Aurelia Trevelyan

Never in all my life, did I imagine such wonders.

There is no going back, no going back to how things used to be. When something changes, the only choice you ever really make is between going forward or dying. I choose to go forward, always forward.

## Overview

### **Physical Appearance**

Aurelia is a tall woman with an annoyingly classic hour-glass figure and long legs, which is the first thing most people notice about her. The second is that she clearly inherited the strong Trevelyan nose and jawline. From her mother, she got her golden blonde hair with a slight reddish highlight to it, making it almost red-gold in the right light. In the field, she keeps her hair in a complicated braid/pony-tail combo to contain it, but she likes to wear it loose when she can.

Her eyes are a deep blue, with a touch of purple around the iris, but she has a warm undertone to her pale skin, and there's a dusting of freckles across her nose.

The scars she has on her face are a more recent addition. Under her right eye is a roughly inch-long scar she acquired while escaping from the fall of Ostwick Circle. The scar along her mouth she got while almost being avalanched to death during the attack on Haven.

### **Personality**

Even from childhood, Aurelia had an unfettered sense of joy and wonder about the world around her, always enthusiastic and exuberant in everything that she did. She has always been emotive, generally unable to keep her feelings and thoughts from showing on her face. Alongside her sunny disposition, Aurelia has a generous nature and will do anything for someone she cares for. Which, to be fair, is almost everyone she meets. Those she does care for, she cares for honestly and deeply, not willing to hold back how she feels.

In the vein of not holding back, Aurelia's sense of humor has a tendency towards silliness. Although in her position as Inquisitor she has to keep more of a lid on her humor and expressiveness, she's become a little more wacky when she's just with her friends. Particularly the friends that encourage her wackiness.

A woman of deep faith, Aurelia tends to try to give people the benefit of the doubt, and is a big believer in second chances. She finds great comfort in the teachings of Andraste, even though her faith had been sorely tested by the events of the game.

All of that said, it would be a mistake to think Aurelia is a pushover. The flip-side of her emotive nature is that her other emotions are just as intense and openly displayed. In particular, her anger is something to behold, in all its literal and figurative explosive glory, which is most often triggered by people she cares about being hurt.

Basically, Aurelia has no middle gears.

### **Talents and Skills**

Aurelia is disgustingly accomplished. Taking advantage of the education on offer at the Ostwick Circle, she learned a great deal in addition to quickly advancing in her magical studies. Academically, she was a student of history and philosophy, and was learning diplomacy under the wing of First Enchanter Lydia. Her hobbies included singing, dancing, and riding horses, and learning to how care for and manage the animals.

While in the Circle she began basic Knight-Enchanter training under Senior Enchanter Mayella, but her training was cut short when the Ostwick Circle fell. Aside from her Knight-Enchanter abilities, Aurelia heavily favors fire and lightning abilities, and has particular affinity for the spirit school of magic, deepening her connection to the Fade under Solas's guidance. Combining her magical talent with her passion for intellectual pursuits, she also studies magical theory with Dorian.

In spite of Aurelia's many accomplishments, she has few "normal person" skills, which she is somewhat self conscious about. She can only cook one thing: lemon cake, and that's only because she loves it so much.

## Biography

### **History**

#### **Pre-Circle**

Born and raised in Ostwick Keep, Aurelia was the youngest of three children. Her older brothers, Lawrence and Matthias, were five and two years older than her respectively. Adored by her parents as their "golden girl", Aurelia had a big personality, even for a small child, and one of her earliest memories is Matthias (Matty) carrying her around on his back as she directed him through the Keep. She lived a privileged life, as could be expected, and on her fifth birthday was gifted a pony, Lightfoot, and began her riding lessons. That summer, as she was out riding with her brothers, she became lost. Rather than feel frightened, Auri saw it as a grand adventure and began to explore the woods around the Keep and think of herself as the "Princess of the Forest." Because she was five.

Eventually, she ended up in a small clearing, where she met a Spirit of Joy, though at the time she just thought of the small, glowing ball of light as her friend. Aurelia named it Joy (again, five), and the Spirit followed her home after Lawrence finally found her. Everyone in the Keep simply thought Aurelia had an invisible friend, like many young children, and her parents began to talk about bringing up some of the village girls to give their daughter female friends to interact with. Aurelia, however, could easily see Joy and wasn't sure why everyone thought her friend wasn't real.

Things came to a head when she was six, and Matty was telling her she had to stop being a baby and not have an invisible friend. That she needed real friends. Angry at her brother for saying her friend didn't exist, Aurelia set the nursery on fire, calling on her magical abilities for the first time.

Not long after, she was taken to the Ostwick Circle.

Years later she would say that she was actually most upset about leaving her pony behind, and was only calmed down by then Knight-Captain Gabriel saying she could ride with him on his horse. Seeing this as an excellent trade, Auri agreed, and left for her new home.

In time, the memory of Joy faded, and she thought she had an imaginary friend, like everyone else had told her.

#### **In the Circle**

Like all newcomers to the Circle, she was given to the care of Enchanter Amar, a massive but kindly man who took seriously the business of looking after the young mages given into his care. Aurelia adjusted quickly, making friends with two of her near-age mates, Dannica and Roderick, but her sunny disposition meant she was on good terms with most of the other children there.

Then, not six months after she arrived at the Circle, her father arrived with Matty in tow. Matty had slowly worn down his parents, and made clear he wanted to join the Templars to be able to protect his little sister. At age eight, Matty wanted to make up for setting Auri off that day in the nursery, and because he had always done his best to look out for her. While Templar and mage training kept them relatively apart, they managed to find ways to communicate and spend time together, though they were less able to do so as the years went by.

While in general Aurelia was not given too much special treatment, particularly by Enchanter Amar, Aurelia's father insisted that Aurelia learn how to ride. To sum up: she's a Trevelyan, and horses are in her blood! No daughter of his will be unable to ride! In spite of the standard practice and possible flight risk, Aurelia was allowed to continue to learn to ride. After the Ostwick Circle received several of the finest Trevelyan stock as a "donation."

At thirteen, Aurelia was officially made an apprentice, and that was when she began to obsessively collect folk music to sing. In order to remember all the formulas that were new to her, she began to set them to music, and it turned out that folk songs worked best. From there she began to collect other songs, but folk music is her favorite. She also took dance classes, the instructor sent to the Circle as a "donation in kind" from the Trevelyan family. In both instances, singing and dancing, Aurelia couldn't help but go a bit beyond acceptable boundaries.

She amused herself by finding some of the naughtier folk songs, memorizing them, and singing them at a vent that would carry her voice to the trainee Templar dorms, which gave the young boys several problems. One: that pretty, blond girl is singing about girls with no clothes, and two: the pretty, blond girl's brother is *right there*, and looks *so pissed off*. Aurelia almost got caught on that prank, and Matty yelled at her for it.

As she got older, she was able to get the dance instructor to teach her and her friends some Antivan and Rivani dances, which are a good deal, ah, saucier than the dances of the Free Marches and Orlais.

This was also the year of the Great Lemon Pudding Incident.

It was easy to notice that Aurelia was growing into something of a leader, and while not an out and out rebel, she did run very close to the line of acceptable behavior. That was when newly minted First Enchanter Lydia, along with newly raised Knight-Commander Gabriel, took charge of Ostwick Circle in a big way. Namely, a practical skills program. Aurelia, and mages like her *got bored*. Bored mages are dangerous, so they all suddenly had chores, like learning to cook and clean and sew. They also had expanded academic lessons, history, philosophy, natural philosophy, mathematics, and the fine arts. There were physical programs as well, like dancing and gymnastics, with a trusted few allowed to ride horses. Lastly, Lydia and Gabriel coordinated to cross train mages and Templars, forming a tenuous trust between the two factions, and offering non-contentious means of interaction. Aurelia was often trotted out to help trainee Templars with horsemanship, and she particularly delighted in demonstrating that she could literally run rings around any of them on horseback.

In her sixteenth year, Aurelia began to learn to consciously interact with the Fade, in preparation for her Harrowing. Initially a strong candidate to pass with flying colors, she was nearly possessed by a Fade spirit one autumn afternoon, after a whole day of odd experiences: seeing blue sky when it was cloudy out, smelling lilacs, and hearing childish giggling as though from just around the corner. Meditating in an attempt to clear her mind, that was when the spirit struck.

It was her old imaginary friend, Joy. Once Aurelia appeared in the Fade, Joy was able to find her old friend. However, because Aurelia had left, Joy had turned to Despair, and tried to possess the young mage. Locked in a mental battle, she managed to ward off the demon and came to with her brother (newly raised to Knight Templar), First Enchanter Lydia and Knight-Commander Gabriel standing over her. It was decided that Aurelia had to go through her Harrowing as soon as possible to avoid Tranquility. The youngest mage to complete their Harrowing, Aurelia was catapulted from apprentice status to enchanter suddenly, though her parents were very proud and arranged to bring her to the Keep for a celebration. Under Templar guard, of course, though Matty was part of that guard.

Life in the Circle continued for Aurelia, routine and predictable training, though two things began to disrupt that. One, Knight-Enchanter Mayella noticed Aurelia's talent for battle magic and semi-stole the young woman out from First Enchanter Lydia. Two, Aurelia started to get adventurous with boys, much to Matty's despair. Because Matty always had his sister's safety at heart, he spoke stridently to his sister, and she agreed to modify her behavior and tone it down. However, she put a firm stop to any more liaisons when she was present for the birth of Dannica's baby. Her friend had been much less careful than Aurelia, and had fallen pregnant after throwing caution to the wind for the young man she loved. At nineteen, Aurelia helped her friend through labor, but found she could do nothing as the baby was taken from her friend.

That was when Aurelia decided she would never let herself fall in love and take every precaution possible. Instead, she renewed her focus on her studies and hobbies in addition to taking on teaching apprentices and helping Enchanter Amar with the younger children from time to time.

When she was twenty-five, life got a little more interesting as a new Stablemaster arrived, a young strapping man by the name of Jaren. Initially spending a good deal of time together due to Aurelia's interest in horses and proficiency as a rider, it developed into an exclusive relationship, though never went so far so to profess anything like love. Matty, once again worried for his sister tried to intervene and get Aurelia to stop. Rather than heed her brother's advice, she opposed him for the first time, and Matty had to let it go.

Not long after that, the Chantry in Kirkwall was destroyed, and life in Ostwick got tense. While Ostwick Circle was one of the more sedate Circles, with few, if any abuses of power, and Lydia and Gabriel ran a tight ship, both the mages and Templars were on edge, not sure if they would be effected. The First Enchanter and Knight-Commander held Ostwick together through sheer willpower and force of personality, but Matty and Aurelia began to make secret plans for how to escape if the Circle fell.

Which happened in 9:40 Dragon when Dannica, never quite recovered from losing her baby, killed both Lydia and Gabriel, turning low level tensions into a blaze of paranoia and violence. Aurelia and Matty escaped by stealing horses, though Jaren tried to stop them, Aurelia earning a scar under her eye from a horsewhip in the process. Matty punched the man out, and they escaped, managing to save the young apprentices from the Circle as well, though Enchanter Amar stayed behind to cover their escape.

#### **The Mage Rebellion**

The only way Aurelia would be safe was if she joined the Mage Rebellion, so Matty helped get his sister and the apprentices there. On the way, they were able to reunite with Knight-Enchanter Mayella. When they found the Rebellion, however, Matty was sent away due to him being a Templar. The mages were too jumpy to have him in their ranks, even though he would have stayed to protect his sister. Matty left back for Ostwick, not sure what to do, while Aurelia spent the next year fighting on the front lines of the Mage Rebellion. She was exposed to a lot of the world that she had only read about before: mercenaries, black market lyrium dealers, mages who had suffered at the hands of Templars, and mages who had gone mad with freedom. Her picture of the world became murky, but more complicated for it.

Her small squad, led by Knight-Enchanter Mayella, was used as a strike team to scout and break the Templar flank before a battle. In that time she gained a greater felicity with battle magic, and developed a few bad habits in terms of her fighting form. She became close with her squad, though she never fraternized within the unit. Instead, she found occasional comfort with a mage-scout, a man from Starkhaven's Circle by the name of Larkin, at least when he caught up with her squad to carry missives. With the war on, Aurelia felt much of her old constraints slipping away, and her innate brashness intensified.

When the Conclave was called, the mage leadership did not risk themselves, instead sending a plausible delegation, which included many noble-born mages, like Aurelia. Arriving at Haven, Aurelia was shocked to see Matty in the Templar delegation. The night before the Conclave would start, Aurelia and Matty met, and he told her that the Templars only brought him to balance out her inclusion. However, he only agreed to come because he had a plan to get Auri out of Haven and to a place of actual safety, their parents refusing to harbor a fugitive from Chantry Law.

While Aurelia apparently agreed, privately she knew she could not flee the fight. She had found her fighting nature in the past year, and she had to stand with her fellow mages. They parted ways, Matty taking a walk down the mountain, while Aurelia paced about Haven. She was startled to hear a cry for help from the Divine's rooms, and she ran to help, doing what she had always been inclined to do: run toward the sound of a problem, not to avoid it.

Then the world exploded in a sickly green light.

### **In-game**

#### **The Wrath of Heaven**

Waking up to be accused of murdering the *Divine*, Aurelia initially reacted with anger to nearly everything on the mountain. However, since she had to close the Breach to keep herself alive, she followed Cassandra up the mountain. Meeting others along the way, including Leliana, Cullen, Varric and Solas (to whom she was more polite because *they* weren't accusing her of murder), she got to the top of the mountain and did the job in front of her.

#### **The Threat Remains**

Waking up in Haven as a figure of awe instead of a pariah was the most surreal moment of Aurelia's life. When it was made clear that they needed the support of Val Royeaux, she took up the task of being the most visible agent of the Inquisition, doing her best to help the refugees of the Mage-Templar War. That began to offer her a different picture of what life was like for those affected by the war, now that she wasn't in the thick of it. She also did her best to get to know the people she was working with now, and recruit more agents if she could.

However, her fear about her brother's death (and the knowledge that those in her delegation, including Knight-Enchanter Mayella and Larkin had died) continued to haunt her. Cullen helped her get her hands on a casualty report, which was delivered to her the night before she left for Orlais. With that, she had the confirmation of her Matty's death, and the knowledge that it had been kept from her by Leliana. Completely losing her shit, she stormed to the War Room and let them all know that she would not be "handled." Thankfully, everyone was drawn to the sound of the argument, and she was talked down, and finally started to grieve for her brother.

In Val Royeaux, she tried to reason with the Chantry Mother and the Lord Seeker, but that proved pointless. Instead, she found two new allies, the initially incomprehensible Sera and First Enchanter Vivienne. She returned to Haven with a headache from all the bickering, and the suggestion that she should work with the mages of Redcliffe.

Before she could get there, however, she ended up recruiting Blackwall, and heading up to the Storm Coast to get The Iron Bull. While she was away, she had let slip that she was motivated to go to Redcliffe first to find her former apprentices, Brandon and Neera, whom she had rescued from Ostwick when it fell. When she returned to Haven, the teenagers had been located and brought there. Aurelia was overjoyed, and the two ended up staying with her.

Feeling upbeat due to having her charges in her care again, Aurelia decided to investigate Redcliffe.

#### **In Hushed Whispers**

In Redcliffe, Aurelia learned an important lesson: LEAVE TIME ALONE.

Also that Dorian is the best.

Arriving in the village, she was shocked to find it overrun by *Magisters*. Ew. While Fiona seemed to regret her choice, Aurelia was initially pissed off at the whole "being asked to help and then its all gone sideways" problem. She was about to leave the mages to their fate and try for the Templars, but as she spoke to the mages around Redcliffe, she knew she couldn't abandon the mages. Deciding to follow up on the lead from Felix's "accidental" stumble, she met Dorian Pavus for the first time. He laid out the problem for her, that Alexius was playing with time magic, and making the whole rift situation *worse*.

Aurelia decided there and then to put a stop of *that.* The Templars, she thought, could wait.

Armed with a plan, Aurelia thought this might go well. Oh what a cute idea! Instead, she was catapulted through time with Dorian, witness to what would happen should the Breach and red lyrium allowed to run unchecked. She was also horrified to see what would happen to her friends and Leliana in this dark future. Mad as hell, she charged through Darkest-Timeline-Redcliffe, but when she saw the Breach, she felt her mark react strangely to the larger Breach. That freaked her out a bit, but she choked it down and got down the business of going back to her time.

Dorian had to hold her to keep her from fighting, to wait for the amulet to be charged, and when he triggered the magic he had to haul her through. They reappeared in Less-Dark-Timeline-Redcliffe, covered in blood, and just in time for Queen Anora to show up and kick the mages out. Aurelia offered the mages an alliance, figuring that since oppression didn't work the last time, it would be stupid to try it again.

Back and Haven, Aurelia was delighted that Dorian would stay, and she happily caught up with everyone, particularly Brandon and Neera. Then as per Varric's suggestion (with a little thoughtful help from Bull's insights into people) they held a showcase fair, to let everyone get their measure and help them form a more cohesive fighting force. Aurelia didn't participate in the fun and games (seemed unfair), until she got into an argument with Cullen about horsemanship. Neither of them able to back down, they had a one-on-one race, which Aurelia won, though it was close.

Aurelia then left the mages to get ready while she rescued her soldiers from the Fallowmire. Then, upon her return, she was told the mages were as ready as they would ever be.

#### **In Your Heart Shall Burn/From the Ashes**

Aurelia sealed the Breach with the help of the now Inquisition-allied Mages, and was all excited, having a good time dancing at a well deserved party when the assault on Haven began. When the secret passage through the mountain was revealed, Aurelia directed her forces to make their escape, including her apprentices, Brandon and Neera. When Cullen told Aurelia to "make some noise" she took the directive to heart and and pretty much lost any cool that she had while fighting her way to the trebuchet in the company of Cassandra, Bull, and Dorian.

When the "Elder One" appeared and revealed himself as Corypheus (hereafter referred to as "Corey" because to heck with bothering how to spell his name), Aurelia was cut off from her companions and left to face the would-be god alone. Getting an earful about how the Maker's throne was empty and thinking she might actually die this time, Aurelia was running high on combination of anger, adrenaline, and spiteful determination. Thus, she kept Corey talking and triggered the avalanche when she saw the signal arrow.

Coming to in the caves underneath Haven, Aurelia had a dislocated left shoulder, no rations, and a slim chance of survival. But she got her ass up and moving. Out of the caves, she followed the trail left by the fleeing Inquisition, though as she struggled through the wind and snow she had a partial breakdown, yelling to the sky, asking the Maker what He wanted of her, mind full of the people she had lost, her brother especially. Nearly losing consciousness, Aurelia drifted for a time in her own mind, but dug deep and reached her deep determination and yelled at herself to keep moving. So she did.

Tired, out of magic, unable to keep herself warm, and approaching hypothermia shock, Aurelia gained the rise and was brought down the other side of the pass by Cullen and Cassandra, falling unconscious as she was carried back down the mountain.

Regaining consciousness to everyone bickering was less than optimal, but Aurelia was more focused on her own, shaken faith. Still, when Mother Giselle began to sing The Dawn Will Come, Aurelia felt uplifted. When she became Inquisitor, she declared for the Faith, not because she thought she was Andraste's Herald, but because she knew what her own faith had done for her. If people needed a beacon of hope in a world gone mad, then she would provide that.

Also, she then began training as a Knight-Enchanter in earnest, working with the Bull's Chargers to help her develop better tactics as close-fighting mage.

#### **Here Lies the Abyss/Wicked Eyes, Wicked Hearts**

Once she got to Skyhold, Aurelia tried to help with the clean up effort, but it turned out that playing with hypothermia and then a four day walk through mountain passes will leave you in not a good way. Falling seriously ill, she tried to keep working and could only be contained to a bed for rest when Dorian occupied her with magical theory discussions. It took her roughly a full week to recover, by which time Varric had managed to get Hawke to come to Skyhold.

Meeting Marian Hawke was and wasn't what Aurelia expected. Quippy and to the point, the Champion of Kirkwall informed the newly minted Inquisitor about her investigation of red lyirum and the threat Corey posed. Needing little further prodding, Aurelia went off to find Hawke's Warden friend and met Ser Alistair of Ferelden in Crestwood (cleaning that place up too while she was there, Aurelia often commented that she felt like she was picking up someone else's toys a lot). Once they returned to Skyhold, however, Aurelia had a new problem: the impending assassination of Empress Celene.

Needing to have enough notice of the royal court, Aurelia focused on gaining influence with the court by cleaning up areas of Orlais that needed help. She did this while sending scouts to the Western Approach. By gaining influence and legitimacy for the Inquisition, she received an invitation to a ball at the Winter Palace. (And was devastated when it turned out they would be wearing uniforms. Sometimes, a girl just wants to wear a pretty dress.)

The Winter Place sorely tested Aurelia's patience, though she managed to get through by seeing how much some of her friends hated and/or loved the place. In the end, she uncovered the assassination plot and reunited Celene and Briala, in spite of her misgivings about *everyone* involved. She does wish she had been able to keep Gaspard from being executed, but raised as a noble herself, Aurelia knew that was often the price of playing the Game and losing. If you didn't want to take the risks, one should not play.

Walking away from the Winter Palace, Aurelia had a newfound determination to not play the Game for her own ends, and with a new ally: Morrigan.

When Aurelia returned to Skyhold once more, she was gearing up to investigate the Wardens when her eldest brother, Lawrence arrived from Ostwick. Aurelia's parents had urged to return home (a message delivered by Matty at the Conclave), and had subsequently cut ties with her when the Chantry had originally denounced the Inquisition, making Aurelia question her entire past relationship with her parents. Even though Lawrence and Aurelia had not been as close as Auri and Matty, he still loved his little sister dearly, and had defied his parents to go see her. With no choice but to let their heir do as he wished, Lawrence surprised Aurelia at Skyhold prior to Auri going to the Western Approach. The siblings were able to catch up (Auri had a new nephew), and Lawrence was given a tour of Skyhold, whereupon everyone tried to get *him* to tell them what the Great Lemon Pudding Incident was, but he didn't know either.

Too soon, her brother had to leave, and Aurelia got back to business. Scouting out the Western Approach and gaining a foothold, she was able to find out that the Wardens were controlled by a Tevinter Magister (of course, why not, how could this go wrong?) and were summoning demons (FUCK, GUYS, NO). Since this meant she had to send her army in (and that was still weird *her* army), she gained control of Griffon Wing Keep as a forward base for assaulting the Warden's location.

Once her people were in place, the assault began, and she powered her way through with Dorian, Varric, and Blackwall backing her up, along with Ser Alistair and Hawke. Aurelia sued for surrender rather than slaughtering the Wardens, and managed to talk down Clarel. However, those pesky Tevinters and that damned dragon showed up again. When the castle began to collapse, Auri opened a Fade Rift on instinct, and then they were in the Fade.

As a mage, Aurelia had already some familiarity with the Fade, but it was learning the actual truth of what had happened to her that shook her. Though she had already known she wasn't "Andraste's chosen," it was much harder to accept that she lived by sheer accident. Had she gone down the mountain and her brother gone up, he would be alive and she would be dead, though she eventually took comfort in the Watchmaker Hypothesis version of the Maker that the spirit of Divine Justinia suggested.

At the time, she just wanted out and to tear Corey (and his pet Vint) a new one.

When the Nightmare demon blocked their way, Aurelia was not faced with a choice because the Champion elbowed Ser Alistair in the gut and threw herself at the demon with a manic grin. The Warden had to drag Aurelia out of the Fade (akin to how Dorian had to drag her back to her proper time), and when they reappeared, Aurelia offered the Grey Wardens a chance to make up for their actions by allying with the Inquisition. She knew the risks, but put them to work helping refugees and fighting darkspawn that had started to pop up around Southern Thedas, drawn by Corey's Call.

She was able to keep a lid on her anger about the whole thing until she was told Livius Erimond was alive. She flew into a rage over what he had done and tried to kill him then and there. It took a combination of Cass, Bull, Dorian and Cullen to get her to relent. She still executed him anyway back at Skyhold though.

#### **What Pride Had Wrought**

While the Inquisition worked to recover from their losses at Adamant, Aurelia continued to investigate Corey's plans and got ready to hold southern Orlais against him. She was able to hold Suledin Keep and fight off the Venatori in the Hissing Wastes. On advice from Morrigan, they readied their army and raced to beat Corey to the Temple of Mythal in the Arbor Wilds. Fighting a running battle through Corey's forces, Aurelia and her team (Cass, Solas and Cole) gained the Temple.

Even though it would have been expedient to directly follow Samson, Auri's natural curiosity couldn't be contained and she just had to walk the path of the faithful. During this time, she took the opporutnity to question Morrigan more closely about the magic she was after, and pressed the woman to reveal as much as she could. Moderately satisfied with Morrigan's answers (as a fellow magical scholar, Aurelia can appreciate the point of keeping the old magic preserved for study in spite of Chantry teachings), she continued with the rituals. This turned out in her favor as she allied with the Guardians and was shown a secret path through the Temple. Granted, Morrigan was less than happy with the choice, but Aurelia didn't have the time to care about it.

Though Samon was in her path, she had found how to break his armor and took him prisoner. However, this began a showdown between the Guardians and Aurelia's people. Aurelia was able to gain Abelas's permission to use the Well. She wasn't sure she trusted Morrigan to use the Well's power, and Solas had a good point about Morrigan's preoccupation with power. Cassandra's suggestion of letting Morrigan take that particular bullet didn't phase Auri much, but Cole's suggestion that Auri would not want the Well's power caught her attention. Deciding that Cole had her best interests at heart, Aurelia let Morrigan have her magical McGuffin just in time before Corey showed up. They escaped through the Eluvian back to Skyhold.

#### **The Final Piece/Doom Upon All the World**

While the Inquisition's forces looked for Corey after his defeat in the Arbor Wilds, Aurelia focused on getting into fighting form, ready to kill the creature that had been the cause of her brother's death, and the death of so many people. When Kieran dashed into the Fade, Aurelia was temporarily sidetracked helping Morrigan find her son, and had no idea what to do when Flemeth revealed herself as Morrigan's mother *and* Mythal. While it worked out for the best, Kieran being freed of whatever magic had been in him, Aurelia left feeling very confused and not sure how to handle the idea that the Ancient Elven gods were *real*.

Then, when Corey revealed himself, Aurelia took off like a bat out of hell, her friends barely able to keep up as she took a horse and charged out of Skyhold. In an all out fight, Morrigan showing up *as a dragon*, Aurelia chased Corey up and up and in a moment of screaming rage, flung her staff like a spear at the ancient Magister, pinning him to the stone, and then manifested her spectral sword and killed him. For good.

After recovering from the fight, and the surprise of Solas leaving, Aurelia had a few moments to breathe, and was pleased to know that Cassandra had been elected Divine. Mostly, however, she looked forward to being able to spend quality time with Cullen. Quality. Time.

#### **The Descent**

Ever the scholar, Aurelia was excited about all she learned as they fought through Darkspawn and the Sha-Brytol dwarves. While Aurelia was relieved that they found the Titan and were able to stop the earthquakes, that Shaper Valta chose to stay with the Titan made her deeply concerned for the dwarf. But there was no stopping it, and Aurelia returned to the surface with a heavy heart.

#### **Jaws of Hakkon**

In the year before the Exalted Council, Aurelia helped Professor Bram Kennic investigate the origins of the Inquisition and made an ally of Stone-Bear clan in the Frostback basin. Aurelia revealed the truth about Inquisitor Ameridan, in addition to killing Hakkon Wintersbreath, defeating the Hakkonites in the basin. She also gained the respect of Thane Svarah Sun-Hair and Stone-Bear clan, to the point where they named her Inquisitor First-Thaw and allowed her to recruit their hold beast, Storvaker in judgment of the animal.

Aurelia had never been so happy. She finally found a bear she could get along with!

#### **Trespasser**

The Exalted Council called and Aurelia answered, half tempted to disband the Inquisition as it was. She was tired of being stuck behind a desk more often than not these days, not to mention all the politics getting on her nerves. She was working more closely with her apprentices, Brandon and Neera, and doing her best to support the College of Enchanters, even though it caused some tension between Aurelia and Cassandra. Basically, she was already moving away from her role as the Inquisitor and finding work that mattered to her. She also knew that her mark was getting worse, but had no idea what to do about it.

At the Council, she was mostly delighted to see all her friends again, helping the Chargers surprise Bull for his birthday, and nearly tackling Dorian when she saw him again. When Cullen proposed, Aurelia could barely let him finish proposing before she said yes. However, rather than the wedding as presented in game, Aurelia gathered up all their friends and had an actual wedding with the people she cared about in attendance. Dorian and Josephine were their witnesses and Cassandra officiated instead of Mother Giselle.

Then everything went sideways, and Aurelia had to fight the politicians that were hounding her, qunari that were trying to kill everyone, and her own damned arm. Getting angrier and angrier, because she was more and more scared, she fought her way through the Eluvian network, discovering that an agent of Fen'Harel was fighting the qunari. As she continued to pursue the qunari, and as she continued to get worse and worse, Aurelia was losing any semblance of being able to keep her perspective. Fighting her way through the Viddasala's forces, Aurelia pushed the qunari back and kept the Winter Palace safe, but her mark was killing her.

Then she saw Solas.

She had put together that he was Fen'Harel, and she managed to get out of him what he was up to, what he had always been up to. But even betrayed and viciously angry, Aurelia had a moment of clarity, seeing Solas so focused on the past, unwilling to move forward, to see how he could help his people *as they were now,* and was willing to destroy the world as it was to achieve his vision of the past. So she declared he had to die, that she would stop him no matter what.

Then, the bastard melted her arm off. Which was kind of helpful, but *still*.

Now angry, betrayed and in unimaginable pain, Dorian, Bull and Cole found her and got her back to the Winter Palace. Screaming and ranting, it took Cullen reaching her side and getting her to calm down. Slightly. Then when the Council was called back to order, they were still pushing her on deciding what to do with the Inquisition, in spite of all she had just done.

So she rage quit.

### **Post-game**

After the Inquisition disbanded, Aurelia and Cullen (and their dog, Wiglaf) decided they should go visit their families. By this time, Brandon and Neera had been attending the College of Enchanters, and they were Cullen and Aurelia's first stop on their "family tour." Next they went to visit Cullen's family in South Reach, and Aurelia was worried they wouldn't like her, and she was still adjusting to the loss of her left arm. However, the Rutherford family was amazing, and Aurelia loved getting to meet them. Eventually, they had to leave and went to Ostwick. To meet Aurelia's parents.

While Lawrence and his family were welcoming, interactions with Lord and Lady Trevelyan were strained. Cullen did his best to be a good son-in-law, in spite of the open disapproval of his non-noble status. Aurelia's response was to let Wiglaf have run of the place and play with her nieces and nephews, much to her parent's despair. When they left Ostwick, at least Lawrence said he would always welcome them.

Unsure of what to do, they found a property in Ferelden near the Rutherford farm, and Aurelia began to rehab horses that had been wounded in the war. And never able to resist an animal in need, Aurelia started taking in more and more animals, dogs, more horses, fennecs, a ram, and several birds. As she took care of the animals, she realized that she was betting better, coming to terms with her own loss. Cullen had been mentoring recovering ex-Templars, and Aurelia suggested they combine their efforts. They first opened their home to ex-Templars, and then a few former Tranquil that had been through the reverse process. Soon, they were running a rehab farm for those who needed help after the war, and they continued to do good works on their own terms.

A year after settling down, Aurelia fell pregnant, even though they weren't trying for children, and they soon welcomed Luciana Neave Rutherford to the world.

## **Relationships**

Aurelia did her best to get along with most of the people in the Inquisition, though obviously she did better with some than others, and some were a total surprise.

Initially combative with **Cassandra**, the two women formed a common bond in their faith and the loss of their brothers. Their friendship was built of quiet moments, though Aurelia tested it now and again with the ribald songs she knew. They respected each other a great deal, and Aurelia did her best to draw Cassandra out of herself.

**Varric** was a fast friend, though she continually tortured him by hanging over his head the possibly-made-up Great Lemon Pudding Incident. In theory, if someone got her drunk enough, she would tell the story. Varric has yet to manage it, and is almost sure she's winding up by this point. While Varric didn't look after Auri as closely as he looked after Hawke (Auri didn't need it as much), he did do his best to steer people toward Aurelia when he thought she needed help. Often Cullen.

**Solas's** knowledge of the Fade and magic sparked some early magic-based conversations, and he taught her meditation techniques to deal with her anger. His talk of spirits as people sparked a conflict in her, considering the time she was almost possessed by her childhood "imaginary" friend. However, his perspective was interesting, and her curiosity took over from her fear rather quickly. Once she started to let go of her fear of spirits, she and Solas started to become good friends, particularly after she tried to free the Spirit of Wisdom.

While Aurelia respected **Vivienne**, her power, and her connections, Aurelia never really warmed to the other woman. Their relationship was distant and professional, though it became more strained as Aurelia supported the College of Enchanters over and above the reformed Circles and Vivenne's place as Grand Enchanter. The two times the women saw eye to eye were when Vivienne helped get Brandon and Neera out of Redcliffe for Aurelia, and when Aurelia helped Vivienne with the potion for Duke Bastien.

Against all expectations, Aurelia and **Sera** became fast friends, quasi sister figures to each other. Aurelia thought the young elf was oddly endearing, appreciated her perspective on those in power, and found her giggle-snort enough reason to keep finding new ribald songs to entertain her on their missions. Sera helped Aurelia stay upbeat, find reasons to keep laughing, and was an enabler of Auri's sillier side.

Though Aurelia respected **Blackwall** a great deal upon first meeting him, she found him confusing and cagey, a man looking for something to believe in, even though he was supposedly already a man with a duty and a mission. They never were close, and when it was revealed that he was no Warden, it took her a long time to decide to get him out of prison. Mostly, she wanted to judge him herself, and when the time came, she offered him redemption by joining the Wardens.

Conversely, **The Iron Bull** started as someone Auri wasn't sure she should trust at all, but he turned into one of her best friends. Their friendship deepened in the course of killing lots of dragons together, drinking together, coming up with weird tactical ideas together, and helping train her (with the Chargers) once she became a Knight-Enchanter. When it came to decide to between an alliance between the Qunari and letting the Chargers die, Aurelia couldn't let the Chargers die. They were part of the Inquisition, they trusted her, and they were her *training buddies*. Also, she thought, hey, the qunari will just swim off the ship! That didn't go so well. Oops.

**Dorian** was Aurelia's best friend for life and someone she loved as dearly as her brothers. Their dramatic meeting began a friendship that they both treasured, built on helping Dorian reunite with his father, a shared passion for magical theory, applied magic, and, of course, drinking fine wine. They were always there for each other when something went wrong (or when something went right), particularly encouraging each other with their respective romantic partners (while also hanging shit on each other about it). Dorian was also the one who set up the chess match between Aurelia and Cullen, as he was "testing a hypothesis." When Cullen lost on purpose, Dorian confronted the man about it and started to really push the two of them together. Much to his own amusement, of course. Conversely, Aurelia was the one who got Dorian to admit that he loved Bull. Because payback.

**Cole** became like a son to Aurelia, a boy who needed help learning how to be a person with other people. Initially put off by Cole's status as a spirit, she slowly warmed to the boy, and worked closely with Varric and Solas to help him come to terms with living in the physical world. When it became apparent that Cole needed help to make sure he couldn't be possessed, Aurelia was faced with the choice of encouraging Cole to let the entire matter go or to let him work out his anger in a more material way. Taking the lead from Varric, Aurelia encouraged Cole to go forward, to grow and deal with his anger. From that point on, she had to help Cole learn how to deal with a much more human body.

Aurelia never was close with **Leliana**, though she encouraged the other woman to be more merciful and to have a greater care for the people under their command. Mostly that was because that was the kind of Inquisition Aurelia wanted to run, a caring one, not a ruthless one. Though they weren't close, Leliana was the one who found and positively identified the cross-piece of Matty's Templar sword and gifted it to Aurelia in Haven.

**Josephine** was a treasure, as far as Aurelia was concerned. She adored the Ambassador's professionalism, and owed the woman many gift baskets for all the times she nearly screwed everything up because she could barely keep her emotions off her face or her thoughts from being voiced. Also, when it became clear that Aurelia was devastated for not getting to go to the Winter Palace in a pretty dress, Josephine ordered pretty dresses for the women of the Inquisition. Aurelia promptly rounded everyone up and they had a totally hilarious dress up and drinking night.

#### **Cullen**

Aurelia loves her quiet Commander, his steady heart, and his drive to be a better man. No gentleman, but a gentle man, rare is the person who looks at themselves honestly, sees the flaws of their past life while also overcoming the trauma and horrors that he's been through. He shall always be the person she comes home to, her reason to come back, and she is someone who gets him out of his head, and in her eyes, he sees a man of worth.

Cullen and Aurelia started out as professionals, both of them conscious of each other's backgrounds as mage and Templar. Their relationship blossomed into friendship as they worked together well, and he offered to help her find word of her brother. When she learned of Matty's death, and Leliana's quasi-cover-up, Aurelia's explosive reaction was just the start. Varric nudged Aurelia back to her cabin, and dragged Cullen along to help keep an eye on the very alone feeling Herald of Andraste. Cullen was then witness to Aurelia's first bout of grieving for her brother, and his heart broke for her. Their friendship deepened when Aurelia returned to find Brandon and Neera in Cullen's care, mostly because no one else quite knew what to do with two fourteen year old apprentice mages in a war camp. Cullen, being Cullen, simply threw them into his training program. The teenagers insisted on eating with Cullen and Aurelia when Aurelia was in Haven, and this kept the Herald and Commander in relatively close contact.

After coming back from Redcliffe with the allied mages, there was a little bit of tension between them, but when it became clear that his concern was safety, Aurelia felt like an idiot. Then came the showcase fair, the horse race between Aurelia and Cullen. When she won, she dismounted and shook Cullen's hand in a show of good sportsmanship. When he touched her bare hand, it was like ice, and he offered her his coat. That was a bit, oh gee, close, and they both had a little moment of "eep!" Auri brushed it off, casting a little fire, saying she didn't need it, but she'd keep it as a temporary trophy. Cullen, however, on Cassandra's assessment of Auri as a good woman, started to think maybe? Then he get hit by a bout of lyrium DTs and a Kinloch flashback. After that, he kept his distance, to Aurelia's confusion, and she decided to let it go, thinking that it would be better to not try for something she shouldn't have anyway.

Then, when Corey attacked Haven and Aurelia almost died, Aurelia collapsed against him as he put his coat around her shoulders, and he carried her down the mountain, never wanting to let her go again.

At Skyhold, after she recovered from being sick, she admitted that she was relieved that he, that *Cullen in particular*, had made it out alright. Cullen, almost not going for it, promised to never let such a thing happen again, and Aurelia had that uh-oh flutter. Then when Cullen opened up about his former lyrium addiction, Aurelia supported his choice to try to stay clean. Though Aurelia knew she shouldn't let it happen, they began to dance around each other again, but the normally forthright and bold Auri was very careful around the Commander.

Still new to being the Inquisitor, Aurelia started to sneak out of Skyhold to find some time to herself, finding her singing voice again. Cullen was sent by Leliana to go retrieve her, and they walked back together rather, to use Cullen's phrase, companionably. From that point on, they started to take walks or rides together when Aurelia was at Skyhold, to help get her away from work for a little while. Though they made excuses, like going to inspect the troops, or taking the measure of new horses.

Dorian, having had enough, staged the chess match to see what Cullen and Aurelia would do when left to their own devices, and was gleefully proved right about everything when Cullen threw the match to keep the conversation going longer. Because even on their walks, Cullen and Aurelia talked about the Inquisition for the most part, one way or another. Dorian confronted Cullen about it, and then Cullen grudgingly admitted that he... admired... no okay fine, cared for Aurelia. They then started to take more time with each other, their walks and rides not necessarily about the Inquisition at all. But they were still careful with each other.

Just before leaving for the Winter Place, Aurelia finally confessed that she cared for Cullen, and initially concerned that he would not return her feelings fully due to her being a mage, she was delighted when he proved her wrong. Very, very wrong. She was even more delighted when he danced with her at the end of that maddening night among Orlesians and playing the Game. Though when they returned to Skyhold and Cullen was going through a bad bout of lyrium withdrawal, Aurelia supported him, asked him what he wanted, and helped to keep him off the drug. They kept their relationship going slow, with lots of walks and quiet moment spent in each other's company with a few stolen kisses.

It was the slowest Aurelia had ever gone. *Ever*. But in spite of some of her... ahem, frustrations, she knew it was important to take her time with this. This was no fling or relationship of comfort, which is all she had known up until that point. Just before they left to assault Adamant, Cullen took her to Honnleath and gave her his lucky token, which she promptly had Dagna make into a pendant so that she wouldn't lose it. Wearing it, she led the strike team at Adamant, and held it when she felt the Fade trying to overwhelm her. She had to get *back home*. And home meant Cullen. When after their troops had been able to regroup at Adamant, Aurelia and Cullen started to step much closer to each other, until one night they stopped dancing around each other.

Cullen's desk hasn't been the same since.

That next morning they confessed their love for each other, and Aurelia skipped most of her meetings that morning. Josie earned another gift basket for handling that.

Most often Aurelia would spend her time in Cullen's rooms above his office, and they were caring and loving with each other. Though they occasionally did get into fights about Aurelia's field decisions, notably recruiting a possessed Avvar mage to further magical cooperation and study. That caused a fight that lasted for days until Cullen ranted at her about possessed mages and Kinloch. Realizing she'd inadvertently set off one of his triggers, she apologized and backed down.

Generally, they share the same values, support each other, even if they differ in how to go about accomplishing certain tasks.

## **Miscellaneous**

### **Likes/Dislikes**

As one might expect of Aurelia, her exuberance spills over when she likes something. She loves magical theory, practical applications of magic, studying history and philosophy, dancing, singing, animals (especially horses), and she loves all of these things full tilt. When Dorian tells her he's working on a new formula, she drops whatever she's doing and runs off to the chalkboard. If there's a new horse coming in to the stables, she's practically bouncing with excitement.

In terms of what she dislikes, Auri can't stand those who are willfully ignorant, those who don't see the truth of what's in front of them, and can't change their minds when presented with new facts. (I'M LOOKING AT YOU SOLAS, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED LET IT GO YOU STUPID EGG!) She also hates, *hates* people who abuse power. So Orlais was fun for her.

*Noblesse oblige*, bitches. It's a thing.

### **Strengths/Weaknesses**

Aurelia's greatest strength is her emotional groundedness. She's been through a lot, but she doesn't let that wear her down (at least not for long). Her mental resilience is what allows her to deal with the ever increasing pressures she faces as Inquisitor without completely cracking. Physically speaking, Aurelia's also a lot stronger than most mages, or more than anyone would give her credit for.

While she's very resilient, Aurelia's natural passion for, well, all sorts of things, can get the better of her. She can get ahead of herself and go a touch too far. As in adopting too many animals, not backing down from her side of an argument if she's really, really convinced that she's right, or if her anger runs too hot and she can't calm down on her own.

### **Fears**

Well, spiders apparently.

So, aside from that, Aurelia fears losing her sense of self. Losing who she *is* underneath the title of Inquisitor. That fear grips her just after taking on the job, and she stopped singing for a little while. She felt like she didn't have her *own* voice anymore, because she spoke as The Inquisitor, not as Aurelia.

### **Hopes/Dreams**

Aurelia's hopes and dreams have changed over the years. As an apprentice, and then as the youngest Enchanter in the Ostwick Circle, she thought she would be one of the youngest First Enchanters ever, with Matty as a Knight-Commander. In the Mage Rebellion, her dreams narrowed to simply winning the war. At least the war was won! Kind of. Close enough.

During the events of the game, Aurelia's hopes turned toward having a home again, having a family. She kept those hopes very quiet, however, not wanting to get *Cullen's* hopes up unfairly. But when she rage quits the Inquisition, she gets to have her dream. A quiet place in the country where she can have a menagerie and help people who need it.

I warned you: she's a Disney Princess.

### **Recipe**

There's only one thing Aurelia knows how to make: lemon cakes. Because she loves them and wanted to be able to have them whenever she wanted.

**Lemon Cakes**

Cake Ingredients

* 200g butter
* 400g sugar (cut to 350g if you want to pucker, 300g might be cutting it too close)
* 3 eggs
* 350g AP flour
* 1 cup milk
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 1 pinch saffron (can leave out if you don't have it, but Auri's got funds as the Inquisitor, girl does shit right)
* 1 tsp nutmeg
* 1 tsp clove

Candied lemon slices (optional, if you're a pansy, PUCKER ON LEMON OR GO HOME)

* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup water
* 16 lemon slices

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Sift together flour and baking powder, then set aside
3. Beat together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Gradually add the eggs, beating well until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture becomes lighter
4. Add in the lemon zest and the spices. Add in the flour gradually, taking care to incorporate it completely
5. Add in the lemon juice and mix until combined. Add in the milk and mix in at a low speed, do not mix on fast of you're in for a mess
6. Stir in the few strands of saffron, let it diffuse its own color in the batter
7. Prepare the muffin tin with cupcake liners. Scoop in the mixture to cup cake liners and bake for 20 minutes or it passes the toothpick test
8. Candied Lemon Slices: boil water and sugar and then reduce to a simmer in a shallow bottom pan. Place the lemon slices in sugar water until semi-translucent.
9. Assembly: fish out the slices and place each slice on top of a cake that has had its wrapper removed, and then pour on some extra sugar on top of each cake

## **Links**

### Reddit Headcanon Threads:

Key romance differences and laugh

Change One thing and Songs about the OC

### Reddit Writing prompt Threads:

Flowers,irritation, blue, wind - Aurelia's almost possession by Joy turned Despair

Where Auri goes when being the Inky gets to be too much

Singing Cole his first lullaby

## **Gallery**

* Auri's base state is happiness
* Auri's anger, however, is to be feared
* Auri's thoughtful face
* Auri and Dorian, adventure buddies for life!
* Auri and Cullen are never not adorable
* Aurelia commission by /u/buttholecentral
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