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Alvin

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Player: Laena
Canon: Tales of Xillia 2
Canon Point: post chapter 15
Alignment: Piphron
Date of Entry: 8/01/2014

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Real Name: Alfred vint Svent
Age: 27 28 29
Birthday: Unknown (headcanon: May 21)
Eye Color: Orange brown
Hair Color: Dark brown
Height: 182cm (6 feet)
Amulet: Link (he's completed two, one for Dai and one for Pip; it should be blue now)
Appearance: Basically. Though in Empatheias, he may have to switch his wardrobe to look less modern business and fit in more with the steampunk style. He is definitely changing clothes for when he goes out to those monster hunting jobs. He will more likely look like how he used to with the trench coats and rugged shirts, pants, and boots. It might not be the exact same as his old wardrobe, but it'll be pretty damn similar.
Contact: laenavesse

Background: Have some links. First game and second game.

Personality: Okay, so first I shall link what I have written about his past personality and what he went through in the first game here. It's lengthy...just as this is. A lot of what I have written references back to his old self. But if you want the very short version, Alvin was the traitor of the series. So he lied, backstabbed, did everything for his own self interests. He did have reasons. Whether they were valid or not for him to do the things he did, that's up to you. But he was basically a guy who had the world shit on him and had to deal with that. He does begin to change toward the end of the game and vows to turn his life around—to no longer be the guy who always got his hands dirty. So with this is mind, here is how he is now—or at least trying to. A lot can happen in a year, but no one does a full 180, especially not when they've been through what he has.

"I don't want any more relationships based on lies."
The above is basically his most defining quote. At the end of the first game, he is ready to put all the lies and dirty past behind him. He's not going to pretend they didn't happen, but he doesn't want to be like that anymore. He really, truly, regrets all the things he's done. He wants to try and live an honest and good life—or at least as much as he can. He wants to have friends. He wants to be trusted.

Joining with Yurgen is a big chance for him to do just that. The problem is he still has to deal with Elympion culture and if you add the natural sleazy underworld that plagues business in general... It's obvious that Alvin is a natural businessman, able to charm the clients and figure out the best opportunities for both sides. If you add his past of being able to "play the hand" and work out shady deals, he would be perfect. However, that's not what Alvin wants. He'll still charm and he'll still try to get the best deal, but he will not use underhanded methods. In fact, he will readily call anyone out on it and walk away from it. It's one thing to compromise and barter around, and another to do it at someone's expense.

Does he still trick people? Depends on how you define "trick" and using legitimate business tactics. He is not above using the standard method of using friends to help bolster a sale. However, the key difference here is he's not trying to sell a faulty good. He believes their fruits are better than what Elympions can produce because it's natural. So there's no real misrepresentation by having some "random" taste testers say that his fruits are better than the current stock.

Does he still lie to people? Again, depends on how you view lying, and in the context of business, that can definitely be a gray area. To get it out of the way, if he's "lying" in business, it's not so much for illegal misrepresentation so much throwing a few false concepts to improve the product. He's not trying to dupe anyone into buying something they shouldn't, but just kind of push them to consider the product and make it more appealing. It's legitimate and when done "honestly" it's an acceptable practice for business. In other words, these lies are harmless. Outside of business use, as in, in terms of morals and ethics, the concept of lying is very ambiguous in general, so it's very important to realize what makes a lie really bad and one that's a necessary evil. For Alvin, he dabbled in both, but now he's trying not to. Yes, he will still lie, especially when he's just trying to flatter or give them what they want to hear, but he's trying to do that less and to do it only if he has to. It's not because he's going to turn his back and do the complete opposite. These aren't lies of betrayal. Deception? A bit, yeah. Manipulation? If needed to be done, yeah. Protection? More likely. It is a lot less about the fact that he lied but why is he lying. What is the intent? In his new life, he would only lie if it's for the better and necessary thing to do. Otherwise, he will be upfront and honest.

Does he still keep secrets? Of course. Everyone does. However, he is also more likely to open up and tell someone about his problems or misgivings than he would have in the past. He also would be more likely to tell more about himself than he would. There are still a lot of skeletons in that closet that he'd rather stay locked in the back, but he'll at least acknowledge that they exist. Might not say anything more about it, but it's out there. More importantly, he's not going to be keeping secrets at the expense of others or for his own self interests. There can be a bit of a gray area when it comes to those kinds of secrets that are supposed to help protect another person. In that case, he'd be a great secret keeper. Which is also to say that he's not suddenly going to be spouting out the truth all the time.

Alvin will also volunteer himself to play the asshole villain or the fall guy. Compared to everyone else in the group, he's had the experience and the dirt to do it with. He's not exactly proud of it, and never feels good about it when he does. But he has long since accepted that that's how he used to be and that it will always be a part of him. However, he will only do this when necessity calls for it; otherwise he'd rather not. He will also deliberately joke to try and lighten the mood, making him seem like the insensitive jerk. However, it's all calculated because really he's just trying to help everyone by offering a distraction to help keep moving forward.

All that said, his loyalty is something that is definitely there now. Before it would have been iffy, but now that he has a lot less self-interest, he is more than likely to stand by a friend's side through thick and thin. He'll offer his help and follow through with it. If he can't, he'll let you know. He's not going to outright bail on someone like he would have in the past. He wants to keep his word and he will do whatever he can to do so. However he also won't make any promises he knows he can't keep, because otherwise that would basically be a lie. He does not want to hurt anyone through that way again.

Another few subtle change is his maturity level. Alvin had always been an adult, but he still acted more like a guy who just did whatever he wanted. It's not that he didn't know about consequences—he definitely did—but with his life as messed up as it was, it was hard to really "settle" and get his act together. Now he has that chance and he really has come a long way from where he used to be. He's taking his responsibilities seriously and owns up to his mistakes. Sure, he might play it off as something that can be fixed, but that's just appearances. In his mind he screwed up and he has to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Alvin's always had that "real world" practical sense, and this continues to be a prevalent factor in how he goes about things. He's mostly an optimist, but he's more of a realist optimist. He knows that not everything is going to go as planned, and he knows how to handle when shit hits the fan. He knows that some things just can't be helped and you have to keep on pushing forward. He will say what needs to be said, even when that time may seem insensitive. Having been to the bottom of the pit many times (and managing to fall even deeper), he knows better than anyone that you can't just sit there. You have to keep moving on just like the world does.

That all said, he still has that immaturity about him, too. He might not crack as many blatant innuendos, but he can still throw them out there, especially implied or hidden ones. He's still one to joke, to tease, and spin tales for the fun of it. He's also still very much the casual, laid-back, pal around type of guy that he has been, but there's more of an "older" feel to it. I am desperately trying to figure out how to word it, but it's one of those things that's easier seen than described. Regardless, Alvin seems more like a guy who at least knows what he's doing with his life, or at least putting more work to it. He's not drifting around.

He also carries that confidence around, and in some ways he has more of it due to his growth. He still plays it cool and keeps up his appearance. But his weaker sides are also more exposed. In the past he would hide his uncertainty, but now he's more likely to show it or at least not try to hide it behind a mask. He knows it ruins his "cool" image, but there are more times when he appears vulnerable, especially when something is truly getting to him. His confidence isn't a complete charade, but when it gets shaken, it's shaken hard. This lends to how he can sometimes get a bit more broody than usual, but it doesn't take too much for him to get back on his feet. Either words of encouragement or direct comments about how he's getting worked up over nothing are enough.

This also means he's grown a little softer and more genuine. The various masks he's had to keep up are no longer necessary so he can be more true to himself. He still has a lot of work to do, but he's taking a lot of the right steps to get to it.

More importantly, Alvin does something that none of the other characters except Ludger do: he literally faces himself. Except for Ludger and briefly Milla, he is the only one who actually meets his fractured self in a fractured dimension. Again except for Ludger, he is also the only one who actually fights himself. This is not just part of a story for him, but it's also very symbolic. He argues against his old self, telling him what he's doing wrong. But there is a moment where he actually would have allowed his past self shoot and kill him. This is only stopped by Ludger, and with his and Leia's help, he kills his fractured self. By doing so, Alvin is also killing his past. Presa only slams the nail further. When she asks him if he regretted the time they spent together—any of it—and he says he doesn't, she asks when did he become a horrible liar. That could be interpreted a couple of ways, but here are two: one, he actually said the truth or two, he does regret and what he says is barely convincing. If he does regret, it's not the time they spent together—it's what he did to her in the end. In either case, it's clear that he's changed, and once again it's Presa who is pushing him forward and pointing out that he's found his place. It's also once again to Presa that he vows that he won't leave that place and that he will move on from his past.

One final thing to note is that although Alvin comes from a highly influential family and is the legitimate successor as head, he declines it all. He keeps his name, but he doesn't go by "Alfred," opting to choose with his new name, "Alvin." That isn't to say he doesn't respond to it or denies it, but he would prefer "Alvin." In the first game, he acknowledges that he's too "feral" to make the cut with the noble prestige and he honestly prefers his more "commoner" life. He actually looks down at power flaunting individuals and be more than happy to bring them down a few levels. He might still like high brand fashion, but that doesn't mean he wants to live a high end, luxurious life. More importantly, he wants to work at getting back to the top and he's not focusing on the profit, either. However, that doesn't mean he's going to ignore his potential "power," either. He might no longer be associated with the family much, but he's still a Svent and he still has it in his back pocket. He'll make the connections when he has to, but only when he has to. And if anything, he'll use Balan to help since his cousin is pretty influential himself. But even when he does, he'll pay them back. He's not going to just blindly use his advantages—it's more like calling in a favor that he'll make due.

Abilities: Going to blend a bit of what I have written from his ToX1 profile for background information. Really there's not much change in his abilities aside from switching from the Lilium Orb to the Allium and obtaining a few new artes and skills.

Alvin is a tank. Seriously, his main stat is strength, he packs a lot of vitality, crits like a madman, and his specialty is breaking through guards. To translate that from game mechanic terms to "real life," he's a strong, seasoned fighter who would be a formidable foe in the battlefield. His main weapons of choice are his gun and broadsword, both specially designed and both wielded together. As mentioned, he can pack a punch and put enough force to stun his enemies, especially with his charged attacks.

As his fight style suggests, he's ambidextrous. His dominant hand is the left hand, and he first learned how to fire a gun with this hand. He then later trained his right hand so that he could wield the sword. Due to the special design of the weapons, he can combine them to "charge" and boost his attack power. Going into a charged state also allows him to perform his artes in a slightly different variation (so same skill, but with boosted power and slightly different look and sometimes mechanic, such as one three shots instead of one). Thus his dual weaponry allows him to attack both long and melee range. In addition to his skill in weaponry, he is decent in hand-to-hand combat. Definitely not the expert like Jude, and he'd likely prefer his weapons in a big fight, but he knows how to at least dish out a few punches and kicks to get him through a brawl. Also, if his introduction scene is anything to go by, he can apparently run crazy fast and jump crazy distances. ...Not sure how much stock I want to put into that scene though (first game). Credit the Lilium Orb. But some of his artes do require him to jump high into the air so there's that.

In terms of how adept he is with his weapons, when it comes to his gun he is an ace marksman. He only knows how to use a handgun, but he can aim very well even from far distances and seems to know the right spots to hit when it comes to inanimate objects. For example, in two instances Jude pointed out a target for him to shoot, but not exactly where. Alvin is able to figure out the exact weak points to hit. He just needs a general target and he'll hit the mark. As for his sword, he's no fencer and actual swordsman "style" isn't really that big on his list, but he knows how to wield it. Less than actual defined style, he just moves where he needs to. He has his own stances (which are actually very laid back) and is very dexterous with the blade despite its large size. He is also pretty quick and nimble with it, too—again, not on par as someone wielding a slimmer sword, but more than one would expect. He makes up his lack of speed with force—each swing counts.

In addition, he now has his father's gun. Although not used in battle in game, in the Tales of Xillia 2: Soukyoku no Crossroads manga, he's actually seen using it. In game you only see it in certain end battle skits. However it can be assumed that he keeps it loaded and will use both guns if needed. This also implies that he does know how to dual wield guns like Ludger, though who is better at it is tough to say (probably Ludger, though, that kid is crazy).

Most important to note is his lack of a mana lobe. Or rather, the inability to use his (as explained in the background info). Since he can't use his mana lobe he can't perform any true spirit artes. This means all his attacks are physical martial artes. However, some of his artes have an elemental effect and his main element is fire. How he is able to utilize the elements without the use of spirits or spyrix is due to the Lilium and Allium Orbs. And how they work exactly—well just best not to question. At least with the Allium Orbs you have elemental cores powering them, but more on that in a bit.

For the first game, he had the Lilium Orb. This crystal shaped like a flower can expand and reflects the user's growth. It also helps unlock certain abilities once the user has reached a certain experience level. In addition, it allows the user to sense the intents of their companions (but not foes). This allows the fighters to adapt and work in battle with less need to verbally communicate. It also allows them to perform Linked Artes, or combination attacks, that can be more powerful than individual attacks.

After the schism fell, these were not longer usable. Now everyone uses something similar called the Allium Orb. However rather than mana, the Allium Orb uses elemental cores to develop and it's from these orbs that the characters can enhance their battle skills. And as mentioned before, it at least helps explain how Alvin can use elemental attacks better.

His mystic arte (or his "special ultimate attack") is called Terminus Pride wherein he jumps high into the air, unloads his gun, combines it with his sword, and then dives down for the finishing blow. It's all fire based. Like in all Tales of games, these mystic artes can only be performed when going into "Overlimit" which can be filled constantly. So to translate that from game mechanics and be more realistic, it means they have to be really energized in battle. So this move wouldn't be done unless it was against a tough opponent and it was necessary. It's a "special ultimate attack" for a reason.

In terms of new artes, here are the names: Demon Whip, Charged Blow, Trap Shot, Boilermaker. In terms of Arcane Artes, he also has a few more: Spiral Wave, Legacy, and Hairtrigger. Another new concept brought into Xillia 2 is the use of combined Mystic Artes with Ludger. Theirs is called Bullet Crucifixion.

Now for some non-fighting abilities, Alvin grew up living the life of a spy and traitor. Although he's trying to turn over a new leaf, that doesn't mean his skills from the old days are wasted. He's good at reading people and can weasel his way into learning information. He's also good at deceiving by saying just enough to get the foot in the door and make his way in. That also means he's good at deflecting or turning topics back around if it starts to head in a direction he doesn't really want. As I said, he's trying to turn over a new leaf so if he were to ever use these "skills" it wouldn't be for nefarious reasons and would only do it if he had to. The skills on their own aren't too bad—it's just how he uses them that matters.

In this case, it's being a businessman. He'll read his customers and clients and be able to tell when a deal is going to work and when it's not. Even when it's not, he'll still try to turn it around, but he won't get bent out of shape if it doesn't. That also means he's also learned to read and play the market. He might not be the best there is yet, but he has the talent and makings for it. Handling money, accounting, managing, public speaking—these are all skills he'll have developed and will continue to develop.

Other: Not only did he have a wardrobe change, but he grew out his hair—both on his head and on his face. He wanted to have a bit of an appearance change to go along with his own personality change, so now he has a trim beard going on. ...It all looks so much better in the skit/animated scenes than in-game model.

He still loves scarves, though.

In a skit between Alvin, Leia, and Ludger, Alvin complains to Leia about all the unnecessary emoticons she uses in her texts and how he can't tell what half of them even are. She also sent him a frog picture which apparently is supposed to look like him. Apparently those morose little eyes reminded her of him and it could turn into a cute Alvin Frog Meme. Of course he objects to that. She also admits and agrees Alvin's implication that it makes him look obnoxious. Atta girl, Leia.

Alvin also has his father's gun and gun belt on him and in fact carries both around. As a reminder, the gun is actually a symbol of the Svent family. Although still part of the family by name, Alvin rejected the position. Some unknown person is the patriarch now.

Exact birthdays aren't known, and the calendar system is different from the standard. Alvin was born in Primia 4278 (Trames 2267). Given the timeline, it's very likely that he (and the rest of the cast) were born in the one season the game did not take place as nothing is referred in terms of them getting older (and in ToX2, they are one year older than in the first). This pretty much leaves about 4 to 5 months in the latter part of winter and all of spring. If I had to choose, I'd say sometime in March or April. He may have grown up twisted, but if he had lived under normal circumstances, he probably would have been a lot gentler, the "hidden" sides that peek out toward the end of the game.

Permissions: Permissions for actions done to this character.
Key: ☐ (neutral; contact first) | ☑ (yes) | ☒ (no).
» Backtagging: ☑
» Threadhopping: ☑
» Hugging: ☑
» Kissing: ☑ (ladiiiiies but guys can try and mess with him)
» Fighting: ☑
» Injuring: ☐
» Killing: ☒ (still contact me about it)
» Fourth Wall: ☐
» Manipulation: ☒