Rogier

Biodata

Background / History

Rogier is a self-taught spellsword affiliated with Roundtable Hold. For personal reasons, he developed an interest in the past and spent years investigating the Night of the Black Knives, particularly why Godwyn was assassinated and whether someone had ordered the killing 16 17 23 46.

Fia inspired his desire to protect Those Who Live in Death. Before encountering Tarnished’s Underworld proposal, Rogier hoped to persuade others to treat the dead fairly but had no concrete means of securing their acceptance 32.

In the previous course of events remembered by Tarnished, Rogier provided crucial assistance, died from the Prince of Death’s curse, and left his equipment and possessions to him. Tarnished’s knowledge of that fate motivates his determination to prevent Rogier from investigating Stormveil’s depths alone 16 23 34.

Appearance

Rogier has handsome features and an open expression, giving him the appearance of a gracious gentleman rather than the suspected spy he is initially taken for 16.

• Wears a swordsman’s outfit 16.
• Carries a staff in his left hand and a thrusting sword at his waist 16.
• Uses nimble footwork and a short, slender thrusting sword in battle 17.

Personality

Rogier is courteous and modest, often apologizing for inconveniencing others. Although knowledgeable about history, he initially declines Edgar’s description of him as a scholar. He also hesitates to ask Tarnished to accompany his investigation, preferring not to consume anyone else’s time 17 23.

His patience and conscientiousness make him unusually effective at administration. Kenneth Haight finds him reliable, thorough, and excellent at dealing with people; Rogier’s willingness to accept entrusted responsibilities also leads Tarnished to leave him in command during the assault on Stormveil 18 21.

His compassion extends to civilians and Those Who Live in Death. He asks that civilians forced to defend Godrick be spared and attempts dialogue with hostile undead despite the danger. He prefers disputes settled through discussion rather than violence and has little interest in personal authority 17 30 34.

Rogier can nevertheless be provoked. Sellen’s contempt for self-taught spellswords draws a resentful response, after which he recognizes that he has fallen for her challenge. His enthusiasm for research can also overcome his caution: contact with blood from Godwyn’s root-grown face nearly kills him, leaving him deeply ashamed of the harm suffered by his rescuers 16 24 25.

Abilities & Skills

Swordplay and Combined Combat

Rogier fights as a spellsword, combining thrusting attacks with sorcery 16 17.

• Pierces Margit’s arm while his allies attack from other directions 17.
• Uses magical blades to complicate an opponent’s defense and create openings for allies 17.
• Knows both martial arts and magic, but is described as only partially trained and mediocre in each during the Black Knife Assassin encounter 46.
• Believes he could hold his own against Godrick, but estimates that Gideon Ofnir could kill him with a single spell 35.

Carian Phalanx

Rogier casts Carian Phalanx, a Carian Royal Family sorcery that forms a circular array of magical glintblades 17.

• Produces four glintblades in the fight against Margit 17.
• Automatically attacks nearby enemies, layering magical strikes over ordinary swordplay 17.
• Its uncertain activation timing forces Margit to divide his attention, allowing Edgar to land a halberd strike 17.
• Rogier himself does not know precisely when the blades will activate 17.

Glintstone Sorcery

Rogier uses Glintstone Pebble to attack at range and can recognize signs of magical effects 17.

• Shoots down Stormveil’s blade-footed Warhawks along the cliffside route 17.
• Identifies the defeated Margit as a projection from its dispersing magic 17.
• Does not know a light-producing spell; he explains that Starlight is an advanced technique restricted to Raya Lucaria Academy students 46.

Historical and Death Research

Rogier studies ancient texts, geography, Godwyn’s condition, and the consequences of the Night of the Black Knives 17 21 24 46 48.

• Explains Stormveil’s connection to the Storm King and the survival of its Warhawk-training methods 17.
• Identifies the castle’s death thorns as manifestations of death rather than ordinary poisonous plants 23.
• Explains how attempts to restore Godwyn’s soulless body nourish its growth and spread death through the Erdtree’s roots 24.
• Examines the four death-blight survivors, determining that the curse has dissipated but shortened each lifespan by roughly twenty years 25.
• Pursues research into enlarging livestock, which Rodini asks him to complete as repayment for saving his life 25.
• Locates an abandoned catacomb on Liurnia’s eastern shore by transferring a crude map’s information to a military map 48.

Administration and Mediation

Rogier becomes a valuable civil administrator and an intermediary between the living and the dead 21 31.

• A three-day commitment to help Kenneth Haight extends to nine days, by which point he is effectively Stormveil’s second-in-command of administration 21.
• Participates in regional development planning and discussions of workers’ conditions 26 29.
• Negotiates simple agreements with roughly thirty harmless undead in Summonwater Village, securing their cooperation in reconstruction 31.
• Can reach Roundtable Hold himself, but cannot bring other people with him 34.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Thrusting sword / Estoc — carried at his waist and drawn when he attempts to help Nepheli against Ensha 16 34.
• Staff — held in his left hand when first introduced 16.
• Swordsman’s outfit — his initial attire 16.
• Flask of Crimson Tears — offers one to the wounded Tarnished after Godrick’s defeat 20.
• Research notes and notebook — records his investigations; during the death-blight incident, he asks that his notes be passed through Nepheli to Fia. Later, he writes down Sellen’s revelations about the Academy 24 49.

Relationships

• Tarnished / Tarny — commander and close friend. Rogier recognizes his concern, accepts his protection, and pledges lifelong service after being saved from death blight 23 25.
• Kenneth Haight — administrative partner who repeatedly extends Rogier’s temporary assignment. Rogier also believes Kenneth possesses extensive historical secrets because Tarnished attributes his own knowledge to him 21 24.
• Fia — inspiration for his advocacy of Those Who Live in Death. Rogier defends her against D’s insults and considers her ability to communicate with the dead essential to the Underworld project 31 32.
• D — friend estranged by their opposing views of the undead. Their arguments continue even after both agree to participate in the Underworld project 31 32.
• Nepheli Loux — ally who protects his escape from Gideon’s quarters. Rogier returns to Stormveil to seek help for her after she is captured 33 34.
• Laurendi and Rodini — fellow investigators who share his death curse and save his life. Both refuse to let his remorse overshadow their survival 24 25.
• Sellen — fellow sorcerer whose disdain for self-taught spellswords provokes him. Her overwhelming magic subsequently astonishes him 16 17.
• Gideon Ofnir — initially admired for maintaining a peaceful setting at Roundtable Hold, then exposed as an enemy who orders Rogier killed 34.
• Vila — an eyewitness to Godwyn’s assassination whom Rogier questions; her erased memories prevent her from identifying whoever issued the orders 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Stormveil’s Conquest

• Rogier is detained while trying to enter Stormveil for an investigation. Tarnished conscripts him and promises to accompany his search after taking the castle 16.
• He helps defeat Margit’s projection, travels with Tarnished along the cliffside route, and asks that unwilling civilian defenders be kept alive 17.
• Tarnished entrusts him with the troops while rushing toward Godrick’s grafting grounds 18.
• Rogier commands the combined barrage that strikes Godrick before he can complete his dragon grafting, then offers Tarnished healing 20.
• After the victory, Kenneth recruits him into administrative work. He also volunteers to challenge the Crucible Knight alongside Nepheli and Edgar 21.

The Death Beneath Stormveil

• Rogier reveals his Roundtable affiliation and accompanies Tarnished, Laurendi, and Rodini into Stormveil’s depths 23.
• The group collects giant-rat samples, defeats a Putrid Tree Spirit, and reaches the root-grown face connected to the Prince of Death 24.
• Blood touches Rogier’s fingertip while he cuts into the face, afflicting him with death blight. Tarnished clasps his hand, and the two Crucible Knights join them to divide the curse among four people 24.
• All four survive, but each loses roughly twenty years of life. Rogier formally joins Stormveil and advises burning the underground face growth to stop the death thorns from returning 25.
• The resulting eradication operation removes the growth and the thorns obstructing reconstruction 25.

Those Who Live in Death and the Underworld

• Rogier joins the Summonwater Village expedition and attempts to speak with hostile undead, only to be driven back by crossbow fire 30.
• He pleads for a harmless group found in a cellar. After Tarnished spares them, Rogier arranges their work and accommodation 31.
• Tarnished proposes an Underworld kingdom based in Deeproot, nominally ruled by Godwyn, with ten departments handling investigation, punishment, review, and rehabilitation 32.
• Rogier wholeheartedly supports the proposal and takes it to Fia at Roundtable Hold with D. Fia agrees to contribute, while D insists on safeguards against sheltering criminals 32 34.

Exposing Gideon Ofnir

• At Roundtable Hold, Rogier learns that Gideon has instructed Nepheli to steal or seize Tarnished’s Great Rune 34.
• He and Nepheli overhear Gideon ordering the massacre of the Village of the Albinaurics for the Medallion. Gideon orders Ensha to kill Rogier, but Nepheli holds Ensha back long enough for him to escape 34.
• Rogier reaches Stormveil covered in blood and urges Tarnished to rescue Nepheli and stop the massacre 33 34.
• Although he wants to accompany the rescue, Tarnished refuses because of his weakened condition and instead assigns him to find Blaidd in Mistwood for Stormveil’s defense 35.

Investigating the Black Knife Assassins

• Rogier reports Fia’s injury and accompanies Tarnished to see her, though his alarm exceeds the wound’s actual severity 45.
• Learning that her attacker is a Black Knife Assassin renews his hope of uncovering the truth behind Godwyn’s death. He joins the catacomb expedition that captures her 46.
• He questions the captured assassin, Vila, but learns that a prohibition has erased her memories of whoever commanded the assassination 48.
• Rogier identifies the location of Vila’s surviving sister from a rough map and continues recording new historical information revealed by Sellen 48 49.

Notable Quotes

“A flower in a greenhouse would hardly understand how a roadside weed survives.” 16

“Those Who Live in Death shouldn't be treated this way. They were once human too. We shouldn't be enemies.” 30

“I'll devote my entire life to building a world where both the dead and the living can be happy!” 32

“Yes, he's always been like this. And that's exactly why we follow him!” 38