Urmenezh

**Mer Urmenezh** was the elder brother of Inshiran Urmenezhen. He petitioned Thara Celehar to discover her gravesite, which led to the investigation into the serial killer Broset Sheveldar.

## Appearance

Urmenezh was "a most respectable bourgeois elven bachelor". He was boney and long-legged, and had a long nose, weak chin, and wore pincenez with "round glinting lenses".

Urmenezh was at least in his mid-30s, if not older, as he was older than Inshiran.

## Personality

Urmenezh, like the rest of his siblings, was a recluse. He was polite and informative to Thara, and worried about his sister.

## Life

Urmenezh was one of four children of the Urmenada, with three sisters, at least one of whom, Inshiran, was younger. His parents died at some point, and he and his sisters, all recluses, despaired of any of them marrying and having children to continue the family line. His maternal grandfather left his money with Inshiran, rather than the whole family. "Inshiran received a monthly allotment, most of which she contributed to the household, but the money remained under the control."

When Inshiran was in her mid-30s, she met Broset while he was under the alias "Croïs Avelonar", and fell in love. She came home excited and told her family about him, then quit her job and eloped, leaving an unhelpful letter behind. She later sent her family a letter about her pregnancy, which excited the Urmenada. The Urmenada wrote back, begging her to visit, but the only reply they received was a brusque letter from Broset saying Inshiran was dead and buried in the Airmen's Quarter, without explaining the precise location.

Urmenezh was worried about the nature of the letter Inshiran sent to her family, since it seemed as if Broset forbade her to write to them, and then the timing between the letter and Inshiran's death, as well as Broset's brusque letter about her death. He petitioned Thara to locate her grave.

Around 4-6 months after Inshiran's burial, Thara discovered her grave in Ulchoranee, and wrote to Urmenezh about it, and advised him to speak to the clerics at the Sanctuary of Csaivo for an autopsy. Urmenezh had Inshiran exhumed, and spoke with Ozeva Trathonar, the president of the collective of Ulchoranee, and followed Thara's advice. Urmenezh also petitioned Thara to represent the Urmenada at the autopsy. After the autopsy, Thara informed Urmenezh that Inshiran was murdered by calonvar, and that Csenaia Ulzhavar, the Master of Mortuary for the Sanctuary, would put out the word for similar cases to track Broset down, as he was likely a serial killer. Urmenezh invited Thara to Inshiran's funeral later that evening, and left to inform his sisters.

The Urmenada belonged to one of Amalo's collective cemeteries, and buried her and her unborn child there at sunset, with her siblings, cousins, and possibly fellow teachers in attendance. Othalo Bershanaran led the service. Inshiran was buried as Inshiran Urmenezhen, though they kept Ulanu's name.

Eventually, Csenaia's outreach uncovered two other murdered wives, and Broset's real name, and led to his arrest, while he was under a new alias and seemingly in the process of marrying a new victim, Chinevo Tavalin.

Lord Judiciar Erimar was assigned Broset's case, and judged Broset guilty of the murders of Livano Sheveldaran, Drachano Michezaran, Inshiran, and Ulanu. Urmenezh attended the judgment, and spoke with Thara afterward. He thanked Thara, particularly because Thara's efforts likely saved Chinevo from becoming Broset's next murder victim.

Prince Orchenis Clunethar sentenced Broset to execution.

## Relationships

#### Inshiran Urmenezhen

Urmenezh seemed to care for his sister, and hoped that she didn't know that Broset was her murderer.

## Trivia

* Pincenez are possibly a sort of spectacles like the real-life pince-nez "that are supported without earpieces, by pinching the bridge of the nose. . . . Because they did not always stay on the nose when placed, and because of the stigma sometimes attached to the constant wearing of eyeglasses, pince-nez were often connected to the wearer's clothing or ear via a suspension chain, cord, or ribbon so that they could be easily removed and not lost."

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Addison, Katherine. *The Witness for the Dead*, First ed., Tor, 2021.
2. ↑ Addison, Katherine. *The Grief of Stones*, First ed., Tor, 2022.
3. ↑ "Pince-nez". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pince-nez. Accessed 24 December 2022.