APP
[ CHARACTER INFORMATION ]
Name: Kratos Aurion
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Canon: Tales of Symphonia
Timeline: Kratos will be taken 4000 years pre canon. The exact time point would be right after Mithos and the party had managed to get the leaders of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant to sign a peace treaty, thus bringing the 1000 year Kharlan War to an end. It would also be prior to Martel's death.
Character History: Wiki, Self-written pre-canon history
Character Personality:
Some people might say that there are brick walls out there which possess more of a personality than Kratos Aurion. They have good reason for claiming such a thing. Upon first becoming acquainted with Kratos, one would notice how indifferent he appears to be to everything. It is as though there is an eternal, somewhat irritating calmness about him. When he and whichever companion he happens to be with (Martel, Mithos, or Yuan) are in the Gaoracchia Forest, a monster attacks them. During those encounters, especially in the one with Yuan, he is extremely calm about the whole occurrence. Even entering the dangerous forest does not appear to bother him. Adding to his stoney disposition would be how straight to the point he is capable of being. As Mithos and Yuan are arguing if Martel is chosen to accompany Kratos, the former knight bluntly states for them to fight on their own time as he and Martel are going now. Prior to that when the party argues about who should go with Kratos, the man seems more irritated than anything and wishes for them to return to the topic at hand rather than argue about needless topics. Him being secretive is another less than charming aspect of his personality. Talking about himself and his feelings is something that he is hesitant, or perhaps, unaccustomed in doing. If Mithos is with him the forest, he asks Kratos about the incident with Soleille. The discomfort is practically visible on Kratos' face as he comments, “...oh, that.”. Even with his apprentice, it's obvious the former knight has difficulty sharing his thoughts on a personal matter such as that.
Adding insult to injury, he seems to be quite an intimidating man. Given that he had been both a knight and an aristocrat, the way he speaks and behaves is far more proper than most people, with his vocabulary even consisting of words such as sagacious. Previously having been in the knighthood, it is of little wonder that the man is very strategical. During the battle with the monster, the one giving out the orders is none other than Kratos. When they approach the split in the road, Mithos suggests that they split up, but it is Kratos who starts suggesting various strategies on how to go about it. Another trait which adds on to the intimidating aspect is how observant he is capable of being. Should it be Martel that Kratos chooses to accompany him, he comments that he chose her because it appeared as though she had wanted to tell him something for a while now. If it is Yuan that is picked, the blue-haired man and Mithos play a game of rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes where. Yuan wins, meaning he and Kratos are to go to the forest. Instantly, Yuan begins to complain about Mithos losing on purpose, to which Kratos comments, “So you noticed”. Finally, if he goes with Mithos, the two speak of Yuan's infatuation with Martel, both of them having caught it. On top of all that, as Yuan mentions, Kratos has a tendency to be apathetic towards other people. It's a trait that Yuan had hated him for and other people likely would've shared the sentiment. Though there isn't an actual example of this, Yuan does say that Kratos did not take any interest in the half-elf during battles.
Should someone judge Kratos' character by only those traits above, a brick wall really does seem more fascinating. However, all that is merely scratching the surface of who he is. In truth, Kratos is a truly good individual. Lloyd had to have gotten his kindness from somewhere, after all. Martel is the one who comments on how Kratos “always watches over someone just so, without saying anything, and sometimes reaches out a helping hand”. When two half-elves came into the Tethe'allan capital and proclaimed that Sylvarant was planning an attack, most normal citizens would've ignored those filthy creatures, but not Kratos. Not only did the knight listen to them, but he helped them gain an audience with the king despite their blood. This is also a major aspect to his character: the lack of discrimination against others. Half-elves have been prosecuted for over 900 years by this point. Even so, Kratos does not seem to possess that intense discrimination. Having barely known these two half-elves, he gave up everything for them: his knighthood, his nobility, and his lover. That goes into another part to Kratos. If he believes in something, he will sacrifice everything for that end. Soleille, the future queen and his former lover, had insulted Mithos and Martel. Despite their relationship, Kratos believed her words to be wrong and openly sided with the siblings instead of her. Needless to say, this brought their romance to an unpleasant end.
Kratos is someone willing to sacrifice himself for what he believes in. His happiness-- his well-being --it matters little. The well-being of others holds far more importance in his eyes. Serving others and helping them is what he lives for. Kratos mentions to Martel about being so awkward of a man that he needs someone to serve under, viewing Mithos as his new lord despite Mithos never holding him to his knightly contract. Over dependency on others would be a severe flaw of his. Kratos clings to Mithos, even referring to the boy as his New Hope, and this later leads to him blindly following Mithos' twisted ideals for 4000 years. This same dependency problem occurs twice more 4000 years later: first with Anna, then with Lloyd. One more flaw is that he does what he believes is right with little regard of the consequences for himself, yet another trait that seems to have been passed down to Lloyd. As mentioned before, his goal is to help others, doing so at the price of being branded a heretic when helping two half-elves. Unfortunately, as helpful as he is to others, Kratos rarely helps himself nor does he allow others to help him. Martel comments that perhaps Kratos is the one that needs someone to reach out and help him instead. This is a trait that he retains 4000 years into the future as well (i.e. gathering the Eternal Ring ingredients, helping Lloyd while not helping Lloyd, etc... and not caring that his own son believes that he is nothing more than a traitor).
All that said, one might be surprised by just how normal of a guy Kratos really is. He gets annoyed; he makes jokes; he doesn't know everything; and he can even be fatherly. If someone knows how to do it, annoying the man could be surprisingly easy of a feat. A prime example of this would be following Mithos' suggestion of them playing rock-paper-scissors. Yuan begins to say that it is a stupid idea when Martel happily comments on it sounding fun. In the blink of an eye, Yuan changes his tune. Kratos' response? Giving Yuan a cold stare. He hadn't been fond of the idea to begin with and Yuan being lovestruck to the point that rational thought failed him just furthered Kratos' irritation. Thankfully, Yuan's puppy love possessed some perks as well. Such as jokes. Oh, the jokes that could be made at Yuan's expense were priceless. Then again, making fun of Yuan period seems rather enjoyable. Yes, that's right. Kratos jokes around, amazing as the very thought may sound. Following Mithos calling Yuan an easy read, Yuan asks Kratos to back him up. To such a request, Kratos bluntly replies that there is no way he could do so. Laughter promptly erupts from Mithos while Yuan proceeds to sulk, which causes Kratos to smile slightly and comment to Mithos about not becoming that sort of man. If Yuan is the one to go with Kratos to the forest, he tells Kratos not to sound as though he doesn't want to go with him. With a slight smirk, the former knight replies that he thought that Yuan would prefer to be with Martel. Yuan immediately blushes and shouts, “Sh-shut up!”.
Just as amazing of a feat is that Kratos is capable of becoming angry. In the game when Lloyd gets thrown into Mithos' memories, he sees Mithos holding Martel's motionless body while Yuan and Kratos stand nearby. As Kratos speaks during that scene, him appearing angry would be putting it mildly. Some human had betrayed their trust all for mana. Even his calm demeanor could not hold up in such a situation. Another example of this would be just in the opening of the World United Arc of the anime (which actually depicts a number of scenes from the Kharlan War that correspond with the canon. These scenes are meant to show what happened in the past without wasting time in the actual episode by incorporating them. The scenes themselves are fairly obvious of what is being shown if one is familiar with Tales of Fandom 2). The scene is one that was mentioned in passing in Tales of Fandom 2, but not actually shown. It is when Kratos presents Martel and Mithos to the king, who ignores their pleas. To say that Kratos becomes angry would be an understatement. He was, simply put, completely pissed and not at all afraid to show this anger to a king and then proceed to storm out. Even more impressive is that this anger is over the king's treatment of half-elves, beings that are lower than dirt in most people's eyes. Whether it be courage or arrogance, or perhaps a mixture of both, Kratos definitely possesses that trait as well. What normal, fearful person would start shouting at a king after all? If the opening isn't a credible enough of a source in showing his anger, then a scene in the anime itself is. Just after Martel is fatally injured, Yuan is fighting off enemy soldiers and completely, though rightfully, enraged. Kratos comes into the scene and tells Yuan to calm down despite he himself being extremely worked up and just having killed two soldiers without any hint of hesitation. He might've told another to relax, but he was just as angry about the entire situation. Another quite human aspect of him is that, contrary to popular belief, he is not all-knowing. When with Yuan in the forest, they stumble upon the fandalia flowers and Kratos is unsure of whether or not these are the flowers so he suggests to take some with them so Martel and Mithos could make certain. Once again it is proven that he doesn't possess all the knowledge in the world when he cannot answer Mithos' anguished filled questions of where they should live and what they should do.
A major thing to him is, funnily enough, how fatherly he can be. Between all the teaching and all the guiding, it's almost impossible not to notice. The sword instruction that Mithos had received and taking on an apprentice period wasn't planned, but yet Kratos did not turn Mithos away. He is very kind to the boy in general. When Mithos is crying his eyes out over being discriminated over, Kratos softly tells him not to cry. The fatherly aspect goes even further when Martel asks Kratos to watch over Mithos. He tells her that, although his is a human and will die long before her brother, he will watch over him as a mentor. Then when he notices that something appears wrong with Martel, he immediately inquires about it. Later following Martel's collapse, they are unable to fly for fear of being spotted and he tells her to be strong. As surprising as it might seem, naivety is also a part of his personality. It is not a complete and total form such as Colette possesses, but rather something one has to look for in order to see. Leaving the capital to help two half-elves find a place to live regardless of the fact that they had been discriminated against for over 900 years, placing so much hope in a single child that it ends up being his undoing, wanting Mithos to deliver the flowers to the village with him since it might help the villagers see half-elves in a better light: all such naive ways of thinking. A trait like this isn't entirely a bad thing as it also makes him kind. With kindness also comes forgiveness. Mithos was concerned over having caused Kratos to lose everything. It had been because of them that Kratos became branded a heretic, after all. Even so, Kratos held no ill will towards either Mithos or Martel, then telling the former not to be upset over Soleille as he would not have traveled with them if it all hadn't happened. So many people would find such a man amazing. Kratos, however, sees himself as nothing too special. When conversing with Mithos about his former relationship with Soleille, he says that he had been nothing more than a knight while she was the lady he served. To be frank, he doesn't seem to think he holds much importance at all. When with Martel, she has to tell him that Mithos needs him as much as he needs the rest of them as Kratos appeared not to realize that himself.
Simply put, Kratos is an amazing but completely human man and is just a teeny bit more fascinating than that brick wall.
Character Abilities you would like to expand on further:
Having been a knight, it should come as no surprise that Kratos is skilled in combat. Kratos is very proficient with a sword. Swordsmanship aside, he is extremely good in reading a battle and organizing strategies. This would be due to him having been a high ranked official in the army and thus having to command a substantial number of people every day. As mentioned before, during the battle with the monster, it's Kratos that's barking out commands. That said, he is more of a follower rather than a leader. Being a mentor and a guide is another of his abilities. Among the party, Mithos is the leader of the group while Kratos is the one at his side that gives advice.
Character Weaknesses you would like to expand on further:
The greatest weakness that Kratos possesses would likely be his dependency issues. Though it has been expanded on earlier, it is worth mentioning again. Due to him having been so fixated on Mithos being his new hope and Kratos having so much faith in the boy, the man ends up living a life of hell for 4000 years. Should he become so dependent on someone at Soul Campaign, this could very easily be used against him and get him to go along with something that he otherwise never would.
[ SOUL CAMPAIGN SECTION ]
What abilities will your character retain in Soul Campaign?
- strategical skills
- skills with the sword
- general combat abilities (physical strength and fitness and all)
- good at reading people
- the ability to be as indifferent as a wall
What weaknesses will your character lose or gain in Soul Campaign?
- lose all artes
- lose the use of his angelic abilities (angelic attacks, heightened endurance and senses, not needing to sleep or eat, etc.)
The wish Death the Kid made to the BREW in 2009 was to “rescue Death City and stop the waves of Madness from overtaking the world.” By whatever means necessary. Pretend you are the BREW. Why would you choose to bring this character to Death City?
A former knight who had been one of four companions that not only managed to gain control of powerful beings known as Spirits but also managed to put an end to a millennium year old war? Why wouldn't BREW want him should be the question. It's clear that Kratos is both a skilled fighter and is obviously used to being involved in a war so he'd definitely be useful here in Death City.
[ WEAPON ONLY SECTION ]
Why is your character a Weapon and not a Meister?
Although Kratos might seem to be more suitable for a Meister role, being a weapon seems far more fitting for him. He is always there assisting someone when they need help. He was a teacher for both Mithos and Lloyd. Despite having been in the knights and holding a high position there, it was never him fully in charge while with either Mithos or Lloyd. Lloyd made most of the decisions during their travels, to which Kratos did not object to or try to persuade otherwise. With Mithos, the boy had been weaker than him and Kratos told Martel that he hoped that Mithos would surpass him one day. Simply put, Kratos is more of a guide rather than an actual leader. It's not to say that he can't take up the leadership role should it be necessary, but he is more often than not found assisting and guiding those that do hold the leadership position. As a weapon, he'd be able to guide his Meister in battle and offer techniques/strategies/general advice, but at the same time be able to tell them exactly what to do should they be unaware or should he have to take charge.
What is your character’s Weapon Form? Why?
Kratos' weapon form would be that of a sword from the game known as the Flamberge. It is a large, reddish blade that is said to be hot to the touch (or even hotter depending on the Tales of game one reads the description in). A picture of is it here. The reason that it'd be a good weapon for him, aside from this being his weapon in game, is that a sword form seems very fitting for Kratos. He teaches both Lloyd and Mithos swordsmanship and had been a knight in the Tethe'allan army so it would be beneficial to him and any future Meister if he were a sword. This way, Kratos could offer his full knowledge of the sword to them and help them master using him all the easier.
What is your character’s Weapon Ability?
When one uses Kratos, they will begin to feel more holy, or rather, gain some angelic abilities (these abilities being similar to those in his canon). At a basic level, even upon first using Kratos, the Meister will find themselves having backwings. They will not be normal, feathery wings, but instead resemble his own blue, mana wings. Their color/design will differ depending on who the Meister is but will be similar in appearance to one of these. The Meister will be unable to fly with the mana wings until their resonance with Kratos reaches around 50% perfection, but gliding with them before then is entirely possible. As the level of resonance between the Meister and Kratos increases from a basic level to around 25% perfection, the Meister will gain heightened senses. They will find themselves able to hear even slight noises several miles away and see things that normal human eyes would be unable to see. While this may be a good thing in some situations, it might be quite painful to a Meister at first due to being unused to these heightened senses.
Once the resonance is at 75%, the Meister will find themselves with heightened endurance. Even being in severe weather conditions (desert, snowstorm, etc...) will have a lesser of an effect on them. Of course, this does not mean they are completely impervious to the weather, but simply that they can last far longer in such situations than normal humans. This also pertains to battle and physical activities. What would once normally exhaust the Meister in a few minutes would now take a while longer. The need for sleep will also lessen. While the Meister would still require sleep, a night or two without it would not as negatively impact them as usual. Finally, once the resonance is at a perfect or near perfect level (~90%), the Meister would be able to perform an angelic attack with Kratos called Shining Bind. This attack can only be used once per day at first and twice per day as the Meister becomes more powerful with Kratos. When the Meister is in obvious trouble and on the losing end of the battle, a large light gathers under the Meister. Pillars of light (mixed in with white feathers) start slowly shooting up before the Meister rises up into the air just as many pillars of light start striking the opponent simultaneously. Here is a video of how it would look in action. If the resonance becomes perfect, they will be able to use this attack whenever in battle and not just in dire situations.
[ SOUL INFORMATION ]
Describe your character’s soul with six adjectives.
Knowledgeable, kind, intimidating, dependent, strong, observant
What does your character’s soul look like? Be creative.
His soul would be very fiery looking in appearance due to how red it is. The soul would have spiky hair just like Kratos does and it usually has that trademark eternal lineface as well.
[ SAMPLES ]
Provide a First Person style sample in the form of a post to the DEMISE network.
[As the communicator powers on, a somewhat intimidating man can be seen eying the device. It appears to be working as the manual depicted, gaining a look of approval from Kratos.]
Mithos, Martel, Yuan. [There is a brief pause before he adds.] ...And Noishe as well. Should any of you be here, contact me immediately. [A small sigh escapes him and he mutters something, more to himself than anything.] Though perhaps they had been fortunate in being spared involvement with another needless war. [The indifference on his face becomes a tad more sour. The Kharlan War had just ended and he had unwillingly been pulled into another conflict.]
[Kratos once again focused on the communicator.] I am Kratos Aurion, a-- [He pauses briefly. No longer did he hold the title of 'knight' and introducing himself as a 'former knight' would raise unnecessary questions.] new arrival. Although I've already been informed of the situation, there are a few questions I had forgotten to ask earlier.
First, how long has this war against the witches been going on? Second, how did this conflict come about? And finally, [His calm demeanor falters a bit, being replaced by uncertainty mixed with a hint of uneasiness.] does the sun always appear this strange?
Provide a Third Person sample set during the last minutes on their world and/or their first few moments in the Kishin Chamber.
The sun shining, the birds chirping, a pleasant chill in the air; it all seemed so picturesque. Most would think this were paradise, yet Kratos knew just how untrue that had been even weeks prior. The former knight strode somewhat aimlessly through the town, originally wanting to pick up some supplies since they were running low, but his thoughts drifting back to the turbulent, not-so-distant past transformed the short trip into a long walk. Not that this bothered Kratos. Quite the contrary, actually. He'd wished for a moment of solitude to gather his thoughts and this seemed the perfect opportunity.
Just recently there existed a millennium old conflict that nearly destroyed the world -- or worlds, at present. Bloodshed and battles occurred more often than peaceful days and casualties likely numbered into the millions by this age. Mana had been nearly completely exhausted as well. Truly, it had been a terrifying, seemingly endless war.
And yet, now it was over. They had ended it, Mithos, Martel, Yuan and himself. The Kharlan War was over. The Great Seed would germinate as soon as Derris Kharlan approached. The world would be saved.
While his expression remained unchanged, Kratos felt a small wave of relief mixed with disbelief at his thought. Everything felt so surreal. Peace after a thousand years of war, a thousand years of battles and casualties, a thousand years of hell... Growing up with war looming each day, fighting --killing-- in numerous battles as a knight, and now to no longer deal with it felt so strange, but nice.
He slowed his pace until it became a full a stop. Red eyes darted at all the happy citizens walking around, enjoying this new war-free life. Could this peace truly last? Naive as it might be, he hoped with his whole being that it would. Maybe it would. His lips twitched ever so slightly into a frown and he shut his eyes. No, whether it be at the hands of humans, half-elves, or elves, this peace would shatter once more one day. People, he knew, were foolish like that. However, as long as there existed someone like Mithos, this world would once again be saved no matter what conflict may come.
Mithos. Just the mere thought of the half-elf caused a rare smile to cross his face. How that child had grown over the course of their travels. From being a boy who simply wished to return to the village of his and his sister's birth to becoming a hero who made pacts with summon spirits and saved the world. No words could even begin to express how proud Kratos was of his student. Once again, the man began walking towards the shop, thoughts no longer being plagued by an uncertain future, but now being of Mithos, of the boy that he'd been right to call his 'New Hope'.