Winter Palace

“The first time I came to the Winter Palace, I was only eighteen. I was dazzled. Such rich hangings. Such splendid marble columns. More golden lions than I could count. It's all still here. Still bright. But I no longer see that same place. […] Now all I can see are the knives in the shadows, the poison in jeweled goblets.”―Leliana^[1]

The Winter Palace is a palace in Orlais built on the ruins of ancient elven grounds in the city of Halamshiral. As early as 2:30 Glory, only ten years after the Exalted Marches led to the conquest of the Dales, the site where the Winter Palace would be built had become a seasonal retreat for the Imperial Court. This remains a tradition for Orlais' high nobility even today.

Background[]

After the glorious reclamation of the Dales, the elven capital lay empty and in ruins for years, a haven for bandits and highwaymen and all manner of miscreants. The land lay unused until the Exalted Age, when Alphonse Valmont, the very Lion himself, declared that a palace should be built there in honor of the valiant actions of his brothers in besting the armies of false Emperor Xavier Drakon. Originally called Chateau Lion, it was designed as a grand retreat for the emperor's brothers and their families.
The city of Halamshiral grew around the palace. The first records of its existence appear in the Storm Age, when Emperor Cyril granted the title of marquis to Ser Reginald Montclair for "administration of Halamshiral."
An elven uprising destroyed Chateau Lion in the Blessed Age. When Emperor Judicael I rebuilt it, he named the new retreat the Winter Palace. It was designed more for the emperor and his immediate family than for any cadet branches of House Valmont, and became the heart of the Imperial Court in the darkest months of winter.
— An excerpt from Architectual History of Orlais, Volume I by Elodie Ferrneau^[2]

Involvement[]

Dragon Age: The Masked Empire[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: The Masked Empire.

After Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons openly moves against her in a bid for her throne, Empress Celene travels to the Winter Palace through the network of eluvians. She learns from the palace's seneschal that Comte Pierre has handed over Halamshiral to Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons and is requesting that the palace guards also surrender. Celene summons Pierre to the Winter Palace to discuss terms. Upon discovering Celene is free, Comte Pierre immediately surrenders the city to her and re-affirms his loyalty to the Empress.

Dragon Age: Inquisition[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

The Winter Palace is chosen by Grand Duchess Florianne de Chalons to hold the peace talks between Empress Celene, Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons, and Briala. The Inquisitor attends the masquerade to find Corypheus' assassin hiding among the guests. The assassin turns out to be none other than Grand Duchess Florianne. The Inquisitor foils her plan to plunge Orlais into chaos by putting an end to the War of the Lions and determining its victor: Empress Celene or Emperor Gaspard.

Trespasser[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.

In 9:44 Dragon, Ferelden, Orlais and the Chantry come together to call an Exalted Council to determine the fate of the Inquisition as an independent order. The Winter Palace is chosen as the site to hold the council. With the assistance of the Agents of Fen'Harel, the Inquisitor stops the Viddasala from destroying the Winter Palace as a prelude to Qunari invasion of the southern nations.

Areas[]

Palace Exterior

The Emerald Crown

Palace Interior

Vestibule
Grand Ballroom

Guest Wing

Hall of Heroes
Trophy Room
Guest Gardens
- Upper Lattice
Grand Library
- Study
- Secret Study
Servants' Quarters
- Servants' Kitchen
Gardens
Grand Apartments

Royal Wing

Royal Quarters
Jardin de Rȇverie
Empress' Private Quarters
- Celene's Vault
Le Requiem
Kitchens
Dining Room

Trespasser[]

Baths

Foundry

Main Plaza

Palace Entrance

Characters[]

This section is incomplete and requires expansion.

Ambassador Anton

Briala

Council of Heralds Vassal

Cullen Rutherford

Duke Germain de Chalons

Elven Agent (Gardens)

Elven Servant (Royal Quarters)

Empress Celene Valmont I

Grand Duchess Florianne de Chalons

Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons

Josephine Montilyet

Lady Colombe

Lady Couteau

Lady Fleur

Leliana

Comte Lothaire Doucy

Dowager Lady Mantillon

Lady Marcellette

Minstrel Maryden

Mercenary Captain

Morrigan

Naked Soldier

Noblewoman (The Emerald Crown)

Philippe

Comtesse Solange Montbelliard

Whispering Elf (Hall of Heroes)

Yvette Gabriella Montilyet

Trespasser[]

This section is incomplete and requires expansion.

Blackwall (conditional)

Bran Cavin

Cassandra Pentaghast (conditional)

Charter

Cole (conditional)

Duke Cyril de Montfort

Dorian Pavus (conditional)

Iron Bull

Krem (conditional)

Minstrel Maryden

Sera (conditional)

Arl Teagan Guerrin

Varric Tethras

Divine Victoria

Vivienne (conditional)

Winter Palace Merchant

Zither (conditional)

Quests[]

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts

The Great Blackmail Hunt

Herd of Stone Halla

Red Jenny's Stashes

Throwing Away Money

Trespasser[]

Trespasser

Expensive Bones (unmarked side quest)

Fireworks (unmarked side quest)

Halla Treasure Hunt (unmarked side quest)

Harlequin Tag (unmarked side quest)

Painting Correction (unmarked side quest)

Enemies[]

Harlequin

Venatori

Venatori Mage
Venatori Spellbinder (Mage)
Venatori Marksman (Rogue - Archer)
Venatori Zealot (Warrior - One-Handed Sword)

Collections[]

Skyhold Customizations[]

Orlesian Banner - found in a small chest in the Guest Garden, behind the Lower Garden Door.

Note: Requires 3 Halla Statues to access.

Songs[]

The following songs can be heard in the Winter Palace's Upper Garden:

Resources[]

Herbs[]

Elfroot

Embrium

Royal Elfroot

Notable items[]

Golden Nug[]

Located in the Foundry next to the Modify Weapons table (Trespasser)

Loot[]

Confusion Grenade Recipe - in the Secret Study of the Grand Library.

Crescent Slicer - looted from the Harlequin in the Grand Apartments.

Masterwork Crow Blade Schematic - inside Celene's Vault.

Masterwork Magister Staff Blade Schematic - in the Secret Study of the Grand Library.

The Clasping Maw - available at the Winter Palace Merchant for 184680

.

Note: Trespasser required.

Codex entries[]

Codex entry: Briala

Codex entry: A Compendium of Orlesian Theater

Codex entry: Council of Heralds

Codex entry: Empress Celene Valmont

Codex entry: A Ghoulish Delight

Codex entry: Grand Duchess Florianne de Chalons

Codex entry: Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons

Codex entry: Halamshiral

Codex entry: Jeshavis, Mother of Orlais

Codex entry: The Lion of Orlais (Inquisition)

Codex entry: Mad Emperor Reville

Codex entry: Morrigan

Codex entry: Orlesian Caprice Coins

Codex entry: Superstitions of the Royal Family

Codex entry: Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts

Codex entry: Winter Palace

Songs[]

Codex entry: "Empress of Fire"

Codex entry: "Enchanters"

Codex entry: "I Am The One"

Codex entry: "Maker"

Codex entry: "Nightingale's Eyes"

Codex entry: "Oh, Grey Warden"

Codex entry: "Once We Were"

Codex entry: "Rise"

Codex entry: "Samson's Tale"

Codex entry: "Sera Was Never"

Trespasser[]

Codex entry: "Blackwall" and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: A Dispatch from the Crown of Ferelden

Codex entry: Activity in the Winter Palace

Codex entry: Cassandra and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Cole and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Conduct Becoming the Inquisition

Codex entry: Cullen and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Dorian and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Emergency Measures

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Ten

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Eleven

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Twelve

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Thirteen

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Fourteen

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Fifteen

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Sixteen

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Seventeen

Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Eighteen

Codex entry: Iron Bull and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Josephine and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Leliana and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Notes on Palace Guests

Codex entry: Scandalous Gossip

Codex entry: Storms of Temptation

Codex entry: Tattered Tome

Codex entry: The First Grand Enchanter

Codex entry: Varric and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Vivienne and the Last Few Years

Codex entry: Wager Notes

Codex entry: Winter Palace (map)

Note texts[]

The Art of the Winter Palace (Bronto)

The Art of the Winter Palace (Deepstalker)

The Art of the Winter Palace (Guest Garden)

The Art of the Winter Palace (Lambert Valmont)

The Art of the Winter Palace (Maferath)

The Art of the Winter Palace (Triumph)

The Art of the Winter Palace (Unknown)

Diary of a Nosy Servant

Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Briala)

Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Celene)

Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Gaspard)

Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Grand Library)

Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Trophy Room)

The Valmont Emperors (Etienne I)

The Valmont Emperors (Etienne II)

The Valmont Emperors (Florian)

The Valmont Emperors (Judicael I)

The Valmont Emperors (Judicael II)

The Valmont Emperors (Reville)

Trespasser[]

The Gilded Horn's Drink List

Sera's Past and Now Things

Notes[]

Formal Attire can be destroyed, forcing a character to wear default clothes during the main quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts.
During Trespasser, the Winter Palace serves as the Inquisitor's base camp, all falling damage is disabled.