Jarath

"'I just want my son back. I don't care why he left, I just want to know he's safe.'"Jarath is a blacksmith currently residing in the withering village of Lothering in southern Ferelden.

He spends most of his time in his smithy, trading with travellers, or working on prototype creations due to the growing amount of downtime the last few months.

Background
During a day-long drinking and bonding session with Vitaar, he revealed that he has spent the majority of his life in Lothering save a brief flight during the course of the 5th Blight.

He was married to a woman he still fondly remembers, who sadly lost her life during the fall of Lothering, and has since dedicated a lot of his life to raising his son Jeren, who he says bears a striking resemblance to her.

He's also revealed he knows little about combat himself, specializing more in the weapons themselves than how to wield them. Specifically, he said he knows enough to produce a balanced and effective blade, but no more.

A Despondent Father
Seemingly at home in the fading village of Lothering, he spends most of his days hammering away at the anvil, providing for his fellows, occasionally selling goods to any that pass through.

The last few months have seen trade dwindle, and he seems among the many looking to journey elsewhere.

While most of his work seems fairly standard, he has spent the growing downtime to experiment with new methods of metalwork - producing a prototype lightweight kite shield, which was eventually traded to Vitaar as the party asked after his bounty posting.

The day before the Party arrived, his son, Jeren, had disappeared in the company of a strange man that vanished as soon as he'd arrived. At first, he presumed his son had gone off on another of his escapades, as the man had asked after his son specifically. What made him worry was that Jeren never returned, not to say goodbye, or where he was going. That wasn't like him,

After a day of waiting, he hammered a posting onto the Chantry board asking if anybody had any information about where his son was, not knowing that the person who had come asking was responsible for the massacre at Shaleglen.

Vitaar followed up on the posting and met with Jarath at his smithy, asking for any further details, before asking after his wares, trading some of the gemstones he'd acquired back in Shaleglen for the prototype shield. The Tal-Vashoth even asked if he'd be willing to take a commission, for a large two-handed axe similar to the one he'd wielded during his younger days. All too happy to take his mind off other matters, Jarath instantly set about on the project, saying it would be a couple of days at least.

A Son Returned
"'I'm currently just making....shit. So a drink sounds good to me.'"He was hard at work in his forge when the party returned from Barkham, a burned and bald (but alive) Jeren in tow. Almost immediately he dropped what he was doing and rushed over to the boy, cradling him and saying everything would be alright. He didn't care why his boy had left, only that he was back. The fact he had a reminder in the form of his scar was all the better - he would remember the risks of the life he wished to pursue.

He thanked Vitaar profusely, with the Qunari then offering to explain everything to him in the tavern. Acquiring a fairly private booth in the corner, he filled him in on all the details that they've so far understood - Jeren was controlled by some strange entity that had also taken over Barkham, enslaving the town. He was infused with magical powers some how, capable of teleporting short distances, and given a blade with which to do harm. However, none of this was his fault, and he remembers very little of it personally.

Thankful that the boy was back, Jarath handed over what little money he could offer, only for Vitaar to later return some of the coin as a 'down payment' for future services rendered and the promise that whenever they encounter each other again, they share a drink and catch up.

Introduced to the Qunari's travelling companions, he quickly warmed up to them, while also taking the justified approach of gently embarrassing Jeren in front of his new friends. He shared a quaint conversation with their new Templar ally Ellya, with the young lady equally intrigued to his profession upon finding out he was a blacksmith. Humbly stating that his work likely paled in comparison to those of the Order's smiths, Vitaar jumped to his defence saying his craftsmanship was brilliant and he shouldn't be so humble about it, even promising to mention his name to anybody that so asks.

He also took a moment to inquire with Balderic as to whether he was the one who burned his son. When the mage replied almost immediately with a regretful yes, and explained he is prone to panicking, Jarath waved his hand to calm the man down. He appreciated his honesty, simply wishing to know so as to get a better picture of the events.

The night continued on, many drinks and stories being shared about the 5th Blight, his late wife, and the troubles of raising an adventurous young son in Jeren.

A Growing Business
He was back to forging in the morrow after, his head clear of any hangover thanks to the heat of the smithy. Approached by Ellya, as suggested the night before, she inquired as to whether he sold armour heavier than her current hardened leather cuirass.

Searching in a backroom chest, he then came forth with an old suit of tightly-linked chainmail. Not being of the best condition, he offered her a discount if she wished to take it, since their approaching departure meant he wouldn't have time to polish it. Vitaar also returned at this point, and asked as to the progress of his commissioned axe. Taking a moment to break from cleaning up the chainmail, he then gleefully went to the backroom again and produced a long metal shaft, stating that the blades weren't quite ready yet, and the hilt was being made by a carpenter in the village, but he had finished the bulk of the weapon. A curious detail stood out for Vitaar particularly, an inscription on the top where the axe blades would be held. The word 'Protector' written in Qunlat.

Stating his surprise that Jarath knew Qunlat, the smith simply bowed his head and said he learned some words from that strange Qunari prisoner the village had back before the 5th Blight.

Vitaar and Ellya then departed after collectively paying for the new suit of chainmail, heading south to Barkham once more.

Approval Ratings
Vitaar: 45 (Warm)

Ellya: 30 (Known)

Balderic: 35 (Known)