Hartarian

> “I have to admit, Sire Minalan, that when you first spoke of the goblin threat, I thought you exaggerated.  But when Duke Rard suggested – nay, commanded – that I see it with my own eyes, I saw that you had the right of it.  The Bans must be laid aside, no matter the internal cost, at least until the threat to the realm is diminished.  It gives me no peace to say so.  But after my niece, Isily, spoke with me so convincingly, I could not in justice condemn you and your brethren after the sacrifices you’ve made on all of our behalf without disproving the threat first.  I stand corrected – and you stand free of all charges.”
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## Personality and Characteristics

Hartarian is a physically imposing warmage, at least 6 feet 7 inches in height, powerfully built and extremely capable. He is driven by honor and duty, but not blinded by extremism. As Lord General of the Censorate, he was considered a moderate. Hartarian was not blind to the grave danger that Shereul and the gurvani posed to humanity and despite ramifications to him personally, he suspended the Censorate's pursuit of Minalan. Rard needed to replace his court wizard, so hired Hartarian. Minalan granted him a witchstone.

## Family and Relationships

Isily of Branwen is Hartarian's niece. She tells Minalan of a prophesy:

> "When I was a girl, I remember mother and my aunt talking in the garden one day about something that had disturbed my uncle.  This was back before he was the Censor General, he was just one of the Censors of Remere, but he still had ambition.  Apparently while bringing a hedgemagi to justice, the man prophesied that Hartarian would become the Censor General.  The last Censor General.” - Isily to Minalan
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## Summary

### Warmage

Censor General Hartarian formally requested custody of Minalan of Castal from Duke Rard. Rard asked why? Hartarian said Minalan possessed the proscribed substance irionite. Rard asked specifically where it was proscribed in the bans. It was not. Since Minalan was a duly registered and certified wizard, thaumaturge, and warmage AND given that *gurvani shamen* were using irionite, who beside Minalan was better qualified to use the magic stone in defense of the duchy? Rard agreed, but Hartarian made it an issue of royal decree. Of course, there hadn't been a king in the five duchies for more than 400 years. Rard leveraged this to declare the Censorate operating at the Duke's forbearance. Rard challenged Minalan:

> “What say you, Master Spellmonger?  Are you willing to wager a realm on your word?  You seemed certain enough to wager your life.” [...] in the middle of Ducal Court. Duke Rard IV of Castal had just declared that, based entirely on the success or failure of my expedition to Alshar, he would determine if he would overthrow four hundred years of the established order and crown himself King.
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After a tense confrontation, Hartarian realized his defeat. Duke Rard ordered all Censorate operations to leave Castal and their property turned over to the new order of adepts under Minalan's purview. The Lord General left Castal and traveled to Alshar to see the invasion threat first-hand. After the battle at Timberwatch, he presented himself to both Duke Rard and Duke Lenguin as they were celebrating the victory. There, he publicly rescinded his order to capture the Spellmonger and supported the relaxing of the bans. Rard offered him the vacating position of Court Wizard. Minalan presented a witchstone to Hartarian 'off-screen.'

## References

1. ↑ Mancour, Terry. Warmage: Book Two Of The Spellmonger Series (p. 711). Kindle Edition.
2. ↑ Mancour, Terry. Warmage: Book Two Of The Spellmonger Series (p. 412). Kindle Edition.
3. ↑ Mancour, Terry. Warmage: Book Two Of The Spellmonger Series (p. 469). Kindle Edition.