Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

Dragon Age: The Masked Empire is a novel by BioWare writer Patrick Weekes. It was announced on March 29, 2013, and released in April 2014.

Synopsis
"''Empress Celene of Orlais rose to the throne of the most powerful nation in Thedas through wisdom, wit, and ruthless manipulation. Now, the empire she has guided into an age of enlightenment is threatened from within by imminent war between the templars and the mages, even as rebellion stirs among the downtrodden elves. To save Orlais, Celene must keep her hold on the throne by any means necessary.

''Fighting with the legendary skill of the Orlesian Chevaliers, Grand Duke Gaspard has won countless battles for the empire and the empress. But has he fought in vain? As the Circle fails and chaos looms, Gaspard begins to doubt that Celene’s diplomatic approach to the mage problem or the elven uprisings will keep the empire safe. Perhaps it is time for a new leader, one who lives by the tenets of the Chevalier’s Code, to make Orlais strong again.

''Briala has been Celene’s handmaid since the two of them were children, subtly using her position to help improve the lives of elves across Orlais. She is Celene’s confidante, spymaster, and lover, but when politics force the empress to choose between the rights of Briala’s people and the Orlesian throne, Briala must in turn decide where her true loyalties lie.

Alliances are forged and promises broken as Celene and Gaspard battle for the throne of Orlais. But in the end, the elves who hide in the forests or starve in the alienages may decide the fate of the masked empire."

Plot
The novel features the rebel leader, Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons, who begins to question whether his countless victories in battle have been in vain as the Empress struggles to keep the mages and elves under control.

The novel also features the elf Briala, who is the handmaid, spymaster and lover of Empress Celene. As Celene and Gaspard battle for the Orlesian throne, Briala begins to question where her loyalties lie, since the Empress is forced to choose between the rights of Briala's people, the potential shifting alliances with Orlesian nobility, and clinging to power.

Characters

 * Briala - elven spymaster of the Empress
 * Empress Celene - Empress of Orlais
 * Felassan - an ex-Dalish mage
 * Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons
 * Imshael - an ancient demon
 * Leliana - Divine's left hand
 * Lemet - a city elf
 * Lienne de Montsimmard - daughter of Marquis de Montsimmard and an apostate
 * Melcendre - a human bard in the service of Grand Duke Gaspard
 * Ser Michel de Chevin - a chevalier and the champion of Empress
 * Teagan Guerrin - the Fereldan ambassador
 * Thren - a city elf

Locations
The novel features such Orlesian locations as the royal palace, the University of Orlais and the slums in Val Royeaux and Halamshiral in the Dales.

Trivia

 * In Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, Vivienne, Dowager Marquise Mantillon and Prosper de Montfort are mentioned by other characters.