Editing Aaron Hawthorne

{{Quote|[[Fereldan Rebellion|The War]] had barely ended, and it was about to begin anew. But one war-weary young man wasn't about to let that happen. Me.}}

<onlyinclude>{{CharacterTransformer
|style          = {{{style|}}}
|name           = [[Aaron Hawthorne]]
|image          = DA-KE Ser Aaron.PNG
|px             = 270x360px
|title          = Ser
|gender         = Male
|race           = [[Human]]
|class          = [[Warrior]]
|specialization = 
|rank           = 
|family         = 
|affiliation    = 
|location       = 
|quests         = 
|voice          = 
|appearances    = [[Dragon Age: Knight Errant]] <br> [[Heroes of Dragon Age]] <br> [[Dragon Age: Deception]] <br> [[Dragon Age: Blue Wraith]] <br> [[Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights]] <br> [[Dragon Age: Dark Fortress]]
}}</onlyinclude>

Ser '''Aaron Hawthorne''' of Ferelden is a landless travelling [[Fereldan]] knight. He travels throughout Ferelden and solves various issues, spinning tales of his travels along the way. 

== Background ==
{{SpoilerKE|style=short|
{{BioWare canon}}
Aaron was born in poverty in Portsmouth during the [[Orlais|Orlesian]] occupation of Ferelden in 8:87 [[Blessed Age| Blessed]].<ref>Unofficial BSN. https://bsn.boards.net/post/1170071/thread</ref><ref>{{Tumblr|author=Nunzio DeFilippis|url=https://weirdefilippis.tumblr.com/post/648873880803491840/maybe-a-weird-question-and-i-dont-know-how-well|title=Maybe a weird question...}}</ref> He started working at the docks when he was 6 years old. When he was 8, the [[Fereldan Rebellion]] reached Portsmouth, until then firmly under Orlesian control. Aaron wished to take up arms but was instead tasked with smuggling information to [[Maric Theirin]]. A poor thief and spy, he was caught when he was 9, but managed to defeat his captors in combat. Maric was impressed and made him a front-line fighter for the last five years of the war.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Knight Errant]]'', issue 4</ref>  

At 15, Aaron was knighted by King Maric himself after helping to avoid further conflicts with [[Orlais]] following the [[Fereldan Rebellion]]. As all his family had died during the [[Second Orlesian Invasion|Orlesian occupation]], and he had no lands of his own, Ser Aaron became a wandering knight.<ref name="KE">''[[Dragon Age: Knight Errant]]'', issue 1</ref> 

During the [[Fifth Blight]], Ser Aaron was among the knights who fought alongside [[Cailan Theirin|King Cailan]] in the [[Battle of Ostagar]], and one of the few survivors.<ref name="KE"/> There are conflicting stories regarding his role during the battle. Some say that he killed two [[ogre]]s at once but remained trapped under their bodies until the battle was over, others that he drank too much on the eve of battle and missed the whole fight. According to his squire [[Vaea]], he was with [[Loghain Mac Tir]] when he sounded the retreat but disobeyed the orders and raced into the battlefield on his own just in time to see King Cailan killed.<ref name=ke3>''[[Dragon Age: Knight Errant]]'', issue 3</ref>

Around 9:37 [[Dragon Age|Dragon]], while in [[Denerim]], Ser Aaron fell in love with a woman who called herself Lady Elena. After her sudden disappearance, he went asking for her around the [[Denerim Market District]], only to be told by [[Slim Couldry]] that the woman he was looking for was actually a failed actress and confidence artist named [[Olivia Pryde]]. Slim Couldry further revealed that they were partners in crime, that he would buy the items she stole from her marks, usualkly wealthy nobles, and resell them elsewhere. When he realized that Olivia had stolen from a landless knight, someone he considered one of his own, he returned the item, happy to shoulder the loss himself.

[[File:Edgehall elves vs humans.png|right|thumb|280px|Ser Aaron mediating the Edgehall conflict]]
The day after his encounter with Slim Couldry, Ser Aaron left for the [[alienage]] of [[Edgehall]]. The [[city elves]] there were being treated harshly by [[Arl]] [[Gell Lendon]]. He had their [[vhenadahl]] cut down and burned in front of them; when a [[Dalish]] clan offered a sapling for a new tree, the Arl had it confiscated. Ser Aaron forced the Arl to stand down and ensured the tree was returned to the Edgehall alienage. King [[Alistair]] ordered the sapling not to be touched, to protect it. Even though the elves had not much to call their own, they still gave their all to Aaron as thanks. Aaron was so moved by the elves' kindness and generosity that he took one of the elves, a woman named [[Vaea]], as a squire, in hopes her successes would be shared with her people as they travel from town to town, telling tales.<ref name="KE"/>
}}

== Involvement ==
{{BioWare canon}}
=== ''Dragon Age: Knight Errant'' ===
{{SpoilerKE|style=short|
Ser Aaron is invited to Kirkwall as a guest of honor of [[Varric Tethras]], sometime after the latter's appointment as [[Kirkwall#Governance|Viscount]]. At the banquet, Ser Aaron regales the guests with tales of his deeds.<ref name="KE"/> After the feast, Ser Aaron returns to his room. Due to the viscount's very potent liquor, Vaea is unable to wake him from his sleep. Ser [[Nevin Faramore]] catches up to Vaea in the room, but is also unable to wake Ser Aaron. He wakes on his own in the morning, claiming to have slept like a baby, and tells Vaea that he's been invited to the birthday party of the [[Sebastian Vael|Prince of Starkhaven]] and that they must leave immediately. 

During the party in [[Starkhaven]], Ser Aaron gets into a heated argument with Professor [[Cedric Marquette]], whom he accuses of looting from dead cultures and being little better than a thief. In response, Marquette calls Aaron himself a thief, saying that there has been a rash of thefts across [[Thedas]] in his wake. Sebastian intervenes before things turn violent. When Aaron leaves the party in Varric's company for a walk, he tells him that he has heard nothing of thefts in his presence, but instead of generous donations to the poor. He also says that the reason he tells his stories is to remind people that every small action has a chance to make a real difference. 

Upon returning to the party, he is once again confronted by Professor Marquette. Varric comes to his defense again, telling the Professor about Ser Aaron's loyal service to the kings of Ferelden, but the professor is unconvinced. Finally, Seneschal [[Granger]] intervenes, defending Ser Aaron's reputation but insinuating that Vaea is the true culprit. Granger points out that Vaea is not at the party, and that he will prove her guilt. When Granger later catches Vaea red-handed in Sebastian's chambers, Ser Aaron knocks him out but confronts Vaea about her activities with sword drawn. However, he reveals that he was aware of her thefts all along, and that he approved of them given her targets and the use she made of the stolen coin. He only wants to know why she's stealing from a ruler as well-loved as Sebastian. When Vaea discloses that she is acting under orders from the Inquisition, he expresses happiness that she has found a worthy cause.

Their conversation is interrupted by Cedric Marquette and a group of Tevinters. Ser Aaron orders Vaea to run with the journal and to start a new life while he engages the dozen Tevinters on his own. Soon after dealing with them, Seneschal Granger awakens and asks Ser Aaron to explain his actions and to hand over Vaea in order to avoid a diplomatic incident between Starkhaven and Ferelden. Ser Aaron confesses to the thefts and asks that Vaea be exonerated. 

However, before Granger can take Ser Aaron to Sebastian, Vaea returns and hands over Cedric, claiming that Ser Aaron sent her to thwart Marquette's theft of the now missing journal. Granger remains skeptical but Sebastian is quite taken by her exploits and believes her story over Granger's objections. Vaea and Ser Aaron quickly leave Sebastian's palace before Marquette can wake up; Ser Aaron vowing to follow the journal's thief wherever they may lead. Ser Aaron remarks to Vaea that they will have to return the journal once they are done with it.

[[File:VaeaAaron.png|right|thumb|300px]]
While leaving Starkhaven, Vaea reads the journal and discovers that some red lyrium may already be in the possession of the Tevinters. She agrees to go there to help the Inquisition with this matter. Ser Aaron intends to follow her as well, given his earlier promise to follow the journal's thief. As they depart, Vaea takes Ser Aaron's wine and throws it away, saying that his days as a drunk are over. The both of them then agree to help each other in their new adventure in Tevinter. Vaea remarks that Tevinter may not find Ser Aaron's stories of Fereldan glory as enthralling to which Ser Aaron counters that they are exceptional stories.
}}

=== ''Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights'' ===
{{SpoilerTN|
'''''Herold Had the Plan'''''<br>
Ser Aaron is with Vaea in a tavern near [[Starkhaven]] when [[Bharv]] gives her the amulet he stole from the [[Free Marches#Culture|Grand Tourney]]. Ser Aaron is at the main bar, telling stories to other customers. Bharv notes that he's a good storyteller and that the amount of details proves he's been to the places he describes.<ref>Ser Aaron and Vaea's cameo is most likely set between the events of ''Knight Errant'' and ''Deception''. [https://bsn.boards.net/post/1346276/thread Nunzio DeFilippis on the Unofficial BSN]</ref>
}}

=== ''Dragon Age: Deception'' ===
{{SpoilerDEC|
On their quest to recover the [[red lyrium]] that was stolen from [[Kirkwall]], Ser Aaron and Vaea travel to the [[Tevinter Imperium|Tevinter]] city of [[Ventus]], which is under imminent threat of [[Qunari]] invasion. While there, Ser Aaron meets with [[Magister]] [[Dorian Pavus]], who assists in their mission to infiltrate the Qintara estate, where the red lyrium was supposedly taken. Shortly after, Ser Aaron runs into [[Olivia Pryde]], the only woman he's ever loved, and a con artist who stole from him 7 years ago then disappeared. In exchange for his help getting Olivia and [[Calix]] out of trouble with [[Florian Invidus]], another one of their marks, Ser Aaron recruits them for the Qintara mission. He tasks them with securing the floor plans to the Qintara estate, which [[Vaea]] needs to successfully break into the place. 

:[[File:Aaron Deception.png|right|thumb|250px|Ser Aaron waking up from a night of drinking]]
They all return to the tavern to plan their next steps. Ser Aaron orders an ale, which Vaea drinks in his stead. When he overhears a conversation between Olivia and two [[Antivan Crows]], where she demands they not kill or hurt anyone while providing them with a distraction, Ser Aaron takes it as a sign that Olivia does have morals. He tells her that she would have known [[Slim Couldry]]'s feelings on nobility, which meant she knew he would return his pendant. The fact that she stole nothing from him is proof that she's more than a common thief. She replies that she is a thief, but not at all common. 

After their successful mission at the Ventus Vault, Olivia decides to take Calix to bed, which prompts Ser Aaron to resume drinking. Drunk, he causes a scene at the tavern, which Vaea interrupts. When she expresses disappointment that he broke his promise to quit drinking, he replies that she's "not inspiration enough." Ser Aaron and Vaea's relationship remains strained the next morning. While Ser Aaron wants them to stick together so he can keep her safe, Vaea demands he stay out of her way while she works.  

In the Qintara estate, Ser Aaron saves the life of [[Francesca Invidus]], who had come to the estate to warn of intruders. Soon after, the invading Qunari break into the estate, with orders to kill Magister Qintara and anyone else in their way. Ser Aaron says that he can't fight them all, that not all of them would make it if he did. Olivia then volunteers to act as a distraction, playing the role of Magister Qintara while the rest of the group flees. Ser Aaron bids Olivia farewell, saying that he always knew she was a good woman. She replies that she's not, but can play the role of one. Outside the city, a despondent Ser Aaron tells Vaea that he pushed Olivia to be just heroic enough to die. He also apologizes to Vaea for his earlier behavior, saying that he only saw the world in black and white. She reaffirms her commitment to help him change, saying that she's "inspirational like that."
}}

=== ''Dragon Age: Blue Wraith'' ===
{{SpoilerBW|
In their mission to find [[Castellum Tenebris]] and the red-lyrium weapon, Ser Aaron, Vaea, Marius, and Tessa attack the Qunari pursuing [[Cedric Marquette]], fleeing from Carastes with an artifact he was hired to recover by Magister [[Tractus Danarius|Danarius]]. After [[Francesca Invidus]] kills the remaining half-dozen Qunari with a single spell, Ser Aaron starts telling one of his stories, but is interrupted by Vaea. When Ser Aaron replies that he thought Vaea liked his stories, she apologises and asks him to go on, but he says that the moment is lost.

When Francesca leaves the group for Fort Viridan, Vaea chooses to follow her, arguing that she shouldn't be left alone, and that they might need her firepower to infiltrate the fortress. Ser Aaron tells her to take [[Autumn]], whose tracking abilities she'll need to rejoin the main group once they've followed Marquette's caravan to Tenebris.

On the way to the fortress, Calix tells him that he's angry Autumn left against Olivia's dying wish. Ser Aaron replies that [[mabari]] need a sense of purpose, and that Autumn choosing to stay with Olivia was one of the reasons he thought she was a good person. Calix says that Autumn was right to leave then, as he's not the kind of person who would sacrifice his life for the greater good. 

Soon after, Marquette meets with [[Magister]] [[Nenealeus]], Marius' former master and the one who made him a mage-killer. They test the sarcophagus on a human subject; the man, [[Lyrium Ghost|wraithlike]] and glowing blue, attacks Ser Aaron's group as they attempt to follow the caravan. When Ser Aaron's horse, Cassé, is injured in the battle, he tells the others to lure the enemy away from the horse. Unstable, the test subject explodes shortly after attacking. The group attempts to keep pursuing the caravan, but Cassé's leg injury slows them down and they are set upon by more Qunari and unstable test subjects. Fenris, Vaea, Francesca, and Autumn arrive just in time to help them.

After the battle, Calix tells him that he's not built for this, and Ser Aaron expresses understanding. Then Francesca heals Cassé, as Ser Aaron had hoped she could. He tells Vaea that he had faith she'd bring Francesca back, and she replies that it's good to know, as they are a team and she'll deal with anything he has to deal with. As Fenris leads them towards Tenebris, Ser Aaron starts telling a tale of a time he spent in the [[Dales]] traveling with a group of elves who had dreams of restarting the [[Emerald Knights]]. He stops to asks Vaea if he's already told her that story. She replies that he has, but that it's a good one he should share with the others.
}}

=== ''Dragon Age: Dark Fortress'' ===
{{SpoilerDF|
On their way to Tenebris, just outside [[Neromenian]], Ser Aaron is struggling with nightmares of the [[Battle of Ostagar]]. When he wakes up, calling out King [[Cailan Theirin|Cailan]]'s name, he reaches for his flask, but stops himself when [[Vaea]], keeping watch nearby, asks whether he wants to talk. He dismisses her offer and goes back to sleep. The next day, Ser Aaron leads the group to a tavern while [[Tessa Forsythia|Tessa]] scouts around town for information on how to infiltrate [[Castellum Tenebris]]. He orders himself an alcoholic beverage, though he does not drink it. Vaea is concerned about him, but says that she can't push him too much. [[Fenris]] notes that Ser Aaron has the look of a man haunted by failure.

:[[File:AaronVaea.png|right|thumb|200px|Aaron & [[Vaea]]]]
After Tessa reports that [[Tractus Danarius]] is getting drunk at a tavern in town, Ser Aaron supports Vaea when she argues with Fenris not to kill him. While Vaea, Fenris, and Autumn interrogate Danarius to find a way into the fortress, Ser Aaron and the rest of the group act as lookouts. Ser Aaron's group leave the tavern when the [[Qunari]] invade the city and head for Castellum Tenebris, leaving Tractus alive but tied up in his room.

Using her acrobatic skills, Vaea is able to infiltrate the castle and open the secret passageway for the rest of the group. She is surprised by the level of concern that Ser Aaron displays towards her, as she's broken into hundreds of places before without issue. When she asks him whether he is haunted by his failure at Ostagar, he replies that what troubles him is the lack of impact his choices have had, pointing to [[Olivia Pryde|Olivia]]'s death and [[Cedric Marquette|Marquette]]'s escape from Starkhaven. Vaea retorts that impact can be measured in different ways. She credits Ser Aaron for helping her become more than a thief and trust humans again as well as helping [[Francesca Invidus|Francesca]] and Fenris join their group. Inspired by her words, Ser Aaron drops his wineskin to the ground.

They continue to make their way through the tunnels, eventually reaching the castle's courtyard, where the ritual to empower [[Shirallas]] with [[red lyrium]] will take place. However, they find heavier resistance than they'd expected: in addition to [[Nenealeus]], [[Cedric Marquette]], Shirallas, and the [[Venatori]], the courtyard is also defended by a [[high dragon]]. While Vaea, Fenris and Autumn try to free the dragon, Ser Aaron and the rest of the group mounts a direct assault on the courtyard. However, their efforts are disrupted when the Qunari start subjecting the castle to heavy bombardment. Ultimately, though the group manages to slow Shirallas down, he enters the sarcophagus and emerges from it covered in red lyrium markings.

To face against the combined threat of the Red Wraith, Nenealeus, and the high dragon, Fenris makes a deal with the Qunari, allowing them inside the castle on the condition that Ser Aaron's group be allowed to leave after the fight. In the confrontation, Ser Aaron faces off against the Red Wraith. After learning from Marquette that separating Shirallas from his weapon will disrupt his healing ability, Ser Aaron starts telling the story of how he parted an [[Hurlock emissary|emissary]] from his weapon, prompting Vaea to rush to his side. She arrives just in time to see Ser Aaron get stabbed in the chest, cut off Shirallas' hands in return, then push himself off a high ledge to separate him from his red lyrium sword, still embedded in Ser Aaron's torso.

Vaea makes her way down to Ser Aaron just in time to witness his final moments. As he lay dying, he gives her a letter addressed to King Alistair, asking him to make Vaea a knight. After his death, she decides to return to Ferelden to return Ser Aaron's remains to his native Portsmouth. Fenris, Francesca, and Autumn offer to accompany her. As they start their journey south, Vaea tells them the story of how Ser Aaron got his horse from Grand Duke [[Gaspard de Chalons]].
}}

== Trivia ==
* Varric's nickname for him is Muscles.<ref name=ke3 />
* Aaron’s horse is an [[Orlesian Courser]]<ref>[http://bsn.boards.net/post/1332309/thread Nunzio DeFilippis on the Unofficial BSN]</ref> named Cassé which used to belong to [[Gaspard de Chalons]]. Gaspard named him such because he saw the horse as a broken thing for avoiding combat. Ser Aaron wouldn't let Gaspard put him down, and Cassé has been with him since.<ref>''[[Dragon Age: Blue Wraith]]'', issue 3</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="180" spacing="small" position="center" captionalign="center" orientation="portrait">
File:YoungAaron.png|Ser Aaron as a youth, during the Fereldan Rebellion
File:Knight Errant Cover 3.jpg|Ser Aaron on the cover of ''Dragon Age: Knight Errant'' #3
File:SerAaronHeroes.jpg|Ser Aaron in ''[[Heroes of Dragon Age]]''
</gallery>

== References ==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawthorne, Aaron}}
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[[ru:Аарон Хоторн]]
[[de:Aaron Hawthorne]]