Gender: Female
Class: Mage, maleficar
Specialization(s): Elemental, Blood Magic, Spirit Healing
Family:
- Malcolm Hawke (father)
- Leandra Amell (mother)
- Bethany Hawke (sister)
- Carver Hawke (brother)
- Gamlen Amell (maternal uncle)
- Charade Amell (cousin)
Relationships with Companions
About
Blind at birth, she was coddled and spoiled her entire childhood. She was never severely punished when she was wrong, though she always had a strong sense of justice--excluding herself. Ophelia always received what she wanted without giving much or anything in return, and that made some of the children in Lothering jealous. Her hostility toward strangers kept others at a distance, but she was always the first to see an opportunity. She was humble and kind whenever it would benefit her, and was rather charming to those she was familiar with.
Ophelia and Bethany would often go on training adventures with their father, leaving Carver and Leandra at home. He would feel anxious and jealousy over his father's love while they were on these outings, but when they returned he forgot about his feelings. The siblings would often play together in the woods outside the village and, upon Carver's request, be home by nightfall. It was Bethany's pushes that made Ophelia so outgoing, despite her blindness. Ophelia would wish something, and Bethany was overjoyed to make it happen--in an exciting way.
It was because of a mishap on one of these ventures into the forest that Ophelia met Myrmar, a hunger demon. She and Bethany were stranded on a lake shore, washed away by a rapid river. Bethany was unconscious, and Ophelia didn't know where she was. She could not see her surroundings and was struggling to figure out what to do next. That was when a demon appeared before her, the hunger demon, Myrmar.
The demon offered her a deal: let me feed on your blood twice a year and I shall let you use my eyes. It did not need to use magic on her, it knew she would take the deal. And she did.
With the aid of Myrmar, she carried her sister home by the following sunrise. Ophelia could now see. Even if it was a wispy demon's vision, the luxury of sight was delicious and she reveled in it.
Malcolm was suspicious of his daughter's sudden ability to see, and assumed it was the work of a demon right away. He questioned her, but Ophelia did not explain herself. Even though she had received her vision, Malcolm was too used to spoiling his daughter. He did not question any further, and neither did anyone else.
The years after Ophelia gained the ability to see drastically changed her. She became more goal oriented, with a growing obsession to get rid of things that stood in her way. She was more adventurous, outgoing, and honest. Both her charm and sense of opportunity swelled. She learned how to get what she wanted, without relying on pity. It was as if the ability to see granted her a new chance at life, one she would never have been able to live.
Ever since the incident with Myrmar, Ophelia kept her word, and she was continually granted the demon's eyes. After years of being together, their regard for each other became mutual--each thought the other like a business partner. After spending so much time in contact with the humans, Myrmar began to realize how much the ability to see meant to Ophelia.
After Ophelia and her family escaped Ferelden for the Free Marches, she began to practice blood magic with the help of Myrmar. Due to her lack of vision Malcolm had taught her spirit healing, but she wasn't willing to learn such a passive branch of magic after she was able to see. Instead, she began to study elemental magic on her own, in the libraries of Denerim.
It was only when Carver caught the taint did she learn the importance of the healing magics. She gave him to the Grey Wardens and tucked her feelings away. She began studying spirit healing very soon after that.
After her dealings with demons was found out, her relationship with her companions became sour. For a while it was just Ophelia in the team, summoning Myrmar as a distraction while she used her heavy damage spells. As time went by, she eventually gained her companions' trust once more.
Her views on the Circle are complicated. She supports both mages rights and the templars. She understands the plight mages have every day, but she also knows how dangerous demons can be, having to deal with one constantly. She believes the Circle is necessary, but there are certain mages that simply do not belong in the Circle, like her father.
