Relm Arrowny

Relm Arrowny is a playable character in Final Fantasy VI. She is a talented artist, and she can make her paintings come alive with magic.

Development Information
Relm's design and story were created by Kaori Tanaka (later nicknamed Soraya Saga), who also created Edgar Roni Figaro, Sabin Rene Figaro, Duncan Harcourt and Vargas. Relm's "Control" command is based on the idea that monsters have secret names, and whoever knows these secret names has power over them (this is an idea well-known in real-world demonology).

Character and Appearance
Relm is a young girl from Thamasa. She has blonde hair covered by a large hat and wears a black tube top and a yellow cape. Her portrait sprite depicts her with a red dot on her cheek, though what it is is uncertain.

Relm is a very sassy little girl. She constantly scolds Strago for making stupid decisions. She also makes biting remarks when someone is acting foolishly. Despite this, her complaining is with a good heart and only meant to help her comrades.

Story
Terra Branford, Locke Cole, and Shadow went to visit Strago to ask him about Espers. While Strago feigned ignorance, Relm rudely barged in on the conversation and asked the visitors if they can use magic too. She then took an immediate liking to Shadow's dog, Interceptor. Shadow was confused by this because Interceptor did not normally like most people. Strago invited them to stay at the inn for the low price of 1 GP. However, during the night, Relm was caught in a fire while spending time at a friend's house (to play with a fire rod). Strago tried casting water spells to put the fire out, but to no avail. The Mayor of Thamasa showed up and exclaimed that Magic is forbidden, but Strago would not listen. Strago asked Terra and Locke to help him save Relm. The three went inside the burning building to rescue Relm, but were cornered by flames. At the last moment, Shadow and Interceptor came in and saved them all. Afterward, Strago explained to Terra and Locke that the villagers' magic abilities were inherited from the Mage Warriors, who after the War of the Magi were shunned by the world and left to found their own community in Thamasa. Strago then agreed to help find the Espers. Relm asked if she could come too, but Strago refused. She followed anyway and caught up with them during a fight with Ultros. During the fight, Relm asked Ultros if she could paint his portrait, causing one of the many scenes of humor in this game. She proved to Terra, Locke, and Strago that she can indeed be useful. Together they continued on to find the Espers and Terra speaks to their leader, Yura. She convinced them to negotiate peace with General Leo Cristophe and the Gestahlian Empire. However, the peace deal was revealed to be a plan by Kefka Palazzo to get more Magicite. Kefka's plan was a tragic success, and Relm and Strago joined the others in the fight against him.

What happens to Relm after the Apocalypse depends on whether or not the party waited for Shadow before jumping off the Floating Continent. If the party did not wait for him, Relm would be found wounded in the Cave in the Veldt and the party would have to defeat the Behemoth King to rescue her and take her back to Thamasa to recover. But before she can rejoin the party she disappears. The villagers in Thamasa mention that Relm had been hired by Owzer, a wealthy art collector in Jidoor to help him remove a demon named Chadarnook that has possessed one of his prized paintings. Relm could do nothing until the party showed up to help out. After the fight, Relm rejoins. If the party did wait for Shadow at the Floating Continent, Shadow will be found wounded in the cave in her place and Relm will already be in Jidoor having been hired by Owzer.

After Relm rejoined, she went to the Cultists' Tower, where Strago had become a member of the Cult of Kefka. Relm woke Strago up from his trance with a few choice words, and he rejoined, mentioning that Relm is as foul-mouthed as ever.

Relm and Strago went back to Thamasa, where they found Strago's old friend, Gungho, injured by Hidon, a monster that he and Strago used to hunt in their youth. Strago and Relm went to defeat Hidon, and came back victorious.

In the ending, Relm and Strago had a few conversations, and Relm said that she would like to paint a traditional, non-magic painting of Strago using a real canvas. If Strago is not re-obtained by the player in the World of Ruin, then Relm, stuck on a conveyor belt, is passed along by Celes, Setzer, and Edgar. She then threatens to paint their portraits, saying, "You can't just throw me aside!" and they return to help her.

Shadow's daughter
There are many hints that point at the possibility of Shadow being Clyde Arrowny, Relm's father.
 * Although Shadow's dog, Interceptor, usually doesn't like people, he seems to like Relm, as if he had seen her before.Relmone.png'' ending.]]
 * In one of Shadow's dreams, we see Clyde (whom we are to believe is Shadow's true identity) leaving the town of Thamasa with Interceptor following him. He then tells the dog to stay together with the girl (the kanji used can also be a humble form for "daughter").
 * During the final battle, Shadows says that he has "discovered friends and family".
 * During the ending of the Final Fantasy Anthology re-release, just before Shadow destroys the ghosts that stand in his path, there is a single video frame where the artwork of Relm can be seen. Shadow seems to forget all hesitation after this and charges at the monsters.
 * The Memento Ring relic can only be equipped by Shadow and Relm; the description states that the ring's protective effect is fueled by a "departed mother's love", implying that it refers to Shadow's wife/Relm's mother.
 * The connection is all but said outright in the GBA release, during Shadow's dream after being rescued in the World of Ruin, when Shadow explicitly states he has a daughter and that he wants her to live peacefully in Thamasa.

Equipment and Stats
Relm's stats often make her one of the most overlooked characters in the game. She has the best Magic power in the game, meaning she is the best mage. Her equipment also tends to boost it even higher. On the other hand, she has weak physical stats and low HP. Her equipment consists of most daggers and all rods and maces, as well as some paintbrushes which only she can use, including the Angel Brush in the GBA version. She also can use the universal shields, mage equipment, female equipment (excluding Minerva Bustier), animal suits, and several unique items, one of which, the Cat Hood, is considered to be the best helmet in the game.

Abilities
Relm is a "Pictomancer," and her special ability is called Sketch. This allows her to paint a picture of her opponents, which uses one of its own attacks. In an early version of the North American release, the command has been highly bugged and is known as the Sketch Bug. If Relm equips the Fake Moustache, Sketch becomes Control, which allows her to control the actions of her opponents directly. In this sense, she becomes similar to the Beastmaster/Mediator/Trainer Job.

Musical Themes
Relm's theme is named for herself. It is mixed into the ending.

Appearances in Other Games

 * Relm, along with other Final Fantasy VI characters, makes an appearance in Secret of Evermore.
 * Relm makes a small cameo in Dissidia Final Fantasy as one of the tutors of the in-game manuals.