Varric

Lore & Background

Hailing from House Tethras, Varric is a surface dwarf who has become a well-connected member of the Merchants Guild, though he is never described as a 'merchant prince' in canon. While he maintains contacts and informants across Thedas, he does not run a formal spy network for the guild, nor is he a guild leader. Varric spends his time in taverns like the Hanged Man telling stories and gambling, but there is no canon evidence of him systematically robbing patrons. His most famous work, Hard in Hightown, is canonically a detective story about Kirkwall City Guard member Donnen Brennokovic investigating a murder in Hightown—not a clash between Chantry agents and the Executors. Despite his roguish exterior, Varric is known for his loyalty and compassion, eventually helping to rebuild Kirkwall after being appointed Viscount in the epilogue of the Trespasser DLC (not the base game).

In Their Own Story

Varric's journey begins in Dragon Age II when he meets Hawke a year after their arrival in Kirkwall. After Bartrand Tethras rejects Hawke for an expedition into the Deep Roads, Varric intervenes, returning money pick-pocketed by a thief and offering Hawke an investor role to secure a route from a Grey Warden. During the excavation, they discover a Primeval Thaig containing a dangerous lyrium idol. Bartrand betrays them, locking Varric and Hawke in the room to die while he steals the idol. Escaping with immense wealth, Varric assumes his brother's seat in the Dwarven Merchants' Guild but runs operations from the Hanged Man. Years later, his spy network locates a mad Bartrand in Hightown; the lyrium idol had driven him insane, causing him to torture servants and feed guards lyrium so they could 'hear the song.' Varric and Hawke defeat Bartrand, with Varric choosing either to kill him or spare him as punishment. Later, seeking information on the missing Hawke, Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast interrogates Varric in Kirkwall. He recounts the Champion's story, exaggerating details, before revealing he does not know Hawke's current location.

Reader's Guide

Varric is the only companion to be a permanent fixture in both Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition, meaning players never encounter crisis points that could cause him to leave the party. His defining trait is unwavering loyalty to the player characters. He wields Bianca, a repeating crossbow with a carved wood stock, brass embellishments, and a retractable bayonet; he is the only companion unable to equip alternative ranged weapons. When asked about Bianca's name, Varric states it involves 'a girl and a promise' that he can never tell. In Dragon Age II, he favors diplomatic solutions involving lying and blackmail over straightforward violence, appreciating irreverent humor. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, he acts as the mentor for Rook, having recruited them to stop Solas from destroying the Veil. While not a romance option, Varric can be flirted with in dialogue conversations.

Did You Know?

• Brian Bloom provides the voice for Varric Tethras in all Dragon Age media.
• Varric's novel Hard in Hightown was published as a real-world book with Varric listed as the first author, though written by former BioWare writer Mary Kirby.
• Bianca is Varric's signature repeating crossbow, which features a retractable bayonet and cannot be replaced with other ranged weapons.
• Varric was originally conceived as a sleazy character before developers decided he needed to stand up for the protagonist in Dragon Age II.
• In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Varric recruits Rook specifically to help stop Solas from destroying the Veil.