“Maps are all right, but nothing beats a guide.”
Lace Harding is the lead scout for the Inquisition and a companion in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
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 loves adventures, animals, and nature and is fiercely protective of her family and friends.[2] One time, 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
She is most often found outside the tavern in Skyhold or whenever you first open up a new area in the game. As the lead scout of the Inquisition, Harding gives The Inquisitor a situation report every time they enter a new location.
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, and makes a point of referring to them by their surname/clan name as a way to remind them that some people still see them as a person beyond their title.
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.
Trespasser
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.
Dragon Age: The Missing
Lace Harding and Varric Tethras are tasked with finding Solas by Charter and the Inquisitor. Varric is also tasked with forming a small team for that purpose. Varric, concerned about Harding’s propensity to see the best in people, and worried for her family, offers her a chance to back out of their dangerous mission, but she is determined to find Solas.
Varric and Harding first head to the Deep Roads near Marnas Pell following rumors of mysterious abductions. While underground, they meet a pair of Grey Wardens, Evka Ivo and Antoine, who are also investigating the disappearances and looking for two other Wardens. After finding the corpses of their comrades, the group is attacked by deepstalkers and an ogre–the cause of the abductions. Further exploration leads them to Solas' hideout in the Deep Roads, where they find an invitation to the home of Lady Crysanthus in Vyrantium. As they leave the hideout, they find the corpse of a deepstalker killed by two blades, which leads them to assume, correctly, that they are being followed by the Venatori. The group leaves the Deep Roads, with Varric and Harding heading for Vyrantium.
Varric and Harding sneak into Vyrantium through the sewers, as the city is under siege by the Antaam. After breaking into Lady Crysanthus' home, they find that she had been turned to stone by Solas. Before they can investigate further, they encounter Andarateia Cantori and Viago De Riva, two Antivan Crows hired to kill Lady Crysanthus. They tell Varric and Harding that she was a spymaster for the Venatori. Interrogating the valet reveals Solas' and the Venatori's target: the crucious stone, an elven magical artifact said to have the power to bring down Tevinter and hidden in Arlathan Forest. Their investigation is interrupted when Lord Crysanthus and the Venatori attack. They escape the mansion, accidentally setting fire to it, though the Venatori are still on their tail. Varric and Harding leave for Arlathan Forest while Teia and Viago go inform the Crows that the Venatori are planning a concerted move against Tevinter.
In Arlathan, Varric and Harding encounter a group called the Veil Jumpers led by Strife and Irelin. After the dwarves tell them of their plan to retrieve the crucious stone to keep it from Solas and the Venatori, the Veil Jumpers offer them their help. Together, they successfully navigate the treacherous magical forest together, overcoming a gauntlet where spirits trade places with the living, a place where time runs out of order, and then a place where up is down and down is up. At one point, Varric is attacked by a pack of leopards and is pushed out of the way of a pouncing attack by a Venatori. Finally, the group has to defeat a Varterral. Despite all this, they are unable to retrieve the crucious stone, which Solas has already taken. He left a note for Varric in its place, telling him that the stone was never in danger of falling into Venatori hands and that he would do his best to limit the damages that his actions will cause. Varric tells the Veil Jumpers that Solas is Fen'Harel before departing.
Varric and Harding head to Minrathous and meet up with the private investigator Neve Gallus. She tells them what she's heard: that Solas has been stealing artifacts throughout the city, attacked Venatori sites, and freed a group of elven slaves. They track down some of the freed slaves to look for more information but only learn that Solas is planning to leave the city via the canals. They also realize that they inadvertently led their Venatori stalkers to the elves, and that the Venatori have planned an ambush to recapture their former captives while Solas escapes. Between continuing their pursuit of Solas and helping the slaves, Varric and Harding feel like the latter is the correct choice. After defeating the Venatori ambush, Varric and Harding leave Neve and a group called the Shadow Dragons to help the former slaves remain free. They conclude that Solas knows them too well and that they should look for people Solas doesn't know if they want any chance at finding him.
Dragon Age: Vows and Vengeance
Lace Harding defeats a demon and its undead minions at a burial ground with the unexpected help of Nadia Carcosa. After the battle, Nadia and Harding give each other formal introductions and discover that they are both searching for Solas, although Harding would prefer to just stop Solas' machinations rather than do him harm. Nadia tells Harding that he needs Solas to help her break into the Fade. Suddenly, Nadia passes out from the strain of telepathic communication with someone named Elio. Harding takes Nadia back to her camp so Nadia can recover.
When Nadia regained consciousness, Harding inquires about Elio, who Harding explains is the person she is trying to rescue from the Fade and summarizes how Solas tricked her and Elio into helping him utilize an ancient relic. Harding tries to warn her that Elio is most likely dead, but Nadia believes Elio's powerful magic can help him survive. Suddenly, the two hear screams from a distance and go to investigate the commotion. Harding and Nadia find Doom Blade cultists preparing two villagers to be ritually sacrificed to an entity called the Deathless One. Although Harding cautioned they should formulate a plan first before acting, Nadia was impatient to intercede and attacked the cultists. Although Harding and Nadia drive off the cultists, the cultists' leader, Bolmor, kills Elisa, one of the human sacrifices, before escaping.
The surviving human sacrifice, Drayden Kiel, berates Nadia for her haphazard rescue that got Elisa killed and tells them they were undercover to learn the secrets of the Cult of the Doomblade's sacrificial rituals and that they had an escape strategy planned before Nadia interceded. The trio return Elisa's corpse to her village of Raven's Brook, where the villagers are dismayed the sacrificial ritual was disrupted as the cultists will surely punish the villagers severely in retaliation. Nadia berates the villagers for their cowardice but the villagers argue they aren't warriors and their attempts to resist the cultists ended terribly for them. Harding urges Nadia to be compassionate to the villagers' grim circumstances and Drayden persuades Nadia that if she is so passionate about fighting the Doom Blade cultists, then she should help the villagers defend themselves. Although Nadia feels compelled to continue her quest to rescue Elio, Harding offers to help Nadia search for Solas if she aids the villagers.
Harding trains a portion of the villagers to be archers while Nadia and Drayden trains the others to be ground troops. After training, the troops celebrate on the eve of battle. Nadia confides in Harding and Drayden that the villagers' willingness to sacrifice Elisa reminded her of how no one did anything to stop her mother from being executed for a theft she didn't commit. Suddenly, the bells begin to ring, signifying the cultists are initiating the battle.
Thanks to their training, and Drayden's shock bombs, the ground troops successfully push back the cultists. Meanwhile, Harding and her archers were fending off the cultists and their catapults from the tavern. They are reinforced by Drayden who provides the archers the shock bombs necessary to destroy the catapults and decimate the enemy ranks. Meanwhile, Bolmor lures the ground troops away from their position by setting the village aflame, forcing Nadia and Drayden to kill Bolmor alone. Ultimately, the villagers successfully defeat the cultists and the fires engulfing the village were quenched by unexpected rain. After the battle, Harding tells Nadia about earthquakes and demon activity in the southern Anderfels and suspects it to be the work of Solas. Although Nadia offers Harding to travel along with her, she declines. As soon as she's done helping the villagers recover, Harding needs to reunite with her partner Varric Tethras for another mission. The two bid each other farewell with the hope that they may cross paths again.[4]
Harding continued her search for Solas and was returning to regroup with Varric and Neve Gallus. After meeting with an old contact, Harding was surprised to find Neve talking to Drayden Kiel at the Minrathous inn known as the Tattered Veil. Harding, who had recently arrived, recognized Drayden and introduced Drayden as the ally who helped her defend Raven's Brook and companion of Nadia Carcosa. Neve had also crossed paths with Nadia, and Varric thought Nadia could answer some of his questions about Solas' involvement in her life. Drayden tells the group about their search for Nadia's lover Elio Andante but believes that Nadia has been lured into a trap by a demon posing as Elio. The demon said something about taking Nadia to her "home", which is somewhere in Minrathous, but Drayden needs Neve's help to find the exact location. Neve agrees to help Drayden and Varric and Harding were quick to offer their assistance as well.
Neve has her connections investigate Nadia and the group meets with Neve's associate Huxley to receive their findings. Huxley tells the group about Nadia's tragic history and from her story, the group deduced that the demon is holding Nadia in the catacombs—a dismal place that is fit for a demon to enter into the world. The group searches the catacombs and arrives in time to interrupt a ritual that will allow the demon Maeror to possess Nadia. After revealing that Maeror was impersonating Elio, Nadia and the group fights the demon. As the group begins to close in on Maeror, Maeror counters by opening a Fade rift and begins to summon demons. Neve siphoned mana from the Fade and used it to fill the entire chamber with a disruption field. This immobilized the summoned demons, allowing Harding to finish them off with arrow barrages from a vantage point. However, Maeror counters by freezing most of the group with a blast of ice.
Only Nadia escapes the ice blast and is given a tonic from Drayden to help her endure its ice attacks. After discovering that Maeror has been stalking her since she was a child and that it also killed Elio, Nadia furiously attacks Maeror. Eventually, Nadia wounds Maeror enough to knock it unconscious and consequently cause its ice magic to wear off. The group recovers but Maeror refuses to die and hits Nadia with an ice attack. Varric shoots Maeror with a fatal headshot and kills it, but Nadia had her lungs punctured from the ice attack and became unconscious from her wounds.
Luckily for Nadia, the group gets her to a healer in time to save her life, but her wounds will cripple her fighting capabilities and she will need a prosthetic. The group attends a funeral for Elio hosted by Nadia on the Andante estate. Afterwards, Nadia and Drayden leave Tevinter to build a new estate in order to help those displaced by the anomalies; ultimately they say their farewells to their new friends. Neve also leaves to follow up on an investigation into a Venatori plot, and Varric and Harding plan their next move over a drink.[5]
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
An injured Harding after choices made by the player
After Solas's ritual causes demons to pour into Minrathous, Harding is discovered defending civilians by Varric and Rook. Together, the three fight off demons while searching for Neve Gallus, whom they discover has defeated her Venatori captors after the demons attacked. Neve assists the group in finding Solas's eluvian, which takes them to Arlathan Forest, where his ritual is underway. Rook, Harding, and their allies fight their way to the ritual site where Varric confronts Solas in an attempt to turn him from his plan to bring down the Veil.
Meanwhile, Harding helps Rook fight off demons until Rook suggests they interrupt the ritual while Varric has Solas distracted. Despite concern from Neve that such an interruption could have serious consequences, Rook elects to destroy supports holding up an ancient elven statue, resulting in the destruction of the ritual site. Harding is present to see the ritual go awry, with Solas becoming trapped in the Fade while Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan, two ancient elvhen gods, escape their prison.[6] If Rook chooses to take Harding with them to stop the ritual, Harding is badly injured; if not, she helps a concussed Rook escape the site.
Harding, Neve and Rook are trapped in the Lighthouse after the failed ritual, and after exploring, find a way out to the Crossroads. Following a tip from Morrigan, they return to the ritual site to reclaim Solas' lyrium dagger. On picking it up, Harding is overcome by a sudden voice in her head. She turns two darkspawn to stone and shatters them before falling off the edge of a cliff and ascending back up inside the rock, which breaks apart as she recites the Titans' proclamation 'Isatunoll'.
In-game, Harding can use the skill Stone Song, which can move resonant stones to create stone steps for the party to climb great heights. Harding realises she is now able to control the stone around her, and as she learns to control this power, she begins hearing the voices of Valta and the Titans. Orzammar refuses to help her, or even officially acknowledge Valta as having bonded with a Titan, so Harding turns to the dwarves of Kal-Sharok for help. She contacts Stalgard, who leads her to Shaper Valta's chamber, where Harding is attacked by a Golem representing the wrath of the stone.
Some time later, Harding invites Rook for drinks at the Hall of Valor, where she hears the Titans' voices even more intently and realises she needs to return to Kal-Sharok to face them. Rook joins her, and as the two travel into the Kal-Sharok Deep Roads, they find a number of dwarves encased in lyrium following attacks by a mysterious figure who looks like Harding.
The figure is revealed to be the Titan who had been calling to Harding. It attacks Harding and merges with her, then turns on Rook and their party despite Harding's attempts to physically separate it from them by forcing the stone beneath them to rise up almost to the roof of the cavern. Rook is able to talk Harding down by encouraging her either to honor the Titan's rage, or calm it with her own compassion. Some time afterwards, Harding and Rook return to Isana Negat, either to speak with Stalgard and his sister (if compassion was chosen), or to visit the dead Titan and speak to Valta (if rage was chosen).
During the team's assault on the gods at Tearstone Island, Harding offers to help weaken the Antaam troops on the shore, while Davrin suggests he lead a frontal assault on them instead. If the player chooses Harding's option, Harding survives the battle with the Antaam, but sacrifices her life attacking Ghilan'nain to distract her from Rook. If Davrin is chosen, he dies instead and Harding survives the battle, escaping the island with the rest of the Veilguard (aside from Rook) before it is destroyed by Elgar'nan after Ghilan'nain's death.
If Harding survives the Battle of Minrathous, she spends her time after the battle helping the dwarves of Kal-Sharok (after a short break in a cottage in Ferelden).
Quests
Dragon Age: Inquisition
The Threat Remains- Secure a Route through the Frostbacks (war table)
- Scout the Storm Coast (war table)
- Wardens of the Coast
- Cleaning House
- Reports of Darkspawn Activity (conditional)
- Shard Collector
- The Temple of Pride
- Investigate the Exalted Plains (war table)
- Undead Ramparts to the West
- Investigate the Western Approach (war table) (conditional)
- Make Contact in the Emerald Graves (war table)
- Liberate Emprise du Lion (war table)
- Red Templars on the Storm Coast (war table) (conditional)
- Stop Venatori Activity in the West (war table)
- Sand and Ruin
- The Tomb of Fairel
- Investigate Frostback Basin (war table)
- Jaws of Hakkon
- The Basin Beckons
- The Loss of a Friend
- On Ameridan's Trail
- Hakkon Wintersbreath
- Disaster in the Deep Roads (war table)
- The Descent
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Approval
- Main article: Lace Harding/Approval
This is a preparatory section for select Lace Harding quotes.
Romance
Rook is able to begin flirting with Harding in the Lighthouse after The Singing Blade quest. Harding expresses worry over her new magic and asks if it's likely to cause problems for the team, to which Rook can tell her that the magic is a gift, and that Harding is never a problem. Harding is greatly encouraged by Rook's enthusiasm and support, and while she initially gets a little flustered at their attention, she quickly becomes more obviously flirtatious back with them.
Rook can make their romantic intentions clear by offering Harding their support after Bloodbath, when Harding discusses her dreams. During the conversation, Rook sits next to Harding on her bedroll with their shoulders touching. They realise that Harding is exuding raw lyrium, and that touching her transfers some of it to them. They quickly withdraw before any pronounced effects are felt, without telling Harding about it.
During The Bond Rekindled, Harding invites Rook for drinks at the Hall of Valor. Just after Rook arrives, Harding begins hearing the voice of the Titans and realises it is "drawing [her] down". If Rook has not committed to any other exclusive relationship yet, they can tell Harding that they won't let it take her, and that they'll face it together. Harding recovers from her overwhelm and kisses Rook, who collapses from lyrium poisoning. Harding is upset that Rook kissed her despite knowing what would happen, and leaves promising to fix it.
In a cutscene with Emmrich at the Lighthouse, it is revealed that Harding's lyrium only becomes overwhelming when she is around Rook, which Emmrich explains as romance, but Taash suggests in conversation that it is likely a result of physical arousal. Emmrich will express concern for how Harding and Rook maintain intimacy, but Harding retorts that she has enough sexual experience to find a way around it, and that she is gaining more control over the lyrium every day.
During The Heart of the Titan, if Harding is romanced, Rook's other companion will suggest that they leave the cavern, to which Rook replies that they can't leave Harding. Rook climbs onto the ledge where Harding is struggling with the Titan and hugs her in an attempt to ground her in the real world, beyond the Titan's shade. This gives them a near-fatal dose of lyrium and they collapse into Harding's arms, but Harding puts a hand to their chest and draws the lyrium back out of them, to which Rook tells her that they knew she couldn't resist their moves.
The night before the attack on Tearstone Island, Rook can speak to Harding and encourage her to focus on the here and now, telling her that the two of them have been worth it. After Rook's return from the Fade, Rook tells Harding that it was thoughts of her that got them through the prison. Harding tells her she is able to withstand the pain of the Titans only with Rook's support. The two kiss and the scene fades to black.
Later, they sit on the couch in their underwear. Harding tells Rook she's worried that Rook might be a spirit of some kind, since she's seen spirits cross the Veil and become human before. Rook reassures her that's not the case, and Harding confesses that while the world is more confusing for her now than it used to be, she doesn't regret learning how complicated things truly are. Rook says they feel the same way, and promise to always stand beside her against the chaos.
During the Battle of Minrathous, Harding thanks Rook for believing in her and helping her find her strength, telling them they make life beautiful. She also tells them that if they both live, she'll take them to a cottage in Ferelden to enjoy some peace and quiet, at least for a while.
Statistics
This is a preparatory section for Lace Harding's starting statistics.
Quotes
- Main article: Lace Harding/Dialogue
This is a preparatory section for select Lace Harding quotes.
Codex entries
Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Codex entry: Scout Harding
- Codex entry: A Letter to Harding
- Codex entry: Arboreal Fort
- Codex entry: Blood-Stained Shrine
- Codex entry: Leliana and the Last Few Years
- Codex entry: Nigel's Point
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Codex entry: Book Club Notes
- Codex entry: Book Club Notes: Second Meeting
- Codex entry: A Distressing Sight
- Codex entry: Emmrich: Note to Harding on Souls
- Codex entry: On Death
- Codex entry: Thoughts on "Isatunoll"
- Codex entry: A Letter Home
- Codex entry: From Emmrich, on Sorrow Denied
- Codex entry: Harding's Favorite Foods
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Thoughts on Stone Sense
- Codex entry: Encouragement from Harding's Ma
- Codex entry: Different Flavors of Andraste
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: The Oracle
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Stalgard
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Kal-Sharok?
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Orzammar and Titans
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Dead Titan?
- Codex entry: On the Fall of Kal-Sharok
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Red Lyrium
- Codex entry: Returning to the Stone
- Codex entry: Letter for Lace Harding
- Codex entry: Antivan Lemon Thyme
- Codex entry: Lorelei, the Shadow Dragon Fence
- Codex entry: The Cobbled Swan
- Codex entry: Charter in Minrathous
- Codex entry: Charter in Marnas Pell
- Codex entry: Charter in Vyrantium
- Codex entry: Charter in Solas
- Codex entry: Letter to Charter
- Codex entry: Harding's Notes: Lyrium Dagger
Note texts
Trivia
- Lace was written by Sheryl Chee.[7]
- 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 in Dragon Age: Inquisition 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."[8]
- Harding is the master of a mabari called Contessa.[9]
- Harding's favorite food is turnip-goat stew.[10]
- She is a good cook.[11][12]
- Throughout Dragon Age: Inquisition, Harding is implied to be Andrastian, and is only depicted using cultural terms invoking the Maker and Andraste.[13] However, in Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance, she instead thanks The Stone and asks it for strength, despite not being from a family or culture that venerates the Stone.[14] In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Harding confirms that she is Andrastian like her mother.
- As of the events of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Harding's parents have separated, with her father living in Amaranthine and her mother staying near Redcliffe.[15]
- Harding is the first romanceable dwarven companion in the series.
See also
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 254
- ↑ BioWare. "Myths and Legends" EA.
- ↑ FluffyNinjaLlama (September 27, 2015). "Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC - Vivienne about Scout Harding Romance" YouTube.
- ↑ Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance, Episode 2: The Cult of the Doom Blade
- ↑ Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance, Episode 8: All Roads Lead Home
- ↑ Game Informer, Issue 367, p. 28-39
- ↑ Trick Weekes (July 31, 2024). "Have confirmed it's okay to name names and can say that longtime Dragon Age veteran Sheryl Chee was the writer for Scout Lace Harding, one of the most cheerful and optimistic characters ever to be introduced by sniping three people in rapid succession." . Bluesky. Retrieved on July 31, 2024.
- ↑ Note: Pamphlet: Lift Your Voices!
- ↑ Codex entry: Scout Harding
- ↑ Codex entry: A Letter to Harding
- ↑ BioWare. "Plant-lover and darkspawn-killer, Lace Harding" . Instagram.
- ↑ Referenced by Nadia Carcosa in episode 2 of Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance
- ↑ In the Fallow Mire, she says "Maker willing, the Inquisition's people are still alive."
- ↑ Harding says "By the Stone, give me the strength to survive this night." and "Thank the Stones!" in episode 2 of Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance
- ↑ Referenced during in-game banter between Harding and Taash.
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