Introduced in Dragon Age: Inquisition, the Inquisitor quickly became an interesting player character, shrouded in the mystery of their appearance through the Breach after the explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Recruited almost against their will into a war between mages and templars, the Chantry and pretty much everyone else, the Inquisitor and their recruited companions made it their mission to close the Breach and stop the ancient darkspawn magister Corypheus from destroying the world.
With the Inquisition officially over and Corypheus a slowly fading memory, a new threat has emerged to be faced in the upcoming fourth installment in the Dragon Age franchise: The Veilguard. Former companion to the Inquisitor and trickster god from the elven pantheon, Solas/Fen’harel, is gathering an army with plans to tear down the Veil entirely and set free the slumbering elven gods he once locked away. While this certainly sounds like a job for the Inquisitor, the game will make way for a new hero in The Veilguard‘s player character, Rook, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Inquisitor’s job is over.
Updated on September 24, 2024, by Natasha Elder: The Inquisitor is an integral part of Dragon Age: Inquisition, and with the next Dragon Age game, The Veilguard, on the horizon, it’s logical for fans to wonder whether the last game’s protagonist might fit into the future of the story. With Dragon Age: The Veilguard, set to release on October 31, 2024, this feature has been update to include more information about the Inquisitor, as well as to meet with CBR’s more current standards for formatting and presentation.
The Inquisitor Was First Known as the Herald of Andraste
Emerging from the Breach with a Mysterious Mark on Their Hand Set Them Apart
With the Divine killed in the explosion, the Chantry was in chaos as the Mage-Templar War raged through Thedas. What the future Inquisition needed was a hero, a Herald who’d been gifted to them by the Maker’s bride, to lead them through the chaos and close the demon-spilling tear that rent the sky. Regardless of the player’s origins, the people of Thedas began to refer to them as the Herald of Andraste, as they were certain this herald was a sign of hope in what was sure to be a dark and troubled time. Oddly enough, it didn’t matter to them nearly as much as it had in the past if the Herald was human, elven, dwarven or even Qunari, nor whether they were male or female. All that seemed to matter was the power they so obviously held in the literal palm of their hand, for surely that power would save them all.
While the Inquisitor could choose and gain unique powers from the standard classes offered in the franchise, which are similar to the classes in Dungeons & Dragons, like mage, rogue or warrior, the player character also had special abilities that stemmed from the mark on their hand. The mark, known officially as the anchor, allowed the Inquisitor to manipulate the Fade, even if they were not a mage. This offered them opportunities to close Fade rifts discovered all across the land after defeating the demons spilling out of them. As the player evolved, they eventually gained a power called “Mark of the Rift” that allowed them to banish all demons in the area before the next wave emerged from the rift.
Inquisition Player Characters Choose from More Than One Thedosian Race
Similarly, the Inquisitor Can Be Any Class
With the launch of Dragon Age: Inquisition, players were given a choice they’d never before been offered: a Qunari player character option. Each of the four background options managed to put the player right in the middle of the action when the Temple of Sacred Ashes exploded and the Breach appeared in the sky. Players still need to consider which background is best for what they need to accomplish throughout the game, though, as each race is granted a specific boon during character creation.
|
Inquisitor Voice Actors |
|
|
British Male |
Harry Hadden-Paton |
|
British Female |
Alix Wilton Regan |
|
American Male |
Jon Curry |
|
American Female |
Sumalee Montano |
For example, humans are given an extra ability point, while dwarves are granted 25% magic resistance. Like Hawke in Dragon Age 2, the Inquisitor was voiced; however, there were two voice options for each gender: an American accent and a Southern English accent. Each Inquisitor also had a default first and last name, and while the last name could not be changed due to occasional references tied the character to familial or cultural background, the player could alter the first name to whatever they liked.
When the character was thrust out of the Fade by what people believed to be Andraste herself, their memories of the events that landed them there were fractured, causing grave suspicion among the agents of Divine Justinia V as they rescued the unconscious victim. The gathering members of what would soon become The Inquisition took the victim back to their headquarters at Haven, where an apostate named Solas did everything in his power to stabilize the strange glowing mark embedded in their hand, as well as heal them, in order to gain answers.
The Inquisitor Had a Rough Introduction In-Game
Their Suspicious Appearance From the Breach Initially Led to a Negative Reception
Although the Inquisitor is received well by the end of the game, they are initially treated with hostility. When the Veil tears, resulting in The Breach, many deaths occur, but the Inquisitor emerged. Given the timing of these events, those such as Cassandra Pentaghast were understandably suspicious, believing the Inquisitor to be the cause of the tear and subsequent deaths. As the Inquisitor has no memories of their life prior to waking up, they are unable to say anything to counteract Cassandra’s suspicions.
However, this changes when it is revealed that the Inquisitor is actually able to halt the growth of The Breach, sparking a revival of The Inquisition, as well as garnering enthusastic support from many Thedas citizens. the Inquisitor even saves a townful of people from Corypheus, leading to the re-discovery of Skyhold and its use as a bustling hub. After these events, Tthe Inquisitor is even declared the leader of the town, proving how critical they have become not only as a protector of the people, but also as someone that can guide them to success.
Inquisitor Trevelyan Comes From a Noble Family
Their Family Wants to Help End the Mage-Templar War
Born of the noble House Trevelyan in Ostwick, the Trevelyan family were deeply pious in their beliefs. As such, they were supporters of both the Chantry and the Templars. It was not uncommon for the youngest born child to be expected to devote their life to Chantry service, either as a Templar or a lay brother or sister. As a result of this, the members of House Trevelayn are close to the Chantry that are stationed in Ostwick, further affording the noble House political influence.
In the year 9:41 Dragon, the Trevelyans attended the conclave at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, hoping to offer their support to the Chantry and see an end to the war between mages and Templars. Among the attendees was Bann Trevelyan’s youngest child. If a rogue or a warrior, they were in attendance with the family; however, if the player instead chose to be a Trevelyan mage, they were there as part of the mage delegation from the Ostwick circle. Distant relatives of the Trevelyan Inquisitor will attempt to use their relation to threaten their own political rivals, which the Inquisitor will have opportunities to stop.
Inquisitor Lavellan Is of the Dalish Clan
They Managed Stay out of the Beginning of Mage-Templar War
Clan Lavellan was a Dalish clan of the Free Marches that largely kept to their own. Their position put them at some distance from the war between the mages and the Templars, but when word of the Chantry Conclave reached the clan’s Keeper, she knew it could very well affect everyone in Thedas. As a result, she sent spies to the Conclave to find out what was happening and how it would affect them. As there is the potential for the Keeper to gain a seat of considerable political power if the Inquisitor makes the right choices, her foresight can be rewarded.
If the player character was a warrior or rogue, they instead attended as a hunter. The mage player character was the Keeper’s First, attending in her place. After becoming Inquisitor, numerous War Table options could either aid and save Clan Lavellan or see them all but wiped out, proving that the Keeper was right to be concerned about the upcoming events. There are also dialogue strands that discuss the unlikelihood of a Dalish elf being a herald for Andraste, given that the Dalish still worship the elven gods.
Inquisitor Cadash Hails From a Criminal Family
They Were Initially Sent to Spy on the Conclave at the Temple of Sacred Ashes
The dwarven Inquisitor hailed from a powerful surface family known for their involvement in lyrium smuggling and organized crime. A member of the organization known as the Carta, they were exiled from Orzammar generations prior to the Dragon Age. However, the details about their exile were initially kept secret within the Shaperate. It is only later in Inquisition that it is revealed that the Carta had used dark and ruthless methods to obtain information about a war golem, subsequently earning them exile.
When House Cadash heard of the Chantry Conclave at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, they sent spies to monitor the proceedings. While they didn’t care about the outcome of the Mage-Templar War, necessisarily, the recognized that whatever happened at the conclave would deeply impact the lyrium trade considering the Templars’ dependence on the substance. After becoming the Inquisitor, there are some unique dialogue options noting Cadash’s ties to the Carta, indicating their criminal nature.
Inquisitor Adaar Is Part of a Mercenary Company
They Are Also Accused of Turning Their Back on the Qun
For the first time since the launch of the franchise, players could choose to play as a Qunari character. A member of the Valo-kas mercenary company, Adaar was present at the Chantry Conclave because their company was hired as security. Adaar was what is known among Qunari as Tal-Vashoth, one who turns their back on the Qun. Technically, Adaar never turned their back on the Qun as the character had never followed the Qun in the first place, due to the fact that their parents abandoned it before they were born. The Qunari player can be a rogue, warrior or mage. If the player chooses to be a mage, there are special dialogue options that appear when conversing with the Iron Bull about what they do to mages that serve under the Qun.
After Corypheus was defeated, The Inquisition was forced to disband during the Exalted Council in the Trespasser DLC, which is definitely worth playing, as the nobles in power feared the organization was gaining too much power after their original purpose had been achieved. Additionally, the Inquisitor was forced to sacrifice the anchor to their former companion, Solas, during the DLC, which resulted in the loss of their left arm. What happened to the Inquisitor afterward is impossible to say, but given the loss of their arm to the Dread Wolf, and the army he is surely rallying to his cause to tear down the Veil, one can almost guarantee that the Inquisitor will appear again to either save a friend from his own hubris or defeat the foe who cost them their arm.
The Inquisitor May Still Play an Important Role in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Their Legacy Will Hopefully Continue to Grow in the New Game
There are many things that fans want to see in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, one of which is the return of The Inquisition, along with its members. There is already confirmation that at least three of Inquisition‘s characters will be return in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Solas, who helped seal the Breach before eventually being revealed as the one to cause the Veil in the first place, is returning as the main villain. With this in mind, it would make sense for members of the Inquisition to make an appearance, such as Cassandra or Dorian Pavos, given their previous connection to Solas.
Additionally, an Inquisitor Lavellan who entered into a romance with Solas could also play a role in hunting down her former lover, either to aid in his quest or to try to stop him from bringing destruction down on the world. In lieu of the possibility that the Inquisitor(whether elvish or otherwise,) drank from the Well of Sorrows and became connected to Mythal, that connection could potentially lead members of the Inquisition still on the hunt for their former companion straight to the Dread Wolf’s location.
There are plenty of ways for the Inquisitor to make a comeback for The Veilguard . After Corypheus was defeated, the Inquisition was forced to disband during the Exalted Council in Trespasser, as the nobles in power feared the organization was gaining too much power and their original purpose, defeating Corypheus and closing the Breach, had been achieved. The Inquisitor was forced to sacrifice the anchor to their former companion, Solas, during the DLC, which resulted in the loss of their left arm. What happened to the Inquisitor afterward has not yet been explored through any of the Dragon Age media preceding The Veilguard. Given the loss of their arm to the Dread Wolf, and the army he rallies to his cause, one can almost guarantee the Inquisitor will reappear to either try and save a friend from his own hubris or defeat the foe who not only cost them their arm, but threatens to tear down the veil between reality and the Fade.
Along with downsizing, the aim of the Inquisition shifted from protecting all of Thedas to serving as a personal honor guard for Divine Victoria VI, the leader of the Orlesian Chantry. As Solas will inevitably come into conflict with the Chantry as he raises the ancient elven gods from their slumber, it is reasonable to assume that the Inquisition and their leader will be brought into the fight in some capacity. Much like Inquisition found a way to return DA II‘s protagonist, Hawke, back to the game, it’s hard to imagine BioWare not finding a way to bring the Inquisitor back to the fore. Whether this beloved player character survives the game if they do reappear is up for debate, as many fans on reddit believe if the Inquisitor does return, it’ll only be to die.