Philia Felice

Philia Felice, known in Japan as Philia Philis (フィリア・フィリス), is one of the protagonists of Tales of Destiny, also appearing in its sequel as a supporting character. She's an apprentice priestess from Straylize Temple, although she is also interested in conducting research, fulfilling the scientist archetype of the game. She is kind, polite and naive, having a lot of qualities possessed by feminine women. Albeit a priestess, she does not use any healing spells at all, unlike all other stereotypical RPG priests. Instead, she relies on heavy offensive magic casting, helped by her Swordian Clemente.

Days as Apprentince Priestess
It is unknown how Philia entered the Straylize Temple. However, she was quick to gain a lot of friends there. She was a devout priestess with strong belief to her religion and was a close friend with a fellow researcher, Batista; both studied under the High Priest Lydon (Grebaum in Japan) Bernhardt.

Her peaceful days abruptly ended when she caught Lydon sneaking to the place where an artifact called Eye of Atamoni, a Lens with great power capable of destroying the universe, was stored. Philia secretly stalked him and eventually witnessed his true intentions: to steal the Eye of Atamoni and conquer the world with it. Before Philia could do anything, Lydon petrified her with a spell and left the Temple in ruins.

Journey to Stop Lydon (Tales of Destiny)
Philia remains in the petrified state until a task force from Seinegald Kingdom consisting of Stahn Aileron, Rutee Katrea and Mary Argent and led by Leon Magnus come. After Leon cures her petrified state, Philia becomes devastated as she tells the truth to the group and the rest of the priests in Straylize Temple. She feels responsible for not stopping Lydon and thus she offers to join Leon's group. She is told to stop referring Lydon as 'High Priest,' as he is the enemy.

The group, listening to rumors about a shipment of a certain artifact, heads to Calvalese. On the way, their ship is ambushed by a Sea Dragon called Bernardo. Suddenly, Philia feels like she is being called and causes the party to ride on the dragon and arrive at the abandoned base of Earth Army called Radisrol. Venturing to the facility, they encounter the Swordian of Lightning, Clemente. He immediately chooses Philia as his new mistress, and she eventually agrees. With that, the party journeys back to Calvalese.

In Calvalese, they head to the Holy City of Kalviola, in which a Straylize Temple is located where Lydon may be storing the eye. Philia uses her knowledge and background to let the group infiltrate the temple. However, it turns out that even though Lydon had been there, he already left. The group makes their way to the Fitzgald region.

They agree to hunt down Lens Pirates that they suspect to be stealing Lens or involved with Lydon. The pirate leader turns out to be Philia's old friend Batista. They succeed on defeating him and brings him back to Neuestadt to be interrogated. During the interrogation, Philia becomes worried about Leon's method to interrogate Batista, so she stays close to him. The next day, however, when she is about to bring him breakfast, she finds out that Batista escaped. Hearing this Rutee jumps to the conclusion that Philia planned his escape, which Philia vehemently denies. Leon comes in and tells them it's just his strategy to pin down Lydon's location, for he has put an electric tiara on his head that will give them his location. Afterwards the group heads to Batista's current location: Aquaveil Region.

They catch up with him ontop of Moreau Castle and with the help of Karyl Sheeden (Johnny Sheeden in Japan), the group eventually defeats him. When Karyl is about to deal the final blow, Philia covers him up and attempts to give Batista a second chance by asking him about Lydon's location. Instead of answering, Batista throws the key for the prison area to Karyl, to allow him to save his imprisoned friend Fayte, and forcefully pulls Leon's tiara off his head. The shock is so strong that it kills him in instant. Philia becomes even more devastated at this event; she weeps over his dead body until she recuperates, while her friends follow Karyl to save his friend.

Their next destination is the capital, Terazzi. They spot Lydon, but he escapes on the Draconis ship to the region of Phandaria. They head there, and eventually with the help of Prince Garr Kelvin (Woodrow Kelvin in Japan), Lydon is defeated. The Eye of Atamoni goes berserk, and Leon administers a special disc to the Swordians, calming the Eye. However, the disc also causes the Swordians to enter a dormant state. As everyone returns to their home, Philia returns to her Straylize Temple and helps with rebuilding it. However, Leon's last words regarding the dormant state of the Swordians worry her: they won't wake until another world-threatening crisis presents itself.

Saving the World
Just several days after she begins rebuilding the temple, Philia starts hearing Clemente's voice again. Shortly after, she is summoned to Seinegald Castle and learns that the Eye of Atamoni is missing. The King orders her to gather the other Swordian Masters (Stahn, Rutee, and Garr). Philia travels throughout the world to gather them and after returning to Seinegald, they learn that Hugo and Leon are behind the disappearance of the Eye of Atamoni. They eventually track them down in the abandoned factory and mine of Libra IV.

It turns out that Leon was coaxed to fight for Hugo's sake to ensure the safety of his beloved Marian. The party is forced to fight him in a fatal and painful battle. In the end, the mine where they fought is rapidly flooding. In the original Tales of Destiny, the party is swallowed by the rapids, but manages to resurface at the Draconis; Leon is too injured to escape and dies there. In the remake, Leon helps the party escape through an elevator, while he stays behind to operate it and then waits for his death.

Just after they resurface, the floating continent of Aethersphere rises from the ground. The party cooperates with the leader of the Earth Army in Radisrol, Raiker (Baiker in Japan), to journey through the floating continent, and they eventually confront and defeat Hugo. However, it also turns out that Hugo is merely a pawn of his own Swordian, Berselius. And in fact, Berselius contains the soul of Kronos (Miktran in Japan), leader of the Ae'therians. He uses his immense power to banish the party back to the lower continent.

Nevertheless, the party makes their way back to the floating continent and eventually defeats Kronos in Dycroft. However, the Eye of Atamoni goes berserk again, and the Swordians must be stabbed into the Eye to stop it at cost of their existence. Philia is the second to release her Swordian, Clemente. She escapes with the group, successfully saving the world.

The group later arranges a yearly reunion in Stahn's home at Lienea.

Another God Arises (Tales of Destiny 2)
As Philia returns to Straylize Temple again, she devotes her time to rebuilding the Temple. Eventually the forests surrounding the temple develops into a full-fledged town on its own, called Aigrette. Philia has attained the position of High Priest within the temple. The Temple develops a group of warriors fighting for good called Atamoni Shindan as well, in which Loni Dunamis is a member of.

Philia finds out that Stahn and Rutee have married and have a son, named Kyle and also that Stahn had been murdered. 10 years after the news, Philia is visited by a young girl named Reala, looking for a hero. Philia confirms that Reala already possessed a great power, but she's not sure. Philia then asks what will Reala do if she meets her hero, but Reala says she doesn't know. In the middle of the conversation, Stahn's murderer Barbatos Goetia enters the scene and gravely wounds Philia. She would've been killed if Barbatos hadn't been interrupted by Kyle and Loni, and later a masked fencer named Judas.

When she regains consciousness, she overhears Reala mourning over her lack of power. Philia comforts her with the same words Stahn uses to her: Crying and regretting will not produce any result at all. Eventually the girl regains her happy self and after introducing herself to Kyle and thanking Philia, they both leave. Philia thinks that Kyle could be the hero that Reala is looking for.

After some time passes Straylize Temple is once again under attack, this time by the Holy Woman Elraine, promoting the church of Fortuna. A religion that has been, in recent times, gaining more popularity than that of Philia's (the church of Atamoni). Kyle, visiting, sees the attack, and in an effort to save an imprisoned Reala rushes to the temple, succeeding in freeing her. As he's about to pursue Elraine, Philia gives him the Lens Scope, which will prove useful throughout his journey.

When Kyle visits the temple again, he asks about the choice of saving the world or saving the one he loves. Philia tells the story of her past, and on how she witnessed Lydon's theft on the Eye of Atamoni. How she was depressed when she learned the truth, and how Stahn, Rutee and Leon helped her to escape from her denial. Philia also mentions her painful battle against Leon, and that even though it was such a betrayal, she doesn't hate him because it's a respectable decision to protect the ones you love, a decision that Leon will not regret.

Suddenly, Judas speaks that what Philia thinks is exactly the same as Leon's thoughts, and that Leon will think of the same given the situation Kyle is in. Kyle thanks Philia and decides not to run away from the problem. As the group leaves, Philia doesn't realize that Judas is actually Leon himself, brought back from the dead.

When Kyle eventually defeats Elraine and Fortuna, history reverts to how it was before and all of Elraine and Fortuna's doings are considered to be nonexistent. Therefore, the church of Fortuna never existed and the church of Atamoni remains as the sole religious figure in the world. Philia's life changes very little in this time, however, depending on the player's actions, she may be helping Kyle and Loni in a sidequest to cure Nanaly Fletch's sick brother, by making them a medicine that would cure his sickness.

Tales of Eternia
Although she never appears in person, Philia is seen on a picture in Van Eltia that is able to rotate.

Tales of the Abyss
Philia appears in Tales of the Abyss as one of the opponents in the collesium battle, alongside Mint Adnade of Tales of Phantasia, Reid Hershel of Tales of Eternia and Nanaly Fletch of Tales of Destiny 2. Her name is interestingly taken straight from the Japanese version: Philia Philis. Her Mystic Arte Sacred Penance is later re-used by her as a Blast Caliber in Tales of Destiny ' PlayStation 2 remake.

Tales of Fandom Vol 1
Philia appears in the first volume of Tales of Fandom along with the other characters from Tales of Destiny.

Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2
Philia appears in the second installament of Narikiri Dungeon.

Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3
Philia reappears in the last installament of Narikiri Dungeon.

Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology
Philia appears in the game as the assistant in Doplund's Ad Libitum, giving the player and Mormo requests. She is not made playable, but plays a little role as Harold's former pupil.

Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 2
Philia reappears in the next Radiant Mythology-game, now as a playable character.

Tales of VS.
Philia appears a playable character in Tales of VS. Through most of the game she is traveling with Bruiser Khang.

Trivia

 * While she is essentially a priestess, Philia also takes the role of a scientist, that she is keen to research before meeting Stahn, and that she made her own self-made bomb titled 'Philia Bomb', which she uses even in battle.
 * Philia is afraid of ghosts. During the party's attempts to retake Heidelberg, when Garr mentions that the tunnel they are in is rumored to have ghosts, she starts to get scared, and when an old soldier surprisingly comes to greet them, she shrieks out in terror.
 * Philia has a sweet tooth and often makes her own dessert in the temple. She calls it "Philia's Special Fruit Parfait with Chocolate Covered Banana Yum-Yum".