Count El Velasco

Summary
Count El Velasco is a nobleman of the Sword and the owner of several ore mines in the Province of Magra, which is known for its trade in metals and ore, as the land is largely barren except for such deposits. Not much is known about him and the player never meets him in person, but he is known to have a young daughter, Maria El Velasco, whom Stephan has a dalliance with in his youth. He is fairly well-off, and much more reputable and important than your family, at first.

Year 1128 Incident and Gunpowder Debacle
He is mostly to blame for an incident that occurs in the year 1128, when an accident involving gunpowder for the use of ore mining in Magra causes an explosion along with the lesser deaths of many workers and the True Deaths of still others-and covers the entire town of Anzinotte in heavy black smoke. He forced the workers to begin demolition before they were truly ready to undertake it. This marks the first time your character learns of a subject which persists throughout the game: the debate and paranoia about gunpowder, and to whom it should belong. Many nobles find it dishonorable at best, and fear that if it gets into the hands of the commoners, they will revolt against their rule. Nobles prefer to resolve every conflict with swords, a weapon that only nobles can wield.