- See the Anderfels for information on the Anders people.
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“The people fear what we can do, but to use that fear to bludgeon us into submission is wrong! And they do it with our blessing!”
Anders is an apostate mage who has escaped from the Circle of Magi and is a potential companion in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. He has a distinct hate for the Circle and Chantry, and will constantly make comments on his opinion. He is also a companion and potential love interest[1] to either a female or male Hawke in Dragon Age II.[2]
Background
As an adolescent he was taken to the Circle Tower by the templars, which he despised as he compared it to a prison. Anders is not his real name (which is unknown), but rather a nickname referring to the fact that his family is from the Anderfels[3]. He's a very talented mage and has escaped from the tower seven times, only to be captured and brought back by the templars. Despite accusations that he is a maleficar, he is only an apostate and campaigns vigourously for the freedom of mages; from his point-of-view, the Chantry twists Andraste's words of "magic is to serve man, never to rule over him", to mean that mages must be prisoners. Despite his ideals of freedom for others, he sees slavery as suitable to those who dare spit on the freedom of mages.
Involvement
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Anders is casting a spell
Anders is found during the opening quest to regain Vigil's Keep. He has killed many darkspawn and is surrounded by dead templars. He claims to have not killed the templars although there is no proof either way. The Warden-Commander can then ask him to join the group and he will do so. Alternatively, the Warden can let him escape at that point and still have a chance to recruit him later on the rooftop of Vigil's Keep. He will be found spying on the Withered and Seneschal Varel, at which point he'll warn the Warden about the danger that lies ahead and confess that he came back because he wanted to help defend people against the darkspawn.
After the opening quest is completed, Rylock, a templar, will warrant Anders' arrest. The Warden-Commander can either conscript him, therefore making him undergo the Joining Ritual, or allow his arrest with or without leniency. If conscripted, he will survive the ritual and become a Grey Warden. During his companion quest, another choice will have to be made to either side with him, or let the templars take him into custody.
Epilogue
- If left to defend the Keep, Anders will be hailed a hero by the few survivors of Vigil's Keep by using his magic to hold off hundreds of darkspawn. He gets invited by the men to engage in a drinking contest. He loses.
- Anders will remain with the Grey Wardens to train the Order's next generation of mages. When he is called by the Circle of Magi to deliver a lecture on the nature of the Architect - much to the templars' dismay - he tells the Commander of the Grey that his time with the Order is over. However, not two months later, he returns and the Wardens remain his home and lasting companions.
- If Anders' companion quest is not complete, he will be captured again when he resigns from the Wardens. With his phylactery secure, he is unable to evade the templars. After two subsequent escape attempts, he vanishes for a third and final time.
- If left to defend the Keep without enough upgrades to it, he is found dead with an arrow through his neck with hundreds of darkspawn dead in a circle around him; none were touched with a blade, but all were felled by magic.
- No longer a part of the Wardens, the Chantry brands him an apostate, but never captures him. He is last seen on a pirate ship with a familiar woman. This possibly references the companion Isabela in Dragon Age II.
Dragon Age II
Anders healing a refugee
Despite the various epilogues of Awakening, Anders left the Wardens to live in Kirkwall, where he uses his healing abilities to aid refugees in the city. Anders is one of the first party members that can be recruited. [4]
When he meets Hawke for the first time, the quest Tranquility starts and they head off to rescue Karl, a friend and, if Hawke is male, former lover of Anders, from the Templars. Upon arriving, they discover Karl has been made Tranquil, and in his anger, Anders reveals himself to be possessed by a spirit.
This spirit is Justice from Awakening. At some point between the timeline of Awakening and Dragon Age II, Anders agrees to be Justice's host, believing that together, they could both bring justice to every mage ever forced into the Circle. However, the anger Anders has towards the Circle of Magi warps Justice into a spirit of Vengeance. Now Anders must struggle mentally and physically to maintain his control.[5]
In a short story about Anders, his transformation is revealed. Rolan, a former Templar and Grey Warden has been sent to keep a close watch on Anders. Rolan mentions "The Wardens agree we can't harbor an abomination", after Justice had fused with Anders. Justice now a spirit of Vengeance lashes out and kills Rolan and presumably other Grey Wardens. It is presumed this is when Anders flees the Grey Wardens for Kirkwall. [6]
Anders mentions Ser Pounce-a-lot, even if not playing an import from Awakening. He says that the Wardens forced him to give the cat to a friend in Amaranthine, claiming it "made him too soft." [7].
Justice in control
If Hawke completes the quest Wayward Son in Act 1, Anders can enter the Fade with you in the Act 2 quest Night Terrors. There Justice takes control of Anders again. If Hawke accepts the offers of the sloth demon to take over Feynriel for a peace agreement, Hawke will be forced to kill Anders and Justice. However, since Anders' "death" occurs in the Fade, it is not permanent, and despite being a Mage he is not made tranquil even thoughKeeper Marethari says a death in the fade will make a Mage tranquil. One can avoid rivalry points by later telling Anders that it was a ruse. This actually results in a good amount of friendship points.
If in Act 3, Hawke ventures into the Deep Roads to search for Nathaniel Howe with Anders present, he and Nathaniel will have a brief exchange. If Anders "died" at the end of Awakening, Nathaniel will be surprised to see him. Anders responds with the explanation that the body that was found and presumed to be him was another mage who had been badly burned. It is implied that Anders used the body as a decoy to escape Vigil's Keep and the Grey Wardens.
In Act 3, whether or not the companion quest Justice is accepted and concluded, Anders will blow up the Chantry before the final battle, effectively igniting the ongoing tension between the templars and the mages into full scale war. If Anders is spared, whether allowed join the fight with Hawke and the mages or told to leave, Sebastian will leave the party, vowing to return to Starkhaven and build an army to attack Kirkwall and avenge Grand Cleric Elthina. If Hawke chose to side with the templars and let Anders go, he will have to be faced later, this however can be avoided if Anders has maximum Rivalry points with Hawke. On the other hand, if the mages are defended and Anders released, he will be encountered again later in the Gallows prison, wanting to be part of the battle. His aid may be accepted, so that he becomes part of the party again, or rejected, in which case he wishes Hawke victory and leaves permanently.
Romance
Anders is a romance option for both genders. If Hawke is male, he will mention that Karl was his "first."[8]. If Hawke is female, he does not mention Karl romantically. [9] Hawke can announce interest in Anders after his personal quest, much to his surprise. Anders will say he should "check a looking glass more often" [10].
In the beginning of the romance Anders will insist that he would hurt Hawke, saying that they might have been able to be together before he merged with Justice. A romance can still be pursued, however, if Hawke continues to flirt in later dialogue.
In Act 2, choosing certain dialogue options during Anders' personal quest will result in a later conversation that initiates the first real romance scene with him, in a Questioning Beliefs. This dialogue changes depending on the Friendship or Rivalry score. If a friend, Anders will be laying out milk for the cats. If a rival, he will be writing a manifesto to convince Hawke to side with him. If Hawke continues to flirt here, he will kiss him/her, then telling Hawke that he will come to the Hawke Estate at night. The next time Hawke enters the estate, Anders will come and the romantic cutscene will be initiated. Anders will confess to being in love with Hawke and, if certain dialogue options are chosen, will move in with him/her at the beginning of Act 3.
In Act 2 Anders can end the romance with Hawke in Anders in the Fade, which is available if a deal is made with Torpor the sloth demon during Night Terrors, and Hawke chooses not to kill the demon (instead killing Anders in the Fade). Accepting the demon's offer and not killing it will result in rivalry points with Anders, and he ends any possible romance. The romance can be continued normally, even if Anders is killed in the Fade, by killing the demon in the end and afterwards telling Anders it was all a ruse, using the special option in the dialogue wheel.
A second companion quest inside the Speak to Anders companion quest, called Key to Your Heart appears if Anders has moved in during Act 2. Hawke can give Anders a key to the underground passage that leads from the outside of his clinic to the Amell estate at the beginning of Act 3.
After finishing Anders' personal quest in Act 3, Justice (Quest), he will apologize in advance for breaking Hawke's heart, presumably because of what he is planning to do with the Chantry. He will, however, continue to stay at the Hawke estate and tell Hawke that he values their support. In the Gallows Prison, if Hawke chooses to run away with him after the battle, the romance will be complete.
The following quests have flirtation dialog options with Anders:
Act 1: Tranquility, Talk to Anders
Act 2: Visit Anders, Dissent, Tevinter Chantry Amulet
Also if Hawke sleeps with Isabela but doesn't choose to romance her, then starts romancing Anders, everything will still function properly and the final kissing scene and achievement will still be accessable. However, in the epilogue cutscene, Varric will say "… all except Isabela" (or both names simultaneously) which indicates a bug, as it should be only Anders, unless Hawke had accepted Isabela's offer of joining her on her ship, in which case Varric saying "… all except Isabela" is correct. (Confirmed above bug occurs by saying "What about Anders?" to Isabela's offer on PC.) The same is also true of Merrill, using the same dialogue options when romancing Anders after having slept with Merrill and broken off the relationship.
If Hawke completes a romance with Anders but kills him in the end, or chose to let him live but then broke up with him before the last battles, Varric will mistakenly say that all the companions parted ways except for Anders during the epilogue.
Fate
Friendship and rivalry
- See the approval page for more information.
Friendship with Anders can generally be earned by siding with the mages or by being agreeable to him in conversation, or by directly confronting demons and blood mages.
Rivalry with Anders can generally be earned by siding with the templars or the Circle or by refusing to champion the oppressed or enslaved.
Quests
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Dragon Age II
Act 1
Act 2
Questioning Beliefs may refer to the following companion quests in Dragon Age II:
Act 2: Midstage approval quests:
- Questioning Beliefs (Anders Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Aveline Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Fenris Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Isabela Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Merrill)
- Questioning Beliefs (Sebastian Act 2)
Act 3: Endstage approval quests:
- Questioning Beliefs (Anders Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Aveline Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Fenris Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Isabela Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Sebastian Act 3)
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Act 3
Questioning Beliefs may refer to the following companion quests in Dragon Age II:
Act 2: Midstage approval quests:
- Questioning Beliefs (Anders Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Aveline Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Fenris Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Isabela Act 2)
- Questioning Beliefs (Merrill)
- Questioning Beliefs (Sebastian Act 2)
Act 3: Endstage approval quests:
- Questioning Beliefs (Anders Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Aveline Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Fenris Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Isabela Act 3)
- Questioning Beliefs (Sebastian Act 3)
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Gifts
Anders favours fashion accessories. He also has a strong liking for cats.
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Name Notes Description
Bell Collar
Located: City of AmaranthineThis is a collar for a small animal. A bell is attached.Gold EarringLocated: Vigil's KeepA single gold earring.Engraved Silver BracersLocated: Kal'Hirol - Trade QuarterBracers bearing a motif of eagles in flight.KittenAn adorable tabby kitten.Knitted ScarfLocated: City of Amaranthine - Chantry of Our Lady RedeemerA soft wool scarf.Phylacteries: A History Written in BloodLocated: Inside the Architect's Lab at the Silverite MineA volume on the origin and history of phylacteries.
Dragon Age II
- The Tevinter Chantry Amulet can be found during the quest A Bitter Pill
Initial statistics
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Class: Mage
Specialization: Spirit Healer
Gear
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Initial gear
Anders specific gear
Dragon Age II
- Main article: Companion armor
Anders' armor upgrades can be found at the following locations:
- Act 2: Armor Struts. Lowtown Lirene's Fereldan Imports Shop: (+30 armor) Next to the apparel shop.
- Act 2: Lyrium Weave. Gallows Mages Goods Shop (+77 attack) Next to Formari Herbalist.
- Act 2: Spirit Essence. Found during the Dissent quest (10% Magic Resistance). After killing Ser Alrik, search the nearby dead end chambers just west of the exit before leaving the area.
- Act 3: Sigil of the Mage Underground. Found during the Best Served Cold quest
After completing his companion quest Justice during Act 3, he will change into a black version of his Renegade's coat. Entering into a romance with him ultimately has no factor in this.
Plot skills
As the player befriends Anders and gains his approval, he will gain additional skills in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening:
| Skill Name | Benefit | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Inspired: Minor Willpower | +1 to Willpower | 25% approval |
| Inspired: Moderate Willpower | +2 to Willpower | 50% approval |
| Inspired: Major Willpower | +4 to Willpower | 75% approval |
| Inspired: Massive Willpower | +6 to Willpower | 90% approval |
Dialogue points
Below are the spots where the player can initiate dialogue with Anders in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. (On the PC, it can be hard to find the correct spot to click; make sure to hit "tab" and rotate the camera if it's not letting you click on it.)
- Vigil's Keep: The statue of Andraste in the middle of the courtyard. Just agree with the apostate point of view and you will get some approval.
- Kal'Hirol - Trade Quarter: A basket of lyrium at the far end of the forge area (where the repair anvil is)
- City of Amaranthine: A pine tree on the left side of the path just before the first gate. As female warden choosing 3,1,4,1 will result in (+13), but no romance.
Quotes
- Main article: Anders/Dialogue
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
- "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools."
- "Maker's breath, kitty. What have you been eating?"
- "After my seventh escape attempt, you think they'd have given me credit for trying."
- "Magic isn't for your amusement! Why don't I just do a little dance? Anders' Spicy Shimmy?"
- (Upon being removed from party) "Andraste's knicker-weasels!"
Dragon Age II
- (To Hawke and party upon first meeting) "I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation! Why do you threaten it?"
- "Since when is Justice happy? Justice is righteous. Justice is hard."
- "Ten years, a hundred years from now, someone like me will love someone like you, and there will be no templars to tear them apart."
- (To Bartrand, after he enquires about the Deep Roads maps) "A wizard did it."
- (Entering the Blooming Rose brothel) If someone here tries to hire me again I'm leaving.
- (Shouted in battle) "I'll show you why mages are feared!"
- (Reviving after a fight) "Even my bruises have bruises."
- (To Hawke's dog) "Be a real pet! Ignore me until you want something then sit on my head."
- (Upon arriving at the Dalish camp) "In my experience, all Dalish women are crazy."
- "Andraste's flaming knickers!"
- (During The Last Straw) "I removed the chance of compromise, because there is no compromise."
- (During The Last Straw) "The people fear what we can do, but to use that fear to bludgeon us into submission is wrong! And they do it with our blessing!"
Trivia
- David Gaider wrote Anders in Awakening, while Jennifer Hepler took over the role for Dragon Age II.
- Jennifer Hepler penned a short story to accompany the game, which focuses around the mage's possession by Justice.
- Jennifer Hepler describes the choice of keeping Anders alive as "poetic justice", as he would have to face and suffer the knowledge of the lives he took. She also states her belief that he wishes death so the people that he inevitably kills receives proper justice as well.[11]
- Though he uses a fire spell when you first meet him in Awakening, he does not have the spell when he joins your party.
- If Anders specializes in Blood Magic, the player can have another additional line of dialogue with Anders when speaking about Anders' past with the templars. When Anders remarks there really isn't much of a reason to arrest him, the Warden can point out that Anders is an actual blood mage now, to which Anders will laugh.[12]
- "Anders" is a common name in Scandinavia, equivalent to the English name Andrew, and derived from the Ancient Greek word andros, meaning "human" or "man". In modern Dutch and modern German anders means "different", but this is purely by chance since both words come a completely different origin.
- In the library in the Circle of Magi during the Witch Hunt DLC one can find some old notes left in a book in which a young mage made sketches in the margins of Templars being eaten by a tiger named "Ser Pounce-a-lot". (Since that mage is Anders, he subsequently names the kitten given to him in Awakening Ser Pounce-a-lot.)
- In the Fade (Dragon Age II), when Justice take complete control, the passive spell Vengeance is active whether or not you have assigned it to Anders.
- The mage Finn reveals through dialogue that Anders once escaped the Circle of Magi by swimming across Lake Calenhad during a weekly training exercise for the apprentices. He was caught again one week later.[13]
- If brought along with Hawke in Legacy Anders will be possessed by Corypheus defeating him will return him to your party.
- In Legacy Anders hears Corypheus through the taint.
Gallery
External links
References
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPUvRl97DTw&feature=channel_video_title
- ↑ http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/304/index/6511895/3#6639653
- ↑ Game Informer's Dragon Age II Character Reveal: Anders
- ↑ Anders BioWare
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ [3] Bioware
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDvW8fDJE7c&feature=channel_video_title
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlWUbrs5A2c
- ↑ Game Night with Dragon Age 2
- ↑ Jennifer Hepler Forum Post Retrieved 03-15-11
- ↑ If you make Anders a blood mage
- ↑ Finn mentions Anders
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