Duke Bestrald Larg,[2] also known as Prince Bestrada Larg,[3] is a character in Final Fantasy Tactics, represented by the crest of the White Lion. The liege lord of Gallionne and a member of the royal family of Ivalice through his relation to Queen Louveria, Duke Larg commands the Order of the Northern Sky. He is one of two rival dukes vying for power in Ivalice, the other being Duke Goltanna, who leads the Order of the Southern Sky.
Following the death of King Ondoria Atkascha III, who left no named heir, Larg sought to become guardian of the infant Prince Orinus and rule as regent. Supported by Queen Louveria, he opposed Duke Goltanna, who was backed by the Council. Working with his advisor Dycedarg Beoulve, Larg plotted to secure the throne. However, when Goltanna crowned Princess Ovelia as queen, Larg countered by declaring Prince Orinus king, sparking the War of the Lions.
He uses the unique job of duke.
History[]
Early history[]
Bestrald Larg was born to House Larg, a branch of the Atkascha royal family which could trace its roots to King Denamda II, the monarch responsible for the Fifty Years' War. He was the trueborn brother to Queen Louveria,[1] and a childhood friend of Dycedarg Beoulve.[4]
During the Fifty Years' War, in which Ivalice fought Ordallia, Duke Larg served as a general.[1] Dycedarg Beoulve became his most trusted retainer.[4][note 1]
After King Ondoria III and Queen Louveria had their third son, Prince Orinus, Princess Ovelia, their adopted daughter, was left in the care of Duke Larg.[5][note 2]
Plotting for regency[]
Depicted in chapter 1, "The Meager", around the time of the rise of the Corpse Brigade, Duke Larg and Dycedarg Beoulve secretly solicited Gustav Margriff, second-in-command of the brigade, to kidnap Marquis Elmdore of Limberry, as they doubted Elmdore's loyalty in the coming succession conflict.[7] When Ramza Beoulve foiled the kidnapping himself against Dycedarg's orders, Dycedarg scolded him for disobedience, while Duke Larg intervened. Praising Ramza's strength and vitality and likeness to his father Barbaneth Beoulve, he defended Ramza's youthful recklessness by recalling their own, and ordered a final assault on the Brigade. When Dycedarg apologized for not preventing Ramza's rescue of Elmdore, Larg forgave him, shifting blame instead to Gustav, and remarked the act might yet prove useful, as it left Elmdore indebted to him.[8]
King Ondoria III passed without naming a guardian to Prince Orinus and without naming an heir.[9] In the wake, Queen Louveria seized total control of government, mercilessly stripping the ranks of those who opposed her.[10] She backed Duke Larg to be appointed guardian of Prince Orinus, making him ruler by title and authority of regent.[11][note 3]
War of the Lions[]
In chapter 2, "The Manipulative & the Subservient", while tensions were growing between Duke Goltanna and Duke Larg, Dycedarg hired Goffard Gaffgarion to kill Princess Ovelia, hoping to frame Duke Goltanna, and both spark a war while removing an obtscale to the throne.[13][12][16][17][note 3] The plot failed, after Princess Ovelia ended up in the hands of the Church of Glabados, who Duke Larg had no influence over.[13]
When Princess Ovelia was delivered to Duke Goltanna, Duke Goltanna crowned Princess Ovelia queen, while Duke Larg crowned Prince Orinus king, sparking the War of the Lions. After Queen Louveria was imprisoned in Fort Besselat on accusations of the attempt on Princess Ovelia, Duke Larg dispatched the Order of the Northern Sky to Besselat,[18] leading to the Battle of Groffovia that ended in a stalemate.[19]
The war dragged on and conditions worsened. For Duke Larg, a flood in Gallionne rotted grains in the fied, causing severe famine.[20][21] This, coupled with little public sentiment for the war,[19] forced Duke Larg to have to put several rebellions down at home.[22] All of this was in the design of the Church of Glabados, who wished to weaken both Duke Larg and Duke Goltanna.[23] When frustrations with the stalemate grew, the Order of the Northern Sky recalled its full force to march on Fort Besselat to turn the tide of war,[24] as capturing it would give Duke Larg's forces access to Limberry's abundant food supply.[25]
During chapter 4, "In the Name of Love", the Northern Sky under Zalbaag Beoulve marched on Fort Besselat. In the midst of the battle, Dycedarg, who wished to take power from Duke Larg,[14] discovered Larg lying atop a hill overlooking the garrison. Larg would have recovered, but Dycedarg betrayed him stabbing him. Larg, who called out Dycedarg for having also killed his father Barbaneth,[note 4] cursed him for treachery and patricide on his deathbed. Duke Larg's dying words troubled Zalbaag, and Dycedarg lied that it was Southern Sky assassins who killed him.[26]
Characteristics[]
Duke Larg wears purple regal clothing and carries a walking stalk. He has short blonde hair.
Duke Larg is a schemer, but is warmer and more measured and forgiving than Dycedarg, who is simply cold and calculating. His motives behind seeking power are unclear.[note 3]
Gameplay[]
A leader in command of several hundred knights, holding a title high even among the aristocracy.
This is a story-related job used in cutscenes and serves no purpose in battle. It possesses no action abilities, reaction abilities, support abilities, and movement abilities, yet the developers added a job description.
| Prerequisite | Weapons | Helmet | Armor | Equip Shields? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | None | None | None | No |
| Move Rate | Jump Rate | Speed | Physical Evasion Rate | Base Attack | Base Magic | Base HP | Base MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 6 | 10% | Average | Average | Average | Average |
Other appearances[]
Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]
![Duke Larg [1-057R] Opus series card.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/finalfantasy/images/b/bd/Duke_Larg_1-057R_from_FFTCG_Opus.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20210123162457)
Duke Larg appears in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as an Ice-elemental backup card.
Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances[]
Knights of the Crystals[]
Larg appears as a card in the Ivalice Special Arena has a limited-time special arena with eighteen floors.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
Annotation[]
- ↑ It is likely Dycedarg Beoulve and Duke Larg served together in the Fifty Years' War, though their role in the war is relatively unknown.
- ↑ There are suggestions by Folmarv Tengille that Prince Orinus was not a real son born to Queen Louveria, but that Duke Larg had found someone to ensure his sister Queen Louveria could remain mother to the king.[6]
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 It is unclear how much of the plotting on behalf of Duke Larg's claim to the throne was driven by himself and how much was by Queen Louveria or Dycedarg Beoulve. Delita Heiral claimed Larg was behind the assassination attempt on Ovelia, but that he would not act without counsel of the queen, and also doubted if the plot was Larg's doing rather than Dycedarg's.[12] Furthermore, the only known plotter behind the attempt on Princess Ovelia was Dycedarg,[13] who had his own intentions of ruling Ivalice and was simplying using Duke Larg.[14] As such, though Duke Larg is seen plotting with Dycedarg,[15] it is possible that Queen Louveria and Dycedarg were the driving force to claim power through him.
- ↑ It is not known if Duke Larg knew that Dycedarg had killed his father, or was simply making an accusation on his deathbed that proved accurate.
Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Final Fantasy Tactics Personae § "Bestrald Larg"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics (PlayStation)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Final Fantasy Tactics Personae § "Dycedarg Beoulve"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics Personae § "Ovelia Atkascha"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "The Manipulative and the Subservient"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Grief and Hatred"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Liege Lord of Gallionne"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics rumors § "King Ondoria III's Condition"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics rumors § "In the Wake of the King's Demise"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics rumors § "The Dukes Larg and Goltanna"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Dycedarg's Scheming"
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Adrammelech, the Wroth"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Liege Lord of Gallionne"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics Personae § "Goffard Gaffgarion"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "The Heretic's Brand"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "The War of the Lions"
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Final Fantasy Tactics rumors § "A Stalemate"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics rumors § "Drought and Flood"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "The Thunder God"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Delita's Will"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Elder's Confession"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "A Pure Heart"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics rumors § "A Turning Point"
- ↑ Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions script § "Duke Larg's Assassination"