Flemeth

Overview

Flemeth is an Apostate (illegal) Mage known throughout Thedas in the Dragon Age universe. She is a powerful "witch of the wilds" and known to have lived for centuries. She features as an optional boss in Dragon Age: Origins.

Background

Many stories exist of Flemeth, as a child kidnapper and cannibalist, as one who would capture Chasind tribe members to use their bodies and then kill them and one as a beautiful woman who's lover was killed by her husband, prompting her to become an abomination and slaughtering her husband and his men.

Flemeth herself describes them all as silly tales that have no truth to them, but her mysterious nature and unclear motives never quite disprove any of them.

Appearances

Dragon Age: Origins

When King Cailan and Grey Warden Commander Duncan are slain by the Darkspawn massacre at Ostagar (after being betrayed by Loghain) Flemeth saves the remaining two Wardens, "The Warden" and Alistair (by becoming a "giant hawk, one in each talon," according to Morrigan). Flemeth sends Morrigan with them to use the Grey Warden treaties she had given to them earlier in game. They set off to recruit the Circle of Magi, Dalish Elves and the Dwarves of Orzammar to form an army to fight the Darkspawn horde.

During the course of Dragon Age: Origins, the character may return and confront, with the intent to kill, Flemeth on Morrigan's behalf, following the discovery that Flemeth's long life is due to the bodies of her daughters, in which she raises and then takes for her own.

On meeting her, Flemeth is not surprised to learn of her daughter's fatal aggression. In fact, Flemeth hints that Morrigan may be manipulating the character to fulfil her own schemes. "Lovely Morrigan has at last found someone willing to dance to her tune. Such enchanting music she plays, wouldn't you say?" The confrontation can lead to a few possible outcomes, but if the battle does occur Flemeth has shown to be capable of shape-shifting just as her daughter, Morrigan, and assumes the form of a dragon for the battle.

It was confirmed she was not truly dead by Morrigan in the Witch Hunt DLC in Dragon Age: Origins. Morrigan also tells The Warden that Flemeth, contrary to popular belief by many organisations and races, is "no Blood Mage, no Abomination, she may not even be truly human."

Flemeth's bones had vanished during the beginning of Witch Hunt leading to speculation about her supernatural death-cheating abilities or whether someone simply took them in the years since she was slain by The Warden.

Dragon Age II

Flemeth returns in Dragon Age II. During the Blight, after sending The Warden, Alistair and Morrigan to form an army, she saves Garret/Mirian Hawke, Bethany or Carver Hawke, their mother Leandra Amell, Aveline Vallen and Ser Wesley from the darkspawn. Despite Hawke's graditute (or mistrust) towards Flemeth, she simply states that she came to see who was responsible for killing an ogre.

Upon learning that they are fleeing to Kirkwall, Flemeth assigns them a task to deliver an amulet to the Dalish Keeper Marethari who's clan (the same clan of Tamlen and the Dalish Origin Warden) are currently camping not far from Kirkwall. Hawke agrees to this, in exchange for Flemeth getting them safely to the ships leaving for Kirkwall.

Over a year later, Hawke has paid his way into Kirkwall serving under either a mercenary or a smuggler group. He travels up the Sundermount mountain to meet with the Dalish clan. Keeper Marethari sends Merrill with Hawke's party to perform a ritual that involves the amulet and Flemeth appears once again.

She explains that she suspects her daughter Morrigan may turn on her (may already have done) and try to have her killed. By storing a portion of her essence in the amulet she successfully evades The Warden and Morrigan, whether The Warden killed her in Ferelden or not.

After a brief discussion, in which she immediately notices the union between Anders and Justice, Flemeth gives Hawke a piece of advice about the future and the big changes that are coming regarding the Mage revolution and events that will follow. Something that Flemeth, Morrigan and Sandal all seem to be in agreement with. Turning into a dragon once more, Flemeth takes flight, her destination and plans unknown.

Design

In Dragon Age: Origins, Flemeth was designed to look like an unsuspecting "old hag who talks too much." This made her power as a mage unsuspecting until she actually used it. However like the majority of people, places and things in Dragon Age II, Flemeth was redesigned, ironically to look more like her daughter Morrigan. Her mage clothing and eye color now are almost identical.

The first time Hawke meets Flemeth in Dragon Age II during their escape of Lothering, The Warden, Alistair and Morrigan have only recently set off on their journey to defeat the Blight. Flemeth is yet to meet The Warden again but is in her newly design body. This means that when The Warden does meet Flemeth, it is to be assumed that she would be in her Dragon Age II body, her Dragon Age: Origins design replaced.

Trivia

Flemeth is voiced by Kate Mulgrew, who among many different roles, is noted for her portrayal as Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager. Mulgrew provided her voice for the first Dragon Age II trailer which depicted the main character Hawke taking on a Qunari. Flemeth's new design briefly appeared for the first time in the trailer for a split second.

"There are men who struggle against destiny, and yet achieve only an early grave. There are men who flee destiny, only to have it swallow them whole. And there are men who embrace destiny, and do not show their fear. These are the ones that change the world forever."