Bolaire Lathalia

Bolaire Lathalia
Official art of Bolaire Lathalia, cropped from a larger image, by Loren Hontanilla.
Type	Player Character
Actor	Taliesin Jaffe
Character Information
Pronouns	he/him
Race	Sentient Mask
Class	Warlock
Age	About 70
Languages	Common
Place	Dol-Makjar, Kahad
Connections	Schemers (current adventuring party) Thjazi Fang (blackmailer) Spiro and Rosadella (archivists) Unnamed elven man (former body, deceased) Aubrus Drime (current body)
Profession	Curator of the Lloy Wing at the Archanade museum
Status
Status	Alive
Stats
Level	3
HP	26
AC	14
DC
Str	12
Dex	14
Con	16
Int	18
Wis	14
Cha	18
Reference(s)
Appearances
First seen	"The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01)
Last seen	"On the Scent" (4x07)
Stream	Campaign Four (6 episodes)

Bolaire Lathalia is a warlock played by Taliesin Jaffe in Campaign Four.

Description

Official art of Bolaire Lathalia, by Loren Hontanilla.

Appearance

When first introduced, Bolaire appeared as a dashing man who wears a mask of gray clay with dark gray lips that moves like a face to show his expression, and where his eyes should be are black pools with tiny blue reflected lights like a cat's eyes in the dark. He has very long, curling, dark red hair. His clothes, which cover every inch of his body, are finely made of black leather and suede over crimson, and he often wears a cloak to keep a low profile.

It was revealed in "Stone-Faced" (4x04) that Bolaire himself is a sentient mask that can take over the body of whomever wears the mask and does so every few months when his current form decays too much.

Personality

Taliesin describes Bolaire as "very social and bitchy". Although not a noble himself, Bolaire is comfortable in their company. He prefers to see things for himself rather than relying on the accounts of others.

Bolaire finds being stuck to a body awful, disgusting, aggravating, and uncomfortable. He's not used to being his own driving force, but is much more comfortable being aimed at things. He had hoped at some time to reveal his true self to his friends, but not in the way it happened, and "trust is very broken."

Biography

Background

Bolaire was constructed during the Shapers' War as a character of the Panto and with the singular purpose of killing the halfling's god, Rauwyn; he and his "siblings" were used for that purpose two days later, and just a few minutes after the death of the trickster goddess, he fell asleep. For decades, Bolaire was used as a weapon in different conflicts, but during the Falconer's Rebellion he started considering if there was something else in life for him; it wasn't until he watched one of Halandil Fang's plays that he actually found the strength to create an actual life for himself.

Bolaire became a curator of dangerous magical antiquities of the Lloy Wing at the Archanade. To explain his appearance, a story was crafted about how one of the dangerous magical items he handled at the museum suddenly bonded with his face, and he feared the risks of trying to remove it. At some point after getting that job (around eight years before the beginning of Campaign Four) he met Thjazi Fang and in less than a week he discovered his true nature as a sentient item; since then, Bolaire occasionally did "dirty work" for Thjazi, who would send him questionable objects to research and then give to people he did not know with no questions asked, blackmailing him to obey and threatening him if he ever told anyone about the arrangement. This eventually led to Bolaire facilitating Vaelus's access to Dol-Makjar, in hopes that when she arrived she would cause trouble for Thjazi that would free the sentient mask of his influence.

"The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01)

When Thjazi Fang realized that his execution was indeed going to take place, one of his last-minute instructions was, "There's paint waiting for you with Bolaire." After Thimble was attacked in her hideout and the Stone of Nightsong taken, she searched in the wreckage and found a letter bearing the name "Bolaire". At Halandil Fang's home where the funeral was being held, Bolaire arrived, surprised that Thjazi was actually executed, having fully expected him to escape. He seemed more curious than sorrowful at the death. When Thaisha Lloy and Julien Davinos stepped out the door to talk, the cold iron nail that detected the presence of fairies and demons glowed a little orange. Bolaire realized that the protections created around Thjazi's body by the orcish and druidic rituals had been crossed, and that a small shadow now followed Julien. Later, Bolaire reproached Vaelus for disrupting the gathering after he had let her into the city. He knew of the Stone of Nightsong she sought, that ferries the spirit of an immortal elf somehow killed safely to the Garden of the Spirit without having to first pass through the Tenebral Reaches of the underworld. He urged Vaelus to leave, telling her these people did not have the stone. When Thimble's name was mentioned, a silver box that Thaisha had brought with her flew open revealing shattered black ceramic that began moving together into the shape of a mask similar to Bolaire's.

"Broken Wing" (4x02)

Bolaire was among the guests that went upstairs to check on Hal and Thaisha, discovering that the latter had been hurt after touching a mysterious relic; the warlock started scolding them for being so reckless, and after examining the silver box and the strange mist coming out of it, he decided he would inspect it; the box was closed thanks to Murray's Mage Hand, and the two of them left together. They spent the night doing research together in the Archanade, determining the source of some of the pieces of the box, as well as its purpose (to act as the coffin of Olbalad, the halflings' Angel of Death); as part of their investigation Bolaire threw one of his tools to the mist and it disappeared, exciting both him and Murray. When dawn finally came the dwarf left for the Penteveral, and the elf stayed, inspecting some of his crates, which included some paint intended for Hal. After that Bolaire spent the next few hours reading.

"The Snipping of Shears" (4x03)

Eventually, with the help of Spiro and Rosadella, he brought the amphorae filled with paint to the Hallowed Round to deliver them to their intended owner; as he was examining the material he sensed traces of conjuration magic but not from an actual spell, and wondered what was the reason, if it was hiding anything or was simply the consequence of the paint spending a long time near an actual source of magic in the Penteveral. In the theater, the warlock spent some time speaking and joking with the people there, before having a brief meeting with Thaisha and Halandil and presenting the latter with the amphorae; they talked about Thjazi's last words (since he had mentioned the paint), but Hal was very confused about what it was supposed to be.

"Stone-Faced" (4x04)

After sunset Bolaire went to the Potter's Field tavern and entered the secret fiendish den in the back; after some light conversation with the Mercanaud twins about getting a new suit, he met with Aubrus Drime to deliver a package; however, he wasn't happy with its content, and as Bolaire was taking the money, he was knocked unconscious by Drime's Sleep spell, just to awaken once more after he took the mask from the curator's body and put it on his own face. Now with a new body, Bolaire took his wig and changed his clothes, and then disposed of the evidence before returning to the Archanade.

Later that night he was visited by Hal, Murray, and Azune, who were in a hurry and wanted to speak with him; Bolaire started asking about Thimble, and was very frustrated when they told him she had left the city; however, realizing the others were tense too and really wanted to speak with him, the curator brought them to his secret archive, and from there to his private vault, as a gesture of trust. After some moments of them examining the treasures there (during which the warlock shared some cautionary advice, and even tried to Command Murray so that she wouldn't touch something), they talked: at Hal's insistence, Bolaire revealed his identity as one of the masks that destroyed Rauwyn, and how Thjazi's manipulation had forced him to be his ally, while preventing him to be fully honest with Halandil. The other three were surprised by this information, and when Murray wondered if Thjazi hated him, Azune theorized that he probably found him useful as a tool (something Bolaire himself confirmed). The Arcane Marshal was fascinated by the mask itself and tried to Mend an imperfection on it, but before the cantrip took effect the curator had to leave to meet some visitors who had entered the archive.

Fan art of Bolaire's bad feeling, by Elaine Tipping.

He talked to Temoday Wurnst and Lady Amariya Cormoray, and when the latter expressed her interest in checking the exposition about the Pariah Blades and in watching Bolaire work, he tried to convince them that it was better to wait for the next day; while he was considering if he should cast Suggestion, Temoday noticed that from the window nearby the Palazzo Davinos could be seen, strangely darker than other nights; both Amariya and Bolaire agreed that it was weird (with the latter actually having a bad feeling about it), and then the curator convinced the other two to leave, promising the noblewoman a special tour as compensation the following day. Lady Amariya declared it acceptable, and left with Temoday. Bolaire then returned and told Hal, Murray, and Azune about the situation, and they left together.

When they reached the castle they saw that everything was dark but surprisingly clean and undisturbed; Bolaire found a single melted candle that Murray identified as the material component of a powerful necromantic ritual; frightened, she debated with the warlock and Azune about if the latter should Mend it or not, but ended up agreeing. Azune did it, and the moment the candle was reconstituted, Halandil heard something and the others followed him out. They reached the Lloy estate, finding there Sir Julien Davinos, Lady Aranessa Royce, Vaelus, Thaisha, and the dead body of Occtis; when the curator got closer to Julien he noticed the darkness in his shadow and informed that there was something attached to him, and that they would have to deal with it. They then focused on the dead man, and combining Bolaire's tools with Murray's Mage Hand and Portent, and supported by Hal's Bardic Inspiration and Thaisha's Guidance, they successfully removed the Stone of Nightsong from inside Occtis, and he started breathing again as the ground shook and his body started repairing itself. Everyone was happy, and although Sir Julien was furious about the connection between the young man and House Tachonis (responsible for the massacre in the Palazzo), and Bolaire even summoned his rapier when he saw him ready to attack, Lady Aranessa calmed him down, and reminded the group that they still had fights ahead.

"Branching Paths" (4x05)

In the period before dawn, the group discussed Occtis's status and the implications for House Tachonis, as well as the repercussions for other political forces in the city; they gradually defined a plan, with the newly resurrected necromancer leaving Dol-Makjar with an escort to seek answers about his post-mortem visions, while the rest stayed behind to sound out the Sundered Houses and look for ways to weaken them. During that conversation Vaelus tried to grab the Stone of Nightsong and Bolaire stopped her, going as far as to cast Command on her to do so; they argued for a bit until the elf promised that she wouldn't leave with the relic, and that she didn't intend to abandon Occtis either. Bolaire also spoke with the wizard himself for a bit, who, understanding they intended to frame his family in their conspirations against them, gave him his signet ring so he could use it for that purpose; the curator also told Occtis that he was hoping they could talk when he returned to Dol-Makjar, given how unique he had become.

After the Seekers left, Bolaire, Murray, Azune, and Hal started preparing for their respective jobs, and agreeing that they should find a place to meet as often as possible, preferably without connections to any of them; the warlock told them about the place where he and Halandil drank together. The latter used that chance to tell his friend that he would have kept the secret, had he told him that he was a sentient mask, but Bolaire argued that he had confessed, Thjazi would have killed him; when Murray asked, he admitted he let Vaelus into the city so that she made some trouble for Thjazi, but then assured Azune that he had nothing to do with his execution. After that Bolaire returned to the Archanade just in time, as he saw the carriage of Lady Amariya arriving as well.

"On the Scent" (4x07)

Bolaire spent some time giving Lady Amariya and Lord Temoday the tour he had promised them, and answering her questions about the Pariah Blades and other items used to destroy the gods, even sharing his theories about how they worked, and if they would be effective against celestials too; the curator also offered Lady Amariya to show her the real Shay's Blade when he saw that she was disappointed about seeing only the replica. At one point Bolaire presented some facts about the mysterious destruction of Rauwyn, giving barely any new information, but Lady Amariya's attention was caught by the fact that a sacred theater had been used; when she asked Bolaire if he had met Halandil, Bolaire said he had, a few times.

Relationships

Murray Mag'Nesson

Bolaire and Murray met at a gala six months prior to Thjazi's death, though they didn't know that they had Thjazi as a mutual connection. Despite being so different they seem to share a love for discovery.

Halandil Fang

The first time Bolaire attended one of Hal's plays he was forever changed, since it opened his eyes about him playing a new role in life instead of being stuck in his past as a weapon. They became friends and had long talks about literature, with the warlock even getting involved in the lives of Hal's kids. Because of Thjazi's interference, Bolaire was unable to tell Halandil the truth about himself, and tried as hard as possible to never lie to him. Even after Thjazi's death, he resented how he had poisoned his bond with Hal, and assured the latter that despite everything he saw the bard as a friend, if not his only friend.

Thjazi Fang

Thjazi knew about Bolaire's actual identify, that being a sentient mask, and kept a note titled "Bolaire" with the information on it. Bolaire despised this fact, especially because it had sullied his relationship with Hal, and was thankful for Thimble, since she was kind to him and acted as a literal thimble as an intermediary between the curator and the prick that was Thjazi (and he repaid her with gifts).

Bolaire attended the execution in order to see who would help Thjazi, believing he was too clever to allow himself to be hanged, and cackled when it was finally over.

Character information

Fan art of Bolaire with a glass weapon, by Veronica Anrathi (Disarmonia).

Notable items

• Gloves with abjurative wards to work with dangerous items from the museum
• Glass scalpel
• A box containing the hands and head of his previous body
• Signet ring of House Tachonis, given by Occtis Tachonis when he asked for it

Abilities

Unless otherwise noted, the following abilities are assumed from the 2024 Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook

Proficiencies

• Skills: Arcana, Religion
• Tools: Alchemist

Warlock abilities

• Eldritch Invocations
  • Devil's Sight
  • Pact of the Blade (presumed)
• Pact Magic (Charisma-based ability)
• Magical Cunning
• Patron

Warlock spells

In Addition to his patron spells, as a 3rd-level warlock Bolaire should know 2 cantrips and 4 leveled spells as well as spells granted by Invocation features. When leveling he may replace 1 cantrip and 1 spell each.

Spell level	Spell	Notes
1st	Command
2nd	Suggestion

Appearances and mentions

• Campaign Four
  • "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) (first appearance)
  • "Broken Wing" (4x02)
  • "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03)
  • "Stone-Faced" (4x04)
  • "Branching Paths" (4x05)
  • "Knives and Thorns" (4x06), mentioned only
  • "On the Scent" (4x07)

Quotations

• "It's better to see things in person because secondhand accounts are even more unreliable than first ones."
• Bolaire: (inspecting the silver box) We need to put something living in there that we can see through. Not a person. But someone who can see through other people's eyes.
  Murray: We got a few puppies that I know.
  Bolaire: Well. (sighs) Can't make an omelet without breaking a few puppies, I suppose. Let's just go for it.
• "I'm an object created to kill a god. I am a thing. I am a mask that can be worn. I'm a mask that wears other people. I am as old as the war itself."
• "We are building a theater, which means I need money, which means I can be bought. And when you can be bought, well, people will put their trust in you."

Trivia

• Taliesin Jaffe attributed the inspiration for Bolaire to Travis Willingham, who, on three separate occasions, had acquired a sentient weapon (Craven Edge, the Sword of Kas, Uk'otoa's pact falchion, and Graz'tchar), leading Taliesin to wonder about what it would be like to be one of them having been left behind. When Liam O'Brien asked if Taliesin wanted to be "a sentient object but sexier", he stated: "I mean, always."
• Bolaire's surname could be a reference to the Greek muses of comedy and tragedy. One of the emojis used by Taliesin to tease this character's identity during promotions was the drama masks of comedy (Thalia) and tragedy (Melpomene).
• Bolaire has a mechanism that flips the pages of a book every ten minutes, allowing him to read for hours without moving a muscle.
• Bolaire is, along with Emhira (played by Laura Bailey in Downfall), the only player character involved in the permanent death of a god before the start of their adventure.

References

Art: