Final Fantasy Mystic Quest/Characters

These are the characters in Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. The game's plot centers around a single main character named Benjamin. Benjamin begins his quest solo, but he meets allies along the way: Kaeli, Tristam, Phoebe, and Reuben. These other playable characters accompany Benjamin at different junctions in the plot, but no two allies accompany Benjamin at the same time, limiting the player to a two-person party system. Several other non-playable characters also play important roles in the game's plot, particularly the Old Man, who acts as Benjamin's guide and mentor.

Most of the characters in Final Fantasy Mystic Quest are human, with few exceptions. The Old Man later reveals that he is a crystal in the guise of a human, while a race of talking trees lives in the Level Forest.

Playable characters

Benjamin

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The main protagonist of Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, Benjamin (ザッシュ, Zasshu, Zash in Japan) "was the most normal youth you could imagine....Although Benjamin seemed mature beyond his years, he still dreamed of being more than he was -- faster, stronger, and more daring." Benjamin craves adventure, and is seen climbing the Hill of Destiny at the beginning of the game. During his climb, his village is destroyed in an earthquake, and he is chosen by the Crystal of Light to fulfill the knight's prophecy and save the world. Although he initially uses a sword, Benjamin later learns to use a variety of weapons, from axes to bombs to claws. As the game's main character, he is the only one capable of gaining experience points.

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Kaeli

Kaeli (カレン, Karen, Karen in Japan) is a spirited girl living in the village of Foresta, and has the unique ability to speak with trees. Kaeli is concerned for the welfare of the Level Forest and her dying village; despite the protests of her overprotective mother, she agrees to help Benjamin after seeing proof of the forest's suffering. She is also worried over the whereabouts of her father, Captain Mac. Kaeli is poisoned after an encounter with a minotaur, but recovers to help Benjamin later in the game. She wields an axe, which she later gives to Benjamin.

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Tristam

Tristam (ロック, Rokku, Rock or Lock in Japan) is a cocky, self-proclaimed treasure hunter. He has a habit of showing up unexpectedly and leaving on a whim. Tristam first meets Benjamin in the Sand Temple, where he offers to sell him Elixir. Benjamin can't meet Tristam's extremely high asking price, so pays him by accompanying him to the Bone Dungeon, where Tristam teaches him how to use bombs. After defeating Flamerous Rex, Tristam claims his treasure and leaves. Thereafter, he is frequently seen traveling with Spencer in search of new treasure.

Due to his trade, Tristam is highly resourceful, teaching Benjamin how to use bombs and giving him Elixir, the multi-key, and the dragon claw (which doubles as a grappling hook). Much to Benjamin's annoyance, Tristam affectionately refers to him as "kid". Tristam is the game's only character to have his own theme music. He battles using replenishable shuriken.

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Phoebe

Phoebe (フェイ, Fei, Faye in Japan) "possesses a warrior's heart and a princess's grace." She first meets Benjamin at the Libra Temple, where she's looking to restore the frozen town of Aquaria, and in turn save her trapped grandfather, Spencer. She can be impetuous, as when she collapses a tunnel (despite Benjamin's protests) while trying to save Captain Mac. She fights using a claw, which she later gives to Benjamin, after which she battles with a bow and arrow. Phoebe is at Benjamin's side when he battles the Dark King.

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Reuben

Reuben (レッド, Reddo, Red in Japan) is a powerful, armored youth living in Fireburg. He agrees to aid Benjamin in his quest for the Crystal of Fire on the condition that they first rescue Reuben's trapped father, Arion. After obtaining the crystal, Benjamin and Reuben head to Windia. En route, they are ambushed on the Rope Bridge. Reuben spars with the enemy, but is knocked off the Rope Bridge onto a cliff outcropping. With no way to reach Reuben, Benjamin continues his quest. Reuben later recovers to assist Benjamin in saving Kaeli's father, Captain Mac. Onboard Captain Mac's ship, it turns out that Reuben hadn't completely recovered from the injury sustained from the fall, and he ends up bedridden until the end of the game, where he joins the others to see Benjamin off. Reuben wields a hefty morning star.

Non-playable characters

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Old Man

The enigmatic figure known as the Old Man (ホワイト, Howaito, White in Japan) serves as a guide and mentor to Benjamin. He travels around on a floating cloud, an unusual mode of transportation later used by the Black Mage in Square's Chocobo Racing. After charging Benjamin with fulfilling the knight's prophecy, he periodically appears at critical junctions throughout the game to dispense terse bits of cryptic information. He has a tendency to vanish immediately after speaking, often leaving Benjamin confused. After Benjamin defeats the Dark King, the Old Man reveals himself to be the fifth crystal, the Crystal of Light, in the guise of a human. He congratules Benjamin, saying that "evil can't thrive if you keep hope alive, use your courage, and respect your world." He then bids Benjamin farewell and leaves.

Captain Mac

Kaeli's father, Captain Mac (マック, Makku, simply Mac in Japan), has long been studying the knight's prophecy. On his way back from doing research from his ship, the lake bording Windia dries up, leaving his ship landlocked on a rock ledge. On land, his ship is stormed by monsters, but with the help of Otto, Benjamin and Reuben save Mac. Captain Mac and Spencer are good friends; a girl in Aquaria remarks that "they're both kind of weird."

Spencer

Spencer (ジャック, Jakku, Jack in Japan) is Phoebe's grandfather and a good friend of Captain Mac's. He lives in a tunnel underneath Aquaria and ends up trapped there when Aquaria freezes over. He is saved when Benjamin and Phoebe recover the Crystal of Water to restore Aquaria to its normal state. Despite his age, he still has a penchant for exploring, and leaves with Tristam in tow in search of "an amazing armor."

Arion

Reuben's father, Arion (アリオン), is concerned over the unusual activity of a nearby volcano, and so joins his friend in climbing the volcano to investigate the source. While going through an abandoned mine, the two are ambushed by monsters. Arion's friend cuts and runs, leaving Arion trapped behind a huge boulder. Arion is saved by Benjamin and Reuben, and later repays Benjamin with Thunder Rock, which powers Otto's Rainbow Road extension, allowing them to reach Spencer's place to save Captain Mac.

Otto

Otto (オットー, Ottō) is a mechanic and inventor living in Windia; his most famous invention is the Rainbow Road, a device connecting various islands to Windia's mainland region. He also built a tower north of Windia, but it has since been invaded by Pazuzu. His daughter Norma traveled to the tower for unknown reasons, but ended up trapped as wind from Mt. Gale broke the power source for the Rainbow Road. He asks Benjamin to stop the wind from Mt. Gale so as to rescue his daughter.

Norma

Otto's daughter, Norma (ノーマ, Nōma), is trapped at the base level of Pazuzu's Tower, and is very grateful to be rescued.

Giant Tree

The Giant Tree is one of a race of talking trees and the king of the Living Forest. He resembles the Great Deku Tree from The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, but like the Ents in The Lord of the Rings, he is mobile. He agrees to carry Benjamin and Kaeli across the Living Forest to the Windia region after the two destroy the monsters that have taken residence inside of him.

Major villains

Vile Evils

The four major enemies in the game are the Vile Evils, creatures which have stolen the crystals that keep the earth's elements in check. They are analogous to the Four Fiends from Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy IV, and Final Fantasy IX. They are servants of the Dark King, a wicked man who wishes to rule the world. At the end of the game, the player must ascend Doom Castle, at the top of which the Dark King resides; on each of the Doom Castle's floors, the player must defeat a second, more powerful version of each of the Vile Evils.

Flamerous Rex

Flamerous Rex, a giant, zombie Tyrannosaurus, is the boss of the Bone Dungeon. Flamerous Rex fulfills Lich and Scarmiglione's role in previous Final Fantasy games as the undead ruler of the Crystal of Earth. It causes destructive earthquakes, one of which is the catalyst for the beginning of the game. Since it is undead, a simple Life spell instantly kills it. It has a double in the Doom Castle called Skullrus Rex. Oddly enough, an Exit spell works just as well, and you can have it in time for the rematch in Doom Castle.

Ice Golem

The Ice Golem resides in the Ice Pyramid and guards the Crystal of Water. The Ice Golem is a giant humanoid monster whose body is composed entirely of blocks of ice. It has turned Aquaria's lake into a giant sheet of ice and covered the region in thick blankets of snow. It has a double in the Doom Castle called Stone Golem. Like the one before, the Stone Golem can be defeated by an Exit spell, to further hasten your climb up the Doom Castle.

Dualhead Hydra

The Dualhead Hydra, a two-headed dragon, is ecountered at the Lava Dome. It causes Fireburg's volcano to erupt violently, which in turn triggers massive earthquakes. It has a double in the Doom Castle called Twinhead Wyvern.

Pazuzu

Pazuzu invaded Otto's tower and claimed it as his own. A giant, demonic Eagle dressed in finery and jewels, he is the chief lieutenant to the Dark King. Using the power of the Crystal of Wind, Pazuzu summons gale force winds to ravage the Windia region. He has a double in the Doom Castle called Zuh.

Dark King

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The Dark King (ダークキング, Dāku Kingu) is the archetypal embodiment of evil. Captain Mac first discovers that the Dark King is the true enemy of the world, and finds out that the Dark King resides in Doom Castle, an extension of the Focus Tower. When Benjamin finally meets him, he reveals that the so-called knight's prophecy was a rumor he started years ago and threatens to enslave Benjamin along with the rest of mankind. The Dark King appears as a grotesque, large, green-skinned man dressed in royal regalia. When weakened in battle, he reveals his true form, and changes into a giant tarantula with a demonic face. In his true form, it's possible to instantly kill him by casting Cure on him, which for some reason causes him to take over 22000 points of damage!