- For Bianca references in other Dragon Age titles, see Bianca.
Bianca is Varric Tethras' signature repeating crossbow. It has a carved wood stock and is adorned with brass embellishments. During melee combat, a retractable bayonet slides out of a slot under the bolt.
Background[]
Varric's crossbow is a marvel of dwarven craftsmanship, clearly the work of a master. However, she bears no smith's mark.
When asked how he procured the weapon, Varric has a few claims. He could have won it in a game of Wicked Grace against Paragon Branka, it could've been a gift from a mysterious old beggar who disappeared into thin air, and it's possible he bought it off a crooked merchant in Lowtown with the previous owner's hand still wrapped around the trigger.
None of those explanations is very likely and continued questioning simply results in Varric grinning and walking away.
—From Codex entry: BiancaWhen asked about the story behind how Bianca got her name, he replies that it involves a girl and a promise, and that it is the one story that he can never tell. Bianca is the name of Varric's mentioned, or ever seen, dwarven lover. He has put the story to song, but will not sing it, instead humming the tune during battle.
After the Inquisitor encounters Bianca Davri in person during Varric's companion quest, Varric reluctantly reveals why he had never told anyone about Bianca's involvement, even omitted that piece of information from Hawke. Since many underworld powers would want to acquire the secret of the repeating crossbow design, Varric judged that it would be safer for Bianca's namesake if he publicly contributed this invention only to Gerav who also by the time of the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition had long since passed away.
Varric eventually confides in Leliana that Gerav created numerous prototypes of a repeating crossbow and sold the fourteenth to him. As this prototype still didn't work, Varric began looking for a good smith to finish it, and finally met Bianca Davri. After Gerav and the Carta found out that the fourteenth prototype was operational, Varric proceeded to hide Bianca's involvement by claiming the original work began to function after he simply changed a few pins.[1]
Varric brought Bianca along with him whilst pursuing Solas, also known as Fen'harel or the Dread Wolf, with Rook in Minrathous, utilizing her to great effect to support Varric's teammates and later to dispatch demons being pulled in from the Fade due to Solas' ritual.
Eventually, the team confronts the Dread Wolf at his ritual site, and Varric goes alone to confront the rogue Evanuris in an attempt to stop him from bringing the Veil down and releasing a flood of demons upon Thedas. However, Solas sends a powerful pulse of magic at Varric as he readies Bianca, striking the crossbow and shattering it, sending the pieces tumbling down below. Her owner falls soon after, having been stabbed by Solas' lyrium dagger .
At some point after Varric's death, Bianca's remains - along with Varrics duster and his book about the Inquisition - are retrieved and placed in the infirmary, in memorial to the fallen Dwarf and his most trusted companion through the years.
Note texts[]
Trivia[]
Image of Bianca in Heroes of Dragon Age
- Bianca is called as such "because Mirabelle was taken". This is a reference to BioWare's Jade Empire, in which a powerful musket called Mirabelle can be acquired.[2]
- From a real-world perspective, Bianca is named after a young woman looking for true love in The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare.[3]
- There is a longbow with the Absolution model, named Bianca, in the Dragon Age II game files (item code gen_im_wep_rog_arc_lore_03).
- Although several crossbows are available in Dragon Age: Origins, none of them in that game (including the ones introduced in Awakening) resemble Bianca.
- In Dragon Age II, Hawke can ask Varric about Bianca, but Varric won't explain why he named it Bianca. The Inquisitor can do the same in Dragon Age: Inquisition with similar results.
- In Dragon Age II, the Archery skill tree under Varric's abilities will be called "Bianca". This is not the case in Dragon Age: Inquisition. In both aforementioned games, Varric can use all archery abilities with Bianca.
- In Dragon Age II, Varric's specialization (Marksman) is dedicated exclusively to Bianca. It includes talents that are exclusive to Bianca, and abilities that allow him to use it more effectively.
- In Dragon Age II, Bianca automatically improves when Varric levels up. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, several Bianca upgrades can be found and bought, and schematics for craftable versions of Bianca upgrades are available as well.
- In Dragon Age: Inquisition, Bianca is the first unique item the player will gain access to.
- Bianca is the only weapon Varric can use in Dragon Age II. It is also the only archery-based weapon Varric can use in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
- Bianca is the only usable crossbow in both Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition. Varric is the only companion in both aforementioned titles that can wield Bianca as an archery weapon.
- Bianca cannot be moved to Junk in Dragon Age II, nor can it be moved to Valuables in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Furthermore, it cannot be unequipped in Dragon Age II, and cannot be destroyed or sold in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
References[]
- ↑
Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 181
- ↑ In an interview with Gamespot, Mike Laidlaw notes that "...nor will he ever tell you how Bianca got her name except to say Mirabelle was taken, and the really old-school BioWare fans will get that."
- ↑ Kirby, Mary. "Varric Tethras: Chest Hair & Dwarven Goodness 2.0 **Finest Dwarven Craft**". BioWare Social Network. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
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