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“Wherever you lead us. ” ―Cassandra to the Inquisitor


The Inquisitor, known to many Thedosians as the Herald of Andraste, is the playable character protagonist of Dragon Age: Inquisition. The player is able to choose the character's race, gender, class, first name, and voice set.

Involvement[]

Dragon Age: Inquisition[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Main article: Storyline for Dragon Age: Inquisition

The Veil has torn across Thedas. The Inquisitor is the sole survivor of a tear, referred to as "the Breach," that occurs during a peace conference between the leaders of the Chantry, the Templar Order and the Mage Rebellion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Finding themselves in the Fade with no memory of how they got there, the Inquisitor remembers being chased by giant spider-like creatures. The Inquisitor notices it had been granted a mysterious magical mark on their left hand which activates when they reach out to a feminine spiritual entity. Emerging from the Breach, the Inquisitor passes out and is captured by Chantry forces. The Inquisitor is interrogated by Cassandra Pentaghast and Leliana. They are blamed of causing the Breach and the deaths ensued, given that they are the only one to have survived and the mark is connected to the incident. The Inquisitor's mark spreads each time the Breach expands - thus slowly killing them. Yet it also has the power to seal the Fade rifts.

Due to the Inquisitor's unique ability, Cassandra brings the Inquisitor to attempt to close the Breach. At the site of the first Fade rift, an echo of the past reveals that the Inquisitor was present when Divine Justinia V was being held captive by an unknown male entity and had called to the Inquisitor for help, but the Inquisitor has no memory of this event. The Inquisitor then used the power of the mark to stop the Breach from growing but not sealing it. Some time afterwards, people who witnessed the Inquisitor's actions, as well as hearing of the Inquisitor's account of a feminine spirit they reached out to in order to activate the mark, believed the entity to be Andraste and the Inquisitor to be Andraste's Herald. Many view the Inquisitor as a symbol of hope and others blame them for causing the Breach in the first place. The Inquisitor is inducted into the reborn Inquisition and aids their efforts in strengthening the Inquisition's influence, sealing the tears, and putting an end to the chaos.

Inquisitor-Coronation

The coronation of a female[4] human Inquisitor as leader of the Inquisition[5]

DAI NewHome

A female dwarven Inquisitor with Solas and Cassandra Pentaghast looking over Skyhold

After either allying or conscripting the mage rebels or templars, the Inquisitor is able to close the Breach. But the victory is short-lived, as Haven comes under attack by Corypheus. The Inquisitor distracts him long enough for the village to be evacuated before causing an avalanche to bury his army. When the Inquisitor reunites with the Inquisition, the Herald leads them to Skyhold, where the Inquisitor is formally declared their leader.

In 9:41 Dragon, Adamant Fortress is reoccupied by the Orlesian Grey Wardens, who had allied with the Venatori. Sacrificing their own warriors, enthralled Warden mages began summoning demons, ostensibly to march into the Deep Roads to kill the Old Gods. However, the fortress came under siege by the Inquisition, due to the Wardens sheltering Magister Livius Erimond, a member of the Venatori. When the Inquisitor, Hawke and a Warden ally reached Warden-Commander Clarel, they are able to convince her that Erimond is in league with Corypheus, an ancient darkspawn. In the resulting battle, the Inquisitor, Hawke, the Warden ally and their party escape into the Fade. There they meet a spirit posing as Divine Justinia V, who is revealed to be the same spirit that was believed to be Andraste and led the Inquisitor to the Breach to escape as they were chased by demons. The spirit briefs the Inquisitor that they are in the realm of a Nightmare demon who is controlling the Grey Warden mages and that the Inquisitor must recover the memories it took from them. As the Inquisitor recovers these memories, they remember how the mortal Divine was bound by Grey Warden mages and sacrificed to power an orb. The Inquisitor interrupted their ritual and when Corypheus lost control of the orb, the Inquisitor picked it up and gave them the mark. After escaping the Fade with the spirit's help, with either Hawke or the Warden ally staying behind to fight the Nightmare demon, the Inquisitor has the option of either allying with the surviving Wardens or exiling them from Orlais.

The Inquisitor attends a ball held by Empress Celene I at her Winter Palace in Halamshiral after learning of an assassination plot against her. The Inquisitor's actions resolve the Orlesian Civil War and decide who holds the throne of Orlais.

In 9:42 Dragon,[6][7] Corypheus is pursued to the Temple of Mythal in the Arbor Wilds, where he attempts to gain the knowledge to use the eluvian network and so reenter the Black City. The Inquisitor foils his plans, and in desperation Corypheus retreats to the Temple of Sacred Ashes to reopen the Breach. The Inquisitor finally defeated Corypheus by killing his red lyrium dragon, thus stopping Corypheus' ability to leap into other bodies. The Inquisitor then ends Corypheus by using the Anchor, i.e., the Inquisitor's mark, to banish Corypheus to the Fade, destroying his body in the process. Afterwards they reseal the Breach, ending the threat for good.

Jaws of Hakkon

After the Inquisition establishes a presence in the Frostback Basin, the Inquisition is spurred by Professor Bram Kenric's archaeological findings to discover the fate of Inquisitor Ameridan - the Herald's predecessor. The Herald align themselves with the Avvar tribe of Stone-Bear Hold and discover that the hostile Jaws of Hakkon seek to unleash their imprisoned god, Hakkon Wintersbreath, on all of Thedas out of revenge. The Inquisition discover that Ameridan has been keeping the dragon vessel of Hakkon confined with time magic, and after his bindings fail - passes on the duty to finish what he started to the Herald. The Herald foils the Hakkonite's plans and slays the dragon vessel of Hakkon.

The Descent

Following the Battle of Haven, a string of violent earthquakes grip the Storm Coast region. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have been brought to the Inquisitor's attention, but the quakes aren't subsiding and are threatening the Inquisition's vital lyrium trade with the dwarves of Orzammar, collapsing mining tunnels and causing casualties. The Inquisitor is asked to meet with a Shaper on the scene named Valta.

The Inquisition descend into the Deep Roads to find the cause of the worsening earthquakes with Valta and a Legionnaire of the Dead named Renn. Along the way they battle the monstrous Darkspawn and the dwarven Sha-Brytol guardians. Renn was a casualty of an ambush by the Sha-Brytol. During their adventure, they discover that the source of the earthquakes is a recently stirred Titan. Valta uncovers information about the ancient titans from old lyrium etchings and piece together its relationship with lyrium and the Sha-Brytol. Eventually they reach a verdant cavern that is surmised to be the inside of the titan itself. At the heart of the cavern is a massive stone of raw lyrium which strikes Valta with lyrium energy and knocks her unconscious. Rocks and stone armor the raw lyrium and form a rock-lyrium guardian that the Inquisition defeats.

Following the guardian's defeat, Valta regains consciousness but is pained by a loud song until she releases a wave of telekinetic force. Valta reveals that the raw lyrium's energy blast established a connection between her and the titan. She reveals the titan was disturbed by the Breach but seems to have calmed now that it has established a connection with one of its "children". Valta has come to believe that everything that has transpired went according to the titan's plan. Though she admits that she is now different, she assures the Inquisitor that she is still the same shaperate she once was and wishes to stay in the verdant cavern to commune with the titan. She hopes in time, its song will reveal more knowledge about the dwarves and their mysterious history. The Inquisitor respects Valta's decision to stay with the Titan and tells her to be careful as they part ways.

Trespasser


This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.


Two years after Corypheus' defeat, representatives from Ferelden, Orlais, and the Chantry formed the Exalted Council to negotiate with the Inquisition about checking its influence. To compound the Inquisitor's problems, the Anchor's magic has become unstable again and threatens the Inquisitor's life.

In the midst of talks, the Inquisitor is notified by an Inquisition elven guard to meet privately with Leliana who reveals the discovered dead body of a fully armored Qunari warrior from the Antaam. The Inquisitor investigates the Qunari threat until they find a human former templar turned Viddathari in the Deep Roads surrounded by Qunari. The former templar calls himself Ser Jerran, and he reveals that agents of Fen'Harel have been hindering the Qunari. He also says the Qunari believe the Inquisition are part of Fen'Harel's agents. Jerran seems wary of his superior the Viddasala, who is the mastermind behind a plan called "Dragon's Breath". Jerran believes she intends to conquer southern Thedas and has been mining Lyrium to supply her Saarebas as well as making use of the Eluvians for that purpose. The Inquisitor destroys the Viddasala's lyrium mine and reports back to their war council to discuss the turn of events.

Later on, the Inquisitor is notified that an Inquisition elven guard has detained an Orlesian elven servant transporting suspicious barrels. The Inquisition begins to exert its influence to control the situation, much to the displeasure of the Exalted Council. Leliana reveals that the detained elven servant was transporting gaatlok barrels, ostensibly to assassinate every noble in the Exalted Council and beyond thus depriving southern Thedas of effective leadership when the Qunari invade. The Inquisitor pursues the Viddasala while Leliana's agents remove the gaatlok barrels planted across Thedas.

When the Inquisitor confronts the Viddasala, she accuses the Inquisitor of wielding dangerous magic and must be ended for the greater good. She also reveals that the Qunari planned on assassinating their leaders and indoctrinating those left after being conquered but an agent of Fen'Harel disrupted their plan and they must now resort to a conquering by war. Furthermore, it appears the Inquisition is implicated in the Qunari's plans as the Qunari have been using Inquisition resources to transport the gaatlok barrels, thus revealing that the Inquisition's ranks are corrupted by elven Qunari spies and saboteurs.

As the Inquisitor pursues Viddasala through the eluvians, she reveals that Solas is an agent of Fen'Harel and that his meddling is what disrupted the Qunari's plans to convert southern Thedas. When the Inquisitor finally reaches Solas, they find Viddasala and her followers are defeated and petrified by Solas. Solas then uses his magic to stabilize the Inquisitor's Anchor so they can have some time to talk.

Solas reveals he has amassed a network of spies and agents and many of his spies are also planted in the Inquisition which is how he uncovered the Qunari plot to invade southern Thedas. He disrupted the plot by having his agents discreetly help the Inquisitor uncover the Qunari invasion.

Qunari invaders, the Dragon's Breath, have pursued him as an agent of Fen'Harel but Solas proved elusive as he has complete control of the Eluvians and has grown so much in power that he can petrify foes with a thought. Solas reveals he is no agent but is in fact the Dread Wolf himself. Solas reveals to the Inquisitor how he fought back against the Evanuris after they betrayed and murdered Mythal, in his words the one elven god who served as a voice of reason, who cared for and loved her subjects. As punishment he erected the Veil and banished the Evanuris to the Beyond, despite the irrevocable damage wrought across Elvhenan as a result. He has since vowed to walk the solitary path of the Din'Anshiral in order to restore the elven people regardless of the cost to Thedas, and he cannot be swayed even if romanced.

He warns the Inquisitor about the inevitability of an organization as large as the Inquisition becoming corrupt, and that it in fact already has, before the time Solas has bought to converse runs out and the Anchor becomes unendurable. As the Inquisitor doubles over in pain they can declare that they will either stop Solas's plan or redeem him and show him that the world that exists now is worth saving. Then he uses his magic to sever the Inquisitor's left forearm, preventing the Anchor from killing them.[8] He instructs them to enjoy what time they have left before departing once more. If romanced he calls the Inquisitor "my love," kisses her one last time, and tells her he will always remember her before he walks away.

The Inquisitor returns to the Exalted Council to decide the Inquisition's fate with their left forearm now amputated. The Inquisitor can either have the Inquisition become Divine Victoria's honor guard, or disband. In case the Inquisition is kept, the Inquisitor officially maintains a desk-bound role in the now-smaller organization answering directly to the Divine, or, if the Inquisition is disbanded, they retire. In either case, despite the passive public role, they can receive and accept and offer from Sera to become a Red Jenny, using a crossbow/grappling hook attachment on their left forearm while out to enact revenge on nobility.[9] Privately, the (possibly former) Inquisitor is also mobilized in a plan to stop the Dread Wolf; Later on, the Inquisitor meets with the Inquisition's war council in Haven to discuss Solas's plan and resolves to foil him by finding agents he is unaware of. The Inquisitor stabs a dagger through the portion of their war map labeled "Tevinter Imperium".


Character creation[]

The player begins by selecting a gender, race (human, elf, dwarf or Qunari), voice set, and class (warrior, rogue or mage) for the Inquisitor. (The mage class is unavailable to dwarves.)

Origins[]

Race selection determines the Inquisitor's background.

  • Human: A member of the noble Trevelyan family from Ostwick in the Free Marches. The Trevelyan family has close ties with the Templar Order and warrior and rogue Inquisitors were raised to be devout and loyal Andrastians (though they do not have to relish this role). They are sent to the Chantry conclave to aid their family in the proceedings. Human mages lived a cloistered, protected life in the Ostwick Circle before the Mage-Templar War forced them to flee and join the mage delegation at the Chantry conclave. Human Inquisitors receive one extra ability point upon character creation.
  • Elf: A member of the Lavellan clan, a Dalish clan that resides in the Free Marches. As a warrior or rogue, the elven Inquisitor is a hunter. If a mage, they are First to the clan's Keeper. The Dalish tend to hold their beliefs and traditions in the highest regard (though they do not have to be upheld). All elven Inquisitors are sent by the Keeper to spy on the conclave's proceedings, as the rebellion has been threatening the clan's safety and way of life. The Keeper also predicts that the conclave's outcome will affect everything. Elven Inquisitors receive a 25% bonus to ranged defense upon character creation.
  • Dwarf: A surface dwarf and member of House Cadash, a prominent crime family within the Carta. They are lyrium smugglers, and are sent to the conclave to spy on the proceedings, as its outcome would have a major impact on the demand for lyrium. Dwarven Inquisitors receive a 25% bonus to magic defense upon character creation.
  • Qunari: A Vashoth Qunari who was never introduced to the Qun. Regardless of the player's chosen class, all Qunari Inquisitors are members of the Valo-kas mercenary company and are sent to the Chantry conclave as hired security. Qunari Inquisitors receive a 10% bonus to physical resistance upon character creation.

Voice sets[]

The Inquisitor is a voiced protagonist. However, unlike with Hawke, the player is able to choose the sound of the protagonist's voice, with two voices available for both genders: one with a Southern English accent and one with a North American accent.

Last name[]

The Inquisitor has a last name, which varies based on race. This cannot be changed, as it is spoken in some voiced dialogues where the Inquisitor is introduced as, for example, "Mistress Adaar" or "Lord Trevelyan."

First name[]

The first name is determined by the player but a preset name is offered according to the background and gender. It has no effect on dialogue as the Inquisitor is always referred as Herald, Inquisitor, or by their last name.

Inquisition conversation wheel race icons 1
Inquisition conversation wheel race icons 2

Conversation wheel icons for race specific dialogues

Male
  • Human – Maxwell
  • Elf – Mahanon
  • Dwarf – Edric
  • Qunari – Kaaras
Female
  • Human – Evelyn
  • Elf – Ellana
  • Dwarf – Malika
  • Qunari – Herah

Unique powers[]

See also: Inquisitor (abilities)

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


The Inquisitor possesses a unique ability to manipulate the Fade, which manifests itself in a mark on the Inquisitor's left hand that radiates green light. This mark is known as the "Anchor," and it is a power the Elder One seeks. The spirit taking the form of Divine Justinia compares the Anchor to a key to the Fade and describes it as the means for a mortal to stand physically in the Fade. It is also the only known way a person can move through a rift and live.[10] As Solas later discovers, the Anchor allows the Inquisitor to maintain awareness while dreaming in the Fade.

The mark will have improved abilities over time. In addition to the ability to close rifts, the mark eventually gains a power called Mark of the Rift, an area attack that can banish all demons in the affected range, cause massive damage and potentially kill some enemies in one blow. This power, however, cannot be used all the time, as it is a Focus-based ability.

Following an encounter with a spirit emulating the Dreamer Mage Telana, the Inquisitor gains Aegis of the Rift, an impregnable shield that guards against energy attacks.[11]



This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.


However, the Inquisitor's powers are not without drawbacks. During the Exalted Council, the Inquisitor gains an ability called Anchor Discharge, which allows them to use accumulating energy to make the entire party briefly invulnerable and produce light in a limited space, although using this ability causes the Inquisitor pain. Later, the Inquisitor is able to use the Anchor to cause damage to nearby enemies. Unfortunately, the Anchor soon begins to accumulate energy rapidly and flares up uncontrollably, causing the Inquisitor severe pain and producing explosions that damage the party. Solas eventually reveals that anyone other than himself would ultimately be unable to wield the Anchor's power indefinitely, and he removes the Anchor in order to save their life.[12] The Inquisitor presumably loses their Fade-altering abilities after this event.


Quotes[]

Main article: The Inquisitor/Dialogue
  • "You have to admit, the 'fake your own death, travel through time, rescue your allies' trick is a classic."
  • (Playing Wicked Grace with companions) "I think we need another round of drinks!"
  • (When judging Storvacker, the bear) "Alright, I wouldn't want life in the hold to become... UnBEARable."

Codex entries[]

Codex entry: Trevelyan, the Free Marcher Codex entry: Trevelyan, the Free Marcher
Codex entry: Lavellan, of the Dalish Codex entry: Lavellan, of the Dalish
Codex entry: Cadash, the Casteless Codex entry: Cadash, the Casteless
Codex entry: Adaar, the Vashoth Codex entry: Adaar, the Vashoth

Trivia[]

  • According to Cassandra Pentaghast, she and Leliana originally looked to Hawke as their initial choice for the Inquisitor, unless the player creates a World State where the Warden survived, in which case Hawke was their second choice.
  • During Here Lies the Abyss the Inquisitor views the Fearlings (who take the form of what their enemies fear) as spiders, suggesting the Inquisitor is at least slightly afraid of spiders.
  • The box-art of the game and in promotional material depicts the Inquisitor's mark on their right hand, however in-game it is on their left.
  • Similar to The Warden, it is implied that all of the "potential" Inquisitors existed, but the ones not chosen by the player were among the casualties of The Breach.
  • The Inquisitor follows a certain pattern where the playable character originates from the country of the previous game, starting from Dragon Age II onwards. Similar to how Hawke originally came from Ferelden (the country of Origins, the first game), the Inquisitor is originally from the Free Marches (the country of Dragon Age II, the second game).
  • A female qunari Inquisitor is the first female qunari (member of the qunari race) to appear in a Dragon Age game. The first female qunari to appear in the franchise was Rasaan, who first appeared in Dragon Age: Those Who Speak while the first female Qunari (follower of the Qun) to appear both in-game and in the franchise was Tallis, in the Mark of the Assassin DLC for Dragon Age II. If the Inquisitor is not a female qunari, then the first are unnamed Ben-Hassrath agents and the Viddasala in the Trespasser DLC for Inquisition.
  • A dwarf Inquisitor comes from House Cadash, the same house Shale originally belonged to prior to becoming a Golem.
  • Players voted on Instagram to provide the main playable character of the Inquisition series a date of birth. Female Inquisitors were assigned April 9th and male Inquisitors were assigned and May 9th.[citation needed]
  • According to a quarterly report by EA, the most popular origins for the Inquisitor were Human Rogue (18%), Human Warrior (17%), Human Mage (15%), Elf Warrior (13%) and Elf Mage (12%).[13]
  • In the cutscene where the Inquisition is proclaimed, the Inquisitor is by default wearing a Defender Coat (if warrior), Scout Coat (if rogue), or Apprentice Coat (if mage).

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Offered by Varric Tethras in Trespasser DLC, if the two are friends.
  2. A "legend-mark" that can be granted by Thane Svarah Sun-Hair in the Jaws of Hakkon DLC.
  3. Offered by Varric Tethras in Trespasser DLC to a dwarven Inquisitor, if the two are friends.
  4. BSN Gaider, David (August 20, 2013). ""The Inquisitor Himself" (To all of you who don't want to read before you comment, no this thread does not doubt in ANY way that we will be able to play as a female protagonist. It simply asks for equal marketing.)" . The BioWare Forum. Retrieved on August 28, 2013.
  5. Matt Rhodes art blog
  6. Trespasser takes place in 9:44 Dragon and explicitly states it is two years after the defeat of Corypheus
  7. Note: Dedication
  8. Visible with FlyCam, also confirmed (1, 2) by Patrick Weekes.
  9. As stated in Sera's Trespasser Epilogue
  10. Twitter icon Patrick Weekeshttps://twitter.com/PatrickWeekes/status/568963124390264832 . Twitter.
  11. Jaws of Hakkon DLC
  12. As witnessed at the end of Trespasser (quest).
  13. EA Infographic
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