Lord Garland, a member of House Tsalmoth, was the Favorite (presumably, this title means favored courtier), and fought Tortaalik's duels. He is described as being "small and sinewy", and actually a rather good fencer, in The Phoenix Guards.
However, he was a tool for Seodra in her conspiracies, and obeyed her over the Emperor's commands. When Khaavren and his friends discovered these deceptions and challenged Garland directly, he immediately concluded that all was lost, and ran off into the mountains and was not heard from for five hundred years.
In Five Hundred Years After, Garland reappeared using the alias "Greycat." No longer a dupe for another, Garland was now far more ruthless, experienced, and dangerous. If Paarfi's story is considered authoritative, Garland is arguably as responsible as anyone for Adron's Disaster. (Aliera e'Kieron has a different explanation, though).
According to Paarfi, Garland's co-conspirators' assassinations of Gyorg Lavode, G'aereth, and Smaller, and above all the attempt on the life of Emperor Tortaalik, in many ways set in motion the disastrous events. Other parts of his plan, carried out by his small band, included creating an economic crisis, fomenting riots, and attempting assassinations of both Adron and Khaavren. Garland's ultimate aim was to appear in the nick of time with solutions to each of the crises, and thereby restore himself to favor and a place at court.
His daughter was Grita. Garland boasted that he was able to manipulate the Dzur Heir; it is hinted that the existence of Grita is the reason why he believed himself able to do this. Grita's mother is strongly suggested to be Sennya.
At the end of Five Hundred Years After, Garland and his plots were once again discovered by Khaavren and his friends. This time, however, Garland chose to fight, and he died by Khaavren's sword.