Old Dalan



Dalan, or Old Dalan, as people in Rabanastre like to call him, is one of the characters in Final Fantasy XII. He lives in Rabanastre's Lowtown, and gives advice to his long-time friend Vaan. Dalan also appears as a sprite in the Sky Pirate's Den; completing every map in the game awards the player the title of Cartographer.

Dalan is voiced by in the English version.

Story
Old Dalan only makes a major contribution at the beginning of the game. It is him who tells Vaan how to break into the Royal Palace of Rabanastre, by giving him the Crescent Stone. Afterwards, when Vaan returns from Nalbina Dungeons, he gives Vaan a sword of the Old Order, to deliver to Captain Vossler. This is his last story appearance.

However, visiting Old Dalan near the end of the game will start the quest needed to get the Esper, Chaos.

Dalan's advice
Dalan has new advice for Vaan when talked to during different points in the storyline. There being exactly twelve different things Old Dalan can say, may be an allusion to the number twelve, something of a recurring theme in Final Fantasy XII.
 * 1) After coming back to Rabanastre from Rogue Tomato hunt.
 * 2) After getting the sunstone.
 * 3) After Sword of the Order is given to Vossler.
 * 4) After Balthier and Fran join Vaan in Rabanastre's Sandsea and promise to take him to Bhujerba.
 * 5) After escaping Dreadnought Leviathan.
 * 6) After acquiring the Dawn Shard.
 * 7) After Larsa joins in Jahara.
 * 8) After getting to Mt. Bur-Omisace.
 * 9) After fighting Judge Bergan in Mt Bur-Omisace.
 * 10) After Draklor Laboratory.
 * 11) After acquiring the Treaty Blade.
 * 12) After Pharos at Ridorana.

Naming Dispute
Old Dalan is the cause of the naming dispute for Vaan. During the first time Vaan visits him, Dalan calls him by the nickname Vaan Ratsbane because early on in the game Vaan clears his training ground of rats. Some people, however, erroneously believed Ratsbane to be Vaan's actual last name, which is not the case.

Musical Themes
The music that plays when talking to Dalan is called "Quiet Determination".