Vivienne, Enchanter to Empress Celene of Orlais, is one of the few characters in Dragon Age Inquisition who polarizes the fanbase to extremes. Her personality, beliefs, and opinions of Mages are often seen as counterproductive, antiquated, self-sabotaging, and self-serving. The plight of Mages who refuse to toe the line means very little to Vivienne’s singular worldview: Mages must obey Chantry law in all things, bow to the whims of their betters, and never endeavor to be more than they are or face the consequences via strict regulations and even stricture punishments.
History
Known as Madame de Fer amongst the circles of nobility in Orlais, Vivienne’s history is one of determination and drive, born from the constant need to grow higher and higher within the ranks of politics and social standing. Born to non-magical Rivani parents, Vivienne became one of the youngest, harrowed Mages in the history of Wycombe’s Ostwick Circle. She eventually transferred to the Montsimmard Circle, in Orlais, at nineteen and began her journey to ingratiate herself with those in power. Her first unintended target: Duke Bastien de Ghislain -head of the Council of Heralds and father-in-law to the secondary heir to the Orlesian throne, Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons.
In the eyes of the Imperial court, Vivienne’s relationship with the married Duke was scandalous, setting tongues wagging and garnering the ire of many. Assassination attempts were numerous but never succeeded, and only managed to fortify Vivienne’s reputation and determination to self-aggrandize herself with more of the upper echelons of Orlesian society. Not long after, utilizing the inherent influence of her relationship, Vivienne was able to impress the newly crowned Empress of Orlais, Celene, and was soon appointed as the First Enchanter of Montsimmard, Court Enchanter, and Adviser to the Imperial court.
Mage Rebellion
After the events covered in Dragon Age II, and the destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry, Mages throughout Thedas rebelled before the events of Dragon Age Inquisition. In an unprecedented move for power, mages across the land voted to dissolve the Circles; in full revolt against Chantry doctrine and their Templar overseers; and went rogue, sparking the Mage and Templar War. Vivienne, too attached to her own power and a devout Andrastian, refused to follow the whims of the rebellion, and collected what remained of the Loyalist Mages. Becoming the faction’s de facto leader, she rallied the last of the loyal mages against their rebellious counterparts, to reign in the chaos.
Personality
When the player meets Vivienne, her very introduction speaks to the elitist nature of her personality. Rather than talking to the Inquisitor in person, she sends a messenger to invite them to Madame de Fer’s private residence: a palatial ostentatious estate. Upon entering, the player finds themselves walking into the middle of a party held by the enigmatic mage and is summarily accosted by an overreaching noble wanting to inflate his ego. The confrontation catches Vivienne’s attention, prompting her to intervene. Depending on dialogue choices, the Inquisitor can easily dismiss the man and allow Vivienne to deal with him as she sees fit, or the player can request he be dealt with harshly.
Should the player choose the former, they will witness her rapier wit and well-practiced skills in belittling even the haughtiest people. Her sense of pride, intelligence, and well-polished ability to manipulate make Vivienne a master at Orlais’ Great Game; allowing her to maneuver her way through politics and social circles, with an ease rivaled by none. Yet, the coldness with which she treats others deemed beneath her has given her a reputation that is considered both dangerous and situationally vicious. All, while being so honey-sweet, she can twist even the most adamant perspective to bow to her whims.
Role
As a mage, in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Vivienne’s role in the party is as a high DPS companion. Should the player specialize her in the Knight Enchanter subclass, and build appropriately, Vivienne can become one of the most powerful mages in combat: especially for dragon encounters. In general combat, her lightning build works well in encounters wherein crowd control can make or break the battle’s success. Mix said build, with abilities from the Winter and Spirit trees, and Vivienne becomes a hybrid master mage: with a penchant for high damage and strong support mechanics.
Aside from her combat prowess, Vivienne is also a good resource for players to learn more about many aspects of the recent history regarding the rebellion, the Chantry’s perspective, and the current activities of the rebel mages. She also speaks about the future of mages, what should be done about them, and ultimately what the Chantry should do to maintain order. Her perspectives on Mages holding high positions within the Chantry are fundamentally interesting and give insight into her motivations for joining the Inquisition in the first place. This is, furthermore, exemplified during party banter: wherein the player can hear her unfiltered thoughts on many different subjects -including who should be the next Divine.
Personal Quest
Like the other companions available in Dragon Age Inquisition: Vivienne’s personal quest expands on her history and sits firmly aligned with what the players know of her motivations. When the Inquisitor eventually gains enough approval for Vivienne, she will offer the quest aptly named Bring Me the Heart of Snow White: wherein the player must travel to the Exalted Plains and slay a Snowy Wyvern. Doing so results in looting the creature’s heart and once it is returned to Vivienne, she shows the Inquisitor why she wanted it so much.
She expounds on her love for Duke Bastien de Ghislain and reveals; through a cutscene; that her beloved is currently on his deathbed. The alchemical concoction she created with the snowy wyvern’s heart, meant to heal and restore his vitality, ultimately fails. Duke Bastien de Ghislain subsequently succumbs to his illness and dies, leaving Vivienne grieving the loss of her dearest love. Follow-up conversations with the mourning Mage expound on her sorrow and plan to send off the dearly departed. As the game progresses, her focus shifts from the past to the future – wherein the possibility of becoming the next Divine becomes her next goal.
Divine Victoria
Should the player decide to entertain her ambitious desire to become the next Divine, several steps must be taken for it to trigger. First and foremost, the player must discuss the possibility of her being Divine with Vivienne.. She will expound on her opinions on the matter and praise the player for their suggestion that Vivienne could take the reigns as head of the Chantry. Due to the unprecedented nature of the idea, as no mage had ever held a position of power in a religion that demonized the class, Vivienne takes to the suggestion like a fish to water and, with the player’s help, endeavors to make it a reality.
Once the player has completed either Champions of the Just (preferred) or In Hushed Whispers the path to make her Divine opens -so long as the player suggests that Mages should be a part of the Chantry and not excluded. After completing the main quest, Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, the conversation can be continued; during which, the Inquisitor must -outright- suggest that Vivienne would make a good Divine. Furthermore, any conversation that triggers this suggestion must always lean toward Vivienne. Eventually, the player will be given a war-table mission that will ultimately affect who will become the leader of the eponymous Chantry. Choosing to support Vivienne during the mission is the linchpin that will secure the desired result.
Aftermath
Should the player succeed in making Vivienne Divine, a post-game epilogue will trigger explaining the nature of her rule. Now known as Divine Victoria, Vivienne rules with the severity her personality is known for. Her decisions are swift, decisive, and unyielding: prompting all to capitulate or suffer the consequences. She reforms the Templar Order, re-establishes the Circles, and enacts policies to curb the remaining chaos still lingering after Corypheus’ defeat.
With the Mage and Templar War ended, the remaining Mages created the College of Enchanters; a governing body determined to allow mages to rule themselves; in hopes of granting their people the freedom they had been denied for so many years. Divine Victoria, however, strongly opposes their existence and intentions; and with the newly restored Templar order, she gives them an ultimatum: Disband immediately. With such strict opposition, the mages again try to rebel, fail, and then reluctantly surrender to her heavy-handed edict. In fear of their lives, they eventually choose to return to the Chantry, its Circles, or rejoin the Inquisition.
Trespasser DLC
Two years after the base game, the Inquisitor finds themselves at the Winter Palace; at the behest of Divine Victoria; to resolve the mounting tension between the Inquisition and the countries of Orlais and Ferelden. At this Exalted Council, she sits as the mediator between each entity as the head of the Chantry. With Cassandra Pentaghast standing in, as one of her advisors, she oversees the discussion on what to do with the Inquisition.
The fruitless talks stagnate amongst the growing issue now lurking in the shadows; which the Inquisitor must deal with; but ultimately a decision must be made, by the player: Either disband the Inquisition altogether or turn it into a peacekeeping force headed by the Divine, herself. The former: allows the Inquisition to remain impartial and act independently, while the latter would put full control of their actions and decisions in the hands of the Chantry’s leadership; and will ultimately affect the initial world-state for the upcoming sequel, Dragon Age: the Veilguard.
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