Mages play a central role in all of the Dragon Age games, and many of the franchise’s most popular characters have the ability to use magic. While Morrigan, Anders, and Solas, among other mages, have defined the series with their personalities and ideals, mages are by no means a monolith.
Each mage has different experiences and feelings about the politics around magic within Thedas, but the nuance around their thoughts can be easy to miss in Dragon Age’s complex world. Whether these mages play a role in the main games or not, their stances on magic, the world around them, and their accomplishments deserve more consideration within the series.
10 Wynne
Wynne is a companion in Dragon Age: Origins whose specialty is healing. She appears at the beginning of the game to fight darkspawn at the battle of Ostagar, but she doesn’t have the option to join the party until the Warden travels to the Circle of Magi at Kinloch Hold.
Once she joins the team, Wynne resembles a kind yet powerful grandmother who encourages the Warden to do the morally correct thing. While her advice can come across as unwarranted, Wynne is a memorable character for her dedication to her Circle and beliefs. She supports the Circle of Magi because it is a valuable teaching tool where mages can generally reach their full potential without harming or being harmed. A Spirit of Faith also possesses Wynne, allowing her to surpass her human lifespan to support important causes.
9 Vivienne
Known as Madame de Fer and the Court Enchanter of Empress Celene, Vivienne is a mage who has worked to take power into her own hands. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, she acts as a party member and advisor on how to play the Game.
Although Vivienne understands the oppression mages face in Thedas, she doesn’t support the chaos that apostate mages cause seeking freedom. Instead, she believes blights, political violence, and fade rifts take priority over the apostates’ wishes. Strategically, her plan to reinforce the Circles would make the free cities of Thedas more unified in times of disaster. However, it also keeps systems of oppression in place, allowing time for prejudice to worsen. For players who agree that Thedas has other problems to address first, Vivienne has the potential to become the next Divine at the end of Inquisition.
8 Bethany Hawke
Bethany is the protagonist’s younger sister in Dragon Age 2. She cares deeply for her family and wishes they did not have to sacrifice so much to keep her safe from templars and those who would report her. Throughout her life, she has trained to develop and control her powers.
Many fates can befall Bethany in the game, including dying during the opening sequence. Still, Bethany’s guilt, dissatisfaction, and caring personality make her a unique mage for seeking and valuing the structures others wish to escape. Although many fans may not see her reach her full potential, she is skilled and compassionate about whatever she pursues.
7 Velanna
In Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, Velanna makes a powerful first impression by using the powers of the forest around her to teleport and terrorize nearby human villages to save her sister. Although it turns out that the darkspawn took her sister, Velanna’s pride and ruthless ambition make her a strong companion for the Warden-Commander, if recruited.
Much like Merrill from Dragon Age 2, Velanna is passionate about Elven culture and history. Even though others in her Dalish clan did not know her well, they respected her as their clan’s First. She earned a following by seeking revenge against the humans who attacked her home, even though it meant exile. Velanna’s respect is difficult to keep, but only because she is confident in her actions.
6 Dalish
Dalish is a member of Bull’s Chargers from Dragon Age: Inquisition. Although the Chargers play a role in only a few main quests, they are a vibrant group of mercenaries who do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Despite having magical powers, Dalish denies she is a mage to avoid detection by the templars. She calls herself an archer and uses a staff that looks like a bow, justifying its magic glow as a trick to help her aim. In a series where so many mages put up a brave face, Dalish is one of the few who expresses her anxiety about being an apostate.
5 Fiona
In Dragon Age: Inquisition, Grand Enchanter Fiona leads the mage rebellion after her attempts to separate the Circle from the Chantry failed. If the Inquisitor welcomes the mages into the Inquisition, she joins as a valuable ally. However, if the templars become the Inquisition’s allies, she dies fighting alongside extremist Venatori mages from Tevinter at Haven.
While Fiona’s standpoint on mages is clear from her role in the Mage-Templar War, she also has a complex history as a Grey Warden. After battling alongside Duncan and King Maric, she was mysteriously cured of her taint and stopped being able to hear the Calling, allowing her to gain her position in the Circles. Fiona is also Alistair’s mother, making her a more central figure to the series than she first seems.
4 Calpernia
Should the Inquisitor side with the templars in the Mage-Templar War in Dragon Age: Inquisition, they will face off against Calpernia, the leader of the Venatori under Corypheus. Calpernia makes for a unique enemy, as she doesn’t fully trust Corypheus and can be convinced to betray him.
Rather than being loyal to Corypheus’ cause, Calpernia wants to reform Tevinter to help slaves become citizens. Since she grew up as a slave, Calpernia knows the disparities and struggles they must overcome, and she is determined to pursue whatever path she thinks is best to achieve her goal.
3 Jowan
If the Warden in Dragon Age: Origins is a mage, Jowan gets introduced in one of the game’s prologues. Otherwise, he first appears in Redcliffe, where an army of the undead attack the city every night, and Jowan has poisoned the Arl under orders from Loghain Mac Tir.
Although Jowan’s actions cause duress for the Warden, he will try to make things right, given the opportunity. He bears no loyalty to Loghain but acts in his favor to ease his punishment for using blood magic to pursue a life with a Chantry member. Jowan’s actions are complex and motivated by self-interest, but his character makes him stand out from others as a mage with personal goals rather than political ones.
2 Felassan
While Cole and Solas mention Felassan in conversations, Felassan’s main appearance is in Dragon Age: The Masked Empire by Patrick Weekes. In the book, Felassan is a friend of Empress Celene’s spymaster, Briala. Together, they attempt to prevent the political state in Orlais from worsening.
Despite Orlais’ politics, Felassan is an easy-going elf with a rich understanding of Elven history and culture. He particularly enjoys telling Briala stories about the Dread Wolf, Fen’Harel, but his stories and statements can be cryptic at times. Considering his mysterious death and refusal to learn about the Eluvians, Felassan is an elven mage whose role in the series deserves more consideration.
1 Maevaris Tilani
Similar to Felassan, Maevaris Tilani primarily appears in the Dragon Age comics. She is a Teventir magister and widow to one of Varric Tethras’ cousins. Despite Tevinter’s anti-LGBTQ+ prejudices, Maevaris has retained her power in the Imperial Senate as a trans woman.
In Tevinter, Maevaris is known for her ability to plot and exact revenge against those who have wronged her. However, while she has influence and lives a life of confort, she would like to limit the power of the Venatori. Maevaris gathered a group of like-minded magisters alongside Dorian Pavus, giving more hope that Tevinter can change from within.