Jeren

"'His things were still here. He didn't say anything. Not where he was going, or that he even was. Nothing. He was here, then he just...wasn't.' - Jarath on his disappearance.""'Where am I? Who are you?' - Following the death of Maven."Jeren is the young son of Lothering blacksmith Jarath, who was enthralled by Maven for an unknown purpose, having no recollection of any of the time under the spell.

He was forced to fight the group when they invaded Maven's keep, and suffered severe burns at the hands of Balderic as the mage panicked and set him aflame. As they learned his identity however, Reese and Vitaar did their best to heal what they could, eventually reducing the damage to a singular scar that stretched across the left side of his scalp.

A Boy Missing
Known for being talented with knives and locks, it seems he was specifically scouted out by the Party's current quarry, a criminal named Valen. Once he departed from the smithy alongside this figure, he vanished, causing his father to place a bounty on the local Chantry Board stating his distress.

With Vitaar promising to return him to his father if they found him, the group immediately found his disappearance interesting. Just why was Valen after him? What was it for? Did he want him in particular? Or just somebody like him?

The Minion Of Maven
He was later seen, though unknown to the group, at the side of Maven in his Great Hall, cowled and shimmering with magical energy. He was able to somehow rapidly move from place to place under cover of shadow, and dealt numerous harsh blows to the group during the fight that followed.

However, as he tried to take down Balderic, the mage panicked, never really having been attacked before, and ignited the young man in flame. Screaming in agony, Jeren ran around the room before Vitaar emerged victorious and was able to pat the flame down.

A Mind Returned
As Maven was slain, whatever hold he had over Jeren and the village soon dissipated, causing everybody present to panic, having no idea what was going on. Jeren particularly, as the burns still hurt and he came to being smothered with his cape by Vitaar. He tried to flee, but in his panicked and amnesiac state just kept asking what was happening and where he was.

Gradually, Vitaar was able to calm him down, Reese kept healing him until a majority of the burns went away. He still showed a tremendous amount of guilt and fear for whatever he had done during the blackout, despite Vitaar's affirmations that he had done nothing wrong. The Qunari then offered him a hand to stand up, before helping him down to the tavern to eat, drink and rest up for the night. Vitaar even kept a constant watch over the boy, promising him he was not going to leave the tavern, occasionally checking that Jeren was sleeping okay.

In the morning, he joined the group for breakfast, and followed his new Qunari friend around the village as the group took the place in for what it was - a beautifully scenic village nestled gently into the cliffside. He journeyed to the Chantry gardens, met with Jonan; the newly restored leader of the village, as well as Revered Mother Yora, being accompanied by the Templars Maram and Netho who had so valiantly come to the aid of the party in their time of need.

He was mostly quiet for their travels, still being very shocked with what had happened, though he did also express a sort of child-like wonder when the group mentioned they had a pirate friend.

Homeward Bound
As the group journeyed north to Lothering, he rode on the back of Vitaar's horse, and was even given the Qunari's tent when they made camp for the night.

When Ellya came calling to the site, and inquired as to the group and their quests, he was woken briefly by Balderic to answer her questions, admitting that he would be of little help since he doesn't remember anything. Thanked for his co-operation, he returned to sleep.

However, this was also brief as the camp came under attack from something in the night. Commanded to stay quiet and hidden in his tent by Balderic, he happily replied with a thumbs up before taking cover. Following the fight's conclusion, he was seen to have followed this advice to the letter, calmly hiding in the corner until told all was safe. He then joined the party at the campfire for some food as Ellya and Reese discussed the new revelation that he was a mage. He watched intently and gleefully alongside Balderic and Vitaar, even chipping in that Reese had helped the villagefolk recover, only for the panicky mage to reply with a comment that "Right! You'd be uglier as well if I hadn't helped, you were covered in burns." which caused Jeren's expression to shift and the young lad to reply with "Y'know, I was helping you, but now I've realised you're kind of a dick" and returned to his tent.

Overhearing the chastising the group then gave to Reese for such an off-handed statement, he settled in to sleep.

The following morning, he was shown to be much like when Vitaar checked on him in the tavern, sat bolt upright staring at the back of the tent. He was much quieter, almost eerily so, only replying with a near silent "morning" when Balderic checked on him, and didn't respond to any further inquiries. He would later emerge from the tent and join the group for breakfast, and helped Vitaar to pack away his tent.

Noticing the boy's silence, the Qunari then took a moment to comfort the lad again - explaining that this is what the adventuring life is all about. It can be brilliant, and wondrous, and you can meet exciting characters or see beautiful things, but you have to take the bad with the good. There will be fights, harsh words and inexplicable things that happen to confuse and frighten you. Vitaar then says that if Jeren still wanted to go about on this life, he needed to know that. Solemnly nodding, Jeren then replied that his father would love him for saying those words, leading to Vitaar to finally connect Jarath as the boy's father.

A Boy Returned
When they entered the village, Jeren immediately got quieter than ever before, clearly fearful of how his father was going to act upon seeing him. He also let slip that this wasn't the first time he'd run away, which he termed "temporary relocation". However, this was all for naught, as Jarath hastily rushed over to him and hugged him tightly, saying he was just happy to see him again and didn't care for anything else in the world since his disappearance.

Joining Vitaar and his father in the tavern, the Qunari explaining what event's they could and what had happened, Jeren quietly sat there, shirking away from his father's worrying glares and looks as particular facts came forward - like how he had been granted magical properties as well as weapons to do harm. However, Vitaar again stressed that none of it was his fault, whatever controlled them was the bastard that did it. He also said that he'd had the 'adventuring talk' with Jeren, to which Jarath laughed, saying he'd had those before when the lad was younger. Jeren's mother, maker let her rest, had been the stable and good influence, and Jarath had struggled ever since her death to be the father that Jeren needed to be.

Jeren happily stayed with them as the rest of the party joined for drinks, a newly sullen Reese being very cranky and rude due to being caught out for being a 'rogue mage' by the Templars. Though Jarath tried his best to keep the boy from drinking, Vitaar sneakily handed him a shot while his father wasn't looking, something Jeren happily took a sip of, and became drunk almost instantly. Taking a seat over by the musicians in the tavern, gently rocking back and forth, he eventually slumped over in the chairs and fell asleep, causing Vitaar to defend him to Jarath stating he must be very tired and that's all.

He wasn't seen again before the party returned to Barkham, though Jarath said he was still asleep by mid-morning, apparently more tired than he had let on.

Approval Ratings
Vitaar: 70 (Warm)

Reese: 40 (Warm)

Balderic: 45 (Warm)