shard) as a murderous power in which to subjugate everything in Ivalice. The objective of the party switches from political negotiation to the eradication of Nethicite, and Basch tries to support a wavering Ashe between her desire to harness a power with which she could destroy the Empire with her resolve to eradicate something so destructive.
They eventually find themselves in the Ridorana Cataract, where one of the largest Nethicite fragments, the Sun Cryst, resides. Basch watches as Ashe struggles between taking the Cryst or destroying it, when Noah/Gabranth comes to intercept the group, attempting to fuel Ashe's feelings of anger and vengeance to spur her to use the Cryst for herself. He announces that it was indeed him that ruined her life and the life of Dalmascans, and that only vengeance can calm the cries of the dead-- he tells Ashe that she cannot protect anything, not even her kingdom. This is where Basch steps in and asserts that he'll protect both Ashe and Dalmasca, which is met with scorn from Noah/Gabranth: it confounds Noah that Basch would even deign to say that he'll protect anything, even after he'd been vilified by the very people he tried to serve, even after he failed to protect Landis, even after all the shame that's been attributed to his name. Basch says that he'll bear the shame proudly as long as he can fight for hope. The two fight, and Basch comes out on top.
However, due to other plotlines, the Sun-Cryst is activated by Vayne's faction and utilized to power Vayne's Sky Fortress Bahamut. All you need to know about this is that it is very bad.
The party trudges up on over to Bahamut, where, once again, you guessed it: they're intercepted by Noah/Gabranth, who still questions Basch's adherence to honor. Basch simply states that he's fought all this time to protect what he's sworn to protect, and questions Noah/Gabranth about what he's done, what he's been protecting all this time. Once again, they fight, and once Noah/Gabranth falls again, Basch finally calls his twin by his real name, asking Noah if he's done with his hatred, with his self-deprecation, and tells him to live.
FINALLY, everyone fights Vayne, Noah aids them only to be fatally wounded by Vayne. On his deathbed, Noah implores Basch to protect Larsa, Vayne's brother, for the good of the Empire and to make sure that civil war doesn't break out in Archadia. Basch obliges-- AND THEN IS SUDDENLY IN SPACE.
And now, onto Captain Honorable fon Protector's personality!
As it may very well be easy to tell, Basch is an upright, fiercely loyal, chivalrous, and selfless individual. Everything he does, he does for a higher purpose-- be it for the eventual salvation of Landis (which he failed at by his own admission), the protection of Dalmasca, or for the prospect of future peace. Time and time again, he proved himself to be incredibly loyal by placing himself in the frontline of battle, always fighting if there was a battle to be fought for the sake of his country: this is the reason why, despite his being a vagrant from a destroyed country, he was able to earn the title of Captain in the Dalmascan army. Extremely dedicated and devoted to his cause, Basch is a serious-minded warrior who has no qualms with bearing a dishonorable title if he has to. Idealistic to a fault and upstanding almost to an intimidating level, Basch is really an exemplary citizen.
However, Basch's upright demeanor can also be a bane upon himself and others, as was demonstrated in the case of his disagreement with his twin brother, Noah. Basch has a tendency to pursue great and sweeping virtues, virtues that normal people often don't dare to reach for, and place those higher virtues above more simple pleasures and simple moments of happiness. In reaching for peace on such a wide scale, sometimes Basch misses the things that are closest to him: the happiness of his family, of sacrificing the bigger picture in order to keep the people closest to him happy. Basch thought that leaving Landis would eventually allow him to make his family happy in the end, and while his intentions were nothing short of honorable, it left Noah in a state of unhappiness and despair, and understandably so. Not many people can hold themselves to Basch's standards of goodness, and Basch sometimes misses that, which may make him seem particularly strict, maybe even austere. For example, upon Vossler's betrayal, after Vossler entrusted Ashe to him in his last moments, Basch turned and left without another word, without a second glance back at his old friend. This demonstrates Basch's unflinching ability to keep on looking into the future, his adherence to higher ideals, and his almost merciless upkeeping of honor. While it may have been the kinder and more empathetic stance to offer Vossler a hand, Basch chooses not to do so to respect his friends' wishes and to continue to go on: an action that could undoubtedly seem cold to others but hinged entirely on Basch's propensity towards respect.
Really, Basch is like the sun, always lighting the proper path but blinding some in the process.
But that's not to say that Basch isn't a kind-hearted individual. Basch is a fighter, yes, but fighting isn't his only modus operandi-- if anything, Basch fights for peace, and desires a world without bloodshed more fervently than most. He's a humble man at heart, and is quick to apologize when he acknowledges his wrongdoings. When Vaan accuses him of killing Reks and Dalmasca, Basch bows his head and accepts Vaan's hatred and apologizes. Though Basch knows that the truth is more complicated, and though he says that "that was not the way of it", he accepts Vaan's anger upfront and isn't ashamed to show his remorse. This is a testament to Basch's humility and accepting nature, and shows how deeply sympathetic he is to the average citizen who gets caught up in wars that they have no business fighting. It's probably because of this chivalrous, soft-spoken nature that the younger members of the party (namely Vaan and Penelo) eventually see Basch as a pseudo-father figure: in the Japanese version, Penelo affectionately calls Basch 'Basch-ojisama', which roughly translates to 'Uncle Basch'.
In short, Basch is a reliable, selfless Knight who places others' needs above his own, which is why he bears shame without a hint of distaste or resentment. He's also incredibly serious-minded, which makes his attempts at humor almost surprising at times-- but he's mostly an affectionate kind of guy who cares about things a little too much for his own good. He is really a quintessential 'good guy who gets the short end of the stick a lot', but he still carries himself with poise. Basch is, in a word, a Knight, through and through.
Have you read up on how the game works?:
Yes indeed B) Guide plugin is FlamingFerret, and you can get cashmonies by doing missions, mooching, or stealing!
1st person sample:
[The video feed turns on, and at first, all you might be able to see is black. An erroneous feed? No, it's Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg trying to puzzle out how to use the Guide-- he's handled technology before, but only very simple things like microphones and voice enhancers, nothing of this sort.
He turns the Guide over in his hand, freeing the camera from getting just his palm. You now get a good look at the Captain in general with his swept-back blond hair, his brow furrowed in a contemplative lineface.
And instead of, you know, just starting to talk like that, he brings the Guide to his mouth, treating it like a voice recorder.]
Am I to blindly accept that Ivalice has fallen? An unlikely thing to believe-- what jest of fate would welcome peace, only to reduce it to naught?
[This would all be a touching speech if he weren't talking DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA and making everyone go deaf in the process. Basch is oblivious.]
My name is Basch fon Ronsenburg. I would be grateful for any information indicative of the purposes behind my summoning-- I cannot rest idle here. I've the future of my country to serve.
[A pause, and then:]
...If her Majesty is present, I would be most relieved to see her safe. The same goes for those by the name of Vaan, Penelo, Balthier, and Fran, as well as Lord Larsa of House Solidor.
[He presses the Guide to his lips, his eyes closing in contemplation (not that anyone can see it, since the Guide goes black under Basch's mouth), and then the feed switches off.]
3rd person sample:
King-slayer. Traitor. The dishonored knight. Two years had passed since the fall of Nalbina Fortress, two long years since the plot that had ended the reign of King Raminas and the independence of the Kingdom of Dalmasca. Basch hung in his cage, wrists shackled to the bars containing his regrets, his resolve, his shame-- less than a man, but more useful than a ghost. They had kept him alive in order to silence and put pressure on a neutral power, and Basch was reminded of it constantly, amidst spiteful jeers and bitter glares from his twin that had condemned him in the first place. What was left for Basch to fight for, anymore? Nothing, his captors whispered, though Basch was ill convinced of it, despite everything, despite his hopeless situation.
So it was the first whispers of the 'Insurgence' that had caught Basch's ear, the word mumbled amongst other prisoners when he wasn't confined in solitary (rare, but often enough). Murmured approval by Dalmascan inmates regarding the rise of the Insurgence and the efforts of the Resistance were what prompted Basch to hold his head up a bit higher, even when he found himself chained to his cage again, interrogated by stone-faced judges about his reason for living. Dalmasca was not dead: no, it was still alive in the hearts of the civilians, and as long as Basch knew that, he could continue to fight, to hold hope for his release.
And it was one day, as Basch listened to sounds of retreating armor in a bloody haze after a particularly brutal question-and-answer session, that he heard the name 'Amalia', casually dropped by one of his tormentors. Amalia, the female leader of the Resistance. The name had a familiar ring to it, and Basch almost instinctively knew that it was an alias.
Princess Ashelia lives.
The thought was like a fresh breeze, flowing between the bars of his prison to give him a renewed sense of being. She was alive. And if he could ever find a way to escape the basement hold of Nalbina prison, he would protect her, this time with his life.
Questions?: Not a one!
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Yessir!
Name: Freshy
Are you over 16?: Yes!
Personal LJ: fresh_debonair
Email: fresh.debonair@gmail.com
Timezone: EST
Other contact: AIM- sleepingslaves
Characters already in the game: Tavros, Pip, Fugo, Holmes
How did you find us?: I don't even remember...it was so long ago
IC:
Character name: Basch fon Ronsenburg
Fandom: Final Fantasy XII
Timeline: Right after his twin brother Gabranth/Noah entrusts Larsa to him.
Age: 36!
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths:
Well. technically, Basch can use magic, also known as 'magick', in his world. However, he's not really a magick-oriented person, so his use of it would be limited to very basic things: Cure and Protect come to mind first, as well as very standard black magic (that I never used in-game with him anyway). Above anything else, Basch's strengths lie in his adept ability with a sword, which is less about magic and more about HARD TRAINING for more than half of his life. He also has an ability called 'Quickenings', but they mostly rely on the presence of 'Mist' power which wouldn't be available on the Thor-- so scrap that, he wouldn't be able to use his Quickenings in space.
How would they use their abilities?:
Basch is, first and foremost, a knight. He uses his strength and his swordsmanship to protect and fight for what he believes is right! So unless he really has a reason to, he won't take up arms. He may be an expert swordsman, but brute force isn't his solution to everything-- he only fights to maintain peace, which is what he really wants. If prompted, however, Basch would probably be willing to do some bodyguarding jobs, though he might not even have to use his sword for that purpose.
Appearance:
Basch is a 36 year old piece of PURE MAN. Admittedly, being cooped up in a birdcage for two years has made his strong frame a little skinnier, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't still wash your laundry on those abs of steel: I mean, just look at those arms, man. Standing at a fairly impressive 5'11'', his muscular build easily suggests his profession as a military man. He has semi-long, light blond hair that's always slicked back, facial hair in the same coloration, and blue eyes. He also has a prominent scar along and across his left brow.
His mode of dress is...admittedly a fairly ridiculous combination of knightly gear and informal dress. Characteristic of Dalmascan attire due to the desert environment, Basch is clad in gear that's heavy but still allows his skin to breathe: shorts with metal guards, a sleeveless vest and a light 'shirt' underneath, and sandals that cover the front of his legs but reveals the calves (this sounds so counter-intuitive). His excuse is that he wasn't given much of a choice-- it's an outfit that was literally thrown together last-minute, and it shows. His attire is a mishmash of things that might have worked cohesively in a better-thought-out wardrobe, but alas. He's a fighter, not a fashion model.
Not pictured: he has a SHITLOAD of scars on his back, and some behind his shoulders, from general battle-scars to being tortured in a cage for two years.
Background/Personality:
Basch's story really begins at the beginning of his conception-- born in 670 Old Valendia, in a small republic in the world of Ivalice known as the Republic of Landis, Basch was one of two sons born to a Landisian father and an Archadian mother. Not much of his early childhood is known, but it is implied that Basch and his younger twin brother, Noah fon Ronsenburg, lost their father fairly early on in their lives, leaving them to fend for themselves and their sickly mother as the men of the family. But even despite the absence of a father, Basch, Noah, and their mother lived a fairly peaceful life in the Republic.
However, in 687 Valendia, when Basch was still only 17, Landis was invaded by the Archadian Empire (his mother's homeland, ironically), whose main intent was to absorb the Republic's territory for its own. Landis stood no chance against Archadia, the strongest and most prominent force in all of Ivalice-- Landis' eventual defeat was inevitable and obvious despite the best efforts of its inhabitants, and no one was blind to this fact. Perhaps due to the inevitability of it all, Basch, at age 17, refused to allow the Empire to take possession of the only homeland he had, and resolved to flee Landis to escape to the Kingdom of Dalmasca. Basch's hope was that he would be able to gain enough power and training in Dalmasca as a Knight of the Order so that he could one day return to Landis and restore its previous peace. This decision, however, created a great rift in Basch's family: his twin brother, Noah, saw Basch's leaving as a sign of betrayal and abandonment, a treasonous act against Landis, against their sickly mother, and against himself. Noah denounced Basch, saying to him that if he left, he would never consider Basch his brother again, that he'd never forgive him. But even despite his brother's anger and despair, Basch left Landis to do what he believed would set things right.
However, while Basch was training in Dalmasca to become the Knight that he aspired to be, Landis fell completely to the hands of the Empire. There was no longer a homeland for Basch to restore, and Basch was left with painful memories concerning his brother and his mother, whom he assumed were either dead or forcefully assimilated into the Empire. With Landis gone, the only thing Basch could fight for was the country that had adopted him-- and fight for Dalmasca he did, with an unwavering resolve and loyalty that quickly won him his title as Captain. Basch dedicated himself to protecting the royal family of Dalmasca, including King Raminas and his only daughter, Princess Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca.
But of course, it wouldn't be a story if turmoil didn't follow peace. When Princess Ashelia came of age to be engaged, the plan was for her to be betrothed to Lord Rasler of the neighboring Kingdom of Nabradia. However, there were those in Nabradia that opposed this allegiance, believing that Nabradia was better in the hands of the Rozarrian Empire: an empire that was far more powerful than the Kingdom of Dalmasca, and therefore better equipped to fight against Archadia. This faction in Nabradia, known as the Neo-Rozarrians, plotted to kill King Raminas and pin the assassination on the Archadian empire. Then, they could absorb both Dalmasca and Nabradia into the Rozarrian empire in order to gain more manpower and territory to defy Archadia.
...This is starting to sound like a history lesson, but it's relevant! In short, two big superpowers didn't like each other, and two smaller kingdoms got caught up in their mess. Basch fits into all of this by being the one to stop King Raminas' assassination, solidifying himself as a true Knight of Dalmasca and gaining absolute trust in the eyes of both King Raminas and Princess Ashelia. As a devoted servant of Dalmasca, Basch became a hero in many peoples' eyes. He was a figure to be admired, a real paragon of loyalty to one's country.
And that's why his 'betrayal' in Valendia 704 was all the more shocking.
To give Basch's 'betrayal' more context, in the same year, there was an insurgence by the Neo-Rozarrian faction in Nabradia, in the Kingdom's capital of Nabudis. Archadia saw this as a chance to overtake Nabradia-- by the orders of Vayne Solidor, the son of the emperor of Archadia, the capital Nabudis was wiped out with one massive explosion of a magical power called Mist. Basically, Archadia destroyed Nabudis in one fell swoop, and everyone knew that at this rate, Dalmasca would be the next to fall. Basch and his troops, accompanied by Lord Rasler of the former Kingdom of Nabradia, retreated to Dalmasca's Nalbina fortress in order to fend off Archadian troops. A fierce battle ensued, but it was clear that the Archadian forces had the upper hand: Basch pushed for retreat and told Rasler as much, but upon his liege's insistence to hold out a little longer, there wasn't much Basch could do but protect Rasler's will.
Unfortunately, as they were finally retreating, Rasler was killed by an arrow that Basch couldn't defend him from. Nalbina fell, Basch brought a dead husband back to Princess Ashelia, aaaand everything was bad and nothing was good. The only potentially good prospect of the future was a peace treaty between Dalmasca and Archadia, which was, once again, ruined thanks to that wonderful Vayne Solidor leaking information about, "hey, we're going to assassinate your king!" Basch, being the ever-loyal servant of Dalmasca, gathered up his men to prevent the King's assassination with another Knight of the Order, his best bro Vossler Azelas. A young soldier named Reks accompanied them as well, determined to fight for his country and to defy the Empire: because seriously, Archadia, why you gotta rain on everyone's parade like that, bro.
And this is where, FINALLY, we get to the issue of Basch's betrayal. Instructing Reks and Vossler to stay behind and take care of the Archadian troops, Basch went ahead on his own to make sure that King Raminas was safe-- however! This was where he was overtaken by Archadian troops that had been waiting for him to appear, including...
...who else but his twin brother Noah, who had become a Judge of the Empire? Basch and Noah fought, Noah denouncing his old name and asserting himself as 'Gabranth' and eventually giving Basch the scar on his forehead that'd differentiate the two. After detaining Basch, Noah/Gabranth posed as his twin brother and killed King Raminas, waiting for Reks to arrive as the perfect witness to the King's assassination. Noah/Gabranth stabbed Reks, coldly telling him that King Raminas was a coward for trying to negotiate with Archadia. Reks didn't die, but he believed that Basch was responsible for the slaying of the king, and that was indeed what Basch was accused of.
Basch, his reputation now in the mud, was known as the 'King Slayer', condemned of high treason, sedition, and assassination. Dalmasca, now without a peace agreement to keep itself afloat, was overtaken by Archadia because of Basch's supposed actions-- it wasn't too surprising when Basch was sentenced to death for his actions, but what was more surprising was that, even despite the formal announcement of Basch's execution, he was still kept alive in top-secret for political purposes. FFXII: THE GAME OF POLITICS. This was also when it was announced that Princess Ashelia had committed suicide due to all this grief, but we the players know that this was totally not the case. BUT, MOVING ON.
In any case, the next 2 years of Basch's life was basically spent being starved and hanging from his wrists in a birdcage. He occasionally got visitations from Noah/Gabranth, but that consisted mostly of his twin going NEENER NEENER at him and occasionally torturing him, so that wasn't really. Fun at all. Basch's got the scars to prove it.
AND NOW THE GAME ACTUALLY STARTS.
I promise I'll make this more brief and relevant to JUST BASCH, even though, okay, that's admittedly kind of difficult...
ANYWAY. After dangling in a cage for 2 years in Nalbina Prison, one day, Basch finds his liberation when he meets a young hume (which is just terminology for 'human') named Vaan and a sky pirate hume-Viera (aka BUNNY PEOPLE) duo by the name of Balthier and Fran. The trio is surprised to find the notorious King-Slayer to be alive, but Vaan is less than pleased by the discovery: it turns out that Vaan is the younger brother of Reks, the young soldier that was branded a traitor along with Basch and eventually died of emotional and physical drain. Vaan blames Basch vehemently for taking Reks away, for the ruination of Dalmasca, and yells at Basch that everything is all Basch's fault. The commotion caused by Vaan's yelling alerts the guards, and Balthier and Fran decide to drop the suspended cage that Basch is trapped in down to a basement passage, to avoid further encounter by the enemy. The impact of the fall breaks Basch's cage, consequently freeing him from his bonds so that he can momentarily form an alliance with the trio to get out of the basement passage alive. This is also where Basch reveals the truth behind what happened and tells the trio that it wasn't him that killed the king-- Balthier believes Basch, but Vaan isn't convinced of it.
Eventually, the four of them escape the passage and return to Rabanastre, the Dalmascan capital that has remained occupied and controlled by Archadian forces even 2 years after the king-slaying incident. Fighting the Archadian control is the underground Resistance group, headed by Basch's old war buddy, Captain Vossler Azelas. Basch leaves Vaan, Balthier, and Fran to find Vossler and get filled in on the details, and also to inform them that the Empire has now detained a member of the Resistance: a woman by the name of 'Amalia'. GEE, I WONDER WHO THAT COULD BE. While Vossler is skeptical and unable to trust Basch (understandably), he entrusts a test of faith to Basch, to deliver a sword of the Old Order to the Marquis Ondore in the sky city Bhujerba. Since technically Basch is a dead man walking and should probably practice discretion due to his reputation, Basch decides to consult Balthier and Fran for transportation needs-- they're sky pirates with no particular allegiances, after all. Basch requests Vaan to lead him to the duo, where he also apologizes profusely for how the war has affected his and Reks' lives. Vaan accepts the apology, seeing that Basch isn't the sort of man to lie about what he talked about, and finally believes Basch's innocence. It also just happens that Vaan's childhood friend, Penelo, was captured and taken hostage in Bhujerba by a bounty-hunter called Ba'Gamnan, in order to lure out Balthier. So, being that they have a common destination, the four of them set out for the Sky City to do the things that are required of them.
THINGS HAPPEN HERE that I'll only put into bullet points because this is getting so long:
-Basch and gang meet a boy named Lamont who turns out to be Larsa Solidor, the younger brother of that wonderful Vayne Solidor that we mentioned earlier
-Penelo is now under Larsa's care in the Empire's Dreadnought Leviathan
-Basch manages to get a meeting with the Marquis thanks to Vaan running around Bhujerba yelling I AM CAPTAIN BASCH FON RONSENBURG OF DALMASCA. How this plan actually managed to work, nobody knows
In any event, Basch meets with the Marquis Ondore and requests his aid in finding the woman Amalia. Ondore's brilliant solution to this request is to get all of them arrested by the Empire's Judge Ghis so they can be hauled onto Leviathan, where Amalia is currently being detained. Basch OKs this plan despite everyone else being all HELL NO, and the party finds itself cuffed and brought in front of Ghis by the next day. This is where Basch has a tearful reunion with Princess Ashe, which consists of him getting promptly slapped across the face and basically being told to gtfo and diaf. After some 'negotiation', Basch and the others are taken away, only to be rescued by Vossler who'd boarded the Leviathan incognito under Ondore's support. All of them, Princess Ashe included, manage to leave Leviathan in one piece to speak to Ondore once again. Since Ashe had publicly been declared dead, much like Basch, she has nothing to prove her identity-- consequently, she decides to go find the 'Dawn Shard', a relic which had been passed down in the Dalmascan royal family for ages, which would prove her lineage beyond a doubt. Basch resolves to accompany her and protect her along the way.
Eventually they find the shard, but are all quickly recaptured by Judge Ghis and dragged back onto the Leviathan. It's revealed here that Vossler'd formed a pact with the Empire to let Ashe reclaim the Dalmascan throne in exchange for giving up the Dawn Shard (a relic that turns out to be something called 'Nethicite', which holds an insane amount of power). She'd still mostly be a puppet to Vayne and the Empire's whims, but Vossler believes this to be the only option left for the Resistance and for the future of Dalmasca. This course of action angers the ever-honorable Basch, who sees Vossler's actions as a complete breach of his and Ashe's trust. Basch and Vossler fight, while Ghis tests out the power of the Dawn Shard-- it turns out that the Dawn Shard is pretty much too powerful to be harnessed, much like the explosion of Mist that destroyed Nabudis. In short, Vossler falls, entrusting Ashe to Basch's care, and Leviathan explodes, since Ghis was stupid enough to test something as powerful as Nethicite on a floating ship. Figures.
The party escapes from the explosion and sets upon a journey to seek a means of restoring peace to Ivalice. Basch stays true to his promise and resolves to protect Ashe at any cost, also subtly telling her that perhaps peace can be obtained through a truce between Dalmasca and Archadia. The crux of this truce lies in Vayne Solidor's younger brother, Larsa Solidor, the second in line for the Archadian throne who also wishes for peace without bloodshed. Ashe is still unsure, however, and her unsurety is fueled even further when she learns of the fact that Vayne is using Nethicite (such as the Dawn Shard) as a murderous power in which to subjugate everything in Ivalice. The objective of the party switches from political negotiation to the eradication of Nethicite, and Basch tries to support a wavering Ashe between her desire to harness a power with which she could destroy the Empire with her resolve to eradicate something so destructive.
They eventually find themselves in the Ridorana Cataract, where one of the largest Nethicite fragments, the Sun Cryst, resides. Basch watches as Ashe struggles between taking the Cryst or destroying it, when Noah/Gabranth comes to intercept the group, attempting to fuel Ashe's feelings of anger and vengeance to spur her to use the Cryst for herself. He announces that it was indeed him that ruined her life and the life of Dalmascans, and that only vengeance can calm the cries of the dead-- he tells Ashe that she cannot protect anything, not even her kingdom. This is where Basch steps in and asserts that he'll protect both Ashe and Dalmasca, which is met with scorn from Noah/Gabranth: it confounds Noah that Basch would even deign to say that he'll protect anything, even after he'd been vilified by the very people he tried to serve, even after he failed to protect Landis, even after all the shame that's been attributed to his name. Basch says that he'll bear the shame proudly as long as he can fight for hope. The two fight, and Basch comes out on top.
However, due to other plotlines, the Sun-Cryst is activated by Vayne's faction and utilized to power Vayne's Sky Fortress Bahamut. All you need to know about this is that it is very bad.
The party trudges up on over to Bahamut, where, once again, you guessed it: they're intercepted by Noah/Gabranth, who still questions Basch's adherence to honor. Basch simply states that he's fought all this time to protect what he's sworn to protect, and questions Noah/Gabranth about what he's done, what he's been protecting all this time. Once again, they fight, and once Noah/Gabranth falls again, Basch finally calls his twin by his real name, asking Noah if he's done with his hatred, with his self-deprecation, and tells him to live.
FINALLY, everyone fights Vayne, Noah aids them only to be fatally wounded by Vayne. On his deathbed, Noah implores Basch to protect Larsa, Vayne's brother, for the good of the Empire and to make sure that civil war doesn't break out in Archadia. Basch obliges-- AND THEN IS SUDDENLY IN SPACE.
And now, onto Captain Honorable fon Protector's personality!
As it may very well be easy to tell, Basch is an upright, fiercely loyal, chivalrous, and selfless individual. Everything he does, he does for a higher purpose-- be it for the eventual salvation of Landis (which he failed at by his own admission), the protection of Dalmasca, or for the prospect of future peace. Time and time again, he proved himself to be incredibly loyal by placing himself in the frontline of battle, always fighting if there was a battle to be fought for the sake of his country: this is the reason why, despite his being a vagrant from a destroyed country, he was able to earn the title of Captain in the Dalmascan army. Extremely dedicated and devoted to his cause, Basch is a serious-minded warrior who has no qualms with bearing a dishonorable title if he has to. Idealistic to a fault and upstanding almost to an intimidating level, Basch is really an exemplary citizen.
However, Basch's upright demeanor can also be a bane upon himself and others, as was demonstrated in the case of his disagreement with his twin brother, Noah. Basch has a tendency to pursue great and sweeping virtues, virtues that normal people often don't dare to reach for, and place those higher virtues above more simple pleasures and simple moments of happiness. In reaching for peace on such a wide scale, sometimes Basch misses the things that are closest to him: the happiness of his family, of sacrificing the bigger picture in order to keep the people closest to him happy. Basch thought that leaving Landis would eventually allow him to make his family happy in the end, and while his intentions were nothing short of honorable, it left Noah in a state of unhappiness and despair, and understandably so. Not many people can hold themselves to Basch's standards of goodness, and Basch sometimes misses that, which may make him seem particularly strict, maybe even austere. For example, upon Vossler's betrayal, after Vossler entrusted Ashe to him in his last moments, Basch turned and left without another word, without a second glance back at his old friend. This demonstrates Basch's unflinching ability to keep on looking into the future, his adherence to higher ideals, and his almost merciless upkeeping of honor. While it may have been the kinder and more empathetic stance to offer Vossler a hand, Basch chooses not to do so to respect his friends' wishes and to continue to go on: an action that could undoubtedly seem cold to others but hinged entirely on Basch's propensity towards respect.
Really, Basch is like the sun, always lighting the proper path but blinding some in the process.
But that's not to say that Basch isn't a kind-hearted individual. Basch is a fighter, yes, but fighting isn't his only modus operandi-- if anything, Basch fights for peace, and desires a world without bloodshed more fervently than most. He's a humble man at heart, and is quick to apologize when he acknowledges his wrongdoings. When Vaan accuses him of killing Reks and Dalmasca, Basch bows his head and accepts Vaan's hatred and apologizes. Though Basch knows that the truth is more complicated, and though he says that "that was not the way of it", he accepts Vaan's anger upfront and isn't ashamed to show his remorse. This is a testament to Basch's humility and accepting nature, and shows how deeply sympathetic he is to the average citizen who gets caught up in wars that they have no business fighting. It's probably because of this chivalrous, soft-spoken nature that the younger members of the party (namely Vaan and Penelo) eventually see Basch as a pseudo-father figure: in the Japanese version, Penelo affectionately calls Basch 'Basch-ojisama', which roughly translates to 'Uncle Basch'.
In short, Basch is a reliable, selfless Knight who places others' needs above his own, which is why he bears shame without a hint of distaste or resentment. He's also incredibly serious-minded, which makes his attempts at humor almost surprising at times-- but he's mostly an affectionate kind of guy who cares about things a little too much for his own good. He is really a quintessential 'good guy who gets the short end of the stick a lot', but he still carries himself with poise. Basch is, in a word, a Knight, through and through.
Have you read up on how the game works?:
Yes indeed B) Guide plugin is FlamingFerret, and you can get cashmonies by doing missions, mooching, or stealing!
1st person sample:
[The video feed turns on, and at first, all you might be able to see is black. An erroneous feed? No, it's Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg trying to puzzle out how to use the Guide-- he's handled technology before, but only very simple things like microphones and voice enhancers, nothing of this sort.
He turns the Guide over in his hand, freeing the camera from getting just his palm. You now get a good look at the Captain in general with his swept-back blond hair, his brow furrowed in a contemplative lineface.
And instead of, you know, just starting to talk like that, he brings the Guide to his mouth, treating it like a voice recorder.]
Am I to blindly accept that Ivalice has fallen? An unlikely thing to believe-- what jest of fate would welcome peace, only to reduce it to naught?
[This would all be a touching speech if he weren't talking DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA and making everyone go deaf in the process. Basch is oblivious.]
My name is Basch fon Ronsenburg. I would be grateful for any information indicative of the purposes behind my summoning-- I cannot rest idle here. I've the future of my country to serve.
[A pause, and then:]
...If her Majesty is present, I would be most relieved to see her safe. The same goes for those by the name of Vaan, Penelo, Balthier, and Fran, as well as Lord Larsa of House Solidor.
[He presses the Guide to his lips, his eyes closing in contemplation (not that anyone can see it, since the Guide goes black under Basch's mouth), and then the feed switches off.]
3rd person sample:
King-slayer. Traitor. The dishonored knight. Two years had passed since the fall of Nalbina Fortress, two long years since the plot that had ended the reign of King Raminas and the independence of the Kingdom of Dalmasca. Basch hung in his cage, wrists shackled to the bars containing his regrets, his resolve, his shame-- less than a man, but more useful than a ghost. They had kept him alive in order to silence and put pressure on a neutral power, and Basch was reminded of it constantly, amidst spiteful jeers and bitter glares from his twin that had condemned him in the first place. What was left for Basch to fight for, anymore? Nothing, his captors whispered, though Basch was ill convinced of it, despite everything, despite his hopeless situation.
So it was the first whispers of the 'Insurgence' that had caught Basch's ear, the word mumbled amongst other prisoners when he wasn't confined in solitary (rare, but often enough). Murmured approval by Dalmascan inmates regarding the rise of the Insurgence and the efforts of the Resistance were what prompted Basch to hold his head up a bit higher, even when he found himself chained to his cage again, interrogated by stone-faced judges about his reason for living. Dalmasca was not dead: no, it was still alive in the hearts of the civilians, and as long as Basch knew that, he could continue to fight, to hold hope for his release.
And it was one day, as Basch listened to sounds of retreating armor in a bloody haze after a particularly brutal question-and-answer session, that he heard the name 'Amalia', casually dropped by one of his tormentors. Amalia, the female leader of the Resistance. The name had a familiar ring to it, and Basch almost instinctively knew that it was an alias.
Princess Ashelia lives.
The thought was like a fresh breeze, flowing between the bars of his prison to give him a renewed sense of being. She was alive. And if he could ever find a way to escape the basement hold of Nalbina prison, he would protect her, this time with his life.
Questions?: Not a one!
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Yessir!