Sebastian Trevelyan

*"Trouble has a way of finding me it seems." -Inquisitor Sebastian Trevelyan*

Sebastian Trevelyan is a Circle mage from the Free Marches. From across Thedas he was known as the Herald of Andraste and afterwards, the leader of the Inquisition.

## Personality

Sebastian when he was in the Circle was known as a well read young man. He was always favored by the First Enchanter and attended Harrowings of other apprentices when he was still a Junior Enchanter due to his prodigious control of magic. Though he was mostly chosen due to his ironclad, remorseless execution of mages who become abominations. Even some of the Senior Enchanters of Ostwick were too afraid to kill one of their own.

Despite this, Sebastian was duly noted as a well spoken individual in the Circle who mostly told jokes around his companions and friends; this didn't bode well for him with templars however seeing as mages colluding with another made them paranoid. But it didn't stop Sebastian from befriending them as well.

He is usually jovial and laid-back with his Inner Circle, always sarcastic and making light of a bad situation when he was Inquisitor. This is also evident when he accompanies Sera with her shenanigans. But the most notable quality that he has is his humanitarian outlook and respect for life when possible.

Albeit he might be charming and forgiving, he is not above using methods of death to attain his goals. Death for Sebastian is only the last resort in deciding things and it usually is given to people who he expects won't listen to reason such as his adversaries in the battlefield like the venatori and the red templars. His captured enemies were either turned into the Inquisition's service or sent to service amongst the common folk. One exception, however, is the Tevinter magister Edmonde for misuse of magic; he had turned him Tranquil. Sebastian condemns the use of magic to harm innocents and especially manipulating Wardens into sacrificing themselves to summon demons.

Sebastian is also sympathetic towards his companions whom he sees potential in. This is evident when he broke the law to rescue Blackwall and wanting to redeem Solas. If Sebastian sees potential changes of heart, he accepts them and tries to cultivate a preference for life and all that is good.

## Background

### Noble lineage

Before his involvement in the events that transpired during the explosion at the Conclave, Sebastian was a Circle mage in the Free Marches stationed in the Circle of Ostwick where he was training under the guide of Senior Enchtanter Lydia.

Sebastian's magical talents developed at a young age which caused his parents some trouble in the high echelons of Ostwick politics. In the city of Ostwick, magic was always feared. And like all places in Southern Thedas, mages were sent to a Circle in their respective cities. A mage in a noble family is usually a cause for scandal seeing as Ostwickian nobles pride themselves for being absolved by having a lineage of heirs who have no capability to cast magical spells. The Trevelyans were no different, however, they were aware of their magical lineage and sought to conceal it no matter what.

Seeing as their fourth born unfortunately inherited such, they had to make precautions. Sebastian was sent to be raised by a peasant family in the slums of Ostwick to be framed as man with no noble inhertiance. As his teenage years have passed, Sebastian had tried his best to conceal his magic as his adopted parents have advised him to do so. But an accident in the market where he had set ablaze a travelling merchant's cart exposed his identity. This caught the attention of nearby templars and Sebastian was conscripted into the Circle at the age of seventeen. In the Circle, he was met by Senior Enchanter Lydia who welcomed him into the fray.

### Circle of Ostwick

During his time at the Circle, Sebastian aced his tests and survived his Harrowing. He was met by a Pride demon who lured him in with the promises of attaining a life other than this. The Pride demon enticed him of sealing away his magical properties to that he may be rid of this prison known as the Circle of Magi and live his life among the nobles of Ostwick. Sebastian refused, remarking that his sufferings and hardships as a poor man have given him the resilience to blind riches; with that, he did battle with the Pride demon and ultimately won.

Sebastian cared nothing for the Chantry's canticles and chants; believing them to be zealous and prone to blind decisiveness although he cared much for their humanitarian outlook in preserving life. Though, he was not amused about the concept of an Exalted March and how the Chantry manipulates the people and templars who join it by giving them a false, worldly title. Sebastian preferred the company of age old books in the archives. From there, he learned the various cultures of Thedas from the nobles of Orlais, the serfdoms of Ferelden, caste systems of the dwarves, clanships of the elves and his favorite: the history of Arlathan and the Tevinter Imperium. And in his diligent research on the Imperium he learned much about the Fade and dreamer mages.

Despite his extensive scholarly outlook, Sebastian believes in a 'Maker'; whether or not it is the Andrastian one is none of his concern. He believes that there is a higher power in this world because magic is a proof of that. Regarding the fraternity that Sebastian involves himself in, he believes in the Aequtarian philosophy in which magic must be used to help people, regardless of race or gender. Whether a Circle exists matters not to him as long as magic is never used to do the evil he perceives as evil.

Through his studies, he's grown to learn more of the world under the tower and has respect for all races, trying to understand their cultures and why they are what they are now. This in conjuncture with Lydia's Chantry ethics, his own opinions and extensive reading on Aequtarian Circle mages leads Sebastian to believing that all life is precious. More or less, Sebastian seeks for redemption for anyone if they wish to change. Although he is well aware that Thedas is not a perfect world, and death may be necessary. As much as possible, he seeks for life to flourish. Anyone who threatens that philosophy, he will find means to stop it; through mediation or violence, but most preferrably mediation.

### Senior Enchanter

Sebastian had served a lengthy time in the Circle, an impressive 22 years of service. He was meant to be next in line for the title of Senior Enchanter to replace Lydia who would attend the Conclave and attempt to reform the Circles down south as a Grand Enchanter-elect of the Loyalist Circle mages. Lydia left to attend to matters in Orlais but before leaving she had bestowed her seat in the senior enchanter's council to Sebastian entrusting him to protect the Circle and guide the council forward. Days passed after his promotion, Sebastian received a letter from an unknown sender. The letter entailed that they would meet with him at a specified location in the wastes just outside of Kirkwall's borders and that he had something important to tell him about his magical lineage. Naturally curious, Sebastian asked Knight Commander Randolph for leave about important matters that Lydia has asked him to attend to to which he was permitted.

Sebastian took with him two Knight-Lieutenants as a personal guard during this trip, fearing that he would be faced with a mage of his own caliber and it was an insurance to the Knight Commander that they would not need to use his phylactery to track him down. The sender had asked in their letter to meet with him in private so Sebastian had his two lieutenants to hide in the shadows and attack at his command if things went south.

The senior enchanter met with a hooded figure next to a horse and asked who he was. The hooded man later revealed himself to be Samwell Trevelyan, a relative to his former house; an uncle to be specific. Sebastian asked what he wanted and Samwell struck a bargain with his nephew. Samwell asked Sebastian to join him in Tevinter where all mages ruled and no noble house was to be ridiculed for birthing mages, bringing up how Ostiwickian nobles refer to mages as birth defects and abominations. Samwell also revealed to be working with a group called the Venatori; a political and religious cult who controls most of the senate in Tevinter. If Samwell could find another powerful mage to rule with him, they could instate their own house and rise to the echelons of power in the Imperium.

Sebastian was wary about the Imperium, having read their history extensively; they're much prone to grand illusions of power. Having decided that he would keep his word to his mentor, he respectfully declined and told Samwell never to bother him again. With this, Samwell's ire sparked in rage, marionetting his nephew with blood magic to force Sebastian to come with him. The Knight Lieutenants reacted accordingly, shutting down Samwell's connection from the Fade. That proved to be useless, however due to blood magic not requiring a connection to the Fade to use. But his grasp on Sebastian was released either way due to the threat of two experienced templars hindering his plans.

With the help of the venatori he had with him, Samwell managed to escape and Sebastian was brought back safely to the Circle to recover from his fatigue.

### Conclave Proxy

Days after his recovery, Sebastian was sent another letter, however it was from his mentor, former Senior Enchanter Lydia. It was a letter to meet her at Halamshiral as soon as possible. With haste, Sebastian travelled to the Winter Palace to seek his mentor. When he arrived, he found Lydia in her room, laying on her deathbed, she had suffered grievious mortal wounds to her abdominal area. Lydia had informed her apprentice of a looming danger that surrounds the Conclave. She informs Sebastian that she will not survive her wounds and had already prepared funeral rites for her in Ostwick.

But it goes without saying, Ostwick must have a presence during the Conclave; the Circle must be informed of whatever ruling Divine Justinia gives. Lydia also informs that there are assassination plots on the Divine's life and had asked Sebastian to oversee that it doesn't happen. She also imparted knowledge that this assassination plot was headed by a group called the venatori. Sebastian was reminded that his long lost uncle is part of the group; now he was more relieved that he refused the offer. Knowing this, Sebastian strengthened his resolve and returned to Ostwick with Lydia's remains to prepare for her funeral rites and plan for voyage to Ferelden for the Conclave.

## Involvement

#### Explosion at the Conclave

Sebastian attended the Conclave to settle the Mage-Templar war as Ostwick's Senior Enchanter along with the other fellow senior enchanters from other loyalist Circles and the rebel mages in attendance. He was particularly vigilant about the venatori acitivity around the Temple of Sacred Ashes and scouted for any magical distrubances around the area.

He had sensed that the Veil was quite weak in the area; Sebastian described it as if the Veil wasn't a curtain like it is but more like papyrus. The only way for that to be possible is if someone was attempting so send someone or something to and from the Fade; he had suspected it was venatori forces. Tevinter and blood magic, it seemed right. Before the council was called to meet, Sebastian had noticed some acitivity outside the walls of the temple and went to investigate. He had caught a party band of venatori rogues scouring the area, but before he had time to warn the others, he was hit in the head with enough force to knock him out. Only a vague vision of his uncle is what he saw before he blacked out.

When he came to, he ran back into the temple proper and saw the hallways littered with bodies both templar and mage. It was only when he came to the council chambers that he had accidentally intercepted Corypheus's assassination attempt.

### The Herald of Andraste

Sebastian was then taken into the custody of a fledgling Inquisition with the Anchor embedded into his hand. He was aware of who his captors were, most of them were from the Seekers of Truth to which he viewed as the ultimate templar conglomerate in Thedas and the secret guard of the Divine. It was not looking good for him if a trial were to ensue. An explosion at the Conclave, a Breach caused by some form of magical energy? It would seemingly be the work of a mage of which he was qualified. Sebastian tried to explain to the Lady Seeker that he is part of the last remaning loyalist Circles in Southern Thedas and would never use magic to harm innocents but she was too angry to listen to his pleas and told him that does not equate into a proper alibi seeing as Sebastian was the lone survivor.

After such events and Sebastian managing to weaken the power of the Breach with a surge from the Anchor, he came to at Haven, the formerly cultist-infested village for zealous Andrastians now turned into a pilgrimage for the devout believers of the Chantry. He was then named the Herald of Andraste; to which he disagreed with. He may have not remembered anything but a vague memory of his time in the Fade but he was quite certain that the woman he met was not Andraste. Knowledge of the Fade during his long time of research in the Circle comes in handy once in a while and he knew that it could've been a spirit taking on the form of 'Andraste' or worse a demon trying to tempt him. But at the time, he was in immediate danger so he was glad enough that the help wasn't from a malevolent force. Albeit, Sebastian himself ponders at the thought that it could be Andraste for the ordinary man, however ordinary men have never seen the Fade.