Thousan

Thousan's character profile in the Shining Force III Setting Compendium. Character illustration by Shin Yamanouchi.

Thousan (サウザン, Sauzan) is a White Dragon who joins Julian's company in Shining Force III Scenario 3: Glacial Shrine of the Wicked God. Thousan is revered as a Divine Dragon by the people of Foothill Village.

Name

According to the potentially dubious etymology given in the Shining Force III Official Setting Compendium, Thousan's name is derived from the expression "strength of a thousand men" (千人力, sennin riki) and the English word "thousand" (サウザンド, sauzando).

The Japanese spelling of Thousan's name (サウザン, Sauzan) omits the final /d/ consonant of the English "thousand" represented by the mora do (ド). The setting book's decision to spell the character's name in English as "Thousand" is unaccountable.

Background Story

The following text is translated from Thousan's character profile in the Shining Force III Setting Compendium.

THOUSAN (サウザン)
Race: Dragon (種族: ドラゴン)

PROFILE
As part of a race said to be on the verge of extinction, this White Dragon makes his home in the dragon graveyard, where he is worshiped as a Divine Dragon by the denizens of Foothill Village. Thousan is manipulated by the Bulzome faith into leaving the dragon graveyard behind to attack Julian's party, but the dragonman Cecrops is able to convince him to join Julian's army to defeat the religion that manipulated him. His departure from Foothill Village, where he has been worshiped as a Divine Dragon to that day, triggers an unusual event. The village's Divine Dragon relief begins suddenly to glow. As the villagers gather within the cave that houses it, their elder reveals that this turn of events is in fact reflected in a village legend that describes the dragon’s journey. Thus do they eagerly await his triumphant return following his mission—a military campaign of Light. White Dragons are the country's guardian deities, and legend has it that when a White Dragon's life comes to an end, a new White Dragon is born. As Thousan is considered a Divine Dragon, he makes his way to the great northern lands for the first time to chase the demons there.

絶滅寸前の危機に瀕していると言われるホワイトドラゴン、ドラゴンの墓場に暮らしフットヒル村で神竜と崇められている。ブルザム教に操られ、ドラゴンの墓場を抜けようとするジュリアンたちに襲いかかるが、竜人ケクロプスに説得されて、自分を操ったブルザム教を倒すためにジュリアン軍に加わる。彼の旅立ちは、神竜を祭って今日まで平和に暮らしてきたフットヒル村にも異変を起こした。村にある神竜のレリーフが突然輝き始め、レリーフのある神竜の洞窟へ集まった村人は、長老からこの異変は村の伝説にあるドラゴンの旅立ちを現わすのだと聞かされ、彼が使命(光の遠征)を終えて戻るのを待ち望むことになる。ホワイトドラゴンは、国の守り神で、「ひとつのホワイトドラゴンの命つきる時、新たなるホワイトドラゴンが誕生する」と言い伝えられている。そんな神竜とされる彼も、魔物であるため、北の大地へは今回の旅で初めて訪れた。