Countess Varren

Countess Varren carries a small glass at her collar and a large collection of precedents in her memory. Every fight she enters begins the way her house has begun them for generations: a challenge is stated, terms are agreed, and witnesses are given a chance to understand what honor supposedly requires.

Varren follows those customs because they can prevent a private insult from becoming a wider disaster. She has also seen them abused by powerful people who choose terms a weaker opponent cannot refuse. As countess, she insists on hearing objections before a contest begins, even when a fellow noble considers the delay insulting.

Noblesse Oblige reflects her sense of duty as much as her taste for ceremony. Its crew know she expects polished conduct, but they also know she will answer for an order that puts them in danger. Varren appreciates a courteous rival. She reserves her sharpest contempt for someone who invokes honor while avoiding its obligations.