Dirk

Dirk is dwarf and minor character in Tales of Symphonia as Lloyd Irving’s foster father. He is one of only two dwarves appearing in the game.

Personality
Being a dwarf, he has a rough and dark speech when talking, but unlike his fellow dwarf in Tethe'alla, Altessa, Dirk is more social and gentle to people, and follows the Dwarven Vows with passion. Dirk speaks in a rather straightforward manner and does not pretend to know things he does not. He does not care about what people are, but rather who they are individually, a trait that he rubbed off Lloyd over the years.

Fighting Style
Although it is impossible to battle or see him fight in the original game, Dirk fights Desians with a large hammer in Tales of Symphonia: The Animation, and defends himself from monsters in Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World. Although he is not seen after Lloyd and Genis Sage leaves him with several Desians left in the anime, it is assumed that he defeated them all, as he is seen later without a scratch.

Father-role
Dirk is a dwarf and Lloyd's adopted father. Dirk found the infant Lloyd and his mother, Anna, in the Iselia Forest. Anna, on the verge of death, told him how asked Dirk to raise her son as his own, which Dirk accepted. As Lloyd grew older, Dirk began teaching him Dwarven crafting techniques. He also made Lloyd believe that Anna died in an accident, and not by Desians.

A Proud Father
When Lloyd is seventeen, he and his best friend Genis Sage sneak into a Human Ranch close to Iselia to meet a friend of Genis’, where they accidentally are spotted by the guards. Later, when Lloyd asks Dirk to give him a Key Crest he can give to Genis’ friend, Dirk becomes suspicious of this sudden question and makes Lloyd tell him why he needs one. Lloyd then admits the incident to Dirk, and the dwarf becomes enraged and tells Lloyd that Anna was sacrificed herself to save him from the Desians, and thus he should stop involving himself with the evil organization. It is this that makes Lloyd want to follow Colette in her Journey of Regeneration; to avenge his mother.

The day afterward, when Lloyd is about to go to Colette, he finds Dirk before the grave of Anna. When Lloyd tries to apologize, Dirk gives him the Key Crest he asked for the day before and explains that regardless of blood, he will always be his son. While Dirk give Lloyd some equipment, Genis comes running to them and tell that Colette already have left for her journey, Dirk tells a shocked Lloyd to hurry and catch up with them.

Asking for help
At the beginning of Disc 2, the party decides to go and ask Dirk for help. Dirk admits that he does not know how to cure Colette’s unknown sickness, and therefore suggests that a dwarf in Tethe'alla might be of more help. He then invites the party to stay at his house for the night, Kratos Aurion being the only one declining the invitation before he leaves.

Forging the Eternal Sword
As Derris-Kharlan is getting closer to the worlds, and Altessa too injured, the party eventually goes back to Dirk to ask him to make the ring that can make a human able to viewl the Eternal Sword. Though hesitating at first, he eventually agrees when he sees that Kratos has gathered all the necessary ingredients. As he has been told about Lloyd and Kratos’ connection, he tells Kratos that he will do anything for Lloyd, as he is his father, as well. After forging the Eternal Ring, he gives Lloyd the finest sword he has ever crafted, the Vorpal Sword. Together with the finest sword Kratos has, Flamberge, Lloyd acquires the dual weapon Material Blase.

Depending of who Lloyd talked with in Flanoir, Kratos may or may not be too injured to fight in the final battle, and will therefore stay in Dirk’s house, where they are seen discussing how Lloyd has grown.

Before Anna’s grave
After Lloyd has bidden Kratos goodbye, Dirk stands with Lloyd before his mother’s grave as Lloyd asks Anna if it was right to let Kratos go. Dirk states that Lloyd probably wanted to go with Kratos, but Lloyd declines, which assures Dirk. Lloyd then starts his journey to collect Exspheres.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of a New World
In the sequel of Tales of Symphonia, Dirk returns as a dwarf that gives Marta and Emil directions to Iselia. When they visit the Martel Temple later on, it is revealed to Emil and Marta that he is Lloyd's father. Although Emil yells at him and tells that he should be ashamed to be a father of a murderer, Dirk tells them that he did not raise a boy who ran from his responsibilities, and thus he believes Lloyd has his reasons for what he is doing. This touches Emil, as his own uncle would always frighten him, while Dirk treats Lloyd like a real son even though they are not related by blood.

He is shown again at the end of that game, fighting against invading monsters with his hammer. Later it is possible to talk to Dirk to trigger a scene between him, Emil and Lloyd.

Tales of Symphonia: The Animation
In Tales of Symphonia: The Animation, Dirk seems to be rougher on Lloyd, seen when he punches Lloyd for showing the actions of his Exsphere. In the anime he joins Lloyd and Genis when Iselia gets attacked by the Desians, his weapon is a large hammer. He is last seen at the first episode's ending when he gives Lloyd a pair of real swords.

At the end of the Sylvarant Arc, Dirk is seen and the ending sequence together with Noishe.

Family
Lloyd Irving - Although they are not related by blood, Dirk loves Lloyd as his own son and will do anything to protect him. However, he realises when Lloyd has grown into a real man, and being proud of this.

Trivia

 * In the manga, Dirk used to live in an underground hole like Altessa, but built his house after adopting Lloyd because he felt his new son would need a house to grow up in.
 * It is revealed in a Z-skit ("Dirk's Way of Memorization") that Dirk taught Lloyd the Dwarven Vows by withholding supper if he got them wrong.