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“I will be ready. As the Vessel, and Tevinter's champion.”


Calpernia is a Tevinter mage who leads the Venatori mages on behalf of the Elder One.

Background


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Originally, Calpernia was a slave in Minrathous, in service to Magister Erasthenes, a scholar of the Old Gods. One night, Erasthenes was approached by Corypheus, for his relics and writings, as presumed by the Magister. Instead of his knowledge, however, the Elder One was more interested in his slave, Calpernia, whom he took to his side, where she eventually rose to become the leader of the Venatori.

See also: Short Story: Paying the Ferryman
Note: This story takes place after the events of Dragon Age II and just before Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Involvement


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


CalperniaTarot

Calpernia tarot card


If the inquisition recruits the Templars...

Calpernia is first encountered leading the Venatori attack on Haven beside her master, Corypheus.

Later, Leliana decides to investigate Calpernia. The Inquisitor goes to Val Royeaux to investigate a Tevinter slaver named Vicinius, only to find Vicinius's Home torn apart. Finding three pieces of a memory crystal and reassembling them reveal that Calpernia killed Vicinius for abusing her purchased slaves. Dagna tinkers with the crystal back at Skyhold, causing it to project recorded images of Corypheus and Calpernia, discussing the latter preparing herself to become a 'Vessel' of sort. The recording reveals that Calpernia does not entirely trust the Elder One.

With the Venatori scouting elven ruins, Inquisition agents plant half the crystal in Calpernia's camp to spy on her. The next recording details Calpernia request to train at the Shrine of Dumat but Corypheus refuses her, claiming that "only Dumat's faithful may enter". Calpernia then discovers the crystal and smashes it. Nonetheless, the Inquisitor investigates the Shrine to find out what Corypheus is keeping from Calpernia. In the heart of the shrine, the Inquisitor discovers Magister Erasthenes, Calpernia's former master. Erasthenes is bound in a unique binding spell that inflicts tremendous pain whenever he attempts to lie or fails to reveal the entire truth and that his binding is only practice for what Corypheus intends for Calpernia and that Corypheus secretly intends to imprison and bind Calpernia as soon as she became this Vessel, effectively re-enslaving her to his will.

Calpernia leads the bulk of Corypheus' forces in their assault on the Temple of Mythal in the Arbor Wilds. Calpernia confronts the Inquisitor face to face just outside the Temple entrance before entering the Temple with a cohort of Venatori. After fighting through the Elven guardians protecting the Temple, Calpernia is finally cornered by the Inquisitor and their companions whom face off against Calpernia and several other Venatori.

Calpernia Corypheus

Calpernia & Corypheus

The Inquisitor may reveal the Elder One's intent to betray and bind Calpernia as he did her previous owner, Erasthenes, if the Shrine of Dumat was investigated. If so, Calpernia demands that the Inquisitor prove their claim, to which they show her a scroll containing the ritual used to bind her old master. After reading the contents of the scroll, a furious Calpernia burns the scroll in a rage before revealing the reasons why she joined the Elder One in the first place: that she desired to see a reborn Tevinter Imperium, free of its corruption. Afterward, Calpernia will leave the Inquisitor's party free access to the Well of Sorrows as she goes to confront her former master, promising to return to Tevinter if she survived.

If the option to battle is taken, Calpernia fights alongside several Venatori as well as demons she summons to her aid while she attacks the Inquisitor with fire-based spells.

Eventually Calpernia flees to a nearby ledge, proclaiming that she will not fall to the Inquisitor, and flings herself into the abyss below, seemingly falling to her death.

If the inquisition recruits the Mages...
If the Inquisitor chooses to side with the Mages instead of the Templars, Calpernia's fate is unknown.


Quotes

  • "So close, the well knows its vessel and those who would despoil it."
  • "Tevinter was the cradle of civilization. Imagine what her future could be. A crafter of wonders, standing against the savage Qunari. A beacon for all."

Paper & Steel

  • "It doesn’t have to be this way! The empire used to be different. When a person’s life was spent, it meant something—it bought something. If slaves had a voice the Archon could hear…”

Trivia

  • According to Patrick Weekes, Calpernia quickly became a favorite of the writers due to her intriguing story and personality.[1]
  • According to Leliana, Calpernia is named after an ancient Tevinter legend. The Calpurnia of old was a priestess of Dumat and foster-mother to the founder of the Imperium.[2]
  • According to Dagna, a War Table mission indicates that Calpernia's favorite flavor of tea is mint.
  • Calpernia's age is somewhere between mid to late twenties.[3]

Codex entries

Codex entry: Calpernia Codex entry: Calpernia

Codex entry: Letter to a Slaver Codex entry: Letter to a Slaver

See also: Short Story: Paying the Ferryman
Note: This story takes place after the events of Dragon Age II and just before Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Gallery

References

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