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“Maps are all right, but nothing beats a guide.”


Lace Harding is the lead scout for the Inquisition.

Background[]

Harding was born in the Fereldan Hinterlands, just outside of Redcliffe, to a seamstress mother and a trader father. According to her father his bloodline can be traced to a Merchant caste family back in Orzammar however no merchant House carries that name in order to confirm this claim.[1] Though her mother named her "Lace" in the hopes that her daughter would be as pretty and delicate, Harding quickly proved herself a strong and active child. She helped her elderly neighbor tend to her sheep, which allowed her to explore the hills of the Hinterlands at length. When the Inquisition first began to build a presence in Redcliffe, Harding volunteered to guide the newly arriving Inquisition forces. Eventually, impressed by Harding's skill, Officer Charter recruited Harding to serve as a member of the organization. She quickly became indispensable to the Inquisition thanks to her cunning, daring, and positive outlook.[1]

Involvement[]

Dragon Age: Inquisition[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


She is most often found outside the tavern in Skyhold or whenever you first open up a new area in the game.

She also accompanies the Inquisition to the Frostback Basin. She escorts Professor Bram Kenric as he joins the Inquisitor inside Tevinter ruins and participates in the planning and the assault on the Hakkonite fortress. She will also speak with the Inquisitor after they defeat Hakkon.

While not a romance option, she can be flirted with on several occasions and admits to having feelings for the Inquisitor after some time. While she says they can discuss it after defeating Corypheus, no such option becomes available after the final mission.

Harding also accompanies the Inquisition forces who travel to the remains of the Temple of Sacred Ashes to slay Corypheus. She has a posting at the Herald's Rest, offering dance lessons after Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. Nothing comes of it though, as she writes in an apology saying that she has been too busy.



This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.


If the Inquisitor did not pursue a romance with any other character:
Flirting with Harding at all opportunities that are presented, it is revealed in a conversation with Vivienne that Harding and the Inquisitor are in a romantic relationship.[2]

After the Exalted Council, Harding becomes part of the new incarnation of the Inquisition War Council, along with Cassandra and Leliana, and they meet with the Inquisitor in the basement prison of the ruins of Haven's chantry to discuss Solas' plan and how to deal with him.

If Leliana did not become Divine Victoria:
Harding is one of the agents with whom Leliana had shared many responsibilities during the final months of the Inquisition as an independent organization. Many believed that Leliana feared what lay on the horizon and was grooming successors in anticipation of the challenges ahead.


Dragon Age: The Missing[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: The Missing.


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

Lace Harding has been tasked by the Inquisition to partner with Varric Tethras and search for Solas. Harding meets with Varric at Kirkwall, where she praises him for the good work he's done as viscount. Varric gives Harding a chance to back out of their dangerous mission for the sake of her family but Harding is determined to find Solas since no one will be safe if his plans come to fruition. Harding has a lead that says Solas has a hidden hideout in the Deep Roads underneath Marnas Pell. When the two Inquisition dwarves traveled there, they bump into two Grey Wardens, Evka Ivo and Antoine. The Grey Wardens and the Inquisition dwarves join forces to defend against the deepstalkers and defeat a darkspawn ogre responsible for abducting people in Marnas Pell. While the Grey Wardens recover from their battles, the Inquisition dwarves investigate Solas' hideout and find an invitation to the home of a Lady Crysanthus in Vyrantium. As the dwarves exit the hideout, they also discover a dead deepstalker with wounds indicating it was killed by a Venatori rogue. Since there is evidence of Venatori nearby, Varric and Harding regrouped with the Grey Wardens to make a hasty escape from the Deep Roads.

After overcoming a series of dangerous situations, Varric and Harding snuck into Vyrantium through the sewers while it was being beseiged by the Antaam. Once inside the city, the dwarves posed as invited guests of Lady Crysanthus to get inside her estate; however, the valet denied them entrance and cited that Lady Crysanthus was indisposed and had not issued invitations for several months. Left no other choice, Varric and Harding sneak into Lady Crysanthus' bedroom only to discover she has been turned to stone—presumably by Solas.

The dwarves are met by Andarateia "Teia" Cantori and Viago De Riva, two Antivan Crows sent to assassinate Lady Crysanthus for being a Venatori agent. After introductions, Varric reveals that he believes the person the Inquisition is searching for is responsible for Crysanthus being turned to stone while the Antivan Crows revealed that Crysanthus was connected to the Venatori who they believe are planning something against the Tevinter Imperium. As they were discussing the issue, the Antivan Crows and the Inquisition dwarves are discovered by the estate's valet and some guards. After dispatching the guards, the group intimidates the valet into revealing Lady Crysanthus' secret door, which holds a trove of information regarding the Venatori spy network's activities and personnel. The group manages to discern from the information that both Solas and the Venatori are after the crucious stone, an elven artifact in the Arlathan Forest said to be powerful enough to bring Tevinter to its knees. The group is suddenly attacked by Lady Crysanthus' husband, a powerful mage. The group manages to defeat the mage and Varric knocks him unconscious by throwing his petrified wife at him; however, his spells light the estate on fire and the group is forced to leave the estate in a hurry. Once in the streets of Vyrantium, Varric offers the two Antivan Crows to continue adventuring with them in the Arlathan Forest but Teia and Viago decline, since they have to report back to the rest of the Antivan Crows that the Venatori are making a concerted move against the Imperium. Suddenly, Teia notices a dark, shadowy figure (that she assumes to be a Venatori assassin) has been stalking them and chases after it. However, the presumed Venatori loses Teia and her companions in the alleys. It is unknown why or which of the pairs the stalker was following, but Teia and Viago say their goodbyes to the Inquisition dwarves and warns them to watch their backs.

Varric and Harding meet the Veil Jumpers at the entrance of Arlathan Forest and reveal they are on a mission to find and retrieve the elven artifact known as the crucious stone in order to prevent it from falling into either the Venatori's or Solas' hands. Furthermore, with the crucious stone in their possession, Varric says they may be able to divert the Venatori's attention away from Arlathan and prevent the Venatori from using it against the Tevinter Imperium. Varric simply wishes for the Veil Jumpers to allow them passage through the Arlathan Forest but Strife asserts they'll never survive the chaos of the forest without their help. Irelin agrees and left with little choice, states that she and Strife will have to go with them. Strife acquiesces to the alliance since the Veil Jumpers would like to avoid hostile encounters with the Venatori.

To reach the temple where the crucious stone is being held, the group had to face a series of dangerous trials. First they had to travel through a gauntlet where spirits trade places with the living by body-possession. After they reclaim their bodies in the next section, they must go through a place where time runs out of order and they age in a different, rapid pace. Then they must travel through a place where up is down, and down is up. Finally, the group must overcome the Varterral, the guardian of the temple. Irelin distracts the Varterral with a summoned swarm of stinging insects while the group sneaks past it.

After reaching the temple, the group discovers that the crucious stone has already been stolen by Solas. Solas left a note for Varric that states that he would never have let the crucious stone fall into Venatori hands, that he is trying to limit the damage his plans will cause but further interference from the Inquisition will make things worse, and a plea for Varric to cease pursuing him. Harding notes that the chaos happening in Arlathan could spread to everywhere if they don't find Solas. Despite Solas' warning, Varric resolved to stop Solas and tells Harding that the two of them are the only ones who can do it.

Varric and Harding travel to Minrathous to meet with Varric's contact, Neve Gallus. Neve tells the dwarves that Solas has been stealing artifacts from the Venatori, attacked Venatori sites in the city, and freed a group of elven slaves. Now Minrathous has a bunch of rebellious elves causing trouble in the city, presumably in Solas' name, and also a load of angry Venatori hell-bent on revenge. Harding thinks that with everything that has transpired, Varric may need to kill Solas in order to stop him. However, the good Solas is doing in Minrathous gives Varric hope that he can reason with Solas. Neve takes the dwarves to a place where some of the freed slaves get food in order to get more information about Solas' whereabouts. Although the slaves run at the sight of the group, they managed to catch one escaped slave. Neve explains that she is a friend of the Shadow Dragons, a Tevinter organization that helps slaves in Minrathous; she offers the escaped slave coin in exchange for answering their questions. The elven slave reveals that their group does not work for or with Solas but they do hold him in high regard. The elven slave revealed Solas is planning to leave Minrathous via the cannals, but at the same time, the group of elven slaves are also having a secret meeting to discuss what they were to do next and if they should accept the Shadow Dragons' help.

Varric and Harding deduced that the Venatori protecting and stalking them were only doing so in order for the dwarves to lead them to Solas. Since Solas has been causing so much trouble for the Venatori, the Venatori have been stalking the two dwarves to find Solas but instead Varric and Harding unintentionally revealed to them the secret meeting of the elven slaves that Solas helped by leading them to Minrathous. Neve Gallus reveals she heard rumors of the Venatori planning a big operation and they deduced that they were going to round up the elven slaves Solas freed to get revenge on him. Both Varric and Harding felt morally obligated to defend the elven slaves from the Venatori attack; even if they had to abandon trailing Solas.

Varric, Harding, and Neve rushed to help defend the group of escaped elven slaves from a Venatori attack. After helping defeat the Venatori, Harding and Varric were content to rescue the escaped slaves but are still undeterred in their pursuit of Solas. Neve elects to join the Shadow Dragons in helping the elven slaves while the Inquisition dwarves leave to continue their search. Harding wonders how much of what had transpired went according to Solas' elaborate plan, and Varric agrees that Solas did benefit and it seemed like something he'd do. Ultimately, Varric and Harding believe that Solas knows them too well and that they need to find people he doesn't know if they wish to catch him.


Quests[]

The Threat Remains The Threat Remains
Secure a Route through the Frostbacks Secure a Route through the Frostbacks (war table)
Scout the Storm Coast Scout the Storm Coast (war table)
Wardens of the Coast Wardens of the Coast
Cleaning House Cleaning House
Reports of Darkspawn Activity Reports of Darkspawn Activity (conditional)
Shard Collector Shard Collector
The Temple of Pride The Temple of Pride
Investigate the Exalted Plains Investigate the Exalted Plains (war table)
Undead Ramparts to the West Undead Ramparts to the West
Investigate the Western Approach Investigate the Western Approach (war table) (conditional)
Make Contact in the Emerald Graves Make Contact in the Emerald Graves (war table)
Liberate Emprise du Lion Liberate Emprise du Lion (war table)
Red Templars on the Storm Coast Red Templars on the Storm Coast (war table) (conditional)
Stop Venatori Activity in the West Stop Venatori Activity in the West (war table)
Sand and Ruin Sand and Ruin
The Tomb of Fairel The Tomb of Fairel
Investigate Frostback Basin Investigate Frostback Basin (war table)
Jaws of Hakkon Jaws of Hakkon
The Basin Beckons The Basin Beckons
The Loss of a Friend The Loss of a Friend
On Ameridan's Trail On Ameridan's Trail
Hakkon Wintersbreath Hakkon Wintersbreath
Disaster in the Deep Roads Disaster in the Deep Roads (war table)
The Descent The Descent

Codex entries[]

Codex entry: Scout Harding Codex entry: Scout Harding
Codex entry: A Letter to Harding Codex entry: A Letter to Harding
Codex entry: Arboreal Fort Codex entry: Arboreal Fort
Codex entry: Blood-Stained Shrine Codex entry: Blood-Stained Shrine
Codex entry: Leliana and the Last Few Years Codex entry: Leliana and the Last Few Years
Codex entry: Nigel's Point Codex entry: Nigel's Point

Note texts[]

A Baffled Note A Baffled Note
Messages Left at the Outpost Messages Left at the Outpost
Pamphlet: Lift Your Voices! Pamphlet: Lift Your Voices!
Tavern Notices Tavern Notices

Trivia[]

  • It is lightly hinted that Harding may harbor some feelings for the Inquisitor, although this is only shown if certain dialogue options are selected.
  • Josephine has sent her flowers.
  • She is concerned that Leliana wants to have her killed.
  • As her "romance" option is not an official one, you can pursue any of the other official romance options while still flirting with her enough times to find out her first name, and then to have a romantic relationship in Trespasser. However, advancing far enough along in a romance path will make it impossible to flirt with her.
  • She is afraid of heights.
  • Harding is a member of the "Sing-Quisition."[3]

See also[]

Gallery[]

References[]

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