Madrigal

Madrigal was the queen of Antiva at the end of the Exalted Age. Her fame lies not in how she ruled—nothing is known of her reign—but in her dramatic death.
== Background ==
In 5:99 Exalted, she took part in a hunting excursion: a common noble pastime. After the hunt, festivities were planned and the queen's absence was noted. She was later found dead: stabbed through the chest by four steel blades. One of the blades was a replica of the Blade of Mercy wielded by Archon Hessarian. Upon hearing of the assassination, visions of the murdered queen haunted Divine Theodosia I in her sleep and the following morning she declared the arrival of the Steel Age.
There was an investigation into the queen's murder made by a Captain Aristide, involving torturing and questioning Crow assassins. This bore no fruit, however, as even under duress the men would not reveal the name of the person who had hired them to murder the queen, testament to the endurance of the Crows.
In Varric Tethras's book, Hard in Hightown, it's said that a letter claiming responsibility for Madrigal's assassination and bearing the seal of a group calling themselves "the Executors" later appeared. The veracity of the letter is unknown, and popular belief holds that the Executors are merely a fantasy.Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Eight
There are also rumors that a Witch of the Wilds was involved. According to the legend, Queen Madrigal had been informed of her impending death by a black-haired witch of the swamps and had bargained for the life of her young son Eladio, who was supposed to die with her. When the prince grew deathly ill, Madrigal rode into the forest to confront the witch, which is where she was killed. Prince Eladio eventually recovered and succeeded his mother, though he vanished a year before his adulthood and coronation.
== Codex entries ==
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== Trivia ==
* Madrigal was declared the personification of the Maiden, also known as the constellation Bellitanus, just as her predecessor Asha Campana.Codex entry: Constellation: Bellitanus
* There's an Antivan opera titled "The Murder of Queen Madrigal".According to the story told by a non-mage Trevelyan Inquisitor during the game of Wicked Grace at Skyhold in Dragon Age: Inquisition: "Firstly, my aunt is known across the Free Marches for her love of Antivan opera. So, of course when a performance of "The Murder of Queen Madrigal" opened, she made us all attend..."
== See also ==
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== References ==
Category:Characters
Category:Historical characters
Category:Humans
Category:Antivans
Category:Antivan nobility
Category:Royalty