Elthina

"Death is never justice"

Elthina is the Grand Cleric of the Free Marches south of Starkhaven and as such is one of the most powerful persons in Kirkwall. She can be found inside the Kirkwall Chantry.

Background
When Elthina was a girl, her parents died of fever and she was taken in by the Chantry. She became a lay sister and then took her vows. After she had served for some time, the Divine appointed her Grand Cleric.

After Sebastian was forced into the Chantry, Elthina helped him escape in the dead of night, telling him that people should enter the Chantry through the front door, not the back. She gave him a purse full of gold and told him to go and live his life. Thanks to her words, Sebastian returned to the Chantry - through the front door this time - his faith restored.

As the Grand Cleric, Elthina appointed Meredith to the position of the Knight-Commander of Kirkwall. Elthina is well-loved by the entire city, but some claim her to be ineffective and are quietly calling on the Divine to appoint a replacement.

Involvement
{{SpoilerDA2| Act 1

Hawke first sees Elthina outside the Kirkwall Chantry. She tells Sebastian that the Chantry can not condone murder and tries to remove the poster offering bounty on the heads of mercenaries who killed his family from the Chanter's Board. Inside the Chantry she apologizes for Hawke witnessing the "disgraceful scene". Elthina expresses her belief that the Fifth Blight was stopped by the will of the Maker. If asked about Meredith, Elthina claims that "it is not [her] role to form opinions on her character".

When Hawke comes to the Chantry after Petrice has set Hawke up to be killed by the Qunari in order to instigate the conflict, Elthina comments that some brothers and sisters "take the Qunari threat too personally."

Act 2

Hawke overhears Sebastian asking for Elthina's forgiveness as he no longer sees killing the mercenaries as justice. Elthina replies that death is never justice. When Sebastian tells that he wants to confront Lady Harimann and asks Hawke to accompany him, Elthina urges Sebastian to give this up and to dedicate himself to the Chantry. Addressing the issues of the Qunari, the mages and the templars, Elthina states that it is best to guard themselves by waiting and that "it is not [her] place to decide who is right."

Hawke can also have additional lines of dialogue with Elthina:
 * Hawke can show Ser Alrik's letter to Elthina after investigating his "Tranquil solution". Elthina says that Ser Alric made a suggestion, but they turned him down. She states that the Rite of Tranquility is a last resort.
 * Hawke can inform Elthina that a templar used her seal to make a member of the guard ignore the Qunari delegates being captured. Elthina replies that she hoped this would not go so far and that she will step in when it's time.

When the Viscount's son Saemus is found dead in the Chantry, there are two potential outcomes:
 * Hawke tells Elthina that Petrice is behind the murder. Elthina replies that Petrice has erred in her judgment and that a court will decide her fate. Then she turns away and walks up the stairs. Seconds later a Qunari assassin kills Petrice with an arrow. Elthina looks back only to tell Hawke to send for the Viscount.
 * Hawke allows Petrice to pin the murder on the Qunari and kills the assassins before they inflict any harm to Petrice. Elthina confronts Petrice and states that everything is as the latter predicted, all too well. Elthina harshly demands that Petrice should come to speak to her. Later Hawke learns that Elthina asserted that Petrice "failed to maintain the solemn dignity" of her position. As a result Petrice stays with the Chantry, but is no longer a "mother".

Act 3

By the beginning of the Act Elthina has rejected Meredith's request for the Right of Annulment and, according to Ser Karras, Meredith has sent for the permission to the Divine in Val Royeaux instead.

In Hightown Orsino is trying to convince the nobles that Meredith uses the fear of mages to take control of Kirkwall. Meredith accuses him of inciting a rebellion. Then Elthina arrives and asks the templars to "show the First Enchanter back to the Circle", and Meredith to "go back to the Gallows and calm down, like a good girl." If the Champion asks Elthina why she does nothing when she is in charge of the templars and the Circle, Elthina retorts that Hawke has "quite the estimation of [her] abilities."

In the Chantry, Hawke witnesses Sebastian asking what is Elthina's stance on the issue of the mages and the templars. Elthina states that she favors peace and if the Maker is merciful, he will help find it. She confesses that she did not expect things to deteriorate so fast. Then she tells that the Divine sent an agent to Kirkwall to assess the danger of the Free Marches becoming another Imperium. Elthina is afraid that the Divine will treat the whole city as enemies and asks the Champion and Sebastian to meet the agent and to convince her that drastic measures won't be required. Elthina adds that the Divine has heard her protests already.

When Hawke returns only to pass the agent's message that Elthina must leave Kirkwall for Orlais because she will not be safe in the city, Elthina refuses to abandon her flock. She asserts that she is in no personal danger since nobody would dare attack the Grand Cleric. Later Elthina tells that she has been talking with both Orsino and Meredith and that Orsino "is not an unreasonable man," therefore a compromise can be reached.

When Anders asks Hawke to help him gather ingredients for a "potion" and then to distract Elthina for him to get inside the Chantry unseen, Hawke can:
 * Agree. Hawke comes to Elthina to discuss the mages and the templars. Elthina claims that she cannot take sides and that she is seeking to balance the needs of everyone. Then Anders shows up. Elthina comments that his soul is troubled and expresses her hope that he found a balm for it in the Chantry.
 * Refuse. Hawke has a special option in the dialogue with Elthina as long as Hawke does not speak to the agent of the Divine. Being warned that the apostates are plotting against the Chantry, Elthina replies that it must be Anders who is behind it, but mages have threatened her before and she "will not turn on [her] templars for fear".

If Meredith is the one to ask Hawke to investigate the Thrask's conspiracy, she explains to the Champion that she needs hard evidence of Orsino's direct involvement to bring before Elthina because Orsino persuaded the Grand Cleric that Meredith "is being unreasonable." Alternatively, if it is Orsino who asks for assistance, he expresses his hope that Circle mages are not involved in something sinister or "Meredith will have what she needs to justify the Right of Annulment."

In the end, the apostate mage Anders blows up the Chantry, killing Elthina and everybody else inside. Sebastian is crushed and vows to avenge Elthina if Hawke refuses to kill Anders. Meredith invokes the Right of Annulment, starting the Battle of Kirkwall.

Companion Reactions
When you first speak to her during Act 1 it is possible to gain friendship with Aveline Vallen and Isabela by choosing "The hero of Ferelden stopped the blight, not the maker". Conversely you gain rivalry with both Aveline and Isabela by choosing "He works in mysterious ways". When you speak to her during Act 2 you can gain friendship with Anders by choosing "You should help the city". }}

Quotes

 * (short story) "I am sworn to Andraste's service, but that does not mean I am ignorant of the world."
 * (Act 2) "The Maker blessed us with minds and a consciousness. He does not approve when we fail to use them."
 * (Act 2) "Death is never justice."
 * (Act 2) "The Chantry is not a domineering father with the whip always in hand. She is a gentle mother, who knows that her children learn best when allowed to learn themselves."
 * (Act 2) "Eternity is long enough that we do not need to rush to meet it."


 * (Act 2) Mother Petrice: "They deny the Maker!"
 * Elthina: "And you diminish him even as you assume his side. Andraste did not volunteer for the flame."


 * (Act 3) "The Chantry's teachings are clear. Those who turn against them would not listen more to me than to Andraste."
 * (Act 3) "I cannot take sides. We are all the Maker's creatures, but magic allows abuses beyond the scope of mortals."
 * (Act 3) "I can not turn on my templars, on the very words of Andraste for fear. No matter how justified that fear might be."
 * (Act 3) "There is no greater devotion that to lay one's life at the Maker's feet. There is no better death than to take the blow for another."

Trivia

 * Elthina was written by Jennifer Hepler.
 * She is part of the "Friends in High Places" achievement along with Knight-Commander Meredith, Viscount Marlowe Dumar and First Enchanter Orsino