Blaen

> *"I am willing to forgo our issues to offer an opportunity. I am nothing if not a giver of second chances" -* **to Kynedrin and Vay in the Judicael**
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## Background

### Languages

* Trade Tongue
* Orlesian

### Affiliations

* The Carta
* The Purifiers (tentative)
* The Party (rivals)
* Chevaliers (formerly)

## Biographical information

### Place of death

9:36 DragonHouse de Sennoya Estate, Val Royeaux

## Class information

### Specialisation(s)

Duelist

**Blaen** was the first enemy that the Party had, having caused in some form the events of Halamshiral that led to its formation. He was the mastermind behind a regional lyrium smuggling operation, having regained his wealth and status via his clandestine dealings after an undetermined fall from grace earlier in his life.

Despite the questionable nature of his work, the unending supply of thrill seekers and precocious nobles, as well as lyrium-addled Templars, that littered the capital of Orlais meant he was always flush with supporters and customers. Among those that worked for him were the Bleakwatch of Halamshiral, Alizera and several informants throughout the Capital, while he was allied with Ardal and the Purifiers, and initially Kynedrin and the Carta.

The actions of Kynedrin may have sparked off the events of the former capital of the Dales, but it was Blaen's reaction that triggered the Party's quest for revenge and justice that would eventually claim the former Chevalier's life.

## Background

Only a few revelations of the life of Blaen have been given, offered by Lady Melanie and Calen in the aftermath of the battle.

Though the situation by which he lost his position are unclear, he was once an influential member of the Orlesian Chevaliers, a military organization of great prestige and honour. He would eventually suffer a dishonour, losing his position and disappearing into disgrace.

However, during his adventuring days he had come across many underhanded organizations, such as the Carta and the Bleakwatch, forming contacts that would enable him to regain his popularity. Through a wry manipulation of the nation's Templars and knowing how fickle his fellow nobles are, he was able to turn a lyrium contract with the Carta into a booming business that encompassed nearly the entire country.

With his newfound wealth giving him 'splashing money', he soon shot back up into repute amongst the various parlours and salons of the city, and drew the eye of Lady Melanie de Sennoya, a woman famous for her interest into curiosities. Though she herself later admitted she held no emotions for the man, she was interested to find out just how he had re-emerged so suddenly.

He commanded fierce soldiers under his own personal reach, talented duelists and a brutal, yet diplomatic, barbarian in the place of his lieutenant Alizera.

## Involvement

The first mention of Blaen came when the party rescued Kynedrin from his captors in Halamshiral. Having tried to bypass the Bleakwatch to hand the supply directly to the mastermind, the Dwarf had drawn the ire of the gang and subsequently was captured. Knowing full well the Carta would replace the traders rather than lose the business, and wanting to send a warning not to betray his orders or his underlings, Blaen sent Alizera to deal with the dwarven caravan. The party would stumble what remained of it, while Kynedrin collapsed into grief upon finding the corpses of his brothers and the shipment of lyrium gone. Offering their aid in the short term, knowing that the illegal trade of such was dangerous regardless of who it went to, the party gave chase to Alizera.

As the party then spent their first day in Val Royeaux trying to find information on their quarry, Blaen became aware of their presence, presumably through his informants. Kynedrin discovered that he frequented a particular tavern whenever he was present, and so he and Vay decided to pay him a visit. What followed was a tense and terse duel of words as Blaen offered them an opportunity to work with him, forget their past transgressions and simply gain a true patron. He was even willing to call off any mark on Kynedrin, noting how the Dwarf seemed so very ready to behead him there and then. Vay wittily, if not foolishly, appeared to acquiesce to his suggestions and offered to help him in what he needed. Figuring out that the group knew he would be attending Lady Melanie's ball later that evening, he asked them to try and sully the event, to make her lose face in the eyes of her peers. She was his patron so it seemed, as her interest in him garnered him many more seeking to gain the approval of Melanie by agreeing with her, but he was eager to see a potential rival sullied for a while at least. As they came to an agreement, the two party members left, while Vay promised Kynedrin that he had no intention at all of working for him.

His next appearance came during the ball itself, though he didn't make an appearance until many hours into the night. While the party was on edge and eagerly keeping an eye out for him, fearing an assassination or attack on the Lady herself, he had been down below in the wine cellars. Having arrived early, he was preparing to negotiate a deal with Ardal to supply him and the Purifiers with the lyrium he possessed for their war against magic, thus expanding the reach of his network even further. The deal apparently was going well until the Elevated Brotherhood, led by Calen interrupted the proceedings, causing Ardal to attack both them and Blaen out of paranoia for betrayal. As this three-way melee ensued, the party arrived to turn it into a free-for-all. Seeing fellow magic users, Saidra and Balbus managed to convince their companions to not attack the Brotherhood for the time being, focusing their fire on the Purifiers agents instead. Blaen himself was supported by Alizera and two of his duelists, and managed to make quick work of some of the other Purifiers, before turning their attention to the party.

As Blaen closed in on Caspar, knocking the warrior prone and almost ending his life, Alizera exchanged quick and slight blows with Vay. The Elven rogue had managed to dispatch one of Blaen's duelists, while the other fell to the explosive fireballs of Balbus. Kynedrin teamed up with Caspar, though was unable to break through the surprisingly thick armour plating of the former Chevalier. It took the fall of Ardal to the Brotherhood for the tide to truly turn however, as then the Brotherhood turned their attention to Blaen. As he lifted his blade to strike at Caspar, he suddenly gasped in pain, coughing up blood onto his prone opponent, as two spears were thrust through his back and erupted from his chest. Desperately trying to cling to life, he tried to draw in air before collapsing on the ground, his tumultuous life snuffed out.

His sword and gauntlets would later be sold to Tykor after the fact, while it is unknown what happened to the bodies of Blaen and his supporters.