Varzil Ridenow better known as Varzil the Good was a Keeper during the Age of Chaos. He is best known for creating a treaty called the Compact, which helped end the use of Towers in the battles between Domains.
Lord Felix Ridenow did not want his son to enter a Tower but against his will Varzil went to Arilinn Tower and planned on staying outsidet until he was able to see someone and gain entry. Being noticed by Carolin and Eduin, Varzil is eventually allowed in and tested, unfortunately he is turned away due to not having his fathers blessing.
Returning home to the Ridenow estate at Sweetwater they find that Varzil's older brother is missing when a group of catmen attack them in the fields. After speaking up and convincing his father to let him take charge he rescues his brother and brings him home safe by using his laran to sense him and to talk to the catmen. With a grateful father and convincing from his brother, Varzil is allowed to go to Arilinn for training.
After being at Arilinn Tower for awhile and befriending Carolin and being introduced to his foster brothers and sisters, Varzil makes many friends and learns more about court politics. It is also during this time that Varzil, Carolin and Orain travel to Hali Lake and Varzil senses a laran disturbance, so they travel into the lake and Varzil has a vision of how The Great Cataclysm transformed the lake to its present state. Varzil is dragged for the lake and given medical attention.
Varzil and Carolin's friend Eduin never become close and Varzil has a suspicious sense of him due to many so called accidents occuring, once a ladder and branch giving way and another time Carolin experiences a seizure. Varzil and Carolin become close friends and on another journey to Blue Lake they discuss how laran weapons should be banned and put together the beginning ideas of what will later become The Compact. On this trip Varzil saves Carolin's life from an assassin with a trap matrix.
While at Arilinn Tower training as Under-Keeper under Auster , Varzil meets and has an intimate relationship with Felicia Leynier, secretly the daughter of Taniquel and Coryn. They are assigned to the same circle which one day is tasked with making clingfire, during the dangerous process Austur has a stroke and while Varzil is tending to him Felicia takes control of the circle and acts as Keeper. Varzil encourages her to ask to be trained, she does but is turned down by the strict traditionalist of Arilinn. She later gets word that Hestral Tower is willing to take her in as Under-Keeper, and Felicia and Varzil have a sorrowful parting, with her giving him a family heirloom of a ring with an unkeyed matrix in which she has imprinted herself. Soon after Austur has another stroke and on his deathbed names Varzil his successor. Eduin learns of Felicia's real identity and transfers to Hestral Tower in order to kill her. He creates a trap matrix set to her laran resonance so that her mind will be destroyed. Through the ring Varzil senses her danger and goes into the relays and gets teleported to Hestral but it is too late, she is slowly dying. They place her body in stasis in the basement labratory to see what could be done.
Loryn Ardais, Keeper at Hestral, ask Varzil for his assistance is dismantling some laran weapons that were secretly stored in his tower. Unfortunately King Rakhal has learned about this secret stash and sends his men to claim it, with the Tower under siege Loryn, Varzil and the Tower staff hold off their attackers without using violence against them. Eduin insist they must fight not just hold them at bay, against Loryn's wish he recruits two other leronis to use laran to attack the kings army. Varzil stops them but now that they have used laran against the army the King orders Hali Tower to attack Hestral Tower.
Through the ring she gave him Felicia urges Varzil to enter Overworld to talk to Hali and stop the attack. With her added laran he telepathically appears to Hali Tower circle and implores the Keeper, Dougal diAsturian, to stop the attack. Not willing to cease the attack Varzil shows them his vision of how Hali Lake was created and finally they agree the cost is too high decide to join The Compact.
Carolin Hastur rightfully heir reclaims his throne and once again reunited with his friend Varzil they both swear to carry The Compact to every kingdom across Darkover.
Varzil is one of the greatest Keepers in Darkover history. His sister, Dyannis, is the second woman to be recommended by him and accepted for training to become a Keeper.