Ardal aep Dahy

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Evil-doer
Full Name	Ardal aep Dahy
Alias	Blue Fox Duke Ardal aep Dahy General Aep Dahy
Origin	The Witcher
Occupation	Grand Chancellor of Nilfgaard Nilfgaardian Duke General of the East Army Group
Powers / Skills	Master Strategist Leadership
Hobby	Plotting to gain power
Goals	Overthrow Emperor Emhyr var Emris Take over Lyria and Rivia Kill Queen Meve (all failed)
Crimes	Treason Conspiracy Murder
Type of Villain	Power Hungry Opportunist

“	In my home, in the civilized world, a general commands his force. He does not rush and thrash about like some rabid hound.	„
	~ Ardal aep Dahy

Ardal aep Dahy is a major antagonist in The Witcher franchise, appearing in the novels The Lady of the Lake, The Tower of the Swallow, and Time of Contempt, and the main antagonist of the video game Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales.

He was voiced by Anthony Howell.

Biography

Duke Ardal aep Dahy was a general in the Nilfgaardian Emipre, serving as the commander of the East Army Group. He was among emperor Fergus var Emreis' most faithful courtiers. After the coup staged by the Usurper, Ardal helped Fergus' son Emhyr var Emreis escape the borders of the Empire. He expected when Emhyr returned to take the crown, he would be able to manipulate and control Emhyr for helping him retake the throne.

He, along with Vilgefortz, successfully removed the Usurper from power and Emhyr var Emreis was placed on the throne. However Emhyr did not fall for his manipulations, so he sought another why to gain influence, he alongside other dukes, and barons started a conspiracy to over throw the Emperor, the conspired to remove Emhyr from the imperial throne and put Morvran Voorhis in his place, they wanted him because he was young and easy to manipulate.

In the meantime, Ardal was tasked by Emhyr to lead the East Army Group in Aedirn and in Lyria and Rivia in order to conquer those lands. Instead of outright fighting, General aep Dahy used diplomacy to take over the lands. He had the trading guilds turn on Queen Meve, and put her son, Prince Villem on the throne. At Villum's side was Count Caldwell, however Ardal aep Dahy wasn't pleased by this, Caldwell tried influencing Villem to do what he wanted and Ardal aep Dahy wanted to do the same, so he moved Caldwell to a different part of the Empire, however Ardal had also arranged for his officers to poison Caldwell since he had no more use for him. Ardal never got the chance to kill Caldwell however, as Meve got to him first and killed him, by throwing him out a window. Ardal aep Dahy underestimated Meve and didn't expect her to last this long, so he had a spy in her army try and assassinate her, however the spy failed.

Ardal aep Dahy used Rivia Castle as his base of operation to control the lands he taken over, Meve was motivated to drive Ardal out and deal with him once and for all. Meve managed to take back the castle, thanks to a back passage, Ardal lost the battle and fled to Aldersberg, where he began to regroup his forces in a planned counteroffensive.

In the meantime however, one of the conspirators, Berengar Leuvaarden wanted out of the conspiracy and confessed to Emhyr, telling him everything he knew and the names of the conspirators.

Nilfgaard's forces now on the losing side, planned for a counteroffensive, Meve didn't let this happen and ran towards Aldersberg with reinforcements. However before Meve could reach Aldersberg, Ardal aep Dahy was dead, Emhyr who had learned of his betray, sent him an ultimatum which resulted in Ardal aep Dahy killing himself by poison.