Aveline (chevalier)

For the companion of Hawke in Dragon Age II, see Aveline Vallen.

Aveline was the first female Orlesian Chevalier in history.

Background[]

Aveline was born to Orlesian farmers outside the city of Halamshiral in the early Storm Age. Her father had hoped for a boy and, not wanting another mouth to feed, Aveline was abandoned to die from exposure. But a traveling band of Dalish elves discovered the crying child.

The Dalish accepted her into their clan and raised her among their own. Aveline was trained in archery, dueling, riding and survival skills. By the time she came of age, Aveline was larger and stronger than most men. Her adoptive parents recognized her as a skilled warrior and encouraged her to enter a human tournament in the nearby city of Montsimmard to show the humans the folly of abandoning Aveline as a child. Women were forbidden from joining the chevaliers in Orlais, or competing in a tournament, so Aveline joined the tournament disguised as a man. Her clan forged a suit of armor with a full helm to conceal her face and gave her an ironbark sword of the finest quality.

Aveline entered the competition claiming to be a knight from Antiva and refused to doff her helmet, even during the archery competition. In spite of this, Aveline bested many other knights until, in the grand melee, she faced Kaleva, a knight in the service of the Orlesian emperor who was considered the finest in Orlais. Aveline had already defeated Kaleva in the jousting and Kaleva was determined to avenge his earlier loss.

Kaleva fought fiercely but Aveline managed to match every blow. Kaleva, in an act of desperation, tripped Aveline and hurled her to the ground; the blow knocked her helm from her head, revealing her identity. Kaleva demanded the competition be declared invalid but Aveline had won the crowd over and Kaleva's demand was met only by jeers. In a fury at being bested by a woman, Kaleva forced Aveline to her knees and slit her throat.

The son of the emperor, Prince Freyan, was also present at the tourney. In spite of the fact he had been bested by Aveline in an earlier bout, he recognized her valor and bravery. When he ascended to the throne in 7:44 Storm, the newly crowned Emperor Freyan abolished the law which forbade women from joining the Orlesian knighthood and had Aveline posthumously knighted as a chevalier.

Although female chevaliers remain a relative rarity, all those who choose the path of knighthood revere Ser Aveline as their patron.^[1]^[2] Ser Aveline's story remains a popular tale in Orlais. Orlesian smiths often purport newly forged armor or weapons to have belonged to her.^[3]