Count Thavius ir'Blis

Ardev is the ancestral seat of the ir’Blis line. Thavius ir’Blis is the ruling count of the Western Frontier, formally styled as the Shield of the Graywall in recognition of his responsibility over this border region. In his youth, Thavius led troops on the northern front. Then came the Daughters of Sora Kell. In 986 YK, Countess Thalia ir’Blis (the mother of Thavius) personally led the Westwind Riders to deal with the forces that had claimed the town of Stubborn (now known as Stonejaw). The countess and all of her troops were killed, and the Daughters retaliated with a devastating attack on Orcbone. Thavius was called back to Ardev, both to assume the position of Count and to defend the west against this new threat. He didn’t stand alone; King Boranel sent troops to reinforce this new front line. While these forces were necessary to defend the border against the unexpected power of Droaam, they were servants of the king, not the count. Thavius served with distinction both on the field of battle and as a commander, but he could only control the forces under his command and chafed at the poor decisions of the eastern soldiers. Breggan Blackcrown is a key example of this: The bandit queen originally served under Lord Veirner ir’Tajar of Orcbone, and Thavius holds ir’Tajar responsible both for Breggan’s conduct during the war and her current brigandry. With the current de-escalation of hostilities, most of the royal forces have been withdrawn; but Lord Veirner has been retained as the Viscount of Orcbone, and Argonth has been assigned to the region.

The ir’Blis line has governed this region since Galifar was founded. It has always been a vast and largely empty county; even before Droaam, the Barrens to the west were a dangerous, unclaimed land. The rise of Droaam as a nation has been a tremendous blow to the ir’Blis family. While it was largely undeveloped, they saw the Western Frontier as their domain. Now that land has been claimed by a new and powerful nation. Orcbone has been stripped from the domain and granted to an eastern noble—and aside from his wounded pride, the count despises ir’Tajar. Quickstone has gone from being a backwater smuggler’s haven to a boom town drawing in the dragonmarked houses. Count ir’Blis wants to do what’s best for his people, but he is still trying to determine what that even is. He yearns for vengeance against Droaam and the Daughters of Sora Kell, but he recognizes that his people need peace—and that there’s no telling how a true war with Droaam would end.

At the end of the day, Count Thavius ir’Blis is quintessentially Brelish. He is proud, but his pragmatism comes first. He upholds the law, but is willing to overlook the work of an honest smuggler; he knew what he was doing when he allowed the Three Faces of Coin to have a foothold in Quickstone. He showed charity to Cyran refugees, but he also placed them on the border with Droaam—setting them between his own people and an unknown threat. Keep this in mind when dealing with the count: He is a soldier who has commanded troops in battle. He takes his station seriously. But above all, he is a practical man who does what’s best for his people and his family.

Count ir’Blis is largely respected by the people of the frontier. He is seen as a just man, from a family that’s never been too heavy handed. But the people of the frontier are an independent lot. The Swords of Liberty are strong in this region; even if its members don’t see the count as a villain, he is still a brick in a wall they’re going to tear down. Some are angry that the count isn’t leading an army against Droaam; others are afraid that he can’t protect them from the nation of monsters. And they may be right.