The Desperate Internal Struggle of Reddas - A Memorable NPC

This is the story of Reddas. A sky pirate in Final Fantasy XII's world of Ivalice. Don't let his occupation (and alcoholism) throw you off. This man carries a tremendous guilt which will ultimately lead to his demise.

When the insurgent party infiltrates an Imperial research and development facility, Reddas makes his entrance, initially attacking Basch but later realizing they are apparently after the same man.

History

Ivalice has seen its fair share of war over the millennia. Today, you will still find the average infantry wielding a sword, just as in the old days. Some specialists use rifles and muskets. What has dramatically changed is magicite technology. The discovery of crystals such as skystone allowed for the advent of airships. There are however regions called jagd where there is high natural concentrations of Mist (a magical energy) in the atmosphere/soil, essentially making it a no-fly zone.

The Imperial 8th Fleet with its flagship, the Dreadnought Leviathan, is able to fly through jagd.

This is where the Archadian Empire comes in, with its industrious ambitions. For the edge they need in a potential war against the equally matched Rozzarian Empire, they seek out a more powerful form of magicite, one not found in mines or anywhere in nature for that matter. It is known as nethicite.

However, the kingdom of Dalmasca is caught in the middle of these two superpowers.

Although in Archades they have developed artificially manufacted nethicite, for their endeavors, they require something of far greater quality and power. Judge Ghis is uninterested in the articfical specimen the party possesses.

Of course, the empire has its agents to spread their sphere of influence and carry out their dirty work, called judges. Reddas revealed that he was formerly a judge and carries an immense weight on his shoulders for what he did before he defected.

Two years prior, in their quest for more land and resources, The Archadians had launched an assault upon Nabudis, royal capital of the Kingdom of Nabradia. Reddas led a division into the palace, targeting a hidden ancestral heirloom and, upon making contact, unknowingly used it a weapon of mass destruction under imperial orders.

The party speculates what could have happened here.

The explosion left the city and surrounding kingdom poisoned with fell Mist. It has been uninhabited ever since with little knowledge among the general populace of what really happened.

When the princess Ashe discovers she, too, is heir to an ancient deifacted (god-made) relic it is already too late.

First, the stone is stolen by Vaan, a member of Balthier's party of thieves, unbeknownst to the princess.

It is subsequently stolen by the empire's henchmen. But Judge Ghis makes a critical mistake before handing it over to his superiors, who are well aware of the nethicite's potential.

The implosion begins as the light cruiser Shiva, whose starboard side is visible in the right foreground, manages to escape. The other Ifrit cruisers remain within the blast radius, unawares.

Shiva is all that remains of the 8th Fleet, though heavily damaged. The party witnesses firsthand the destructive power of nethicite as they also narrowly escape.

These events are what prompted the party to go to the lab in Archades where they confront the empire's nefarious lead scientist. However, some mysterious force not only protects him, but drives him.

Reddas' killing blow is deflected, allowing Dr. Cid to escape.

Reddas does not join the party, but their motives are aligned. He feels it is his duty to deter the empire's efforts to acquire any more nethicite, feeling personally responsible for the destruction of Nabradia.

Reddas takes the Sword of Kings from Ashe and co. and gives chase to Dr. Cid, who is attempting to propagate a new shard of nethicite from its elusive source. When Reddas finds the mother crystal, the Sun-Cryst, he charges at it with the Sword of Kings, which is capable of destroying nethicite. The destruction of the source creates a similar Mist explosion, instantly incinerating Reddas. He paid the price for his sins, ultimately suffering the same fate as his victims, while ensuring no more would endure it.

This post is part of the Memorable NPC Contest