Aveline

Kirkwall’s Captain of the Guard is probably the most grounded of Dragon Age 2’s companions. She’s not a radical mage, a swash-buckling pirate on the lookout for her next adventure, or a blood mage consorting with a demon. Aveline’s just a woman trying to get by and comfortably sleep at night. She starts as a member of the City Guard before her sense of honesty kicks in and she uncovers corruption in her ranks, leading to her ascending to the role of Captain. But even as she climbs the ladder of city defense, her story doesn’t escalate in scale, instead staying endearing and lowkey. Some of the most memorable moments in Dragon Age 2 are the quiet ones away from all the political strife, and Aveline’s painfully awkward attempt at courting her husband-to-be remains an incredible sequence that perfectly pulls off how even the strongest among us can be as vulnerable and clumsy as anyone else. She is a woman of multitudes, the beating heart of Hawke’s team, and a shining beacon for the idea of using what time you have in this life to do right by others.