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You offer me a stately dinner, when what I want is the ravening, bare-fisted gluttony of a starving man.”


Imshael is an ancient desire demon,[2] purportedly one of the first demons to come in contact with human Magi. Imshael refers to itself as a "choice spirit", although it is more commonly known as one of The Forbidden Ones.

Background[]

“The first of the magus cast themselves deep in the Fade in search of answers and power, always power. They found the forbidden ones – Xebenkeck, Imshael, Gaxkang the Unbound, and The Formless One. Many conversations were had and much of the fabric of the world revealed. And thus the magic of blood was born.” ―Unknown mage[3]

While Imshael is aware that he could be classified as a desire demon, he notes that "everyone has desires. Not everyone makes the choice to act upon them".[4] For this reason, he identifies as 'Choice'.

Involvement[]

Dragon Age: The Masked Empire[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: The Masked Empire.


BioWare canon
The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.

In 9:40 Dragon, Imshael is summoned from the Fade by the Keeper of the Dalish clan Virnehn and trapped in a binding circle, diminishing its power. The clan's keeper, Thelhen, seeks its assistance in unlocking the secrets of the Eluvians. However, Imshael refused, seeing that Thelhen only wants the eluvians awakened and nothing more, and wouldn't submit to the consequences of his actions.

Later, when Clan Virnehn plays host to Empress Celene and her entourage after rescuing them from sylvans, Imshael uses blood magic to lure her champion, Ser Michel de Chevin. Engaging in dialogue with Michel, Imshael reveals the existence of the eluvians and the reason it was brought to the physical world. The demon then tries to make a deal, suggesting that Michel sacrifice a mortal to serve as a host for it in exchange for influencing the dreams of men, who would then unknowingly forge documents to claim that Michel is fully human, hiding the fact that he is elf-blooded. Michel refuses the deal and leaves.

He later returns with Celene and orders the demon to produce the Keystone. Imshael then creates a Keystone that would lead whoever wields it through a series of Eluvians that would end in a central chamber connected to all of the Eluvians in Thedas. From there, whomever holds the Keystone could reactivate the Eluvians and reset the spoken password needed to travel through them. But after taking the keystone, Michel attempts to destroy the binding circle, thinking that it would send Imshael back into the Fade; the demon has, in fact, misled him and breaking the circle releases the demon. After Imshael is free, the demon goes on to massacre all the remaining members of clan Virnehn; save Mihris, the clan First who is spared because Imshael is amused by Ser Michel de Chevin's decision to spare her. He secretly possesses the elven mage, keeping its true nature secret even as Mihris joins forces with Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons to get revenge on Michel. After both parties reach the central chamber of the network, as Gaspard and Michel duel for the fate of Orlais, Lienne de Montsimmard and Mihris secretly hex Michel to make him falter. After Briala kills Lienne, she realizes that Mihris' magic has strengthened considerably since last they met and deduces that Imshael has possessed her. The demon is persuaded to leave her body after Felassan tells it that "something bigger" is coming to Thedas. The demon's essence then leaves the elf's body and enters one of the eluvians, departing to parts unknown.

Ser Michel de Chevin vows to pursue Imshael to atone for his part in the destruction of the clan.

It is worth noting, however, that Imshael does not, in fact, destroy the entirety of Clan Virnehn. The children — too young to properly make a choice Imshael could feed upon — are allowed to live. Imshael sends them to another Dalish clan. However, this clan is now facing potential hunger due to the onset of winter: another opportunity for the kind of choices Imshael enjoys.[4]


Dragon Age: Inquisition[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Imshael appears in and can be defeated during the Emprise Du Lion side quest Call Me Imshael, still pursued by Ser Michel de Chevin. He has allied with Corypheus' forces in Suledin Keep, helping to cultivate the red lyrium growing there. Upon hearing that Michel is hunting him, Imshael dismisses the former chevalier as no real threat.

When the Inquisitor confronts Imshael, it attempts to negotiate. It offers the Inquisitor either riches, power or virgins.

If the Inquisitor accepts a deal of any sort, Imshael murders Michel, preventing him from being recruited into the Inquisition. Imshael departs to roam the lands once more.

If the Inquisitor refuses, Imshael attacks and shifts between the forms of fear, rage and pride demons before being killed.

An Injured Red Templar at Suledin Keep can be spoken to who reveals that Imshael offered to heal them of their Red lyrium corruption as part of one of Imshael's patent choices. However, what Imshael asked for in return was apparently so monstrous that the Red Templar chose death as a result of the corruption instead.


Quests[]

Call Me Imshael Call Me Imshael
Capturing Suledin Keep Capturing Suledin Keep

Codex entries[]

Codex entry: Forbidden Knowledge Codex entry: Forbidden Knowledge
Codex entry: Suledin Keep Documents Codex entry: Suledin Keep Documents

Notes[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


If you accept Imshael's offer for:

  • Virgins: He will say he can never find any and instead give you a Superb Corrupting Rune. If Cole is present in your party, Imshael will respond with "Oh wait, there's one. Eeh...you probably don't want him," in addition to his comments about never being able to actually find any.
  • Riches: He will give you a Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, and an Emerald. These are each worth 421 gold for a total of 1684 gold (without any perks bonuses to merchant transactions).
  • Power: He will give you an Amulet of Renewal, the shield March of the Everlasting, and Pure Spirit Essence.
If you fight him instead, you will find the "power" reward on his remains.


Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Caroline Livingstone Twitter.
  2. "A desire demon, more cunning than anything I have encountered... and I have played the Game." —Michel de Chevin
  3. Codex entry: Forbidden Knowledge
  4. 4.0 4.1 Dragon Age logo - new Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 279
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