Governor Varlance
Current Elendel Governor, a military man chosen two years ago after Aradel stepped down. Vain — fashionably pale powder, an array of medals laid out one at a time on his desk — and famous mostly for re-dedicating parks. Most of what gets done in his office is done by his vice governor. MB2:TLM:Ch 2
Known facts
- declared-heroOn the docks, Varlance formally authorises the mass scuttling of private cargo ships in Elendel bay on his own authority — the city, he says, will pay the captains' losses if it turns out they overreacted. Steris coaches him afterwards that what he just did sounded *positively heroic*, which delights him; he turns it, by repetition, into the role he has been waiting all book to inhabit.MB2:TLM:Ch 70
- chosen-because-steerableWatching Varlance react to the explosion — relief, then a real, almost startled appetite to be useful — Steris understands him. He is a perfectly agreeable man who was selected by people who wanted a figurehead they could steer. They never expected him to put his own hands on the helm and start steering himself. Tonight, with Wax presumed lost and the city pulled back from the edge, he has done exactly that.MB2:TLM:Ch 73
Events
- MB2:TLM:Ch 2 Presides over the Supremacy Bill vote from the governor's chair, more concerned with his face powder and his row of medals than with the substance of the debate.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 31 Presides over the assembly, has to be told by Adawathwyn what a select council is, accepts Admiral Daal's yacht-loan to seat him on the council, and politely refuses to seat Steris herself — *not a place for a woman who has been a sitting senator for less than an hour*.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 38 Chairs the private council on what to do about Bilming; lets Steris stay despite excluding her, and visibly listens as she pulls the meeting apart.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 43 Presides over the council and quietly tilts toward fetching the Bands once Adawathwyn floats the idea; asks TenSoon what Harmony would have them do.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 48 Crumples when the Bands turn out to be drained, briefly tries to talk himself into believing the city is not really in danger, then — pressed by Steris — agrees to stay and lend his authority to her evacuation plan.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 67 Functions as Steris's visible authority at the central evacuation station; nearly bolts at the news of the warship, stays when she asks him to be a hero.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 70 Lieutenant-figurehead on the docks; takes command of the dockworker foremen on Steris's direction, authorises the mass scuttling, and discovers he likes being heroic.
- MB2:TLM:Ch 73 Ducks behind the rooftop railing at the blast, comes up declaring the city saved, then quietly thanks Steris for letting them retreat from the docks before the wave.
Backreferences
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 2
- factAdawathwyn
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 31
- factSteris Harms
- factAdawathwyn
- factAdmiral Daal
- factDarlin Cett
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 38
- factSteris Harms
- factLady Hammondess
- factLady Gardre
- factLady Gardre
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 43
- factTenSoon
- factSteris Harms
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 48
- factSteris Harms
- factElendel Evacuation Plan
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 67
- factSteris Harms
- factSteris Harms
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 70
- factSteris Harms
- factSteris Harms
- factGovernor Varlance
- summaryMB2:TLM:Ch 73
- factGovernor Varlance