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“Common ground is the start of all negotiations.”


Josephine Cherette Montilyet is the ambassador and chief diplomat of the Inquisition, and a romance option for either male or female Inquisitors.[5]

Background[]

Josephine is the eldest daughter and heir of the noble Montilyet family from Antiva. She is an eminent figure in diplomacy, forging relations with grace, charm and careful favors. Josephine worked for years as chief ambassador from Antiva to Orlais and as such is very familiar with Orlesian politics. She possesses a good mind for administration and understands that restoring the Inquisition to its former glory is an impossible task without the backing of Thedas's most influential figures. Fortunately, Josephine enjoys a challenge and is committed in her belief that the Inquisitor is Thedas's last, best chance at halting the chaos that engulfs it.[5]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


The Montilyets were one of the major naval powers in Antiva until the start of the Blessed Age. They had vessels numbering in the hundreds, including a large contingent of warships, ostensibly at the disposal of the royal navy, actually charged with keeping their merchant vessels safe. Their cargo was the target of many Rivaini pirates and they became entangled in many rivalries and vendettas against them. They also had strong ties in Orlais until their falling out with the Du Paraquettes over a question of marriage and fidelity led to vicious infighting, shocking betrayals and public duels. They were exiled from Orlais, which greatly crippled their fortune.[6] When Josephine attempts to restore her family's landed trader status in Orlais, she becomes a target of assassins from the House of Repose.

Josephine was a former bard who got into the life with a bunch of other nobles from Antiva, enticed by the romanticism. However, during the mission, she encountered a rival bard and killed him by accident. When she removed the man's mask, she saw that it had been a former friend of hers. This caused her to renounce the life, and violence in general.


Involvement[]

Dragon Age: Inquisition[]

Leliana, an old friend of Josephine, enlisted her as the newly created Inquisition's diplomatic advisor and emissary. She refers to Josephine as "Josie."


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Josephine tarot

Josephine tarot card

After meeting the Herald of Andraste, Josephine becomes engaged in a debate with Marquis DuRellion, who politely protests the Inquisition's presence in Haven. Regardless of the Herald's response, Josephine performs a shrewd diplomatic word play to get the Marquis to reconsider his stance.

After being forced out of Haven by Corypheus, Josephine joins the rest of the Inquisition as they journey to Skyhold. Upon arrival, as the Herald is elevated to the rank of Inquisitor, Cassandra calls out to Josephine, asking if their people have been told. Josephine confirms it and promises that the world will soon know. Josephine then lets out a small cheer with the rest of the assembled before catching herself.

As the eldest child of the Montilyet family, Josephine must oversee her family's merchant business in addition to her duties to the Inquisition. To improve their financial standing, she attempts to restore their former place as traders in Orlais. However, her messengers are intercepted and murdered, and the documents permitting the restoration are destroyed. Comte Boisvert in Val Royeaux says that he can provide some information on the subject, in exchange for the Inquisitor's presence at the meeting. Once the Inquisitor agrees to go with Josephine, they journey to Val Royeaux and the estate of Comte Boisvert. Upon meeting the Comte, he produces a copy of a contract of the House of Repose assassins guild, instructing them to target anyone attempting to reinstate the Montilyets in Orlais. The family responsible, the Du Paraquettes, lost their noble status sixty years ago; however, they put out the contract one hundred and nine years ago. A little thing like the death of the contractor is not enough to nullify the bond. Josephine cunningly deduces that the "Comte" is an impostor given how well informed he is. The Repose assassin admits to having bound and gagged the real comte in the closet nearby, and says that the House of Repose wanted to grant Josephine the courtesy of an explanation, as her situation is so unusual. Afterwards, the Inquisitor can either let him go or kill him. If allowed to leave, the assassin politely observes that he hopes he and Josephine never meet again, and wishes her luck in her plan to have the contract voided.

Afterwards, Josephine seeks to restore the Du Paraquettes' titles to get them to annul the contract. However, Leliana suggests that she send agents into the House of Repose to steal the contract on her life so the guild would not have any cause to attack her, an option that Josephine is opposed to. The Inquisitor can either authorize Leliana's spies for an infiltration mission at the risk of their lives or go with Josephine's intended plan of bludgeoning through bureaucracy.

During the ball at the Winter Palace, Josephine is forced to put up with her sister Yvette, and interrupts every time she attempts to talk about her past. Josephine also advocates preserving Empress Celene's claim to the throne.

Upon returning to Skyhold, Josephine is accosted by a cleric, who insists on having Leliana and Cassandra stand as candidates for the Divine. Josephine politely tells the cleric that the Inquisition needs them for the time being.

During What Pride Had Wrought, Josephine is seen at the forward camp, possibly talking with Empress Celene about events in the Empire as the final battle rages in the background. She worries for the Inquisitor and hopes for their safe return.

During Doom Upon All the World, she posits that Corypheus's pet dragon may be coming for the Deep Roads and suggest contacting Orzammar for support, when she is interrupted by the Breach re-opening in the Valley of Sacred Ashes. When the Inquisitor returns to Skyhold victorious, she curtsies before her leader (and then embraces her lover, if romanced) and spends the rest of the evening fretting over the details of the celebratory banquet, yet she is relieved she had to prepare for this instead of the end of the world.


Dragon Age: Magekiller[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Magekiller.


BioWare canon
The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.

Sometime after the Inquisitor first went to the Hissing Wastes. Josephine, Cullen and Leliana sends Dorian Pavus and the Bull's Chargers as reinforcements to Marius and Tessa Forsythia to help them defeat Venatori forces in that area.


Trespasser[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.


Josephine returns during the events of the Trespasser DLC, set two years after Corypheus' defeat. Riding into the Winter Palace under honor guard, she provides exposition to Cullen about the shift in the political climate since Corypheus was defeated, specifically how Orlais wishes to leash the Inquisition to the Empire's interests and Ferelden seeks to disband the organization entirely.

Romanced or not, Josephine lures the Inquisitor away from the bustle of the main courtyard with discussion about the Exalted Council, before inviting them to the opera. She cites her disappointment that the Inquisitor had never been able to partake in Orlesian culture in all the time marching across the nation fighting against Corypheus.

At the end of the events of the DLC, Josephine finishes out her tenure with the Inquisition and returns to Antiva to take up her place as head of the Montilyet family.

If the Montilyets' trading status in Orlais was restored:
Josephine sets about rebuilding the family's trading fleet, restoring its wealth and renown throughout Antiva. In time, a group of Rivaini pirate captains look to restart an ancient rivalry with the Montilyets, and aside from her sister, Yvette, almost eloping with such a captain, Josephine takes the rivalry in stride. If Leliana's assassins were utilized to destroy the House of Repose's contracts against the Montilyets, it is revealed that the House, impressed by her besting them, offers their services to the former Ambassador. While she refuses to actively utilize the House's talents against her enemies, she does employ them to protect the Montilyets' ships; any pirates that attack them soon find out the hard way that the House of Repose, and the Montilyet family, are not to be trifled with.


Dragon Age: Absolution[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Absolution.


Sometime before being sent on the mission to retrieve the artifact, Hira asked Josephine, Cullen, Leliana and Cassandra if the Inquisition would deal with the remaining Venatori in the Imperium; however, the Inquisition's leadership did not wish to cause collateral damage. This prompted Hira to betray the Inquisition and ally herself with a group dedicated to destroying the Tevinter Imperium led by the Crimson Knight.



Quests[]

Of Somewhat Fallen Fortune Of Somewhat Fallen Fortune
Destroying House of Repose's Contract Destroying House of Repose's Contract (war table)
Find a Sponsor for the Du Paraquettes Find a Sponsor for the Du Paraquettes (war table)
Getting a Judge's Favor Getting a Judge's Favor (war table)
Speak with Minister Bellise at Party Speak with Minister Bellise at Party (war table)
Heraldry from a Herald Heraldry from a Herald
An Unexpected Engagement An Unexpected Engagement

Romance[]

Josephine can be romanced by a male or female Inquisitor of any race.


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Josephine tarot

Josephine Alternate tarot card

It is possible to dance with Josephine at the ball during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts after deciding what happens to the Empress Celene (and the others).

The romance can be initiated at the close of the first personal quest for Josephine. Should the Inquisitor pursue a romance, Leliana will caution against it, claiming that Josephine does not see their attraction to her and that she's "innocent in love". When the Inquisitor later brings this up with Josephine, it is an opportunity to cement the relationship, resulting in a kiss.

Later, if the Inquisitor asks if her ancestors were Orlesian, Josephine will confirm it and mention her desire to see her family's lost ancestral crest. This prompts a war table operation to recover this crest. Once complete, the Inquisitor can purchase it from a vendor in Val Royeaux and present it to Josephine, to her delight.

The relationship hits a snag when Josephine receives word that her parents had engaged her to Lord Adorno Ciel Otranto of Antiva. She asks the Inquisitor to put their relationship on hold while she tries to find a way out of the engagement. However, she lets slip that one option would be to challenge Otranto to a duel. The Inquisitor then arranges for a duel against Otranto without Josephine's knowledge. However, Josephine arrives in the middle of the duel and chastises the Inquisitor for risking their life. She demands to know why the Inquisitor would risk their life and everything they've built with the Inquisition, at which point the Inquisitor can break off the relationship or admit to doing so because he/she loves her. For the latter option, Josephine reciprocates her love and the pair share a kiss. Otranto admits that he initially believed their relationship to be an affair of passion, and that he knows better than to get in the way of true love, withdrawing his family's betrothal.

Back at Skyhold, the Inquisitor and Josephine share a tender moment by the fireplace.

After the final battle, Josephine shares a hug with the Inquisitor. When the Inquisitor chooses to retire from the festivities, Josephine joins her lover and they hold hands on the bedroom balcony.

If neither Blackwall nor Josephine are romanced, banter between Blackwall and other companions suggests that he has feelings for Josephine. Both Josephine and Blackwall acknowledge that they have feelings for each other, but cannot consummate it, as it would be inappropriate since they are of different stations. They seem content to flirt in subtle ways, such as exchanging romantic tokens or looks to express their fondness for one another, yet always in secret. According to Josephine, they are in what the Orlesians refer to as "la splendeur des coeurs perdus"- the splendor of lost hearts, they may court but can never consummate their romance, their love acknowledged but nothing more.


Trespasser[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.


During the events of the Trespasser DLC, Blackwall can be asked about his flirtations with Josephine, to which he responds that it has been years, and they both knew it was a momentary infatuation and nothing more.


Quotes[]

See also: Josephine Montilyet/Dialogue and War table/Dialogue.

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


  • "The Game is like Wicked Grace played to the death. You must never reveal your cards. When you meet the empress, the eyes of the entire court will be upon you."
Before completing Here Lies the Abyss:
  • "You were safer staring down Corypheus."
After completing Here Lies the Abyss:


After completing Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts...
  • "Don't let them detract from your victory at Halamshiral."
Before completing Here Lies the Abyss:
  • "The support of the empire should make our search for the Grey Wardens easier."
  • "Varric is eager to help his friend Hawke."
After completing Here Lies the Abyss:
  • "We've beaten his Wardens and stopped his intrigues. Soon, Corypheus will have no place to hide."
  • "Cullen is hoping to press our advantage. We'll plan our next attack when you're ready."


Codex entries[]

Codex entry: Josephine Montilyet Codex entry: Josephine Montilyet
Codex entry: Josephine and the Last Few Years Codex entry: Josephine and the Last Few Years
Codex entry: Arboreal Fort Codex entry: Arboreal Fort

Note texts[]

Construction Report: Death on the Wall Construction Report: Death on the Wall
Construction Report: Request to Fight Construction Report: Request to Fight
Request for Resources on the Fade Request for Resources on the Fade
Tales of the Inquisition's Agents: Book II Tales of the Inquisition's Agents: Book II

Trivia[]

  • Josephine was written by Sylvia Feketekuty.[5]
  • Before her name was revealed, Josephine was referred to as "Scribbles" by fans. The writers liked the nickname but it didn't make it into the game. Instead, Varric nicknamed her "Ruffles".[7][8]
  • Josephine's writer estimates that Josephine is somewhere between 27 and 29 years old.[9]
  • The Inquisitor meets Josephine's sister Yvette at the Halamshiral ball, but the names of the two Montilyet brothers, Laurien and Antoine, are only revealed in a specific line of dialogue which becomes available during the quest "Of Somewhat Fallen Fortune".[2]
  • When visiting the Black Emporium, Xenon the Antiquarian may send his regards to Josephine, mentioning that one of her ancestors visited the hidden shop during the Blessed Age. Xenon sold her a candle mounted within the severed hand of a first acolyte of Razikale, and wonders if it's still in the possession of the Montilyet family as he should like to see it again.[10]
  • Josephine enjoys Carastian candies. Upon receiving them as a thanks from Magister Tilani in The Tevinter Resistance, she notes in the report that you would have to "pry them from her cold, dead fingers." Leliana will similarly try to claim the "candied chocolates" should the operation be finished with Secrets.[11]
  • She holds weekly tea parties with the other advisors, except she calls the tea parties "interludes".[12]

Gallery[]

References[]

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