Isabella. "I love big ships, I cannot lie"
I win because I play unfairly, kitten. I thought this was obvious
Race
Human
Gender
Female
Titles
Captain
Smuggler
Class
Rogue
Specialization
Duelist (Dragon Age)
Buccaneer (Dragon Age II)
Voice Acting
Mika Simmons (Origins)
Victoria Krueger (Dragon Age II)
Isabela is a true whirlwind of passions. She draws attention with her beauty and wild temperament. This stunning beauty first appears in the first part of the game. To start, we should remember her contribution to it. So.
Isabela hails from Rivain but has traveled extensively and has already visited numerous places throughout her not-so-long life. She was once married to the original owner of the ship "Call of the Siren" until Zevran killed him. She inherited the ship and seems to have no regret over her husband's death. She called him a "fat bastard" and seems quite fond of his killer, Zevran.
Men are like children...
Isabela learned a new fighting technique during her travels, relying not on strength but on speed. She successfully applies this technique against various warriors, calling herself a duelist.
You can meet Isabela in the "Pearl". The art of being a duelist can only be taught by her. There are two options: beat her at cards and "get to know each other better". After she teaches you the specialization, she will disappear from the brothel.
To beat Isabela, you need to be clever enough to catch her off guard or cunning enough to trick her. If Zevran or Leliana are in the party, they can assist the Warden. But only if the Warden has significant influence over them.
If the Warden decides to get to know her better, they must possess persuasive skills.
If the Warden is romantically involved with Morrigan, Leliana, or Alistair, they will openly disapprove of the Warden's decision, and Isabela will not sleep with them. However, if Leliana or Alistair are not only in a relationship but have also been "hardened" after their personal quests, they might be open to a "three-way conversation" (or even a four-way).
If Zevran is in the group, Isabela will invite him to join her and the Warden. Accepting the invitation will increase the influence over Zevran.
And what are you surprised about? We live only once!
Possible combinations:
Isabela-Warden
Isabela-Warden-Leliana
Isabela-Warden-Zevran
Isabela-Warden-Alistair
Isabela-Warden-Leliana-Zevran
From the aforementioned, one can conclude about Isabela's passionate and free-spirited nature. She does not shy away from same-sex love or orgies. She is used to taking everything life has to offer and seizing pleasure at any moment. Nevertheless, she has certain principles. She will never sleep with someone weaker than herself. This, of course, does not apply to paid love. Isabela is a regular at brothels. In Kirkwall, she even stated in one of her conversations that she has her services at the "Blooming Rose" paid for until the end of the year.
Dragon Age II
"Isabela is a pirate beast of two coastlines, four nations, and countless taverns. She excels with both dagger and word, and it's still unclear which will cause more pain. Isabela rarely stays in one place, but after her ship sank, she had to work in Kirkwall, taking on any job. This means that the rich and fools have a headache, and for Isabela, tricking them is pure pleasure. She is desired as much as she is feared, and she has many enemies. If you are her enemy, you will either fall to her dagger or kneel at her feet; for this girl, either option is a victory over a foe. As Isabela has lost her ship, she has yet to decide what position she finds herself in: cornered or not. Right now, she is simply enjoying her life."
Teaching the youth the wisdom of the sea.
In Dragon Age II, Isabela first appears at a tavern called "The Hanged Man," where she participates in a fight with several bandits. She will only show up after you recruit Anders into your party. Whether to recruit her or not is up to you. However, if you choose not to take her along, you will miss out on a lot of interesting dialogues and the chance to "deal with the kunari" in a good way.
Isabela is no longer a captain. Her ship sank near Kirkwall along with its crew. She ended up working for a smuggler in Kirkwall, but due to her fiery and free-spirited nature, Isabela managed to fall out of favor with the criminal leader Castillon. Castillon hired her to manage cargo deliveries, but the curious rogue soon discovered that the cargo consisted of refugees that Castillon was selling into slavery. She freed the slaves, and as punishment, Castillon ordered her to find a relic lost with the ship. Hawke can agree to help Isabela in her quest and also accompany her to meet with Haider, Castillon's subordinate.
As the game progresses, you'll learn what this relic was. It is a sacred relic of the kunari, called the Qunari Tome. It is because of the search for this book that the kunari remained in Kirkwall. They could not return home without the Tome, which was snatched away by the familiar dark-skinned woman from Rivain. After completing Isabela’s quest to find the Tome, she will flee, leaving behind a note apologizing for her actions. Her skin is more important to her, and if she does not bring the Tome to Castillon, he will take it from her.
Who among us caught whom?
If you have a great influence on Isabela (in any direction), she will return with the Tome and give it to the kunari. You will have a choice. Either hand Isabela over to the kunari to be torn apart (they didn't say what would happen to her, they only mentioned that she would have to face the Kun), or refuse to turn over your combat companion and fight the Arishok in a deadly duel. If you choose the fight, Isabela will return to your party in chapter 3 with the opportunity to continue the romance.
After the return of the Tome, the threat of Castillon's wrath upon our poor friend becomes more real. Isabela asks Hawke for help. They agree to set a trap for Castillon’s henchman, creating the illusion that Hawke is betraying Isabela and turning her over to mercenaries. After dealing with the captors, Isabela comes face to face with Castillon. For the retrieved papers on the slave trade, Isabela wants to get a ship. If this deal proceeds, Isabela will ask you to accompany her on the voyage.
Romance with Isabela.
Isabela is a woman of free morals, as I mentioned earlier. She is a romantic interest for characters of any class and any gender. You can flirt with her freely, even take it to bed, and then, when asked: "You’re not mixing in any feelings with this?" respond: "No, just for pleasure," thus continuing to seduce someone else with a clear conscience.
Just try to drop it!
However, if Hawke has slept with Isabela, this will come up in conversations with other characters. (For example, if you mention that Fenris dumped you in a conversation with Anders, the mage will state - but Isabela, as I see, has already comforted you.)
If you are interested specifically in a romance with Isabela, then continue along the line of love and feelings, flirt with her.
The romance, like with all characters, begins in chapter 1 (for a male character. For a female character - from chapter 2), after recruiting the rogue into your party. It continues in chapter 2 and, if Isabela returns with the book and you do not turn her in, will culminate in chapter 3.
Isabela doesn't care who you support - the mages or the templars; she will stick with you. She is interested in adventure and couldn't care less about rules and all that. She opposes slavery and can be said to sympathize with the mages, but she does not intend to do anything for them. Unless Hawke asks her to.
By the way, unlike other romantic interests, Isabela doesn't even think about moving in with you.
Gifts for Isabela.
Chapter 2: Wooden ship model - Smuggler’s Cave during the quest "Blackpowder Courtesy".
Chapter 3: Rivain Talisman - In Disused Passage in the docks.
Strengthen the defense!
In Dragon Age II, you cannot change companions' clothing; you can only improve it. Isabela's armor has 4 upgrade slots. Upgrades can be purchased in shops or found in various locations throughout the game. Upgrading the armor unlocks the achievement "A Friend in Need".
Hmm... or maybe better to tie a ribbon on the other arm?...
Upgrades to Isabela's Armor.
Chapter 2. Support Corset. (Gives Isabela an additional rune slot.) Jean Luc's clothing, Upper City
Chapter 2. Heavy Corset. (+38 Defense) Clothing Store, Lower City
Chapter 2. Sheep Wool Insoles (+2% Critical Damage): During the quest "Thief in Law"
Chapter 3. Cooked Leather Plates (Gives Isabela an additional rune slot.) Shattered Mountain. Quest to find the murderer of the crows.
If Isabela is in a relationship, she will update her outfit to include a black corset, adding embroidery to the hem, tie a piece of red fabric around her right arm, and also change her leather shoulder pad to a metal one.
From the world, a thread.
So big and so clumsy!
Isabela is not her real name.
In Dragon Age II, Isabela will remember the sexual act with the Warden at the Pearl, as well as its absence
Upon meeting Zevran in "The Search for the Crow," she will say: "You’re leaving already, what about sex?"
The base of Isabela is the tavern "Hanged Man", bar counter
Isabela responds excellently to Hawke's joking remarks, just like Flemeth and Varric.
If you take Isabela to complete the quest "Nightmares" in the Fade, she will succumb to the influence of a demon, admitting "I love big ships." For which she will later apologize. This might be a reference to the song Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot.
It seems that Isabela has a collection of erotic books.
Every time you enter the kunari camp with Isabela in the group, she leaves for "errands."
Isabela's Backstory.
The woman entering the Hanged Man is quite a sight - disheveled and unkempt - like a rat soaked in the hold for a whole week. Her torn, weather-beaten tunic is stained with soot from the Lower City chimneys, and although her boots are made of good leather, they are worn out and roughly patched in several places. However, she carries herself with pride, even provocatively, as she walks into the tavern as if it belongs to her.
"I was told this is a place to drink," she says, approaching the bar with a single intention. She slams half a dozen silver coins on my counter. "How much will this get me?"
"That should get you quite drunk," I reply.
"Then serve me liquor until the coins run out. And make it strong."
I wipe the chipped clay cup with my apron and fill it with the strongest brew in the tavern. She snatches it from my hand, not waiting for the filling, and downs it in one gulp.
"You needed that badly, huh?" I pour her another.
"You have no idea." She sighs and rubs her temples. "Oh, my name is Isabela, by the way. You can remember my name. I think I will stick around here for a while."
Soon enough, the stinking dockworkers start to show up. Isabela freezes, feeling a hand at the small of her back. The dockworker opens his mouth to say something but fails to do so. Isabela grabs him by the wrist, twisting his arm behind his back. He screams more from shock than pain, but Isabela quickly rectifies that by elbowing him in the back of the head and embedding his face into the wooden bar counter.
"Touch me again, and I’ll break more than that," she hisses into his ear. And then she breaks the fingers on the attempting hand. I hear the crack, a few disgusting pops, and a howl of pain. The dockworker scuttles off, cradling his hand and spitting curses.
"What?" she says, extending her empty cup for a refill, waiting for a comment, any comment from me. I nod toward her provocative attire - a simple shirt which she wears without a jacket or cloak, covering the bare minimum for decency. Wear something like that, and you’ll definitely attract attention, whether you want it or not.
"What? This?" She grasps the lacing of her corset, then lets out a short, bitter laugh. "I would dress up for you, but I left all my decent clothes at the bottom of the ocean."
While I ponder the essence of this remark, one of the Lower City thugs stealthily approaches the bar. He grins, his greasy lips curling around yellowed teeth in a grimace rather than a smile. "I’m Lucky," he says.
"Is that a name or a characteristic?" she asks, not looking at him.
"Both. If you're new to Kirkwall, you’ll want to talk to me. My boys and I know everything that goes on in this town."
"You know," Isabela says coldly. "I once knew a dog named Lucky. Annoying little mutt, too stupid to realize - bark a few more times and he’ll get a kick."
Lucky turns beet red and looks around at his buddies for support. His lads jeer and laugh, with no intention of backing him up, and Lucky backs down with his tail between his legs. Isabela plays with the clay cup, turning it this way and that, examining all its flaws. Her eyes narrow.
"Wait," she suddenly says. "If you know everything that’s happening in Kirkwall, maybe we should chat."
Lucky nods and grins. Isabela turns to him, and I notice a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"You see," she says, smiling for the first time. "I lost something in a shipwreck, and I want it back."
(c) translation by kapxapot
Original text and translation
Thank you for your attention ^^