Borya

Borya
Dragon Quest IV
Sprite(s)
Japanese name	ブライ
Romaji	Burai
Old localization	Brey
Title	Retainer
Class	Mage
Race	Human
Age	60s
Voice actor	Jōji Yanami (CD Theater) Chō (Rivals)

"Alena! You must to be more womanlike."

—Borya, in Zamokvsa (DS, cell phone)

Borya is a character in the Dragon Quest series that appears as a playable party member in Dragon Quest IV.

He, along with Kiryl, is a retainer to Tsarevna Alena and follows her when she sets out on her journey to try and ensure the capricious tomboy's safety in the second chapter.

Appearance and personality

Borya is extremely old and wizened, hinting to his long history of the study of magic. He carries a staff everywhere, topped with a jewel that he presumably uses in some way for spellcasting, though it may be a mundane walking stick. During his life in Castle Zamoksva he served as the court magician and personal tutor to Tsarevna Alena, instructing her in several subjects. Borya is extremely proud of his nation, and will make unflattering comparisons of it to whichever kingdom or village he happens to be in.

He is very loyal to Tsarevna Alena, as evidenced by how he immediately rushes after her when she escapes the castle confines. He is deeply concerned for her future as the ruler of Zamoksva, and disapproves of her capricious attitude. He often laments what the young Tsarevna's late mother would say if she say her daughter acting so unbecomingly, and has spent some considerable time trying to encourage her to behave in a more traditionally appropriate fashion. Despite failing routinely at this, the old man is genuinely fond his charge and cares for her as a grandfather would.

True to his age, he is a grumpy and cantankerous senior who will not hesitate to voice his complaints, ranging from the courting rituals of the younger generations to the idiosyncrasies of his fellow Chosen. Despite his vitriolic tongue these personal criticisms are meant to help his companions improve themselves, showing that his grandfatherly nature is not limited to his tsarevna.

Starting with the localization of the DS remake, Borya now speaks with a Slavic dialect.

Appearances

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen

Warning: Spoilers!
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Chapter 2 begins with Alena begging her father, the King of Zamoksva, to let her explore the world, since strong fighters are needed more and more in their troubled times, with the Underworld creeping out of dormancy. However, he refuses, saying that with monsters showing increasing aggression, it's simply too dangerous to let her leave the safety of the castle. Alena goes back to her room, but within a few minutes is overcome with frustration and escapes the castle.

Kiryl and Borya, her retainers, give chase; they're resigned to not being able to make her stay put, but if she's going to leave, they can't allow her to travel alone. The three set out and soon come to a small village being terrorized by a local monster continually demanding young girls as a sacrifice. Alena immediately heads to the local church to offer herself as the next sacrifice, but she has no intention of dying; as soon as the demon shows its face, she, Kiryl and Borya spring into action and take it out, saving the village.

After journeying straight to the far ends of Zamoksva, the nomadic Desert Bazaar, she gets a summons from her father, who, upon receiving her, admits that he was mistaken in his over-protectiveness, and opens the Teleportal to a nearby country. Here, Alena finds the local princess bemoaning her fate, because her father has promised her hand to the winner of the Tournament of Endor, an annual fighting competition, and her father seriously regretting this promise. Though she hears rumblings of an extremely dangerous entrant named Psaro, Alena enters and gets to the finals, only to find that her opponent, who would have been Psaro, has disappeared. By winning the tournament, Alena absolves the Princess of her duty.

However, as she is celebrating her victory a severely wounded Zamoksvian soldier rushes in and cries that she must return to the castle at once before dying on the scene. The party returns to the Castle but finds it completely devoid of life; together, they set out to investigate and the chapter ends abruptly.

Alena and her companions are not seen again until Chapter 5, when Kiryl has fallen under a dangerous fever while in Mintos (from which they traveled to from Porthtrunnel). Alena and a band of three mercenaries set out to the Feverfew root's reported location to try and recover some to cure Kiryl, but fails. However, the Hero succeeds, and upon learning of their destiny the three immediately join the party for the remainder of the game. Some time later, they return to Zamoksva, finding the cause of its troubles to be the demon Baalzack, whom they kill in retribution and for the greater good.

Base stats

As one can tell from a glance, Borya is a mage. He has high MP and Wisdom, but low physical attributes. Borya is one of the more popular characters in the game due to the powerful beneficial status effects he can infer on the party, as well as his ice-based offensive spells. However, the weapons and armour he can equip are quite limited, and he can only equip three shields.

Attribute	Starting Stats	Maximum Stats
Level	1	99
HP	16	552
MP	10	447
Strength	3	82
Agility	5	198
Resilience	7	132
Wisdom	8	237
Luck	2	206
Initial gear	Cypress stick, Plain clothes

• PSX version

Spells

Level Learned	Original Japanese	NES Version	DS Version	Spanish Version	MP
1	Hyado	Icebolt	Crack	Minihelada	2
3	Rukani	Sap	Sap	Debilitacion	3
5	Rariho	Sleep	Snooze	Sueño	3
7	Riremito	Outside	Evac	Telehuida	4
8	Mahoton	Bounce	Bounce	Rebote	4
9	Rura	Return	Zoom	Teleregreso	4
11	Hyadoruko	Snowstorm	Crackle	Helada	5
14	Piorimu	Speedup	Acceleratle	Aceleración	3
15	NA	NA	Peep	Ojear	2
17	NA	Day-Night	Tick-Tock	Tictac	4
19	NA	Bikill	Oomph	Doble potencia	6
21	Rukanan	Defense	Kasap	Multidebilitación	4
23	NA	X-Ray	Snoop	Fisgar	2
25	NA	Robmagic	Drain Magic	Absorber magia	0
27	Hyadain	Icespears	Kacrack	Superhelada	8
30	Medapani	Chaos	Fuddle	Confusión	5
32	Mahyado	Blizzard	Kacrackle	Megahelada	11

Equipment

Dragon Quest IV (All)
Weapon	Modifier(s)
Poison needle	Attack +0
Cypress stick	Attack +2
Staff of salvation	Attack +5
Hunter's bow	Attack +18
Poison moth knife	Attack +24
Lightning staff	Attack +29
Thalian staff	Attack +33
Staff of antimagic	Attack +50
Somatic staff	Attack +55
Magma staff	Attack +63

Dragon Quest IV (All)
Helmet	Modifier(s)
Leather hat	Defense +2
Happy hat	Attack +15
Death mask	Defense +200

Dragon Quest IV (All)
Armor	Modifier(s)
Plain clothes	Defense+4
Wayfarer's clothes	Defense+8
Boxer shorts	Defense+10
Leather armour	Defense+12
Cloak of evasion	Defense+28
Robe of serenity	Defense+33
Flowing dress	Defense+43
Glombolero	Defense+47

Dragon Quest IV (All)
Shields	Modifier(s)
Leather shield	Defense+4
Scale shield	Defense+7
Liquid metal shield	Defense+60

Dragon Quest IV (Remakes)
Accessories	Modifier(s)
Strength ring	Strength+8
Mighty armlet	Strength+25
Mercury's bandana	Agility+15
Meteorite bracer	Agilityx2
Prayer ring	Defence+5
Gold bracer	Defence+5
Kamikazee bracer	Defence+15
Kerplunk bracer	Defence+15
Recovery ring	Defence+15
Ruby of protection	Defence+15
Lucida shard	Luck+5
Bunny tail	Luck+8
Gospel ring	Luck+50
Elevating shoes	Luck+50

Remake changes

In the NES version of the game, recruiting Borya can be delayed until Kiryl is cured. The Sony PlayStation and Nintendo DS version has a Thief's Key door placed in the Imperial Pantry of Parthenia, which Alena and her allies will only show up to open if Borya is recruited in The Hero's party.

Selected quotes

Main article: Dragon Quest IV Transcript

Quote "During when I was wild young man, I did many times go around and breaking the girls' hearts. Hoo hoo! It was so much wonderful period..." Borya, in Taborov (Cell phone)

Quote "Zamoksva also is holding many treasures of exceptional value. For example, I am recalling extinct Tsar is holding large collection of... Erm... Fine magical staffs..." Borya, in Burland (Cell phone)

Quote "I wish to question wisdom of allowing elderly man to participate in party... Aga! Why am I being observed in this manner? Do not be categorising me alongside this decrepit specimen!" Borya, in Burland (Cell phone)

Quote "So old man is never solving mystery of map... Pah! My superior intellectual powers will be making a short work of this! ...Aga! Da, da... As I suspect, it is too much simple. Too simple for man of my intellectual powers to be bothering with. I leave for others to solve..." Borya, in Mintos (Cell phone)

Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation

Borya is found in the near-future version of Reaper's Peak, pacing back and forth around the village church. He is annoyed that Alena has given him the slip again, and notes that Kiryl has disappeared as well. Upon noticing the player, he introduces himself as the servant to royalty of Zamoksva and asks if they have seen the Tsarevna. When told no, and that they haven't even heard of Zamoksva, Borya writes them off as being very strange to have not heard of his glorious motherland and tells them to keep an eye out for the Tsarevna.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

On February 4, 2011, Borya began appearing as a special guest at the Quester's Rest in Stornway. This could be downloaded through the DQVC using Nintendo's Wi-Fi channel when it was still available. When spoken to, he will give the Hero different pieces of his outfit is certain conditions are fulfilled.

• Borya's robe - Recieved when talking to him.
• Borya's bouffant - Recieved when it is the player's birthday.
• Borya's boots - Recieved after the inn is fully expanded.

A special Accolade is earned if the Hero wears all of the parts of Borya's costume.

Dragon Quest Rivals

Borya appeared in the seventh card pack, "Strange Tale of Light and Darkness", as an adventurer card. When summoned, he will cast Oomph on a single ally, increasing their attack damage by 2. Notably, Borya was the last of the companions from Dragon Quest IV to be added to the game.

Etymology

Borya is the diminutive form of Boris, being a Slavic name most commonly used in Russian and the Ukraine. The name means "wolf" in Slavic languages, but was most likely chosen for sounding similar to "Bore ya", owing to the old man's habit of prattling on and on.

Trivia

• With Ragnar McRyan being added to the Nintendo Switch collection of the two Dragon Quest Heroes games, Borya is the only Chosen to not make an appearance in the titles.

See also

• Borya's costume

Gallery

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  Famicom art

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  With Ragnar and Alena.

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  Borya equipped with a Magma staff, Scale shield, and Happy hat.

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  Borya wearing the Glombolero.

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  Mutsumi Inomata art

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  Using the Crack spell.

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  Using Kasap.

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  PlayStation art.

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  PlayStation art.

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  Borya casting a spell, PlayStation art.

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  Dragon Quest: Monster Battle card.

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  Rivals card.

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  Appearance in Stars.

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