Rowan

Rowan is considered the first plot-important character in Strife. The player will encounter him after escaping the top level of the Sewage Plant at the beginning of the game. When you talk to him, he will acknowledge you have potential and offer the player some money to do a job for him, giving the player a Crossbow to help them out. This job is killing Beldin in The Order's Sanctuary, before he reveals important information, and to bring his ring back as proof of the deed.

Spoiler Warning: Plot details follow.

When you kill Beldin and take his ring back, Rowan reveals that Beldin was going to reveal The Front's location, and offers the player a com-unit and a chance for a world free of The Order's grasp. Accepting both missions allows you to hear Blackbird for the first time. Rejecting either mission will cause him to summon Acolytes in floods which will end up killing the player.