Leliana

AKA:
Lel
The Left Hand of the Divine
Spymaster
Sister Nightingale
Keeper of Crows
The Wrinkled Archer*
*only in the awful not-future. Or once she gets older, I suppose

A woman of many names with a truly remarkable history, Leliana was the spymaster of the Inquisition during and immediately following the fight against Corypheus. She was born in Orlais to a Fereldan mother, raised by an Orlesian noble named Lady Cecilie after her mother passed, was a Bard in the Game for a time, then became a Lay Sister of the Chantry. And then her life got really interesting. She was serving in the Chantry of the Fereldan village of Lothering when the Fifth Blight broke out, and, after receiving some divine guidance, became one of the companions of the Hero of Ferelden. After the Blight was stopped, she was reunited with her longtime friend Dorothea, now Divine Justinia V, and named the Left Hand of the Divine, essentially filling the same shadowy spymaster role she would eventually take up with the Inquisition. After the devastating explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Leliana, along with Cassandra, was instrumental in starting the Inquisition. Leliana was a bit of a mystery when I met her, as you might imagine from someone who was both a professional spy/assassin and holy woman at different points in her life. Never afraid to make harsh, life-ending decisions, I pushed her to be gentler in her approach, when possible, and value the lives of those under her to a greater degree. Now, she wears the big hat as Divine Victoria and has made several drastic (and needed, in this Inquisitor’s opinion) changes in an attempt to push the Chantry forward. With a résumé that strong, Leliana might be one of the most important women in the history of Thedas, and she still has plenty of time to add to it. More importantly, she was and remains a lover of shoes and songs, a steadfast ally, occasionally hilarious, and a great friend.