Varax

First Appearance and Context

Varax is first seen during Apert at the Concent of Saunt Edhar. He and a woman later called Onali joined a guided tour of the Hylaean Way as ordinary visitors, dressed for business and wearing identity flashers on lanyards. Later the same day they were recognized as Inquisitors when received in the chancel during a service.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

• Affiliation: the Inquisition.
• During the opening he attended a tour incognito and engaged an avout guide in a probing dialogue about interpretations of Hylaea and Deät; later he entered the chancel formally as an honored visitor from the Inquisition.
• During a formal aut in the Mynster identified as Voco, Varax stood in the chancel with Onali as the Primate called Fraa Paphlagon. Afterward he and Onali escorted the fraa through the rotor wash to an aerocraft near the Day Gate and departed the concent with him.
• On the night of the communal closing feast, he stepped out from under the canopy and, when addressed by an avout, drew back his hood to identify himself. He downplayed a scuffle involving a young fraa, urged the avout to "raise your sights," and indicated that larger matters were at stake before departing. While returning toward the canopy he passed the Warden Fendant and the Warden Regulant; both yielded the path and offered formal respect, underscoring his standing.
• In a later recollection by an avout of Saunt Edhar, Varax's questioning focused on whether avout were interested in metatheoretical topics associated with Fraa Paphlagon and the Hylaean Theoric World, rather than on debating those ideas directly.
• During the Convox at Tredegarh, he approached an avout and, in a brief, casual exchange, referenced the avout's current standing in the Book. The avout and companions interpreted this as a discreet signal that the Inquisition would scrutinize or overturn any excessive punishment imposed by the avout's doyn, and as a caution to avoid further provocation. The tone reported was watchful rather than hostile.

Relationships

• Onali: Travels and appears with Varax as his counterpart Inquisitor during the same visit.
• Primate: Seen accompanying the Primate when formally present in the chancel and during the calling of Fraa Paphlagon.

Descriptions/Characteristics

• Presentation: male; first encountered in ordinary business attire with a flasher; later seen in purple robes typical of visiting hierarchs; at one point wore a hooded bolt, blending in with avout before revealing his role.
• Demeanor: direct, composed, and encouraging; presses for clarity in conversation and counsels avout to think beyond immediate incidents; in later interactions, delivers oblique hints that convey oversight rather than direct threats.

Current Status/Location

Present at Saunt Edhar through the end of the opening, then observed departing by aerocraft with Onali and an Evoked fraa. Subsequently seen at Tredegarh during the Convox; his ongoing assignment or destination has not been stated.