Kingdom of Liberl: Estelle's Party | Liberl Royalty and Military | Liberl Civilians
Crossbell State: Crossbell Government and Influential Groups | Crossbell Police and Military | Special Support Section | Crossbell Civilians
Erebonian Empire: Erebonia Imperial Family and Four Great Houses | The Ironbloods | Erebonia Military | Thors' Staff and Instructors | Thors Class VII (Rean Schwarzer | Original Class VII (Part One, Part Two) | New Class VII) | Main Campus Classes | Branch Campus | Erebonian Civilians and Major Groups | Imperial Liberation Front
Republic of Calvard: Calvard Miscellaneous | Arkride Solutions Office
Other Nations: Remiferia Miscellaneous | Elsaim Miscellaneous
Notable Groups: The Bracer Guild | Ouroboros (The Seven Anguis | Enforcers) | Jaeger Corps | Septian Church
Others: Ancient Zemurian Civilization | The Sept-Terrions and the Holy Beasts | Posthumous Characters
This page regroups all of the citizens of Crossbell, meaning outside of the police, army, and government.
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Hayworth Family
Harold Hayworth and Sophia Hayworth
Harold
Sophia
- Harold voiced by: Keiichiro Yamamoto (Evolution games), Junichi Yanagita (Reverie)Sophia voiced by: Takako Ohkoshi
A merchant and his wife living in Crossbell.
- Beware the Nice Ones: In Reverie, Harold ends up stuck in Mainz while the town is under siege by the EDF. When the citizens almost succumb to the curse, Harold snaps them out of it and arms them to help the police and CGF fight the invaders.
- Driven to Suicide: Outright admit that they had considered suicide after they assumed Renne died. It was only the realization that Sophia was pregnant with Colin that they reconsidered.
- My Greatest Failure: They left Renne behind with a friend in Calvard so that she wouldn't be caught up in their debts. They regret this when they return to their friend's house, only to see that it's been burnt down.
- My Greatest Second Chance: After finding out that Sophia is pregnant with Colin, they take this as an opportunity to raise Colin and ensure he doesn't suffer the same fate as Renne did.
- Nice Guy: Harold has been a polite and gentle man, being one of the first to show respect to the SSS at the start.
- Sheep in Sheep's Clothing: Since they look like Renne's dolls, it's easy to assume that they're the parents who abandoned her, making their kindness hard to believe. While they are her parents, it turns out they left her at a friend's house to protect her from their debts and didn't expect that the D∴G Cult would kidnap her, meaning their kindness is genuine.
Colin Hayworth
Colin in Zero
- Voiced by: Kozue Kamada
The young son of Harold and Sophia.
Renny Hayworth
Harold and Sophia's daughter, whom they believed died during childhood. For more info, see her section under her new name, Renne.
Arc-en-Ciel
In General
Crossbell's famous theatrical troupe that exclusively holds performances in the city's entertainment district.
- Leitmotif:
- Zero gives the troupe the aptly-named "Arc-en-ciel."
- Reverie, meanwhile, gives them "Let's Go to a Banquet Tonight."
Ilya Platière
Ilya in her casual clothes from Zero and Azure
Ilya in her stage outfit, as seen in Zero Evolution
Ilya in her casual clothes from Reverie
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
- Voiced by: Yuu Asakawa (Japanese), Laura Post (English)
The top star of Arc-en-Ciel, whose popularity extends to all neighboring countries.
- Arc Villain: She turns out to be the true mastermind of the events of Chapter 2 in Lloyd's route in Reverie, as she pretended to be a hostage and used Garcia and Cao to lure the SSS to her just so she could kill them when their guard was down. She's also the main antagonist of Lloyd's Chapter 4, as she's leading the contingent of EDF forces trying to snuff out the Crossbell military forces in Mainz. However, she didn't do all this of her volition, as she was brainwashed for most of the game.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: In Reverie, she ends up turning evil after putting on a mask unwittingly delivered to her by a third party. Incidentally, she would then end up brainwashing the citizens of Crossbell to support Supreme Leader Rufus' agenda.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: She's quite perverted, marches to the beat of her own drum, and her apartment shows her to be quite the slob and Hard-Drinking Party Girl off the clock. Despite this, she remains an extremely talented performer and dancers whose troupe became one of the most famous in the whole continent under her direction and is shown to have a good grasp on people with an eye for talent.
- Career-Ending Injury: Following her internal injuries, doctors says it's unlikely she will ever be able to take up the stage again. Thankfully averted in the end as we see in the Epilogue.
- Determinator: She believes in this and instills it in Rixia and Sully as well. She's so determined that she refuses to let the serious internal injuries she suffered in Azure keep her from at least attempting to return to the stage once she's healed enough to walk again. The post-timeskip illustrations show that she managed it, and she's back on stage performing in Reverie.
- Dance-Off: Ends up engaging in this against Rixia in the final chapter of Reverie where Ilya is trying to spread the curse of Erebonia while Rixia is trying to purify the curse with the help of Tio and Emma.
- Dirty Old Woman: Several characters call her this. She enjoys teasing Rixia and Sully just a little too much. She also teases Lloyd in a mostly good-natured way.
- Diving Save: In Azure, she save Sully from the chandelier this way.
- Dual Boss: She fights alongside Supreme Leader Rufus in the final chapter of Reverie.
- Evil Knockoff: In Reverie, she has a Hollow copynote that serves as a boss in the True Reverie Corridor, most notably as a Dual Boss alongside Rixia'snote on the seventh floor.
- Evil Sounds Deep: She speaks with a much lower tone than usual when influenced by the Curse to act as the Dusken Dancer in Reverie.
- Hard-Drinking Party Girl: She enjoys wine when not working and her apartment is littered with empty bottles.Sully: *sigh* Does she always drink this much? Her poor liver...
- Heroic Sacrifice: Leaps beneath a falling chandelier in order to push Sully out of the way. She survives but is badly injured.
- Humongous Mecha: While she never pilots one herself, the curse she releases with her dance in Reverie is the power source for the United Nation's Zauber Soldats. This especially notable with the Asmodyne Menace, which she has fight with Lloyd and Rean's groups while she has her Dance-Off against Rixia. Once Ilya has been released from her brainwashing, all of the Zauber Soldats shut down.
- In-Series Nickname: Her fans call her the "Fervent Dancer." When brainwashed as part of the United Nation, she calls herself the Dusken Dancer.
- Kidnapped by the Call: She sees Arc en Ciel as the Adventure and herself as the Call. She's fond of 'scouting' new talent and forcibly recruited Rixia into the troupe. After seeing how good Sully's footwork was (while the latter was trying to steal from her no less) she decided to recruit her as well. Rixia allowed it because she needed a cover identity, then Becoming the Mask set in.
- Limit Break: During her time as the Dusken Dancer, she has Morte Mascherata as her S-Craft.
- Mama Bear: The theater is her life and the crew are her family, so don't threaten either of them.
- Mask of Power: Reverie shows her wearing a mask similar to the ones used by the Black Workshop to brainwash people to do their bidding. What makes hers special is that it gives her magical powers, allowing her to actually combat people in real combat.
- Morality Pet: She's Rixia's. Unfortunately for her, Shirley noticed.
- More than Mind Control: While she was a brainwashed pawn of Ishmelga-Rean's in Reverie, it's also established that, like the SSS, she'd subconsciously taken on the burden of being a symbol of Crossbell's hope, to the point that she started resenting her status as Arc-en-Ciel's star and no longer enjoyed what she was doing. This proved to be the insecurity Ishmelga-Rean exploited to corrupt her, by harshly reminding her of her duty whenever she resisted. Once she's broken free from the brainwashing, she's no longer hostile, but seems fully aware of her actions as the Dusken Dancer.
- Ms. Fanservice: Her stage outfit is really revealing, unsurprising for a stage actress. She does dress reasonably well in public, though; her normal attire in Zero and Azure tones down the revealing side, and she covers up even more for her outfit in Reverie.
- Navel-Deep Neckline: Her casual outfit has this, leaving her cleavage, bra and navel exposed. Her outfit in Reverie is much less revealing and more professional.
- Regal Ringlets: A famous actress who keeps a few strands of her hair in this style.
- Sensible Heroes, Skimpy Villains: Her outfit as a masked villain might show even more skin than her stage outfit.
- Walking Spoiler: It's almost impossible to talk about her in Reverie without mentioning her being Brainwashed and Crazy.
Rixia Mao
See here.
Sully Atraid
Sully during Zero and Azure
Sully in her stage outfit during Zero and Azure
Sully in her casual clothes as of Cold Steel IV
Sully in her stage outfit as of Cold Steel IV
- Voiced by: Yuu Kobayashi (Japanese), Alexis Tipton (English)
A boyish-looking young girl from the slums who finds herself recruited into Arc en Ciel after impressing Ilya with her footwork.
- A-Cup Angst: Her lack of a chest actually worked well for her in the past but now that she's in a safe environment, she's feeling otherwise. Malnutrition growing up probably isn't helping.
- Ascended Extra: Gets an actual character portrait in Azure after originally appearing in an optional sidequest in Zero.
- Big Eater: Well, more like Quick Eater: She can put away a full meal in less than thirty seconds. This is presumably a holdover from her past life on the streets.
- Boyish Short Hair: All part of why people mistake her for a boy.
- Bridal Carry: Kurt ends up carrying her like this when she sprains her leg while they're trying to run away from Heiyue who are hired to hunt down Class VII and their supporters.
- Hates Rich People: Goes on a rant about this when the SSS catch her for breaking into Ilya's apartment, going on how rich and well off people like her could never understand the plight of the poor and hungry like her who struggle to get their next meal.
- Lady Looks Like a Dude: She has very short hair, no chest to speak of and spends most of her time in a shirt and shorts ensemble with a cap that makes her look even more like a boy. Considering her background, it was probably to her advantage to encourage people to not think of her as a girl.
- On the other hand, Lloyd is the only character who didn't pick up on Sully's gender when they first met; everyone else acted as it if was obvious.
- Leitmotif: In Azure, "A Night of Falling Stars" is her theme.
- Parts Unknown: Sully's country of origin was initially unrevealed to the players, only for it to be mentioned in an optional scene in Azure where we learn that she's from North Ambria. And suddenly, everything makes sense...
- Ship Tease: Gets a little bit in Cold Steel IV with Kurt. He ends up having to give her a Bridal Carry whilst escaping Heiyue in Chapter 1, and the two have to hang out with each other after Kurt's mom Aurier takes an interest in her.
- Street Urchin: What Sully has been for most of her life. Getting caught attempting to steal from Ilya was actually the best thing to ever happen to her.
- Tomboyish Baseball Cap: She wears one, which goes hand in hand with dressing like a boy and talking like a boy... but she'll be extremely offended if you mistake her for one.
Saber Vipers and Testaments
In General
Saber Vipers' logo
Testaments' logo
A pair of rival gangs located in downtown Crossbell. The Saber Vipers have a rough metal theme to their group, while the Testaments adapt a religious motif.
- Leitmotif: Zero has "IGNIS" for the Saber Vipers and "TRINITY" for the Testaments, both named after the homebase for their respective gangs.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: On the whole, the Saber Vipers are the more rowdy Red to the Testaments more reserved Blue, which is reflected in their clothing.
Wald Wales (Spoilers for Trails to Azure)
Wald during Zero and Azure
Demon Wald
SPOILERS
- Voiced by: Tsuyoshi Takeshita (Japanese, original games-Zero Evolution), Osamu Ryuutani (Japanese, Azure Evolution onwards), Brent Mukai (English)
Leader of the Saber Vipers, the other street gang from Downtown. He and his followers believe in the value of strength above all else, and he sees Wazy as his greatest rival.
- Alliterative Name: Wald Wales.
- BFS: As a demon, his sword grows to an incredible size to match his new body.
- Church Militant: Two years after Azure's event, it's said that he joins Gralsritter under Wazy. This is seen in full during Reverie.
- Deal with the Devil: In Azure, Wald arranges to receive Gnosis so he can become stronger, eventually turning into a demonic brute.
- Delinquent Hair: He has his bangs bleached blond and formed into a mohawk, befitting his delinquent image.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Is stated to have been going on a drinking binge after his loss to Wazy in Azure.
- Heel–Face Turn: Hinted at becoming an ally to the SSS in Azure's epilogue, which was confirmed in Reverie.
- Hopeless Boss Fight: His first fight as a demon in Chapter 3 of Azure is unwinnable, with gaining extra DP just from trying to bring down a quarter of his health within 10 turns.
- Improbable Weapon User: A wooden sword wrapped with a length of chain.
- Once he joins the Gralsritter he's given a proper sword, though it's still styled like a bokken.
- Limit Break: His S-Craft as a demon in Azure is Final Mad Crush.
- Muscles Are Meaningless: His large muscular frame did not prevent him from being easily bested by the likes of Wazy or Estelle who are much shorter and slimmer than him.
- Rival Turned Evil: He joins the villains side once he realizes that his rival Wazy is stronger than he is and always was.
- Say My Name: Complete with Skyward Scream after Wazy effortlessly defeated him and after he realized that Wazy had been holding back on every fight with him.
- Sleeves Are for Wimps: His outfit in Zero and Azure consisted of a sleeveless vest with no shirt underneath, leaving his muscular arms and chest exposed.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: In Reverie, he's taken to wearing a pair of glasses for the sake of looking smarter and more sophisticated. Unfortunately for him, it has the opposite effect since people think that the glasses instead look ill-fitting on someone as brutish-looking as him and compares it to putting make-up on a pig.
- Superior Successor: To both Ernest and Joachim. Upon consuming Gnosis in Azure, he is able to achieve a demonic form similar to the both of them. However, Wald manage to achieve a stronger form with Blue Gnosis unlike the other two who had to use Red Gnosis, leaving him with no risk of a life-threatening overdose.
Wazy Hemisphere
See here.
Abbas
Abbas as a member of the Testaments
SPOILERS
- Voiced by: Yoshinori Ishikawa (Zero Evolution), Takahiro Fujimoto (Azure Evolution)
The second in command of the Testaments gang.
- Ambiguously Brown: He has noticeably darker skin than most everyone he shares a scene with, but any kind of ethnicity is never remotely hinted at.
- Ascended Extra: He gets a face portrait and an expanded role in Azure.
- The Bartender: When he's not doing anything else, he can usually be found mixing cocktails at Trinity.
- Fantastic Fighting Style: Kuro II reveals that he was taught the Kunlun-style of martial arts directly from Barkhorn/Bergard.
- The Lancer: He's Wazy's trusted Number Two, and his no-nonsense attitude contrasts with his boss's teasing nature.
- Large and in Charge: He towers over the other Testaments and when he speaks, they listen.
- Older Sidekick: During Zero and Azure, he's a dude in his late 20's with a teenaged boss.
- The Paladin: He's a Knight of the Gralsritter supporting Wazy.
- The Stoic: He maintains a stone-faced expression and rarely raises his voice.
Crossbell Times
Grace Lynn
- Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame (Japanese), Marin Miller (English)
A reporter for the Crossbell News Service, always on the lookout for a sensational story. Her pen may decide the fate of the Special Support Section.
- Friend in the Press: She takes an interest in the SSS. Initially, they mainly just consider her an annoyance because she writes an unflattering article about them after they are upstaged by the bracer Arios during a mission. However, she quickly proves willing to provide the group with helpful information when it comes to cases and covers their major successes for the Times. She later reveals that she personally knew and was friends with Guy Bannings, the deceased older brother of the SSS's leader, Lloyd.
- Going for the Big Scoop: Demons, a zombie apocalypse, jaegers blowing up your city? None of these will stop Grace and her camera.
- Jerkass: At first, she tended to frame her stories to put the SSS in the worst possible light.
- Jerkass Has a Point: She is condescending towards the SSS, but for her first article at least, she has a point that the team bit off more than they could chew in the Geofront, where they were unprepared to deal with a boss-tier monster. During the mission to stop the Testaments and Saber Vipers from starting a large-scale war, she points out that the SSS shouldn't be afraid to rely on others to help them and that doing so will give them a fuller picture of what they're investigating.
- Oh, Crap!: In Reverie, she ends up experiencing this one after another at the end of chapter 3 of Rean's route. First, she ends up seeing the railway gun's shell aiming at the village, and then finally seeing Zoa Gilstein who was about to nuke the village before Aurelia and Kurt attack it.
- Took a Level in Kindness: By the time of Zero's final chapter, she's cheering for the SSS and persuades others to do the same.
- Voice of the Resistance: Helps arrange for Mayor MacDowell's address denouncing Dieter's plot, then serves as the voice for the anti-Erebonian resistance at the end of the game.
Reins
A reporter working for the Crossbell Times.
- Beleaguered Assistant: To Grace, having to be dragged along into danger while futilely trying to hold her back in her Going for the Big Scoop.
- The Mole: A benign example, but he's actually working for Richard's Intelligence Agency.
Marcel Nielsen
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Okamoto (Sky the 3rd Evolution), Hiromichi Tezuka (Japanese, Cold Steel IV)
A freelance journalist who once worked for the Crossbell Times, his coverage of the Hundred Days War won him the Fulitzer Prize. Though blinded in an unknown incident, he still goes on.
- Eyes Always Shut: Thanks to his blindness, he often has his eyes completely closed.
Epstein Foundation Crossbell Branch
Chief Roberts
Chief Roberts, as depicted in Reverie
- Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa (Evolution games)
A researcher for the Epstein Foundation specializing in the Orbal Network. He worries for Tio like she was his own child, much to her annoyance.
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parent: Tio sees his constant worrying over her as an annoyance.
- Butt-Monkey: Almost every appearance he has ends with him at the receiving end of Tio's sharp tongue.
Jona Sacred
Jona during Zero and Azure
Jona as of Cold Steel IV
- Voiced by: Shiori Hamamoto (Evolution games), Nana Hamasaki (Japanese, Cold Steel IV onwards), Laura Stahl (English)
A thirteen year-old self-proclaimed genius hacker formerly associated with the Epstein Foundation who is almost as good as he thinks he is.
- Bratty Half-Pint: Barely being a teenager has not stopped him form having a big ego and making several sharp-tongued comments towards the SSS.
- The Bus Came Back: He's one of the first characters to make an appearance in Cold Steel IV.
- Forgets to Eat: Cold Steel IV implies that he is this, or rather would be if not for the intervention of Sully Atraid. When he objects to her bringing him the equivalent of a vegan sub and a V8 instead of a pizza and soda, she points out that he can get his own food if he doesn't like it.
- Geek Physiques: On the "skinny but unfit" side, as he doesn't get out a lot. When he has trouble keeping up with the SSS during an investigation, Lloyd suggests he take up exercise but is rebuffed. In Cold Steel IV, he takes all sorts of teasing when he is again forced to exertion when he and Juna's party are forced to flee after being detected in the Geofront.
- Hacker Cave: He has a hacker room located in the Geofront where he has a terminal set up for him to hack other systems.
- Hikikomori: He's almost always holed up in his one room in the Geofront, at least in part because he doesn't want to run into anyone from the Foundation who might be upset with the circumstances of his departure.
- Karma Houdini: Hasn't received much punishment for his hacking, mainly since due to the orbalnet and computers being so new, laws against it haven't been ratified yet.
- Knowledge Broker: He primarily uses his hacking to get info for him to sell.
- Leitmotif: "Terminal Room" and "Underground Kids" from Zero.
- Noodle Incident: According to Tio, he left the foundation after his hacking messed up another project they were working on. What that project was and how he messed it up is never specified.
- Playful Hacker: Played with; sometimes he hacks systems for fun, other times he does so to discover all kinds of vital information, making him more of a Knowledge Broker.
- The Runaway: Him leaving the Epstein Foundation after messing up an important project is portrayed like a kid running away from home.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: He's a skilled hacker, and by the time of Cold Steel IV, he starts wearing glasses.
- Teen Genius: He's only just entered his teens at the start of Zero, and he's already a skilled hacker.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Pizza is his, with the SSS discovering a recipe for one at his Hacker Cave.
- Unknown Rival: He likes to act like he and Tio are rivals, but she couldn't care less about his vendetta over her being more adept at hacking and programming.
- Voice with an Internet Connection: He frequently calls the SSS via his terminal whenever he wants something and/or has something they might be interested in.
Other Citizens of Crossbell City
Wendy
Wendy as of Cold Steel III
- Voiced by: Riko Kohara (Japanese), Mela Lee (English)
An old friend of Lloyd who works at Genten Orbal Store.
- Wrench Wench: She works as an orbal engineer, and is always seen with the appropriate clothes.
Oscar
Oscar as of Cold Steel III
- Voiced by: Osamu Ryuutani
An old friend of Lloyd who works at Morge's Bakery.
- Nice Guy: He's a pretty laid-back and friendly dude.
- Supreme Chef: Chef-in-training atleast, but everyone has nothing but praise for his baking, with the bakery owner Morges himself calling him the pride of the shop.
Bennet
Bennette as of Cold Steel III
The daughter of Morge's Bakery's owner.
- Anger Born of Worry: She tends to get angry whenever she's concerned for Oscar, which reaches a head in Reverie, where it causes her to be influenced by the simulated curse.
- The Rival: She frequently tries to outdo Oscar in baking.
- Tsundere: She often plays up her role as Oscar's rival to hide how much she cares about him.
Shanshan
Shanshan as of Cold Steel III
- Voiced by: Naoko Komatsu (Japanese), Megan Taylor Harvey (English)
A waitress working at Long Lao Tavern & Inn, owned by her father Zhang Hui.
- Anime Chinese Girl: She has the appearance of one, and she does speak with a bit of an accent.
- Best Friend: To Rixia.
- My God, What Have I Done?: She doesn't react well when she realizes that she endangered her best friend at the end of Lloyd's chapter 2 in Reverie.
Ashleigh
- Voiced by: Naomi Shindo (Japanese)
Owner of Neinvalli, a goods trading store in Crossbell.
- Connected All Along: Late into Cold Steel IV, it's revealed that she was acquainted with Rutger Clausell.
Jingo
Jingo as of Cold Steel III
Cerberus
- Voiced by: Hunri Kimu (Japanese, Azure Evolution drama CD), Kotori Koiwai (Japanese, Cold Steel III onwards)
Ashleigh's daughter who serves as a shopkeeper of Neinvalli. She would later go on to find Cerberus, a small dog she takes in as her partner as she begins to manage the store's new branch in Leeves.
- Birds of a Feather: Jingo end up befriending Shirley once the two meets during her episode in Reverie, owing to the fact that the two girls are cut from the same cloth and have similar criminal background.
- Canine Companion: Cerberus, the dog she adopt once she start living in Leeves. Jingo raise the dog and even have him tending her shop sometimes, to the confusion of Rean.
- Cool Ship: Ends up owning a small ship in Reverie, which allows Rufus and his team to go to Crossbell. Her Episode with Ballad explains how she managed to obtain it.
- Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Despite being only nine years old, she tells Garcia (a mafia member) to go shut up.
- Fangirl: She is a massive fan of Mishy.
- Homeschooled Kids: Ashleigh never put Jingo is Sunday School and took care of her education herself.
- Kids Driving Cars: During Reverie, Jingo is barely 13 and is the one driving C's party through Crossbell and Erebonia with her airship.
- Like Mother, Like Daughter: She mentions in Cold Steel IV that Ashleigh went through similar experiences as a weapon merchant when she was Jingo's age.
- Nerves of Steel: Never loses her cool in any circumstance.
- Troubling Unchildlike Behaviour: A lot of her dialogue in both the Crossbell and Erebonia arcs tend to not be things a kid should be saying, to the comedic reactions of the people around her.
- Young Entrepreneur: She's still underage while serving as the exchange shopkeeper for Cold Steel III and IV.
Imelda
- Voiced by: Naoko Komatsu (Japanese, Cold Steel IV)
The owner of an antique shop near Crossbell's Entertainment District.
- Leitmotif: Reverie has "Something Luxury...?" as her theme.
- Signature Laugh: She has "Hyeh hyeh hyeh!" as her laugh.
Shizuku MacLaine
Shizuku during Zero and Azure
Shizuku as of Reverie
- Voiced by: Fumiko Inoue (Japanese), Michelle Marie (English)
Arios' blind daughter, who becomes friends with the SSS and KeA.
- Eyes Always Shut: As a result of her blindness, she always has her eyes closed. She starts opening them by Azure.
- Missing Mom: Her mother dies in the same accident that resulted in her losing her vision.
- Nice Girl: She's a complete sweetheart who can get along with pretty much anyone.
- Throwing Off the Disability: Thanks to KeA's reality warping abilities, she regains her eyesight after KeA managed to reconnect the nerves in her eyes.
Ian Grimwood (Spoilers for Trails to Azure)
Ian during Zero and Azure
SPOILERS
- Voiced by: Takahiro Fujimoto (Japanese), Austin Lee Matthews (English)
A lawyer at the Grimwood Law Office.
- Animal Motif: His large frame and bushy beard have resulted in him being likened to a bear, earning him the In-Universe Nickname of Grizzly Grim (Kumohige-sensei, meaning something like "the bear bearded lawyer", in the original Japanese script).
- Badass Normal: Unlike the vast majority of twist villains in the series, Ian has no hitherto-unknown special abilities or important ancestry. He really is just an ordinary lawyer, who nonetheless was able to put together a scheme that nearly led to Zemuria's very history being rewritten.
- Beneath the Mask: When he reveals that he's one of the leading members of the Azure-Zero Project, he gives off the impression of being a No-Nonsense Nemesis who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Arios personally witnessed Ian kill Guy, causing him to believe that Ian is even more dedicated to the plan than he is. Not helping matters is that Ian's face portrait often has his glasses completely shine to make him look more menacing. However, Ian folds surprisingly easily when Lloyd and Elie talk him out of the plan, showing that he secretly harbored doubts about his plan underneath his unflappable demeanor.
- Big Bad Duumvirate: He and Mariabell serve as this for the Crossbell saga, as the two masterminds behind the Azure-Zero Project. While Mariabell did most of the heavy lifting, it was Ian's information network and ability to pull strings from the shadows that allowed the plan to get as far as it is. Ultimately, Mariabell (non-fatally) gets rid of him once he starts having second thoughts, leaving her as the sole and final Big Bad.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Downplayed. While he end up revealing himself as one of ringmasters of the Crossbell Duology and is the one who killed Guy, he is nothing but affable even after The Reveal.
- Boxed Crook: Despite serving a prison sentence following Azure, Ian is allowed to keep working as a legal consultant by Mayor Mac Dowell from the prison.
- The Bus Came Back: Reappears in Reverie during C's route at the Crossbell Police Academy.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Originally one of the more notable reccuring side characters throughout the Crossbell duology, it's only in the final chapter of Azure where it's revealed that his sporadic appearances (including pivotal moments like the West Zemuria Trade Conference) were anything but a coincidence.
- The Corruptor: He's the one responsible for hardening Arios into the villain he becomes in Azure, as he murders Guy Bannings right as he was trying to convince Arios to back out of his involvement with the Crois family's plans. This gives Arios a chilling reminder of just how far his co-conspirators are willing to take things, and causes him to blame himself for Guy's death and believe he's in too deep to change his mind.
- Crusading Widower : His wife and child were killed in a airship accident 15 years ago. When he learned it was because of the intelligence war between Erebonia and Calvard, he didn't take it well.
- The Dog Was the Mastermind: Between all the major villains of Azure, his own involvement receives the least amount of buildup. Mariabell shows her manipulative nature as early as the post-Chapter 2 Intermission (and even during the Schwarze Auction in Zero she seems to know more than she's letting on), while Dieter and Arios quickly reveal themselves as villains in the latter half of Chapter 4. Ian, however, remains Beneath Suspicion until well into the final chapter, thanks to his unassuming personality and lack of any overt authority regarding Crossbell's affairs.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Once the Azure-Zero Project is almost complete, he leaves behind a letter apologizing to his assistant Pete.
- Eviler than Thou: Subverted. His reveal as one of the main ringmasters of the Azure Zero project where he cuts Dieter loose and being the one to have recruited Arios to the cause and then killing Guy when he was about to get through to Arios, which convinced the latter he was in too deep to quit made him seem like the most ruthless of the conspirators. But when confronted by Lloyd and the rest of the SSS at the end, he reveals that he had carried many doubts about the plan and deeply regrets the actions he took to make it happen, being the only member of the conspiracy to give up without a fight.
- Heel–Face Door-Slam: After getting some sense pounded into him by Lloyd and Eile, he calls it quits and even apologies to KeA. Mariabell isn't having any of that and impales him. He survives due to her mercy though.
- Heel–Face Turn: He's fully on the heroes' side in Reverie.
- Hero Killer: He is the one who killed Crossbell's greatest policeman with nothing but a gunshot in a flashback.
- Informed Ability: Arios states that Ian's resolve will be hard to break and Lloyd believes that Ian must have some skill with a gun. However, Lloyd and Elie manage to convince him to give up on the Azure-Zero plan without a fight. Ian is then taken out in one hit by Mariabell, so the player never gets to see if Ian is actually capable of fighting.
- It's Personal: Averted. Just like Arios, when Lloyd learn that Ian was involved in his brother's murder, he forgoes blaming him for trying to persuade him to stop the Azure-Zero Project.
- Knowledge Broker: The wide variety of clients and cases he's taken over the years have given him a vast amount of connections and information, making him a valued consultant and source of intelligence for certain members of the police, with Sergei and Dudley holding nothing but praise for him and going to him for assistance on several high-profile or difficult cases.
- Laser-Guided Karma: He killed Guy Bannings to prevent him from getting Arios to turn his back on the Azure Zero project. When he himself also ends up deciding the plan was too much and tells Mariabell he quits, the latter ends up running him through with a few magic spikes (though unlike Guy, he actually survives). He even outright admits he deserved it.
- Mentor Archetype: Between Cold Steel IV and Reverie, Ian started conversing with Elysium and giving it his expertise on various subjets who eventually create the Lapis personality from their exchanges.
- Mr. Exposition: He explains what has transpired with how he manages to make contact with the Elysium system and even gave her the name "Lapis".
- Non-Action Big Bad: Ian is just a lawyer, and he leaves the fighting to Arios or the Red Constellation. However, Lloyd speculates that Grimwood must have some skill with a pistol in order to travel abroad.
- Outliving One's Offspring: He had two children who died during an airship accident 15 years prior to the start of Zero, which was in fact a result of Erebonia and Calvard's intelligence war. The grief of this tragedy was what triggered him to make the Azure Zero project a reality.
- The Reveal: In Reverie, he's the one who gave the name "Lapis" to the Elysium system.
- The Unfettered: Subverted. His reveal as The Man Behind the Man of the Azure-Zero Project who had recruited Arios to the fold and murder of Guy when he tried to talk Arios out of it made him seem like the most ruthless and commited member of the conspiracy, only for him to be the only one to quit without a fight near the end after the SSS get through to him, revealing he had just as many doubts and regrets, if not moreso, about the plan as Arios.
- The Unfought: As a Non-Action Big Bad, he's the only Azure villain who is never confronted in a fight. Though it's implied he knows how to use a gun (beyond just shooting a man in the back while his guard was down), this is never shown in gameplay.
- Utopia Justifies the Means: The Azure-Zero Project would end up with KeA rewriting history to drive humanity toward the most desirable outcome. Ian believed in the project enough to murder Guy over it.
- We Can Rule Together: He makes this offer to the SSS after being revealed as one of the masterminds in Azure, saying that he'd like it if they continued to be KeA's guardians by advising her on the kind of reality the Azure Tree should create. Ultimately, the SSS end up using the offer as an opening to talk him out of going through with his plan.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: He masterminded the Azure-Zero Project to make Crossbell a truly independent country, free from the influence of Erebonia and Calvard.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Is on the receiving end of this trope from Lapis during Reverie, given that her personality is largely based on Ian's moral compass, she tells him that she owes it all to him and that he should start trusting in himself again, as he is still The Atoner regarding his involvment in the Azure-Zero Project.
Crawford Family
Matthew, Lina, Nana, and Ken Crawford
Matthew
Lina, Nana, and Ken
- Matthew voiced by: Makoto Sahara (Japanese), Christopher Corey Smith (English)Lina voiced in by: Ryōko Shiraishi (Japanese)
Juna's family, consisting her father Matthew, her mother Lina, and her little sister and brother, twins Nana and Ken.
Matthew works as a manager at Mishelam Wonderland.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Nana and Ken are added as minor NPCs in the Kai versions of Zero and Azure.
- Family Theme Naming: All of the women in the Crawford family have their names end with "-na".
- Hero-Worshipper: Nana and Ken are big fans of the Ashen Chevalier.
- I Owe You My Life: As with Juna, Nana and Ken acknowledge the Ashen Chevalier as the one who saved their lives prior to the events of Cold Steel III. They don't actually realize that Rean is him until Cold Steel IV, though.
- Strong Family Resemblance: All three Crawford children greatly resemble their mother Lina, having inherited her hair and eye colors.
- Unseen No More: Matthew was mentioned in Cold Steel III, but wouldn’t make his physical debut until Cold Steel IV.
St. Ursula Medical College
In General
A health care research institute on the outskirts of Crossbell City, well-known across Zemuria for treating foreign patients.
Cecile Neues
Cecile in her nurse uniform, as depicted in Azure
Cecile in her casual clothes, as depicted in Reverie
- Voiced by: Sayaka Ohara (Japanese), Cristina Valenzuela (English)
A paediatrics nurse at St. Ursula who was a surrogate big sister to Lloyd growing up. She and his brother Guy were going to be married before the latter's death.
- The Alcoholic: Downplayed; she's not known to drink often, but Cold Steel IV reveals that she can drink quite a bit.
- The Bus Came Back: Shows up in Cold Steel IV as one of the nurses taking care of Emperor Eugent who got shot in the heart by Ash during Cold Steel III.
- Buxom Beauty Standard: She currently has the largest recorded chest size in the Trails Series, which has not gone unnoticed by Randy. Or anybody else, for that matter, as even Elie felt A-Cup Angst that one time they were all at the beach.
- Childhood Friends: She grew up alongside the Bannings brothers, who were treated as family for the longest time. She's also been best friends with Ilya since they were little girls.
- Childhood Friend Romance: She held a torch for her next-door neighbor Guy, and the two eventually got engaged once her feelings got through his thick head.
- Cool Big Sister: To Lloyd, who refers to her as "Cecile-nee" in the Japanese script.
- Famous Ancestor: According to Zeit, Cecile is a great-great-whatever granddaughter of the Saint Ursula for whom the hospital is named, and she greatly resembles her.
- Head-Turning Beauty: Most characters are left in awe at her looks the first time they see her.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Attempts one to save one of her patients during Zero's Final Chapter to save him when they are ambushed by demons, Lloyd and the SSS prevent her from pulling it.
- Hospital Hottie: Works at Saint Ursula and is beautiful in her nurse outfit.
- Like Brother and Sister: Having helped raise Lloyd, she loves him like she would a real brother, and if Guy hadn't been killed, she would have become his sister-in-law. Because of this, her friends tend to refer to Lloyd as "little bro."note
- Likes Older Men: She was previously engaged to Lloyd's older brother, Guy, who was five years older than her.
- The Matchmaker: She's made it her mission in life to find Lloyd a nice lover. That's the job of a big sister after all.
- Nice Girl: One couldn't ask for a sweeter big sister than Cecile.
- Sexy Sweater Girl: Wears a sweater as part of her casual attire, which still shows off her generous figure.
- Shipper on Deck: Is very curious and supportive of Lloyd's relationships with his female co-workers. Though, she even gives her full support when assuming that Lloyd was dating Randy. Basically, she just wants to see him happy with someone.
- Weight Woe: Briefly comments on this during the Beach Episode of Azure, wondering if she gained some weight when having Lloyd rub sunblock on her back.
Joachim Guenter (Spoilers for Trails from Zero)
Joachim as a doctor at St. Ursula
Joachim as a D∴G Cultist
Demon Joachim
- Voiced by: Hidehiko KanetoAppearances: Zero
A neurology professor at St. Ursula who consults with the SSS, at least when he's not skipping work to go fishing. In reality, he is a survivor of the D∴G Cult who seeks to continue the group's work in Crossbell.
- Alas, Poor Villain: Even in spite of the horrible, horrible things he's done, the SSS can't help but feel slightly sorry for him as he dies a gruesome death. Come Azure, Lloyd still feels some guilt about it and wishes he could have made Joachim face actual justice instead of just dying which played a part in his trying so hard to save Ernest from suffering the same fate in the prologue.
- Asshole Victim: After overdosing on Gnosis, his demonic body slowly starts falling apart until he dies. Given everything he did as a member of the D∴G Cult, it's very hard to feel even a shred of pity for him.
- Big Bad: He's the main antagonist of Zero.
- Big Bad Wannabe: As vile as his actions are, when it comes down to it, he doesn't fare all too well against the SSS and he ended up unwittingly helping the Crois family rise to power. His only actual success against the SSS in the original timeline is likewise hinted to have happened as he was dying from his Gnosis overdose, meaning even then he lost to them, and to add insult to injury, the very "god" he worshiped then used its abilities to alter reality specifically to undo his sole victory. He ends up dying without ever finding out the truth about his god, D.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: At first, he appears to be an eccentric but kindly and helpful doctor. In truth, he is a Mad Scientist and member of the notorious D∴G Cult who took part in experimenting on children and is possibly one of the most depraved characters in the entire series.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Regularly skips work to go fishing, but is noted by the rest of St Ursula's staff to be a capable physician and is a professor in pharmacology and neurology.
- Dark Is Evil: Post-Reveal, most of his attacks (including his S-Craft) become dark-based.
- Dramatic Irony: He dismisses the Septian Church and Aidios as lies used to control the masses and regards KeA/Demiourgos as his true god, painfully unaware that KeA is a man-made recreation of the Sept-Terrion of Mirage, one of Aidios' treasures.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Considered the child prostitution ring at the Paradise lodge (where Renne was sent to) to be repugnant, not to mention drawing unwanted attention to the organization. But that doesn't stop him from employing the results of their research or using the blackmail material obtained from Paradise.
- Expy: Of Professor Alba. Or rather Alba's true identity, Weissmann. Like the Faceless, he despises the Septian Church, wields a Magic Staff, performs atrocious experiments, and is somehow incredibly self-righteous despite all his crimes against humanity. He even uses the same Evil Eye technique, though this is due to reading Estelle and Joshua's memories of Weissmann. Joshua and Estelle actually find him even more repugnant, an impressive feat considering that Weissmann caused Joshua's village to be massacred just to prove that humanity is sinful and turned him into a Tyke Bomb. He acknowledges these similarities and states he would have loved to meet Weissmann.
- The Extremist Was Right: Posthumously, it's revealed that the cult actually was on the right track of finding out things from outside Zemuria, as revealed by McBurn to Class VII in Cold Steel IV.
- Hate Sink: What he turns out to be after he reveals his true colours.
- Hero Killer: It is revealed in Azure that in the original timeline, he was able to kill Lloyd, Elie and Tio before overdosing from Gnosis.
- Hired to Hunt Yourself: The SSS ask him for a consultation regarding the mysterious Fantastic Drug wreaking havoc across Crossbell. The drug is, of course, his own creation and he's the one masterminding its distribution. He is also the one who tips off the SSS about the D∴G Cult's involvement by mentioning some "rumors" he'd heard about what the drug might actually be.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: He ultimately dies from an overdose of his perfected Red Gnosis creation, the very substance he was using to spread his control throughout Crossbell and considered the culmination of his life's work. Furthermore, the One-Winged Angel form he achieved through the drug didn't help him defeat the SSS, and he only succeeded in a last-second attempt at Taking You with Me...only for Ke A, the Divine Child of the cult, to use her powers to alter causality specifically to undo that victory of his.
- Holier Than Thou: He's even more self-righteous than Weissmann, viewing the entire Septian Church as false prophets and treating everyone who disagrees with him as unenlightened fools.
- Hospital Hottie: Many of the patients at the medical college note how handsome-looking he is.
- Infodump: He provides several of these to the player as he tries to figure out what's up with the strange medicine the SSS has found, or whether KeA's amnesia might be treatable.
- Invisibility: During the first stage of his boss fight, he'll occasionally grant the stealth status on himself, making him invulnerable while making his own attacks be guaranteed Critical Hit.
- Kick the Dog: The Info Dump he gives the SSS about the D∴G Cult resulted in Tio fainting in shock. As they later on discover a file in his office of the cult's activities, which included Tio's information, it's clear that Joachim was aware of who Tio was and what she went through and was intentionally pressing her Trauma Button.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: For all his claims to be the only one who sees "true wisdom", everything he knows either came from outside sources or was coerced out of others via blackmail and brainwashing, and even then there's another underground faction in Crossbell who outplayed him. This is a major sore spot for him, and Lloyd intentionally needles him about it to break his concentration while he has the group trapped in his Evil Eye.
- Limit Break: His S-Craft in his human form is Calamity Sphere.
- Mad Doctor: It's just a cover so he can continue his Gnosis research.
- Not Good with Rejection: Using Loggins as a proxy, he tells KeA that she should join him as his true deity. When she rejects his offer, Joachim drops any pretense of civility and angrily accuses the SSS of lying to her.
- Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: He claims Aidios is a false goddess because she can't save everyone, and therefore he needs to raise the Divine Child, KeA, to become a true goddess. Despite his supposed good intentions, he disregards his Divine Child's wishes when she chooses the SSS over the cult and he never once considers the children the cult kidnapped to be among those saved by his goddess. In reality, he only cares about forcing his idea of wisdom onto the masses with no true regard for their wellbeing.
- One-Winged Angel: Transforms into a huge demonic creature after swallowing a whole bottle of Red Gnosis.
- People Puppets: He is able to control people who have taken Gnosis, directing them to attack Crossbell in order to reclaim KeA.
- Psychological Projection: In his digital logs, he insists the Septian Church only cares about using religion to gain political power, yet the cult forced children into prostitution to blackmail politicians in order to amass their own political power.
- Sadistic Choice: During the climax of Zero he tries to strongarm KeA into going with him to help complete his plans by threatening the lives of the SSS, who at the time were utterly exhausted from fending off a Zerg Rush of Brainwashed and Crazy CGF soldiers under his command. Were it not for a Rousing Speech from Lloyd giving them a Heroic Second Wind and the timely arrival of Arios, Dudley, and Sergei, she would have gone with him to spare them.
- The Sleepless: A side effect of his Gnosis research. It allows him to continue his research while also working full time at the hospital, with him telling the SSS that he hadn't had slept at all in years before the final battle. He implies that his naturally white hair is either a result of his constant consumption of Gnosis or his body going so long without natural sleep, though even he's uncertain which is correct.
- Smug Snake: What he really is. Once the Evolution port gave him more voiced lines, his rather condescending tone after The Reveal becomes more apparent.
- Taking You with Me: After discovering just how unstable his Gnosis-induced form is, he decides to take SSS down along with the Brights. It's only thanks to Renne's interference that they manage to survive. [[spoiler:In the original timeline, he actually succeeded, resulting in KeA's interference in using her powers as the Treasure of Zero specifically to alter causality to make Renne's actions and the SSS' survival possible.
- Tautological Templar: He's unapologetic about all the cruel experiments on children performed by the D∴G cult and believes everything he does is righteous because he's trying to raise a true deity. Even when his "deity," KeA, opposes him, he insists that she's just confused about her true role.
- Unwitting Pawn: Like the rest of the Cult, he has no idea that the Crois family fed them a lie about KeA being a goddess. His attack on Crossbell at the end of Zero only served to expose all the politicians and mafia members who worked with him, allowing Dieter Crois to become mayor with little political opposition and setting the stage for Ouroboros's Phantasmal Blaze plan. Lloyd even notes that he was this on the group's way to Michellam wonderland, and how his earnest efforts to achieve his cult's vision only aided the Crois family's goals every step of the way without them ever directly working together.
- Villainous Legacy: Despite dying at the end of Zero, his actions have repercussions during Azure, as the prologue is about tracking down Ernest and his once-successful killing of the SSS in the original timeline is a major reason why Kea consents to aid in the Azure-Zero plan.
- Walking Spoiler: Due to being the main antagonist of Zero, it's almost impossible to talk about him without giving major spoilers for the game.
- White Hair, Black Heart: His hair is initially blue, but right before his boss battle, he reveals that his true hair color is white, possibly as a consequence of Gnosis. And given his role as the Big Bad, the color is fitting.
- Would Hurt a Child: While working for the D∴G Cult, his experiments ended up having a lasting effect on both Tio and Renne.
Doctor Seiland
- Voiced by: Takako Ohkoshi (Japanese), Cindy Robinson (English)
Lucy Seiland's aunt and Joachim's former classmate at Remiferia's Medical University. She formerly worked at the Seiland Company prior to taking Joachim's old position at St. Ursula in Crossbell.
- Damsel in Distress: She gets kidnapped in Reverie and is held at Arsenal, a Reinford factory in Crossbell.
- Everyone Went to School Together: Attended medical school along with Joachim Guenther, and Prince Albert von Bartholomeus.
- Friendly Address Privileges: Refers to Grand Prince Albert von Bartholomeus, the head of her country, as simply Al, who allows this on account of them being former classmates in medical school.
- Hospital Hottie: Quite attractive, and also a highly skilled physician.
- Schedule Fanatic: Downplayed, but she is quick to reprimand people for being late for certain tasks, such as when first meeting the SSS. Justified, as she points out as a doctor, a few minutes or seconds delay could be the difference between life and death when operating on a patient.
