Cornelius Ettori

## Skills & Abilities

He is no good at street fighting. He was like vapor, he went wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Anything is possible for him. He is incredibly brilliant and knowledgeable and innovative in all forms of magical arts. He knows more about magic than anyone. He is a skilled liar. "We are all thieves of one kind or another." "All politics is personal." She is musical, and very smart, like her brother. She would be a good teacher or clerk. An excellent sailor and captain. He is literate and has an impressive vocabulary. He can charm almost anyone as long as he has an instrument to channel through. It helps to make eye contact, and have a connected or beloved object. Without magic, his voice sounds plain and undecorated. When playing someone's song, the music is the kind of melody that ensnares the heart on a first hearing, gets the feet moving, and never lets go. He connects to people, he reads them, hears their music, and plays it back to them. Unless someone is a simple person, his voice does not capture them as an instument can. Hearing one's song throws everything else into shadow. He can play the jafasa, basilka, flute, and in a pinch; the harpsichord. He cut through books like he was made for learning. He slides easily into blueblood society with only a little bit of training. As a gifted member of the Waterlow House, Han has inherited Alger's gift and his huge potential for the magical arts. He produces much more flash than any of his wizard peers which, when coupled with his amulet, allows him to cast powerful spells that cannot otherwise be performed due to the restrictions imposed by the Naeming. The amount of flash he produces is so immense that it cannot be sealed by any form of magical artifacts. He is powerful. He is deft at lockpicking. He knows Ragmarket like the back of his hand. He can have a gang in the palm of his hand in ten minutes. He has an eye for taverns and inns, he can tell which places were worth a visit by the smells and the custom on hand. He can move silently. He used to have tattered manners. He has a sharp memory. He is a rum bluffer. He was never easy to sneak up on. He was good, either crazy good or just crazy. He is not a bad dancer, better than expected. He can speak like a blueblood. He is good with a bow and with hunting. He speaks the Clan language. He also knows Clan dances. He was no healer, but learned about plants and remedies from Willo. He could ghost about like any clan warrior.

## Physical Appearance

Fair glittering hair framing refined noble features and eyes the color of mountain asters or the ocean in the summer, you could drown in them, finely cut coat in satin and brocade, brilliant blue eyes, devilishly handsome, wears many rings on his fingers, usually wears a scowl, moved like a cat. He has brilliant eyes as clear as deepwater ice and blue as an upland lake at midsummer and blonde hair that glitters like spun gold under light. He has a fine-boned face, with high cheekbones, a long, straight nose, a lean, muscular spare frame with broad shoulders and is described as a very handsome teen. He has a smile that can charm almost anyone, and possesses an allure that easily draws people to him. When walking the streets, he would wear nondescript clothing and had a deceptively slouchy stance. The colors of his hair include pale butter and cream, reddish gold and platinum. He has a wicked smile and is pretty. Tall and broad-shouldered. Light blue eyes and a mass of fair hair. Very blue eyes and pale hair. His hair later became more silver than gold. He is surprisingly strong, his hands deft and sure, his voice soft and persuasive. Blond curling hair, angular cheekbones. Tousled hair, well-built muscled frame. Well-known for his good looks. Long eyelashes, lean, slim muscular build, stands over 5'11". Amber eyes that look gold in the light. He has lethal dimples. Radiant golden eyes. Beautiful and lovely. His pale white skin luminous and clear, disheveled long hair. Blue eyes the color of pansies, long thick eyelashes, high cheekbones, full lips, extremely handsome, callused hands. He has white hair like flax. He often wears leather. He is more wiry than muscular and has a slender build. He has a gold earring in one ear. His nose has been broken at least once, which saves him from being too pretty. His fair hair is glittering, his sea-green eyes feral, and his face finely planed. He is strong, agile, and quick. He moves like quicksilver, his muscles loose and responsive. The charm and wit in his green eyes is unnerving. He has red-gold hair. His face is finely etched. He is very thin and graceful. He is pretty and has a face like a young god. His skin is marble-pale, stretched over bone. His hair is the color of upland honey or rich caramel, a deep rich brown threaded with streaks of red and a single streak of gold. He looks like the faerie folk and there is a delicate, pampered quality about him.

## Personality and traits

Jace had always been independent and somehow self-possessed, having been taught not to betray himself to emotions as a child.

He has an oddly formal and self-deprecating manner of speaking. He speaks Common well, though with an unfamiliar accent. He has a cocky look. He usually has a self-deprecating charm and wit, but underneath is the hard and ruthless Stormcaster of legend. He is not lazy or as ruthless as Destin. His smile comes easily and often. He used to be very ethical.

He is not much for religion, and is cynical about lovers and love songs. Lying comes as easily as breathing to him. He is charming, self-deprecating, nonjudgmental, and instinctively kind. He was not used to being hated. He is the kind of person who tries to move on from misery. He tried to look out for his friends and knew how to have a good time. He was like a chameleon because he didn't really know who he was. He is very attached to and protective of his jafasa.

Jace has a sharp, defensive wit, an acidic temperament which was later only tamed by Clary, and a very sarcastic attitude when he chooses in order to hide his insecurities. Giving the impression of holding most people in disdain, Jace is seen as extremely arrogant, self-centered, and overconfident, believing himself to be "the best Shadowhunter to ever live" and above others. True enough, Jace is superior in battle, something Jace has been training for since he was young and had grown to love over the years. He even exhibits sadistic tendencies, which he got on account of being raised by Valentine.

Despite this, Jace, in fact, has a strong moral core. He is dutiful and just, willing to make the right decisions, and sacrifices if it comes down to it. Though he can be, at times, vindictive, he is cruel only to protect those he loves.

His conceited exterior hides a profound inner hatred which intensifies after he mistakenly believed he was demonic, blaming the demon blood for his conflicting thoughts and his, then presumed, incestuous feelings towards Clary. Even after this was disproved and contradicted by the fact that he actually is part angel, even more so than regular people of his kind, Jace continued to carry the weight of the lies he had lived for so long. An example of this is Jace's love for the man who raised him and whom he believed to be his father, Valentine; despite the abuse and the deceit, Valentine was at times kind and affectionate towards him, and Jace found himself missing his father figure.

Like Valentine and the Lightwoods, Jace also shared the snobbish attitude toward mundanes and Downworlders, though he lacked their extremist tendencies. Beneath Jace's flippant exterior lies a soul in constant torment, filled with a deep-seated rage that he keeps in check most of the time and channels into fighting and slaying demons and also, sometimes, his sarcastic and nasty remarks. Jace relaxes and calms his nerves by getting into fights, with Clary even noting that fighting to Jace is "what sex is to normal people."

Aware of his own beauty, Jace was also once quite chivalrous, and quite flirty, towards women before he met Clary. His charisma, good looks, and charm have made him quite the ladies' man. However, taught that "to love is to destroy, and to be loved is to be destroyed." at an early age, Jace kept everyone, except the Lightwoods, at arm's length, never forming emotional attachments for more than a brief amount of time, if at all. His personality drastically changed after he met Clary, with Isabelle even stating that Jace was apathetic about everyone else beforehand, not caring about anyone other than the Lightwoods until he met Clary, whose presence shook Jace, who was revealed to be a very passionate individual, loving Clary on a very deep and passionate level when he fell in love with her and does everything in his power to protect her from harm, the extent of his love for Clary even surprising those close to him.

James is a quiet and studious boy who prefers reading or having fun with friends rather than partying. He is also kind, loving, and good-hearted, as well as responsible, able to keep himself and his *parabatai* Matthew out of trouble. Upon getting his heart broken by Grace, however, James became suicidal and troublesome, generally not caring about future consequences or what might happen to him, making it a habit to disgrace himself in public and put his life in danger, thinking himself damned. He refused to listen to the advice of others and became difficult to reason with.

He is a cynical young man with great enthusiasm for magic and loves to share it. He is very arrogant and sarcastic. Due to his experiences, he is a very vengeful and scheming character. He eagerly plots his revenge against those that wronged him and is relentless in his assaults. He will do his best to fulfill what he has set out to accomplish. On the other hand, to those who take time and effort to know him, he is a very trusting and loyal friend. He cares greatly for his friends, even more for his family and descendants, and most of all his girlfriend. He is willing to suffer on their behalf for their sakes, and will resort to begging for any form of aid if the help they require is far beyond his capabilities. He will also restrain himself if his actions will bring harm to those he loves. He was a longtime student of dark magic, he was headstrong and would not accept defeat. He was a fool for love, and had too much power and too little knowledge. He was terribly powerful and used to getting what he wanted. He is funny, in a bitter-edged way. He can be charming when he tries. He can be short-tempered, unreasonable, intimidating, pompous and impatient and bitter. He is also focused, determined, persistent, hardworking, and thorough. There was something about him, people wanted to be with him. He drew people in, and was the center of attention as soon as he entered a room. Everyone loved him. He was the kind of person you wanted on your side. He always wanted to be in charge. He tends to be moody and uncommunicative. He is not afraid to show affection in public. He has a keen eye for reading people. Han always sat facing the door. He was a ruthless streetlord. He protects his loved ones not because he believes they are weak, but because he believes they are strong, and that strong people make enemies. He always seemed to find trouble, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. He has a trader face that he puts on at need. He has a kind of wild untamed humor and bravado and dogged stubbornness. He thinks nothing can touch him, and used to go looking for trouble. He had a hard time sorting out who he was, as he slid out of one skin and pulled on another from day to day. He wasn't proud or arrogant. There is a self-confidence about him that says he knows what he wanted and he was going to get it. He detests blueblood society but is aristocratic by nature. He is brilliant. He does things his own way, and should not be underestimated. He is ambitious and hates feeling like a fool. He goes after what he wants, regardless of the risk. He knows how to keep secrets. He came to look very at home in court. He was used to having his way with girlies. He knew how to kiss well.

Will is a caring, affectionate man who would risk his life and happiness for the people he loves.

In his youth, when Will's instinct had been to push people away, Will kept his good traits hidden behind arrogance and sarcasm. To those who didn't know him, he came across as rude, childish, and egotistic, with his quick wit and sarcasm. As an adult, Will became openly kinder and considerate. Even in serious situations, Will kept his same jovial and good-humored attitude. He was also a great leader and a clever and strategic thinker.

Will reads extensively and has an exceptional memory. He can find a quote for almost any situation and often makes his own (very bad according to even his friends and family, although sometimes purposefully) poetry.

Janus is a much darker version of Jace, having lost all that he loved and spent years bound to Sebastian with his thoughts and emotions forcefully dulled and controlled, leading to a lot of repressed emotional conflict and trauma which he only felt after Sebastian's death. As a result, Janus is a very damaged person. Janus has no qualms about killing anyone he deems a threat both to him and anyone he cares about, and manipulating people for his own purposes.

Janus's mental state is arguably slightly unhinged, as he seems to blame all the Earth counterparts of his friends and family for leaving him to suffer alone in Thule. He claims to hate all of them, even Clary to an extent, and especially Jace, whom he thinks of as arrogant and ungrateful. Janus genuinely believes that Jace is undeserving and unworthy of his luck in life and love.

Janus does seem to care for Ash and feel better around him. The feeling is proven to be quite genuine as he still cared for Ash even when he was away from him for an extended period of time, which would not have happened if his feelings were the results of the perfect loyalty spell.

Edmund was once a carefree young man, eager for adventure and thrills wherever he could find it. Being a Shadowhunter, he was able to divert his energy to hunting demons. Both Magnus and Cecily noticed how Edmund's eyes lit up in excitement when he gambled, a vice he was unable to resist as a mundane who had lost so much by the time Will left them to live the life he himself abandoned in his early adulthood.

She always seemed to have a switch close to hand. She wanted to be honest even if they were poor. She disliked snooty people, like those in Fellsmarch Castle. She preferred the people of Ragmarket as they treated her like she was human. She values money, food, and warmth over fancy items.

She was too smart for her own good and had a mouth that would get her into trouble. She would often complain about going to temple school especially since it started very early and did not see the point in learning history, although she liked it there.. She would pine for a fancy doll and her voice would quiver when upset. She loved the honey cakes and sugar suns at winter solstice, she would get powdered sugar on her face, and would still want more if she'd eaten a whole bakery cart.

Like many Herondales before him, Kit is sharp-witted and tends to be sarcastic, especially when he gets uncomfortable or anxious. He can also be quite confident, particularly in circumstances where he is comfortable, such as at Shadow Markets.

Kit also gets some traits that he learned from his dad. He is persuasive, able to convince others to get his way. He was also taught by his father to be observant, picking out details easily, to study people so that he can figure out whether they can be tricked, what they are about, and what makes the person tick.

Kit is unconsciously eager to please. He attempts to live up to his father's ideals and later of the Shadowhunters around him, of his friends and new family.

Due to his upbringing, Kit also has some traits of kleptomania, not immediately able to stop himself from considering which items at the LA and London Institute would be worth stealing during the days when he still intended to run away. He is also quite restless, not liking the feeling of being trapped.

Initially, he resented his Shadowhunter bloodline and tried to push it away, but he eventually came to accept it and became proud of his lineage.

## Posessions

* Silver Cuffs: Han used to wear a pair of three inch thick silver cuffs around his wrists that sealed off his magic. The silver cuffs grew with him and are magicked, engraved with runes along their sides that made them impossible to remove by any means other than the one known by its creator. They were released when he made a deal with the Demonai to protect the line of Gray Wolf queens with his gift.

* Sword: In later years he had a sword slung across his back, he used it to defend himself as he was killed.

* Demon King Amulet: Previously owned by Alger Waterlow himself, this amulet hangs on a heavy gold chain and takes the form of a green translucent stone carved into a snarl of serpents with blood red rubies for eyes and a brilliant round-cut diamond topping a staff. Because it was made before the Breaking, the Waterlow amulet is not limited as the modern amulets and lasts permanently, not requiring to be renewed by the clansfolk. As he died, he gave the amulet to his son Adrian. There is something malevolent yet fascinating about it, power emanates from it like heat from a stove on a cold day. The craftsmanship is exquisite and the stones were prime quality.

* Lone Hunter Amulet (Duplicate): He wears a duplicate of the Lone Hunter amulet Elena Demonai crafted for him for his studies at Mystwerk House, created as a replacement by Dancer for the original that he gave to Dancer to make up for the lost Fire Dancer amulet. However, this duplicate is merely for shows; the amulet that he invests his magical power in is the Waterlow heirloom he stole (reclaimed for the Waterlow house) from Micah Bayer.

* Ragger: an ill-tempered Pony given to him by the Clans.

* Clan-made Boots: A pair of fancy knee-high boots that Willo traded to Han in exchange for a rare deathmaster mushroom.

* Wedding Ring: A plain platinum band made by Fire Dancer to match his flashcraft engagement ring.

## Quotes

* "You don't get what you don't go after."
* "If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll get what you've been getting."

## Trivia

* He always sat facing the door.
* He sleeps fitfully, muttering and twitching.
* He belatedly covers his mouth when he yawns.
* He arches his back like a cat when he stretches.
* He grabs his knife when startled.
* He often repeats a question, as if to buy time to conjure up the answer.
* He was born in late September

## Relationships

### Hanson Alister

Everything he did seemed to fascinate her, no matter if it was tedious, dangerous, or a secret. She was the only person in Ragmarket who'd ever believed in him. Her faith was precious to him. He left the Raggers because he wanted her to have a choice for her future, and didn't want gang life for her.

### Lucius Frowsley

She enjoyed visiting him, as he was teaching her how to fish.

## Relationships

### Hanson Alister

She often told him that he would never amount to anything. She always seemed to see the worst in him. She thought he was cursed.

## Possessions

* She had a locket that was her mother's, it was half-melted by the fire.

## Quotes

* "If wishes were horses even beggars would ride"
* "Lucky at cards, or lucky at life. One or the other. Not both."

## Relationships

### Linette Owens

Before Linette, Edmund did not believe himself to be the kind of man who would ever love, marry, or have his heart broken by anyone. However, the very moment he laid eyes on Linette, Edmund was enamored, immediately attracted and impressed by her fierceness and bravery.

* When the senile Arthur Blackthorn saw him, he mistook Kit for Stephen, a Herondale he went to the Shadowhunter Academy with.
* Kit's existence as the other living Herondale aside from Jace and Tessa has long been teased by Cassandra Clare. He is referred to as the Lost Herondale.
* Kit is set to eventually talk to Catarina Loss about Ephraim Loss—her adoptive son and his ancestor—someday, possibly in his new home with Jem and Tessa in Devon.
* Kit's favorite flavor of ice cream is rocky road.
* Kit has a fiendish sweet tooth and enjoys candied moonflowers. According to Jem, he especially likes "pain au chocolat".

* Will was named after his grandfather, William Herondale.
* Will is the direct ancestor of Jace Herondale, one of the main characters of *The Mortal Instruments*.
* Like many of the Herondales that came after him, Will has an intense dislike of ducks. In fact, Will has somewhat of a phobia of ducks due to trauma from his childhood.
* Will has a tattoo of the dragon of Wales on his butt.
* Will and Tessa's wedding date is March 3, 1880.
* Will gave Tessa a number of meaningful wedding anniversary presents that Tessa still wears and carries even 75 years after his death. These gifts include the Wedded Union runed bracelet she wore for their wedding which he had made over with pearls for their thirtieth anniversary and a gold *aletheia* crystal he had Magnus enclose a happy memory into for their fiftieth.
* Because of how other Nephilim viewed and treated Tessa for her heritage, he and his family rarely spent time in Idris, except during the summers which they spent in Herondale manor.
* According to his children, if Will is singing, it means he is in a sociable mood and will seize them the moment he sees them to reminisce about Wales and ducks.
* While remodeling the Institute, during his period as the head, his wife found a cache of scandalous love letters between Charlotte Fairchild’s parents. No one besides him and Tessa has read them.
* Will has been going to a tailor named Lemuel Skyes for years. His son, James, thinks that he might be a werewolf.

* James Herondale was named after Jem Carstairs, Will's *parabatai* and Tessa's former fiancé.
	+ His first middle name, "Morgan", is an ancestral name of one of Will's mother's relatives; while his second, "Henry", is in reference to Henry Branwell, whom had been a father-like figure to Will.
* Unlike their father and many of their descendants, both James and Lucie are not afraid of ducks, a fact that James flaunts in front of his father to annoy him. However, he doesn't fancy them after being bitten by one at Hyde Park as a child.
* James's favorite treat is Yorkshire shortbread.
* James's favorite book is *Great Expectations* by Charles Dickens.
* Like his descendant Jace, James played piano for a few years before abandoning it.
* James is one of the two Herondale boys known to have gold eyes, the other being his descendant Jace Herondale. While James has gold eyes because of his demonic heritage, Jace was born with excess angel blood; possibly because of this difference, the gold of their eyes are of different degrees—while James's eyes were bright gold, Jace's was pale, almost yellow.
* According to a found family tree, James and Cordelia would have a son named Owen. Also according to the family tree, James died in 1963, at the age of 76 or 77.
* Upon his death, his mother kept his family ring for decades. In 2008, she gave it to his descendant Jace, and in 2012, it was given to a Herondale from another line, Kit.
* His favorite animal is a wolf.
* He is also not fond of parsnips.
* Despite being 6 feet tall, James wishes he was taller.
* James has always wanted to visit Constantinople.
* Because of James's unique abilities, he is the only Shadowhunter to be able to use a gun that can kill demons.

## Trivia

* Jace is left-handed and can play the piano.
* He can speak Romanian, Latin, Italian, French, and apparently some more languages.
* He loves Chinese food, particularly mu shu pork, and mangoes.
* He hates cucumber, as well as bergamot and as a result Earl Grey tea. He also dislikes sugar in his coffee. Additionally, Jace hates liars and has stated that he never used to lie, something Isabelle and Alec confirmed. However, he lied several times to keep the people he loves, especially Clary, safe.
* Jace once ran down Madison Avenue completely naked except for a pair of antlers on his head after eating faerie scones from a faerie run coffee shop: Moon in a Cup.
* Jace is extremely well-read and can quote literary passages to fit any occasion, usually in romantic instances between him and Clary.
* Jace, like his male ancestors, Edmund and Will Herondale, hates ducks for some unknown reason, among the many traits they share.
* Jace keeps Lightwood as a middle name. Additionally, his Herondale family ring, as shown in *The Dark Artifices*, incorporated a Lightwood symbol etched on the inside.
* Jace was originally named Will, but Cassie opted for Jace to be something that could be short for Jonathan; she also eventually gave the name to her *The Infernal Devices* character Will Herondale, who also happens to be Jace's ancestor and potential namesake, had Céline and Stephen named him.
* The servants Jace mentions having when he was growing up in the Wayland Manor were actually ghosts.
* Brother Enoch gave Jace his first Mark.
* Technically Jace is descended from Belial a Prince of Hell, due to being a direct descendant of Tessa Gray.
* In 2010, Jace's soul attended the wedding of Tessa Gray and Jem Carstairs, on Blackfriars Bridge, in his dreams. The event soon faded from his memory.
* Jace's ability to see ghosts may be explained in The Wicked Powers. According to Cassie, he may not be able to as a result of his angel blood canceling it out.

## Posessions

* Djillaba: a stallion
* Cottage: an abandoned farm in a pretty spot, a short ride south of Tarvos, close enough to the sea, next to a river fed by snowmelt from the Dragonback Mountains.
* Destin's Amulet

## Quotes

* "Killing is always personal, it's the second most intimate thing that can happen between two people."
* "Expect betrayal, and you're less likely to be disappointed. Plus, you might live longer."
* "I don't care what you've done. I'm more interested in what you're going to do."

## Possessions

* Shiv: he has it hidden on his person for emergencies
* Razorleaf: he keeps a small pouch on him
* Jafasa

## Trivia

* He has a special fondness for cake

The Tethras family was once part of the Noble caste in Orzammar, until Varric's father was caught fixing Provings. Such was the disgrace and danger to the family that the household had no choice but to leave for the surface. Varric's mother, Lady Ilsa found the shame of the family's exile too much to bear and turned to liquor and smoke for comfort. With his older brother Bartrand busy building the family's wealth, it was Varric who took responsibility for his mother. He took pains to keep Ilsa's addiction hidden so as to avoid the public scandal this would bring and cared for her during bouts of illness. Varric thus displayed both the shrewdness and compassion that would mark him in life. Unlike his older brother, Varric was born in Kirkwall and has no feeling of loyalty or love towards Orzammar, his knowledge of which is largely second-hand. He is a merchant prince among the surface dwarves.

Varric is a rogue from House Tethras. He is the youngest son of the Tethras family while his older brother is the head and runs the family business. On the outside, he is seen as the idle younger brother who spends his time in taverns telling wild stories while people buy him drinks. His real job is to maintain a "spy network" with contacts to deal with various troubles that come along with being in a family that is part of the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

### *Dragon Age II*

Varric likes to talk and likes telling exaggerated stories of Hawke's heroism. Solving problems and gaining advantage through diplomacy, outright lies, and even blackmail will impress him, while straightforward violence and thuggery leaves him cold. He also responds well to joking, flirting and sarcasm and to mild greed. Beneath his silver tongue, however, he's a goodhearted person and will appreciate Hawkes who look out for their families and are kind to dwarves.

To earn rivalry with Varric, choose aggressive responses that glorify violence and combat, and show a lack of interest in his stories, his friendship, and your place in Kirkwall.

### *Dragon Age Inquisition*

Gaining approval with Varric in *Inquisition* follows generally the same vein as gaining friendship with him did in *Dragon Age II*. Varric will generally approve of selfless acts, far more so than in *Dragon Age II* and likes when the Inquisitor acts humble instead of haughty. He will also approve at the occasional joke made by the Inquisitor. Any red lyrium found and destroyed while out adventuring will also net approval with Varric.

Varric generally approves of the Inquisition's actions, so many choices you make won't have a big effect on his approval so long as you don't go out of your way to let innocent people suffer. However, there are three instances that will yield  Varric Greatly Approves:

* In Your Heart Shall Burn - rescue all six townspeople.
* Here Lies the Abyss - ally/banish the Grey Wardens. See quest page for details.
* Subjected to His Will - guide Cole into becoming more human.

If Varric's disapproval rating gets too high, the next time the Inquisitor talks to him he will express his disapproval of the Inquisitor's methods.

## Gifts

Signet Ring - purchased at Trinkets Emporium for 8 77 30 (available during Act 2 only).
## Trivia

* *Hard in Hightown* was turned into a real book by Mary Kirby and lists Varric as the first author.
* Mary Kirby wrote Varric for *Dragon Age II* and *Dragon Age: Inquisition*.
* Varric's excessive chest hair has become something of a running joke with developers and fans on the BioWare social forum. It is also something of a running gag in-game, especially with Isabela.
* According to Varric himself, he is a compulsive liar.
* Varric was originally written as a sleazy and untrustworthy character. Later, the writers wanted to add a companion who would stand up for Hawke with all the opposing personalities in the party, and Varric eased into the place.
* Varric in *Dragon Age II* is always calling companions by nicknames, calling Merrill "Daisy", Isabela "Rivaini", Bethany "Sunshine", Fenris "Elf", Carver "Junior", Anders "Blondie", Sebastian "Choir-Boy", and Tallis "Shivs". He never comes up with one for Aveline, however — a fact she comments on if they are both in the party together. He suggests "Red", but she responds in the negative, stating that it is "too common".
* Varric doesn't nickname Hawke until the *Mark of the Assassin* DLC, where they can receive a nickname depending on their current personality. A Diplomatic/Helpful Hawke is "Waffles", a Sarcastic/Charming Hawke is "Chuckles", and an Aggressive/Direct Hawke is "Killer". However, the nickname is never used outside of the conversation in which it is given.
* Varric continues with the nicknaming tradition in *Dragon Age: Inquisition*. Vivienne is "Iron Lady", Iron Bull is "Tiny", Cole is "Kid", Cullen is "Curly", Josephine is "Ruffles", Solas is "Chuckles", Blackwall is "Hero", Dorian is "Sparkler", Sera is "Buttercup", Shaper Valta is "Scribbles" and Lt. Renn is called "Grisly". Varric calls both Hands of the Divine by their established titles: Cassandra is "Seeker", and Leliana is "Nightingale". The Inquisitor does not receive an official nickname, although Varric does occasionally refer to them as "Your Inquisitorialness". During Here Lies the Abyss he refers to Nightmare as "Smiley".
* In *Dragon Age: Knight Errant*, Varric's nickname for Vaea is "Fingers" and his nickname for Ser Aaron is "Muscles."
* According to Varric himself, he cannot swim.
* Though he is not a romance option, he can be flirted with by a female Hawke and, to a lesser extent, by the Inquisitor.
* Regarding romance, according to David Gaider, they almost did "slip something in there." They talked about having the interrogation end with Varric meeting back up with Hawke and explaining that he'd told them everything, in which case Hawke would say "Everything?" and Varric would respond "Don't worry. I skipped the part about us..."
* Due to Varric's role in the game's storyline, he is the only companion in *Dragon Age II* who cannot have crisis points and leave the group. This is also the case in *Dragon Age: Inquisition*; Varric, Solas, and Cassandra will never leave no matter how low their opinion of the Inquisitor becomes.
* It is subtly revealed that Varric uses his spy network to keep watch and help out the other party members. An early companion quest in Act 2 reveals that he keeps the Darktown thugs from attacking Anders's clinic (Anders will question this in a party banter), and inter-party banter with Merrill shows that he pays off the Lowtown gangs to leave her alone if she walks around Lowtown at night; he also pays the gardeners in Hightown to keep quiet about Merrill picking flowers from the nobles' gardens.
* When asked about the origin of the name of his crossbow, Bianca, Varric will reply, "Mirabelle was taken." This is a reference to the black powder firearm Mirabelle from BioWare's *Jade Empire*.
* He is described as "The Storyteller" in promotional materials for *Dragon Age: Inquisition*.
* Varric recommends the book "The Pursuit of Knowledge" by Brother Genitivi to Hawke.
* During the *Mark of the Assassin* DLC, party banter with Hawke will reveal that he was actually hoping to intercept Hawke and their sibling before they talked to Bartrand.
* Mary Kirby describes him as "beef bourguignon." She also asserts that if he were a Harry Potter character, he would be sorted into Hufflepuff.
* Varric's greatest fear is to become like his parents.
* When asked about Bianca (the crossbow) in *Dragon Age: Inquisition,* Varric can give several different explanations as to how he acquired it, but with a high enough approval he will indirectly mention Bianca (the Dwarf) on the second dialogue option given.
* According to David Gaider, the unreleased expansion for *Dragon Age II* would have ended with Varric's death. The expansion was scrapped to give *Dragon Age: Inquisition* more time for development.
* A reference to Varric can be found after completion of *Mass Effect: Andromeda*, another BioWare game. An email can be read from one "V. Tethras", saying "A great story, Pathfinder. I'm going to write a book about this."
* Mary Kirby has stated that Varric's necklace was inherited from his father.

## Quotes

### *Dragon Age II*

*Main article: Varric Tethras/Dialogue (Dragon Age II)*
* "'I don't like this'? That's right up there with, 'What could possibly go wrong?'"
* "There's a recipe to a good hero, Hawke. It's like alchemy. One part down-to-earth, one part selfless nobility, two parts crazy, and you season liberally with wild falsehoods. You let that percolate through a good audience for a while, and when it's done, you've got your hero."
* "Once more I am falsely accused of whatever it is that I am accused of. Falsely."
* "Hawke, I'm a businessman. Now and then, I shoot people."
* "You should know by now that I love the sound of my own voice, Hawke."
* "Shows what you know. I would definitely bring this up just to gossip. I didn't. But I would."
* *(Regarding his brother)* "I swear I am going to find that son of a bitch - sorry, Mother - and I will kill him!"

### *Dragon Age: Inquisition*

*Main article: Varric Tethras/Dialogue (Inquisition)*
* "You know what I think? If Hawke had been at the temple, s/he'd be dead too. You people have done enough to her/him."
* "Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller and, occasionally, unwelcome tagalong."
* "Bianca? She's one of a kind. There's a hidden shop in Kirkwall called the Black Emporium. I found her in a barrel labeled 'swag.' The owner sold her to me for a ham sandwich and a pair of yellow ruffled pants."
* *(Regarding Bianca, the crossbow)* "I bought a salvaged ship and found her locked in a dragonbone-reinforced chest in the hold. I broke three dozen lockpicks and blunted nine saws opening that trunk, but it was worth it."
* *(Regarding Spymasters)* "The truly great ones can keep their distance. They don't get attached to their people. Me? I always wind up babysitting my informants and worrying about their families."
* (*During The Abyssal High Dragon Quest*) "Baiting a dragon. On purpose. Right. Should have stayed home today.
* "Oh it's been great. Murderous Wardens, Archdemon attacks, plenty of blood mages, and crazy templars. Just like home."
* "Heroes are everywhere. I've seen that. But a hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes. We're going to need a miracle."