Characters from Record of Lodoss War

The characters in the Japanese fantasy saga Record of Lodoss War are based on the classic concept of pen & paper role-playing games , on which the story is based: there are usually groups of characters who perform a specific task within a closed adventure must and use the special abilities of the individual members (warriors, magicians, healers, etc.). The characters are often clichéd , but in some cases the authors have gradually given them a more complex personality.

Details in the characters' biographies sometimes differ depending on the source.

Hero groups

The six heroes

The adventures of the so-called Six Heroes establish the story of Lodoss and are described in the manga series Lady von Pharis .

Fawn ( ファーン , Fān ): He and Beld were once the founders of the six heroes of Lodoss. Fawn later became King of Valis and the fiercest opponent of his old comrade in arms, Beld, who tried to force Lodoss under a banner. Fawn wields a white magic sword, the equivalent of Beld's sword. Both swords are in a deep connection with each other.; When he unified his empire, he had to hold his newborn daughter Fianna hostage to an ally for reasons of diplomacy. It was so difficult for him that his confidante, the holy knight Tessius, offered to bring her back unofficially, which he succeeded in doing. But since he had acted unofficially, he later went to the front and never came back. Fawn has felt guilty ever since. Only when Tessius' son Parn arrives in Valis does he see a chance to pay off part of his old debt.; As Beld after Allania and canon also Valis attacks to Fawn opposes him. Both die and, at Kashew's orders, Fawn is buried on the battlefield like all other warriors, but later an honorable memorial service for the king takes place in Valis . His sword finally goes to Parn.

Beld ( ベルド , Berudo ): The emperor of the dark island of Marmo was once the co-founder of the Six Heroes of Lodoss. Together with his best friend Fawn, he saved the world from the demon god and so from great evil. However, he came to believe that the cursed island must be united under one banner in order to be forever strong enough to defy evil. He fell out with Fawn, because he wanted to force the union of Lodoss if necessary by force of arms, while Fawn, now King of Valis , put peace above everything. Beld commands the Soul Crusher magic sword , which he received during the fight with the demon god.; Driven by his desire for rule and the whisperings of Karlla, Beld finally begins an invasion campaign against Lodoss. Together with his captain Ashram and the magician Vagnard, he leads a huge army against the coastal nations of Allania and Kanon north of Marmo .; When Beld attacks Valis too, Fawn opposes him. In the midst of a mighty battle, the old companions finally duel: the battle of the heroes . The two fight bitterly and severely wound each other, but eventually Beld slashes Fawn with his blade. Before he can enjoy victory, however, he is pierced by Karlla with a lance (in the Manga a crossbow bolt), into which the lightning immediately goes and roasts him alive. After Beld's death, Soul Crusher goes to Ashram, who becomes the new ruler of Marmos .

Karlla ( カーラ , Kāra ): The Gray Witch was once one of the Six Heroes of Lodoss. Through magic, her soul was tied to a magical headband that gave her relative immortality and control of the body of whoever put the circlet on. She used this immortality and its magic since the fall of the realm of mages to prevent a single power from ever gaining supremacy on Lodoss, since she was convinced that Lodoss can only be achieved through the balance between the forces of good and evil could continue to exist.

Neese (the Elder) ( ニース , Nīsu ): The high priestess of the goddess of creation Marfa is the mother of Leilia and confidante of the silver ancient dragon Bramdo, who lives in a cave under her temple near the village of Tarba. She learns of Ashram's plan to usurp the “scepter of rule” and asks Parn for help. She dies a little later due to her age.

Word ( ウォート , Wōto ): Once a healer and magician among the six heroes, Wort later became a wise advisor and chronicler who watches over the fate of the cursed island from secret and often stands in Karlla's path.

Flebe ( フレーベ , Furēbe ): The brave dwarf was a warrior among the Six Heroes. He was the last king of the ancient stone kingdom that was overrun by demons. This was the reason why he joined the group of heroes around Fawn and Beld. He tried to restore his honor, which he had lost by fleeing the kingdom during the attack, by defeating said demons in his kingdom and avenging the fallen. In this endeavor he gave his life.; His name is also often spelled Fleve .

Parns community

The novels, the manga series The Gray Witch and the Record of Lodoss War -OVA series deal mainly with this group of characters, which is formed around the young knight Parn and also according to a classic role-play scheme.

Parn ( パーン , Pān )

Deedlit ( ディードリット , Dīdoritto , usually "Deedo" or "Deed" in English): She is an immortal high elf from the Forbidden Forest with long, blonde hair and pointy ears. She left her forest to get to know the people better. She loves nature and is a world champion fencer. She also masters numerous spells and can summon natural spirits for help. Although she feels superior to people, she falls in love with Parn in the course of the story and becomes his loyal companion and advisor - her love is more themed in the romantic Deedlit manga.; Deedlit was the character of science fiction writer Hiroshi Yamamoto in the original table-top replay template .

Eto ( エト ): As a priest to the goddess Faris, he is gifted in healing magic and is highly regarded throughout Lodoss. After the events of The Gray Witch , he marries Fiana, King Fawn's daughter, and becomes the new King of Valis . He is in close contact with King Cashew and helps the Liberation Army by conjuring up the "magic of holy war". This is a spell that only the highest Faris priest can use.

Slain ( スレイン , Surein ): He is a humble but highly talented magician from Parn's home village of Tarba and an old friend of the dwarf Gim. He attended the Magic Academy with Vagnard. The two join Parn and Eto as they set out to explore the reasons for the increasing presence of dark forces on Lodoss. Slain later marries Marfa's high priestess Leilia and she gives him a daughter, whom they named Neese after Leilia's mother.

Gim ( ギム , Gimu ): Gim is a somewhat quirky dwarf who works as both a warrior and a miner. Seven years before the events of The Gray Witch , he was seriously injured in a mine accident. Neese (the elder) and her young daughter Leilia nursed him to health. When Leilia is possessed and kidnapped by Karlla years later, Gim vows to bring her back safely and sets off on a journey with Slain. When Tarba is attacked by the goblins, both come to the rescue and a short time later join Parn, for whom he becomes like a mentor. Gim is later killed in a successful attempt to free Leilia from the influence of the Gray Witch. He has a special ax, the Combat Ax of Return, which, when thrown, returns to its owner. Its age is estimated between 175 and 220 years.

Leilia ( レイリア , Reiria ): The daughter of the high priestess Neese (the elder) herself served in the temple of the goddess Marfa. Through dark circumstances she falls under the spell of the browband, which carries the soul of the gray witch Karlla. The witch takes over the body of the young woman and causes all sorts of misfortune in this form before Gim can tear the bracelet off her forehead at the risk of his life. Leilia then returns to Marfa's service and chooses the magician Slain as her companion. After the death of her mother, she becomes high priestess herself and gives birth to a daughter Slain, whom they baptized Neese.; Although so called in the German dubbing of the OVA (differently with the subtitles), Leilia is not Gim's daughter.

Woodchuck ( ウッド・チャック , Uddo Chakku ): Woodchuck (usually called "Wood") is a petty thief and cardsharp who is incarcerated in the fortress of Myce when Parn and his companions arrive there. Parn saves Woodchuck when Ashram's troops destroy the fortress, and from then on the former thief follows him and helps with some difficulties. Eventually, however, Wood's fate is decided: after Leilia's liberation, he discovers Karlla's browband and becomes the new willless host of the Gray Witch.

Orson ( オルソン , Oruson ): Orson is a berserk , a person obsessed with Hyuri, the spirit of madness. He is hired as a mercenary with his girlfriend and comrade-in-arms Shiris, whom he secretly loves. Whenever a woman is in danger (especially Shiris), the spirit of anger grips him, turns berserk and runs amok . On his journey he wants to try to break away from his curse, which he ultimately fails. Ultimately he dies.

Shiris ( シーリス , Shīrisu ): She is a red-haired mercenary with a loose mouth who wanders through Lodoss with her companion Orson until she meets Parn. She likes Orson more than she admits. Since Orson cannot reciprocate feelings because of his curse, she tries to make him jealous with the strong public affection for Parn, which more or less fails. Far too late she realizes what she really had in him. She later marries the Duke of Highland in Moss and fights against the ancient dragon Nars.

Sparks community

In the manga series The Chronicles of Flaim and the Chronicles of the Heroic Knight based on it , the group around the young hero Spark takes the place of Parn and his companions, who now appear as older and wiser characters.

Spark ( スパーク , Supāku ): Spark is a son of the Feuersund clan, of which his father was the leader. From this clan and the clan of the wind, the people of Flaim choose their king, and Spark is considered to be King Cashew's preferred candidate for his successor, although he is still young and inexperienced at the beginning. After he surprises some dark elves as they plunder the treasury of Flaim, he is sent out with a group of companions to retrieve the loot. They get entangled in the dark plans of the magician Vagnard.

Neese (d. J.) ( ニース , Nīsu ): She is the daughter of Leilia and the magician Slain, named after her grandmother, the high priestess Neese. She secretly follows Spark's squad and ultimately joins the six warriors. It is the "gateway" that Vagnard needs to awaken the dark goddess Kardis.

Aldo Nova ( アルド・ノーバ , Arudo Nōba ): Aldo Nova is a giant magician from Lodoss who joins Spark and his companions. He was Slain’s pupil and is obliged to take care of little Neese. Sometimes he goes too far with protecting and so sometimes loses sight of the essentials.

Garak ( ギャラック , Gyarakku ): Garak joins Sparks troop as a mercenary on behalf of Kashew. Because of the scar on the left cheek, he is also called "the blue shooting star". He is supposed to win back a treasure with Spark and the other companions. He is clearly interested in the thief Laina. In reality, he is a nobleman who oversees the mercenaries. However, this doesn't really become clear until towards the end of the anime version. He dies trying to cover Spark while trying to free Neese.

Leaf ( リーフ , Rīfu ): Leaf is a half-elf and like Garak a mercenary. Her mother was an adventurer and her father a high elf. Despite her great skill in magic, she also masters the sword and is a serious opponent. She should recapture a treasure with Spark and the other companions. She has known Garak for a long time and is more than just jealous of Laina.

Gribas ( グリーバス , Gurībasu ): Gribas is a dwarf and Myrii priest. He joins Sparks' troop. He is a very relaxed person and is therefore also the quiet pole of the group. He has a lot of life experience and was also sent by Kashew to support Spark. He is very good at both magic and handling the battle ax. He's preferably a healer.

Laina ( ライナ , Raina ): Laina and her friend Randy meet five dark elves who broke into Valis. Your friend is badly wounded at this meeting and dies a little later. She hides the fact that Spark's troop are both thieves. Laina joins the five to avenge her friend. She also hides the fact that Garak has won her heart.

Ashram's entourage

Ashram, Beld's deputy, has a special meaning in the later cycles and especially in Legend of Crystania . The two meet Prince Raydon and "found" a new community of heroes.

Ashram ( アシュラム , Ashuramu ): A courageous warrior from Marmo , the island of demons, of stature and flowing, pitch-black hair, who serves as the deputy and general of Emperor Beld. The "Black Knight", as he is also often called, is always loyal to his master and his goal is to bring the people of his home island, which is inhabited by numerous demons, to a safer home. Any means is fine for him. At the head of Beld's army, he overruns cities, fortresses and entire nations until Parn gets in his way. After Beld's death he takes “Soul Crusher” and becomes ruler of Marmo himself . From now on he has to decide the fate of his people.

Pirotess ( ピロテース , Pirotēsu )

Groder ( グローダー , Gurōdā ): Groder is a subordinate to Ashram, but secretly works for Vagnard, which Ashram knows. He later leaves Vagnard's services and joins the Ashram fully.

Smedi ( スメディ , Sumedi ): She is a huge mercenary and Sheeris' great enemy. Very often she shows her who the stronger woman is.

Vagnard ( バグナード , Bagunādo ): He is a power-hungry wizard from Marmo whose ultimate goal is to achieve immortality by becoming an undead by absorbing the spirit of the goddess Kardis. He almost achieves this goal, in the OVA series he needs Deedlit, who is saved in time by Parn and in Chronicles of the Heroic Knight little Neese is saved by Spark. Vagnard achieves his goal of becoming master of the undead only in Record of Lodoss War: The Chronicles of Flaim .

Raydon: He is the son of Lord Haven and Lady Meira and would like to become a great knight. But only when his family is almost completely wiped out by betrayal does his wish gradually come true.

Orville: A muscular, sword-wielding brutal charged with murdering Lord Haven and his family. Circumstances soon force him to change his priorities. The orphan Rayfan accompanies him.

Rayfan: At first sight Rayfan is a defenseless little girl in the shadow of the terrifying Orville, but the magical abilities that she gradually acquires make her a real helper in times of need.

More characters

Minor characters

Estas: He is an old friend from Deedlit's clan in the Elven Forest and visits them after the Battle of Marmo . He doesn't think much of people, that's why he wants to bring Deedlit back to their people. Conflicts with Deedo's partner Parn are therefore predetermined.
Fiana: The daughter of King Fawn and Princess of Valis was sent by her father to his neighbor, King Kadmos VII, to initiate negotiations for an alliance against Marmo . On the way, she and her escort were attacked and nearly killed by Karlla. Since they happened to be passing by, Parn and his companions were able to catch the gray witch, whereupon she left Fiana to them unharmed. After Fawn's death, she gives Parn his sword. Fiana later marries Eto, making him Fawn's successor.
Haven: Lord Haven is the father of Prince Raydon and a very skilled swordsman, but he prefers to resolve conflicts peacefully. As a traitor seek after the life of his family, this becomes his undoing.
Hobb: The Myrii priest at Kashew's court is looking for the real hero. He believed he had found him in King Cashew, but was disappointed when he learned that Kashew had killed Beld from behind. He then joins Ashram and follows him on his way to a new land.
Jebra: Captain Jebra of the Army of Allania is in command of Myce Fortress when Parn and his companions are mistakenly imprisoned there. When he recognizes a Faris priest in Eto, the captain immediately releases her. He invites her to his house and offers Parn to make him a knight in Myce, but the Ashram attacks the fortress. In a short time it is clear that the fight of the defenders is hopeless. Jebra sends Parn and the others away to face a final duel with Ashram, which slaughters him almost casually.
Jebra's death is one of the main reasons Parn hates the Ashram.
Jester: Lord Jester rules over the western kingdom of Moss , which is protected by the golden ancient dragon Maisen. He is also the commander of the Dragon Riders of Moss , with whom he comes to the aid of King Cashew in the fight against Marmo .
Cadmos VII.: The King of Allania is very suspicious of outside interference. When Beld's attack on Lodoss begins, he closes the borders and closes the gates of the capital Allan.
canon: King Kanon is the ruler of the empire of the same name in the southeast of Lodoss, which is the first to fall into Beld's hands. He refuses to agree to a formal surrender and is unceremoniously moved out of the way by the Emperor.
Kashew

Gods

The gods of Lodoss are usually only referred to in retrospect, but some of them have profound influence on the plot. Only the main gods are explained below:

Faris: The Goddess of Light is the chief deity of Lodoss, and although she was shattered eons ago in the war against Faralis, the essence of her power lives on in every living being on the island. She is served by the brotherhood of Faris priests, who can work their supernatural healing powers through them.
In contrast to Faris or Pharis in German, it is called Falis in all other language versions (English / French) .
Faralis: The black goddess of darkness wanted to wipe out all life in the old world and waged a furious war of annihilation against her nemesis , the goddess of light Faris. They destroyed each other and almost the rest of the world too.
Cardis: The goddess of chaos and destruction, who has sought the annihilation of all order in the world since ancient times, fought as the last survivor of Farali's army against the goddess of creation Marfa. The duel between the two shattered part of the old continent of Alecrast, which then became Lodoss, and the two goddesses, consumed by battle, sank into an eternal sleep. Eons later, Cardis is resurrected by the treacherous magician Vagnard, who sells her his soul to achieve immortality .
Marfa: The goddess of creation and preservation was the last surviving faithful to the light goddess Faris; opposite her stood Cardis. The duel that the two fought out, the so-called "war of the gods", shattered part of the old continent of Alecrast, the goddesses sank into eternal sleep, consumed by battle.
Myrii: Is the god of war and justice. He protects all warriors and is neutral. Well-known admirers are the priest Hobb and the battle mage Gribas.
Hyuri: The spirit of madness and origin of the berserkers obsessed with it. An example is Orson, who whenever a woman is in danger turns into a raging warrior who can no longer distinguish between friend and foe.
Sylph: The spirit of the wind is a friend of all elves; His power, used in moderation, does not cause much damage, Deedlit often uses Sylph's power to float or make great leaps. Sylph's power can also be used to shroud an area in silence by stopping air currents (sound transmission).

Dragons

A number of dragons appear in the various cycles, but only the so-called original dragons, the most powerful examples from ancient times, are known by name:

Abram: The blue dragon of the sea is an ally of Nars and hunts ships. At the bottom of the sea he guards the crystal ball of the soul, an artifact that can restore life.
Bramdo: The old, white and silver primordial dragon of wisdom has long lived in the caves under the Marfa temple near Tarba. He is a co-founder of the magical city of Kastuul and a good friend of Maize. When Kastuul falls, Bramdo and various other dragons are scattered to all corners of Lodoss to keep the secret of Kastuul. When he is freed from his spell by the high priestess Neese (the elder), he gives her the staff of life. Neese, however, sent it on to Valis, where it is kept in the temple of Falis. He advises Neese and is also a good friend to her. His support is for the forces of good. In the Ashram's search for the scepter of rule, this one kills Bramdo, although he has no treasure with him.
Corn: The golden original dragon of Moss is a friend of Lord Jester and the most powerful fighter for the light. He supports the armies of Lodoss against Marmo and eventually kills the black dragon Nars.
Nars: The black primal dragon Nars was one of the most terrible beasts in Farali's army and has always been closely associated with the chaos goddess Kardis. It is he who first notices their strengthening and incites the mighty Marmos to a new war. At the beginning he waits in his dark cave under the palace of the emperor before he finally breaks out and is killed in a huge duel in the clouds by the golden primal dragon Maisen.
Shooting Star: The mighty red dragon is the largest of the six primal dragons of Lodoss and the most formidable creature that the heroes come to see in the course of the saga. It has nested in Fire Dragon Mountain for ages and terrorizes the inhabitants of Flaim with its fire breath. He also amassed immeasurable treasures, including the scepter of rule.

Individual evidence

↑ Conversation in Role & Roll . Vol. 12, pp. 9 .

[1] Conversation in Role & Roll . Vol. 12, pp. 9 .