Berwyn

At Resson, the staff-bearing venin wears purple robes and has red-veined, soulless eyes.

During his confrontation with Xaden, the general has red-rimmed eyes, spider-webbed veins, and blue robes.

Berwyn bears a facial scar from being thrown into the ravine at Basgiath.

The Sage-like general tries to force his targets toward surrender or corruption through threats instead of simple killing. He demands that Violet wield and later pressures Xaden to turn by threatening Violet.

In nightmares associated with him, the Sage demands submission from Violet and Xaden, offers conditional safety, and threatens punishment or death when resisted.

Violet identifies the escaped venin leader as the Sage, using the term from the venin who stabbed her and explaining that she thinks he was that venin’s teacher.

Theophanie names Berwyn as a rival teacher for Violet and tells Violet to choose Theophanie instead if Violet and Xaden come to the venin. Her description casts Berwyn as someone whose orders Violet would be unable to resist, but the judgment comes through Theophanie’s hostile framing.

Berwyn is Jack Barlowe’s Sage. Theophanie says Berwyn wanted Jack brought to Draithus and complains that Jack gives away his Sage’s secrets too easily.

Theophanie denies answering to Berwyn and calls him a fool, separating her own allegiance or hoped-for approval from his authority.

Xaden identifies Berwyn as his Sage, while Berwyn calls Xaden his initiate. Xaden wants to kill him, but the forbidden bond between them prevents it physically.

The staff-bearing venin throws blue flames and survives Tairn’s dragon fire without injury.

Sgaeyl’s fire does not stop the staff-bearing venin leader, and he disappears after slamming his staff into the ground, showing an escape or movement method connected to the staff and ground contact.

The general immobilizes Xaden with invisible strings of power and blocks or survives Xaden’s attacks during their confrontation.

In Xaden’s dream, the Sage can choke or suspend Xaden, keep him from escaping the nightmare, and recognize Violet as both a lightning wielder and a dream-walker.

At Resson, the staff-bearing venin carries a long red cane or staff.

When he confronts Xaden as a general, he still carries a staff.

Berwyn carries an alloy-hilted dagger, which he uses to kill Panchek’s dragon before threatening Sgaeyl with the same fate.

At Resson, the staff-bearing venin survives the deaths of three other venin, walks out of Xaden’s darkness, and escapes after Tairn identifies him as the enemy leader.

The Sage appears physically with the wyvern horde at the cliffs, riding the center wyvern and directing test attacks against the new wards before withdrawing after the wards kill two wyvern.

At Basgiath, the Sage-like venin leader drives Xaden toward the ravine while blocking shadows with blue dagger-like fire. Xaden reports that he snapped the enemy’s tether on him, killed him, and watched the body fall into the ravine.

Berwyn is physically alive despite Xaden’s earlier report, scarred from the ravine instead of dead. He kills Panchek’s dragon with an alloy-hilted dagger, threatens Sgaeyl, and is dragged away by Xaden’s shadows before being knocked unconscious.