#cattilara tabris

[thesummerstorms]

Niamh Amell, despite being proclaimed the Hero of Fereldan, doesn't consider herself truly Fereldan.

She was born in the Free Marches and only sent away because so many of her siblings were mages, so she isn't of Fereldan descent. She grew up locked away in a tower, never once even stepping foot into her supposed new homeland before being forcibly conscripted to die in a war she never chose.

Niamh got involved in the Civil War because people were dying, and she's good, even when she isn't kind. She largely tried to leave policy behind her that she thought would benefit the people she saw hurting. She even has the ear of the Fereldan Queen.

But Fereldan as an entity means very little to her. She has no "Fereldan Pride", and it angered a fair few people who put her on a pedestal before Zevran and Leiliana coached her on how better to hide it.

And even her seconds recruited later in the war... Well, Therasenn in Dalish. No human nation means much more to her other than a knowledge of where her people need to be more or less cautious.

Cattilara Tabris is the only one who considers herself Fereldan and she would stab every bann or arl other than Shianni (and maaayybeee Nathaniel Howe) in less than a heart beat. She hates a good deal about her country and resents the suppressionand violence woven into its history. But she actually does consider herself "Fereldan" nonetheless.

(Sometimes Nathaniel Howe looks at his superiors and his coworkers and the political shit storms they inadvertently cause and wonders if the Maker is testing him specifically. 'The Wardens are apolitical ' sounds fine in theory, but the sheer number of fires he's had to put out as the most "socially acceptable" of the Fereldan Wardens' leadership would prove otherwise.)

[thesummerstorms]

No game engine is gonna reflect the weird complexity of my imagined world state though.

Evanna Evandre Trevelyan, my gentle, overly cautious but angry pro-mage scholar of an Inquistor is the third of four children born to a man who's had five wives and loved none of them.

She has complicated political ties Antiva and Orlais through her step-mothers, Ansburg through her maternal family, and Antiva again through a paternal cousin.

Her living stepmothers are generally sympathetic. The youngest is terrified and hoping Evandre will hide her younger half-brother. Her father, however, despises her. So does her older sister. Her oldest brother is weak and doesn't care about Evandre one way or the other.

She was raised in the Ostwick Circle, then sent away to Markham when her presence in Ostwick became a barrier for her half-sister Catareen's Templar training. She preferred Markham, given its link to a major university, but was sent back just before the mage rebellion broke out. Markham is where, through the University, she became part of the Mages' Collective.

Niamh Amell, Warden Commander of Fereldan, and her husband, Zevran Aranai, showed up to take command of the Orlesian wardens, enabling Alistair to be left in the fade and Hawke to escape.

(Alistair's choice to stay is actually the final moment of his and Niamh's reconciliation, post dark ritual.)

Anora Mac Tir is Queen of Fereldan, with two daughters by Fergus Cousland, who she has an affectionate political marriage with. One of them is secretly a mage.

Cecily Cousland survived Arle Howe, badly injured and disfigured, and has become Anora's unofficial liason with the Wardens due to her under-the-table marriage to Nathaniel Howe. Their marriage purposefully childless, with the idea that Amaranthine will pass back to the younger of Cecily's nieces, and thereby the crown, after both their deaths.

Nathaniel Howe is in charge of the keep in Amaranthine because politics, but Therasenn Mahariel is Niamh's true second, and the one running things for most of Amell's wardens. Nathaniel's oversees the day to day, but listens to her orders.

Therasenn's remained single/considers herself a widow since Tamlen's death. If she had been in the fade, she would've insisted on taking Alistair's place as she sees herself as stuck in a holding pattern. It sets off some bad mental health moments that don't pass until Hawke connects her with Merrill.

Cattilara Tabris is put forward by Amell as the genuine liaison from the Wardens to the Inquisiton and is eventually in charge of overseeing a Blackwall who is sentenced to join the Wardens properly. She's dating Herah "Echo" Adaar. She oversees the Orlesian wardens in the day to day, whereas Therasenn has command of the Fereldan ones, and Amell outranks them both.

Herah "Echo" Adaar is literally just a merc who signed up with the inquisition to make things stop exploding and gradually gets promoted to help integrate the Inquisiton's other "non-standard" fighting forces and keep the Chantry-esque folks noses out of it.

Mahvirehn Lavellan was sent as a spy by his keeper and is now the Inquisition's formal liaison with the Dalish, a role which puts a target on his back from the beginning, especially as he's also a Keeper in training. That's fine though, because Dorian will absolutely explode anyone who tries to kill his boyfriend, and doesn't mind using the "big bad scary Tevinter mage" rep to keep it from getting there.

Rowan Hawke escaped Kirkwall, showed up in the Inquisition, and might possibly be dating the Inquisitor, Evandre Trevelyan. (If so, Varric is thrilled! But I haven't decided.)

Carver Hawke did not, in fact, go to Weishaupt. He's actually the one who finally managed to make contact with his cousin, Niamh Amell, and he's present at the battle for the Keep.

Later, he gets put in charge, and is pissed at Therasenn for making it about his name rather than his abilities and for forfeiting the role despite her experience levels. She mantains that she needs more flexibility than the role would entail. Appealing to Niamh makes it worse, not better.

Therasenn and Merril get an off screen reunion and cry about it because they both miss home. Merrill doesn't become an Inquisition agent, but Therasenn forwards bits of her letters as war table operations sometimes.

Rowan Hawke might go back to help throw Sebastian Vael out of Kirkwall, idk. But she's largely decided against living there. (Unless she romances Evandre, in which case Varric offering Evandre a title and estate in Kirkwall becomes a lot more of a calculated gesture lol.)

[thesummerstorms]

Honestly, I’ve been reading a lot of manga/manhua/manhwa with at least a sub-focus on court politics and political intrigue lately

and as much as I think I would suck at it, I really wish I could play a DA type setting and have my Very Angry Very Cold Pro-Mage Warden who is married to a former Antivan crow coach my soft but reformist pro-Mage Inquisitor through completely reshaping the chantry and nobility, giving the Inquisition a run for its money since they insist on making her figure head.

Real life monarchies and nobility are a nightmare hellhole and I’m sure DA’s would be even worse, but it kind of sucks that the DA protagonists get to make less and less actual systemic change as the series goes on.

(yes, Templars or Mages, yes Divine election, yes choosing the Orlesian ruler... but honestly most of those are window dressing.)

Alternatively, Cattilara Tabris, who is not The Warden in my headcanon but who is *A* warden can burn all that shit to the ground. She wouldn’t even care if Warden Commander Amell could support her or not, tbh. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[thesummerstorms]

I will say, it's funny with everyone updating their headcanons for DA:TV. I keep seeing post listing each Warden or Hawke or Inquisitor's spouse and, for the most part, their several children.

Good for them, and I'm not being facetious. 100% these characters deserve whatever a happy ending looks like for them.

But it's very funny to me because not one of Dragon Age protagonists, alternate universe protagonists, or potential protagonists turned into supporting characters via multiple origins and the power of head canon, has had children.

Their happy ending, is so much as they have or haven't achieved it, generally involves running in the opposite direction from the possibility of having kids.

Of my big three ("canon" protagonists) two are single (Rowan Hawke and Evandre Trevelyan) because I didn't think the romance options available worked for the characters because who the fuck has time to date with everything going on?

Niamh Amell, who managed to fall deeply in love despite having the coldest personality and least social skills of the three, is perfectly content that the Joining left her sterile. She and Zevran haven't lived in the same city for more than a few months since before they both met, and what on earth is she meant to do with an infant under the circumstances they always find themselves in?

More than that, what is the general appeal of infants anyway? She'll readily help the orphans they encounter, but raising them is out of the question.

For my side characters derived from potential protagonists...

Cattilara Tabris and Echo Adaar are lesbians who'd rather stab things than care for a child, and Cattilara 's Calling is fast approaching regardless.

Therasenn Mahariel never sought out another romantic relationship after having to end Tamlen's life with her own hands. There just wasn't much coming back from that, even if the Wardens weren't one of the worst places on earth to start a family or try to raise a child alone.

Cecily Cousland can't have children after being poisoned by one of Arl Howe's men. Ironically, neither can her husband, his son, Nathaniel Howe, due to the Joining. They both agree that given the uniqueness of their families' history, it's probably for the best. Besides, he has a city to run and Wardens to lead, and she is busy providing political support and physical might to her older brother and his wife, the annointed Queen of Fereldan.

Her nieces, the Crown and Second Princesses of Fereldan, are cute though. Since the Crown Princess will inherit the country, the Second Princess is Cecily's heir. Generally it's much more fun to be the favorite Aunt than the parent anyway.

Mahvirehn Lavellan loves Dorian Pavus. There might have been a world where, if Dorian asked, they adopted a child together and Mahvirehn was happy with that.

But in this world, a child would be torn between Mahvirehn's leadership of a Dalish clan and Dorian's push for Tevinter reform. Not to mention the Tevinter traditionalists and the assassins out for Dorian 's blood would likely carry a particular scorn for his half-Dalish child. In the end, in this world, the world that actually is, they both decide against children and are no less happy for it.

Arsinoe Lavellan, who is very new to my brain and therefore underdeveloped, is nonetheless out for Solas's blood.

It doesn't take a pregnancy to make it a tragedy, and isn't the loss of a potential future family that makes her blood boil. Mainly, she just wants to stab him before he kills all the people who already exist in the world. Possibly with a few extra stabs in there for feeling used and missing him anyway.

[thesummerstorms]

In general though, I think...

Niamh Amell is my canon Warden, but she shares the title of Hero of the Fifth Blight with Therasenn Mahariel, who was recruited fairly late in the game. Cattilara Tabris is Senior-Warden, a traveling recruiter but also know to be a bit of a hard-ass and reckless when it comes to injustices she finds in her travels.

 Amell got the Commander of the Grey and Arlessa title because Thedas is racist she’d been a Warden longer, but she immediately promoted Therasenn Mahariel to Constable of the Grey and gave her specific command of Soldier’s Peak because she wanted a non-Mage (and a non-Andrastian with a different perspective of Magic) to keep an eye on the research there.

 Therasenn is acting Commander of the Grey while Amell is traveling outside of Fereldan borders, and during DA:I gives Nathaniel the order to pull all Fereldan Wardens back to Amaranthine or Soldier’s Peak, depending on their job title. 

Meanwhile Cattilara Tabris escaped Vaughan Kendells and was basically an outlaw who certain friends hid and refused to turn in. 

Originally she was sent to hide in Highever, but returned near the end of the game when she heard about the “plague”. 

She was investigating the Tevinter “healers” in the alienage long before Amell got there and taking direct action. Sometime after the end of the game, she’s finally caught and Niamh recruits her to spare her the noose and to prevent any excuse for Nobles to strike at the new Bann Shianni. 

She is not happy about it, but by the time of DA:I she’s made uneasy friends with Amell. As Senior Warden, she will openly break the “No Wardens in politics” rule to protect Bann Shianni. 

She’s one of the only ones Mahariel will let out to fight the demons from Fereldan rifts, at least until Amell formally requests her secondment to the Inquisition. She fights with Solas. A lot. She’s also Adaar’s girlfriend.

Rowan Hawke is still on her own; sorry Rowan. 

Evanna Trevelyan is my Inquisitor. Originally a Harrowed Enchanter at Ostwick, thought she had tentative connections to the Mage’s Collective even then. Became a full member when her Circle fell, and was there on their behalf, not Ostwick’s. 

She’s very good at playing the faithful, sweet, cautious mage, and to some extent she’s even been brainwashed into it, but the full force of the Chantry’s misdeeds hits her early on when she realizes she’s strengthening the Chantry position and it actually dramatically harms her mental health/sense of worth. Loses her faith entirely after Wicked Eyes, prior to Here Lies the Abyss.

Whereas Mahvirehn, First of Clan Lavellan is sent as a diplomat/spy when it comes out that the new leader of the Inquisition is not only a mage but possibly sympathetic to the Dalish. He and Evanna hit it off very quickly. She often seeks his council not only on how to proceed on matters involving the Dalish but also on leadership and magic. She grants him a formal spot on her inner council, and direct command over a portion of the Rebel Mages. (He falls in love with Dorian before being recalled to replace his aging Keeper following her retirement near the Exalted Council.)

Herah “Echo” Adaar is just a slightly-too-altruistic mercenary who genuinely ends up with the Inquisition because she wants people to stop dying in the claws of demons. It’s a very rough start because no one trusts her, but she catches Evanna’s eye when some kind of incident goes down and she steps between three ex-Templars and an terrified elven mage. Eventually befriends Evanna, helps her fight off an assassination attempt or two, and is given an informal position keeping an eye on corruption or injustice within the ranks of the Inquisition itself, reporting directly to the Inquisitor on things Trevelyan doesn’t get to see for herself. Eventually given the formal but vague title of “Knight-Protector”, and paired with Cattilara Tabris (her future girlfriend) who does the same for the Inquisitor’s Wardens.

[thesummerstorms]

I generally headcanon that even though Niamh Amell is my canon Warden, Cattilara Tabris, the soul of Wrath, still survives.

Perhaps as an outlaw who would be hung until dead if not for a few people in the Alienage going to great risks to hide her and send her away, but she survives.

Which means while I'm at it, I need to headcanon a way to survival for Therasenn Mahariel...

(Therasenn/Cattilara might be a fun ship actually, and I think Niamh would recruit them both eventually.)

[thesummerstorms]

You know, if I’m set on making Amadis, Evanna’s OC romance option, actually a Knight-Enchanter forcibly conscripted by Orlais rather than a proper Knight, then she’s actually probably the one to recommend Penelope to Evanna as a leader.

Fiona isn’t exactly trusted by the rest of the Inquisition, and the hell if Evanna’s going to place her mages back under Templar direction, so if I want to imagine a new structure for the Inquisition Mages?

Mahvirehn has direct command over any Dalish mages automatically, to protect them, but some elven and half-elven Circle mages work with him, a long with a few Tal-Vashoth and a smaller number of humans he personally recruits after extensive observation. He’s also the unofficial spokesperson for the Dalish in general, though, so he doesn’t have as many mages under his direct command.

He does accept Penelope, Ashaya, and Magali’s reports in Evanna’s place when she’s in the field, though official decision making authority lies with Leliana, for the purposes of appearances

Penelope leads the non-combatant mages who are still older 16, with special care for the Tranquil and any magical researchers. She has assistants from each Circle represented in the Rebel mages, but is the one ultimately directly reporting to Evanna.

Amadis forms what’s jokingly called the “Queensguard”- a very tiny handful three mages, two rogues, and a Knight who personally protect the Inquisitor while she’s at Skyhold or at a formal diplomatic function; most are Spirit mages of some kind and they came together after some Templars appeared to be threatening drastic measures if Evanna continued to operate without Templar oversight. Penelope was initially interested in the job, but Amadis thought she’d be more useful elsewhere.

Ashaya has unofficial command of any Rivaini or Avvar mages, although their numbers are largely tiny enough that no one knows she’s in charge except her and a few well-placed other members of the Inquisition. 

Cattilara Tabris, a non-mage, still has leadership of the Inquisition’s mage Wardens unless Niamh is there

And then some kind of  Andrastian Rebel Mages... let’s say Senior Enchanter Bedivere (although I’m not set on that name) of Ansburg and First Enchanter Magali Lecuyer of Perendale who are still practicing Andrastians but nevertheless denied Chantry authority over the Circle. They have the rest of the combat-ready or battle-healer/support mages split between them. 

[thesummerstorms]

Just so everyone can appreciate my over the top naming trends:

The Arcana: Beatrice Marchesi (main), Chiara Benanati (barely existent tbh)

When the Night Comes: Theodora "Theo" Greensmith

Errant Kingdom (which has the excuse of being high fantasy): Penelope Seagrave (main), Rose Armistead, Ariadne Blackhallow

Andromeda Six: Desdemona Sabine (not including her surname bc it's a plot spoiler and I also just don't like how it looks)

Call Me Under (which isn't even released yet): Della Barlow, Rebekah Blake

My BioWare names are way more wildly inconsistent though, to be fair. (Niamh Amell, Therasenn Mahariel, Cattilara Tabris, Rowan Hawke, Evanna Trevelyan, Mahvirhen Lavellan, Echo Adaar, Elizabeth Shepard, Minerva Ryder)