Sir Brante

Sir Brante is the main character of The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante. His life, as well as the tribulations of both his family and the Empire, are shaped by the player's actions.

Summary
Sir Brante is born to Sir Robert Brante and Lydia Brante Due to the ranks of his parents, Sir Brante is in the unique position of not being a noble, yet have the social privileges of one. Over the course of his life, Sir Brante's choices shape his relationship with his family and what kind of man he becomes. His choices dictate his path on either becoming a Judge, a Priest, or a Rebel, who is either remaining loyal to the Empire or serving the Revolution.

His personality is shaped by the player, and his motivation varies greatly. Sir Brante's first name is determined by the player, as well.

Eventually, all of his choices culminates in him chronicling his life and suffering.

Childhood
Sir Brante is born in the year 1118, the child of Sir Robert Brante and Lydia Brante. Due to Sir Robert being a Noble of the Mantle, whilst Lydia is only a commoner, Sir Brante is technically born a commoner, yet has many of the privileges enjoyed by a member of the nobility.

Throughout his childhood, Sir Brante's world is centered on the Brante family estate in the city of Anizotte, where he lives with his parents and his siblings Stephan and Gloria. Despite their youth, all three Brante children accept and acknowledge the social differences between them; with Stephan regularly reminding his siblings of his legal superiority over them. Sir Brante may either accept or reject this.

In 1122, Nathan Brante is born, putting great stress on the Brante family. When Lydia becomes overstressed by Nathan's crying, Sir Brante's intervention prevents any harm coming to Nathan through either calling for Robert, redirecting her rage onto himself, snatching Nathan away or calming Lydia himself.

In 1125, Sir Brante receives his Sacrament, being formally inducted into the Commoners' Lot. Depending on the player's choices, Sir Brante may defy the ritual by kissing the sword, thereby claiming a Noble Lot.

Throughout his childhood, Sir Brante becomes either a determined or perceptive child, depending on the player's choice. A more determined Sir Brante is given an illicit fencing lesson by Sir Robert, whilst a more perceptive one is taught a lesson on the world by Lydia.

Adolescence
In his adolescence, Sir Brante's world begins to expand beyond the walls of the family estate. He begins to explore Anizotte and attends Sir Tibor's school for prosperous commoners, alongside his friend Tommas. During this time, Sir Brante has brief encounters with Sophia, Octavia Milanidas and Jeanne, though their extent and meaningfulness varies depending on the player's choice.

As he continues to grow, Sir Brante can become a more noble, a more cunning or a more spiritually aware person, depending on the choices of the player. Depending on how invested in these characteristics he becomes, Sir Brante might discover some secrets about one or more of his siblings.

In 1132, Sir Brante's grandfather Gregor Brante, in a mad frenzy, attempts to burn down the Brante manor in order to purify it of sin. During this, he suffers his true death, potentially inflicting a lesser death onto the others of the family.

At the age of 16, Sir Brante graduates from Sir Tibor's school and becomes a full adult under Imperial law. After spending a final night with one member of his family, he journeys to Eterna in order to pursue study at the Imperial College.

Time in Eterna
After arriving in Eterna, Sir Brante works to gain entrance to the Imperial college to earn his place as a Noble of the Mantle. He reunites with Sophia, who has become a militant opponent of the Empire and the leader of the secret society known as the Lotless.

On the day of the entrance exam for the Imperial college, Sir Brante arrives to find that the college has been closed on order of a hardline Arknian nobleman. His choice of response to this blatant attack on the liberties of would-be nobles defines the rest of his life.

Path of the Nobleman
Sir Brante rallies his fellow students and they force their way through the legionnaires barring their way, occupying the college. They are besieged by the Legionnaires but soon enough an Imperial decree arrives reasserting their right to attend the college and earn their place as a noble of the mantle. This places him on the Path Of The Nobleman.

Sir Brante studies law at the Imperial college and learns the skills required for nobility, including etiquette and fencing. He successfully completes his studies and earns his place as a Noble of the Mantle.

After a successful academic career and serving as an apprentice Judge, Sir Brante is instructed to return to Anizotte and begin service with the Prefecture there. He returns to Anizotte triumphant, having accomplished what his father sent him to do.

Path of the Priest
Sir Brante preaches a Divine revelation to his fellow students, warning that the twins are displeased. For violating his Lot, Sir Brante is captured by the Inquisition and remanded into their custody. After spending a week in prison, he is offered a chance to join the Seminary College by Father Ulrich, placing him on the Path Of The Priest.

Sir Brante, accompanied by Jeanne, studies to become a Priest in service to the Twins. He learns of and is given a chance to take part in the schism between the Old Faith and the New Faith, to the pleasure or displeasure of his superiors. After completing his studies, Sir Brante commences at a local church in Eterna, where he carries out the Sacrament on others. He is interrupted by Jeanne and Father Ulrich, who appoint him as an Inquisitor of the Faith, and instruct him to return to Anziotte.

Sir Brante returns to Anizotte in an uneven state. Whilst he did not achieve the nobility Sir Robert set out for him to achieve, he has still achieved a respected position in society and one that Lydia and Nathan particularly approve of.

Path of the Lotless
Sir Brante rejects the choices given to him and decides instead to join Sophia and the Lotless, infiltrating the college and freeing a number of students held hostage there. With his chance for nobility now out of reach, Sir Brante is on the Path Of The Lotless.

Sir Brante works as a member of the dissident Lotless organisation alongside Sophia, working to spread unrest against the Empire and undermine the cruel laws it enforces. He participates in a number of underground activities, such as distributing anti-Imperial pamphlets and organising an illegal march against the Empire's intolerance towards mages.

After the March of the Collars devolves into a bloodbath, Sir Brante and the Lotless go into hiding. Once Sophia calls for them, their meeting is interrupted by a raid from the Secret Chancellery, who arrest Sir Brante and many of the Lotless. Sir Brante is brought before Chancellery agent Felipe El Ferro and given an ultimatum; serve as his agent or die.

If Sir Brante chooses to accept, he is released and informed he is to return to Anizotte at Felipe's order. Sir Brante returns to Anizotte humiliated in the eyes of Sir Robert and at the disdain of Stephan, though Gloria approves of his actions.

Return to Anizotte
Sir Brante returns to Anizotte and starts work. As Stephan drives towards getting the Brantes elevated to be Nobility of the Sword, the tensions between him and Gloria steadily rise, causing a decline in Lydia's health.

Path of the Nobleman
Sir Brante works as a judge in the Anizotte prefecture. He must balance the inclinations towards reform of Augustin El Borne and the conservative-minded Prefect. Augustin attempts to extend Imperial law over all subjects of the Empire, including Arknians, and ban the court of honour whilst the Prefect attempts to maintain the status quo. Sir Brante may aid either in achieving their goals.

Sir Brante may become known as either a protector of the people, or as a conservative careerist judge. Regardless of his actions, the unrest in Anziotte grows worse and worse.

Path of the Priest
Sir Brante works as an Inquisitor, rooting out heresy in Magra province. He must balance between the New Faith led by Father Lennart and the Old Faith led by Patriarch Cassius as both attempt to assert their control over the Magran church. Tensions between the two groups steadily rise.

Path of the Lotless
Sir Brante opens a print shop to serve as a cover for the Secret Chancellery's operations. Felipe intends to deliberately grow a rebellion in the face of which the Governor would be forced to give the Chancellery exceptional powers, which he wants to use against all the "traitors" in Anizotte. Sir Brante and Sophia work to achieve this, with the player given the choice of either deliberately undermining the plot or working towards it whole-heartedly.

Sophia eventually goes rogue from Felipe's mission, with Sir Brante's support or not, and sparks the Anizotte rebellion.

Day of the Revolt
Sir Brante plays a pivotal part in the conduct and eventual outcome of the Revolt in Anizotte. Depending on the player's choices, Sir Brante may lead the revolt, be responsible for its violent suppression or even be forced to flee for his life.

Hero of the Empire
If Sir Brante chooses to side with the Imperial loyalists during the revolt, he works to crush the revolutionaries.

Rebel
If Sir Brante chooses to aid the revolutionaries, he does what he can to suppress the Imperial loyalists within the walls and repulse the Imperial Legion outside of them.

Behind the scenes
The voice of Sir Brante is heard during the in-game cutscenes in between chapters. In the Russian version of the game, he is voiced by Mikhail Sushkov. In the English version of the game, he is voiced by Brian Boland, who also provided trailer narration.