Culwen

 is a human man and a former Spireling in the Westruun sect of the Clasp.

Appearance
Culwen is a tall, broad-shouldered human man, with "tightly curled brown hair" and sharp green eyes, similar in vibrancy to Aswin's except with lines around them. He and his sister Derowen look somewhat alike. He has the Clasp's symbol brnaded on his chest, visible if he pulled down his collar.

When Vex'ahlia first encountered him during the ash walker attack, he wore a long coat and wielded a longbow. The following day, his hair was damp and tucked behind his ears, and he wore "a long, flowing coat" with a rapier. He again wore a coat and carried both the longbow and the rapier during the next ash walker attack. The next morning, he had an outfit that seemed more comfortable than the previous one, with wet hair, a tunic, dusty boots, gloves, his rapier, "a parrying dagger with a triple blade" in a hip sheath, and his signet ring. The ring was "[a] broad silver band, with the Clasp's symbols engraved into it."

Personality
Culwen presents himself as an easy-going man, seeming relieved and happy at the defeat of the ash walkers. He was also notably calm and nonchalant when ambushed by Vax'ildan, confident in his own combat abilities. However, the confidence faltered when he realized Vax'ildan had the upper hand, and turned to "ice-cold fury."

Background
Culwen had a sister, Derowen. Derowen lived in Kymal at one point, but there was an incident in which she lost her home and nearly lost her life. She was saved Culwen's intervention, which caused friction between Culwen and his colleagues in the Westruun Clasp, and which Culwen regarded as a poor investment. Culwen already was or eventually became a spireling, a leader within the Clasp. Derowen then left without telling Culwen. Around 801 PD, Derowen had a daughter, Aswin, Culwen's niece. Derowen, Aswin, and her friend Wick ended up settling in Jorenn Village, where Derowen founded the Shadewatch. A group of miners accidentally unleashed ash walkers upon the area, and Derowen became a leader in the fight against them. A year after the ash walker attacks began, Culwen learned where his sister was, came to Jorenn Village, demanded to see her, and gave her the magical ring Fracture. He allegedly found it in his travels and gave it to her in exchange for a workspace in Shade Hall, but in reality, he offered it as a way to protect her town in exchange for her loyalty. The stones in the ring came from the Umbra Hills, and he said it made sense for Derowen to have it.

By around 807 PD, Derowen controlled Jorenn Village, its guard, and its mining operations and trade. She appeared to be the de facto leader of the town, as the council of elders was no longer in power. The people of Jorenn Village regarded Derowen as a hero. She was known by the miners to meet with smugglers to sell silver. The idea to begin smuggling was Culwen's, when Derowen gained access to the mines. Derowen made a personal profit from the smuggling, which she kept hidden from the people of Jorenn and justified as being security for herself and Aswin, while Culwen profited from the share owed to the Clasp. According to Wick, Culwen visited Jorenn Village often, and was "a collector of strange and obscure objects" who "never quite shares where he finds his curiosities." His office, above Derowen's in the Shade Hall, was full of clutter, reminiscent of Spireling Gideor's Westruun office, including gemstones, weapons, figurines, books, paperwork, tools for caring for blades, a child's drawing (presumably Aswin's), and coins.

Kith & Kin
Around 807 PD, Spireling Gideor of the Westruun Clasp contracted Vax'ildan to steal Fracture, which he described as an heirloom currently possessed by the Shadewatch. The true motivation behind the contract appeared to be that Gideor became aware of Derowen and Culwen personally profiting from their smuggling, and wanted to put a stop to it. When Vax'ildan first visited the Clasp's headquarters in Westruun and received the contract, Spireling Gideor spoke to a halfling man, who said that Culwen was probably in Turst Fields.

When Vax'ildan, Vex'ahlia, and Trinket arrived to the outskirts of Jorenn Village, their camp was attacked by ash walkers. Vex'ahlia and Trinket made it into Jorenn Village, and joined the fight. Culwen was standing on the palisades among other archers, shooting at the ash walkers below with his longbow. After Derowen succeeded in repelling the ash walkers, creating what appeared to be a barrier, Culwen spoke to Vex'ahlia and explained that the village was safe for the night. He also told her about Derowen and Aswin's relationship, and that Derowen used the ring to protect the town. He left the palisades "whistling a jaunty tune."

The next morning, Culwen was in Derowen's office when Vex'ahlia visited. He seemed to be rested and was friendly to Vex'ahlia, complimenting her on her archery. He seemed to intimidate Wick, and his apparent affection for Derowen was not reciprocated. He promised to return in a few days with a present for Aswin.

Several days later, during another ash walker attack, Culwen had returned to Jorenn Village. He rode out with the Shadewatch to rescue travelers who were camped outside the town, fighting the undead from the top of a cart. He was very capable in the fight, but Vex'ahlia noted that he seemed more focused on Derowen on the palisades.

Later that evening, Vax'ildan broke into Culwen's office in the Shade Hall. He remained there all night, until Culwen arrived in the morning, where he was surprised but not panicked at the other man's presence. Culwen was skeptical of Vax'ildan's assertion to being sent by the Clasp and assumed he was an "aspiring member," since he didn't have a brand. Vax'ildan realized, after mentioning Spireling Gideor, that Culwen himself was also a spireling. Culwen was not surprised to learn that Gideor saw him as a threat and that he sent Vax'ildan to "solve the debate" between the spirelings. He threatened to kill Vax'ildan and claim self-defense, but Vax'ildan successfully bluffed and told Culwen there was a contingency plan: should he or his sister be harmed, evidence of Culwen and Derowen's smuggling would be delivered to Gideor. Culwen's calm air cracked when he realized Vax'ildan had the upper hand. Vax'ildan made him an offer: if Derowen released the prisoners from the mines, and Culwen got Vax'ildan out of his Clasp contract, he would turn over the evidence. Culwen was angry but acquiesced, and accepted Vax'ildan's further condition that they would meet that night.

Culwen stormed out of the room and Vax'ildan followed. He went to the foyer, where the Shadewatch were congregated, and Vax'ildan saw him in conversation with a bald man with a gray beard, in which Culwen seemed impatient. He also ignored Aswin tugging at his coat. As the bald man kept trying to speak to Culwen, ash walkers made their way into the town. Culwen entered the antechamber where Derowen, Vex'ahlia, and Thorn were, visibly angry at Derowen, and asked her to call them off. Culwen murdered his sister with his rapier for her failure to keep their smuggling secret and attempted to frame Vax'ildan for her murder. He stabbed her body again to ensure she was dead, and attempted to take Fracture from her finger. He was stopped by Vax'ildan, who slashed the spireling's neck. Culwen's last words were a final attempt to frame Vax'ildan. Another of Vax'ildan's daggers to Culwen's throat, while he was distracted by Thorn's serpent belt, was fatal. Wick attacked Culwen's body in his anger at Derowen's death. Vax'ildan later presented the notebook to Spireling Gideor as evidence of Culwen and Derowen's smuggling, rather than give him Fracture as contracted; the ring was given to Wick.

Aswin
Aswin was Culwen's niece. When Vex'ahlia first asked him about her, he said that "that little girl is a bright spot in this shitty place. Her presence makes everyone fight harder." Though Derowen thought Culwen was a bad influence on Aswin, because he encouraged her to get into trouble and brought her gifts, he seemed to genuinely care for her and said he did not want to disappoint her. Aswin was excited about his presents and, after meeting Trinket, hoped he would bring her a bear. Culwen had a child's drawing of a horse with seven legs in his office, presumably a piece by Aswin.

Derowen
Derowen was Culwen's sister. According to Thorn, there was a time prior to the ash walker attacks when Derowen and Anissa "bonded over having brothers who were too clever for their own good." Culwen initially implied to Vex'ahlia that he saw Derowen as "a hero to all," while Derowen said that she understood Vex'ahlia's distress at losing her own brother. However, Derowen appeared to have a less favourable relationship with her brother in private, flinching away when he kissed her on the cheek. She told him he was a bad influence on Aswin, because he encouraged her to get into trouble and often brought her gifts. She seemed relieved when Culwen left her office and seemed momentarily vulnerable when Vex'ahlia asked her if Culwen was important to her; she named only Wick and Aswin as those most important to her. After learning that Vax'ildan had obtained evidence of their smuggling from Derowen's office, Culwen called his sister a failure. Derowen regarded Culwen as someone she had to protect Aswin from. She became visibly distressed when informed that Culwen knew about the stolen notebook. Culwen considered the safety that Derowen and Aswin enjoyed to be his achievement, not Derowen's. He murdered his sister for her failure to keep their smuggling secret.

Abilities
Culwen fought using longbows, rapiers, and daggers. Vex'ahlia noted that he had a particular ease with archery, even in low light and on unstable ground, while Vax'ildan noticed he seemed to wield a rapier with ease as well. He dual-wielded his rapier and parrying dagger during his fight with Derowen.

Notable items

 * Dagger (parrying, with a triple blade, kept in a hip sheath)
 * Longbow (well-crafted, heavier than Vex'ahlia's)
 * Rapier
 * Ring (silver Clasp signet ring)

Quotations

 * "If you do not have the guts to make the hard choices, it will eat you whole."