Elize Varian

"'If you've come for wit as sharp as a knife, you've found the right woman darling.' "

Elize Varian is an Orlesian Bard and member of the Silver Griffons Adventurer's company. Formerly known by her stage name "Eden" to those in Orlais, she has fallen from grace and turned to a life of Mercenary work in order to protect herself from those who despise her.

Appearance
Well known for her beauty, Elize is a woman who is very self absorbed, and her style shows it. Always keeping in touch with Orlesian trends, the elf is one who goes out of her way to make herself look nice, whether it be from complicated makeups or fine silk dresses. In truth, she isn’t the strongest opponent and is rather weak, but due to her upbringing she is incredibly fast and agile. Elize is a very poised and proper woman and her posture depicts it as such. In public, she stands tall and has a very professional demeanor, although when she is alone, she has a much more shy and reserved posture.

Her skin is darker for the typical elf, but Elize takes great pride in her rather standout appearance. Her sense of fashion is commonly compared to the average noble woman’s, being raised in a richer household than others. Her extravagance takes center-stage overall, with immaculate hazel eyes and plump lips. She is very short compared to her peers, as are most elves when compared to humans. Often, Elize is noticeably fidgety when concentrating, and has a hard time standing completely still. To speak of her casual demeanor only expresses one thing, that she doesn’t like being touched, not by those she doesn’t trust.

Elize’s brunette hair is long, but is often seen in a bun, almost hiding its true length. Dots of freckles mark her face, but are typically hidden by thick makeups. Her overall look is welcoming, and pleasing to the eyes, but it is quite easy to pinpoint when she fakes a smile. For special occasions, she likes to wear nothing but the most vibrant of velvet dresses, rarely straying away from this particular style unless a new fad is set in stone. When adventuring, she wears light armor, typically with a cloak dyed black.

Armament

 * Wisdom: A dagger of high quality; Elize was personally gifted the blade from her bard master. Made with the finest of jewels one can find in Orlais, this weapon is more of a conversation starter than it is useful, but is still deadly sharp, and easily concealable, when Elize isn’t proudly displaying it. Wisdom is her go-to weapon, and she trusts it to get the job done before any other blade.


 * Wit: A second dagger, much alike to her favorite, that being Wisdom, but much more lethal. It being serrated and jagged, it’s harder to conceal, but if she ever wanted to torture her foes with it’s harsh features, the Wit is her favored weapon.


 * Acid Flasks: Typically used as a last resort, the elf carries these in the event she gets captured. Volatile acid can eat through bars and chains, or through her captors’ faces. Their choice.


 * Throwing knives: Small serrated blades Elize typically tucks away, concealing them perfectly. She was trained at a young age how to work knives, and throwing knives are no exception.

Abilities

 * Evade - Known to be lightning fast, Elize can perform complicated dodges and use her acrobatic still to evade incoming enemy attacks, whilst also making her harder and more confusing to hit.


 * Parry - After spending many years training in her abilities, Elize has become proficient in the act of parrying blows, often putting equal force into a counterattack against opponents.
 * Poisoned Weapons - Becoming a common theme with Elize, she often uses unorthodox and common poisons to incapacitate her foes, knowing how to craft poisons for herself.
 * Stealth - As much as she may stand out in terms of beauty, Elize is a master at blending into a crowd, and at finding locations to conceal herself.
 * Deathblow - Combining her prowess for agility and knives, the elf can rapidly strike opponents with relative ease, although the act itself is hard to perform without giving away her location.
 * Unforgiving Chain - A hard maneuver to execute, Elize is one who struggles with the fluid motion of a blade, often getting tangled in between blows, but under the right circumstances, can flawlessly combine her known abilities into murderous hard hitting nightmares.

General

 * Acting
 * Music
 * Singing

Physical

 * Acrobatics

Communication

 * Deception
 * Persuasion

Crafting

 * Poisons

Combat

 * Stealth
 * Thrown Weapons Training
 * Dagger / Knife Fighting

Biography
Born to a nomadic Dalish clan in Ferelden, known simply as Ruwender, Elize’s life was strange from the start. Ferelden wasn’t the kindest to Elize’s clan, but in return Ruwender was hostile, often raiding trade routes and poached in the Hinterlands. For much of the elf’s early life, she was secluded from the outside world as much as possible, as her clan was elitist and held a heavy prejudice against the humans of Ferelden. The humans made life difficult for Ruwender, chasing them out of their encampments ever so often; very rarely did they pass a village without any hostilities.

Elize was the daughter of a pair of hunters, her mother Laika and father Aculder Varian, who were very strict in teaching the young girl her surrounding world, instilling a fear of outsiders and even other elves who weren’t members of Ruwender in the girl’s mind. In truth, Elize payed little attention to the clan’s teachings, instead opting for a more action packed lifestyle, free of boring teachings. At the time, Elize was known to be a troublesome child, playing pranks on those who were unfortunate enough to gain her eye. They were childish, and left many in Ruwender with a sour feeling about her, almost as if she was a curse to the clan. The clan elders hated her resistance to learning their culture, and it certainly didn’t gain her many friends. For as young as she was, she was awfully lonely. Aculder would often counsel her about certain fears she had about herself, mainly with who she was as a person. Her father would tell her that her place was with the clan, but Elize thought differently. She felt a growing suspicion that maybe, just maybe, her place was not among raiders and thieves.

Laika was arguably the best hunter in the clan, she along with her band would often take Elize with them to hunt simple creatures, such as rabbits. Elize loved to hunt, and was proficient enough even at a young age, often using her surroundings to stalk her prey and finding perfect opportunities to strike. It was less about actual killing, and more about the thrill of the hunt, one that conquered the young girl’s mind. Laika wasn’t technically supposed to allow Elize on hunts anyway, but due to her status among the clan, most turned a blind eye to the troublesome young girl joining her mother, as it kept her away from bothering the clan. Elize was known to hide in trees, and had grown accustomed to free running, as was her clan’s specialty.

Elize hated life as a nomad, she would grow accustomed to each location they arrived at, and found things to love about her so called homes. Her clan however, was forced to always be on the move, as their presence often caught the attention of locals. Elize hated how unwelcome the clan was, and even at this young age she knew it was because Ruwender didn’t have a good reputation. When not hunting, the hunters, including Laika, would raid villages of all their valuables. The clan wasn’t large enough to attack anything but small villages, but Elize knew that even small villages held importance to those who inhabited them. The young elf hadn’t even realized her mother was integral to the raids either.

Still, Elize was an outcast among outcasts. She had grown quieter with each move the clan made, as her cynical mind started to develop. Elize thought she knew the clan would gain the ire of a village someday. So, with every passing day Elize would rely on her father, as she still didn’t have many friends. Aculder was a wise man, one who was marred by his prejudices. He and Elize would often clash due to conflicting opinions on the nature of Ruwender as a people, but it wasn’t all bad. The man spent more time with Elize than her mother, who would often be out on assumed raids, and would teach her more valuable lessons about life and survival.

Elize loved her father, more so than her mother. As she grew older, she began to realize her mother was criminal in nature, and she made it very aware that she wasn’t happy with the clan’s way of life, often protesting to the keeper directly. Her voice just wasn’t heard however, and the only person who really listened was Aculder. Laika didn’t hate her child, but their relationship grew quite volatile, to the point where Elize would prowl the forests alone just to get some clarity.

At the age of nine, Elize would start getting lost in the surrounding woods, causing massive search parties to try and find her when she wouldn’t come back. Now that she spent most of her time alone, she would try to find ways to express herself in ways that wouldn’t be ignored. So, she began to sing and play elven instruments that she’d swipe from the elders. The elf only knew songs that Ruwender created, and most were guttural and almost barbaric sounding, but she’d play them a lot softer to put her own twist on it. Often, the search parties would locate Elize because of her singing alone. Singing, that wasn’t praised.

The keeper had started to get fed up with Elize’s actions, as she was more trouble than she was worth. He ridiculed her, and swore she would never earn her Vallaslin, which was a particularly empty threat, as she had no love for who she was and refused to display it on her face. Aculder was disappointed in his daughter’s unwillingness to accept Dalish culture, but touted Elize as his own proudly, despite the clan’s negative opinion on her. Laika however, did not.

The Massacre
After years of testing their luck, Ruwender had finally stirred up enough trouble to warrant persecution, or rather a purge. The village of Kathal had been ransacked by Ruwender, but as a final resort, had sent word to neighboring villages to hunt down the Dalish. Laika was the first to learn about the message, and brought it to the keeper’s attention. Ruwender’s keeper was arrogant, and believed the simple villagers would be easy to fend off. Over the next few weeks, life continued as normal as they moved from place to place, until the angry mob of villagers had finally found them.

It was a massacre, many Dalish hunters were killed by the mob, causing a full blown retreat into western Ferelden. For days, Ruwender was hunted down. Elize in particular knew this attack was bound to happen, but never fully grasped the reality of just how much the Dalish were hated. They couldn’t stay in place for too long, even shorter than they already would stay, as the constant threat of the mob was always present.

Eventually, the clan was left with no other choice than to cross through the Frostback Mountains. They were ill equipped for such an endeavour, but they had no other options. Laika was to keep watch on the clan as they scaled the harsh mountains. Elize was never out of Aculder’s sight during the venture, and her father made sure to give her more food than he’d eat, as he’d have rather went hungry than see his daughter starve. Their supplies were limited anyway, so by the time the clan passed through the harsh terrain, many had perished.

Aculder in particular wasn’t well. In the coming days, he too had perished, leaving a profound effect on Elize. The young elf didn’t truly understand just how much his loss had affected her, as she was stuck with her criminal mother. Laika had grown very controlling of her daughter as Ruwender entered Orlais.

The Dales were full of warring Dalish, so Ruwender attempted to quickly pass through the area, as their numbers were already low due to the Frostback disaster. Elize and Laika grew further apart, Elize pushing her mother away constantly as she tried to control her and submit her to Dalish tradition. Ruwender was a dying people, Elize knew it. At the age of fourteen, animosity grew against her, as Elize started to lash out at her own people. She blamed them for everything, especially the death of Aculder. The clan neglected the elf’s state of grieving, ridiculing her further for being a great trouble to them. The irony of the situation, is that Ruwender was the trouble. It was their fault for their situation, and ultimately, Elize wanted out. She didn’t belong to any of them.

Freedom from Ruwender, into the heart of Orlais
Orlais was certainly different from Ferelden, it’s plains being the most noticeable to Elize. Ruwender was beginning to grow more unstable, people criticising the keeper’s leadership after the massacre. Elize would sit for hours, listening to her own mother fight the other clan members over Ruwender’s survival. They were trespassers on Orlesian territory, and sooner or later their presence would be noticed by the army garrisons in the Dales. The tension among the clan was extreme, verbal arguments turning from threats into fights. Elize had no escape from it anymore, Laika’s grasp weighed too heavily upon her life.

As the strongest hunter in the clan, Laika wanted more power, and in broad daylight, killed Ruwender’s keeper remorselessly. People had no contention with Laika’s actions, the keeper was already firmly disliked. Laika now held control of the people of Ruwender, but Elize had enough. Within all the chaos and infighting, she planned to set off on her own, a rather bold and risky decision for a woman of her age. Still, she wanted this, knowing her mother would grow to become a tyrant. In the dead of night, Elize stole supplies and journeyed out of their encampment and into western Orlais.

It was fraught with danger, but Elize knew how to survive. Already an excellent hunter, when her supplies ran low, she’d hunt for her food. For many nights, she was relatively peaceful, but had a constant fear that her mother would one day find her, and she refused to let that happen. Laika was a tracker at heart, and now as the leader of Ruwender, she’d hunt Elize down ruthlessly.

Elize wandered aimlessly for months, her only real stimulus being the beauty of Orlais and her singing. The elf was often followed by Orlesian army members, thinking her to be a spy of some sort when she passed by their garrisons. Most of the time they were shocked of her age, and rarely did they truly want to help when her supplies ran low. They would harass and try to take advantage of her, to no avail, as other more noble members would stop their peers. These men, were the ones to guide her into finding a place to stay in nearby Val Chevans.

Elize was a nobody to those who resided in Val Chevans, mostly conceited nobility. A human settlement however, was unlike anything Elize had ever seen, and immediately she fell in love with the magnitude of her surroundings. She didn’t care much for how people treated her, which was almost as if she didn’t exist, but she got by. No longer did she have to hunt, instead, she stole from small venues, almost with complete success. If in the event she was ever caught, she’d often swindle those into a heartwarming tale to change their perspectives on her from a thief, to someone who was just trying to survive.

Still, Elize lived on the streets. Inns refused to house her, even if she did try to persuade them into letting her stay. The streets weren’t too kind to her, it’d often be burning hot out. After some trial and error, she had managed to find an innkeeper who would let her sleep in their attic, granted she worked for him. Elize wouldn't be payed in the venue, but a roof over her head was all she could ask for. The elf would do menial tasks such as cleaning and cooking, but people truly started to notice her due to her singing. Her voice was quick to enthrall the guests, and the innkeeper took note of that. He started to proudly display her outside of the inn as a ploy to gain more customers, he even bought her a small lute to play as time went along.

People commended her for it, and it gained the attention of a few nobles, most notably a chevalier who was passing through Val Chevans and needed a night’s rest. Elize wasn’t happy however, the elf knew she didn’t want to stay in a rundown inn forever, and she was curious to see the more affluent parts of Orlais. So, she begged this chevalier, Giuseppe Marlou, to take her to Val Royeaux, as he was heading there anyway. The chevalier was interested in taking her, as to him he saw free labor in Elize.

A New Life
For the next few weeks, Elize traveled with Giuseppe to his estate in Val Royeaux, where she was to be a maid in service to house Marlou, as well as the house’s personal entertainer. Over the trip however, she was quick to notice the chevalier’s odd nature, as he was rude and demanding towards the young elf, but Elize was used to his type and bided with his cynicism. She was thankful for him however, as not just anyone would pick off a peasant from the streets, especially that of an elf. Often, he’d have her sing for him, as he did love her voice, and demanded she write him ballads eventually if she was to stay.

Orlais was slowly changing Elize, and she could feel it, even as a simple maid and songstress. She was overworked, but never mistreated, at least when Giuseppe wasn’t around. The chevalier had duties to fulfill in the Orlesian military, and thus wasn’t home very often. Every time he was due to return however, he’d expect a new ballad from Elize, praising something about him. Though she loved to write, she wasn’t particularly good at it, and often the chevalier would mock her writing, and make her do more maid work as punishment. Elize didn’t mind it, she expected nonetheless from him, but Val Royeaux was it’s own reward for what she had to put up with.

She loved the markets, culture, and very lifestyle of the Orlesian nobles. At night, she’d even scale the estate to look at the night’s sky, pointing out constellations from that of Orlesian legend. She was enthralled, but come time for work, she felt trapped when not singing. However, whilst she was still a maid, she was treated a lot better by Giuseppe than the rest of his workers, and she noticed it. Elize had no sympathy for the others however, she felt as if she deserved the special treatment, even if it was just slightly better than average. Giuseppe would dawn her with antique gowns fitting for that of a songstress when he had guests over, and Elize loved the feeling of having slight power over her fellow workers.

Giuseppe was one who’d harass everyone though, even that of his wife, Roseann. The maids received the brunt of his drunken rampages, often verbally belittling them, but not Elize. He spared harsh words for her, but nothing compared to his typical rants. He criticized her indefinitely, pointing out certain imperfections with her writing and looks, but praised her when praise was due. The chevalier felt as if he dominated the house, and in truth he did.

It did start to get to Elize however, who was becoming less and less confident by the day. She would often seclude herself in the estate gardens, forcing herself to apply makeups better, or to improve her writing technique. It was clear to everyone in the estate that she was trying to better herself, but the workers held no sympathy for her, as she was treated better than them. It didn’t help that Elize actually believed she was better than them in the first place, but even then she began to doubt it. The elf was truly alone in a place that held so many, and it started to lead into her own bouts of self-hatred herself. Lady Roseann however, was quick to notice the elf’s self destructive behavior, and as she spared no true affection for her husband, she confided in Elize. The lady of the house actually respected the elf’s drive to better herself, but hated how she brought herself down when she had true talent.

Elize was confused by the attention that Roseann gave her, but she listened to her indefinitely, as she was the only person who treated her more than just a maid or songstress. Roseann hated how her husband treated everyone, and Elize was no exception. She counseled the young elf, and was responsible for reinstating her confidence. But Elize would return to Roseann day in and day out, listening to her advice and attempted to cultivate herself in the lady’s own image, as a deep respect grew for her. The two’s relationship was remarkable, and Elize had found her first true friend in Roseann.

Whilst Roseann was slightly older than Elize, she often related to the elf in terms of finding herself trapped in the estate. She didn’t want the marriage with Giuseppe, it was arranged, and often the two would take their own grievances out on the conceited nature Giuseppe portrayed. Roseann herself admired Elize in a way, as the elf’s voice was outstanding. The two shared a close bond throughout the years, and Roseann revealed secrets to Elize that she hadn’t shared with anyone else before. Such as the fact she wanted to take the estate out from under Giuseppe, and become the sole leader of house Marlou without killing him, to further her own ambitions. The risk of killing the chevalier was too prevalent, as he was respected and there’d be a heavy investigation. Elize believed in her friend, and swore that she’d help her in the conquest. The only way they could do that, was by crippling him in the Grand Orlesian game.

Roseann even shared the fact that she was formerly a bard to the elf, who became extremely interested in the artform. She couldn’t be one anymore, as now she was a lady representing a noble house, but that didn’t mean Elize couldn’t be. It even fit the two’s ambition to get Roseann into a seat of power. So, whilst Giuseppe was away, the two rigorously trained in the art, and Elize found that she was somewhat talented in the act of working a knife. She knew where to strike, and how to strike effectively after months of training. Roseann also instilled her own values into Elize, that being a bard wasn’t simply to be an assassin, but to be a game changer, a tool of immense power that can act as their own wildcard. She taught Elize the thrills of playing in the grand Orlesian game. The lady of the house even gifted Elize a beautiful knife once she completed her training, and to this day Elize treasures it.

One day, Giuseppe was personally invited to one of the Emperor of Orlais’ grand balls, on behalf of his service to Orlais, as soon he was retiring from service. He brought his wife and Elize, as she was to provide entertainment for the guests alongside every other house who was attending. Roseann had plotted to gain the attention of a fellow noble, count Rigu Hentlian, so they may have support in throwing Giuseppe out of his own estate. Elize was responsible for gaining his favor; this being her first true experience in the game, as well as a bard.

The count was a simple but powerful man. The festivities of the ball were easy to captivate him, and as Elize took her time to manipulate him, she sang to the guests, catching the eyes of a great deal of people. She loved the attention provided by the nobles, and many openly questioned why she doesn’t sing professionally. The elf was of course in service to house Marlou, but only one half of them, that’s why.

Elize met with Rigu and parlayed that lady Roseann needed his assistance. The count didn’t particularly like Giuseppe due to his arrogance, but Elize’s promises of sovereigns meant nothing to the already wealthy man, he wanted something a bit more sensual. So, Elize did what she had to do, though she hated doing it. She felt disgusting, but nonetheless, had the support of the count, who promised to write Roseann a letter discussing the terms of their agreement, where he would merge his own house with that of Marlou’s, creating a powerful political house in the process.

Over the next few years, lady Roseann carefully plotted alongside Rigu to throw the chevalier out of power, whilst Elize did her own work as a freelance bard, gaining all the information she could to use against other houses for Roseann. The nobles began to notice her experience in the Grand Orlesian game, and Giuseppe took no notice to all the scheming in place. Elize was even behind the assassinations of a few minor nobles who were allied to Giuseppe through fealty.

Fame was slowly dawning upon Elize, whose talents were spread from noble to noble, making her a very recognizable woman in Val Royeaux. She even decided to give herself the moniker of “eden” as she believed she was perfect, and perhaps she was, at least in the game. Giuseppe loved that she was gaining fame, as she was representing house Marlou in the process, thus bringing more fame to his name.

Eventually, Rigu was ready to enact his and Roseann’s master plan. The count was to frame Giuseppe in an act most vile: treason. Selling Orlesian secrets to Ferelden; thus crippling the chevalier’s title to nobility. Elize was to participate in the selling of said secrets in the framing, and she would of, if not for one maid discovering Roseann’s operations and reporting it to Giuseppe. The chevalier wouldn’t take the insult, and Elize watched as he beat his wife for the betrayal. Elize attempted to kill the chevalier right there in defense of Roseann, but he fought her off and had his personal house guards take her away.

Elize was forced out of the estate, dragged by guards intent to throw her into chains, but eventually fought them off and killed them with her superior technique. She wanted to force herself back into the estate, but she knew she’d be killed if she tried, so she had to make the hardest decision she ever had to make: abandon her friend.

News quickly spread about “Eden” and how she was a killer, and soon there were bounty hunters on her tail to bring her back to Giuseppe in one piece so he could kill her himself. Her status in the game deteriorated, as she had to go into hiding. Returning to nearby Val Chevans, she used her remaining sovereigns to find a place to stake out the night, and to write a letter to Roseann. She gave the letter to a courier, and refused to move further away until she received a letter back, if her lady was still even alive. The next few days were some of the worst she had to bare, as she felt extremely guilty for abandoning her greatest friend.

The courier came back with a letter though, and Elize learned that Roseann was okay. She had managed to convince Giuseppe that the conspiracy was that of the count’s, and that she was merely investigating into it. For his actions, Rigu’s nobility was stripped from him, but not before he went into hiding, along with his wealth. In the letter, Roseann wrote of Giuseppe’s hatred for Elize, and how he should’ve never brought her into his estate. The chevalier was furious, and wouldn’t stop hunting her until she was dead, so Roseann begged Elize to escape to Ferelden for her safety, and that no matter what, she’d secretly have house Marlou’s support through her.

Elize felt defeated, all of Val Royeaux knew of her treachery. So with no better option, Elize heeded Roseann’s words and fled to Ferelden, specifically Denerim. The elf wanted to return to Orlais, but knew it’d be a death sentence if she did, and she secretly feared that the bounty hunters would find her eventually. So she had to find protection, and as such sought asylum in Denerim’s chantry, where for the first time she felt the cold brunt of Ferelden racism. The Chantry wouldn’t accept her as a sister, so she turned to the last option she thought she’d ever have to endure: mercenary work in the newly founded Crusader’s Guild. It was something, at least for now, and it provided adequate protection. Though she swore that one day, Eden would return to Orlais and put her lady in power once and for all.

Family

 * Aculder Varian - A man to whom she compared all others, Aculder was the proudest father one could be given his mischievous daughter. Elize and Aculder were very close, and her father is responsible for helping Elize discover who she was as a person. He was wise, loving, and despite a few disagreements, Elize adored everything she learned from her father. Had he not risked his life to save her, Elize may not have become who she is now. His death has made a profound impact on the young woman, and to an extent she wonders if anyone as noble as Aculder still exist in a world at turmoil.
 * Laika Varian - Elize’s mother. She’s an accomplished hunter, and the leader of Ruwender, a Dalish people. To Elize however, her mother is a criminal, a ruthless raider with no remorse. Known to be extremely strict and conniving, Elize and her mother don’t have the best of relationships. Laika and Elize grew further apart after Aculder’s death, she being the reason Elize left the clan. Her daughter hopes that they may never cross paths again, but it is an unlikely thought, as she has desperately been searching for Elize; one may never know to what effect she’ll hold if she finds her.

Friendships

 * Lady Roseann Marlou - Elize’s mentor and closest friend. Being married to a famous and much older chevalier, Roseann never truly wanted her marriage. She was forced into it as a political powerplay from her parents, and it shows, as she has only entrusted Elize with this information. Being a former bard, she has trained Elize to the best of her ability to cultivate the perfect assassin, though not one without morals. She taught Elize how to play, and eventually, master the grand Orlesian game. To Elize, she is a woman without equal, and someone she can only hope to become someday.

Romance

 * N/A - Elize is no stranger to the deeper sides of romance, but has yet to find someone worthy enough to claim her heart, though this is mostly due to the fact she gives everyone a cold shoulder. She is opportunistic however, and if she sees that it’ll get her something more than just affection, she’ll likely leap towards the event with hungry eyes.

Allies

 * House Marlou - An Orlesian house founded upon Giuseppe Marlou, this was Elize’s true family. Even if she despised it’s founder, Elize is more in service to Lady Roseann then Giuseppe, as she has her own ambitions in place of her husband’s, who is often away due to his status in the Orlesian military. Lady Roseann still helps Elize without her husband’s knowledge. They are affluent, and have good control in the grand Orlesian game.
 * Rigu Hentlian - The former count was someone Elize swindled into her favor after a night of careful scheming and even carefuller seduction. He is a man whom Elize can call in for favors, provided she sate his unruly desires. Though he is dangerous as a foe, he is an even greater ally, as his wealth and status was almost incomprehensible. He has since gone into hiding due to his involvement in the conspiracy against House Marlou.

Rivals

 * Clan Ruwender - Elize’s native Dalish clan always despised her, for she was a troubling child. Their way of life didn’t bode well for Elize, as they were the stereotypical definition of a Dalish clan: Raiders and thieves, all brought upon themselves as elves. With Elize’s mother in control of the clan however, they will desperately search for her, and Maker knows what’ll happen to those who get in their way.
 * Chevalier Giuseppe Marlou - While Elize is thankful for what the man has done for her, she was quick to note his abuses as she was introduced to his noble house. He mistreated his servants, and overall ran his estate like a tyrant. He wouldn’t stay long however, as he had duties to fulfill in the Orlesian military, but those who served him, especially his wife and Elize, always prepared for his arrival and prayed to the Maker his stay wouldn’t be long. Nowadays he has grown hateful of Elize, after her attempt to kill him and her involvement in the conspiracy against his house, and has been desperately trying to silence her.

Personality
Cold and calculating, Elize puts on quite the facade. At first glance one may mistake her for a typical elf, but those who turn a blind eye to her will be met with a surprise. Specious as she may be, Elize’s cunning stretches farther than one might realize. As a rather intelligent woman, she is regarded as an excellent tactician, even by other bards who feel rivaled by her wit. The elf has a way of manipulating her peers into what she wants, which is typically power and resources, as the grand Orlesian game dominates her mind, wanting to return to Orlais as a more powerful woman.

Regarding herself in terms of race, Elize doesn’t care much for her own people and rarely sympathizes with the Dalish, especially her former clan, holding a firm belief that they are tangled in matters that hold little importance. Elven gods are but a farce to the woman, who isn’t particularly religious either, but considers herself to be at least knowledgeable in the chant of light’s teachings. Being trained as a bard affected Elize greatly, as it’s influence is very prevalent in the woman’s everyday life. She marks herself in pleasantries, playing a character one might simply call a damsel in distress, often seducing those who fall for it in order to gain what she wants. Her open and welcoming nature only being mitigated by the fact that it is all a character she portrays, and rather effectively at that. In truth, she is quite cynical and makes for abashedly dreadful company, as she is one to pick fights.

To those she allows to become close to her, she may be a bit of an outlier. She holds strong opinions on the world at large and isn’t afraid to speak her mind, becoming extremely apparent when discussing matters of a more political nature. In this personal setting, she isn’t nearly as abrasive as she is typically, as she loves the company of others, but loves being praised by them even more, leading others to notice her conceited traits. Her artistry lends well to this, as she is renowned for her enchanting voice. She is also sharp witted, and more often than not charismatic, at least to those who haven’t witnessed her cynical attributes.

Elize struggles with matters pertaining to her upbringing, while she enjoys the thrills of life as a bard, she despises what it has done to her emotionally. The elf finds empathy hard to weigh, and one must explicitly prove themselves to her in order to officially gain her trust, as it isn’t something she grants to everyone. Issues such as love are unfathomable to Elize, as she uses “love” as a ploy to gain what she wants, but never ties her feelings to one person. In a way, she hates her more cold and condescending nature, and views herself as unredeemable. At times however, she can be quite bubbly when she pleases, which is rather often, but only towards those she likes. She loves to joke about, which results for a more childish side of her to peer through her own insecurities. Typically cutting herself down, she hates her immature ways for they make her seem weak, but they do appear every now and then.

Being one who knows they are beautiful, Elize is a very arrogant individual. Often thinking very highly of herself, she does little to tear her image down and almost always holds herself to the highest of esteems in terms of beauty. Promiscuity being a defining characteristic, she is quite playful in this manner, and is admittedly a flirt, but for all the wrong reasons. She seeks to manipulate others for her own gain. However, she follows her own code of morality, and despises those who conduct themselves like thugs.

Underneath it all however is a rather fragile woman, who seeks more for herself in a world dominated by humans, not that she holds any grudge towards them. While she conducts herself as a strong and independant woman, she holds insecurities about her own qualities in which she holds dear, such as her very nature. Defensive to a fault however, she doesn’t seek the aid of others, simply refusing and fearing change.

Main Theme(s)

 * Yennerfer's theme - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Original soundtrack

Battle Theme(s)

 * The Pointy End - Game of Thrones Original soundtrack

Social Theme(s)

 * Nomads of the White Desert - Assassin's Creed: Origins official soundtrack

Romance Theme(s)

 * Bloodlines - Assassin's Creed: Syndicate original soundtrack

Trivia

 * Elize's character was inspired by Briala from Dragon Age Inquisition. She was also too much to write, and you should all be thankful she has graced this wiki. <3 ~ Jackal