Valen Drax

“The man who smiles through soot and sells silence for silver.”

Appearance

Valen Drax wears fine, once-white robes of marble court fashion—now permanently stained with ash and travel dust, like the city itself. He keeps a polished bronze mask hanging at his belt, used during official ceremonies, though few believe it’s ever removed in private dealings. His dark hair is streaked prematurely with grey, and his eyes are a sharp, calculating amber.

Public Role

Officially, Valen represents the city’s trade interests with the Merchants Guild:
Negotiates mining contracts and ore exports
Oversees agreements between blacksmith guilds and foreign buyers
Acts as liaison between the mayor’s office and external powers
He is known for securing remarkably favourable deals for the city… though always with strange, unspoken clauses.

True Nature

Behind the scenes, Valen thrives in shadows:
Broker of Secrets: Trades information gathered from taverns, markets, and even cemeteries
Influence Weaver: Quietly manipulates guild rivalries (especially among blacksmiths and merchants) to keep power divided
Dealmaker with Questionable Allies: Rumoured to have dealings with grave-keepers of the necropolis and figures tied to the archaeological site
Some whisper he knows more about the dead than the living.

Connections in the City

The Three Cemeteries: Frequent late-night visitor; claims it’s for “heritage research”
The Large Market: Pays informants among vendors and stable hands
The Palace: Trusted—but not liked—by the mayor
One Tavern (his favourite): A hidden back room serves as his unofficial office.

Personality

Smooth, deliberate speaker
Never raises his voice
Always offers help—at a cost
Keeps meticulous mental notes of favours owed.

Rumours & Hooks

He’s secretly orchestrating control of the city’s metallurgy trade to create a near monopoly
Someone claims he bribed a priest at the church to alter burial records
He may be hiding an artifact recovered from the archaeological site
A rival diplomat vanished shortly after negotiating with him