Dragon Age: Inquisition: The Inquisitor | The Inner Circle (Warriors | Mages | Rogues) | Multiplayer | Non-Playable Characters (The Inquisition | Antagonists | DLC Characters)
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Jaws of Hakkon
The Second Inquisition
Grandin
Grandin
Appears in: Inquisition
An Inquisition scout on a mission to avenge his friend, Jace, who was murdered by the Hakkonites.
- Deal with the Devil: When Scout Harding tells the Inquisitor about him, she worries that he's going to do something stupid and get himself killed. She's right - Grandin was mortally wounded taking on the Hakkonites by himself. But then a demon of rage happened by and offered to help...
- Foreshadowing: You'll hear about his friend's death in NPC chatter long before Grandin himself puts in an appearance. In addition, a note lying around one of the camps lists him as one of the people to see about magical stuff; you can also find a letter written by his friend Jace, which talks about Grandin (though not by name) and corroborates Grandin's remarks that Jace had offered to take him to Val Royeaux.
- Humanoid Abomination: By the time you find him, he's become possessed by a spirit who is obsessed with helping Grandin get revenge on the Hakkonites.
- Human Pincushion: Not Grandin himself, but the player may stumble across Jace's body pinned to the remains of a wall with half a dozen Hakkonite blades.
- Magic Knight: He was a Circle mage who picked up a sword to join the Inquisition, although he's not an arcane warrior. In fact, he explicitly notes that he was never good at combat spells, which is why he picked up a sword.
- Never Speak Ill of the Dead: If you kill him, the Inquisitor tells Harding only that he died, making no mention of him becoming an abomination.
- One-Man Army: He kills dozens of Hakkonites with little effort. It helps that he's become an abomination.
- One-Winged Angel: If you try to kill him, he transforms into a rage demon.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: He seeks to wipe out the Hakkonites to avenge his friend. You find him by following the trail of carnage he leaves in his wake.
- This Is Unforgivable!: His feelings toward the Hakkonites. He notes that Jace was one of the university researchers, meaning that he was completely unarmed and unable to defend himself when the Hakkonites attacked, which is part of what makes his death so unforgivable.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Harding indicates as much when she learns of his fate, saying he told jokes so awful they were funny and was a good friend.
- Voice of the Legion: Once you hear his voice shifting, it becomes pretty obvious that the spirit that's possessing him is definitely not a benevolent one.
The First Inquisition
Lord Inquisitor Ameridan
Lord Inquisitor Ameridan
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Matthew Gravelle
The last leader of the First Inquisition, and thus the modern Inquisitor's predecessor. He was a powerful fighter and friend of Kordillius Drakon I, the first Emperor of Orlais. Aside from these facts, very little is known to modern Thedas. He vanished 800 years ago while hunting a dragon.
- Bad Present: He's not given much time to dwell on it, but in the intervening centuries four Blights have ravaged the world, the Dales have been destroyed, the Seekers have ceased to accept mages, and the Rite of Tranquility has become an anti-mage punishment which is regularly and grossly misused.
- Bash Brothers: Ameridan and Haron had been the trope for decades.
- Celibate Hero: It is believed (though not recorded) that he took an oath of celibacy out of devotion to the Chantry, although rumors state otherwise. The Chantry made up the celibacy story to avoid recording his elven lover into history.
- Childhood Friends: For both Haron and Emperor Drakon I, two powerful humans. Drakon especially trusted Ameridan with some very weighty tasks, and might well have appointed him leader of the newly formed Circles of Magi if not for his disappearance.
- Commonality Connection: During their brief interaction, Ameridan and the Inquisitor can bond over how much It Sucks to Be the Chosen One. Particularly pronounced if the Inquisitor is an Elf and/or Mage.
- Crossover Cosmology: A one-man example. He revered both the Maker and the Dalish Creators, as first evidenced by the discovery of a shrine he and Telana built together. It depicts Andraste holding a pair of Ghilan'nain's halla. Later, the Inquisitor can find one of his memories, which consists of him praying to the two; Andraste and Ghilan'nain are both deities of mortal origin, and he specifically prayed to them for that reason—he hoped they could guide him to be similarly "uplifted" to do what was best for Thedas.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He froze himself in time along with Hakkon. When he lets down the time spell to allow the Inquisitor and his party to fight Hakkon, he disintegrates into dust.
- Historical Hero Upgrade: In a sort of downplayed way. The official Chantry line is that Ameridan was a valorous human warrior, faithful member of the Chantry, tireless hunter of mages and monsters, and helped form the Templar Order and the Seekers of Truth. The reality is that Ameridan was an elven mage who revered both the Maker and the elven gods, preferred hunting dragons and demons to Chantry politics, and was wary of the idea of Templars using lyrium to fuel their abilities. He is also dismayed to learn that the Rite of Tranquility is commonly used, instead of being an absolute last resort behind even execution as he advised, and that the Seekers no longer welcome mages into their ranks. So, overall, while he wasn't really a bad person per se, he was definitely propped up by the Chantry to seem more like a pious, fervent follower of Andraste. Strangely enough, Ameridan was also subjected to a...
- Historical Villain Upgrade: Some of the more controversial academic views of Ameridan believe he quit the Inquisition for selfish reasons, such as opposing the Nevarran Accords or because he would rather go dragon hunting than help fight the Second Blight. Others claim that Drakon may even have had Ameridan killed as a threat to his power. The Second Inquisition quickly discovers that Ameridan was indeed a hero, and he and Drakon were fast and loyal friends. In fact, had Ameridan not vanished, relations between humans and elves might not have turned so bitter.
- Interspecies Romance: According to in-universe rumor, he was in love with an elven mage. While this is true, it turns out that Ameridan was also an elf, and a mage himself.
- It Has Been an Honor: His final words for his successor, after apologizing for the fact that he's about to die and can't help them fight Hakkon. "I'm honored to have met you."
- It Sucks to Be the Chosen One: During your brief meeting, he bemoans that he never wanted the job, and preferred hunting demons to politics. You have the option to agree with this sentiment, and he'll advise you to "Take moments of happiness when you can. The world will take the rest."
- In his memories, it is revealed that he never wanted to come to the Frostback Basin; he thought his time would be better spent convincing his people they needed to stand with humanity against the Second Blight. He only went as a favour to Emperor Drakon, believing it wouldn't take him long to succeed. Also, the dragon to which Hakkon was bound was as powerful as an Archdemon, and Ameridan knew Orlais couldn't survive an invasion of the Avaar from the south under Hakkon with a simultaneous darkspawn invasion from the north.
- Magic Knight In Shining Armor: You briefly meet him, and he turns out to be every inch the charismatic hero the Chantry paints him to be (apart from being an elf uninterested in politics).
- Moral Myopia: Somewhat Downplayed. Ameridan was very close friends with Emperor Kordillus Drakon I, and has nothing but praise towards the man whom would go down in history as the first Emperor of Orlais and founder of the Southern Chantry as the people of Thedas know it. However, Ameridan notably has little to say of the fact that what made Drakon the first Emperor is the fact that, well, he made Orlais into an Empire, and bringing the Chant of Light by force to his human neighbors. While the Elven nation of the Dales of which Ameridan was a native, was spared at Ameridan's request, Drakon's son Kordillus II would forget such promises and promptly lead Orlais on the Exalted March of the Dales, which would result in the Elven nation's downfall. For his part, Ameridan lays the blame for such on the elves for their isolationism causing a cooling of relations between the two countries, and himself, for not being there to mediate between the two and possibly find common ground, with little to nothing said on Orlais' religious fanaticism and imperialism playing a role. However, the "downplayed" part comes in when he is outright horrified to hear that Kordillus II conquered the Dales despite the promise made to him by Kordillus II's father, heavily implying that he wasn't aware of just how aggressive Orlais' expansionism had become in his absence.
- Original Position Fallacy: While not directly acknowledged, Ameridan was fine with his close personal friend Emperor Drakon leading religiously-motivated Imperialist expansionist campaigns against neighboring human kingdoms because Drakon assured him they would honor elven sovereignty. When Ameridan learns that Drakon's own son annexed the Dales one short generation later he's horrified, as he'd assumed that Kordillus II would uphold Kordillus I's promise, though there is a generous amount of implication that Ameridan's prescence was a stabilizing influence between Orlais and Halamshiral, and without him, no one was around to keep Drakon's descendants from diving headfirst into the deep end of the imperialism pool.
- Precursor Heroes: Yours to be specific. Like the Inquisitor of the Dragon Age, Ameridan had his own gathered Ragtag Bunch of Misfits and went on many adventures in the name of bringing order to the world.
- Present Absence: Without his stabilizing influence in Halamshiral, the elves elected not to stand with Orlais against the Blight, deciding instead to simply focus on their own lands while the darkspawn ravaged Orlais. As a result, relations between the two took a nosedive after the Blight, and eventually led to Orlais declaring war on and defeating the Dales, resulting in the fall of the Elven homeland.]] On the other side of the wall was Emperor Kordillus Drakon I, whom Ameridan considered a close friend. While Drakon did unify Orlais and bring peace across the region between the many warring factions, he was also the one who set Orlais on becoming an expansionist empire, motivated by his belief that he was "chosen" to spread the Chant of Light across Thedas. To his credit, he did manage to only focus his conquest upon other human factions, due to promising Ameridan not to involve the Dales. Still, it would be his religious beliefs and expansionist rhetoric that his son, Kordillus Drakon II, would carry on after Drakon I's death which would eventually result in Chantry missionaries being sent into elven territory. The inevitable tensions and eventual war this would cause. Drakon I's influence and his opinion on human/elven relations are not mentioned by Ameridan, but the First Inquisitor was probably one of the few if not the only one able to find common ground between the two factions, and his disappearance meant the end of any sort of mediation between elves and humans at a time when it was needed the most.
- Race Lift: In universe; he was actually an elf, but was given this by the Chantry to make him more palatable to their politics.
- Reluctant Ruler: He preferred hunting to leading, but Drakon convinced him he was needed.
- Stop Being Stereotypical: Felt his fellow elves being too isolationist and distrusting of humans is what led to Orlais eventually turning on them.
- Together in Death: The main reason he's totally calm about dying soon after you meet him - he says that "Telana waits for me at the Maker's side," and all he really wants is to be with her again.
- True Companions: He views his comrades as this, particularly Haron, whom he had known since childhood. One of the memories the Inquisitor can find notes that the bickering among the group drives him insane... but he wouldn't have them any other way and he'd be lost without them. Your own companions can humorously note the similarities between their group and yours.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Seemed to truly believe Orlesian nobles would honor their word to respect Dales elven sovereignty, and not abuse the Rite of Tranquility. He's shocked and horrified to learn that Drakon's own son annexed the Dales, and the Seekers started barring mages from joining them and abusing the Rite of Tranquility within a few short generations of his disappearance. Ameridan seemed to believe he lived in a more honorable High Fantasy setting than the one he's actually in.
Telana
Telana
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Victoria Kruger
One of Ameridan's companions. She was said to be an elven mage and Ameridan's lover, although the Chantry has done its best to try to end that rumor since the fall of the Dales.
- Blessed with Suck: She was a Dreamer, which makes being a member of the Inquisition a rather painful occupation, as Dreamers experience intense pain just from being near powerful demons.
- Bring Help Back: She was supposed to do this. Unfortunately, it didn't happen - her leg was broken and she couldn't get far without any backup, leaving her to try to reach Ameridan in her dreams one more time.
- Dead Person Conversation: A variant. Visiting the island called "The Lady's Rest" enables the Inquisitor to find a spirit, whom the dying Telana summoned to safeguard her memories and possessions. The spirit isn't Telana, but has been more or less impersonating her for so many centuries that the spirit no longer really remembers the difference, and shares everything it can with the Inquisitor before gratefully departing from the world.
- I Will Wait for You: Ameridan left her behind when he went to fight Hakkon because he knew that Telana wouldn't be able to go near the god due to being a Dreamer. Telana died waiting for Ameridan and went so far as to summon a spirit to take her memories and wait for him after she had passed.
- Interspecies Romance: If the rumors are true, she and Ameridan had one. But they didn't, because Ameridan was also an elf.
- Love Hurts: Varric's comment on the details of her passing, if he and Dorian are both in the group when the Inquisitor finds Ameridan's memory about her, is to this effect. Dorian sadly remarks that, being a Dreamer, Telana would have found it unbearably painful to simply be near Hakkon. Varric replies, equally seriously, that it probably wouldn't have hurt her more than "watching everybody she loved die," suggesting that this was the reason she insisted on joining Ameridan despite her own difficulties - she would have wanted to help save the lowlands.
- Unperson: The Chantry claims that Telana never existed because they don't want to acknowledge that Ameridan had an elven mage lover. Or that he was an elven mage.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: She and Haron had a bit of this; they chiefly quarreled over his use of lyrium in the fight against demons. Given that Haron was one of the first Templars, and Telana was a mage, their disagreements were fairly understandable, and they still had mutual respect and concern for each other's well-being.
Ser Haron
Ser Haron
Appears in: Inquisitionnote
One of Ameridan's companions. He was one of the first Templars.
- Badass in Distress: The song "The Hunt of the Fell Wolf" says that Haron was snatched up by a massive possessed wolf and carried to the lair to be eaten. He freed himself before that could happen and both he and Ameridan took equal effort in slaying the demon wolf.
- Bash Brothers: This was his relationship with Ameridan, even though the latter was a mage.
- Childhood Friends: He and Ameridan had known each other since they were boys.
- Due to the Dead: During the quest, the Inquisitor and Kenric's research assistant Colette will find a monument erected by the Avvar to Haron and Orinna. They stayed behind to delay their adversaries, in order to buy Ameridan time to find Hakkon, and the Avvar honored this sacrifice.
- Fantastic Drug: He was addicted to lyrium, like all Templars. He spent the quest going through withdrawal, since he didn't bring enough of it when he went to the Frostback Basin.
- Foreshadowing: The player can find a codex entry in a cave which details an expedition involving the writer and companions abbreviated as O, T, and A. It hints at the writer's lyrium withdrawal. Eventually, the player learns enough about Ameridan's group to realize that Haron is the writer, and O, T, and A are Orinna, Telana, and Ameridan.
- Heroic Sacrifice: This was how he viewed his use of lyrium. He drank lyrium, knowing that the addiction would destroy his life, so he could keep his friends safe from demons. He also gave his life alongside Orinna to buy Ameridan the time he needed to reach Hakkon.
- Men Can't Keep House: He was completely disorganized and a terrible cook.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: He clashed with Orinna the most, but he and Telana disagreed over his use of lyrium.
Orinna
Orinna
Appears in: Inquisitionnote
One of Ameridan's companions. She was a dwarven alchemist from Orzammar.
- Arranged Marriage: It's hinted she went to the surface to escape this.
- Cannot Tell a Joke: According to Haron's writings, Orinna's jokes were pathetic, although he noted that he laughed at them anyway.
- Due to the Dead: As noted in Haron's folder, she was honored by the ancient Avvar with a monument.
- Fallen Princess: The prevailing theory in the University of Orlais is that Orinna was from a noble house. She was actually a warrior, although that's still more prestigious than a surfacer.
- Genius Bruiser: She was a warrior and known for her skill, but her tactics and alchemical notes show she was more than just a sword arm.
- Heroic Sacrifice: She gave her life alongside Haron to buy Ameridan the time he needed to reach Hakkon.
- Incendiary Exponent: One of her preferred uses of alchemy, to judge by one of Ameridan's memories that the Inquisitor can find. He mentions that she wants to try "some new alchemical trick" she brought from Orzammar, similar to pitch or tar but more effective. It makes her alchemy sound like an early incarnation of the Tempest specialization.
- Muggle Power: She was recruited specifically because, as a dwarf, she had no magical ability, but she was skilled at fighting demons.
- Unperson: After she left Orzammar, her family destroyed all records of her existence.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: She and Haron frequently clashed, but nevertheless respected and liked each other. As noted above, he even laughed at her terrible jokes.
University of Orlais
Professor Bram Kenric
Professor Bram Kenric
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Derek Riddell
A professor from the University of Orlais. He was born in Starkhaven, but he joined the University to advance his research. He contacts the Inquisition after discovering signs that Ameridan met his end in the Frostback Basin.
- Bookworm: Usually found with his nose buried in a book. Harding notes that he made an adorable scream when she startled him once while he was reading, and now she can't stop doing it because it amuses her so much. The Inquisitor can find a note between Inquisition scouts that reveals Harding had to save him after Kenric fell off a ledge while reading on the journey to the Basin.
- Fantastic Racism: A notable aversion. Most of the other members of the University despise elves, and think their work doesn't merit any credit on a thesis or research paper. But Kenric has no problem giving credit to Colette, his assistant, and expresses admiration for Empress Celene's decision to allow elves to enroll as students. He also has no issue with dwarves, as evidenced by his great appreciation for Scout Harding.
- Ignored Expert: A mild, non-disaster variant of the trope. A letter from one of his colleagues acknowledges that Kenric's collection of weird artifacts turned out to be quite useful in his current research, and the letter writer even agrees that Kenric will be entitled to say "I told you so" when he comes back to the university.
- Interspecies Romance/Ship Tease: It's subtle, but the human Kenric and dwarven Scout Harding do seem to like each other quite a bit. He calls her "Lady Harding," and if asked for her opinion of the man, she gushes just slightly about how nice he is.
- Crosses into a bit of Bodyguard Crush too; when she brings him to the Overgrown Courtyard as part of the plot, Kenric raves about how "Lady Harding was quite nimble" during the offscreen Escort Mission. She just laughs and promises to make sure the Hakkonites stay away from him.
- Mr. Exposition: He explains a lot about the First Inquisition's history.
- Non-Action Guy: He is nowhere near being a warrior, and counts on Scout Harding for protection in the Frostback Basin. First-time players may spend a fair bit of time worrying that he gets killed. He doesn't.
- Non-Human Sidekick: Very downplayed, but according to a letter he gets from a friend back in Orlais, Kenric has a pet fish of which he's extremely fond. His friend is feeding the fish... and absolutely refusing to talk to it, despite Kenric's request that he do so.
- Oh, Crap!: He takes it in stride when the Inquisitor reveals that Ameridan really did have an elven mage lover, but this is pretty much his reaction to the news that Ameridan himself was also an elven mage. Anticipating a massive shockwave in the Chantry, he muses that "I'm either going to be famous or beheaded" if the discovery is made public.
- Pun: Makes one while explaining to the Inquisitor about how buckles are very important research tools which assist in dating artifacts.Kenric: When it comes to historical research, you might say we have to "buckle down." [chuckles, then coughs]
Colette
Colette
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Zoe Telford
Professor Kenric's elven research assistant. She is one of the few elves to be granted admission to the University of Orlais.
- Badass Bookworm: Unlike Kenric, who has to be babysat by Harding, Colette is capable of defending herself, for the most part.
- The Determinator: Neither Fantastic Racism nor dangerous areas will stop her from completing her work and getting credit for it.
- Hero-Worshipper: Downplayed, but she really likes Professor Kenric and is proud to work for a man who is willing to give credit to elven students as well as human.
Stone-Bear Hold
Thane Svarah Sun-Hair
Thane Svarah Sun-Hair
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Gemma Whelan
The leader of Stone-Bear Hold, an Avvar tribe that is willing to work with the Inquisition.
- Deadpan Snarker: On occasion:Svarah: Why not climb the walls?
- I Gave My Word: She can't attack the Jaws of Hakkon because she has a truce with them, and the other holds would refuse to trade with hers if she broke it. Vows among the Avvar are rarely permanent, however; what she needs is a really good reason to attack. She finds one when she learns they kidnapped Storvacker.
- Incendiary Exponent: She got her name for fighting while her hair was on fire. She wouldn't do it again: burning hair may terrify one's enemies, but it smells like shit.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: She has no problem with helping the Inquisitor investigate Ameridan's fate. She's also perfectly okay with both Sigrid and Helsdim potentially leaving the hold to join the Inquisition.
- Reclining Reigner: Unless she's conversing with the Inquisitor, Svarah slouches a bit in her throne with her head leaning on one hand.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: She wants to conduct one against the Jaws of Hakkon after she learns that they kidnapped Storvacker and planned to sacrifice her to Hakkon.
- Too Much Information: She's a bit guilty of this at the war table, if the operation to send Sky Watcher to Stone-Bear Hold is completed. Regardless of whether he goes to compete in friendly fighting or to share healing techniques from his own clan, Sky Watcher ends up sleeping with the Thane - and she writes to the Inquisition about it!
Trader Helsdim
Trader Helsdim
Appears in: Inquisition
An Avvar merchant who often journeys to Ferelden and Orlais to sell goods on behalf of his hold.
- Agent Mulder: He believes in just about every paranormal (by Thedosian standards) theory in the book, running the gamut from "moon-men" and "snake-kings" to ley lines to Fereldan dark magic superweapons that cause earthquakes. Much like the original Mulder, he's also a...
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: If you recruit him as an agent, he actually turns out to be a good spy - albeit one prone to seeing conspiracies in children's doodles. He's observant and diligent, capable of retaining and reporting incredibly useful information, but the conclusions he reaches are... unlikely.
- Cloud Cuckoolander: Ambient dialogue from other hold members suggest he has a reputation for being an oddball. They think he makes up a lot of his stories about things he has seen in his travels, and blame much of it on his literacy.
- Conspiracy Theorist: He's the one who wrote the strange "Mysteries of the Frostback Basin" codex entries, in which he insists that all of the oddities about the regions are the result of an ancient war between the Moon-men and snake-men.
- Cultural Rebel: Downplayed. He loves his hold dearly, but he is in awe of the lowlands, specifically Val Royeaux.
- Foreshadowing: His talents for observation are hinted at in the "Mysteries of Frostback Basin" codex entries, in which he identifies several anomalies in the landmarks he documents. (For example, he notes that the entire basin was likely created by some "Vast Thing." Another example is the snake-men, the next DLC implies that the snake-men and the Scaled Ones are the same thing) However, due to his propensity for conspiracy theories, he is more often...
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: He believes the Frostback Basin was shaped by vast underground Snake-kings. Without realizing it, he may have identified the work of the Titans.
- Saw "Star Wars" Twenty-Seven Times: He's a huge fan of Varric's work and has a copy of every edition of Hard in Hightown - even the banned version. "I've read it thrice!"note Varric's reaction is a deadpan "You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!."Varric: Nice to know the Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies version found its audience.
- Scenery Porn: How he views Val Royeaux. He has no need to travel that far just to sell his people's wares, but makes the trek anyway because he's enraptured by the gorgeous city (and its frilly cakes).
- The Smart Guy: Relatively speaking; he's the only member of Stone-Bear Hold who is confirmed to know how to read and write with proficiency, even more than the Thane. Several other hold members think he's weird for this exact reason.
Sigrid "The Exile" Gulsdotten
Sigrid "The Exile" Gulsdotten
Appears in: Inquisition
An eccentric Avvar mage who has exiled herself from Stone-Bear Hold.
- Bad Liar: It's clear she's hiding something from her first words. The real question is what.
- The Exile: Self-imposed. She decided to leave Stone-Bear Hold rather than part from her mentor spirit.
- Friendless Background: She'll admit to having very few close relationships. Her teacher spirit is one. This is why she doesn't want to be parted from it.
- Humanoid Abomination:
- All Avvar mages are trained by being possessed by benevolent mentor spirits and then separated from the spirits once their training is complete. In terms of the lowlands, that means they willingly become "abominations". Sigrid exiled herself because she loved her mentor spirit so much that she refused to part from it. Fortunately, the spirit never tries taking control of her. The Augur of Stone-Bear Hold says they have countermeasures should that happen, but it is extremely rare.
- If Cole is in the party when she confesses to the Inquisitor, he tells Sigrid that the spirit loves her too, and will stay if that's what she wants.
- Life of the Party: She can be recruited as an agent, providing a war table mission. If Josephine's option is selected, Sigrid is sent to give a talk on her condition, and a letter is sent to Skyhold indicating that she is the toast of her audience.
- Willing Channeler: Like all Avvar mages, she allowed a spirit to possess her as part of her mage training. Unlike the other Avvar mages, she wants to stay possessed despite being deemed strong enough to stand on her own.
Storvacker
Storvacker
Appears in: Inquisition
The hold-beast of Stone-Bear Hold. She is a bear that ties the hold to the gods.
- Badass in Distress: The Hakkonites capture her with the intention of making her Hakkon's new host.
- Bears Are Bad News: Subverted; even though the Inquisitor lampshades the fact that every other bear has tried to kill them, Storvacker never shows hostility toward the party and actually helps out with the attack on the Hakkonites' fortress. It's even possible to recruit her as an agent as a "punishment" for being captured by the Hakkonites.
- Beary Friendly: As noted above, Storvacker never shows aggression toward the residents of Stone-Bear Hold or the members of the Inquisition, though any Hakkonites that cross her path are due for a mauling.
- If Cole is in the party when the Hakkonite fortress is breached, he greets Storvacker with the delighted remark that "I'm happy to see you too!" - apparently answering her own friendly greeting.
- Fluffy the Terrible: Her name translates to "Beautiful" in Danish. She is also a massive bear, albeit a friendly one to the Inquisitor, Storm-Bear Hold, and their allies.
- Hurricane of Puns: Not Storvacker herself, but the Inquisitor may succumb to the urge to make these when judging her... to an almost "unbearable" degree. And the bear-puns are contagious, Leliana was infected with them with a "roaring" success.Cassandra: Ugh.
- Mama Bear: Literally, if recruited. Upon meeting Cullen, she immediately starts washing him, and the handler notes that she's apparently mistaking the Commander's fur-trimmed armor for "a cub with mange." Cullen doesn't seem especially pleased, though the way he asks for "some profit from this humiliation" might indicate private amusement.
Jaws of Hakkon
Thane Gurd Harofsen
Thane Gurd Harofsen
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Alec Newman
The leader of the Jaws of Hakkon. Gurd seeks to summon the god Hakkon Wintersbreath to destroy the lowlands.
- Big Bad: He's the primary antagonist of the Jaws of Hakkon DLC.
- Chekhov's Gunman: It's possible to meet him during the first visit to Stone-Bear Hold. He threatens the Inquisitor, makes some sneering jabs at Thane Svarah and her hold, and then leaves. He's only encountered once more.
- Chewing the Scenery: He gets very, very loud when he is performing the ritual to allow him to become possessed by Hakkon.
- Deadly Upgrade: He's pretty sure that allowing Hakkon to possess him will kill him, but he doesn't care as long as it gives him the strength to destroy the lowlands.
- Hypocrite: The reason he survived to reform the Jaws of Hakkon was because he'd left his birth-hold out of boredom, believing he'd get more regard for his fighting skills in the lowlands. When the Blight destroys his hold, instead of wishing he'd been there himself to defend it, he blames the lowlands for not doing so.
- Leaking Can of Evil: Gurd's attempt to draw Hakkon into himself disrupts Ameridan's binding. After Gurd dies, Hakkon breaks free.
- One-Winged Angel: He channels Hakkon into his body, turning himself into a giant Revenant.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: He wants to destroy the lowlands to get revenge on the lowlanders for refusing to help save his old hold from the Fifth Blight.
- Sacred Hospitality: Should the Inquisitor meet him in Stone-bear Hold, he'll hold off attacking for this reason.
- Try to Fit That on a Business Card: "Gurd Harofsen, called the Cutter, wyvern-slayer, lowlands-bane..." Of course, he's reciting an invocation, so it would be pretty wordy.
Hakkon Wintersbreath
Hakkon Wintersbreath
Appears in: Inquisition
The Avvar god of war and winter. The Jaws of Hakkon seek to summon him to destroy the lowlands.
- Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: After you destroy the dragon he's possessing, Hakkon returns to the Fade as a spirit.
- Badass Boast:Hakkon: Lowlanders, I am the breath of winter! The cold wind of war! Join me in battle and die!
- Blood Knight: As the Avvar god of war, he loves battle. He even enjoys one with the Inquisitor.
- Breath Weapon: Guess what his breath does. Go on, guess.
- Demonic Possession: According to Cole's read, the high dragon into which Hakkon's been bound is not happy about the situation.
- Evil Is Deathly Cold: Strictly speaking, Hakkon is not supposed to be evil, just indifferent; he's only as malicious as an avalanche or a glacier. As a creature of the Hakkonites, however, he imparts icy magic to his worshipers, encases a fort in snow and frost that won't melt, and leaves wintry devastation wherever he goes.
- Fallen Hero: Hakkon was once a respected god: battle is often necessary, after all, and winter's rest allows the renewal of life. But when the original Jaws of Hakkon summoned him 800 years ago, Hakkon became a demon. Now most Avvar think that he needs a good asskicking. Their attitude is justified, as destroying the dragon will allow Hakkon to be "reborn" in the Fade as the spirit he was before.
- The Heavy: Gurd may be the Big Bad of Jaws of Hakkon, but Hakkon is by far the greater threat.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Ameridan froze the dragon Hakkon possessed in time.
- Hakkon in his proper form is, as noted above, not inherently evil. It's noted that Hakkon has been lost to the Avvar ever since his binding; although the Avvar don't know exactly why he's been lost to them, they know it has something to do with whatever the original Jaws of Hakkon did.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Not him, but his followers. When the original Jaws of Hakkon summoned him years ago into the mortal world to occupy the body of a dragon, Inquisitor Ameridan was forced to seal himself in time along with Hakkon, lest he lay chaos across a newly born Orlais. Without Ameridan to lead them, the elves refused to provide any assistance during the Second Blight, and Drakon, without Ameridan's mediating influence, began enacting expansionist policies while his own Cult of the Maker became even more hardline, putting pressure on neighboring countries including the elves' Halamshiral. Tensions rose on both sides, until the Red Crossing incident caused Emperor Drakon II to declare one of the biggest controversies in Chantry history: the Exalted March on the Dales.
- Worthy Opponent: Thinks of the Inquisitor as such.Hakkon: You fight well. A worthy battle!
The Descent
Orzammar Dwarves
Shaper Valta
Shaper Valta
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Ali Hillis
Valta is a member of the Shaperate, the dwarves who record the history of Orzammar. She was sent to investigate the damage mysterious earthquakes have done to the lyrium mines... and has a theory about what's causing the quakes.
- Action Girl: See Badass Bookworm.
- Agent Mulder: She believes in the Titans, even though the only reference to them that exists is a half-destroyed text predating the First Blight. They aren't even in the Memories, which says something about her level of belief.
- Ambiguous Situation: Her fate inside the Titan. How exactly did it change her? Is it just speaking to her or actively controlling her? Is it telling the truth or lying? Or is any of it real and she's just hallucinating due to a massive dose of lyrium to the head? No one's sure, not even her. Lampshaded by their parting words:Inquisitor: Orzammar's going to want to know what happened to you. What should I tell them?
Valta: The truth: you don't know. - Badass Bookworm: She's a Shaper - that is, a Dwarven historian and loremaster. She also wields a sword and a shield and is more than capable in battle.
- Empowered Badass Normal: After the Titan does... whatever it is to her, she can apparently use magic, something which is supposed to be impossible for dwarves.
- Godzilla Threshold: She indicates that they are facing this, hence why Orzammar is requesting the Inquisition's help. The recent earthquakes have either cut off lyrium mines or allowed the darkspawn access to them in such great numbers that Orzammar's army or the Legion of the Dead are unequipped to handle. With the Grey Wardens for unknown (to Orzammar at least) reasons not responding to requests for help, the Inquisition is the only force that might be able to push the darkspawn back enough to retain/regain control of the mines.
- Hero-Worshipper: She greatly admires the Inquisitor, and wishes s/he could come down to Orzammar to help solve the chaos there.
- Humanoid Abomination: After coming into contact with the Guardian, a thrall of the Titan, something... happens to her which is really, really weird. When the Inquisitor approaches her after she regains consciousness, she casts a spell, which (as any Dragon Age player knows) is not something that dwarves should be able to do. Once she's lucid enough to speak with you, she calmly lets you know that she's been chosen by the Titan to receive the full knowledge of the Stone, and within seconds she's telling you of things that lie beneath the Deep Roads that "answer questions we haven't even dreamed of asking." Oh, and she can apparently teleport/use Laser-Guided Amnesia, since once you return to Skyhold your staff starts discovering notes from her that make abstract references to some of the things she's learned. She tells the Inquisitor that even she has no idea what has happened to her.
- I Choose to Stay: Whatever is the case with her Ambiguous Situation, the one clear thing is that she's remaining where you left her.
- In-Series Nickname: Since she's a scholar, Varric is inspired to call her "Scribbles."
- Nice Girl: When food shortages threatened Orzammar, she made sure that Renn's mother and brother were safe and fed.
- Parting-Words Regret: Her codex entry consists of a letter from Valta's father, in which he regrets the things he said to her when she left for her assignment. He mournfully notes that "your mother still won't speak to me" and pleads with her to be careful.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: She was transferred from her cushy position at the Shaperate to a far more dangerous post scouring the Deep Roads for lost Dwarven lore after she refused to remove a politically troublesome document from the Memories.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: She goes on a Tranquil Fury version of this after Renn's death. At first she's heartsick; then we get this.Valta: Anything which stands between us and the Titan is going to regret it.
- Tap on the Head: She gets one which causes her to be left out of the fight against the DLC's Final Boss.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Renn. He was first assigned to protect her three years earlier, and as she points out, he's welcome to quit whenever he wants; he retorts that he's not going anywhere while they still have things about which to quarrel. It isn't a proper conversation between the two if there isn't some kind of sniping, but it's clear how much they care about each other too. It's possibly Belligerent Sexual Tension, but they aren't in the party long enough to confirm it. Her reaction to his death seems to suggest that it is, especially considering what seems to have happened to his body afterward.
Lieutenant Renn
Lieutenant Renn
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: David Hayter
Renn is a lieutenant of the Legion of the Dead and a veteran of the Fifth Blight, with all the attitude that implies. He was sent to hold back the darkspawn unleashed by the quakes, and will do so by himself if he must.
- Agent Scully: Even if he accepts that something is causing the quakes, he doesn't think it's some story that only Valta knows. At the same time, however, he's open to ideas when he's presented with proof. Or if it's a Paragon making the claims.
- Armor Is Useless: Justified given that he's killed with the magical equivalent of a high-powered rifle, and he still manages to live long enough to fight off the attackers.
- Character Death: Dies after the first battle with the Sha-Brytol.
- Death by Irony: Renn seems unstoppable when fighting darkspawn; he fought during the Fifth Blight and has managed to survive over a decade of fighting in the Deep Roads. He ends up being killed by his fellow dwarves in the party's first encounter with the Sha-Brytol.
- Does Not Know How to Say "Thanks": He's a minor example of this. At one point, he asks Valta if she's heard anything about the political situation in Orzammar, as there have been food shortages resulting in riots. He's clearly concerned, but she assures him that she made arrangements to take care of his family.Valta: I made sure that your mother and brother are safe.Renn: ... You didn't have to do that.Valta: (sweetly) You're welcome.
- Foreshadowing: During an early conversation after finding a heap of dead Legionnaires mutilated by the darkspawn, Renn may tell Valta that he knows he will die in the Deep Roads. It's an understandable mindset, given that he's a Legionnaire. Subverted in that he technically doesn't - he dies below the Deep Roads, in the Uncharted Abyss.
- Guest-Star Party Member: Similarly to how Leliana and Cullen act during the battle in the Arbor Wilds, he'll tag along and fight, but you can't control him. You can speak to him in Legion camps, however, to learn more about him and the Legion. He's Made of Iron until his Plotline Death.
- Heroic Sacrifice: His joining the Legion served as this for his family, preventing them from becoming casteless after his father died; in exchange for his joining, the debts his father left were voided.
- In-Series Nickname: His fondness for telling somewhat gruesome stories about darkspawn-slaying prompts Varric to dub him "Grisly."
- Never Found the Body: Strange variant. The body was found and buried, but later it disappears. It's hinted that Valta is responsible.
- Sacrificial Lion: He's a badass Legion veteran with countless victories over the darkspawn under his belt, so of course he gets killed the moment the Sha-Brytol show up just to demonstrate how dangerous they are.
- The Snark Knight: Incredibly sarcastic in general, though always polite to the Inquisitor.
- Squee: He gushes a little during a banter with the Inquisitor about fighting dragons.
- Taking You with Me: After the Sha-Brytol mortally wound him, Renn goes into a berserker rage and helps the Inquisitor fight off his killers. He dies of his wounds as soon as the fight ends.
- Took a Level in Badass: Before he joined the Legion, he was a cobbler and shoemaker.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Valta. Summed up by an exchange with the Inquisitor:Inquisitor: A warrior and a historian. That's an odd friendship.
Renn: What makes you think we're friends?
Inquisitor: The bickering.
Renn: [chuckles] Fair enough. - Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Upon entering the Deep Roads and hearing the howl of approaching darkspawn, Renn gripes, "Shrieks. It had to be shrieks." He then adds that everyone has their 'favorites' among the darkspawn. Considering that Shrieks can deliver One-Hit KO via sneak attacks, his fears are understandable.
- Work Off the Debt: A variation. After his death, Valta reveals that Renn used to be a cobbler who entered the Legion of the Dead after his father died, to ensure that his mother and brother didn't lose their caste.
Trespasser
Ben-Hassrath
The Viddasala
The Viddasala
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Louise Lambert
"I am no stranger to catastrophe, but this chaos in the south defies comprehension. Your duty is done, Inquisitor. It is time to end your magic."
A Ben-Hassrath agent and the leader behind the Dragon's Breath conspiracy.
- Anti-Magical Faction: True of Qunari as a whole, but a Viddasala's role under the Qun is to research and destroy dangerous magic.Viddasala: The Qun left the south to curb its own magic. You've amply proven we should have stepped in long ago.
- Arc Villain: Of the Trespasser DLC.
- Blatant Lies: She sent missives to Josephine to assure her that the Qunari were not involved in the deployment of Dragon's Breath once it was discovered. By the time the Inquisitor learns this, it's very hard to imagine her claims holding up under any scrutiny whatsoever.
- Fashionable Asymmetry: She has a giant book in her left pauldron, nothing in her right.
- Final Boss: The last major opponent the Inquisition faces.
- Fluffy Tamer: She's subdued a high dragon to extract its venom to enhance the destructive power of gaatlock. However, she didn't tame it very well - it's visibly injured from tearing at its restraints and bears marks of serious abuse. If it's freed, it'll shred a few of her minions as it escapes. It should be noted the Qunari are only using the dragon as a tool and intend to euthanize the creature when they have no further need of it.
- Horned Humanoid: Like most Qunari.
- Hypocrite: If the Inquisitor decides to kill the high dragon instead of releasing it, she berates them for killing an innocent creature and mocks their honor as well. Quite a talk coming from someone who also holds said creature in captivity, heavily implied to be hurting, gathering its poison to empower gaatlok for her plan to assassinate heads of state across southern Thedas and coming from a culture that reveres dragons. Some of the adherents of the Qun end up deserting her due to her maltreatment against the dragon, making the Inquisitor's act against it as a Mercy Kill. And even if they treated the dragon right, they will not hesitate to dispose it if it already served their purpose. And if the Inquisition decided to ally themselves with the Qun back in the main campaign, then another hypocrisy points for her when they didn't honor their alliance the very moment they decided to attack southern Thedas.
- I Shall Taunt You: She runs her mouth at the Inquisitor from positions of relative safety.
- Non-Action Big Bad: She never fights the Inquisitor. The one time she ever makes a strike, it’s at Solas, who turns her to stone.
- Rogue Agent: If the Inquisition and the Qunari have an alliance, then after the Viddasala dies, the Qunari claim that her actions were unauthorized. It's implied that they are lying in the hopes of convincing the Inquisition and/or Divine Victoria to aid them against Tevinter.
- Smug Snake:
- Her plans are legitimately dangerous and her operation comes disturbingly close to success, but it doesn't actually succeed, and her total self-righteousness comes across as incredibly arrogant.
- If Iron Bull became Tal-Vashoth and joins your party before the fight against the dragon, she will order him to attack the Inquisitor as if he is still part of the Ben-Hassrath. He flat out refuses and joins the Inquisitor instead. She probably ignored the fact that they sent agents to kill their former agent enough for Bull not to give a damn about them anymore.
- Taken for Granite: Her ultimate fate when she makes the mistake of lashing out at Solas.
- Given that she had been utterly beaten at that point, it may have been a case of Suicide by Cop.
- The Unfought: She dies in a cutscene by being turned to stone.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Viddasala seeks to free the South from uncontrolled magic and their corrupt leaders by assassinating nearly every noble in Ferelden and Orlais, using magic beyond the usage of Saarebas that would probably get her declared Tal-Vashoth if her superiors learned about it, judging by Bull's shocked reactions when he learns how she operates.
The Saarath
The Saarath
Appears in: Inquisition
A very large Saarebas who works for the Viddasala.
- Badass Bookworm: Before his magic awoke, Saarath was an Ashkaari, a philosopher who studied the Qun. You can find a letter he wrote to an elf called Tallisnote which shows that he's still a very philosophical man despite his current state.
- Damage-Sponge Boss: In addition to being beefy, he can create barriers.
- Death from Above: One of his most devastating attacks is to hurl himself high into the air, then trigger a massive explosion when he hits the ground.
- The Dragon: He's the Viddasala's strongest minion and the final boss of Trespasser.
- Flunky Boss: He'll summon a rage demon and wisps, a few greater shades, and then a pride demon once his health reaches certain levels.
- Final Boss: The last boss fought in Trespasser and hence in the entire game.
- I Am Not Left-Handed: After you reduce him to half health, Saarath rips off his collar and chains, allowing him to use powerful rift magic.
- The Juggernaut: He's very powerful for a mage and he's freaking huge, even by qunari standards.
- The Last Dance: His final fight with the Inquisitor implies this; Saarebas are extremely restricted in Qunari culture, to the point that casting a spell without being expressly ordered to do so could be grounds for execution. By the final leg of his boss fight, he's thrown off his restraints, left behind his handlers, and is summoning demons left and right—basically, everything that the Qun says a Saarebas shouldn't do, so he's basically doubling down on his efforts to defeat the Inquisitor, even if it means he's likely to be executed or hunted down as an abomination even if he does manage to kill them. However, it isn't entirely clear if his decision to go all-out is due to his mind finally jumping far off the deep end, or that he is just so committed to the Viddasala that he would sacrifice himself just to buy time for her.
- Ludicrous Gibs: His ultimate fate as the last victim of the Inquisitor's unstable mark, assuming the mark doesn't incinerate him outright.
- Sanity Slippage: His letter to the "Elf-who-is-Tallis" documents this. At first, the letter is fairly regular, with Saarath concisely explaining his philosophy to the recipient and offerring her advice about the world, but with the next two passages of the letter, his handwriting gets shakier and his thoughts less coherent. By the third and final passage, he is crossing out multiple words and beginning to ramble about the Veil and the changing world, indicating his deteriorating mind state, which likely contributed to his going all-out against the Inquisitor in the final stretch of the mission.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When you get Saraath down to half health, he first rips off his collar and chains and then teleports away. However, he doesn't run from you when you confront him again.
- Unskilled, but Strong: As Saarebas lack training with magic, they are little more than powerfully rabid attack dogs. Saarath's large size just makes him tougher; the lack of refinement in his magic is not very comforting to consider when he shakes the ground with every spell.
- The Gloves Come Off: In the second phase of his boss battle, Saraath has his collar and chains removed. This not only allows him to use rift magic, it makes him a lot stronger.
- Villainous Breakdown: Possibly. He's working for the Viddasala (one of Trespasser's antagonists) and appears to rip off his restraints in a fit of rage before the second phase of his fight. Although, it could also be a result of spending too much time with red lyrium.
- The Voiceless: Saarebas usually have their mouths sewn or, if caught practicing forbidden magic, have their tongues cut out.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: It's implied that he's been using lyrium (both of the regular and Red variety) to augment his already considerable magical powers, at the cost of his ability to think clearly.
Ser Jerran
Ser Jerran
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Matthew Gravelle
A former Templar from Kirkwall who joined the Qun when he saw how disciplined they were as Kirkwall was falling apart. He's sent to the Deep Roads to teach the Qunari everything they need to know about lyrium.
- Defector from Decadence: He admired the Qun for the discipline and purpose they retained amidst the chaos of Kirkwall. But when he realized how much death the Viddasala's plan would cause, he wanted to stop them.
- Mr. Exposition: He's there to explain what the Qunari are doing in the Deep Roads.
- "Not So Different" Remark: He believes the Viddasala is no different from Meredith Stannard.Ser Jerran: This plan... it's as mad as Meredith ever was.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Unfortunately, even if you spare him after he tells you of Viddasala's plan, he ends up dead anyways, killed by his former fellow Qunari for attempting to escape.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: He joined the Qun because he saw them as the eye of the storm, stoic and dedicated to order and righteousness when Kirkwall fell apart. When he saw what the Viddasala was doing, he realized how bad she truly was.
The Archivist
The Archivist
Appears in: Inquisition
Voiced by: Olivia Poulet
A benign, ancient spirit encountered beyond the Eluvians, who embodies the desire for learning and research and guides those who seek the same. Once caretaker and aid of its residence, it has been 'shattered' into several selves by an unknown cataclysm and its store of information in each 'self' is incomplete, but each one will readily explain what it can remember to the Inquisitor.
- Apocalyptic Log: It observes and records. Among the things it has recorded are the last words of those who died in the cataclysm when it was split.
- Dissonant Serenity: It doesn't vary its inflections much when recounting the final words of those dying in a sudden disaster. That said, it's not malicious or aggressive in any way.
- Encyclopaedic Knowledge: It was once the spirit responsible for cataloguing and organizing the vast knowledge across the Elvhen empire, allowing for places that were otherwise separated by thousands of miles to share knowledge and information for each other. If this sounds like some form of magical internet, that's because it is. Or....was. Once the Veil dropped into place, the Archivist ended up shattered along with the library.
- Hive Mind: It was one, but has been broken into several pieces that can no longer communicate with each other, which has left it feeling somewhat lonely. The pieces don't appear to have evolved into separate identities in the meantime, either.
- Insistent Terminology: It addresses anyone to whom it speaks as "patron". If the Inquisitor is an elf and/or Sera is in the current party, they call them "mirthadra elvhen" which means "honored elf".
- Living Relic: Though as a spirit it doesn't really bother with the concept of time, it still measures the passing of centuries, and it's obviously remained in place long after the purpose it was created for was lost.
- Magic Librarian: The desire for knowledge made sentient. They don't get a lot more magical.
- Ms. Exposition: It used to be something like a magical cataloguing system, so this is unsurprising. It essentially explains the nature of the place beyond the Eluvians and the events leading to its current devastation, as well as what it can gather about the Qunari.
- Weirdness Censor: The Qunari ignore it completely, listening to nothing it says and moving as though it isn't there, fearing corruption. That turns out to be a mistake on their part - the spirit doesn't ignore them, and will tell the Inquisitor their precise location and how to reach it.
