Varric Tethras

"There's power in stories, though. That's all history is: The best tales. The ones that last. Might as well be mine."

Varric Tethras (born 9:0-9:1 Dragon ) is a surface dwarf and part of House Tethras. He is a companion of Hawke in Dragon Age II and a companion of the Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Background
The Tethras family was once part of the Noble caste in Orzammar, until Varric's father was caught fixing Provings. Such was the disgrace and danger to the family that the household had no choice but to leave for the surface. Unlike his brother, Varric was born in Kirkwall and has no feeling of loyalty or love towards Orzammar, his knowledge of which is largely second-hand. He is a merchant prince among the surface dwarves.

Varric is a rogue from House Tethras. He is the youngest son of the Tethras family while his older brother is the head and runs the family business. On the outside, he is seen as the idle younger brother who spends his time in taverns telling wild stories while people buy him drinks. His real job is to maintain a "spy network" with contacts to deal with various troubles that come along with being in a family that is part of the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

Signature weapon
Varric has a signature crossbow named Bianca. Bianca has a carved wood stock and brass embellishments, as well as a retractable bayonet that slides out of a slot in the front. As such, Varric is the only companion who cannot equip different weapons. When asked about the story behind how Bianca got her name, he replies that it involves a girl and a promise, and that it is the one story that he can never tell. He has put the story to song, but will not sing it, instead humming the tune during battle.

Dragon Age II
{{SpoilerDA2|

Act 1
Varric first meets Hawke a year after they arrive in Kirkwall, in the streets of Hightown, after the former's brother, Bartrand, rejected Hawke's request to join his expedition into the Deep Roads. The future Champion is pick-pocketed by a thief whom Varric shoots and pins to a wall using Bianca. Returning Hawke's money, Varric, having heard of Hawke's reputation for skill, competence and reliability, offers them a place on the excavation as an investor. Tagging along to help Hawke gain the necessary money, Varric requests that Hawke speak to him privately in The Hanged Man in Lowtown later. At the Hanged Man, Varric tells Hawke the excavation doesn't have a suitable route to the Deep Roads and requests Hawke get one from a Grey Warden Varric has found in the city.

Right from the start he will criticize his brother, mentioning that describing Bartrand as "hard to take" by Worthy after Hawke's diplomatic choice is an understatement.

Once Hawke's affairs are in order, Varric will accompany both Bartrand and Hawke in The Deep Roads Expedition. They encountered a Primeval Thaig with a Lyrium Idol with in. Bartrand, enamored by the idol, locks both Hawke and Varric in the room where the idol was found and makes off with idol, leaving the other two for dead. Varric is livid over this betrayal and swears to find and kill Bartrand. Hawke and Varric managed to escape the Deep Roads and the treasures they found in their expedition made the two of them extremely wealthy.

Act 2
Bartrand vanished after the Deep Roads expedition, and Varric had to divert his attention from searching for his wayward brother to keeping the now-abandoned family business from falling apart.

Varric now occupies his brother's seat in the Dwarven Merchants Guild – technically. He rarely attends Guild meetings and is hardly ever seen actually occupying the chair in their hall that belongs to House Tethras. He prefers to run the Tethras financial empire from his suite at the Hanged Man. When Hawke visits Varric, they have a short discussion about Hawke's plans for the future.

In the quest Night Terrors of Act 2 after you saved Feynriel in Act 1 from the Circle, he will ultimately give in to his pride over Hawke, even if they are friends, when Hawke steals Feynriel from the demon of pride - unless Merrill or Fenris is in the party, in which case the pride demon will tempt one of them instead. Afterward he will make amends in the quest Varric's Apology.

Eventually, Varric's spy network discovered Bartrand has returned to Kirkwall and is staying in a mansion in Hightown. Varric enlists Hawke's aid in paying Bartrand a visit, starting the quest Family Matter. Yet when they arrived at the mansion, Varric discovers that Bartrand's guards have turned crazed and hostile. After plowing through all the enemies, Hawke and Varric discover Hugin, the last surviving servant of the household. He tells a tragic story. After Bartrand left Varric and Hawke to die in the abandoned thaig, he started hearing voices, claiming the lyrium idol was ‘singing’ to him. Even after selling it, Bartrand could still hear the idol and was eventually driven mad by it. He tortures the servants by cutting pieces off them to help them 'hear the song'. Bartrand also feeds the guards lyrium, which makes them go insane. Hugin begs Varric and Hawke to give a quick and merciful death to anything still alive in Bartrand’s study. Varric and Hawke's party proceed to fight off Bartrand and his remaining crazed guards. Once Bartrand is defeated, Varric tries to talk to him, but it becomes clear that Bartrand is crazy - he recognizes his brother and requests he help him find the idol again before talking to someone or something in his head. If Anders is brought along, he can have Bartrand return to himself for only a short time, in which Bartrand begs Varric to kill him before he does anything else that could possibly destroy House Tethras. Hawke can encourage Varric to kill Bartrand or spare him as his descent into madness is punishment enough.

If brought along in the mission All That Remains, Varric will personally take care of Gascard DuPuis after his betrayal and Hawke's threat to kill him by shooting a bolt through his throat; commenting that Hawke would have killed him anyway.

If Hawke is romantically involved with one of their companions, Varric will express some concerns over the danger involving Hawke's love interest the next time they visit him in the Hanged Man.

Act 3
Three years after the Qunari attack, Hawke encounters Varric listening to Anders tell old tales of his time as a Grey Warden over drinks. When Anders leaves to let Varric attend to his company, Hawke will question Varric if there is any news that they should be aware of. Varric informs Hawke of the power vacuum created by the viscount's demise which could lead to another crisis. Varric tells Hawke he hopes they are ready for it and that he'll be keeping Bianca close.

Varric eventually reveals he has been trying to sell Bartrand's Estate to a minor noble in Rivain but there have been strange occurrences that lead people to believe that the mansion is haunted. Varric believes that the disturbances are caused by the idol Bartrand brought back from the Deep Roads and requests Hawke's aid in investigating the mansion. When they arrive at the estate, they discover that it is rife with apparitions, strange voices, and moving objects and have to fight off Shades and an Ethereal Golem. After the battle, Varric finds a fragment of the lyrium idol. Varric will covet the idol fragment and will want to keep it, claiming it's the only thing that will let him understand what happened to Bartrand. Hawke will then have the option to let Varric keep it or get rid of it. If Varric is encouraged to get rid of it, he lets Hawke have the piece. Varric suggests Hawke give it to Sandal who may be able to make some use of it.

During The Last Straw, Varric will side with Hawke regardless of whether the player supports the mages or the templars.

At the end of the game Varric states that he along with Hawke and the companions disappeared into the wilderness, saying that by chance all of the companions, including Bethany and Carver, were forced to leave Hawke, all of them taking off for their own quests. The exception to this, as told by Varric, is Hawke's love interest who is implied to still be with him/her at present. }}

Friendship and rivalry
Varric likes to talk and likes telling exaggerated stories of Hawke's heroism. Solving problems and gaining advantage through diplomacy, outright lies, and even blackmail will impress him, while straightforward violence and thuggery leaves him cold. He also responds well to joking, flirting and sarcasm and to mild greed. Beneath his silver tongue, however, he's a goodhearted person and will appreciate Hawkes who look out for their families and are kind to dwarves.

To earn rivalry with Varric, choose aggressive responses that glorify violence and combat, and show a lack of interest in his stories, his friendship, and your place in Kirkwall.

Dragon Age II
Act 1

Act 2

(gift)

Act 3

Mark of the Assassin

Armor


Upgrades to Varric's Tailored Leather Duster can be found in the following locations:
 * Act 1 – – available from the Apparel Shop in Lowtown. Extra rune slot.
 * Act 2 – – available from Shady Merchandise at the Docks. Increases attack (scales with Hawke's level).
 * Act 2 – – obtained during his personal quest Family Matter. Extra rune slot.
 * Act 3 – – found during the quest Finding Nathaniel. Extra rune slot.



Other
– Varric's signature crossbow – requires Rogue Item Pack DLC – requires Legacy DLC – requires Rogue Item Pack II DLC – requires Mark of the Assassin DLC

Dragon Age II
In Dragon Age II, Varric generally gains friendship points when you do what is right instead of what is legal, while avoiding needless bloodshed. He will also approve if you demand payment from people before helping them. Deferring to Varric when the option arises will also gain friendship with the dwarf. Gaining rivalry with Varric generally involves being aggressive to everyone and refusing to help those in need. Refusing payment after helping someone can also result in rivalry points with Varric.

Dragon Age Inquisition
Gaining approval with Varric in Inquisition follows generally the same vein as gaining friendship with him did in Dragon Age II. Varric will generally approve of selfless acts, far more so than in Dragon Age II and likes when the Inquisitor acts humble instead of haughty. He will also approve at the occasional joke made by the Inquisitor. Any red lyrium found and destroyed while out adventuring will also net approval with Varric.

Varric generally approves of the Inquisition's actions, so many choices you make won't have a big effect on his approval so long as you don't go out of your way to let innocent people suffer. However, there are a few major choices that he will greatly approve of. These include:

If Varric's disapproval rating gets too high, the next time the Inquisitor talks to him he will express his disapproval of the Inquisitor's methods.

Literary Works
Varric is also an accomplished author renowned throughout Thedas. Most of his stories concern themselves with outcasts and tragic mistakes. His editor is part of the Coterie of Kirkwall and feared for her preciseness in grammatical areas. His publisher seems to withhold informations from him, as Varric was unaware of the success of his work among the Orlesian nobility at the Winter Palace. Critics among the Chantry decry his work as smutty and pulpish.

Works include:
 * 'The Dasher's Men', published in 9:18 Dragon, features the feud between two Carta clans, with a pair of casteless brothers caught in the middle. It is his first published work and the least-known. It's also the only one of his novels to feature a dwarven hero.
 * 'Darktown's Deal', published in 9:20 Dragon, a serial about the Coterie of Kirkwall.
 * 'The Viper's Nest', published in 9:23 Dragon, a story about an elven courtier that gets in the friction between the Kalna and Ascendant families in the Dwarven Merchants Guild, as well as the several connections the guild maintains to various assassin guilds.
 * 'Hard in Hightown', published in 9:33 Dragon, his breakthrough work. It features the clash between a secretive group of agents of the Divine with a mysterious organization known as the Executors over a mysterious artifact, with a weary member of the Kirkwall City Guard, Donnen Brennokovic, caught between the fronts. Chapters were published irregularly, due to the unrest in Kirkwall at the time. Hard in Hightown has been the best-selling book in five nations since 9:36 Dragon, eventually outselling Brother Genitivi's Travels of a Chantry Scholar to become the widest-read book in Thedas outside of Tevinter. A sequel, named Hard in Hightown 2: Siege Harder, is currently in the making.
 * Despite common perceptions, 'Hard in Hightown 3: The Re-Punchening' has not been authored by him, but by a rival dwarf named Worthy.
 * 'Swords and Shields', first published between 9:32-9:37 Dragon, a romance series about a guard-captain that falls in love with a Templar knight-captain. Despite being considered a failure by Varric himself, the series has quite a following among the ladies.
 * 'The Tale of the Champion', no publication date given (but likely post 9:37 Dragon), the story about the rise of his close friend Hawke and their involvement in the Kirkwall Rebellion.
 * ‘Tales of the Inquisition's Agents’, published between 9:41-9:44 Dragon, a story about the adventures of the various agents of the Inquisition.
 * 'All this Shit is Weird', published in 9:44 Dragon, telling the story of the Herald of Andraste and the adventures of the Inquisition.

Among the works he has not finished is 'The Mercenary’s Price', which he wrote during the time his mother was suffering from a liver ailment to read to her at her bed and then burned after she passed away in 9:26. Another is a planned political thriller at the Orlesian court inspired by the peace talks at the Winter Palace and the personality of Vivienne.

Dragon Age II

 * "'I don't like this'? That's right up there with, 'What could possibly go wrong?'"
 * "There's a recipe to a good hero, Hawke. It's like alchemy. One part down-to-earth, one part selfless nobility, two parts crazy, and you season liberally with wild falsehoods. You let that percolate through a good audience for a while, and when it's done, you've got your hero."
 * "Once more I am falsely accused of whatever it is that I am accused of. Falsely."
 * "Hawke, I'm a businessman. Now and then, I shoot people."
 * "You should know by now that I love the sound of my own voice, Hawke."
 * "Shows what you know. I would definitely bring this up just to gossip. I didn't. But I would."
 * (Regarding his brother) "I swear I am going to find that son of a bitch - sorry, Mother - and I will kill him!"

Dragon Age: Inquisition

 * "You know what I think? If Hawke had been at the temple, s/he'd be dead too. You people have done enough to her/him."
 * "Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller and, occasionally, unwelcome tagalong."
 * "Bianca? She's one of a kind. There's a hidden shop in Kirkwall called the Black Emporium.  I found her in a barrel labeled 'swag.'  The owner sold her to me for a ham sandwich and a pair of yellow ruffled pants."
 * (regarding Bianca, the crossbow) "I bought a salvaged ship and found her locked in a dragonbone-reinforced chest in the hold. I broke three dozen lockpicks and blunted nine saws opening that trunk, but it was worth it."
 * (Regarding Spymasters) "The truly great ones can keep their distance. They don't get attached to their people. Me? I always wind up babysitting my informants and worrying about their families."
 * (During The Abyssal High Dragon Quest) "Baiting a dragon. On purpose. Right. Should have stayed home today.
 * "Oh it's been great. Murderous Wardens, Archdemon attacks, plenty of blood mages, and crazy templars. Just like home."
 * "Heroes are everywhere. I've seen that. But a hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes. We're going to need a miracle."

Trivia

 * Mary Kirby wrote Varric for Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
 * Varric's excessive chest hair has become something of a running joke with developers and fans on the BioWare social forum. It is also something of a running gag in-game, especially with Isabela.
 * According to Varric himself, he is a compulsive liar.
 * In Dragon Age: Inquisition while traveling along the Storm Coast, Varric mentions that he cannot swim.
 * Varric was originally written as a sleazy and untrustworthy character. Later the writers wanted to add a companion who would stand up for Hawke with all the opposing personalities in the party, and Varric eased into the place.
 * Varric in Dragon Age II is always calling companions by nicknames, calling Merrill "Daisy", Isabela "Rivaini", Bethany "Sunshine", Fenris "Elf", Carver "Junior", Anders "Blondie", Sebastian "Choir-Boy", and Tallis "Shivs". He never comes up with one for Aveline, however — a fact she comments on if they are both in the party together. He suggests "Red", but she responds in the negative, stating that it is "too common". Varric likewise doesn't nickname Hawke until the Mark of the Assassin DLC, where they can receive a nickname depending on their current personality. A Diplomatic/Helpful Hawke is nicknamed as "Waffles", a Sarcastic/Charming Hawke as "Chuckles", and an Aggressive/Direct Hawke as "Killer".
 * Varric continues with the nicknaming tradition in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Vivienne is "Iron Lady", Iron Bull is "Tiny", Cole is "Kid", Cullen is "Curly", Josephine is "Ruffles", Solas is "Chuckles", Blackwall is "Hero", Dorian is "Sparkler", Sera is "Buttercup", Shaper Valta is "Scribbles" and Lt. Renn is called "Grisly". Varric calls both Hands of the Divine by their established titles: Cassandra is "Seeker", and Leliana is "Nightingale". The Inquisitor does not receive an official nickname, although Varric does occasionally refer to them as "Your Inquisitorialness". During Here Lies the Abyss he refers to Nightmare as "Smiley".
 * In Dragon Age: Knight Errant, Varric's nickname for Vaea is "Fingers" and his nickname for Ser Aaron is "Muscles."
 * Though he is not a romance option, he can be flirted with by a female Hawke and by the Inquisitor.
 * Regarding romance, according to David Gaider, they almost did "slip something in there." They talked about having the interrogation end with Varric meeting back up with Hawke and explaining that he'd told them everything, in which case Hawke would say "Everything?" and Varric would respond "Don't worry. I skipped the part about us..."
 * Due to Varric's role in the game's storyline, he is the only companion in Dragon Age II who cannot have crisis points and leave the group.
 * It is subtly revealed that Varric uses his spy network to keep watch and help out the other party members. An early companion quest in Act 2 reveals that he keeps the Darktown thugs from attacking Anders's clinic (Anders will question this in a party banter), and inter-party banter with Merrill shows that he pays off the Lowtown gangs to leave her alone if she walks around Lowtown at night; he also pays the gardeners in Hightown to keep quiet about Merrill picking flowers from the nobles' gardens.
 * When asked about the origin of the name of his crossbow, Bianca, Varric will reply, "Mirabelle was taken." This is a reference to the black powder firearm Mirabelle from BioWare's Jade Empire.
 * He is described as "The Storyteller" in promotional materials for Inquisition.
 * Varric recommends the book "The Pursuit of Knowledge" by Brother Genitivi to Hawke.
 * During the Mark of the Assassin DLC, party banter with Hawke will reveal that he was actually hoping to intercept Hawke and their sibling before they talked to Bartrand.
 * Mary Kirby describes him as "beef bourguignon.".
 * Varric's greatest fear is to become like his parents.
 * When asked about Bianca (the crossbow) in Inquisition, Varric can give several different explanations as to how he acquired it, but with a high enough approval he will indirectly mention Bianca (the Dwarf) on the second dialogue option given.
 * According to David Gaider, the unreleased expansion for Dragon Age II would have ended with Varric's death. The expansion was scrapped to give Dragon Age: Inquisition more time for development.
 * A reference to Varric can be found after completion of Mass Effect: Andromeda, another Bioware game. An email can be read from one "V. Tethras", saying "A great story, Pathfinder. I'm going to write a book about this."