Etan Vriell

Vriell is an Imperial centurion stationed at Springdeep on Emesh, recognized by Hadrian from previous time there as a resolute officer. She is nearly bald and copper-skinned, with a sheet of burn scar above one bright eye, and carries herself with a severe, no-nonsense manner. She wears rust-colored combat armor bearing the Veisi serpent device and carries a ceramic short sword — Hadrian notes that mere soldiers were not permitted true highmatter swords in this period. She leads the dozen shuttle-loads of soldiers sent to evacuate the Calagah dig team following the Cielcin ship crash, acting on direct orders from Knight-Tribune Smythe. She greets Sir Elomas's squire Karthik Veisi warmly by name and tousles his hair, indicating familiarity with the Veisi household. When Hadrian insists on joining the combat party, she physically grabs his arm; he invokes his palatine status and she releases him, but only yields entirely when he threatens to implicate Anaïs Mataro in the matter — a threat that visibly drains the color from her face.