Alistair's Family is Alistair's Companion Quest. Whilst this quest is fairly short and simple to complete, it can be crucial as one possible result is that Alistair's personality is hardened, affecting his reactions at a number of points later in the campaign.
Background
In order to receive this quest, Alistair must have approval of Warm or Interested (26+) and you need to know who Alistair's father is. This can be learned when entering Redcliffe Village the first time, but only if Alistair is in your party. If you missed this chance, you must finish The Urn of Sacred Ashes before it will be revealed.
Once these prerequisites are met, the next time you initiate dialogue with Alistair, he will tell you about his sister, Goldanna, and ask to visit her next time the party is in the Denerim Market District.
Journal
Find Goldanna
Alistair told you about his half-sister, Goldanna, with whom he shares a mother. He's always wanted to find her to talk to her, but he's never done it. Now Alistair wishes to warn her about the Blight, while he still has the chance. Goldanna lives in Denerim Market District, near the Alienage.
Walkthrough
- Head to Denerim with Alistair in your party. Once there, walk toward the market and Alistair will engage you in a cut scene and point out Goldanna's House (which is to the left of Wade's Emporium).
- Walk into the house and Goldanna and Alistair will talk. Goldanna, it transpires, resents Alistair and is only interested in any money he can give her. You can give her money, or not: this doesn't affect the outcome of the quest.
- Once the scene ends, you'll find yourself outside the house. There is the potential here, through dialogue, to "harden" Alistair's personality and change his reaction to certain events later in the story. To do so, select the "Everyone is out for themselves. You should learn that." conversation option. Once Alistair's approval reaches Friendly or Adore, then the next time you speak to him (as long as your approval remains high enough) he will comment that he's been thinking about what you said and he agrees he should stand up for himself more. As long as you don't say "That's not what I meant. Don't do that!", then his personality will be hardened.
- The quest is marked as complete when the conversation with Alistair is ended outside Goldanna's house.
Result
Whether or not Alistair's personality is hardened can affect the game in a number of ways:
- In The Pearl in Denerim, there is a woman named Isabela who is acquainted with Zevran. If you are in a romance with Alistair and bring him to The Pearl, and you have hardened Alistair’s personality, he will join you in a threesome if you choose that in her conversation choices.
- If Alistair's personality is hardened and The Warden is not a human noble and is in a romance with him, then Alistair can be persuaded to remain their lover after becoming king at The Landsmeet (otherwise he will end the relationship after becoming king). This is the case even if Alistair is to marry Anora.
- Alistair's attitude towards becoming king will be more positive (or at least his attitude to Anora becoming queen will be more negative) if his personality is hardened.
- If The Warden is male, and a "hardened" Alistair is chosen as the champion to fight Loghain at The Landsmeet and has not agreed to marry Anora, then Alistair will assume the throne without further input from The Warden.
- Alistair will still marry Anora and become king if Loghain lives as long as they had previously agreed to marry and Alistair's personality has been hardened. Otherwise, Alistair will leave for good, if allowed to live. (Note that Alistair will still leave The Warden's party if Loghain lives, but if he becomes king will be around during the Epilogue.)