Aisling Cadash

Aisling Cadash at Skyhold

Aisling Cadash was thrust into a new life in 9.41 Dragon when she tried to save the Divine on her way to the bathroom and ended up falling out of the Fade with a green glowing mark on her hand and a pair of wet pants. This green mark gave her a connection to the Fade, something she never had and/or wanted previously, and the ability to close giant rifts in the sky that spew out Demons. Having accepted her divine bad luck, Aisling accepted her place as the Herald of Andraste, then Inquisitor, leading the Inquisition until its' disbandment in 9.43 Dragon.

## Background

### Early Life

Aisling Marika Cadash was born in Dust Town, Orzammar in the year 9.13 Dragon. Her father was an unnamed noble and her mother was Marika Cadash, a young casteless woman and Noble Hunter for the Carta. Conditions for giving birth in Dust Town were poor and unsanitary, and despite the best efforts of Reva Cadash, Marika's cousin and Dust Town midwife, Marika sadly succumbed to death shortly after Aisling's birth.

Reva took Aisling into her family, which at the time consisted of her daughter Maryanne (5) and adopted son Aiden (3), and her partner Reth. Reva's own second child Jacob was born two months later.

When Aisling was old enough to walk and talk she gained money from begging in the market place with her adoptive brother Jacob, as although they both had the Casteless brand, many Dwarves were sympathetic to a pair of starving children. They worked with a group of other children including Rica and Nadia Brosca, their cousins. Each day they would beg in shifts, the profits being split between the families in Dust Town and Bherat's Carta. When they weren't begging, the children used to play games such as jacks, steal from unsuspecting merchants, and chase down Nugs which had made their way into Dust Town.

When Aisling was 7, the cute-begging-child act didn't work anymore, and she had to work with her older siblings (Maryanne and Aiden) smuggling and stealing for Bherat. She learned how to use a pair of knives and sneak in and out of various places. This was the year Reth died in his work for the Carta; he was imprisoned for lyrium smuggling and died in prison. His death was under suspicious circumstances and the children and Reva were devastated.

Five years later (9:25), when Maryanne was 17 and Aisling was 12, Reva heard from her brother who lived on the Surface, in Ostwick. He had become a successful "business man" with the Carta, and was hoping to cede leadership from Bherat in Orzammar. He needed a healer, and offered the money and help to get Reva and her family to the surface. He could also use four skilled young hands. Reva accepted, knowing Maryanne would soon be pushed into noble hunting, and a month and a half later, a pair of Dwarves arrived to take the group out through the Deep Roads. They traveled underground for weeks, the group nervous of their first glimpses of sunlight. During this time, Aisling found a wooden shortbow with a gold handle on the corpse of a Dwarf and took it, thinking that it looked pretty. Three weeks into their journey (trying to avoid darkspawn at all costs) they came across their largest group of darkspawn. As they fought, a pair of shrieks ambushed the group from the
 back, assassinating Maryanne and one of their guides. The family was heartbroken, and the experience of their travel along with Maryanne's death has made Aisling terrified of both the underground and darkspawn. They immediately made a break for an entrance, climbing through a small hole near South Reach. They were so scared that they didn't even realize that they had had their first hour above ground. They traveled on foot and begged rides on cart to Gwaren, where they sailed to Ostwick. During this time, Aisling played with the bow, watching people in towns use theirs and then stealing spare arrows. She had a bit of talent- at least more than she had initially with knives.

When the family arrived in Ostwick, the children were trained to be literate by an ex-Templar who tutored in exchange for lyrium. They also learned mathematics and geography, skills which would help them in their work for the Carta. Aisling became good friends with her cousin Lantos, and she, Lantos and Jacob would work together for many years. Aisling continued to learn the bow, with her tutor having learned basic bow skills during his training. While her mother was too busy healing to receive tutoring, Aisling and Aiden would take it in turns to teach Reva (or Mum Cadash as she is called by everyone) to read.

### Prior to the Conclave

In the years leading up to the Conclave, Aisling worked as a lyrium smuggler, mostly making contacts with people in the Mages Collective and Templar Order. She had a keen eye for business and a way of talking people out of their money which was recognized by the Carta.

In 9.38 Aisling's Uncle Finn Cadash assumed leadership of the Cadash Clan with Reva Cadash serving as his second-in-command. Finn Cadash had bold aspirations for the Cadash Clan, hoping to expand the clan far beyond the Free Marches and its' hold in Orzammar. Aisling took advantage of this, her uncle trusted her to get work done, and her, Lantos, and Jacob were often sent abroad to make new business contacts and fulfill the Carta's larger contracts.

When the Circles rebelled it was seen as a business opportunity. Aisling was sent to the Conclave to make contacts and to ensure the Cartas' interests were best served.

## The Inquisition Years

### The Herald of Andraste

After emerging from the Breach and being imprisoned, Aisling was extremely suspicious and guarded. She did not trust many Chantry officials, particularly Cassandra Pentaghast, who introduced herself as a Seeker of Truth. Aisling did not know the truth and did not know what Cassandra wanted to find. She was initially rude to all except Varric Tethras, in who she found a kindred soul.

After stabilizing the Breach, Aisling was named the Herald of Andraste and told that Andraste had handed her out of the Fade. In the absence of other explanations Aisling found solace in this explanation for her plight and began to believe it. Prior to this incident she had believed stories of the Maker to be little more than perfumed Nug shit, but he had apparently a hand in saving her. She began to warm to the others in Haven and resolved to make good for the Maker and Andraste.

The mark on Aisling's hand gave her a connection to the Fade- something as a Dwarf she had never had. She began to dream, both regular dreams and nightmares of demons and darkspawn. Solas, Cullen, and Cassandra offered to stand guard in her bedroom to help her deal with her dreams.

During this time Aisling met Josephine Montilyet, the fledgling Inquisition's Chief Diplomat. Josephine intrigued Aisling, Aisling was used to telling sweet lies to get the outcome she wanted, while Josephine could be both sweet and sincere, a person with great integrity. Aisling tried to get Josephine's attention through telling stories of her Carta days, many which were met with "Oh Maker! We can't let this get out of Haven!"

Aisling also met others who would become her friends and companions, including Cullen Rutherford, Sera, Vivienne de Fer, Solas, The Iron Bull, and Blackwall. She recognized Cullen, having slipped into the Circle of Magi in Kirkwall during the rebuilding of Kirkwall to supply lyrium to the Templars; thankfully Cullen did not recognize Aisling.

Aisling traveled to Val Royeaux, addressing the clerics under her new title of The Herald of Andraste. She did not believe their barbs that she was a puppet and a heretic. She met with Lord Seeker Lucius and Grand Enchanter Fiona, accepting the latter's invitation to Redcliffe.

In Redcliffe, Aisling found that the mages were in Tevinter's servitude. After meeting Dorian Pavus, who explained the gravity of the situation to her, Aisling was resolved to get the Templars assistance in this matter. She had met many Templars over her time in the Carta and believed them to be reasonable people. Sadly, the Templars as she knew them were gone. The nightmares Aisling witnessed when she went to Therinfall Redoubt, the temporary home of the Templars, was beyond anything she could have imagined. Their dependence on Lyrium- her business, her trade, led them to take Red Lyrium, a blighted substance which turned them into monsters. Aisling felt personally responsible as a representative of the Carta for this situation, she recognized many of the Templars, she had sold lyrium to them previously.

Lord Seeker Lucius proved to be an Envy Demon who was able to enter Aisling's head. The Envy Demon found Aisling difficult to know; to all accounts and many of her past actions, she should have been sly, trying to underhandedly gather power for herself and her family; however, Aisling witnessed this and realized this was wrong, she wanted to help Thedas, however she could. She met Cole while trapped with the Envy Demon and the Spirit helped her to escape. She inducted him into the Inquisition. After defeating the Envy Demon Aisling took Ser Barris and the rest of the Templars on as Allies of the Inquisition, she felt it was the best she could do for them in the circumstances in which she found them.

Aisling closed the Breach with her new Allies and stood with them against the Venatori during the Siege of Haven. It was here that Corypheus finally tipped his hand and showed himself as the puppet master behind the chaos. Aisling stood against him in anger, asserting that she wasn't afraid of him and that the Maker had chosen her to carry out his plans. Corypheus laughed in Aisling's face, and threw her to the ground, where she was able to force an avalanche upon him. Aisling passed out, but came to in a cave, where she began her journey away from Haven. It took three days, but finally she was found by Cullen Rutherford and Cassandra Pentaghast. She came to within the Inquisition camp, where she had a crisis of faith. She was unsure that faith would be enough to lead the Inquisition, but the Chantry cleric Mother Giselle assured her that faith would see the Inquisition through their journey. It was at this time that Solas told Aisling of Skyhold and led the Inquisition to their new home.