The Kestrels

The Kestrels are the latest group to enter the "Fateswain Saga" canon of the Dragon Age universe. While focused on the events in Ostwick, the coastal city found much further East of Folly, it will eventually fold into the greater events as time goes on. Based on a theme of spies and intrigue, it introduces new elements of the game engine in the way of Factions.

### Main Plot

Originating as new assets to Lelianna's spy network, they are inducted into the new Inquisition amid betrayal amongst their ranks and the introduction of a new enemy: The Venatori. Fleeing from the city after being brutally ambushed, they link up with the surviving agents sent to reinforce them from the Inquisition base at Haven. Now, they must work together to rebuild the Inquisitions presence in the region, recruiting new assets and fighting their way back into the city. The enemy have some great plan, and it cannot be good.

### The Heroes

* **Valeth** - The leader of the group, Valeth heralded from Mage Circle in Ferelden before having to flee the growing troubles at the beginning of the Mage/Templar war. Utterly out of her depth in the outside world, she was rescued by the Nightingale herself before being sent to train and operate in Ostwick.
* **Firil** - A young player of the Orlesian Great Game who due to a bad turn of events ended up in the employ of the Inquisition in Ostwick. A shadow with a smile, her mischievous and sometimes seemingly selfish nature hides a protective rogue, with a heart of gold.
* **Ness** - A broken escaped slave with a trail of blood behind him, Ness butchered his "owners" leaving only one survivor: his child from his master's abusive wife. Having no recourse but to flee, he was found and brought back to health by Inquisition agents. Moody and brutal when angered, his almost suicidal tendencies are only kept in check by his love for his new family.

### The Threats and Wildcards

* **The Venatori**- Fundamental cultists who in their attempt to bring back the "good old days" of Old Tevinter, have allied themselves with the Elder One Corephyius. Zealot mages bulked out with loyal gladiatorial slaves, they are adept at both espionage and other more violent intrigues.
* **The Red Templars** - The fallen and tainted elements of the Templar Order. Corrupted by their use of the Red Lyrium, they are first manipulated by loyalty to their order, then by addiction to the new source of Lyrium. Eventually these fallen warriors become brainless beasts utterly commanded by the Elder One or those in his service. Retaining their former prowess in battle, they prove to be heavily armoured and hardy combatants who crush their foes under armoured and Red Lyrium encrusted boots.
* **The Red Swordswoman** - A largely unknown Templar Captain who embraced the Red Lyrium, taking the task of subduing Ostwick and undergoing maker knows what other nefarious plans. A peerless swordswoman, her already high skills have been pushed even higher by the tainted crystal. In her hands she bears a gift from the Elder One himself, a Red Lyrium blade, which nearly killed Valeth.
* **Drebbin Albright** - A simple farmer whose daughter had been tainted by the Blight. Attempting in vain to rescue his daughter from a Dark Spawn pit, he failed to understand when the Kestrels slew her, swearing vengeance.
* **Lloyd Maddax** - The morally ambiguous City Watch captain, Maddox was selected by Ostwick's ruling family itself to take over after the previous Captain's suicide. More flexible than his predecessor, he is more interested in controlling crime to manageable levels rather than eliminating it completely. Sadly, a destined arrow recently ruined his relationship with Rasa, an event whose consequences have yet to be felt.
* **Mattek Lovelace** - The only other known survivor of the Betrayal on the original Ostwick Inquisition Cell. It is rumoured that Mettek was the mole who sold out the team, but he has since gone underground and has yet to surface. Known for his skills as a undetectable assassin, Mattek's connection to the Grain Lord of the same last name is the only current connection.
* **Philipa Trevelyan** - The twin sister to Ciaran Travelyan who was born second. Denied the family riches and made even more jealous and embittered by her brothers neglect of his duties, Philipa aims for nothing short of murdering him. Though, she would never let anyone else get the privilege. Mechanical and selfish to the core.
* **Rasa/Dilys** - The secretive founder of the Alienage's criminal cartel, the Alley Rats. Assuming many persona's, she is a ghost on the streets, ruling the Rats with an iron will. A trader of favours, her savage adherence to her own set of rules is only ever broken by her curiosity in interesting people.

### The Allies and Companions

The Kestrels have made many allies in their adventures, some remaining with them as companions to bolster their numbers or performing quests on their own.

* **Keth Lysmith** - The noble but wayward Templar who was found mourning the loss of his beloved on the paths over the Villmark Mountains. Idealistic about his role as a protector of mages as opposed to a prison guard, he possesses great conviction about his beliefs but doubts his own worth: Especially when it comes to his growing relationship with Valeth...
* **The Apothecary** - The mysterious healer of the wilds, the Apothecary is a sentient Dark Spawn, made free of the song of the Taint by the machinations of the Architect. Drawn to healing the sick, his skills in combating the Red Lyrium corruption has brought him and his closest most unlikely of friends LeClaire into the Kestrels service.
* **Warden LeClaire** - A rogue Grey Warden who has ignored the Calling at her partner's advice and with the aid of much alcohol. Her open and amiable nature covers a very dour heart, charging into battle accepting any consequence knowing at the end of the day, a Grey Wardens duty rarely ends well.
* **Adrian Mac'Lowen** - A guardsmen of the Ostwick Watch, Adrian has a strong moral compass and is driven almost naively towards doing the right thing, no matter the cost.
* **Kaida, The Dragon's Witch** - Awakening alone in an ancient Elvish tomb, Kaida discovered a world of greedy, controlling and dangerous people of many races. Identifying with neither elf nor any of the other sentient races, she grew close to the creatures of the wild, especially those of the Dragon family.
* **Ram Adaar** - A lesser known survivor of the explosion of the Temple of Sacred ashes, Adaar is a Tal Vashoth mercenery, hired by the Inquisition as an Agent. A battle mage in the truest sense of the word, he doesnt shirk from close combat and uses any tools to get the job done.
* **Dupont LeChase** - A discarded servent from Lady Travelyan, Dupont is a snobbish seneshal from Orlais who takes his job extremely seriously. Doing his best since being given to the Kestrels when they moved into Equine Place.
* **Tobbi Holgersen** - Brother of the Fateswain warrior Ishild, Tobbi became lost while trying to find her sister. Ending up in Ostwick, his first encounter with a criminal brothel owned by the Alley Rats nearly ended up getting him killed. After being rescued by the Kestrels, he provides them a peerless hunter and a loyal, honest friend.
* **Ciaran Trevelyan** - Heir apparent of House Travelyan, Ciaran dropped his destiny in the Chantry for a life of debauchery and excess, with the occasional adventure to acquire good stories to tell the whores and drinking buddies.
* **Lady Esme Trevelyan** - A sharp and honest elder in House Travelyan who sponsored the Kestrels return into Ostwick via Equine House. With unknown limits in the world of intrigue, she has proven a valuable ally who never gives anything for free.
* The Original Ostwick Inquisition Cell (Deceased).