Lord Remi Vascal, more commonly known as the Black Fox, was an Orlesian noble who later became a dashing thief and rogue. His adventures—which are usually exaggerated—inspire the common folk who revere him as a hero.
Background[]
Remi was born in 8:63 Blessed and started his exploits by publicly ridiculing the tyrannical and powerful lord of Val Chevin. Lord Remi hid his identity by wearing a mask and disrupted the lord's plans to such an extent that the latter placed a large bounty on him. He was referred to as "this cunning fox" and this descriptor eventually became synonymous with the rogue himself.[1]
Adventures[]
Karolis was the first bounty hunter to take the contract on Lord Remi, and he was initially very successful: he almost killed the Black Fox on several occasions. However, eventually the Black Fox gained the upper hand and Karolis was so impressed by his cunning, that in the end he joined him in crime and became his lifelong friend.
After years of terrorizing the lord's men and foiling his tax collectors, it is said that Remi was betrayed by his lover Servana de Montfort (who might also have been a Circle mage) and was captured. His capture lasted more than a year during which he was tortured, before his compatriots along with a repentant Servana rescued him from the prison.
Eventually, the Black Fox successfully evaded the lord's men and escaped Orlais. His known companions were Karolis, Servana, a dwarf named Bolek, and the knight Ser Clementis who made their own legends and were involved in political intrigue, thefts, a few murders and almost a kingdom-wide civil war. However every one of their deeds were designed to thwart tyranny and oppression.[2]
The Black Fox was hunted by the Antivan Crows and kidnapped by a powerful Tevinter mage, but each time he escaped death at the last moment.
It is said that Remi owned ten rings, one for each finger. Each ring carried an inscription and combined they told the location of the Black Fox's stronghold. Many nobles claimed to own one or more of these rings, but no one ever managed to own all of them.[3] Many distinguished personages have owned at least one ring including Empress Celene, Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons, Lady Mantillon and Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall.
All the stories eventually agree that the Black Fox, along with his companions, entered the heart of the Arlathan forest seeking the sunken city of the ancient elves but never to return.
Codex entries[]
Codex entry: Adventures of the Black Fox
Codex entry: The Black Fox's Jerkin- Codex entry: Puzzle Ring of the Fox
Trivia[]
- Empress Celene wears several enchanted items on her person, including a puzzle ring purported to have belonged to the Black Fox. Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons also wears one,[4] both received them as gifts for their success in the Grand Game from Lady Mantillon, who appears to have owned many of the fabled rings.
- Duke Bastien de Ghislain trained under him as a young man.[5]
- The Black Fox is very similar to Zorro (Spanish for "fox"), a nobleman who moonlights as a masked vigilante to protect the commoners against corrupt and tyrannical government officials and is also known for his cunning and his signature all-black costume.
