virbanalras | timeline, world state, decisions

"The elves stood fast, their banners high.
They would not flee, they would not fly,
Though knowing they would surely die,
The last of Dalish might."

Overall Note: I tend to play him mainly from post-original game but pre-Tresspasser, but I'm also up for earlier points (where he's still fighting about the Herald thing) and later (post-Trespasser). Likewise, for pairings: I usually put him with Cassandra or Iron Bull based on personalities and interests, but I'm open to trying other things!

Pre-Game Events and Age Timeline

Dragon 9:15: Aeras is born.
Dragon 9:29-9:32: [Age 14-17] Aeras gets involved in a smuggling ring and starts spending more time in the city.
Dragon 9:32: [Age 17] Nearly killed on a smuggling job, he returns full time to the clan.
Dragon 9:33: [Age 18] Aeras receives his Vallaslin, choosing a symbol for Falon'Din
Dragon 9:37: [Age 22] Things become increasingly violent as the Mage-Templar war erupts.
Dragon 9:39: [Age 24] Aeras' hunting teacher protects him and dies, leading him to seek vengeance (he is stopped by the First from any foolhardy actions).
Dragon 9:41: [Age 26] The conclave and the explosion, leaving Aeras as the lone survivor. Events of the main game happen now.

Optional Timepoint, Post-Trespasser:

Dragon 9:44: [Age 29] Solas reveals his true nature and mayhem ensues. The Inquisitor loses a limb, but Red Jenny's got him covered.

World State

Origins: The Hero of Ferelden was a human warrior named Kain Cousland, who romanced Leliana and sacrificed himself in the end.
DA II: Hawke was an aggressive male mage.

Main: The Inquisitor's Path

The Wrath of Heaven: Argued with Cassandra, they started out on a bad footing overall (he refused to drop his weapon when she ordered him to). Aeras chose the mountain path and saved the scouting party.

In Hushed Whispers: Had a lot of uncertainty between the two forces, favoring neither over the other... eventually formed alliance with the Mages. Seeing his companions (particularly Cassandra) infected with red lyrium in the darker future was an especially chilling sight. Offered the mages an alliance.

In Your Heart Shall Burn: Managed to rescue everyone. Confirmed his lack of faith (tells Giselle, "fanatical belief is to blame"), and dedicated himself to the inquisition with: "An elf will stand for us all".

From the Ashes: Started getting to know and helping his companions more before talking with Varric who insisted on bringing in the Hero of Kirkwall, Hawke. Tried to stay out of Varric and Cassandra's argument and pick neutral answers, though eventually got them to chill out. Spoke to Josephine and learned of a party at the Winter Palace in Orlais where trouble was brewing...

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts: Ended up saving Celene and keeping her as Empress, and saving Briala as well. Had a very hard time feigning interest and gaining approval during the ball... but did rely some on his natural charm to see him through. Fought and killed Florianne, blackmailed the nobles, ending up reuniting Celene and Briala, with Gaspard executed.

Here Lies the Abyss: Allied with the Wardens and helped them rebuild. Stroud was lost when he stayed behind to deal with the demon in the fade.

What Pride Had Wrought: Aeras respected the temple's traditions and allied with its guardians, completing all rituals. Prior to the encounter, he completed the quest to weaken Samson's armor. Morrigan drank from the well.

The Final Piece: Morrigan had completed her ritual in Origins, so attacked Flemeth. They later returned along with Kieran and Morrigan remarks that she can match Corypheus' red lyrium dragon.

Doom Upon all the World: Final battle against Corypheus. Leliana became Divine.

Inner Circle Quests

All quests completed, specific decisions include:

Blackwall: Found all artifacts. Pardoned him (Judgment following Revelations).
Cassandra: Helped her rebuild the Seekers. Completed the Ideal Romance quest (if romancing her).
Cole: Encouraged him to be more human.
Dorian: Helped him reconcile with his father.
Sera: Killed Harmond.
Solas: Killed the demon, stopped Solas from killing the mages (All New Faded for Her). Persuaded Mihris to hand over the amulet as a fellow Dalish (Measuring the Veil).
Iron Bull: Saved the Chargers (Demands of the Qun). Optionally does Tough Love if romancing.
Varric: Destroyed all of the Lyrium.
Vivienne: Gave her the real heart (Bring Me the Heart of Snow White).
Cullen: Encouraged him to stop the lyrium habit (Perseverance). Since he sided with mages, also completed Before the Dawn.
Josephine: Chose to destroy the contract and dispatch Leliana's assassins (Of Somewhat Fallen Fortune).
Leliana: Had chosen options to harden her before, so she killed Natalie in The Left Hand of the Divine, encouraged her to be ruthless.

Important Side Quests

Completed all main side quests, opened all areas, scouted all, closed all rifts, found all astrariums and shards. Aeras especially favored side quests in particular that dealt with the Dalish, hunting, herding animals, or helping couples. The most impactful ones on his story include:

Way of the Assassin: Trained in the assassin specialization.
Gift Quests for either Cassandra or Iron Bull
By the Grace of the Dalish: Completed all quests and did things that overall earned favor with the Dalish.
- A Dalish Perspective: Found the camp, talked to everyone there.
- A Knight's Tomb: Gave the scroll to the Dalish, firmly opposed to letting it be in the hands of the Chantry
- Ruined Blade: Located pieces of the legendary elven greatsword, the Sulevin Blade. (He gifts it to Cassandra)
- Someone to Lose: Affected him deeply, because he was once a stupid Dalish teen who ran off in the past... it was sad to him not to find him alive. He returned Valorian's effects to his family, telling them he was brave.
- Something to Prove: Found and returned the talisman to Emalien.
- Golden Halla: Herded the Halla back to the Dalish camp... the Halla took to him very well and it made him (yes him of all people!) strangely homesick.
- A Well-Stocked Camp: Delivered all the items
- From the Beyond / The Spoils of Desecration: Cleansed the Dalish burial grounds of demons, did not defile or loot the tombs.
Scattered Glyphs / God of Secrets / Runes in the Lost Temple: After locating and then getting some mysterious glyphs translated, went to this ancient elven temple. Completed all quests.
Herd of Stone Halla: Fancied these objects he found scattered around the Winter Palace, and took them as a means to amuse himself during the boredom of the party. Some of the rare times there were things he ended up keeping.
Montbelliard's Ring, Even Gilded Walls Have Ears, Throwing Away Money, The Great Blackmail Hunt, Red Jenny's Stashes: Likewise, did all of these during the ball because he needed something FUN to distract him.
Ballad of Lord Woosley: Returned the ram alive to his owner.
Flowers for Senna: Was glad to place the flowers on the grave for a fellow elf.
Hunger Pangs: Used his sneaky rogue skills to hunt down the rams efficiently.
Trouble with Wolves: Hunted down the wolves readily, saw it as a fun challenge.
Let's Slay the Beast: After talking to the hunter, he was really excited to put his skills to the test, took down the legendary varghest.
Agrarian Apostate: The death of a fellow elf by templars definitely filled him with rage. He saw this as carrying out the widow's revenge for her. Returned her the ring after it was done.
Where the Druffalo Roam: Did very well with getting the stubborn druffalo back to its owner.
Hunting Patterns / The Abyssal High Dragon: Used his skills to track the dragon signs, then went and killed the high dragon. This was also his first time killing a high dragon, which led to high approval from Iron Bull.

Important War Table Operations

Aeras deployed forces regularly, relying most heavily on Leliana's spies. The most impactful ones on his story include:

Contact Clan Lavellan: Sent Leliana to negotiate with them with deeds instead of words. It was an overall favorable meeting, and the clan sent along some herbs and their support.
Protect Clan Lavellan: When bandits attacked the clan, sent Leliana again. After her forces allowed the Dalish to retreat, they discovered that the bandits were really mercenaries sent by the Duke of Wycome himself.
Investigate Duke Antoine of Wycome: A suspicious plague ran rampant that didn't affect elves giving it the nickname, "Knife-Eared Plague"... Clan Lavellan became scapegoats. He had Leliana send assassins to end the Duke and this scheme. Unfortunately, as a result, unrest led to the killing of elves in the city as well as most of Clan Lavellan.
Completed all Red Jenny related operations, mixing it up between the three advisors.
Completed all Hard in Hightown operations
Hunter Shade Dracolisk: Sent Cullen. Got his favored mount as a result.
Completed all operations for Sutherland and his Company.
End: Assassin-specific. Sent Leliana, having the woman marry and then kill her betrothed.
Bestow Mourning Halla: As a result of giving the scroll to the Dalish. Sent Cullen in with troops to guard it, did not want the whole thing to be a lie so for once didn't go with Leliana's idea.
Investigate Elven Ruins: After meeting Taven, Aeras was curious to aid him and his clan. Cullen and his troops went to help initially, and then Aeras went later, leading to the side mission of the Knight's Tomb.
Investigate the Elven Glyphs: With Josephine's help, got the aid of a Dalish elf mage to translate the glyphs, leading to exploration of the Lost Temple of Dirthamen.

Skyhold Judgments

Magister Gereon Alexius: Forced to work for the mages
Grand Duchess Florianne: Community Service Duchess in a Box Grand Tour
Magister Livius Erimond: Executed
Ser Ruth: Refused to Judge a Warden
Samson: Exile
Thom Rainier: Pardoned
Chief Movran the Under: Armed and exiled to Tevinter (recruited as an agent)
Mayor Dedrick: Executed
Crassius Servis: Recruited as a smuggler
Mistress Poulin: Put to Work
Storvacker: Recruited the bear

Skyhold Customizations

Dalish Banners/Banner Crown, Drapery, Heraldry, Windows
Orlesian III Bed
Orlesian Decor and Throne
Herb Garden
Practice Ground in Courtyard
Mage Tower

Jaws of Hakkon

Discovered and met Ameridan
Slayed Hakkon the dragon
Earned a legend-mark from the Avvar, the title of Inquisitor First-Thaw.
Hunted down the Nox Morta
Shared the truth about Ameridan (that he was an elf and mage) with Kenric
Allowed Grandin to live

The Descent

Saved the mines, defeated the Guardian, stopped the earthquakes

Trespasser (Optional Timeline)

Bull remained loyal
Joined the Friends of Red Jenny
Chose to save/free the dragon
Felt so betrayed that he decided, "I'm killing Solas" when they went after him; later vowed to stop him
Disbanded the Inquisition (Angry Dialogue Option)

DAI Epilogue

Gaspard executed, Briala and Celene reunited:

"Where once war raged, there is now a shaky peace. Orlais is resurgent, the empress a patron of arts and culture. Many attribute this recovery to her lady love, though others wonder how long their reunion will truly last."

Grey Wardens: Help the Inquisition:

"The Grey Wardens of the south slowly rebuild in the months following the events at Adamant. They declare it time for the Order to emerge from the shadows, to join the rest of humanity in fighting their ancient foes. Rumors abound that they severed ties with their leaders at Weisshaupt, and that a bitter war now rages between them. What becomes of Hawke is unknown - save that all news out of Weisshaupt soon ends. Does the sudden silence indicate a battle within... or something far worse?"

Divine: Hardened Leliana:

"One month after the defeat of Corypheus, the Chantry names Leliana as successor to the Sunburst Throne. Given the name Divine Victoria, she first declares an end to the Circle of Magi; the mages will now govern themselves. She opens the priesthood to other races, declares support for the Inquisition, and rededicates the Chantry to the principle of charity. Divine Victoria is controversial from the start, several new sects arise, resisting her reforms and declaring her rule a threat to the faith. Her response is as swift as it is deadly, unity is maintained, but blood runs through the halls of the Grand Cathedral."

Mages, Alliance:

"When Leliana disbands the Circles, they leave the Inquisition and reform the College of Enchanters as a new order. The College, they say will allow mages of the south to gather in peace and seek new solutions to age-old problems. For the moment, it appears to be working - mages are enjoying unprecedented acceptance throughout Thedas."

Inquisition Focus: Secrets:

"It has eyes and ears in every hall. No secrets are beyond its reach, and that knowledge has become the source of its power."

Trespasser Epilogue

Inquisition Disbanded:

In short order, the Inquisition was disbanded. Some were relieved to see the unpredictable organization dismantled. Others preferred to remember the Inquisition's good works and the many lives it had saved. Those who had served returned to their former lives, knowing they had stopped a great evil from destroying the world and hoping that the peace for which they had fought remained, once the Inquisition was gone.

Qunari not allied with the Inquisition:

With the Dragon's Breath disrupted and any hope of a swift victory dashed, the Qunari retreated back to the North. Few knew what debates were waged in Par Vollen, but not long after the Exalted Council, the Qunari launched new attacks against Tevinter. Their aggression caught the already unstable Imperium off guard. Tevinter was soon mired in a war many feared could spread across Thedas.

Not Divine Cassandra:

The Exalted Council remained intact, advising Divine Victoria on important matters. Cassandra served for several years. While she often disagreed with Leliana's policies, the former Right and Left Hands of the Divine shared a mutual respect and worked well together. Cassandra also spent time in the Hunterhorn Mountains north of Orlais, where she worked to rebuild the Seekers. For a time, the new Seekers remained reclusive, showing no interest in wordly affairs and working to a purpose few outside their order could guess.

[If Romanced: While Cassandra and the Inquisitor were often separated by duty, they still found time to be together. It was not unusual to see the Inquisitor appear unexpected at Cassandra's side - or her at his - as they worked to restore order. Those who knew her from earlier days said that while she was always true to her calling, they had never seen her smile so often.]

Inquisitor becomes a Red Jenny, peacekeeper Inquisition / Inquisition disbanded:

With the Inquisition disbanded, Sera joined the Inquisitor in officially retiring from scaring people in high places. By formal account, both would lead boring, safe lives nowhere special doing not much at all. And with that comforting lie, those in power continued their fragile lives as though all was back to normal. Meanwhile, Red Jenny, an entirely separate person not at all collectively embodied by Sera, the Inquisitor, and countless friends continued to make a difference, or just have fun, where and when the impulse struck. With frequent visits to her Widdle, of course. Perhaps most unnerving was Sera's standing offer to the Divine: "When the nobs piss about with your left hand or right, call on Red Jenny to give them two fingers."

Vivienne, Leliana Divine, Mages recruited as allies:

The end of the Inquisition as it had been sent shock waves through the College of Enchanters. Madam de Fer ably played on the mages' fear. Her followers united to build a new Circle - with Vivienne as its Grand Enchanter - in direct competition with the College. What the Circle lacked in numbers, they made up for in political connections; soon they were a force to be reckoned with. The two institutions settled into an uneasy coexistence across the South, vying for power.

Varric:

Varric took up the role of Viscount and, with the help of his friend Hawke, rebuilt Kirkwall's damaged infrastructure. Under his rule, the city-state finally resumed its place as the major trade hub of the Free Marches. He continued to ignore all mail from both the Merchants Guild and the Prince of Starkhaven.

Iron Bull:

With the Inquisition disbanded, the Bull's Chargers returned to taking jobs throughout Orlais and Ferelden. Fighting demons and clearing out the remains of Venatori forces, the Iron Bull did his part to restore order to Thedas.

[If Romanced: And on every job, Bull wore the necklace his Kadan had given him... so that no matter how far apart life took them, they would always be together.]

Leliana, Divine (Hardened):

After the Exalted Council, Leliana devoted herself fully to the Sunburst Throne, and her dream of reshaping the Chantry. Within a year, she removed restrictions surrounding Chantry priesthood, allowing men and women of all races to be initiated and ordained. This decree was followed swiftly by her decision to return the Canticle of Shartan to the canonical chant, a move that divided Andrastians deeply. A rebellion to renounce her and return the Chantry to its former state arose, beginning first in Orlais, then spreading to other parts of Thedas.

As quickly as it began, the rebellion faltered. While most agreed that the rebellion collapsed due to infighting, some whispered that the Divine herself engineered its failure. The rebellion fractured into a number of separate cells, some of which limped on for several months before disappearing into obscurity.

Dorian:

Dorian returned to Tevinter to take his father's place in the Magisterium. As rumors flew about the Imperium's infighting, Dorian was spoken of often as a voice of resistance against corruption. Along with Magister Maevaris Tilani, he formed a group called the Lucerni to restore and redeem Tevinter - a fight many thought hopeless. Those fighting by Magister Pavus's side noted that he kept in constant communication with the Inquisitor via message crystal. Whether for vital information or for moral support, these talks seemed to give Dorian the strength to continue his fight.

Cullen, Not taking lyrium, Inquisition disbanded:

After the Inquisition disbanded, Cullen retired from active service. He returned to Ferelden, establishing a sanctuary for former templars, on land Divine Victoria granted to him. With his help, many templars shed their lyrium addiction... and those whose minds were too far gone spent their last days in comfort. And he promised that, should his friends from the old Inquisition ever need him, his blade would be ready.

Blackwall, Pardoned:

Thom Rainier was shown mercy when none was deserved, and set on a path of redemption. This gift, so compassionately given, needed to be shared. Freed from his obligations to the Inquisition, Rainier travelled Thedas, giving hope to the condemned and the forgotten. In the deepest prisons and pits of Thedas, he found, if not goodness itself, its potential. By showing faith in those who had none, Rainier lifted them up and made them into something better than they were.

Josephine, personal quest completed through assassinations:

With the Inquisition disbanded, Josephine made her farewells and returned to Antiva and her family. She was soon approached by an agent from the House of Repose, whose assassins had been killed by Inquisition agents on Josephine's behalf. Far from being offended, the House of Repose was inquiring as to whether Josephine might have need of their services. She quickly persuaded them she had no need for assassins, but instead hired them as guards for the Montilyets' new trading vessels. Rivaini pirates looking to rekindle an ancient feud soon learned that the Montilyets' ships were not lightly boarded, and her house prospered greatly.

Cole, More Human:

Cole took to the road with Maryden to find a new life and a new way to be human. Wherever Maryden went to sing, people found old pains eased and hearts made happier... even if they didn't understand why.

Fen'Harel's Call to the Elven People:

After the events at the Winter Palace, elves left the Inquisition under mysterious circumstances, as did elven servants across Thedas. None could say where they went, but those who believed the Inquisitor's story about Fen'Harel wondered just how large the Dread Wolf's forces were... and what the ancient elven rebel had planned.