Character Bios: Characters

Get to know Anders and Aveline Vallen in Dragon Age II. Learn about their pasts, motivations, and how they ended up in Kirkwall as you build your team.

Alright, let's dive into the folks who'll be joining you on your journey in Dragon Age II. Understanding who these people are is key to navigating Kirkwall and its many, many problems. We'll start with a couple of the main companions you'll meet early on.

First up, we have Anders. He's a spirit healer, and honestly, his real name is a mystery – he just goes by Anders because his family hails from the Anderfels. Things got rough for him early on; his dad got scared when he started showing magical talent and accidentally set a barn ablaze. At just twelve years old, he was hauled off to the Ferelden Circle Tower by the templars. The only thing he got to keep was a pillow his mom had embroidered, which really says a lot about how little they cared for his personal life. He absolutely hated the Circle, seeing it as nothing more than a prison. He tried to escape at least seven times, maybe even dozens, but the templars always caught him and punished him. Interestingly, the First Enchanter, Irving, actually thought Anders wasn't a real threat, despite his recklessness. His second-to-last escape attempt landed him in solitary confinement for a year, with only a mouser named Mr. Wiggums for company. He finally made his big escape just before Uldred's uprising kicked off.

Next, let's talk about Aveline Vallen. She's the daughter of Benoit Du Lac, a chevalier who had to skip town from Orlais to Fereldan after his patron got assassinated. He filled her head with tales of knights and daring deeds, hoping she'd follow in those footsteps. He even named her after a famous Knight of Orlais, Ser Aveline. To make sure she could join King Cailan Theirin's service, he sold off pretty much everything he owned to fund her entry. It was during this time that she met and married Ser Wesley Vallen.