D'arce

D'arce Cataliss is a playable character and a potential party member in Fear & Hunger. A knight with pure and righteous ways of the warrior, she has being trained in combat since childhood and excels in close combat with different weaponry.

Lore
"'The trusted knight of the propheticed one. She seems awfully dim standing next to the blinding shimmer of the one... But it might be wrong to misjudge her potential...' - The New Gods of the Grand Hall on D'arce"

Imbued with an intrinsic essence of dominion that manipulates the volitions of those ensnared in her existential orbit, D'arce emerges as an archetypal sovereign, albeit one occasionally encumbered by an opacity to self-reflexive critique. Should her celestial point of genesis not sufficiently augur a trajectory of predestined grandeur, she was also fortuitously manifested within the aristocratic lineage of Rondon, serving both as a sanctified chevalier and a treasured commodity within her kingdom's sociopolitical architecture.

Yet, as the realm of Rondon professed an ostensibly divine sanction in its insatiable lust for power consolidation, the spoils unfailingly gravitated toward the echelons of nobility and patricians, thereby catalyzing seismic reverberations within D'arce's doctrinal fidelity. It precipitated her ensuing withdrawal from the militaristic legions to affiliate herself with the Knights of the Midnight Sun, a syndicate of mercenary existentialists helmed by Le'garde, a figure with whom she found herself ensnared in an abysmal vortex of romantic entanglement. The collective would inexorably captivate the attention of their native Rondon, initially as prospective martial assets, but eventually morphing into a complex of antagonistic variables.

In the wake of a bellicose rendezvous that culminated in the Knights of the Midnight Sun's capitulation to Rondonian forces, D'arce embarked upon a quixotic endeavor to emancipate her incarcerated paramour Le'garde, who languished in dungeons conceived from the very substance of dread and starvation. Alas, her quest was unceremoniously truncated by the denizens of subterranean realms, the Cavedwellers, during her interruption of their esoteric ceremonial practices, as she aspired to proselytize them in the reverence of the cosmic deity Alll-mer.

Recruitment
When not playing as D'arce, she can be found at the Cavedwellers' village. Upon entering the area, the player will find D'arce being attacked by a Cavedweller and will be given the choice to either fight her assailant and save her or ignore the situation and allow her to die. If the player intervenes, all Cavedwellers will become hostile. Afterward, D'arce will join the player's party if asked. D'arce comes equipped with a long sword, an eagle crest shield and plate mail and knows the skills Fast Attack and Defence Stance.

Unique Interactions
If D'arce is in the party and the player finds Le'garde alive but refuses or is unable to let him join the party, D'arce will stay behind with him until both are recruited.

While playing as the Outlander, the player has the option to kill Le'garde upon finding him alive in his cell. If D'arce is in the party, doing so will enrage her and cause her to attack. She can be convinced to stop the fight with Talk, but she will then leave the party permanently.

If Ragnvaldr and Le'garde are in the same party in Ma'habre, Ragnvaldr will attack Le'garde shortly after the dialogue at the gates. The player will be given the option to intervene and help Le'garde fight Ragnvaldr; if this is not taken, Ragnvaldr will kill Le'garde. If D'arce is in the party, letting Le'garde die will enrage her and she will attack.

Gameplay
If chosen as the protagonist, D'arce has the Domination soul. She can later learn Leg sweep and Counter. Using a Book of memories will teach her Counter.

If the player opts to play the intro when starting a new game, the options are as follows:
 * "When you saw the sword coming your way, you..."
 * "Quickly stepped aside and dodged it."  D'arce learns Fast stance.
 * "Raised your buckler in defence."  D'arce learns Defence stance.

D'arce can start with different equipment depending on which option the player chooses during the intro, when the Rondon army attacks the army D'arce is with.
 * "... your family insisted - no, demanded you to stay as a holy knight, or else you'd bring great shame to their noble family."
 * "Break ties with your family and run away."  Nothing. But this option enables the Dash skill if the player later chooses to "Rush straight after him." when departing.
 * "Listen to your family and stay as a holy knight."  D'arce gets 20 Silver coins.
 * "... you had to choose which position to take in the oncoming encounter."
 * "Spearhead the coming assault."  Gives D'arce
 * Iron spear (+45 Attack, 2h)
 * Iron cuirass (+30 Defense)
 * Arm guards (+10 Defense, cannot lose arms)
 * "Take the rear and manage defences."  Gives D'arce
 * Long sword (+35 Attack)
 * Eagle crest shield (+20 Defense)
 * Plate mail (+40 Defense)
 * Leg guards (+10 Defense)


 * "Before leaving on your desperate journey, you decided to stock up on equipment and items..."
 * "Stock up on equipment."  You get 7 Tinderboxes, a Quill, and a Blue vial.
 * "Stock up on food."  You get 3 Dried meat, a Moldy bread, and Cheese.
 * "Rush straight after him."  D'arce learns Dash . However, this option is disabled if the player chooses to "Stay as a holy knight." and instead is rewarded the 20 Silver coins.

Endings
This character is needed or has special interactions in the following endings:
 * Ending C
 * Ending C-II
 * Ending E
 * Ending S - "The true god of Fear and Hunger"

Trivia

 * D'arce's design seems to be based on popular depictions of Joan of Arc, the French historical figure - more specifically from the movie The Messenger (1999).
 * Her name is taken from Joan of Arc's French name, Jeanne d'Arc. "Jeanne" is also the name of one of the knights accompanying Buckman.
 * D'arce's character strongly resembles that of Casca from Berserk. Both characters are female knights who serve mercenary leaders - Le'garde and Griffith - whom they are intensely loyal to. Such loyalty drives them into conflict with scarred, gruff warriors - Ragnvaldr and Guts.
 * When asking to perform a Marriage, D'arce will reveal that she is a virgin.
 * Early concept art suggests that D'arce was intended at one point in development to be a a closeted lesbian.
 * As a New God, D'arce's armor strongly resembles that of François. This is fitting as both individuals possess Domination souls.