Roy Mustang

Roy Mustang is a character in Imperial Saga. He is a citizen of the Kingdom of Amestris, and holds a Commander role. His rank is Colonel.

Personality
On the surface, Roy seems like a man who is little fun to be around. He's difficult to approach due to his demeanor, which tends to sway between distant on a good day and downright arrogant. Roy also possesses the qualities of a womanizer, and has earned enemies in the past due to his flirtations with women, including others' girlfriends. He's even lured them away a few times.

However, while those facets of Roy do have a basis in his personality, Roy intentionally plays them up to draw attention away from other facets. In reality, he's not quite as much of a jerk as he seems to be, and most of his womanizing is superficial, as well. In particular, the latter point is mostly a front to hide Roy's information-gathering network.

Then there's the arrogance. Roy is good, and he knows it. But when one takes a look at his core personality, it comes off less as arrogance and more as confidence. Roy is arguably the most powerful state alchemist in the Amestrian military, and has mastered the use of the flame alchemy that was passed down to him by his mentor. He's so skilled that he is considered a potential candidate for sacrifice. Additionally, Roy cares deeply for both the people under his command and those he has befriended.

In terms of tactics, Roy is extremely competent. He studied under Lieutenant General Grumman, and learned the lessons he had to teach well.

Finally, Roy has a strong sense of morality. Although he doesn't show it often, he is very ashamed of the actions he took in Ishval. The reason why Roy is as ambitious as he repeatedly shows throughout the series is because he genuinely wants to make Amestris a better place to live and to ensure that nothing like the Ishvalan Massacre can ever happen again. That, not personal gain, is why he strives to become Fuhrer -- and his ultimate goal goes beyond that, to restore democracy in Amestris. He also understands that his ultimate goal would more likely than not result in his being tried for war crimes, and he is perfectly fine with that. In his mind, he deserves no better.

Background
When Roy was too young to remember them, his parents died in an accident. He was instead brought up by his aunt, Christina Mustang, aka "Madam Christmas" -- the owner of a bar and high-class brothel. Madam Christmas liked to see class in the people around her, so she made sure that Roy was raised diligently to be a proper gentleman.

During his teenage years, his talent for alchemy was discovered by Berthold Hawkeye, a genius alchemist who had perfected a new type of alchemy. Hawkeye brought him under his wing and began to teach him all about the basics of alchemy -- at least, until Roy joined the military. Hawkeye disliked the military and refused to teach Roy any more...but that failed to last, as his illness overtook him. His dying words revealed the location of his research notes.

Roy took the state alchemist exam, and using the alchemy he learned from Hawkeye's research notes, passed with flying colors. Due to the unique nature of his alchemy, Fuhrer King Bradley gave him the codename "Flame Alchemist," and he was promoted directly to the rank of major. He was assigned to the command of Lieutenant General Grumman, who taught the young major in the art of war.

Roy would later be called into action as a human weapon in Ishval, when an uprising occurred. Roy played a part in bringing the war to its end, and was immediately promoted to lieutenant colonel upon its conclusion. Since then, he has been promoted to colonel.

Also of note is that he has been engaged to Cornelia li Britannia. Roy's parents were well-acquainted with the Britannia family, and an arrangement was made when they were both very young. Despite this, they still aren't married -- they know each other, but they haven't seen each other in years. Both entered the military, and were separated by the military's rule against fraternization. As a result, the wedding has not yet occurred.

Combat Style
Roy's primary weapon in battles is his alchemy. Each of his gloves contains a transmutation circle that manipulates oxygen on it. With a transmutation, Roy can move oxygen or sever the molecular bonds it has with other atoms, such as in water. Additionally, Roy's gloves are made out of a unique cloth that generates sparks when he snaps his fingers. With the manipulation of oxygen, this allows him to create giant blasts of flame, or pinpoint strikes. Either way, things combust. However, when his gloves are wet, Roy can't make sparks.

Roy's fighting style is not entirely dependent on alchemy, though. He carries a pistol, and is a decent shot with it, all things considered. He also possesses skill in hand-to-hand combat.

Role in the Game
Shortly after his introduction, Roy was called back to Central by King Bradley, where he met his fiancée, Cornelia li Britannia, for the first time since the Ishvalan War of Extermination. Bradley had given Cornelia orders to head a military presence in the province of Poemond, and Roy served as her second-in-command for the assignment. Since then, Roy has been stationed in western Amestris, first in the city of Darobeth, then in southern Poemond.

After moving to the newly-constructed castle in Poemond, Cornelia was called to Central. Upon her return, she presented Roy with an artifact she had received from her brother, Schneizel el Britannia, with the intention of entering the Holy Grail War. Roy was familiar with the Holy Grail War because his mentor had been a Master in the previous Holy Grail War, and agreed to Cornelia's request. He used the artifact -- a Clair Bible fragment -- to summon the Heroic Spirit Lina Inverse as a Servant into the Caster class.