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“I'm no Orlesian wallflower, give me a sword and I'll use it!”


Eleanor Cousland (née Mac Eanraig) is the Teyrna of Highever and wife to Bryce Cousland. She is the mother of Fergus Cousland and the Human Noble and a temporary companion in the Human Noble Origin.

Background[]

Eleanor Mac Eanraig was the daughter of Bann Fearchar Mac Eanraig of the Storm Coast, a famous raider who was known as the Storm Giant. From birth Eleanor and her three siblings were raised on the deck of a warship. Although all four of the Mac Eanraig children were skilled raiders, Eleanor was by far the most skilled, and at the age of fifteen she took down her first Orlesian warship.

Eleanor's ship the Mistral, soon became infamous for capturing and sinking Orlesian ships. As Eleanor's reputation grew, the Orlesians soon began to call her the Seawolf, and eventually her name began to overshadow that of her father.

After King Maric reclaimed Denerim, the rebel army knew the Orlesians would attempt to take back the city by sea. Bann Fearchar called upon every available soldier to bolster his fleet in preparation for the attack. With the help of the soldiers the crew on every one of Fearchar's ships was doubled, and those soldiers who were unable to keep their rations down were stationed along the rocky coast of the Waking Sea to protect the ships by land.

Lord Bryce Cousland, a decorated young military commander, joined the Bann's fleet and led a contingent of soldiers from the deck of Eleanor's ship, the Mistral. Bryce and Eleanor's first meeting went so terribly that it was immortalized in the famous sea shanty called "The Soldier and the Seawolf".

Although Eleanor and Bryce initially came into conflict with each other, the two worked well together. Together Eleanor and Bryce destroyed a dozen warships in the Battle of Denerim Harbor, and the two soon became good friends.

Shortly after the battle Bryce Cousland's father, Teyrn William Cousland, died of an illness, and as his only son, Bryce was forced to deliver the body from South Reach to Highever. When Bryce arrived at Highever, the nobles were shocked to see the Couslands return to their home after a near seventy year absence, and quickly swore fealty to him. Many of Amaranthine's freeholders soon swore allegiance to Bryce, instead of their arl, which complicated the proceeding of Bryce's ascension to Teyrn.

It ultimately took Bryce four months to claim his seat as teyrn of Highever, and every day as he waited he sent a letter to Eleanor, some days Bryce even sent more than one. The two eventually met face to face once more at King Maric's formal coronation in the capital.

At the coronation Bryce attempted to propose to Eleanor by singing all ten verses of the Soldier and the Seawolf, he only got to three when she accepted his proposal.[1]

She is a sharp and quick-witted woman, as she will brazenly show if the Warden evades her questioning about their desires to become a Grey Warden recruit. Though very aware of the Blight, Eleanor carries herself as befitting a woman of her stature. In conversation with the Warden, she will reveal that she is as worried as the Teyrn is about the impending Blight.

During the female warrior playthrough, the Teyrna refers to herself as a former "battle maiden".

Involvement[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.


In the Human Noble Origin, Eleanor tasked Ser Gilmore to find her youngest child and instruct them to collect their Dog from the larder, since their willfull mabari hound is flustering the kitchen staff.

If the Human Noble Warden seeks out their mother Eleanor, they will find her entertaining guests—Lady Landra, accompanied by her son, Dairren, and her lady-in-waiting, Iona. After being aquainted with the guests, Eleanor will urge her youngest to bid farewell to their older brother, Fergus. Eleanor expresses her worry about Bryce and Fergus marching off to war and tries to assuage any disappointment her youngest may have about not riding off with them. Elanor states she will only remain at Castle Cousland for a short time, and will travel to Lady Landra's estate to keep her company. Bryce thinks Eleanor's presence at the castle may undermine the Human Noble Warden's authority. Even so, Eleanor tells her youngest she loves them and seems proud of the adult-leader they seem to be developing into. Eleanor and Bryce will later arrive with the rest of the family to say their farewells to Fergus before he departs with the bulk of the Cousland army to Ostagar.

During an attack on Highever, orchestrated by Arl Howe, Eleanor joins the Human Noble in an attempt to defend Castle Cousland from his soldiers; however, it is apparent that they are outnumbered and the few guards that they have at hand will soon falter in holding Howe's men off. The two begin searching for any survivors of their family but a quick search of the other rooms will reveal Fergus' son and wife murdered. Teyrna Eleanor, saddened and outraged, suggests retrieving a family heirloom or two. She also suggests using the servants' exit at the larder to escape. In the main hall, Ser Gilmore, directing the few remaining defenders and holding off Howe's soldiers, tells the Human Noble and Eleanor that Teyrn Bryce was wounded but was last seen headed for the larder—ostensibly he was hoping his family would meet him there.

In the larder they find Bryce, gravely wounded and unable to move. Bryce states he was ambushed by Howe's men but Duncan rescued him and brought him there. Duncan fights his way to the larder and confirms Bryce's fear: Howe's men have surrounded the castle and with Bryce injured, he cannot make the escape. Duncan asks to recruit the Human Noble in exchange for helping them escape; since the Blight demands he leaves with a Grey Warden candidate. Bryce acquiesces, wanting his youngest child to tell Fergus what has happened. Duncan offers to save Eleanor too, but she stays behind—refusing to leave her mortally wounded husband and elects to buy time for her child and Duncan to escape. Ultimately, Bryce and Eleanor are killed when Howe's men reaches the larder.

Bryce and Eleanor Cousland 2

Eleanor Cousland at her husband, Bryce's, side.

If, when the Human-Noble Warden confronts Arl Howe in the quest Rescue the Queen, they tell him "I'll kill your wife and son too," Howe will say he made Eleanor kiss his feet before he killed her.

After rescuing Queen Anora, in Eamon's Estate, Anora claims she knew the Cousland family well and that Eleanor was "particularly dear" to her.

If the soon to be warden converses with their mother she will inform them about the treasury, and state that she has the key to the family treasury. However, in the PC version attempting to open the treasury entrance and on the Xbox 360 and PS3 version going near the treasury entrance will trigger the conversation as well. This will allow you to access several valuable items.


Quests[]

Human Noble Origin Human Noble Origin

Statistics[]

Initial skills[]

Improved Combat Training Improved Combat Training

Initial talents[]

Warrior Precise Striking Precise Striking
Archery Pinning Shot Pinning ShotRapid Shot Rapid ShotShattering Shot Shattering Shot

Initial equipment[]

Armor Studded Leather armor set Studded Leather armor set

Quotes[]

  • "I was quite the battle maiden myself, in my day. But I think it was the softer arts that helped me land a husband."
  • (about her youngest child possibly joining the Grey Wardens) "You haven't got it into your head that you want to become one, have you?"
───────
  • Human Noble: "I am hardly a boy/girl any longer."
  • Teyrna Eleanor Cousland: "Indeed! I turn my back and here you are, a fine man/woman in your own right. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Trivia[]

  • The actress dubbing the Teyrna also does the voiceovers of Leandra Amell. As Eleanor Cousland, she portrays the Warden's mother; whereas as Leandra Amell, she portrays Hawke's mother.

Gallery[]

References[]

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