User blog:Chronias/Elahriel Lavellan

"Few are received by the Dream. Your mother saw the fire early on. I can see that it was you." ―Keeper Deshanna Istimaethoriel Lavellan to Elahriel

Biographical information
Born	9:05 Dragon Free Marches
Personal information
Race	Elf
Gender	Female
Culture	Dalish
Class	Mage
Specialization	Arcane Warrior, Knight-Enchanter
Occupation	Arcane Consultant and Linguist of the Inquisition, Liaison to the Council of Wycome, Lecturer and Research Fellow of the Univerity of Orlais
Appearance(s)

Elahriel Sheraiselas Lavellan was a supporting character of Dragon Age: Inquisition.

A Dalish Mage and a member of the Inquisition, who was recruited by her brother, the Lord Inquisitor, Mahanon Lavellan, and served as an arcane consultant and linguist of the organization. She was often working together with other allied mages, scolars, Inquisiton scouts and Dalish elves lending her profound understandig of the Elven language, -runecraft and -lore.

History

Background

Elahriel was born in the Dalish camp of the Lavellan clan travelling along the nothern borders of the Free Marches to the Keeper's Second, Sheraiselas and the hunter, Avisdial Lavellan.

Her mother, Sheraiselas, came to the Lavellan clan from Ralaferin clan that already had two mages next to their Keeper. She was a Dreamer but the full potential her talent was never unlocked do to her phobia of illicit demons. At a young age she experienced portending dreams in which fire burst out of her and either pierced the sky or draw even more fire down fom there. Terrified she sought the counsel of her Keeper who recognised the spark of arcane in her and also the danger of its assessed potency. She was allowed only to learn ice magic and protective spirit magic that she too found only safe eough, and once she reached adulthood was readied to leave the clan. Her unescapable dreams guided or sometimes pursued her as she travelled to the Free Marches where she eventually could settle with the Lavellan clan. There she became the Keepers's Second after hereir elder apprentice, the First, Deshanna. Eventually she became close with the hunter Avisdial and together they had a boy and a girl. During her pregnancy with Elahriel Sheraiselas experienced unsually harrowing nightmares that caused her such a psychic stress that led to loosing her ability to enter the Fade with the ease she could muster earlier. Although it was the worse experience in her life, she was twice the happier with the outcome, loosing her volatile nexus with magic and having her baby girl.

Elahriel very much seemed to inherit what her mother happily lost, as she was indentified as a Dreamer possessing a bright spirit. It was interpreted as a blessing of Sylaise and also as a pending curse by some – incuding her mother. According to tradition when she received her Vallaslin it was thus that of the Hearthkeeper. As the design was finished her face spontaniously caught on Veilfire to reasons unknown. Her clan members tried to put off the colorful flames by quenching it with water and damp fabrics to little avail, but they dissipated after a minute's due. The Vallaslin became pale amber with golden hue – barely different from her light bronze skin tone. There were more attempts recoloring it to its intended more intense shade, but it faded away always on the next time she dreamt and woke up, so it was left to be as it was. Her mother and actually every Keeper she told it, interpreted her childhood dream of sky-piercing fire as the return of Sylaise's favor to the elves and with the harmless coloured flames sometimes spontaneously flashing and dancing around Elahriel there was little doubt that this favor was actually bestoved upon the child. – Little could they know how the sky will be torn in 9:41 Dragon and how that will involve actually her bother all the more...

The Lavellan clan migrated around the perpetually feuding Free Marches, travelling along the borders of the city-state's territories, where Free March rulers would be less inclined to attack them, for fear of accidentally provoking neighboring cities. The clan's leader, Keeper Deshanna Istimaethoriel Lavellan, taught Elahriel how to control and hone her powers. She grew into a capable mage, far away from the eyes of the templars and mage Circles.

Her brother became a hunter at a young age, growing into a respected protector and provider. Opposed to his sister's dubious talents many thought he was destined for greatness.

As the mage rebellions culminating in 9:40 Dragon disturbed the clan's way of life, as the fighting spilled out into the countryside, Clan Lavellan's leader, Keeper Deshanna, eventually chose Mahanon to spy on the meeting at the Temple of Sacred Ashes between the Divine and the feuding factions, so he could bring back news of the outcome. Elahriel wanted to go for this mission herself or at least accompany her brother but her aspirations met strict refusal. After the explosion that killed nearly everyone at the conclave Mahanon was later reported to be the only survivor at the site. Rumors that the mysterious mark on his hand is a sign of the Maker 's favor were spread by those who claim they saw the divine prophet, Andraste herself, lead 'Lavellan' out of the Fade.

After a carefull approach to contact the newly reformed Inquisition Keeper Deshanna wrote that it had come to the clan's attention that a member of the clan has been held captive by the Inquisition, but he went to the Conclave only to observe the peace talks between the mages and templars, and that the clan found it highly unlikely that he intentionally violated their customs. She stated that if Mahanon has been charged with a crime, the clan would appreciate hearing of it, or if not, it would ease the clan's concerns to hear from him to know that he remains with the Inquisition of his own will. Following up with the reply it did the clan's hearts well to hear that he was safe. The clan was visited by members of the Inquisition who spoke persuasively of the good work he was doing, as well as the fairness with which the clan have been treated by the Inquisition itself. Keeper Deshanna and Elahriel gave the messengers some of their healing herbs, as Sylaise blessed the clan with abundance in the recent foraging, and they expressed in a personal letter that if he needed aid, she should only send word, and they are with him.

Involvement

Inquisition

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The Descent

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Jaws of Hakkon

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Trespasser

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Personality

Unlike her mother, Elahriel took delight in her ability to traverse the unknown to seek knowlege forgotten to the elves, and also seemed possess composure and resolve to resist as well as presence and willpower enough to fend off illicit demons.

This peculiar approach to Spirits that in effect often rendered her more knowlegable on Elven lore as many Keepes coupled with the prodigius connection with arcane fire led many to belive she might be a vessel of Sylaise – in Chantry terms an Abomination – which notion, when she heard it, she commented on saying: "We are out of reach, yet still..." then smilingly adding: "If I truly were Syliaise, my love would reach us, for I am here ...for us."

She was a caring person and liked to be useful. Although she was a capable mage her most considerable power was her resourcefullness. She has amassed a great hoard of knowlege and when needed and motivated enough she possessed the socal acumen to get the most of that. She was a person who avoided conflict, generally, but when pressed by a situation or irrevokably provoked, she could show elemental hot temper hidden away under those many layers of subtlety, basic serenity and sometimes even an algid surface. Her clan knew of her capability of social manneuvers, and disapproved, but with the Inqusition – and the Imperial Court for that matter – it was quite the contrary. Her dealing in secrets and favors met with significant approval. She was though fiercely loyal to the Lavellan clan and returned to help protecting her kin facing serious problems in Wycome, taking part in both infiltration, fight, posturing and diplomacy to saw the best interest of the clan, but also the city elves and even the common humans of the city-state to be observed.

Religious preferences

She considered Sylaise of the Evanuris her patron deity.

Elahriel actually was more accepting with Andraste than with Dirthanmen and Falon'dhin, whom she considered little better than liars and murderers. As his brother uncovered the whole truth about Ameridan, she was refreshed and humbled by how naturally the late Inquisitor blended his faith in to such aspects as the of mortal enrapture of both Andraste and Ghilan'nain to divinity.

Romantic interests

Cillian

More like a mentor than anythig else, Elahriel had an intimate connection with the Arcane Warrior. It was her intent to find someone who can hone her abilities in the arcane forces of combat, where what truly interested her were what she referred to as "shifts and shields" and "altering and abjuring" the primal forces that engulfs one in both in the physical realm and the Fade. She did. And it was her dreams that led her to the elven spellfighter. Cillian an Elahriel had both ancestors within the Ralaferin clan, but they were not tied by blood. Also however there were a physical attraction between the two elves it quickly transformed or transcended to another state of mutual appreciation and affinity. A relationship that is perhaps best described in another world as platonic , where she experienced that the other person inspires the mind and the soul and directs her attention to spiritual things.

To those with more mundane scope to look at love, their relationship was balanced, genuine and mostly everone could tell from the cues they resonated to one-another that these two are connected - up to the level that it could easily inspire jelousy or envy in others. This connection did never fade, and whenever Elahriel meet Cillian she greeted a friend with heart bare.

Solas

It was almost inevitable that Elahriel and Solas found eachother's occupation and shared interests and proclivities mutually attractive and enriching. She was able to discuss Spirits, the Fade, Elven lore and -history for hours uninterrupted. Also the mysterious elven mage became well aware of Elahriel's intimate connection to the Fade, being a fellow Dreamer. Elahriel enjoyed working together with Solas and lent her expertise to the arcane measures that he too was helping the effort of the Inquisition with – despite her own knowledge being often outranked by that of his. However unlike her seamless affinity with Cillian, Elahriel felt a certain polarity regarding Solas, that made him uncannily arttractive in a way ones is attracted to something strange they wish to know more.

As Solas later confessed, it was easier for him to approach her in shared lucid drams in the Fade, they grow really close, what many of the inner circle of Inquisition noticed, but was not quite surpried by the fact the two Elven apostates preferred one other's company and shared passing glances. Both Solas and Elahriel attended the ball hosted by Grand Duchess Florianne at the Winter Palace in Halamshiral where they also shared a dance.

Solas later  inteded show to her how special he finds her, but she felt that his spirit became quite flustered during their intimate moment and was convinced that however he might meant what he said he is still somehow not really honest with her. She suddenly realized how volatile their connection was and she was shocked by the lack of true knowlege of what the source of this subtle interference might be. He spoke of giving the best he can, which is the truth, but it carried emptiness, or more like heavy obfuscation. In that moment Elahriel expressed that perhaps she was impulsive pursuing more than friendship. Solas took this reaction disturbingly too well, saying even in this she did surprise her and that she should now that she has a rare spirit in this world. Whith that their relationship became professional, more genuine, and significantly more stagnant.

Ser Cullen Stanton Rutherford of Honnleath

Elahriel met Commander Cullen when her brother and she arrived at Skyhold as they engaged in a short conversation in the courtyard as he was attempting to marshal his troops, during which he pledged to the Inquisitor that he will never allow another crippling defeat such as Haven to occur again, and when she remarked that she feels profoundly thankful for having both men surviving the attack and expressed concerns about the Commander's apparent sleep withdrawal. Later during or after some of the War Council sessions where her expertise was required she shared a few words and some awkward glances with him. Is she caught him more-or-less alone she dared to ask quite personal questions occasionally, such as wherther he left someone special behind in Kirkwall, or concerning specific templar wows, often leaving him off-guard. As Cullen attempted to defeat her Lyrium-addiction – as it came to Mahanon's attention – Elahriel provided support and provided him with the potion of mixture of herbs ancient Dreamers used to easy their access to the Fade. As opposed to regular mages Dreamers did not reqiure Lyrium at all to do so, the potion helped Cullen to remedy the worst effects of the withdrawal. She felt that the man does harbor intimate toughts with her and that even she did care for him, but she attributed the feeling to the amplified emotional outlet caused by caregiving – not unlike what others in another world call the Florence Nightingale effect .

Relationships

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