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Varric Tethras: "It's not a good story unless the hero dies."

Here lies the tale of the Champion Of Kirkwall, his story finally ready.

Not every Tale has a good ending....

Physical Appearance[]

Around 6'5, dark blonde hair, green eyes

Has a burn scar on his right arm from an attack from one of the Qunari mages during the Qunari attack.

Has a scar on his neck from his battle with Meredith.

Personality[]

Aggressive Hawke.

Before the events at the end of his stay in Kirkwall, Apollo was vain, conceited, and also very set in his ways, as well as stubborn and very very prone to just riling people up any way he knew how. His relationship with Anders drove him to be sullen and even more argumentative.

Depending on the person he was also a bit manipulative.

Talents and Skills[]

He was talented in the bow, but preferred daggers.

Stealth, poison, and other manners that involved fighting and killing- he ultimately ended up training as an assassin.

Biography[]

History[]

Apollo was the first born son of Leandra and Malcolm Hawke, and to Malcolm's relief, magic never manifested in Apollo.

Apollo was a good kid, stubborn though and as he got older liked to challenge things, people and liked to hide. When the twins were born, he became protective of them both.

When Bethany's magic manifested, things in the Hawke household got tense. They ended up having to move a few more times than they typically did in the past, but Apollo never resented Bethany for it.

Malcolm became a bit stricter in how his family handled things, and drove into Apollo that as he developed his talents, that they were doing what they had to do to protect Bethany.

As he developed his talents of hiding and fighting with daggers, he also soon became at natural at misdirection and deceit, as well as learning how to read people. He used this to his advantage, to manipulate situations that would help his family at first, and then as he got older, to help himself.

Apollo and Malcolm clashed a lot over the years, as Malcolm got more strict due to his worries over Bethany, but Apollo never challenged him too much despite his wanting to. He kept the peace for the sake of the family and simply tried to avoid Malcolm, preferring to spend time with the twins.

(WIP HERE)

(WIP HERE)

When they settled in Lothering, it seemed for good. Malcolm, Apollo and Carver hired themselves out for farm work, also helping with odds and ends jobs.

Then Malcolm died.

An accident. Too much loss of blood. Apollo sound wound up with something he didn't want- being in charge of the family's welfare. His mother and Bethany were a mess for the longest time, and Carver wasn't much better. It took some time, some arguments, fights and tears, but eventually they found a way to work with the new shift in their family dynamic.

Not long after that, rumors and threats of Darkspawn. The King calling for volunteers for the army. In an effort to protect their family and their home, Carver and Apollo signed up. They fought at Ostagar, and only escaped due to the desperate last stand of one of the few Wardens that Ferelden had.

In-game[]

Apollo, would like to tell you the Tale of The Champion is a crock of shit- some truth, some hyperbole, some exaggerated facts stretched out. He would like to tell you that a lot of it is Varric's imagination, after all he could barely muster up decent imagery for the caves and other places they explored.

So here's the events of Apollo's life:

Mother decides to go to Krikwall. Carver dies. Should have been a sign right there? Nope.

Almost die. Dragon saves us, well sort of dragon. Shifted into a powerful witch who...I made a deal with. Okay, moving on.

Ended up having to work for a year as a merc with a company just so Mother could come back home. Bethany didn't like it, and he had to work extra hard jjust to keep an eye on the other mercs. If they looked at Bethany too long, well some wound up with broken bones. Soon they learned the mage was off limits.

Then after that damn year was up, had to find a way to keep the templars off Bethany. Did a bunch of shit jobs, met some people, met a really hot mage that Bethany told me flirting with was stupid. (I should have listened.) Met him again later that night. Hot mage is fucking possessed. Well, that didn't put me off. Bethany told me I was risking a lot of danger- we got the maps from Anders, we didn't need him for anything else.

Well I did.

(I should have listened to Bethany. But to my nature, I didn't. Told not to do something, going to either do it or do something else that will lead me to the something.)

Anyway, flirted with the mage, met another mage (Blood mage. As if Kirkwall didn't have enough problems with blood mages, now I bring in another one. To the void and all. Although turns out, this mage? Not as much trouble as the one that I wanted.)

Met more people. An elf that can punch holes in people's chest by glowing. All right then. Best keep him on my good side. Turns out he's not too bad, once you get past his anger. Danarius is clearly a dick.

Did more jobs. Ended up having to speak to the Arishok a few times. Dealt with a manipulative Sister that tried to get me killed. Should have just put a dagger in her then- would have saved me a lot of trouble.

Tried to figure out of Varric set up that meeting with the pickpocket. Tracked that pickpocket down. Confirmed suspicions. Sneaky dwarf.

Finally got the money to go to the Deep Roads. Mother, in her usual fits of worry, pleads with me to leave Bethany behind. She'll be fine here. In the end, because I don't want to risk another family member, especially one that I protected since she was born, I agree with Mother and have Bethany stay behind. Fenris and Anders join me with Varric.

In the end.. I should have brought Bethany. In the end of the damn thing, Varric brother tries to kill us and I come home to oh so fantastic news my sister has spit in the face of every sacrifice this family, what our family, what I sacrfiiced, had done for her and turned herself into the Circle.

So that was part of my time there.

A few years later?

Well... things with Anders was going well, despite some... Justice issues. We argued, it's what we do. I talked him into moving in- be safer that way.

Things went to shit with the Qunari.

Things went to shit with Bethany.

Things went to shit with life- Mother murdered.

Basically, things went to shit.

Only bright spot was Anders.

Killed the Arishok.

Became Champion of Kirkwall.. what the hell am I going to do with this?

Later on? Years later.

Things have gone to hell with Anders. Justice doesn't help. Justice can go to the Void for all I care.

More crazy shit with mages.

Kirkwall seemed bent on just going out and out nuts.

Helped Fenris out with his former master. Danarius was definitely a dick. Not alive anymore- so something good there.

Got lied to by Anders. Should have kicked him out- didn't. More fool me.

More shit happened.

I thought the last few years were bad. Was I wrong.

Lover commits murder- explodes a chantry. With my help it seemed. Lose an ally because he demands Anders death. I don't like ultimatums. Screw you Sebastian.

(I should have listened to Bethany.)

Meredith loses her damn mind, ends up trying to kill everyone. Despite problems with Bethany, I defend the mages. Wasn't going to let my idiot lover's actions get my sister killed by a madwoman.

(Saved Bethany, but because of well.. .things, stuff with her didn't get better.)

Killed Meredith.

Eventually had to go on the run with Anders.

That was my time in Kirkwall.

Absolute blast wasn't it?

....

......

Now read the Tale of The Champion again and see which version you like better.

Events in Game:

Rivaled: Merrill, Anders, Isabela, Sebastian

Friendship: Bethany, (before well life), Varric (turned to rivalry after the events of DA2), Fenris, Aveline

Joined the Mercenaries.

Wanting to ensure the templars attention remained off Bethany, he did what he felt was the right things to do: Sent Fenyriel to the Circle, same with Grace and the others, but did keep that letter about Thrask's daughter in case he ever needed to use it, helped with the mine because he wanted the money.

Earned the Arishok's respect.

Sided with the mages in the end. Personally killed Orsino when he realized about Orsino's association with his mother's killer. (Varric made things up about Orsino being a Harvester.) He took all of his frustrations of what happened and everything else out on the man. The end result was not pretty and Varric changed how things happened- when asked by Apollo about that when he later visited Skyhold, Varric said "People were going to hate you because of Blondie. Figured you needed some good PR."

Romanced Anders. Ended up helping with the potion and distracting Elthina, being manipulated by Anders in the process.

Did not help Merrill fix the mirror, but ensured her clan lived.

Refused to hand Isabela over to the Arishok just to be a contrary ass.

Spared Anders because of Sebastian's ultimatum.

Post-game[]

He spared Anders, despite being angry about being used as an unintended accomplice to Anders plots. He didn't care for Sebastian giving him an ultimatum either, so it didn't hep matters. Despite the volatile unhealthy relationship he and Anders had, he stayed by Anders side, and then went on the run with him.

His tendency to turn to alcohol and his relationship wih Anders, who had become quite depressed and apparently also developed a martyr complex ended up having him just further drown his sorrows into alcohol, turning him into an alcoholic.

While on the run, Anders apparently thought that Vigils Keep would give them sanctuary. Nathaniel Howe, who had assisted during the battle at the Gallows, had already left before Apollo and Anders did, and had sent word. Not only to Vigils Keep but also for word to be sent to the Hero of Ferelden, Kaden Cousland.

Apollo and Anders arrived at Vigils Keep to a tense setting- a disgusted and angry Kaden Cousland who refused them sanctuary, and apparently saw through Anders in a way that Apollo hadn't noticed until then, tired as he was. Kaden said no one here would satisfy Anders martyr complex, and that depsite how angry he was at Anders, he was even more displeased how Anders had apparently expected Kaden's own temper to ovveride the man's mind and to finish the job he expected Apollo to do in Kirkwall that night.

Kaden further revealed that no other Warden outpost would help them and that they were on their own before go back inside the keep, the gates closing on them.

They find some refuge in some small towns, for brief amounts of time before eventually having to move on. During the Mage/Templar war, they ended up living in the Anderfels, in a small village that Anders once lived in before being taken by templars. They stayed there as long as they could before eventually moving on.

Inquisition Events:

By the time Varric summons Apollo, Apollo has lost Anders- Anders died protecting him from a Red Templar. Apollo was well on his way to drinking himself to death when Varric's message about Corypheus got to him.

He sobered up, and then went to go take care of things, tracking down Stroud first and then heading to Skyhold. Bethany is alive and well in Kirkwall, but they still have nothing to do with the other as their relationship as siblings ended the night he spared Anders and went with him.

Apollo stays in the Fade, nothing to really live for, and not giving anyone the chance to argue. He dies fighting the Nightmare demon.

Relationships[]

Bethany: Their relationship started out decently enough- he was protective of her after the death of Carver. So he accepted what his mother was asking and left Bethany behind instead of taking her with him to the Deep Roads. When he returned to her willingly going off to the Circle, he got testy and in the end afterwards, bitter. He refused to see her after she was allowed visitors when she completed her Harrowing and during one of the very few visits he had with her- before Mother's death, he told her giving herself to the circle pretty much spat in the face to everything he, Carver, Mother and Father sacrificed to protect her. Needless to say by the time of the Qunari attack arrived, their reunion then was strained and tense. When he sided with Orsino in the end, there was a possibility of repairing their relationship, but his insistence in sparing Anders and then going on the run effectively ended it, and they few communications they had afterwards they basically disowned each other.

In the timeline where she is alive- when she recieves news from Varric about Apollo's death, she tries her best to stay stoic. After all she and Apollo ceased talking to each other for a long time. But after exchanging letters with Varric, and then recieving one letter from Varric that had been written by Apollo before the battle that took his life had taken place- she finally broke down. She had Aveline and Fenris with her, who did their best to help her with her grief.

Merrill- He rivaled her, refusing to help her with the mirror, but did take the steps to ensure her clan lived.

Isabela: He didn't like her, didn't get along with her, and they disagreed on a lot of things, and the fact that she repaid his help getting the book of Koslun back by running off with it didn't make things easier. She did somehow, surprisingly come back, and he was damn tempted to give her to the Arishok but his contrary nature didn't like how the Arishok pretty much demanded it even with having his book back, so he accepted the duel. He told Isabela afterwards she was more trouble than she was worth.

Aveline: He tried to keep a friendship with her simply because he saw it to his advantage although privately he disagreed and disliked her. He encouraged her relationship with Donnic because he saw it as benefiting him, not her.

Varric: They got along for the most part. Sort of. It was touch and go for a while, and a bit bumpy, but they got along, and he helped with Bartrand. Due to having Anders with him, they were able to partially heal his brother. Then Varric wrote and published Tale Of The Champion.

Fenris: Despite his relationship with Anders, he got along with Fenris easily enough. Liked him as a warrior, and was quite willing to help out. He refused to hand Fenris over to Danarius, as he actually considered Fenris to be a friend and also because- well he didn't approve of slavery anyways. Plus Danarius was a dick.

Sebastian: He actually encouraged Sebastian to take back his throne, thinking the rogue prince would be a good ally to have at some point. He did help with Sebastian's need for vengeance and clearing up the matter of people behind it. In the end however, sparing Anders ruined that potential ally. They last time saw each other both walked away with plenty of wounds.

Anders: He initially flirted with Anders because of the danger. Despite the fact that Anders was posessed, he found himself drawn to the moody mage, liking his looks and being a bit shallow and vain about the whole thing. Also he liked riling Anders up, not knowing... not knowing how things would get between them. The relationship was intitially something to pass the time, originally. Then they get heavily involved, and Anders was there during the most trying moment in Apollo's life- Leandra's death. Apollo didn't handle his mother's death at all well, and he clung to Anders during that time.

Their relationship was an unhealthy landmine of sorts, filled with emotional codependency/abuse and Apollo eventually turning to alcohol to deal with not only Anders problems, but also Kirkwall's problems. Discovering that Anders lied to him about the potions thing didn't help matters either and they fought a lot. The Chantry explosion would normally be something Apollo would have found to be the ultimate last straw, and he was so close to ending it, but Sebastian's ultimatum riled him up and he refused, instead sparing Anders, and going on the run with him.

Miscellaneous[]

Due to the increasing troubles of Kirkwall, Bethany being in the Circle, Leandra's death, his relationship with Anders and everything after, Apollo is a full blown alcoholic by the time he dies in Inquisition.

Like So[]

Links[]

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