Overview
Nabriales is a male Ascian and former member of the Convocation of Fourteen, distinguished by his red mask. In the age before the Sundering, he held a seat on the Convocation associated with martial prowess and the refinement of technique. He operates with open contempt for many of his peers and moves with an impatience uncommon among his kind. He serves as an antagonist during the latter half of A Realm Reborn, ultimately confronting the Warrior of Light in the Aetherial Rift in the trial known as the Chrysalis.
History & Lore
Origins and the Convocation of Fourteen
Long before the catastrophe that shattered the world, Nabriales occupied a seat among the Convocation of Fourteen in the ancient city of Amaurot. His role within that body was tied to martial excellence and the cultivation of technique, marking him as a figure of disciplined power in an age when the Convocation guided civilization at its height.
Like all surviving members of the Convocation, Nabriales endured the Sundering and continued to pursue the restoration of the star to its original form, working across the ages alongside other Ascians toward the ultimate goal of rejoining the sundered souls of their people.
Emergence During the Seventh Umbral Era
Nabriales was among the Ascians who gathered in the aftermath of Bahamut's release and the fall of the Ultima Weapon, observing that the primal threat would only grow as the Reckoning drew closer. During this period he voiced skepticism toward Elidibus's interest in the Warrior of Light and Minfilia Warde, dismissing the Emissary's attention to mortals who had grown strong in the Echo as misplaced.
He was later present when the Ascians convened following Ramuh's defeat, and was seen commenting on Iceheart's withdrawal after her battle in the form of Shiva. His remark that Lahabrea would be pleased carried a barely concealed disdain, hinting at the low regard in which he held his fellow Ascian.
The Assault on the Scions
When Midgardsormr stripped the Warrior of Light of Hydaelyn's blessing, Nabriales recognized the opportunity immediately. The blessing had long served as a barrier preventing Ascians from moving directly against the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and with it gone, Nabriales wasted no time. He confronted the Warrior and Moenbryda in Northern Thanalan, wounding Moenbryda when she attempted to intervene.
His objective was the stone tablet fragment housed within Tupsimati, Louisoix's staff, which he intended to use to trigger the next Umbral Calamity. When Minfilia refused to surrender the staff, Nabriales transported both her and the artifact to the Chrysalis, a space within the Aetherial Rift, rather than kill her outright and risk the wrath of Elidibus.
Defeat in the Chrysalis
The Warrior of Light pursued Nabriales through the portal into the Aetherial Rift and defeated him in battle. Nabriales reconstituted himself and declared he would return as many times as necessary to claim the staff, only to be permanently destroyed when Moenbryda sacrificed her own aether to create a blade of pure white auracite capable of slaying an Ascian without a host body. Her death ensured his permanent destruction.
Personality and Relationships
Nabriales is defined by arrogance and impatience. He speaks with a smug, nasal quality and holds Lahabrea in particular contempt, once describing him as an overbearing presence. His relationship with Elidibus is more complicated; he defers to the Emissary's wishes, choosing not to kill Minfilia specifically because he knew Elidibus would not forgive the act, suggesting a grudging respect or at least a pragmatic awareness of hierarchy.
Among the Ascians, Nabriales stands out for his willingness to act unilaterally the moment an opening presents itself, rather than waiting and working through longer schemes as others prefer. This impatience is something he acknowledges openly, framing it as a difference of temperament rather than a flaw.
Abilities and Combat
As an Ascian, Nabriales commands dark sorcery with considerable skill. He also wields a form of time magic capable of trapping opponents in a suspended plane filled with falling meteorites, a technique that features prominently in his battle against the Warrior of Light.
In gameplay, Nabriales serves as the sole boss of the trial the Chrysalis. The encounter is notable for being the only main scenario trial without an extreme difficulty version as of Patch 6.2, and his time magic mechanic has earned a reputation for catching unprepared players off guard. A shade of Nabriales also appears as an add during the Minstrel's Ballad: Hades's Elegy, reprising his mechanics from the original trial.
Voice and Etymology
Nabriales is voiced by Masumi Yoshida in the Japanese version of the game. In English he is portrayed by Gideon Emery, who also lends his voice to Urianger Augurelt in Final Fantasy XIV and to Balthier in Final Fantasy XII.
The name Nabriales is drawn from Final Fantasy XII, where Nabriales the Majestic is listed as a scion of light. The magical glyph that manifests when Nabriales channels his power is an inverted fragment of the glyph associated with Cuchulainn from that same game, drawing a subtle visual connection between the two works.
