Denis de Bar

Denis de Bar (20th of Malin's Welcome, 1494 – 11th of Snow's Maiden, 1570), was a Savoyard statesman and political figure and the son of Adrian de Bar.

Though his Savoyard kin had signed the Treaty of Metz recognizing John I as Holy Orenian Emperor, Denis de Bar remained silently resentful of the Crown, taking to undermining it and conspiring against it at every turn, blaming the emperor for the assassination of his mentor and uncle, Guy de Bar. These efforts were on many occasion thwarted by his own sloth and poor planning, and he eventually grew venerable in his Peremont estate, unaffected by and indeed deliberately excluded from the shifting political landscape. The emperor at once stage endeavored to include him in government by appointing him to the position of High Magistrate, however Denis would never even publicly accept the position, and so it was transferred elsewhere. Amused by his adversary's spite, John was heard to famously jest that 'it is not useless titles that make men useless, but useless men that make titles useless'.

His reputation was never particularly prodigious at court or anywhere in the country, and it plummeted especially after his involvement in the Taxman's Conspiracy and failed funding of the anti-crown Jackal insurgents. His own colleague and ostensible ally, Augustus d'Amaury, was heard to describe him as 'the most inveterately incompetent man this side of the Vieran'. For a time, he was known as 'the most hated man in Oren', having gained the repute as a treacherous and effete lecher. Mysteriously, he was assassinated by what appeared to be hired blades at the age of 76.

He was known to have four legitimate children - two daughters and two sons - Aurelia, Lucia, Richard and Guy. Aurelia would be wed to the Emperor's second son, Lucia would elope with Rhys Roke and Richard and Guy would die childless in their youth, ending Denis' patrilineal line.