Shepard Hawke

Codex: Shepard Hawke, The Champion of Kirkwall
(bolded sections are edited to reflect canon divergent choices)

"I cannot tell you with any certainty if the Champion of Kirkwall will be present at the Divine Conclave.

Although Hawke is the current Viscount of the city, she left Kirkwall some time ago, leaving the running of the city to the guard-captain and the seneschal. If either of them knows anything about their viscount's whereabouts, they are saying nothing.

I understand the need some of you feel to have Hawke present. Many of you believe we would not be at war if not for her actions.

Thedas has always feared us, but the destruction of Kirkwall's chantry awoke all to the realization that some mages would go to any lengths to achieve freedom. And in the aftermath, Hawke's support of the templars' helped pull back the city from a bloody legacy of systematic slaughter of all of Kirkwall's mages, to control an unsteady peace.

What Hawke did in Kirkwall sparked something in the Templar Order. This was the Champion who beat the Qunari invasion of Kirkwall, who killed their Arishok.

Templars believed the mages were too far gone, and '''Hawke had seen firsthand some of them had. The actions of one man, an apostate outside of Templar purview, need not determine the fate of the circle though'''.

Hawke was one of us -- a mage. If the Champion couldn’t support us, surely we were beyond redemption.

When the Circles began to rebel, the Templars did what they saw as their duty — as Hawke did in Kirkwall. They reigned us in. They restored order. Not even the Chantry could control them, because they had right on their side.

So here we stand, on the eve of the Divine Conclave, hoping this ends before we are all dead. But ask yourselves: why look for Hawke? What good would the Champion's presence be?

Her part in this is done.

This peace depends entirely on us and the templars. We just need to decide how much we're willing to sacrifice for it."

—Senior Enchanter Lorace of Cumberland, speaking to mages attending the Divine Conclave

Character Touchstones

 * Spotify Playlist
 * Pinterest
 * Aesthetic
 * Musings

Biography
LEGACY DLC:


 * Sided with Larius
 * Found Malcolm’s Will
 * Discovered the Altar of Dumat

The In-between Years
From the end of the events of Dragon Age II (9:38 Dragon) to the beginning of Inquisition (9:40 Dragon), Shepard Hawke is crowned Viscount and oversees the beginning of Kirkwall’s reconstruction. She uses her own wealth to expedite the beginning of quality of life improvements and resources to many of those in Darktown and Lowtown.

She also uses this time to cut what rotting parts out of Kirkwall’s elites that she can afford to, by threat most of time. The Templar Order is stripped of most of its political power during this time.

Crowning as Viscount
In the weeks after Meredith’s death and quelling riots that overtook the city, Shepard takes over the seat of Viscount (not that many were clawing for the job). She, with the help of Varric and other Merchant House Members, reestablish trade routes and agreements. There is a focus on helping the communities in most need first: Darktown, Lowtown, and the Alienage. These are the parts of the cities most of the deckhands come from, and while their homes are in shambles there is little that can be done to reestablish trade.

In the spirit of Anders, medical services are offered to those free of charge in what rubble of the Chantry remain in those weeks following the Calamity that nearly swallowed the City of Chains whole.

Family History revealed
Nearly a year after she took the Viscount seat a campaign of slander begins against Shepard after she sought to hold the noble houses accountable for years turning a blind eye to illicit Templar activities. Her father’s origins as a son of a Tevinter highborn family come to light.

This with the knowledge of her being a mage after the final battle with Meredith, begins to weaken her political standing in Kirkwall and with trade partners.

No one wants to be found in bed with a blood mage.

Leaving Kirkwall
Shepard was eventually labeled Maleficar as the trusted templars who remained were slowly infected with Red Lyrium. She fled west towards the Nevarran wilderness. An ex-member of the Red Iron found her as she was close to death from lack of preparation for the travel. They were apart Planasene tribe that has stood the test of time, and ended up taking Shepard in during the length of her pregnancy.

When the hole tore open in the sky Shepard left, leaving behind her daughter to live in safety away from the worst of the war that broke out as the Circle of Magi officially dissolved.