Editing Aren Bennis

{{Infobox NPC
|image=SotA_BotA_Ch5_illustration_small.png
|imagebackgroundcolor=aliceblue
|caption=Captain Aren and [[Monk]] his [[Homunculus]]
|location=Obsidian Empire
|firstappearance=Blade of the Avatar
}}

Captain [[Aren Bennis]] was a captain of the [[Obsidian Empire]]'s [[Army of Westreach]] and is the main protagonist in the [[Blade of the Avatar]] novella.<ref name="BotA-page-7>[[Blade of the Avatar]], page 7.</ref>

{{Spoiler}}

In the novella, Aren is credited with several campaign victories under the command of General [[Milos Karpasic]], notably the conquest of [[Midras]]. While Aren serves the [[Obsidian Empire|Obsidian cause]], he does not appear to have any strong beliefs one way or another and seems to care more about being a loyal servant to an ideal rather than what that ideal might stand for. He does have connections to the [[Obsidian Cabal]], notably [[Evard Dirae]], whom he is able to contact with his homunculus, [[Monk]].

During the course of the story, Aren discovers an [[Avatar Blade]] in a tomb beneath a temple in Midras and draws it despite the the objections and warnings of curses from his companion [[Syenna]]. He decides to keep it for himself, and quickly comes to value the weapon above all his other possessions. 

Later, while searching for the mythical [[Paths of the Dead]] in the [[Hellfire Rift]], Syenna and Aren's guard escort turn on and capture him in an effort to secure the Avatar Blade, and bear them both south to [[Etceter]].

Once secured in [[Etceter]], Aren is brought into the presence of the [[Council of Might]] giving him an excellent opportunity to identify the coalition working against the [[Obsidian Empire]]. He is also allowed to carry the [[Avatar Blade]] into the council chamber, enabling him to defend himself when attacked by Ambassador [[Miles Shepherd]]. He defeats the ambassador but does not kill him due to the insight the [[Avatar Blade]] grants him on Miles.

When returned to the [[Etceter]] stockade, Aren is found by [[Monk]] and wastes no time giving the homunculus a message about the Obsidians' enemies and that he himself is to be taken to [[Opalis]].

In Opalis, Aren meets with the [[Titan]]s who rule the city, who reveal two important truths: the blade he carries is the legendary [[Eye of the Scales]], and that the [[Westreach Army]] is coming to attack the city. Knowing that he is a man of honor and truth, they ask him to protect the city's greatest treasure: the knowledge accumulated over centuries, which Aren knows General Karpasic will destroy if he takes the city.

===References===
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[[Category:Blade of the Avatar]][[Category:NPCs]]