Alissa Thieren

## Alissa Thieren (formerly Amell)

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Alissa is a tiny and adorable...mad scientist? Though it was all accidental. She's been working with Avernus, the Architect and Morrigan (all separately) to try and understand the Taint and what can be done...both with it, and to stop it. Why just kill Darkspawn if you can eliminate it at the source? Though killing (most) Darkspawn is still high on her list of Things to Do, when she's not walking in the garden Alistair made for her at Vigil's Keep or trying to deal with Queen Anora's paranoia. Or Weisshaupt. Or...yeah. Life is busy for the young Warden-Commander.

## Overview

### **Physical Appearance**

She's WELL under five feet tall, with bright red hair that still reaches her waist in a braid, and hazel eyes. Beyond that, there's nothing that interesting - or threatening - about her looks.

### **Personality**

This is where Alissa gets strange. There's an underlying coldness to her, because you have to be able to 'watch the watchers' and yourself to survive a Tower you've lived in since you were...four or five, Wynne told her once. But the heart of Alissa is curiosity and fascination with the world. The combination is - dangerous.

### **Talents and Skills**

She's creative. Scary creative. She and Morrigan had a blast coming up with new spells and cantrips, much to the dismay of...almost everyone. From a magical perspective, she focused on cold, force, spirit and creation. She also wound up quite good at leadership. During the Blight, people would smile at this cute, bouncy woman-child...and then realize they'd just agreed to give her an army or whatever. As she grew older, the coldness came out. She's feared and respected by her Wardens. It's always a running bet which one will have hysterics when that bouncy, excited side of her comes out when Alistair comes home.

## Biography

### **History**

Alissa grew up in the Circle. She's known nothing else. Her favored memory was of the wildflowers blooming and the bees buzzing through the fields of color, the last time she was able to leave the Tower...Anders and his escapes cost everyone, more than he could have known. She was determined to not be trapped behind those stone walls forever, no matter what it took to get free.

### **In-game**

In order:

Saved Wynne and the Mages of the Circle, including Irving.

Recruited Shayle (lied to then killed Kitty)

Cured the Werewolves

Told Avernus to keep research ethical. But research is good.
(Headcanon: Soldier's Peak is where she bonded with a Spirit of Wonder to become a Spirit Healer)

Started helping Kylon in Denerim, walked into the Cultist ambush

Saved the Ashes (Kolgrim hurt)

Destroyed the Anvil and crowned Behlen

Saved Redcliffe, Connor and Isolde

Saved the Elves (slavers can suck it)

Let Alistair fight Loghain

Crowned Queen Anora

Convinced Alistair to do the Dark Ritual

Protected Amaranthine

Spared the Architect

### **Post-game**

And...here's where things get strange for Alissa. Through all of this, Alistair is frequently out of Ferelden. He's working with Clarel to learn what Wardens are supposed to know, recruiting, whatever she can come up with to keep him out of Anora's reach. After killing the Mother, she...befriended some of the Awakened Darkspawn the Architect had sent in as well. Dealt with the first round of Anora's assassins. Married Alistair (though she doesn't advertise her name, she did take Thieren), and dealt with the second round of assassins. When Isolde died, she tried to convince Anora to marry Arl Eamon, to deal with the continued unrest - which went over about as you'd expect. So, there came the third round of assassins. And when Alissa had finally put together enough pieces to work with Avernus and Awaken more Darkspawn. Including the Ogre who Alistair (eventually) named Cuddles. And things really only get more strange from there.

## **Relationships**

- Warden Alistair kept learning and being Alistair. When Alissa headed to the Calling, Alistair took over the Vigil and pushed himself into becoming a Warden-Commander in all but name. And he loves his Rose deeply.

- Warden-Constable Nathaniel Howe is her closest friend, even though she thinks she'll lose him to Cassandra. He's still torn between duty and love.

- Sigrun tolerates the Awakened allies, because they help find broodmothers to kill. They definitely fall under the 'I'll kill them later' category, though.

- Zevran has gone off to handle his own problems and life goals, but they write often. He'll also keep an eye out on the contracts and warn them when he can.

- Morrigan and Alissa keep up a close correspondence, despite Alistair's refusal to have anything to do with her or her name or anything. Morrigan's the only one who knows of both the Architect and Avernus, other than Nathaniel and Alistair.

## **Miscellaneous**

Alissa adores flowers. And growing life in general. It's the easiest way to see the girl she'd been before darkness began to consume her. By the time she starts Awakening her own Darkspawn, Alistair's almost the only one who can make her laugh. She's also a crazy bookworm.

Most of Alissa's time is taken up working with the Awakened and getting knowledge wherever she can to actually understand the Taint. She found the Cure, though she's not shared it with anyone yet...and managed to get both the Ferelden and Orlesian Chapters thrown out of the Grey Warden Order.

She's no longer direct because she has nothing to lose and isn't used to people - she's direct because she has enough power that others usually can't punish her for it. Brisk. That's a good way to describe her. She's only got so much time, and she's not going to waste it.

## **Gallery**

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