Leliana

Leliana is an Orlesian bard who can accompany the Warden through Dragon Age: Origins. She came to the village of Lothering seeking the refuge of the local chantry, where she expected to spend her time in meditation and prayer to the Maker, asking Him for forgiveness for her past deeds. She is a possible companion and romance option for either gender. She can also teach the bard specialization.

Background
Although Leliana's mother was from Ferelden, she was raised after her mother's death by an Orlesian noble, Lady Cecile, whom her mother served during the Orlesian occupation and followed to Orlais after Ferelden's liberation. Living in Orlais, Leliana learned a great deal about the royal court and Orlesian culture.

Involvement
Leliana believes she has received a "vision from the Maker" which compels her to assist the Warden in thwarting the impending Blight. {{DAOSpoiler| Leliana is first encountered at Dane's Refuge, a tavern at Lothering. When the Warden is set upon by soldiers loyal to Loghain, Leliana will aid the Warden in the battle. When the battle is over, she will say that she wants to join the party due to her vision. Despite the Chantry's claim that the Maker does not communicate directly with people, Leliana is firm in her belief. This causes Alistair to suspect she is mentally unstable.

If Leliana is rejected initially, it is possible to ask other people in Lothering about her. She will be waiting at the exit from Lothering and will ask to join the party again. At this point, Alistair will suggest accepting her.

The Urn of Sacred Ashes
During The Urn of Sacred Ashes, the Guardian briefly talks to each of the party members about their past. When he speaks to Leliana, he states that the Maker only spoke to Andraste, and accuses her of making her vision up. He says that she feared her life would become dull after joining the Chantry, so she fabricated the story about the vision, reveling in the negative and positive attention it brought her. She seems taken aback by the claim and denies it, saying that she knows and still believes in her vision.

Due to her devout nature, Leliana will not stand idly by if the Warden chooses to defile the Ashes of Andraste. If she is in the party, she will attack, resulting in her death. She can be intimidated to avoid this; she will not forgive the Warden for the desecration, but cannot go against the Warden and will stay as a companion. If she is not in the party at the time, she will confront the Warden at the Party Camp. If she cannot be persuaded, she will leave permanently.

Marjolaine
Eventually Marjolaine sends assassins after Leliana. The assassins reveal that Marjolaine is in Ferelden. During the quest, Leliana's personality can be "hardened" through certain dialogue options. Doing this will make her less likely to object to evil actions taken by party, will change her attitude towards Morrigan, and will alter her possible endings. }}

Romance
Leliana is a major potential romance interest for both male and female wardens.

Quests Given

 * Leliana's Past

Gifts
Leliana prefers gifts with "Andraste" in their name, as well as other symbols of the Chantry. The white flowers called Andraste's Grace work particularly well. She loves shoes, too. Leliana can also be given a pet nug from the Idle Dwarf in Dust Town. It will stay with her throughout the game.

Initial Statistics
Relative Attribute Weightings on Auto-Level: Strength 0.6, Dexterity 1.2, Willpower 0.4, Magic 0, Cunning 1.2, Constitution 0.6.

Class: Rogue

Specialization: Bard

Skills: Stealing level 2, Poison level 1, Combat training level 2

Starting Talents:

Bard: Song of Valor

Rogue: Dirty Fighting, Below the Belt, Deft Hands, Improved Tools

Archery: Pinning Shot, Crippling Shot, Rapid Shot, Shattering Shot

Plot Skills
As you befriend Leliana and gain her approval she will gain additional abilities, including the following:

Quotes

 * "I tried to be merciful!"
 * "The righteous stand before the darkness, and the Maker shall guide their hand."
 * "I came to Ferelden and the Chantry because I was being hunted. I walked where the Maker led me and he has rewarded me for my faith. I found you."
 * "Walking corpses? Do you think it's something in the water?"
 * "I never liked this part!" (when entering combat)
 * "My bruises form a pretty pattern!" (Getting up at the end of combat)
 * "I can't go on like this." (when badly injured)
 * "Ooh! A windmill. I once took a ride on the sails of a windmill. Didn't turn out well." (at Redcliffe village)
 * "Ooh, this looks fun! I'll bet we'll have to work together, join hands, and sing a happy song to get across." (when confronted with floor puzzle)
 * "Look at what that woman's wearing! Is she drunk or does she just have bad taste?"
 * "I suppose violence is a solution... sometimes!"
 * "Try not to look too incompetent, it's embarrassing!"
 * "You are my dearest friend and my love; you lit my path through darkness and I will stand with you, to whatever end. This day, we will forge a legend of our own." (At the gates of Denerim if you bring her with you to fight the Archdemon)
 * "You are my Grey Warden, and our savior. Win this war for us my love and... come home." (At the gates of Denerim if you do not bring her with you to fight the Archdemon)

Trivia

 * Leliana's CGI model from the Sacred Ashes trailer is based on adult model Alexandra "Alleykatze" Stein.
 * When asked to compare a list of NPC companions to food, BioWare employee Mary Kirby described Leliana as "A sticky cinnamon bun. No question".
 * Sheryl Chee described her as, "a macaron; very French and very girly."
 * After the "Nature of the Beast" quest, Leliana can sing a song in the camp if she likes you enough. The theme is called "Leliana's Song".
 * If Leliana is given the cute nug, she will name it Schmooples. (To see for yourself, hold down tab on the PC version to highlight your companions names or left trigger on the console versions to note all names in the vicinity.)
 * At one point when discussing Orlais fashion with Leliana, she will mention how one trend had shoes with soles "as big as bricks." This is obviously a nod to platform shoes, similarly fashionable a few years ago and just as impractical.
 * Leliana is one of three companions who appears in the Sacred Ashes trailer.
 * If Leliana's approval is high enough, it is possible that she will hum a little melody when the player takes control of Leliana.
 * When in the fade, there are 2 NPC's that look like Leliana.

Bugs

 * A female human noble Warden who does not engage in a romance with Leliana and becomes Alistair's queen during the Landsmeet can still get a heartbroken speech from her back at camp on the topic if her approval rating is high. Oddly, it is possible to squeeze a few more approval points out of this dialogue if you are regretful about having to "end it" with Leliana, even if you were never in a romance with her to begin with.
 * If you give Leliana lots of gifts and have her at 100 approval, (this is where I encountered it) in Orzammar's Proving Grounds, when you are in the championship battle and are almost finish killing, Leliana will blurt out "oh thanks that wonderful" as in giving a gift.
 * As an elven mage Leliana will still ask you about living/growing up in the Alienage even if you don't remember living anywhere before the Circle (as I established in my origin story). There was no option to say that I didn't remember the Alienage, only commenting on how life was in it.
 * One important dialogue option that leads to Leliana's background quest can be lost if you get her approval too high without talking to her. Therefore, do not simply shower Leliana with gifts -- talk to her (she really likes to talk) and make sure you ask an impertinent question about "I heard that in Orlais, minstrels are often spies" when that option appears. As her approval increases further, you can no longer ask it. Leliana's background quest requires her to first tell you a lie about her background, and then feel bad and come clean on it. If the question about spies disappears from the dialogue options before you ask it, you will never learn of Leliana's past and you will not get the quest to seek out her former bard master, Marjolaine.


 * Weirdly enough leliana has blue eyes and when she has blood all over herself her eyes turned a greenish colour.