Okay I’m thinking more about this and I can’t get over how this must all have looked to Cassandra. Like imagine:
You are Cassandra. Your job is to find out what happened in Kirkwall leading to the Chantry bombing and subsequent mage rebellion. Your sources have indicated that a few individuals closely involved with the incident traveled directly to Kirkwall from Ferelden, a country than underwent a major succession crisis less than 10 years ago. It’s open knowledge that this succession crisis was resolved with heavy interference from the Grey Wardens, an incredibly secretive order whose immediate plans are deliberately obfuscated, despite their claims to political neutrality. The result of this succession crisis was either:
- The current Queen of Ferelden was placed there by an alliance with the Grey Wardens, and her father and/or husband may even be a member
- The current King of Ferelden is a quote unquote “former” Grey Warden (this being a transparent attempt at a loophole to get around rules about political interference) and he may even be married to or openly sleeping with a current member of the Order
At the heart of all of this is the Hero of Ferelden, who if alive, is possibly the prince consort of Ferelden, or the friend, wife, mistress, or ex-lover of the King.
With this in mind, there are a few key figures who keep popping up the more you investigate Kirkwall, all obviously deeply embroiled in whatever transpired. They include:
- Another member of the same Order — records indicate he may have served directly under the Hero of Ferelden and might even have grown up in the same Circle of Magi that they did
- A soldier who served in the same battle as the Hero of Ferelden and possibly the king. Shortly after this battle, she relocated to Kirkwall, where she rose in the city guard’s ranks surprisingly quickly. Just weeks before the rebellion, she received an offer of a high ranking position in the Ferelden military
- Possibly: the Hero of Ferelden’s literal cousin
- Possibly: the Hero of Ferelden’s childhood friend
- A pirate (yes, a fucking pirate) with known ties to one of the Hero of Ferelden and possibly the King of Ferelden’s former companions. A few witnesses at a Denerim brothel claim to have seen her associating with them there, and possibly even left to sleep with the Hero of Ferelden (also possibly, the King of Ferelden too??? both of them???)
- Possibly: another Grey Warden, (possibly also the HoF’s cousin, possibly served directly under the HoF’s close friend and/or lover during the Wardens’ visit to Kirkwall) who was mysteriously inducted into the Order after they discovered the substance used to corrupt Kirkwall’s Knight Commander
Putting aside the fact that one of these individuals is well known for having killed/otherwise dealt with a prominent Qunari leader, who was then replaced one of the Hero of Ferelden’s former companions, there’s also the fact that the possible King of Ferelden might have travelled to Kirkwall himself before the Kirkwall rebellion to specifically push for mage rights, and then scheduled a MEETING with Hawke and all of their aforementioned associates less than WEEKS before the mage rebellion.
You have an interrogation with one of Hawke’s former companions coming up that you’re hoping will help confirm some of this, but if you had to guess right now, what do you think happened here?
