Celene Valmont I

The current Empress of the Orlesian Empire, Empress Celene I lives up to the memory of her predecessors.

Background

Celene was sixteen when she ascended to the Orlesian throne in 9:20 Dragon, and she has never married.^[1] Her ascension is swathed in rumours, with some Orlesians claiming that she organized the assassination of her uncle to seize power.

Celene is an amateur scholar and her patronage of education and the arts has led to a cultural renaissance in her empire.

She is willing to put historical disputes behind her, and enter into an alliance with Ferelden, though it should be said this alliance would ultimately benefit her. She was a close contact of King Cailan Theirin, and the two of them were united in their stance against the Fifth Blight, with Celene even sending a legion of Chevaliers to aid Ferelden.

Involvement

Dragon Age: Origins

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

While Celene is not directly featured in the game, she is referenced several times. In the Return to Ostagar DLC, it is revealed that the Empress and King's relationship was more than political. Confidential letters found in Cailan's chest at Ostagar reveal that Celene was indeed prepared to enter into an alliance with Ferelden, though it would be an alliance of marriage. Cailan intended to divorce his current wife, Queen Anora, and marry Celene.

Depending on player's choices, a possible epilogue slide mentions that a dark haired sorceress has insinuated herself into the Empress' royal court.

Dragon Age II

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age II.

Celene is referenced many times in Dragon Age II, such as when the merchant Hubert claimed that he once sold a seat cushion to her. Celene is also mentioned to be trying to mend fences with Ferelden but some Orlesian nobility are looking forward to reconquer the valley due to it being weakened by the Blight.

By 9:37, Bodahn Feddic mentions to Hawke that Celene has heard of Sandal's (his son's) unique enchantments, and become extremely interested in them. She extends an invitation to Bodahn and Sandal to visit her court, so she can witness Sandal's abilities first hand.

Dragon Age: Asunder

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Asunder.

Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons has conspired to overthrow Empress Celene. The Grand Duke lured Celene out of Val Royeaux with news of an elven rebellion in Halamshiral. With Celene out in the open in the east and not expecting a coup d'etat, she was vulnerable to the Grand Duke's ambush. Rumors from the east whisper that she's been killed, while others say she's been captured. Still others say she's holed up with her army at Jader, and that Gaspard has cut off the western highway. Her allies have assembled the northern host in preparation for civil war.

Trivia

David Gaider revealed that the original plot for Origins included a visit by Celene to Denerim. There it would have been learned that Cailan had planned to divorce Anora in favour of the Empress, and that Teyrn Loghain had discovered this scheme.^[2]