Unfinished Application From The Dawn Age
Sep. 4th, 2010 11:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trustintruceCharacter name: Aslan Frings (formally Brigadier General Aslan Frings)
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Timeline: After reporting to Jade and the others about the replica army.
Age: Unknown. I'm guessing late twenties. (Cecille is supposedly 25 in-game.)
Abilities: I don't recall fonic artes ever being mentioned (but fontech weaponry is), so I'm going to assume that Frings isn't a fonist himself. However, he does carry a sword at his side, and will employ it when necessary. His style seems to differ from either the Albert or Sigmund styles (who am I kidding, he only slashes like...twice), so I'm going to assume he uses a type of swordsmanship taught by the Malkuth military - borrowing from training he might have received before entering the army. He uses both hands to strike downwards on an enemy and does not appear to wield a shield of any kind. As a general, Frings is expected to take responsibility for and give orders to his troops, and he does this well. He's even elevated to a position as commander-in-chief when Nordheim returns to give a report in Grand Chokmah.
How would they use their abilities?: To assist his emperor, his country, and his planet first and foremost. Frings isn't one to discriminate based on origins or alliances, and many times he's willing to overlook a person's shortcomings in order to do what he feels is right. Frings would not be above lending a hand to other refugees if he was able to do so. He'd also seek to avoid any needless conflict.
Appearance: Frings has tanned skin and light (white?) hair as is common within Malkuth. His eyes are a warm brown. (Although in some art - including the original reference art - they are an icy blue color, so, merf, take your pick I suppose? In the anime and on his game model they were brown, though!) He seems to be of average build, average stature (he's shorter than Jade), and is always seen wearing his military uniform. The military uniform of Malkuth is a medium blue color with white trim and brown accents (on the shoulder pads, belt, etc.) worn over a black shirt and roomy white pants. The boots alternate blue and brown and come up to about mid-calf height. The belt is worn loose. The front of the jacket has four gold buttons. Honestly the whole ensemble resembles a sailor suit. Frings seems to sport two different layers of gloves. As for his sword, he wears it to the left side, thus making him right-handed. It's in a matching blue sheath with a white emblem on it. The hilt of the sword is cup-shaped.
Here are reference pictures:
Background/Personality: Since Frings is a minor character, I'm going to have to delve into headcanon territory a bit. For everything that I can, I'll support it with quotes. And I'm going to skip a lot that doesn't directly involve him -- which is most of the game.
I will take a second to rehash a few things about Auldrant.
Brief History / Religion: First, the religion... Over 2,000 years ago a remarkable woman named Yulia Jue foretold the future of the planet and helped with countless other technological advancements. Because her prophecies always turned out true, and she had a rapport with the aggregate sentience of the seventh fonon aka magical sound particles aka the planet's memory (henceforth known as "Lorelei"), the details of her visions were inscribed on seven huge fonstones the size of mountains and suspended in the sky. But the fonstones broke up and fell back to the planet and countries fought wars over them. Those shaky relationships remain between the Malkuth Empire and the Kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear for various reasons. Because they foretold prosperity, Yulia's prophecies (known as the Score) were followed to the T, became the major religion of the world (centered in Daath which basically serves as a neutral state and keeps the two countries in line), and a huge pain in the rear for those pesky people who believed in free will and new world orders. Anyway, the people on Auldrant typically have their Score read to them on their birthday each year. It serves as a guideline for the coming year, sheds light on things to work towards, things that could happen... Some particularly bad cases consult scores daily (note: these are lesser scores besides just Yulia's Score). People seem to revere Yulia as a goddess, even though she was just a very smart human. They revere Lorelei, too, even though its existence hasn't been proven (it does exist!). I have yet to really figure out why they pray to Yulia and/or say Lorelei must have blessed them, but run with it. That's how it works.
Auldrant / Planet: The planet itself is also somewhat unique... Back in Yulia's day a poison known as miasma developed. In order to escape it, Yulia proposed that the planet's crust be raised far up into the air via the planet's vital points (huge fon slots aka the Sephiroth). These were controlled by Passage Rings. The raised land became known as the Outer Lands and the murky world beneath became the Qliphoth and was forgotten by all but the people who lived there keeping watch over the world and some religious figures on the surface.
Fonology / Magic System: Also about the world's "magic" - they're actually sound particles called fonons which exist in everything and can be utilized in machinery, weaponry, and within special people called fonists. Basically people possess smaller versions of the aforementioned fon slots in their bodies, can attract fonons, create a glyph and/or cast a spell and use fonic artes. Fonons are cycled throughout the planet through the two largest Sephiroth - the Absorption Gate and Radiation Gate, which hook up to the Planet Storm and travel around the planet in the Fon Belt (looks like the lovechild of Saturn's rings and the asteroid belt). Think of it as a fountain. Water gets pulled in, cycled though, pushed out, it flows around, gets pulled in again. Only replace water with fonons.
Malkuth / Grand Chokmah / The Military: As for Malkuth (this is Frings' country of residence), a big chunk of its territory belongs to small towns that harvest crops or natural resources. (St. Binah - herbs, Engeve - produce, Akzeriuth - mineral ore; Keterburg - casino, hotel,
Its capital is Grand Chokmah which is situated at the tip of a peninsula (it's actually built on the water) and surrounded on three sides by open ocean, the fourth by Theor Forest. High walls have been erected around the city, protecting it from naval attack. The walls themselves double as very pretty waterfalls and are raised during wartime, effectively creating an impenetrable fortress. As for Theor Forest, it's heavily guarded by soldiers and watcher wolves (yes, they're wolves with red spiky collars; I don't get it either but it's kind of cool - intruders approach, the wolves start growling and attack, and this alerts the soldiers). The military uniforms are a little less traditional for Malkuth than they are for Kimlasca. Most of the soldiers stationed in Theor Forest are armed with shields and clubs, while most that travel beyond the capital use swords. Both Kimlasca and Malkuth employ the use of landships (or land dreadnaughts). These serve as tanks/battleships and can carry a large number of soldiers a piece. (I think at half-capacity or less, the Tartarus had like 100-some people on board.)
Okay, onto Frings himself.
What we do know about Frings is that his mother passed away sometime prior to the start of the game. It's also implied that Frings comes from a wealthy family, so he may be a noble in his own right.
FRINGS: You're an intelligent young lady. Thank you all for your help.
ANISE: *Swoon* Did you hear that? Say, is General Frings rich?
JADE: Hmm, yes. I believe he's reasonably well off, though it seems you're a little late.
I am going to assume that he was born in and has lived out his life in Grand Chokmah's wealthier district. (In a nice house. Maybe his mother was a noblewoman and his father is a war veteran who has since been forced to retire from the Malkuth army due to injury.) Whatever the case, Frings seems to have grown up rather well and entered into the Malkuth army.
According to Wikipedia: 'Brigadier General is a senior rank in the Armed Forces. It is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. A Brigadier General is typically in command of a Brigade consisting of around 3,000 troops (three Battalions).' This would mean that his rank is below Jade, and it's supported by the fact that he goes to greet the party under orders/request of Jade and that he later gives his report to Jade. Or perhaps it's because Jade is the emperor's best friend and advisor.
I can't begin to guess how close Frings and Jade are, since Jade doesn't get particularly close to most people, but they seem to be on good (professional) terms, and I'll stretch a little to say that Frings respects him.
As for the emperor himself, he seems to call on Frings quite a bit when the general is available - sometimes to do such mundane things as tending to his rappigs [in the drama CDs]. Various media supports that he spends most of his time at the castle when he's not stationed elsewhere. Emperor Peony tends to name his pets after his friends and one is indeed named after Frings (Aslan).
Anyway, when the party finally makes its way to Grand Chokmah to see Emperor Peony and consult him about the sinking land around St. Binah, they are forced to
He is well-viewed in the capital. Two ladies in the inn comment that "Grand Chokmah is known for Emperor Peony and General Frings." Since they're talking about wanting to meet the emperor (basically fangirling him), I'm guessing there are a few womenfolk who admire Frings. (If you visit again later, the same woman wonders aloud if Frings fell into the Qliphoth.)
The party doesn't encounter Frings again until a war breaks out in the Rugnican Plains between Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and Malkuth. Because of what happened at Akzeriuth, Mohs was able to convince Kimlasca's king that Malkuth harvested ill intentions, and so Kimlasca declared war itself - naturally Malkuth could not stand around doing nothing and believed Kimlasca was using Akzeriuth as an excuse. After a visit to the Sephiroth at Shurrey Hill, the party splits up. Natalia and her group go to Kaitzur to propose a cease-fire, and Jade's group heads to Engeve to safety escort its residents away from the sinking land.
Natalia and co. speak with General Cecille in Kaitzur, and after a rather unhelpful conversation where Kimlasca's fears are made apparent, Natalia insists they travel across the battlefield to Chesedonia to talk with Count Almandine.
During their journey, Cecille and Frings both show up on different nights to ask after their safety and to try to convince them to turn back. Cecille eventually calls in a platoon to watch the group's back. Frings expresses his concern even though he's a Malkuth general, urging them to be careful and asking them not to blame his soldiers if they should attack. On the third night, Frings and Cecille show up at the same time. Though at first it seems the two will fight one another, this shifts quickly into surprise at the others' identity until Natalia and the others manage to calm them down. This is apparently the first time the enemy generals have met face-to-face. Frings explains that he has requested permission to allow Natalia's group to pass to Chesedonia, but it won't be possible as long as they're being followed by Kimlascan soldiers. Cecille seems outraged, and states that she's come to increase their guard. Natalia speaks up on Frings' behalf, and Frings promises to take his life should anything happen to the princess. Though Cecille hardly sees this as a fair trade, Natalia insists; the platoon is removed and the group makes it to Chesedonia. From there Mohs drops the "false princess" accusation, and the group continues to the Sephiroth in the Zao ruins to continue their work, this time carving in instructions to slowly lower the land around Chesedonia and the Rugnican Plains.
There is an optional sidequest that can be activated here, and it's all to do with General Frings and General Cecille.
During the Zao Ruins excursion, earthquakes begin occuring because the Sephiroth are becoming unstable and are reaching their maximum limit. Because the land has become collapsing, Commander Nordheim is unable to return to the battlefield (he'd gone to report at Grand Chokmah), and so Frings has been made temporary commander-in-chief. The war wages on for a while, despite the state of the land. Cecille tries to rescue one of her men, Private Hamilton who's caught in the collapsing landscape, but gets stuck in the fissure herself. It is Frings who saves both of them, despite the fact that they are enemy soldiers. They are escorted to Engeve as prisoners of war, though Frings apparently does little to limit their ability to move around the town as they please. Later on, one of Frings' men starts badmouthing Cecille and one of the prisoners, throws her rations in the dirt and tells her how she should be happy to eat scraps off the ground. Cecille is appauled by his behavior, and it seems a fight may break out.
However, Frings steps in, having the soldier taken away and personally apologizes to her for the man's rude behavior. They both seem embarrassed, but Cecille grudgingly accepts the apology before walking away.
Later Frings admits that Cecille isn't suited as a prisoner, and asks the group to speak with Count Almandine to negotiate a truce and a prisoner trade so that Cecille and the other Kimlascan soldiers might return to their company. Count Almandine agrees. When the group returns to Engeve to report this, the town is attacked by monsters and Frings and the others rush out to assist his soldiers. During the attack, a wolf lunges at Frings from behind, but Cecille intervenes, effectively saving his life and Frings is able to finish the beast off. She tells him they are now even. Frings gets upset and asks her why she put herself in danger for an enemy general, to which she responds about how foolish it was of him to do the very same thing! Frings responds that they're both foolish and from there the two become noticeably flustered.
Anyway, the exchange is finally made at the Kaitzur border during which Cecille starts to ask the group to come see her but is interrupted by orders from her superior. When the group goes to see what's up, Cecille presents them with a dagger to give to Frings - this symbolizes "cutting ties" -- in short, a breakup. The group reluctantly return to Engeve to give the item to Frings. He's just about to leave for Chesedonia, to discuss escorting the residents back to Engeve, when the group arrives. Rather than taking the obvious implications of the dagger, Frings asks the group to wait and writes a letter for them to deliver to Cecille.
Back in the Kaitzur Naval Base, Cecille reads the letter and then asks the party to fly her to Chesedonia in the Albiore. They ask if Frings requested that she meet him there, to which she says yes, and that she must refuse him in person.
Frings and Cecille meet up at Astor's Mansion in Chesedonia with the others in tow. Frings explains his plans to return the people of Engeve to their town, and, if things go smoothly, the people of St. Binah as well. He goes on to say there will be less pressure on Chesedonia if farming and trade can continue and that supplies could be sent to Kaitzur... (obviously a subtle cue) Jade catches on and the group leaves the two soldiers alone to discuss things. Anise and Luke eavesdrop.
Frings, on his previous birthday, had received a Score reading which stated that he would find his bride the following year, and he's convinced that the woman the Score referred to is none other than Cecille. Cecille says that she cannot accept, that she must first restore honor to House Cecille, and she cannot do that if she marries into Malkuth. She also alludes to her relations with Duke Fabre, though Frings admits that he had already heard such rumors. Frings tells her that, even if she doesn't return his feelings now, he'll wait for her feelings to change. He gives her a ring, which was a memento of his late mother. Cecille insists that she cannot accept such an important item, but Frings is adamant about giving it to her and leaves. Cecille asks the party to return the ring, which they very, very reluctantly do, though Frings, now in Kaitzur, refuses to take back. He asks them to return it to Cecille if they can. Luke gets down to business and admits this whole messenger thing is getting really annoying. When the group goes to Cecille with the ring, she explains that her Aunt Eugenie married into Malkuth and was accused of being a traitor to Kimlasca during the Hod War. She became a soldier to restore her family's honor. The group tries to convince her to take the ring, since Frings wanted her to have it, whether she returns his feelings or not. Cecille eventually admits that she doesn't dislike Frings, but cites her situation.
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The part where Cecille accepts Frings offer, the part where they make the marriage a symbol, and the wedding preparations are missing. WRITE THEM.
Natalia speaks to King Ingobert about the possibility of Frings and Cecille's marriage becoming a symbol of peace between the two countries, and he agrees to officially recognize the union. There is no set date for the ceremony, rather it is to be held after Cecille concludes her final mission at the Absorption Gate and formally retires from the Kimlascan military. In other words it won't be next week. Despite that, the family is already working on wedding preparations, including traditional clothes that are to be given to Frings.
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The next, and final, time we see Frings is after a strange encounter on the battlefield. In St. Binah, the Elder McGovern hurries over to the party to inform them that Frings has been injured and is already being transported back to Grand Chokmah. Luke offers to take Jade there in the Albiore, saying that they owe Frings for all his help evacuating St. Binah.
Frings comes from the healers to give his report to Jade and the others, turning down their offers for help because the healers had already told him it was too late. He describes the army as having Kimlascan banners and some of their weapons, but that most of the soldiers weren't well-equipped. He then requests that the party take him to the sanctuary, a request that Jade readily grants, since it's obvious Frings is dying. Guy and Luke carry him to the chapel between the two of them. There, Frings confides in them that the soldiers' eyes were lifeless, like they were the walking dead. He reflects on how frightening and how free a world without the Score is, and how he wishes he had more time. He asks Luke to do whatever he can to prevent another war from happening. On his knees, dying, he prays to Yulia to look over the world, and Cecille. Then he dies.
The sidequest continues, with the focus shifted to Cecille. She appears to take Frings' death very hard, and when she learns of the replica that looks like Frings, she journeys to the Tower of Rem. When speaking to the party, she admits that if she had known how things would turn out, she'd have gone to his side immediately and questions how she is supposed to live in a world without him. Guy and the others tell her of Frings' dying words and his (and their) wish that she find happiness. They return her to Baticul.
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Personality-wise, As may be hoped of a soldier, Frings manages to stay fairly calm, serious and focused, despite the changes going on around him as the land is lowered into the Qliphoth. He is both intelligent and reliable enough that his superiors promoted him to commander-in-chief temporarily, and he seems to be a favorite of the emperor as well as the populace of Grand Chokmah. Frings remains both professional and formal most of the time, making him come across a little stiffly. However, Frings approaches his duties not as a warrior whose job it is to take down the enemy, but as one striving to uphold his nation's dignity and to obtain peace.
He insists on going through proper steps and seems to put a great deal of faith in the planet's religion and the Score. He believed in the possibility of finding a wife, as was predicted in his yearly Score reading, and sought a woman out, despite her being an "enemy". Even after Luke tells him that the world has diverged from Yulia's Score, even after Frings remarks on the freedom that might bring, he offers a prayer to Yulia. Despite these indications that Frings is very traditional and that he's a soldier, Frings sees people as people - despite their side, and remains very open-minded. He treats people with respect, and if they act out of line, he'll take proper actions, no matter who they may be. He rescues enemy soldiers when the land starts collapsing, and he negotiates safe passage across the battlefield for Princess Natalia and her friends, even though they could have easily been slain. He possesses integrity and looks for the virtues in others. Not only does he take responsibility for himself, but also for the actions of his underlings. Natalia calls him a "trustworthy man". Even Cecille seems to accept that, while some of the things he does seem foolish, he's a man of his word.
At every meeting, Frings is polite, following up requests with "please" and "thank you". Though he tends to speak formally and use titles, he begins calling Cecille by her given name - "Jozette" - fairly early on. Some of his decisions, however, as Jade points out are "soft".
Unlike Jade, a drama CD track seems to suggest that Frings doesn't mind that one of Peony's rappigs is named after himself (he insists it's an honor). He does, however, get confused when Peony talks about how "Aslan is quiet". (Peony always calls Frings by his first name - "Aslan".) Frings begins laughing after an exchange between Peony and Jade and remarks on their friendship. Unfortunately for Peony, Frings seems to be on Jade's side and between the two of them they insist that the emperor attend the council meeting as he's supposed to.
