Hi everyone,
I've had this theory since I first read the codex entry about Andraste's children in Josephine's room in the Haven chantry in Inquisition. However, I haven't found any forum posts discussing it across the web so I thought I'd put it out there. It's a bit long, so bear with me. Here goes.
Like I said, this was spurred by a specific codex entry. I'll paraphrase it, but here's a link if you want to read the original:
http://dragonage.wik...ren_of_Andraste
In essence, the codex entry says that Andraste gave birth only to daughters, who gave birth only to daughters and so on. Thus, surviving members of her bloodline, if any, would all be female. However, due to them taking various last names through marriage and the loss of records during the chaotic Second Blight, they could be anywhere and tracking them down is an impossible task.
Now both Leliana and Aveline are human females, so they would fit physically. Both of them are also "good" companions, gaining approval for acts of kindness and righteousness, while losing it for lack of empathy, causing suffering etc. In essence, they always strive to do what's right without compromise: Even though she stands for order and authoruty, Aveline will turn against the templars with Hawke to stop an unjust slaughter of mages. And although she covets the Chant and Chantry, Leliana will enact reforms to equalize races and genders (and mages) and return the Canticle of Shartan to the canonical Chant. They always do what's right, even opposed by insurmountable odds - much like Andraste herself.
Leliana also has a talent and love for song, while Aveline is adamant about defending those who need and deserve protection, adopting a self-sacrificing philosophy in both combat and life. Both of these characteristics were embodied in Andraste, as well.
Another thing that they have in common is that neither of them can remember her mother. This tends to slip past as a generic backstory detail when they speak about their families, but think about it: Both of them have only early memories of their mothers, but the memories are distinctly warm and maternal. They are also almost otherworldly in their grace, as Leliana remembers her mother's "beautiful hair" and ties the memory to the scent of their shared favorite flower - which happens to be called Andraste's Grace. Aveline's memories of her mother are similar, recalling nothing but "flashes of impossibly long hair".
Speaking of hair, both of them are redheads. Now, Andraste's hair color was never canonically confirmed (to my knowledge), but from when I first imagined her in Origins, she was always a redhead in my mind.
There are some frescoes in Inquisition depicting a graceful blonde woman (in the Chantry in Valence, for instance), but it is unclear whether it's Andraste or perhaps a previous Divine. Blonde hair color is also commonly associated with grace and purity, so even if it does depict Andraste, it isn't necessarily true to her image.
EDIT: I just remembered Cassandra actually says Andraste was a ginger while talking to Sera:
- Sera: So Cassandra, if you were trained young, how long have you been giving Andraste's Hairy Eyeball?
- Cassandra: Andraste's what?
- Sera: The Sword-Eye-Hair thing. You know, "Knock-Knock. Inquisition." Andraste's Hairy Eyeball says "What are you doing?"
- Cassandra: The eye is wreathed in fire. The light of the Maker and the flames of Andraste's Sacrifice.
- Sera: Oooooooooh. You need better painters. I just figured she was ginger.
- Cassandra: She was.
- Sera: Well, there you go, then.
- Cassandra: (Sighs) No. No there we don't go.
Now this rant about hair color has a point beyond the two of them sharing it. If you've played the Mark of the Assassin DLC for DA2 and took Aveline with you to Chateau Haine, she had a short companion-specific quest which included following her father's family crest to a sealed revenant in a Black Vial. The quest was concluded with a super-cryptic and confusing note about Aveline's lineage which left more questions than answers, but in this context it would make sense.
The paper reads: "Death protect this missive. All marks killed. The grand game continues. Beneath du Lac for She of the Red."
Du Lac is the name of the family of Aveline's father, and the man left a noble life of a chevalier in Orlais to live poor in Ferelden with his daughter. "The Red" could refer to Andraste's bloodline and the telltale red hair identyfing its members, while "She of the Red" could be Aveline's mother, who was discovered by whatever dark forces the sealed revenant belonged to and killed. This would force her father to take her and run from Orlais so that the daughter wasn't discovered and hunted as well. Here's a clip of the dialogue for the quest, so you can check it out for yourself:
All of these things considered, I think the theory makes sense. And I fully expect it to be a major plot point in a future game. What do you think? Any further evidence to support this theory? Some facts that punch a hole it in, perhaps? Do answer, I'm interested in hearing more opinions on this one ![]()





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