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Krem

(Image source unknown, if you know who did it, let me know so I can credit!)

Krem was born in Tevinter to a tailor and his wife. His birth name is Cremisius Aclassi, though during the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, he prefers to be called Krem.

Krem was born female, and was raised as a girl, but always knew he was meant to be a man. When pressured by his mother to marry the son of a rich merchant, he refused, essentially ending the relationship with his mother. Krem’s father was forced to sell himself into slavery when his business went under.

Soon after, Krem joined the army. He was limited to what positions he could hold in the military as a woman, and so, following his heart, he enlisted as a man. His secret stayed hidden for several years thanks to bribes slipped to the healer responsible for military physicals. Trouble came when that healer was called away, and his replacement reported Krem to the authorities. 

When faced with execution or slavery as punishment for falsifying military documents, Krem fled. He was pursued by a Tevinter Tribune and his soldiers for a long while. They finally caught up with him in a border town tavern. They immediately attacked Krem, and set out to make “an example” out of him. 

Thankfully, at the critical moment, The Iron Bull intervened. He fought off the soldiers, losing his eye to a Tevinter flail in the process. Once the battle was over, he healed Krem’s wounds and offered him a job in his mercenary company, The Chargers.

Throughout the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, Krem is sent on many war table missions with the chargers, but an important story point occurs during Iron Bull’s personal quest, The Demands of the Qun. The Inquisitor comes to a choice of essentially leaving the Chargers to die, or saving them and ruining an alliance with the Qun.  If the Chargers are left to die, Krem and the other mercenaries are killed. If The Inquisitor orders the Chargers to retreat, he is saved and continues on for the rest of the game.

Krem is a wonderful character. He is one of the first (if not THE first) trans character in a Bioware game. His transgender status is revealed during an encounter with the Chargers in the tavern. There have been arguments online (imagine that), that Krem’s only purpose in the game IS to be trans. I completely disagree. The fact that he is trans has nothing to do with his purpose or his importance.  Krem is Iron Bull’s trusted second in command, his closest friend. His personality stands on its own. He is a man with a painful past and a sharp sense of humor, who finds love in the Trespasser DLC if you take that route (YAY!)

 No one would blink if it were a non-trans character in this role. It would go unnoticed and accepted. I think it’s great that Bioware decided to put a trans character in the game. It brings the diversity to Dragon Age that exists in reality. In short, I absolutely love Krem, and am thankful for his presence in the franchise.

As usual, if I have made an error or left out something important, please let me know so I can fix it. I appreciate any and all constructive criticism. 

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Sera

Art/screenshot credit- Nexus Mods

We don’t know a lot about Sera’s background, but what we do know sort of explains the Sera we get present day in Inquisition. She was orphaned as a child. According to her, she doesn’t remember her parents. At the time she was orphaned, she was living in the Alienage in Denerim.

At one point, she was caught stealing. In response, she was taken in by a noble woman, Lady Taraline Emmald. Life did improve in ways for Sera, but she was disgusted with the Lady’s deception and pride, which went hand in hand with her wealth and social status. Her life with Lady Taraline instilled her hatred for nobles and those “who take themselves too seriously”.  She remained with Lady Taraline until she became sick and passed away. Sera inherited Lady Taraline’s estate, but rejected the house, wealth and the nobility that came with it.

Sera says she remembers the blight, and she remembers the Hero of Ferelden coming to Denerim. We aren’t told specifically when she became involved with The Friends of Red Jenny, but she was “older”, leading me to believe either teenager or younger adult. 

Sera tells us, when asked, that she trained herself in archery and her “rogue” abilities. She ran with the Friends of Red Jenny in Denerim for a time before she relocated to Val Royeaux, where she is based when the Inquisitor meets her for the first time. 

Once the breach appears in the sky, she seeks out the Inquisition to help repair the hole in the sky and get things back to “normal” for her, so she can go play. 

Sera, above all, sticks up for the little guy. Those who tend to get caught in the crossfire of “the greater good”. She has a distinct hatred for nobility, people who consider themselves above others, or too important. She delights in pulling pranks, and humbling those that need humbling.  

In my opinion, Sera’s character started out completely obnoxious. I never had her in my party, never even talked to her. However, during subsequent play-throughs, she sort of grew on me. I can’t say she is one of my favorite characters, but I admire aspects of her personality, and definitely feel a little more sympathetic toward her after finding out these small pieces of her back story. 

As usual, please feel free to message me with any mistakes I have made, things I have left out, etc etc. I am open to all constructive criticism. 

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Scout Harding

Scout Lace Harding was born in a common family just outside of Redcliffe in the Hinterlands. Her mother was a seamstress and her father was a trader who claimed he could trace his family line back to Orzammar’s Merchant Caste.

As a child, she quickly showed herself to be a very active and rugged child. She spent a lot of time exploring the Hinterlands, and became very familiar with the area.

When the Inquisition made its way into the Hinterlands following the Breach, Harding quickly volunteered to guide the scouts and soldiers through the terrain. With her knowledge of the area and her sharp instincts, she was quickly snatched up and recruited to the Inquisition, where she became invaluable.

Lace Harding is a noble, gentle, yet tough soul whose only wish is to help the people affected by the Breach. She is dependable, honest and hard working. She is genuinely a beautiful character, and I wish we had more of her in the game.

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Cole

His origins seem mysterious at the beginning, but it is later learned that he is a spirit of compassion, pulled through from the Fade by the dying cries of a young apostate named Cole. 

Cole was a young boy who lived in Ferelden. He was discovered to have magical powers, and his abusive father considered his children cursed and hated them for their abilities. It is strongly suggested that Cole’s mother was killed by their father.

 Cole’s sister died while the two were hiding from their father. Cole was holding his sister, “Bunny” with his hand over her mouth. He did not realize he had suffocated her in his attempt to hide them from their murderous father. He was taken away by the Templars for having magical abilities, and thrown in the dungeon of the White Spire in Val Royeaux where he was forgotten and left to starve to death. It is worth noting that the White Spire is a place where the veil is thin, thus making it easier for spirits to cross over into the real world.

The spirit of compassion that came through from the Fade comforted Cole, and held his hand while he died. Cole thanked the spirit before he passed, and the spirit became distraught at Cole’s situation. The spirit could not save Cole, so he “becomes him” by taking on a physical form, yet still retaining his abilities as a spirit, causing him to be caught halfway between the Fade and the real world. He then begins identifying himself as Cole and in his anger and sadness, forgets that he is in fact a spirit and not the real Cole.

We first see Cole in the White Spire in "Asunder”, where he is the “Ghost of the Spire”, haunting the halls and bringing a swift death to the young mages brought to the tower, hoping to spare them from being made Tranquil or being executed by the Templars.(It is worth noting that this is the game’s explanation. In the book it, Cole himself suggests he killed them because at that moment, he was “real” to them.)  Cole seems to have the ability to make people forget he existed, or not be seen at all. 

He befriends Rhys, a senior enchanter and spirit medium. Throughout the events of Asunder, he attempts to save Rhys only to have it revealed to him what he actually is, a spirit. In response to this, he panics and essentially fades away.

He later joins the Inquisition, knowing he wants to help people, and trying to find his place in the world. 

Cole is a beautiful character. Child like, but wise. He has a physical form, but is a spirit first and foremost. His only desire is to help people and it seems to bring him peace. After “becoming” Cole, he is confused, unsure of who or what he is. Depending on your choices in his personal quest, you can either help Cole realize he is a spirit, thus making him eventually let go of the pain and suffering of the boy in the White Spire. In doing this, he becomes more like his original self, a spirit of compassion, but not dogged by the pain and guilt of a boy he could not save.

The other option is to help him become more human. He loses most of his spirit abilities, begins creating memories and having human feelings and interactions, but he cannot make himself forget about the real Cole and will forever be pained by his inability to save him.

Again, please feel free to message me if I have missed something, made a mistake, or even to say hello. I am not an expert on these characters or events, just a curious blogger. :)

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Cassandra Pentaghast

Art Credit: https://mattdemino.deviantart.com/art/Cassandra-Pentaghast-497859460

She was born Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena Pentaghast (between 9:03-9:04 Dragon) to Lord Mathias and Lady Tigana Pentaghast. She was 78th in line for the Nevarran throne.

She spent some of her childhood being raised in Nevarra City in her family estate. This was short lived, however, when her parents became part of a plan to overthrow King Markus Pentaghast and her parents were executed for their treason. The children, Cassandra and her brother, Anthony were spared due to their young age. They were sent to live with their Uncle (and ranking Mortalitasi) Vestalus Pentaghast in the Grand Necropolis in Nevarra. 

Around 9:16 Dragon, Anthony was murdered by a group of blood mages, leaving Cassandra with no family other than her uncle. Wanting revenge for her brother’s death she asked to be sent to the Templars for training. Instead, her uncle sent her to the Seekers of Truth. 

Fast forward, Cassandra has completed her training as a Seeker of Truth. She uncovers a plot, by blood mages, to kill the divine. Long story short, she thwarts the plan, and saves the Divine. She is then named Hero of Orlais, and appointed as the Right Hand of the Divine by Beatrix III, to serve her successor, Justinia.

After the outbreak of the Mage Rebellion, Cassandra and Leliana seek out the Hero of Ferelden, in hopes that they may lead them, using a writ passed down from Beatrix III, granting them the authority to revive the Inquisition. When they fail to find the Hero of Ferelden, they then attempt to locate the Champion of Kirkwall, Hawke. This too fails (per the events of Dragon Age II) and this brings us to the beginning of Inquisition after the explosion of the Breach.

Opinion:

Cassandra is a deeply religious woman, holding tightly to the stability of the Chantry. In the beginning of DA:I, she is hard, steely, and determined to find the one responsible for the events at the conclave. 

Throughout the story (depending of your choices, of course), you learn a bit more about Cassandra as a person, and she softens a little toward the Inquisitor. You learn that she is tough, but she feels she has something to prove. She is constantly striving to do the right thing, even if the way there is difficult. Her character development doesn’t seem to progress quickly on the surface, but if you pay attention, you will realize she is a deeply flawed, but incredibly complex, and all around good person. She is the person you want at your back when things go sideways. Loyal and fierce, Cassandra is one of the best characters in the Dragon Age franchise. (In my opinion!)

Thank you for reading! This is just my first venture into the lore of the wonderful world of Thedas, and I will hopefully improve! Please send me a message if I have left anything out of importance or gotten something horribly wrong! I am open to all constructive criticism.