Inquisitor Evelyn First-Thaw

The Inquisitor in the Western Approach

Inquisitor Evelyn First-Thaw is a human noblewoman from Ostwick in the Free Marches who sealed the Breach and led the Inquisition forces against the army of Corypheus.

## Childhood and Early Years

Inquisitor First-Thaw was born at the Trevelyan family estate in the village of Padstock on the coast of Ostwick in the Free Marches. She is the youngest child of four of the Banns Trevelyan, and older than her eldest niece by only four years. Her natural skills as a rogue manifested at a very early age but, uncontrolled, were mistaken for magical ability and she was admitted to the Circle.

Despite not being a mage, Evelyn excelled in the Circle and was permitted to remain and study as an arcanist even after she turned eleven and should have returned to her family. She showed an aptitude for languages and glyph construction, and contributed several plates (uncredited) to 'A Comparative Study of Glyph Traditions' by Senior Enchanter Yutha. At the age of fourteen she was apprenticed to Enchanter Junier, but her apprenticeship only lasted a year before she was removed from the Circle and returned to her family home.

Her time with her family only lasted a few days. As the youngest child she was expected to enter the service of the Chantry, but her talents had led to discussions of her entering apprenticeship in Antiva, Orlais or even the Tevinter Imperium. Before her parents could reach a decision, however, Evelyn left the estate during the Kingsway Storm of 9:28.

## Clan Lavellan

During the storm, Evelyn encountered the Dalish clan Lavellan attempting to cross a swelling stream. She offered her assistance, and when they reached safety they offered her shelter with them. After the storm passed their master hunter, Asha'mi, asked her to travel with them. Evelyn's noble house granted her the right to hunt in many of the forests throughout the Free Marches where the Clan were denied, and Asha'mi also believed that Evelyn could act as their representative in towns they could not otherwise visit. She was apprenticed to Asha'mi to train as a hunter.

Clan Lavellan moved on from Ostwick across the Vinmark Mountains to overwinter in Wildervale, with many of the other Free Marches clans, and spent the next year between Tantervale and Hasmal. In the winter of 9:39 they returned to Wildervale, where the Free Marcher clans had been joined by two clans from Ferelden who brought news of a Blight. The Clan moved on to Starkhaven to gather news, as Evelyn was able to enter and move more freely around the city than the elves of the other clans. They remained close to the city for the next year, where, despite her young age, Evelyn acted as a trader and the Clan's craftsmen became well respected for the quality of their bows and fletching. With her position in the market, Evelyn was able to meet several more clans and large numbers of city elves who arrived in the city up the Minater River, all of whom were invited to join the Clans in Wildervale.

In 9:31, news reached Starkhaven that the Blight in Ferelden had been defeated by a Dalish Grey Warden and that lands had been granted to the Dalish Clans in Ferelden and to the City Elves of Denerim. Many of the refugees planned to return to Ferelden, and the large gathering of the clans among the Ferelden refugees on the outskirts of the city caused considerable friction. Evelyn was instrumental in easing the conflicts, and was recognised by the Prince of Starkhaven and rewarded with a title and a house in the city which had once belonged to her family. The news of this award reached her family, the first they had heard of her since her disappearance three years before, and her sister funded a deputation to the city to search for her.

Before they reached the city, it was struck by a twin disaster when the ruling Vael family were killed by mercenaries and, in the chaos that followed, the Circle Tower burned down. Evelyn again distinguished herself by rallying the crowd that had gathered to aid in the rescue of survivors from the tower, and even went into the building herself to reach the apprentices' dormitory and guide them to safety. When her sister's mission reached the city they found her assisting the Senior Enchanters, and she agreed to return to Ostwick with them on the condition that they also took with them the Starkhaven apprentices, who she believed would receive a better standard of education at the Ostwick Circle than in Kirkwall's Gallows. Her sister had her brought first to her own estate and then to the Banns.

## Apprenticeship

Bann Edward, wanting to keep his youngest daughter close after her disappearance, broke with family tradition by taking her on as his own apprentice. Although most of the family's trading business was by then managed by Lord Edward, Bann Trevelyan had managed the response to the Blight personally and continued to do so. They were one of the only trading fleets to maintain trading links with Ferelden throughout the Blight, and benefited greatly from the Banns' longstanding friendship with Loghain and Queen Anora. The Arling of Amaranthine, which had been the Trevelyan family's main trading link since before Ferelden's independence from Orlais, became the seat of the Grey Wardens and was handed to the control of Warden Commander Loghain. It came under attack during the conflict between the Mother and the Architect, and Bann Edward offered the family's fleet to aid in the evacuation of the city. Evelyn suggested the island of Brandel's Reach as a refuge point, and led the effort to clear the island of bandits and prepare it for refugees.

Among the refugees who fled to Brandel's Reach was a young elven woman named Rose, from the city's Alienage. The two began a relationship, and Evelyn was happy to return to her parents' estate on the condition that Rose joined her. In the aftermath of the Blight she continued to work with her father and Warden Commander Loghain to restore order to Amaranthine and to the Ferelden refugee community in Ostwick. She also returned to the Circle, although not full time, and contributed plates to Flora and Fauna of the Free Marches and A History of Pyromancy. The couple were given a cottage on the estate and Rose was employed by the family as a clerk, although Evelyn remained excluded from the official family tree and from any inheritance.

## The Linnets

A year after Evelyn and Rose settled in Ostwick, Rose travelled with a caravan from Ostwick to Markham. Whilst passing through the Vinmark Mountains the caravan was attacked by a group of Tal-Vashoth, who may have targeted the Trevelyan caravans due to the wines and spirits they were delivering. Although the caravan's guards drove back the Tal-Vashoth attack, several travellers, including Rose, were killed. When news reached Evelyn of her death she swore revenge on the group and left her parents' home for the final time to pursue them.

Evelyn tracked the Tal-Vashoth band through the Vinmarks to the Wounded Coast where several groups had fled from the Qunari compound in Kirwall and virtually closed the road to travellers. Trained as an archer by Clan Lavellan and with a natural skill for stealth, she proved a deadly force on her own. Various groups named her Sarebas - Qunlat for 'Dangerous thing' - or Katari - 'Bringer of Death' - due to the nature of her attacks. She was joined there by Asha'mi, Raura - another of Asha'mi's former apprentices - and Ajua'banal, the legendary Hero of Ferelden. They named themselves the Linnets, after Evelyn's childhood nickname, and set about recruiting like-minded fighters to their cause. By 9:34 the group had become a recognised force with at least three dozen people who held four watchtowers with rights granted by the City of Ostwick to collect tolls. Their protection ensured safe passage on foot from Ostwick to the Wounded Coast, where their scouts guided travellers through the final day's passage.

Ajua'banal formed connections with both the Hahren of the Alienage and with the Mage Underground. Both groups made extensive use of the Linnets' network, to smuggle goods into the city and people out. Evelyn was one of the first to scout out the route from Kirkwall to the Linnets' Fogway Cove Camp, and guided many mages fleeing the increasingly authoritarian Circle in Kirkwall to the more liberal Ostwick Circle. On one such trip Evelyn, Asha'mi and their charges were attacked by a Tal-Vashoth band. Asha'mi escorted the mages to safety whilst Evelyn bought them time to escape. She was badly injured, but her life was saved when she fell from the narrow path to the shore, where the Tal-Vashoth mercenaries couldn't reach her. This bought her just enough time for Ajua'banal to fetch Anders, a Grey Warden healer she had served with in Amaranthine, who was able to heal her.

Despite his skill, Evelyn's injuries were so severe that she wasn't able to travel for several days. Anders and Ajua'banal remained with her, and were joined by Ricard Hawke, Merrill of Sabrae Clan, the Rivaini pirate queen Isabela and the Tevinter elf Fenris. She and Anders struck up a quick friendship based on their contrasting experiences within the Circles and their desire to see the Circles reformed to offer mages better opportunities. When she was well enough to travel, she returned with them to Kirkwall and boarded one of her family's ships to travel onwards to the Ostwick Circle, where she stayed for several weeks to recuperate from her injuries. Once the Circle's healers deemed her fit to return to action she was sent to Amaranthine to deal with a group of smugglers, where she acted under the name of The Dark Wolf. She took control of the smuggling ring and recruited them into the Linnets, strengthening the Mage Underground's links with Ferelden.

Evelyn returned to Kirkwall to offer her support to Anders's clinic and the Alienage. Soon she was travelling between Kirkwall and Ostwick at least once a month, sourcing healing herbs for the clinic and resources for the Alienage. On one such trip she brought back a copy of Anders's Manifesto to the Ostwick Circle, where it was reproduced and distributed throughout the Free Marches and into Ferelden and Orlais through the Trevelyan trading network.

When the Arishok attacked Kirkwall, the Linnets established refugee camps in several Grey Warden refuges dating from the time of the fourth Blight, and assisted apostates and their families in their flight from Kirkwall after Knight Commander Meredith seized control of the city. In response to her rule, the Ostwick Circle offered an invitation for Kirkwall Mages to request transfer to Ostwick, which the Knight Commander denied, and published the Declaration of Mage Rights. Evelyn was a signatory to the Declaration, and is listed as Lady Evelyn Trevelyan, Arcanist of the College of Aequitarians. She smuggled the document into Kirkwall and Ferelden, where it was also signed by Anders, Hawke, King Alistair, Queen Anora, and many mages of the Ferelden Circle.

Isabela fled Kirkwall to Ostwick, where she was romantically involved with Evelyn for a short period. She joined the Trevelyan fleet as a captain and took command of one of their smaller vessels. Together they continued their smuggling runs out of Kirkwall, and were credited with helping many young mages reach the Ostwick Circle and keeping their families safe from retribution. During this time the population of the Ostwick Circle doubled, with Apostates and Initiates alike seeking sanctuary there, and the city of Ostwick saw a trade boom as merchant ships sought to avoid the Templars' heavy restrictions in Kirkwall. Evelyn and Anders assisted in the largest escape of Circle mages from the Gallows, when Ser Thrask and Senior Enchanter Grace led a large group of mages and Templars in rebellion. They destroyed most of the phylacteries stored in the Gallows and escaped to Ferelden, where King Alistair had granted mages the right to live outside the Circle and to serve in the military and in a newly formed network of clinics and schools. Both Ferelden and Ostwick benefited greatly from the freedom of their mages and from the strengthening network between their free mages and those of Orzammar. Isabela returned to Ferelden with Ajua'banal on one smuggling mission and did not return to the Free Marches.

In 9:36 a mage in the Underground was captured and made Tranquil. The information he then ￼provided to the Templars triggered a brutal crackdown on what remained of the network, with estimates varying from the Seekers' official figure of 100 apostates and their supporters executed to the Mage Rebellion's estimate of over 900. The Kirkwall Guard recognise any official death toll of 600 during Meredith's three year reign, although Guard Captain Aveline has acknowledged that this likely underestimates the number killed in Darktown and does not include mages subjected to the Rite of Tranquility. Anders and Merrill travelled to Denerim as guests of the King and his Champion, and Evelyn returned to Ostwick. The Trevelyans ceased trading in Kirkwall following this, and Ostwick broke off diplomatic relations after Meredith demanded the Annulment of the Ostwick Circle. Divine Justinia denied her request, citing the stability of Ostwick compared to Kirkwall, and sent messengers to both cities to investigate.

When word reached Ostwick that she was considering launching an Exalted March on Kirkwall, they formed an alliance with Ferelden and a group of Kirkwall nobles, led by Ser Marlein Selbrech, to plan an invasion of the City to remove Meredith from power and install either Ser Marlein or the Champion as a new Viscount. These plans were abandoned following Anders' destruction of the Hightown Chantry, and the gathered forces instead provided shelter to refugees and support in the recovery in the days immediately following the explosion. Evelyn escaped the city with Anders and Hawke and sheltered them first in the Vinmark Mountains and then at her cottage on her family's estate.

## The Mage Rebellion

When Lord Seeker Lambert rejected the Ostwick Circle's offer of assistance with the recovery of the Kirkwall Circle and instead invoked the Rite of Annulment on the survivors, and simultaneously refused to conduct an investigation into Meredith's reign over Kirkwall, the mages who had fled the city refused to return and instead formed a free Circle in the Vinmark Mountains, on the site of the City of Amgarrak. Evelyn brought her second cousin, the writer Philliam, a Bard! to the Circle, where he had his printing press installed in exchange for the right to tell the Rebellion's story. The press printed pamphlets on magical theory, ballads and sermons in a large scale propaganda campaign, and in 9:38 published the Tale of the Champion by Varric Tethras. Despite its importance to the burgeoning rebellion, the Seekers were never able to locate the site or curb the distribution. All efforts to ban the possession of their materials resulted in increased interest in them, and sermons which had been bought for coppers in the docks of Val Royeaux were said to trade hands for hundreds of gold by nightfall the same day.

Evelyn returned to the Circle in Ostwick to assist the First Enchanter. She was joined there by Anders and Hawke following their exploration of a former Grey Warden Prison close to Kirkwall, as Anders chose to devote himself to the study of the Magisters Sidereal and the Blight rather than the Rebellion. Their commitment to the cause was reignited in 9:40 when First Enchanter Esme was among those killed at a Conclave called by the Divine when Grand Enchanter Fiona called for a vote on independence. Evelyn's niece, who had been assisting in the recovery of Kirkwall, led a group of Knight Enchanters to the aid of the besieged mages at Andoral's Reach whilst Evelyn accompanied Knight Commander Roland to a meeting in Val Royeaux. When Lord Seeker Lambert called for the Templars to break from the Nevarra Accord, Roland agreed to sign the declaration. The following morning Lord Seeker Lambert was found to be missing, so Roland and Knight Commander Greagoir of Ferelden both tendered their resignation and returned to their posts.

Ostwick lent its full support to the Rebellion and its cause but continued to operate as it had for many years, with its Templars seeking out initiates to offer them sanctuary from the growing conflict. The Circle was attacked several times by both Templars and rebel mages, but its skilled Knight Enchanters, Templars and the Ostwick militia were more than a match for the small forces.

When Divine Justinia called a Conclave to resolve the conflict, Evelyn was asked to attend as a representative of the Circle. She travelled with Knight Commander Roland, her nephew Earnest and Enchanter Linnea. Elena was intended to join the group, but announced her pregnancy shortly before they departed for Redcliffe.

In Redcliffe Evelyn was recognised ￼by the Mage Rebellion as a key figure in its beginnings and was asked to represent their cause, as she could attend without the worry of being charged with apostasy. She agreed, and was sent as one of the Mages' key delegates. At the debating table she quickly gained a reputation for her stubbornness, quick tongue and sharp recall, often turning her opponents' words against them to support her cause. She highlighted the injustice of the Rite of Tranquility, and argued passionately that the Hero of Ferelden had proven that no Circle was so far beyond rescue that the Rite of Annullment could be justified.

## The Inquisition

Following the Destruction of the Conclave, suspicion fell immediately on Evelyn, as the only survivor and a known associate of Anders and Hawke. She proved herself quickly, however, leading a force up the mountain to rescue stranded troops and sealing the Breach. In the immediate aftermath she allied herself with the Inquisition and became a respected part of the organisation's leadership, especially on the field of battle. She directed Inquisition resources to supporting refugees, drawing on her experiences in the Free Marches, recruited the Free Mages into the Inquisition, and invited Templars to leave the order and join the Inquisition. After the defeat at Haven and the flight to Skyhold she was named Inquisitor, by unanimous decision.

She continued to forge strong alliances and champion the cause of the vulnerable, earning her great love from commoners throughout Ferelden, Orlais and the Free Marches. Under her leadership the Inquisition was open to all who wished to aid the cause, regardless of race, religion or magical skill, and strict rules governed the Inquisition forces' conduct. She was regarded as a forgiving leader, who offered many the chance to redeem themselves through service to the Inquisition, but demanded high standards from those who had joined. Magister Gereon Alexius and Ser Ruth were among those who were sentenced to join the Inquisition for their crimes in service of Corypheus and earned great respect from their Inquisition allies. The Inquisition was victorious in every major engagement with Corypheus under her leadership, and she finally defeated him in single combat on the site of the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

She was given the legend mark First-Thaw by the Avvar of Stone Bear Hold, made a noble of Orlais, Ferelden and Kirkwall, named a Hahren among the elves of Orlais and Ferelden, and accorded honorary membership of the Minrathous Circle. In addition, all of her allies recognised Lady Josephine Montilyet as her partner, and Divine Victoria herself presided over their marriage.

## Personal Life

Despite not sharing a close relationship with her parents or siblings, Evelyn became good friends with her eldest niece and looked up to Knight Commander Roland and First Enchanter Esme as surrogate parents. After leaving the Circle she formed a strong attachment to Clan Lavellan, especially to Asha'mi, Raura and Hahren Inaru. After her return to Ostwick she aided the Blight Refugee efforts there, and met Ajua'banal and the Ferelden Wardens, and through them Hawke, Merrill and Isabela.

In the Inquisition, her closest friends were Dorian Pavus, Solas, Sera and The Iron Bull, but she also formed a good working relationship with Empress Celene and Marquis Briala, King Alistair and even Archon Radonis.

## Bibliography

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