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Hari, also known as Madam Hari, is the mother of Isabela.

Background[]

Hari raised Isabela in Rivain as a single mother, making a living through thievery and deception.[1] Hari was a notable thief and charlatan and at one point posed as a Rivaini seer to help a village in exchange for coin. She knew enough about the Rivaini tribal practices to fool people into thinking she was really trained as a seer. For example, she would make fertility talismans and hand them out to women.[2] It was at that time that she took the name Madam Hari, after the Rivaini word for elfroot. When she grew bored, she would leave the village, claiming to "seek spirits." Hari often took Isabela on these escapades, which could last for weeks and in which they would travel to any location that could offer coin. Isabela learned the skills of theft and cleverness and took to dishonesty quickly.[1]

Rivain village

Hari's village in Rivain.

For Hari the life of deception and fraud began to wear thin. She began to look to the The Qun as a way to bring meaning to her life. Within the Qun she was valued for what she was, not what she pretended to be.[1] In the meantime, Isabela had come to love the trickster's life and when her mother wanted her to convert to the Qun with her, she refused. The two fought bitterly about the decision until Hari stopped arguing. Two days later a man, Luis, came to their shack. Hari said, "Just take her," without looking at Isabela.[1] It was the last time they would ever see each other.

While Isabela offers numerous interpretations of the bargain her mother struck when she was given away, she is noted as having told Varric Tethras once that her mother gave her away in exchange for nothing more than the promise that she would be looked after.[1]

The tempestuous relationship of mother and daughter is touched upon in Dragon Age II. A romanced Isabela will say to Hawke, "At least your mother loved you. Not everyone can say that." Similarly, if she is present while speaking to Arianni when beginning Wayward Son, she will comment that Feynriel is lucky to have a caring mother.


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Those Who Speak.


During her interrogation Isabela inquires about what happened to her mother. Rasaan replies that Hari is probably among the viddathari of Par Vollen, "serving the Qun, working the fields, and treasured by all," though she cannot be certain without consulting her records.


Trivia[]

  • Much less is known about Isabela's father as she never knew him. Isabela does say to Hawke that, "Well, I think your father sounds like someone worth knowing. According to my mother, my father wasn't. Not even for one night." According to Hari, he was "large, hairy, and good with his hands."[1]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Dragon Age logo - new Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 166
  2. Conversation with Isabela during A Rivaini Talisman quest.
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