Nothing is Inevitable

[banalnadas]

Lost Elf Theme - Trevor Morris

OOC
Name: Vic
Age: Definitely older than 17
Email Address: howdoiperson@gmail.com
Twitter: @ViWord88

IC
The Basics
Canon World: Thedas as of Dragon Age: Inquisition. World State DA:O and DAII
Canon Point: Six months after Corypheus' downfall, well before the events of Trespasser.

→ Dalish Elf Origin
→ Saved the Templars; conscripted them
→ United Celene, Gaspard, and Briala
→ Saved Grey Wardens; did not exile
→ Drank from the Well of Sorrows; spared Calpernia
→ Romanced Solas
→ Defeated Corypheus
→ Leliana elected Divine

Name (First, Last): Ilyanra Lavellan [Ill-EYE-anne-rah LAH-vell-LAHN]
Aliases/Nickname(s): Herald of Andraste, Inquisitor, Her Gracious Ladybits, Your Inquisitorialness, Vhenan, Your Worship, Inqy
Birthdate: Late winter
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Species: Elf
Role: Mage [specialization: Rift Mage]
Appearance: Petite and lithe, Lavellan is a typical size for an elf - which means, to many others, her physical appearance is deceptively unremarkable. She is coiled in tight muscles from years travelling in aravels, archery practice, and later battling across southernmost Thedas in her quest to save the world. She has several scars across her person - one crosses her lip from a childhood accident. An arrow has marked her right cheek. Her skin is naturally tanned, her rich brown hair is kept short for practicality's sake, framing a heart-shaped face. Her eyes are probably her most notable feature - serenely blue against the tawny backdrop of her flesh. Lovely as this may all seem, she suffers from RBF. That which sets her apart from any other elf, however, is the glowing green mark in the palm of her left hand.

First Impressions: Hardly physically intimidating, grounded, open-minded and appropriately inquisitive, carrying the burden of great responsibility.

Reputation: Empress Celene would have nothing but carefully scripted praise for Lavellan. The teyrns and teyrnas of Ferelden would be less generous in their assessment of this supposed "herald", now that the immediate threat to their country has passed, leaving behind an upstart army with no allegiance but to itself. The Chantry is grateful for the Inquisitor's help in selecting a new Divine and saving the world, though there are factions who still balk at the idea of a Dalish heretic being the Maker's savior of mankind. The Templars owe her for their continued existence - as do the Grey Wardens. The mages less so. It wouldn't be surprising if the Tevinter Imperium and the Qunari were observing her tirelessly from their homelands further north, determining what should be made of this figure of supposed divine favor, or if this backwater country "evil magister liberator" is even worth their time. Her own people extend a hand of friendship tentatively at best. Although her role as Inquisitor has been politically utilized to advance the rights of elves, it has also instigated many acts of violence against them - and prompted some clans' own savagery. The common man worships her, the noble man plays for her favor, the pious man fears her.

Basically, there about as many opinions on Lavellan as there are people in the world of Thedas. The drawbacks of unintentional celebrity. It's like Harding said: "Every time you're 'more than just a person' to someone, you're also less than a person to them".

The Details
Likes: Researching and magical study, reading, the outdoors, exploring, history, being super helpful, occasional pranks, stargazing and star charting, little cakes, heights, working with her hands, puzzles, gardening, tea
Dislikes: Don't put her on a boat - she will puke and she can't even swim, spiders, evil end alls, prejudice, close-minded and/or unyielding individuals, not knowing things, idiocy, dressing up in fancies, mind games and politics, technology - it's hard and it makes no sense, being away from her companions and clan, unnecessary harm and suffering, feeling confined
Quirks: Likely to ask you 50 million questions; stairs? what stairs?; can forget to eat/sleep/function like normal person when she gets distracted or interested in something; naps in weird places.

Background:

BEFORE THE CONCLAVE:

Ilyanra Lavellan arrived in the late winter months in the wilds of the Free Marches, the first in a small handful of children born to nomadic Clan Lavellan during the last frosts. Life in a Dalish clan was challenging, but she loved her humble beginnings. She lived among the forests, away from civilizations, in a manner that many outsiders either romanticize or dismiss as savage. While many other clans had dissolved into outright barbarism or disappeared entirely into the deepest parts of the forests, Lavellan's clan was well-known throughout the Marches as one who selectively and judiciously traded with nearby shemlen towns and Wycome, the closest city-state. This cautious but open approach to commerce and diplomacy allowed for an unprejudiced upbringing that later benefited Ilyanra's methods to leading the Inquisition and subsequent expansive world view.

That wasn't to say life wasn't without its difficulties. Hunters could often come home empty-handed from a hunt - or worse, down a few numbers. Sometimes with limited resources, illness could cut through their camps with limited means to counteract it. Once in her earlier memories, templars slayed one of her clan's elders while he was trading with a merchant caravan - a matter of mistaken identity, they claimed, and reparations from the local chantry were forthcoming. Each loss was a lesson, including the losses which took the lives of her parents at varying points in her childhood. Fortunately, despite the tragedy of their deaths, she was well under the care of her people, learning from hunters how to craft her own hunting gear and track wildlife. She also took great interest in the stories her clan's Hahrens would share about their gods, the ancient kingdoms of the elves, and their pride despite their tragic history and greatly reduced standards of living.

Ilyanra was proud of her clan - proud of their memories of the old ways, of their determination to strive for a greater understanding of the past in order to better their future. She greatly enjoyed helping build aravels, raising the halla, learning their fragmented language, and collecting resources. Eventually she received her clan's favored vallaslin for the god June. Though more often than not - as she became notorious for in her camp for - Ilyanra had a habit of slipping out on her own in the dead of night, exploring the forests and their many secrets, including several old ruins. Days before her tenth birthday, while exploring one of these ruins in the quiet morning hours, Lavellan discovered her gift for magic - very suddenly, very explosively - as she set a shrub on fire. She wisely approached Keeper Deshanna in regards to the matter, and just like that, her days as a hunter apprentice were done. There were no other known mages in her clan at this time. She was now her Keeper's First.

It was a path which granted new opportunities. She learned about magic, and with these few tomes and lessons, learned more about the world around her and which came before her. She was voracious in her studies, desiring to accompany her clan's few traders as they visited human settlements, but was banned due to her magical prowess. And for especially good reason: tension was forming between the templars and mages. The danger of her discovery became too great.

As the outside world edged closer to the brink of disaster, adulthood had its twists and turns for Ilyanra. A couple of her dalliances offered marriage, which she handily declined. She was included in more discussions amongst her Keeper and the elders. And her desire to explore further than her clan permitted created a slow-burning tension - one which sparked into full opposition when her solo travels stumbled into an encampment of humans: a treacherous mistake that she escaped by the cut of her wit. Full-scale war erupted between the Mages and Templars, surprising absolutely nobody. Her clan retreated further into the wilderness. Despite their attempted self-preservation, splinter groups of mages and templars often crossed their camp. After careful and weighted deliberation, Keeper Deshanna and the Hahrens determined that they would send spies to the announced conclave in the Frostback Mountains.

Ilyanra wasn't initially on the spy roster, but she argued her way onto it with two senior hunters.

AFTER THE CONCLAVE:

Those two hunters, along with hundreds more, did not survive the explosion at the conclave - an explosion which tore a hole open in the sky, raining demons and spirits down on the countless terrified survivors. Lavellan was the only one to survive the immediate blast radius. What's more, she was seen stumbling out of the Fade with a particular female figure standing behind her and a glowing green mark on her left palm.

Thus began 23-year-old Ilyanra's true journey. She was first a prisoner, accused of the murder of the Divine and all who gathered at the conclave, save herself. Then she was a hero: the Herald of Andraste who temporarily "locked" the Breach by the grace of the Maker's Bride, taking point in the investigation into the summit's destruction.

This investigation began in the Hinterlands - the heart of Ferelden's mage-templar war - to speak with a Chantry Mother who offered support. While there, she raised up the newborn Inquisition to protect the locals, provide shelter and food to refugees, and to crush any uprisings which threatened these peoples. She did so with the help of three individuals she would quickly call friends: Cassandra, Seeker of Truth and former Right Hand of the Divine; Varric, famed dwarven merchant-author and companion of the Champion of Kirkwall; and Solas, a mysterious, but perspicacious elven apostate whose insights on the Breach and the Anchor in her hand proved invaluable. With their support, and the guidance of her advisers, she set forth to the Orlesian capital of Val Royeaux to petition a greatly fractured and painfully proud Chantry for an alliance that could permanently seal the Breach.

In short, it didn't work.

Blasphemed for a title Lavellan hadn't even personally claimed and lambasted for heading an organization that was viewed as threatening to the Chantry, she found few allies for her cause. Furthermore, happenstance introduced her to Lord Seeker Lucius and Grand Enchanter Fiona - the two respective leaders of the disunited templars and rebel mages, neither of which had attended the Conclave - whose actions and words led only to more questions than answers.

The attempt wasn't a total failure. She did recruit Empress Celene's Enchanter to the Imperial Court and Circle Loyalist leader Vivienne, as well as a "Friend of Red Jenny": foul-mouthed elven rogue Sera. Later, she hired Qunari mercenary, dangerous spy, and frequent skull-smasher Iron Bull. In conjunction with this was the surly but dependable Grey Warden Blackwall.

The town of Haven was becoming exactly that: the heart of the fledgling organization; a harbor for those fleeing the chaos. Despite the Chantry's (admittedly weak and disjointed) efforts, her influence was growing. Closing smaller rifts, saving lives, and making herself present across southern Thedas shifted the tides steadily in her favor. Lavellan began learning about this world - head-spinningly, frustratingly, illuminatingly - and Creators, there was so much she'd never known before. So much she'd been ignorant to. But she found comfort in learning from those around her - in particular Solas, whose approach to magic and the unknown was riveting. Needless to say, they fought like cats and dogs over the Dalish and sometimes she couldn't stand his occasionally arrogant sagacity, but when he shared stories of his journeys through the Fade and the spirits he met - to say little of himself personally - well, the attraction was just there. And, it seemed, mutual.

She first approached the mages holed up in Redcliffe, anticipating meeting Fiona, only to find that the southern mages were now indentured to a Tevinter Magister named Alexius. Through Alexius, Lavellan met the well-groomed, delightfully witty mage Dorian Pavus, who secretly informed her that Alexius was part of a sect of Tevenes known as the Venatori, who had pledged themselves to an "Elder One" that endangered the mages.

So... Lavellan returned to Haven, spoke with her advisers, and learned that Lord Seeker Lucius finally agreed to meet one-on-one. Determining that it would be more expedient to recruit the templars while investigating matters with the mages and these "Venatori", Lavellan and a collection of nobles made their way to Therinfal Redoubt. Unfortunately, that was no kinder a reintroduction. The Lord Seeker was, in fact, an envy demon feeding its soldiers corruptive red lyrium, and with the help of the enigmatic, but helpful young man Cole, she managed to break free of its grip, conscripting the remaining, leaderless templars. It was also at Therinfal Redoubt that she learned of this "Elder One"s plans to assassinate the Orlesian Empress. Armed with this knowledge, and too late to save the mages of Redcliffe who mysteriously vanished, Lavellan had a culprit to name for the explosion at the Conclave.

A culprit who popped by Haven not long after Lavellan and the templars sealed his Breach.

Corypheus, an ancient Tevinter Magister, darkspawn, and proclaimed stormer of the Black City ages past, arrived with his army of mages and attacked the small town, furious at Lavellan, the "interloper" who foiled his plans to reenter the Fade and whose Mark was originally destined for him. Bearing what she would later learn was an elven orb, he tried to remove the Anchor from Lavellan to no avail. As such, he and his archdemon dragon determined she simply had to die. But he talked too much. And she foiled his plans again. And ended up causing an avalanche once all of her people fled.

It would become another action and another choice that she made which reshaped her role in this world. She stumbled to the camp in the freezing snow and blistering winds half dead, cradling a searing Anchor. The people rejoiced her miraculous escape - for it was miraculous. Divine intervention, one could even say. But her focus was on Corypheus - on everything he appeared to be; everything he professed - and on recovery. The more immediate problem was that they no longer had a base of operations. That was until Solas informed Ilyanra of an abandoned fortress further north in the Frostback Mountains. The remaining people and soldiers were rallied and off they went to Tarasyl'an Te'las.

Skyhold.

It wasn't long after when Lavellan received the ultimate of titles: Inquisitor. After her recovery, Cassandra and the advisers elected her as the formal leader of the Inquisition, and an initially reluctant Ilyanra took up the sword, proclaiming boldly to her followers that she would defeat Corypheus and protect the freedoms and safety of all peoples. It was a noble conviction, one she declared with intention and hope to a raucous, inspired crowd. And still, it was a proclamation rooted in duty. Who else would have taken up the mantle? Who else had been leading the cause? Who else did Corypheus want to annihilate personally? She was young, and part of her still uncertain in this suddenly big, evil-ridden world that wanted nothing to do with her before. She'd wanted to explore the world and discover more of its secrets. And yet the most important secret of all - what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes? - was yet unrevealed.

Events began to unravel themselves. Now with the title of Inquisitor, and the unveiling of Corypheus to the southern nations, those in power in Ferelden and Orlais were contacting her, clamoring for her favor, her allegiance, her help. This included requests of help from her own companions, such as Dorian and Solas, who were confronted by very sudden, time-sensitive concerns of their own. Varric introduced Lavellan to his old friend Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall and former candidate for the Inquisitor. Hiding under the radar since the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry, Hawke emerged with information regarding Corypheus and his containment by Grey Wardens, due to the unnerving fact that Corypheus could be killed, but never remained dead. More than that, Corypheus appeared to exert some kind of unnatural influence over Grey Wardens, turning them against one another and bolstering his ranks. Hawke directed the Inquisitor to senior Warden Stroud, a contact of hers taking shelter from his fellow wardens near the Ferelden town of Crestwood.

Along with the Venatori and the Red Templars, the Wardens were not an enemy to take lightly, nor were they a group anyone desired as an enemy at all. But they had a lead and Lavellan would take it. She was moderately more enthusiastic about this lead than she was with the other one brought to her attention. Josephine, who'd been trying to make contact with Empress Celene after Therinfal Redoubt, gave word that none of her messages were being received. Knowing Corypheus intended to assassinate Celene meant they needed to find another means of contact. As luck would have it, Orlais was in the midst of a civil war, and negotiations were being held between Celene, the elven spymaster Briala, and Grand Duke Gaspard in the form of a grand ball at Halamshiral's Winter Palace. The Inquisition had been invited.

First things first: a quick dash over to Crestwood, where Hawke and Lavellan met with Stroud. He explained why all Grey Wardens went missing, and his theories as to why and how Corypheus was involved. With a new direction, far west across the landscapes of Orlais, the Inquisitor and her companions decided to make a pit stop at the Winter Palace.

This was perhaps the first time Ilyanra felt well and truly out of her element. A forest-dwelling Dalish mage with limited lessons in politics and etiquettes and "Games" from Vivienne and her advisers, she was remarkably ill-suited for this environment. The intricacies and machinations of Orlais' elite were at the very least irritating, but she paced every interaction, employed every social skill, and ultimately had the pleasure of rooting out some of the royal family's dirtiest secrets and literally and physically unmasking the cousin who intended to assassinate Celene that very night in the name of the ancient Magister. Indebted to the Inquisitor for her intervention, Celene, Gaspard, and Briala's own plots and schemes were brought to light - by no intention other than ensuring the three of them worked harmoniously in their fight against Corypheus. They announced the end of the civil war to the ballroom and pledged their soldiers and the mage Morrigan to the Inquisition's fight.

Later that evening, an emotionally winded and headache-staving Lavellan was greeted by Solas, who invited her to dance. Perhaps it was scandalous, the Inquisitor dancing with her elven serving man. She didn't care. They could gossip all they liked. They hadn't been there for the couple's first kiss in the Fade, feet buried in dreamer's snow, eyes bright with memory's sun. They hadn't bore witness to the corruption of a spirit of wisdom and the heartbreak it rendered. They hadn't chanced upon a scene on another balcony, where they kissed again outside the Inquisitor's chambers and she gave her heart to this stubborn, philosophical man.

It was a moment's respite in a sea of chaos which swept her back neatly into its tides the very next day. She hunted down and stymied holds of Venatori, Red Templars, and corrupted Grey Wardens across deserts and forests and mountain ranges and beaches. She reconvened with Stroud and furthered her investigations. She defeated dragons, closed rifts, cleared out demon-ravaged battlefields. She accompanied her comrades on personal missions and improved the infrastructure of both Skyhold and the Inquisition. From her war table, she routed forces, engaged in diplomacy, and slipped daggers in the night.

At last her efforts to discover the missing Wardens led her to Adamant Fortress, where possessed Warden mages and demons ran amok. As her forces reclaimed the keep, Corypheus' archdemon dragon appeared, and in a split-second decision to save her life and the lives of her companions, they tumbled into an open rift and into the Fade itself.

It was fascinating. And terrifying. And confusing as all hell.

Here they were, in the realm of the nightmare demon that had been feeding off the memories of fear. Lavellan encountered what could only be a spirit of Divine Justinia, which granted her the memories of the Temple of Sacred Ashes and the Conclave's explosion, revealing the source of the mark on her hand and the truth behind the mysterious figure which had guided her out of the Fade. These were revelations that could shake the foundations of the faithful or ruin the Wardens for another age. Personally, while Lavellan felt mostly vindicated (and also, somehow, heavier?), she again was left with little opportunity to process. She and those in her company needed to escape - and quickly. The nightmare demon recited their worst fears to them, taking its time to shape the Fade around those terrors. When they reached it, prepared for battle, Ilyanra could only allow those fears to fuel her determination to see her team escape.

All of them did - except Stroud, who sacrificed himself over Hawke and remained behind while the rift sealed. The now leaderless Wardens who were not possessed or defeated by Inquisition troops were eager to make up for the mistakes of their senior Wardens. Lavellan made the hard call of bringing the remaining Wardens into their ranks, knowing that while it would be safer to dismiss them, numbers would be needed in the ultimate battle against Corypheus.

Having thwarted the magister's efforts on multiple fronts, snatching his Templars and Wardens out from under him, Lavellan knew the stakes were ever increasing. Only a few loose ends remained. With Leliana's help, she was able to locate and reassemble the memory crystal of Calpernia, the leader of the Venatori and supposed "vessel" of Corypheus. Leliana's scouts located the prison of Calpernia's former master Erasthenes, who revealed that Calpernia was indeed intended for something great, but that her role as this vessel would also be her doom. Sympathetic to Erasthenes' piteous state, Ilyanra helped him pass on.

Around the same time, Morrigan introduced Lavellan to the Eluvian she'd hidden in Skyhold, showing the young elf the wonders of ancient elven magic. They slipped through the glass and into a place the witch called The Crossroads, showing the Inquisitor the nexus of Eluvians, allowing travel across Thedas. Morrigan postulated that Corypheus sought an Eluvian in the Arbor Wilds, one he should likely use to enter the Fade and reclaim the Black City. Agreeing this was likely his next step, given reports of increased activity in the Wilds, Lavellan and her advisers called upon their allies and rallied a march forth to the abandoned elven Temple of Mythal which housed this Eluvian. By the time they arrived, battles had broken out. Corypheus' forces retaliated, fighting against both Inquisition and Orlesian units. To add to the ruckus, well-armored elves appeared from nowhere, indiscriminately cutting down troops. Knowing time was of the essence, she and her team rushed on, taking down all enemies in their path. At last they reached the Temple.

Once inside, it was evident the elves attacking outside the fortifications were sentinels. Lavellan, Morrigan, and her comrades watched as Corypheus presumed to enter their hallowed grounds, only to be decimated in an attack of ancient magic that killed all within its radius, elf and Venatori alike.

That was...until one of the bodies began twitching and spattering blood, and out from the carcass rose a rapidly regenerating Corypheus. Seeing that resulted in a mad dash further inside the temple's walls.

Therein they walked the petition's path, learning of the Vir'abelasan, or the Well of Sorrows. But the sentinels ambushed them, demanding their objective, citing their awakening from uthenera and duty to protect this Well. Lavellan convinced them she had no interest in desecrating their sacred Well and, assured of her intentions, they agreed to cease arms with the Inquisition.

Continuing through the Temple, taking down enemies where they could, they at last happened upon Calpernia. Armed with the knowledge that her role as "vessel" would be her downfall, she convinced the Venatori leader to give up her fight and return to Tevinter. Avoiding an unnecessary death, and possibly having secured a future ally, it seemed their work at the Temple was nearly done - until Morrigan raced a sentinel elf to the Well of Sorrows. Lavellan and her party pursued, joining the witch at a large pool of water resting before an Eluvian. The sentinel informed them that the Well must be destroyed; that the site was at last despoiled and the memories of those who followed Mythal should be lost forever. Lavellan was able to convince the elf that the act would be tragically wasteful, and learned of the cost to those who drank from the Well. The resigned elf allowed them the reward, and thus the argument turned to who would be honored and cursed to drink. Morrigan insisted upon herself. The Inquisitor, feeling it was her duty to protect the memories of ancient elves, took up the task, begging the voices which surrounded to aid her.

Morrigan had little time to be irate. A wholly reformed Corypheus charged the courtyard, forcing the team to escape through the Eluvian.

When gathering her war table later, the voices informed her Corypheus would no longer hide. Whatever strength he meant to regather, an assault would likely happen soon. Determining to wrap up any loose ends and incomplete quests, she traveled south to the Frostback Basin in search of the remains of the previous Inquisitor, now 800 years dead. There she unraveled yet another mystery lost to time and Chantry propaganda, finding Inquisitor Ameridan - an elf mage such as herself - alive and locked in an eternal struggle against the reincarnated Avvar god Hakkon Wintersbreath. They learned so much here, on this far reach of land. She uncovered the truths about Telana, Ameridan, and their companions. The stakes through which they fought. The state of their world and alliances. Truths about the Chantry and the Seekers long forgotten – hidden.. Though Lavellan came out of the Frostback Basin a hero with a new title, she had even more to process and consider.

Unfortunately, her return to Skyhold was met with two very personally difficult engagements. The first manifested in a chase through the Fade with Morrigan to find the latter's son. Not only was Kieran located unharmed, but so was his grandmother Flemeth, the famed Witch of the Wilds. Shocking though it was that they all stood physically in the Fade by gateway of the Eluvian, the unhappy family reunion brought several other secrets to light. The Inquisitor was in the presence of Mythal, who not only made good on her connection to Lavellan through the Well, but who also refused to answer the elf's questions as to why, if she'd been walking this world, had she not been helping her people? The answers were unsatisfactory, if they could be called answers at all. She was, however, given instruction from the elven god: to go to one of her temples and call upon a dragon. Tame it, and it would aid her in the coming battle against Corypheus.

She and Morrigan were able to depart with Kieran in tow, the boy having carried the soul of an Old God which Flemeth took as compensation. Another surprise which made her head hurt.

But then, to rival that, her heart was broken by Solas, who whisked her away to a hidden pond outside of Crestwood. There he told her the truth about her vallaslin and the history falsely associated with it. Shocked, she allowed Solas to remove the Dalish tattoos from her face. Believing this deeply personal moment was heading in a more romantic direction, she was doubly stunned when Solas instead ended their relationship, leaving her bereft and heartbroken. Later when she approached him as to why he'd unexpectedly ended things, she was met with evasion, self-flagellation, and the instruction to "harden [her] heart to a cutting edge". Frustrated and bitter, she decided to do exactly that.

With their troops still returning from the Arbor Wilds and Corypheus as of yet revealing himself, she refocused her attention on earthquakes impacting lyrium mining along the Storm Coast. Once more, miles under the surface of the earth and deep in a deposit of untouched lyrium, she learned of history tucked neatly away in the form of Titans. Honestly, as much as helping the dwarves was a victory for the Inquisition, her mood only somewhat improved. Friends and comrades asked about her missing vallaslin or inquired as to the status of her romantic relationship. It appeared Solas didn't want to address the issue either.

Very well. She did have a world to save, after all. She set out and tamed Mythal's dragon near an old ruined shrine dedicated to the goddess before returning to Skyhold and establishing any final preparations.

Days after returning to her fortress, Corypheus reared his blighted head. He reopened the Breach and raised the Temple of Sacred Ashed up towards the heavens. Scrambling whatever scant forces were nearest, Lavellan and a small contingency of companions raced towards the potentially cataclysmic site. There Corypheus greeted her, prepared to battle for godhood, or else to tear the world apart in the chaotic aftermath of their war. The Inquisitor rose to meet the challenge, ready to end his malevolent attempts to bring destruction and death to Thedas.

They battled, and when the Magister faltered, he set his archdemon dragon upon her. Fortunately, Mythal's advice circumvented this tactic, and Lavellan's dragon arrived to do battle with the darkspawn-infested wretch. Though her dragon eventually succumbed to its injuries, she was able to kill the weakened archdemon, leaving Corypheus unable to regenerate and vulnerable. With nothing left to protect him, save for the elven orb he dared to presume command over, they battled once more.

He was no match for her and the mark on her hand. The orb responded to her, came to her, and with it, she sent the weak, powerless, and defeated self-proclaimed god back into the Fade. Power surged through her and launched the orb towards the Breach, the great force of the Anchor sealing the tear in the sky and destroying the orb.

In the rubble and scattered remains, Solas took hold of the fragmented pieces of the orb. Despite everything, she was sorry it couldn't be salvaged and told him as much. Before they could say much more - and there was so much left to say - her army called out to her, and Solas disappeared without a trace.

AFTER INQUISITION:

It has been six months since Corypheus fell. With Ilyanra's backing, and some deft political maneuvering, Leliana was elected as the new Divine. Celebrations were held across southern Thedas in honor of the Inquisition's bravery and cause. She was a hero - for now.

One doesn't always fall into legend so easily. Maybe if she'd died defeating Corypheus, grand monuments and fond memories would have defined her legacy. As it stood, she survived, and with that came continued responsibilities and scrutiny from the nations and peoples she'd saved. For now, things were relatively calm, but word from her advisers made it clear trouble was brewing, staved off only by the fact that those who questioned the Inquisition were yet indebted to it. There were times when Lavellan couldn't help but wonder if these detractors may be right. Should the Inquisition sheath its sword now that the fight was over?

It was one of several questions which needed to be carefully and seriously considered. Another question was of a more personal nature: why had Solas left without a word? Although agents were assigned to track him down, he was remarkably and unnervingly adept at avoiding detection. Her heart still longed for resolution, but for a time she called off the scouts, determining that if he wanted to be found, he would be, and there was no point in wasting resources in the meantime. Still...she found herself in the rotunda often, tracing his unfinished artwork with her fingers and remembering that look of contentment while he painted, hoping he was happy and safe, wherever he was.

Receiving word that Clan Lavellan had joined nearby Wycome's council, and in no small part due to the Inquisitor's continued intervention on behalf of their safety, young Ilyanra set forth to visit her people in their new home. It was strange...and sad. She walked among her people once more and felt changed from the eager, bright-eyed youth who defied her hahrens and Keeper. They gave her a tour of the city, and for the first time, she saw an alienage firsthand. Though her people promised her that they were working towards improving the lives of the elves in this alienage, Ilyanra was struck by just how much elves suffered, and how their dissonant upbringings added to this sorry state of affairs. Something needed to - could be - done about this.

She returned to Skyhold, now emboldened not only by the Inquisition's greater convictions and ideals, but by her own personal objectives. The world had placed her in a position of power. Now was the time to make use of it.

Personality:

Power can do many things to a person or by them. It can corrupt, it can overwhelm, it can be squandered, or it can be shaped and molded into more power. Lavellan never sought it, but it was thrust into her hands regardless (partly literally). That wasn't to say she didn't have a choice - she could have walked away at any time, even at the beginning of the end of the world. But this was her world, and for better or worse, it had become her duty to protect it.

She never knew for certain if Andraste saved her; never claimed it publicly, and always questioned it privately. She doesn't like being uncertain; questions need answers, and if there was anything she used her power for, it was to collect as many answers as possible. Answers to the questions about history, about cultures and peoples and magic and myth. To learn as much as she could. She is a researcher - a student - at heart. She was far from an erudite woman when she first joined the Inquisition, but she used her time at Skyhold to write and learn languages and study customs. Knowledge - that was her power - the one she chose to better understand the mark in her hand. It was why she pursued Rift Magic when it was such a new and mysterious force. Because how could she manipulate rifts if she didn't understand them? How could she learn about Tevinter or the Qunari if she cast Dorian and Iron Bull out? How could she better understand spirits if she denied Cole's professed existence? How could she defeat Corypheus if she didn't dig through the annals of history, trying to translate and provide reference to what he claimed? Even as a Dalish, her time travelling through Orlais and Ferelden opened her eyes to the fallacies and limitations of her own people's beliefs.

That isn't to say she doesn't passionately challenge anybody who challenges her about her people or other matters. A considerate and open-minded woman, Lavellan might aim for even-toned communication and discussion, but if lines are being crossed, she doesn't hesitate with a sharp barb or pointed quip. She skirts callousness and cruelty by the smallest fraction, and when emotionally charged, she veers towards anger. She doesn't lash out to cause harm - she's not an instigator - but she fights back if she loses her centering. As she's survived the Inquisition and Corypheus' invasion and has come out the other side of the world's end with yet more to accomplish and shoulder, she's edged further into the realm of Fed Up With Your Nonsense. She doesn't have time for poor company or narrow-mindedness. Otherwise she's pointed in her rationality and honest in her own shortcomings, willing to learn and share with the right company.

And the concept of the "right company" is a typically broad one for Lavellan. She is able to befriend most people, and enjoys learning from their perspectives. She is prudent in revealing her own opinions on matters, but she is far more engaging when it comes to amusement and simple pleasures, like eating cookies on a roof or playing card games. She even pleasantly tolerates the eccentricities of others and the world around her, such as being judged by the King of the Nugs (weird), Lord Trifles Minutiae and his "Quizquisition" (weird, but educational), and the tiny rock formation that demanded a bouquet of crystal grace after she jumped on it a hundred times (weird, but also a strange compulsion on her end). There are many people whose company she enjoys and there are many ways in which to enjoy that company.

Perhaps one of her few exceptions would be politics. Although she mastered "The Game" - the "Orlesian national pastime" of political machinations - and very deftly won over the courts and nobility, she felt entirely out of her depth. She is cunning enough with her tongue to know when to ply and prompt, but she doesn't enjoy it. She finds it wasteful. But tactful approaches come in all shapes, and she knows this, understanding when guile must be utilized over force or diplomacy. She is much softer when it comes to matters of the heart. She would agree with Cassandra to a certain extent, who said that romance, "is not the sole province of dithering ladies in frilly dresses. It is passion. It is being swept away in the pursuit of an idea". Lavellan herself has never wholly been "swept away" - not when she was younger and carefree with affection, and certainly not when she took over the Inquisition. She has come close, and dreamed of more, but even her mindfulness and excess reason hold domain here. She will not wither away for lack of love, but her heart does wish quietly for things it almost had.

There are many things which Lavellan can claim will never be hers again. A normal life, for one. The privacy of her own mind, for another. Nights entirely free of nightmares and post-traumatic stressors or having a hand that doesn't glow and tingle. Ilyanra doesn't regret her role in saving Thedas, but it has been a whirlwind of stacked experiences in a remarkably condensed period of time. As her friend Varric once reminded her: "look at all the shit that's happened to you". She isn't a god or some greater divinity. She's a mortal elven woman, and somewhere between being a "savior of all Thedas" and a "knife-eared little girl" is just someone clinging to duty. While her resolve has no parallel, and she has faced down the darkness and evil without hesitation, sometimes she's not perfectly well-adjusted.

She comes to Chaos because of this resolve. She has been given an opportunity to further the rights and freedoms of her people, and who would she be to turn her back on them after rising to prominence and influence? As long as she has purpose, she will press forward.

But how will this next chapter go? That's a good question. There'll be an answer for that too.



Special Abilities, Talents, etc.:

→ Spirit and Storm Powers: Lavellan excelled more in magical abilities attuned to thunder and lightning and the essence of the Fade. These areas of focus have allowed for a potent arsenal of both offensive and defensive spells, healing and protecting her and comrades on the field while striking substantial attacks against enemies. There are also more undefined aspects to her magic - such as allowing limited interaction and impact on her surrounding environment, like moving nearby objects with willpower, and the casting of wards. Ambient magics within an area are also drawn to her mark.
→ Rift Mage: Eventually she'd mastered the aforementioned schools of magic during her time as Inquisitor. And in response to the increasing threat of rifts and demons throughout Thedas, Lavellan opted to train in the specialization of Rift Magic. This specialization allowed her to master her connection to the Fade by manipulating the Veil itself into a destructive weapon.
→ The Anchor: Upon retrieving Corypheus' orb, the Anchor (interchangeable with "the Mark") was seared into her left palm. This bestowed powers and abilities that no mortal was meant to carry. It is a powerful, magical branding that, as some have described it in regards to detecting power, make her up like a beacon in the dark. It also seems to draw upon and is affected by sympathetic magics and forces. She suffers a persistent, tingling sensation at all times, and when overused, the mark can cause her to experience a good deal of pain.
        → Mark of the Rift: Although Rift Magic helps Lavellan create smaller, more contained rifts on the battlefield, drawing on the Anchor itself directly allows for a more sustained tear with greater damage and range of impact. It can effectively dissolve enemies, sucking them into the Fade. Because of its strength, the spell requires a great deal more focus and concentrated energy.
        → Aegis of the Rift: The Anchor forms a spherical shield over the Inquisitor, blocking and rebounding projectile attacks back towards the source. It can also shoot bolts of spirit energy at an attacker.
        → Anchor Discharge: The accumulation of energy from the Anchor can be violently expelled from Lavellan. It not only causes a radius of damage around her, but grants her brief, absolute immunity. If too much energy accumulates from the Anchor, the discharge will occur beyond her control and harm her and allies. This ability is not yet available.
        → Fade Crossing: Rarely - and rather unintentionally - Lavellan can cause tears in the Veil controlled enough to allow physical passage into the Fade itself. It's not her favorite thing. Doesn't usually go well.
        → Fade Dreaming: Lavellan is not truly Somniari; she cannot enter the Fade in dreaming at will or control it the way Solas and the ancient Elvhen can. But thanks to the Anchor, she is far more lucid than most who dream in the Fade and can even recall her dreams with great clarity, as well as manipulate her environments to a degree. Because of the power of her mark, she is at risk of attracting dangerous spirits and demons.
→ Limited Talent for Archery: Life in the Dalish taught the Inquisitor the basics of handling a bow and arrow. After Corypheus' defeat, Lavellan took up lessons from Sera to improve her skills. It has gone about as well as expected. She intends to continue training while in Asgard, if only to keep her arsenal of tricks fully stocked.
→ Well of Sorrows: Because she chose to drink from the Vir'Abelasan - a hidden pool which contained the secrets and wisdom of all the followers of the Elven goddess Mythal passed down through the ages - she retains fragmented knowledge of the ancient elves. They often speak to her in their ancient tongues, leaving her more often than not unable to comprehend. But she is studying the language, determined to learn what she can. This knowledge can provide useful for Lavellan, who uses the insights gleaned to become a much more competent mage. These voices also provide secrets about any and all collective understanding over thousands of years - perhaps even secrets about Chaos itself.

Starting Inventory:

→ Several tomes and books.
→ Elven Keeper Robes.
→ Elven Scout/Hunter Armor.
→ Helm of the Inquisitor
→ Comfortable attire.
→ Powerful staff. Reinforced bow and arrows.
→ A couple lyrium potions.
→ General necessities.
→ A sending crystal.
→ A certain sylvanwood ring.
→ Varric's Hard in Hightown series.
→ Mysterious vial.

Heaven or Hell? Heaven/Asgard.