Parn
Encyclopedia
Parn is a fictional character
in the Record of Lodoss War
fantasy manga
and its derivative anime
franchise.
He plays a major role in the series, especially in the light novels, manga and OVA, and is the central protagonist in the manga saga The Grey Witch. He also plays a major role in the beginning of Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, but this role is diminished after the eighth episode, where a new protagonist
, Spark, takes the lead.
. This differs from his introduction in the manga series, where he is already a mercenary
when discovered by the rest of his party. It is never disclosed in the OVA or Chronicles of the Heroic Knight as to what Parn's age is.
Parn specializes in the use of bastard sword. In the beginning of the OVA series, he wields his father's sword until it is destroyed. At this point, he is granted the Holy Sword of Falis to continue his journey. Parn's romantic interest comes in the form of Deedlit
, a high elf shamanist who left her elven homelands in search for a way to help show her people to change their ways.
Growing up, Parn idolized his father, remembering him as a great man, despite what the others had to say about him and knowing him only as a man of honor. Never knowing the circumstances of his father's fall from grace, he knew his father only as a kind and gentle man with a warrior's spirit.
Parn had a best friend by the name of Etoh, who left the village to become a priest of Falis, the Supreme God, a couple of years before the story begins. He was also a good friend with the mayor's daughter, and may have even been childhood sweethearts with her, although this is only implied.
After taking part in the defense of the village, the mayor decides to do Parn a favor. To help him save face, the mayor secretly exiles Parn, asking him to leave the village, but publicly declaring that Parn is leaving to scout out the land, and see what news there is of a possible upcoming war with the country of Marmo.
During his travels, Parn manages to meet several other characters, including an elf named Deedlit
, a dwarf named Ghim, a sorcerer named Slayn, and a thief named Woodchuck. Ghim and several others act as mentors to Parn and attempt to teach him to defend himself, though Parn's skills are lacking, as Deedlit remarks that he "needs help". When, by happenstance, Parn and his comrades rescue Princess Fianna, Parn comes into good graces with Fahn, the king of Valis, and Kashue, the king of Flaim. They send Parn and his comrades on a mission to gain intelligence about the Karla the Grey Witch, who is a wildcard in ongoing War of Heroes between Marmo and Lodoss.
When Parn returns, Fahn reveals that his father, whom most thought had died dishonorably, had actually died a hero, acting on his own in order to save the then infant Princess Fianna and save the kingdom from war. Parn is then granted the title of "Holy Knight of Valis", a title which he accepts but never uses by name, instead preferring to simply be known as "Parn".
During the war with Marmo, Fahn is killed in a duel
with Emperor Beld. Karla then kills Beld as well, to prevent either side from becoming too powerful. Seeking justice for her actions, Parn and his friends go to Karla's stronghold. Karla attempts to sway Parn to her side, but he refuses. In the end, Karla is defeated at the cost of Ghim's life; however, Karla manages to possess the body of Woodchuck in order to make her escape.
Afterwards, Parn is forced to go to the cursed island of Marmo when Wagnard abducts Deedlit to uses her as a reagent for a spell. Fighting for Deedlit's life, Parn overcomes many obstacles, and with the help of the opposing blades, Beld's demon blade named Soul Crusher and Fahn's holy blade (which is called the Holy Sword of Falis ), he is able to stop the spell and save Deedlit's life.
At the end of the series, Kashue grants upon Parn the esteemed title of "Knight of Lodoss", which later derives into his more commonly-used title in the second series of "The Free Knight.
Parn is the one who peacefully befriends Shiris, but due to a mistake on what was taking place, her partner and best friend Orson attacks him in his berserker mode, trying to kill him. He nearly delivers a fatal blow, but like in the OVA, Shiris stops him from doing so.
Parn works with the other characters to uncover what the Marmo forces have been plotting, discovering that their intent is to acquire the Scepter of Domination. He assists Kashue with trying to prevent the sceptre from falling into the hands of Ashram, and also assists in the slaying of the red dragon Shooting Star.
At this point, Parn's role in the series becomes marginal, and he has hardly any screen time at all. After one final battle which ends in a stalemate, Parn and Ashram both agree to go their separate ways, with Ashram admitting that he is going to leave Marmo with the rest of his people to search for peace.
Takeshi Kusao
. His English voice actor for the US Manga Corps dub is Bill Timoney
, credited as Billy Regan.
In Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, the voice of Parn is changed as he is now voiced by seiyu
, Nobutoshi Canna
. However, his English voice actor remains the same, as Timoney reprises the role for the second series.
to Japanese. Kitagawa was an ardent fan of Michael Moorcock
, so he jokingly called own character Parn, "Eternal champion". However, in the game sessions, Parn was dubbed as from his personality: muri (no way), mucha (nonsense) and mubou (reckless).
Parn was a character for the Forcelia campaign world, which was offered to TSR at one point, but rejected due to current policies. A human fighter
, Parn has a delight in using the bastard sword.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Record of Lodoss War
Record of Lodoss War
is a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based around the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia for role-playing games . There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English...
fantasy manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and its derivative anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
franchise.
He plays a major role in the series, especially in the light novels, manga and OVA, and is the central protagonist in the manga saga The Grey Witch. He also plays a major role in the beginning of Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, but this role is diminished after the eighth episode, where a new protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, Spark, takes the lead.
Description
In the OVA series, Parn begins as a simple village youth, but through extraordinary circumstances dons his father's armour and sword, and takes on the role of a fighterWarrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
. This differs from his introduction in the manga series, where he is already a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
when discovered by the rest of his party. It is never disclosed in the OVA or Chronicles of the Heroic Knight as to what Parn's age is.
Parn specializes in the use of bastard sword. In the beginning of the OVA series, he wields his father's sword until it is destroyed. At this point, he is granted the Holy Sword of Falis to continue his journey. Parn's romantic interest comes in the form of Deedlit
Deedlit
Deedlit is a fictional character in the Record of Lodoss War fantasy role-playing game setting, light novels and its derivative anime franchise. A female high elf and shaman , she is the romantic interest and inseparable companion of Parn...
, a high elf shamanist who left her elven homelands in search for a way to help show her people to change their ways.
Character history
Parn grew up in a more or less peaceful village, with the only real concern being a nearby goblin tribe. As a child, he was ostracized by the others, because his father had a black mark against his name. Parn later learned from King Fahn that his father willingly made himself look like a rogue knight so that he could rescue the king's infant daughter from the people of Flaim, who were intending to offer her up as a sacrifice to Shooting Star, an ancient red dragon who was terrorizing them at the time. He was successful in this endeavor and also allowed Fahn to avoid any personal blame for the incident, however Flaim and Valis still ended up going to war. When he was called, Tessius silently rode to the front and was killed on the battlefield before his name could be restored.Growing up, Parn idolized his father, remembering him as a great man, despite what the others had to say about him and knowing him only as a man of honor. Never knowing the circumstances of his father's fall from grace, he knew his father only as a kind and gentle man with a warrior's spirit.
Parn had a best friend by the name of Etoh, who left the village to become a priest of Falis, the Supreme God, a couple of years before the story begins. He was also a good friend with the mayor's daughter, and may have even been childhood sweethearts with her, although this is only implied.
Role in the OVA series
At the beginning of the OVA series, Parn fends off a group of goblins, rescuing the mayor's daughter from them, and killing one in the process. Because of his actions, there is a dispute among the villagers about what must be done, and Parn decides he will deal with the goblins alone, but is then joined by his childhood friend Etoh, who returned to the village at the same time as the attack.After taking part in the defense of the village, the mayor decides to do Parn a favor. To help him save face, the mayor secretly exiles Parn, asking him to leave the village, but publicly declaring that Parn is leaving to scout out the land, and see what news there is of a possible upcoming war with the country of Marmo.
During his travels, Parn manages to meet several other characters, including an elf named Deedlit
Deedlit
Deedlit is a fictional character in the Record of Lodoss War fantasy role-playing game setting, light novels and its derivative anime franchise. A female high elf and shaman , she is the romantic interest and inseparable companion of Parn...
, a dwarf named Ghim, a sorcerer named Slayn, and a thief named Woodchuck. Ghim and several others act as mentors to Parn and attempt to teach him to defend himself, though Parn's skills are lacking, as Deedlit remarks that he "needs help". When, by happenstance, Parn and his comrades rescue Princess Fianna, Parn comes into good graces with Fahn, the king of Valis, and Kashue, the king of Flaim. They send Parn and his comrades on a mission to gain intelligence about the Karla the Grey Witch, who is a wildcard in ongoing War of Heroes between Marmo and Lodoss.
When Parn returns, Fahn reveals that his father, whom most thought had died dishonorably, had actually died a hero, acting on his own in order to save the then infant Princess Fianna and save the kingdom from war. Parn is then granted the title of "Holy Knight of Valis", a title which he accepts but never uses by name, instead preferring to simply be known as "Parn".
During the war with Marmo, Fahn is killed in a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
with Emperor Beld. Karla then kills Beld as well, to prevent either side from becoming too powerful. Seeking justice for her actions, Parn and his friends go to Karla's stronghold. Karla attempts to sway Parn to her side, but he refuses. In the end, Karla is defeated at the cost of Ghim's life; however, Karla manages to possess the body of Woodchuck in order to make her escape.
Afterwards, Parn is forced to go to the cursed island of Marmo when Wagnard abducts Deedlit to uses her as a reagent for a spell. Fighting for Deedlit's life, Parn overcomes many obstacles, and with the help of the opposing blades, Beld's demon blade named Soul Crusher and Fahn's holy blade (which is called the Holy Sword of Falis ), he is able to stop the spell and save Deedlit's life.
At the end of the series, Kashue grants upon Parn the esteemed title of "Knight of Lodoss", which later derives into his more commonly-used title in the second series of "The Free Knight.
Role in Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
Parn once again serves as the protagonist for this series, but only for the first eight episodes. Presented in a different light, Parn is slightly stronger and has more skill in this series, which takes place approximately five years after the death of Ghim.Parn is the one who peacefully befriends Shiris, but due to a mistake on what was taking place, her partner and best friend Orson attacks him in his berserker mode, trying to kill him. He nearly delivers a fatal blow, but like in the OVA, Shiris stops him from doing so.
Parn works with the other characters to uncover what the Marmo forces have been plotting, discovering that their intent is to acquire the Scepter of Domination. He assists Kashue with trying to prevent the sceptre from falling into the hands of Ashram, and also assists in the slaying of the red dragon Shooting Star.
At this point, Parn's role in the series becomes marginal, and he has hardly any screen time at all. After one final battle which ends in a stalemate, Parn and Ashram both agree to go their separate ways, with Ashram admitting that he is going to leave Marmo with the rest of his people to search for peace.
Voices
In Record of Lodoss War, Parn is voiced by seiyuSeiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
Takeshi Kusao
Takeshi Kusao
is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.Among his many roles, he is best known as the voices of Future Trunks , Hanamichi Sakuragi , Lamune , Ryo Sanada , Cless Alvein , Yukimura Sanada , and Dororo is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.Among his many roles, he is...
. His English voice actor for the US Manga Corps dub is Bill Timoney
Bill Timoney
Bill Timoney is an American actor. His best-known role on television is the character of Alfred Vanderpool on All My Children. Bill is also well-known as a voice actor and ADR director, primarily working on English-language dubs of Japanese anime especially TAJ Productions dubs...
, credited as Billy Regan.
In Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, the voice of Parn is changed as he is now voiced by seiyu
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
, Nobutoshi Canna
Nobutoshi Canna
is a seiyū who was born on June 10, 1968 in Tokyo. Canna is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Tasuki , Ban Mido , Nnoitra , Basara Nekki , Kabuto Yakushi , Guts , Knuckles the Echidna Lee...
. However, his English voice actor remains the same, as Timoney reprises the role for the second series.
Origins
Parn is based on a role-playing game character of the same name, played by the Japanese translator/game designer Nao Kitagawa who translated the Stormbringer role-playing gameStormbringer (role-playing game)
The Stormbringer fantasy role-playing game published by Chaosium puts the players in the world of the Young Kingdoms, based on the Elric of Melniboné books by Michael Moorcock. The game takes its name from Elric’s sword, Stormbringer...
to Japanese. Kitagawa was an ardent fan of Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, so he jokingly called own character Parn, "Eternal champion". However, in the game sessions, Parn was dubbed as from his personality: muri (no way), mucha (nonsense) and mubou (reckless).
Parn was a character for the Forcelia campaign world, which was offered to TSR at one point, but rejected due to current policies. A human fighter
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
, Parn has a delight in using the bastard sword.