Talise Gianfair is a child of nowhere and everywhere. Born on a ship of miscreants long since lost, the bastard child of a Beastwoman pirate and a human con man who vanished along with the ship, she grew up wild, free and often afoul of the law, and with a thirst for adventure that took her away from the loss of her childhood home and across the Salyan Desert. In her heart she's a storyteller and a singer, the sort to knock back a couple of mugs of mead and sing songs of heroes long dead, favouring those of the Dragonmasters. But she's also a fighter at heart and a talented swordswoman, and she's learned by necessity to survive the badlands and the sea alike - and more recently to survive a world in which her Goddess seems to want to ban everything she finds fun. Now finding herself in a strange new world, she makes the most of it - and turns her eyes towards the lost treasures of the Blue Star.
Rastaban: Talise's sword, a two-handed blade she pulled out of a crystal in a cave somewhere on Lunar after beating the living stuffing out of a ghost knight of some kind. At a glance it's simply an exceptionally well-made two-handed longsword with a big green pommel gem and another green gem buried in the crosspiece. In fact that's what it is - it doesn't seem to have magic to it, or if it does, Talise has no idea what it is. She doesn't even know how the sword got into the dungeon.
Thousand Stormless Tides School: It says it's a school but to be honest, Talise just made this style of swordsplay up. When she first started fighting, Talise was a purely offensive swashbuckler who liked to charge in and hack things with cool offensive techniques; she didn't have a name for her style because everything she did was improvised. Piet, her mentor in adolescence, taught her a few basic moves of Lion's Heart he'd picked up, but for the most part Talise just freeformed it. Then she ran into members of Althena's Guard who used Waning Crescent and just clowned on her by parrying and blocking all her moves and then kicking her ass with moves she had no defense for. Since then she's calmed down and taken her drubbings in stride, using them as learning experiences: She's learned to defend herself and look for openings rather than rushing in and hoping to score hits. The past two years have seen her adapt her learnings into this conglomerate style.
Gunsmoke ARM: Courtesy of the Everstead-Rey Company! Talise learned how to shoot courtesy of her good friend Ida, and ultimately bought a shotgun from her family. The weapon is analogous to a Winchester 1897 "trench sweeper" - it's a pump-action gun, but lacks a trigger disconnector. If Talise holds the trigger down, it fires a new round every time she pumps it, for a rough sort of semi-automatic fire. In lieu of magic, Talise uses the ARM to supplement her damage.
Ogre Power Gauntlets: Talise uses these gloves to account for the fact that all her friends are noodle-armed weaklings. She found the Gauntlets in a chest in an old sea cave near Salyan about a year before the game opened, punching her way through an /actual/ ogre to get them, and hasn't parted with them since. The Gauntlets, when activated, flood Talise's body with a surge of strength, enabling her to lift massive boulders - she can use them to lift massive boulders or big chests, smash open doors, you name it. The magic in the gloves is somewhat finite and takes a bit of time to recharge, but while it lasts, Tal can use the Gauntlets' strength basically the way Link uses the Power Glove in Zelda.
Layna Manydays: "Hey, another seafarer from home! She's a good sort, and we have a few things in common. She's definitely reliable and a great person to have at your back in a fight. So glad to have a kindred spirit with us. Especially glad that she seems to be centred and able to keep her spirits high."
Sephilia Lampbright: "I never really had a little sister growing up - I was always the only kid. It's a weird feeling to be responsible for a younger person. I just hope I'm not bringing her down. What would I tell her parents if I let something happen to her?"
Tethelle Cirdian: "In some ways there's nobody I've met in Filgaia, or maybe even Lunar, who has more in common with me. She's the kind of person who knows how to turn the bow of the ship back towards the horizon just when I think I'm about to go down. I'm glad she's chosen to travel with us, and not just because she's a great sparring partner and drinking buddy!"
Kain x2
Ida Everstead-Rey: "She's the smartest person I've ever met and yet the Hellions still got her. Somehow I feel like she's going to be more of a problem than Rosaline, but that kind of describes normal Ida, too - stubborn and frustrating. But that doesn't matter. She's still a friend and we've got to find some way to bring her around, even if I have to beat her over the head with Sorey to get my friend back."
Rosaline Calice: "I hate that I didn't see what was going on with her sooner. Maybe I don't know how to cure Malevolence. But Rosaline's still my friend, and I'm gonna make sure she gets through this and comes back to us. Maybe it won't be the very next day. But I don't think she's a goner."
Oh, I Like You
Hiro: "It's kind of weirdly cute but also a little disturbing how very, very dedicated he is to Lucia, but he's a pretty okay guy, and he's got his heart in the right place. Maybe we're not destined to roll together, but I'll probably lend him a hand when the time's right."
Jean: "She loves to drink. She loves to dance. She's friendly. She's myyyyyy kind of people."
Lynnai Albrek: "I owe her for dragging me out of the bottom of that ruin, and the least I can do is help her to find her companion. But she's also a really smart person who understands a lot of things I never could. I like her a lot more than most people."
Morgan Newkirk: "Oh, I definitely like him. He's a fun guy - and hot. Very hot. I'd definitely knock back a few drinks with him and break a few pieces of furniture any day of the week."
Ruby: "OH MY GOSH SHE'S A BABY RED DRAGON EEEEEEE THAT'S LITERALLY THE BEST THING EVER"
Piet Wilk: "My uncle from Lunar - well, maybe not my blood uncle. I owe him for taking care of me after my parents vanished, and for all the stories and songs he taught me. Uncle Piet... I'll see you again. I promise."
And I Like You Too
Alisha Diphda: "I really want to like her. She's very classy and seems to be a skilled fighter who likes a good song and a good tale. I just wish she weren't judging me for even talking to Hiro and Lucia. But that's just one disagreement... and at the end of the day, she's a good person and a really talented fighter."
Bart Fatima: "Hey, for once I'm not the only one along on a mission who doesn't have twigs for arms! Bart's a pretty competent dude and I'd roll with him any day of the week. And, heh, he's kind of my type, but I feel like Cecilia would eat me if I tried to take a run at him. Damn."
Cecilia Adlehyde: "Cecilia's a lot stronger than she looks for a poofy princess. She's not even that poofy! I didn't think I'd like her that much, but she can handle herself and I respect it."
Claude C. Kenny: "I don't quite know what his deal is - oh, wait, actually I do. He's a pretty tough dude and he handles himself alright when he's not trying to chase Zed up a tree. Wherever he's from, he seems like a good guy."
Cyre H. Lorentz: "He's definitely easy on the eyes and he's got a nice attitude on top of it. Why haven't I run into him more often? Maybe I should find it in myself to run into him more often."
Dean Stark: "A pretty decent hand to have along when things get rough."
Jacqueline Barber: "She's one of the good ones, and she's come through hard on a couple of occasions. Maybe I ought to get to know her a little better."
Josephine Lovelace: "Nice lady, has a crazy pigeon. Would dig with again."
Kalve: "I really don't know what to make of him. Even if he is a Metal Demon... I think at heart he isn't such a bad person. If Ida can bring herself to care for him, then he's probably got some good in him. Besides, I'm an alien on Filgaia, too, so we're the same."
Leon Albus: "Quiet dude here, but a pro, just like Lily. Would work with again."
Lemina Ausa: "A little bit bratty, but I have to respect anyone from the Ausa family. Her magical abilities are amazing and she seems to be smarter than she lets on. I'd love to get to know the heir to a genuine line of Heroes."
Lily Keil: "Another quiet one. Competent, just like Leon. I wonder how often they kiss."
Lucia: "I want so much to believe everything she says about Althena, but she's just so... weird. Lynnai's right about not trusting her or taking her at face value. I don't want to wade into her feud with Alisha and Sorey, either... but if she finds a way home, then we want the same thing."
Lunata Croze: "Lunata... what's happening to her? What happened to the cute little Lunie who just wanted to learn songs and be merry? Every time I see her new ghost friend, I can't help thinking she's fallen into something no girl deserves to endure...."
Matilda Whitehead: "Seems like a smartie. In some ways she reminds me of a more sassy version of Ida. Maybe with a little more style."
Noah Hawthorne: "Easy on the eyes, this one. And he can hold his liquor. I think I like him."
Noeline: "Goddess, I don't even like girls and I still feel like I have to tease her back. She's definitely fun and has a nice eye for fashion, though!"
Riesenlied: "She turned out to be one of the good ones after all. I don't have the same prejudices against Metal Demons that Lyn does... so long as Riese is doing good things with her life, I'm proud to call her a friend and to help her out if I can."
Rose: "She seems like an interesting one, even if I never seem to get the chance to actually learn about her."
Rudy Roughnight: "This guy's either going to come back in two or three years as a world-beating superhero, or he's going to snap and kill half of us in a screaming rage. It's always the quiet ones. Poor guy."
Shalune Amira: "H-how can two Lunies possibly be this cute?!"
Sorey: "Whatever, buddy - his beef with Lucia and Hiro is between him and those two! So long as he's the Shepherd, he has my respect. Plus he's a decent guy who knows how to handle himself."
Tipheria Aredor: "She seems to be really interesting. I'd love to get to know her in a situation that's less life-or-death-y."
Zed: "Damn it... I knew Zed was a dumb guy, but who would've thought he'd be a Metal Demon? I didn't realize how much I liked him until I had to fight him in a serious situation. All I can think of now is that he's not like the other Metal Demons... not like Siegfried or Berserk or any of them. Poor guy...."
Not So Much You Guys
Amelia Rose: "Oh, this nasty bitch. How dare she break the lute Piet gave me! She's one of the most zealous and judgmental people I've ever met and I absolutely loathe her."
Asteroid the Kid: "She's shown herself to be... if not reliable, then at least a decent... asteroid-headed... person...? Kind of a brat, though. I think she's being led down the garden path a bit by her Hellion friends. Hopefully she doesn't end up in a really dark place."
Iskandra Grendorre: "I don't have any reason to dislike her, though I wonder if she realizes what she really is. I'll keep an eye on her."
June Lim Ze: "Damn it, I didn't mean to hurt her that much, but sweet Althena's thong is she smug and sassy and high on herself! I hate sassy people! I just... should probably hate her sass without getting angry next time. Even if she is really talented."
Kourin: "I guess she's not that bad... but I still don't know if I trust her."
Layla: "Anything that can take a knee to Althena's secret spot and not flinch is not something I want to confront. Nope. Nope nope nope."
White Knight Leo: "He's quite an impressive man, for the guy who leads the Guard that ruined my life. And yet... I can't help but respect how good of a fighter he is, and how much pride he has. If he weren't in the position he was in, I wonder...."
Berserk: "This jerkfoot. I know Zed's a bit of a dumbass, but why's he gotta treat him like a scratching post all the time?"
Dragonmaster Ghaleon: "I always dreamed of being the Dragonmaster. And then Althena went and resurrected a legend. I don't understand how a corpse from thousands of years ago can just return and rob me of my dream. I don't know whether to admire a hero of lore... or to hate him."
K.K.: "The Trial Knight would've gotten me if not for Sorey being there. Whatever their game is, I can't win it by trying to fight them with anger, or I'll end up like Ros' and Ida. There are too many people who matter to me for that to happen."
Margaret: "Ugh, how much haughtiness can one person actually have? She's so arrogant and snotty about her beliefs that I just want to throw something every time she starts in. Definitely like her a lot less than that other priestess."
