Meredith. "I will not tolerate disobedience!"
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"Blessed are those who rise against evil and corruption and do not retreat!"

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Race

Human

Gender

Female

Class

Warrior

Specialization

Templar

Rank

Elite boss

Title

Knight-Commander of Kirkwall

Place of residence

The dungeons, Hall of Templars

Voice acting

Jean Gilpin

Knight-Commander Meredith Stannard is a native of Kirkwall. Orphaned, she joined the Order of Templars at a young age, and with desperate determination forged her path to power. Among her achievements is the overthrow of the previous appointee, Perrin Threnhold, who attempted to expel the templars from the city in the year 9:21 of the Dragon. At that time, Meredith, leading a squad of templars, infiltrated the fortress and captured Threnhold. Soon after, Meredith was appointed as the Knight-Commander of the templars. Meredith ruled the order with an iron fist, with the help of Lady Elthina of the Chantry. Few doubt that her influence solidified the position of the templars and that Meredith herself appointed the new appointee.

First encounter with Meredith.

If you support Meredith at the beginning of Chapter 3 and then assist the templars in the quest On the Loose, you will have the opportunity to ask Meredith why she hates mages so much when you receive the quest Serving Cold. It turns out that in her childhood, her sister exhibited magical talent, but the family refused to send her to the Chantry. One day, a demon possessed her sister, turning her into an abomination. The entire family was killed, and only Meredith survived. Eventually, the templars reached her sister, but by then she had killed 70 villagers. All of this forced Meredith to reconsider her views on magic, and that’s why she now believes that magic should be perceived by people as a curse.

Role in the story

At the beginning of the game, Meredith is the acting Knight-Commander of Kirkwall and has already imposed a ban on allowing refugees from Ferelden (among whom were Hawke and his companions) into the city. The Knight-Commander closely monitored the Circle mages, and the templars took harsh measures to protect against renegade mages. Meredith was a real political force in Kirkwall; even the appointee was afraid to act against her will. Meredith was obsessed with the mad idea of controlling mages, and for this, she was willing to turn a blind eye to numerous abuses by templars against mages. She saw the very existence of magic and mages as a threat to the population as a whole.

During the Qunari invasion of Kirkwall, Meredith joined forces with Hawke and First Enchanter Orsino to reach the appointee’s fortress. After the issue with the Arishok was resolved, Meredith proclaimed Hawke the Champion of Kirkwall.

Meredith reluctantly proclaims the new Champion.

After the expedition of Hawke, Bartrand, and Varric into the Deep Roads, Meredith somehow obtained most of the idol they found. A sword was forged from this idol for her, but the unknown variety of lyrium from which the idol was made drove her mad just like Bartrand. This only intensified her paranoia and prejudices against mages. As a result, her enmity with First Enchanter Orsino escalated significantly over the three years that followed the death of appointee Marlowe Dumar. Meredith declared martial law in Kirkwall and suppressed all attempts to elect a new appointee. She went so far as to cite the death of the Champion's mother as justification for staying vigilant.

After Anders, in an attempt to free mages, destroyed the Chantry (quest The Last Straw), Meredith declared the Right of Annihilation over the Circle of Mages, even though the Circle was not involved in all of this (since Anders was a renegade mage and was not part of the Circle). The Champion will have to choose whom to support: the Knight-Commander or the First Enchanter.

No important event in the city escapes Meredith's notice.

Regardless of whose side Hawke takes, Meredith will later accuse him/her of orchestrating a grand conspiracy and even attempt to put them to death. Following this, Knight-Captain Cullen, who had previously supported her harsh methods, deemed Meredith's madness to have crossed all boundaries and ordered her to step down. This further drove her insane, and now she began to accuse her subordinates of having succumbed to the influence of blood magic.

After this, Meredith pulls out the sword forged from that very lyrium idol found during the expedition into the Deep Roads. The sword grants her superhuman abilities as well as the ability to animate statues; nonetheless, the Champion and their companions defeat her. In the heat of battle, Meredith questions whether she is right, but her doubts quickly dissipate. Eventually, her sword shatters, and Meredith perishes, turning into lyrium. It was implied that the sword made from the lyrium idol drove her insane just like Bartrand.

Ironically, Meredith's attempt to oppress mages provoked uprisings of other Circles of Mages in Thedas: learning of the events in Kirkwall and the abuses of the templars, mages rose up in rebellion.

And it's not just mages who can become possessed.

Dialogues and Quotes

  • (from the codex) "I sympathize with mages. They bear a terrible curse that threatens not only them but those around them. We give them freedom, risking hour by hour that their power will spiral out of control."
  • (addressing Orsino) "If you cannot offer another way, do not label me a tyrant!"
  • "I will not tolerate disobedience! You have forgotten your duty!"
  • "You recognize it, don't you? Pure lyrium, straight from the Deep Roads. That dwarf was well compensated for it."

During the final battle (quest The Last Straw)

  • "Blessed are those who rise against evil and corruption and do not retreat!"
  • "Maker, grant your servant strength against evil!"
  • "Not only do they inflict suffering! In addition to wounds, we must endure insults! Release the mages? Give them freedom? And they will use it to destroy everything dear to us! No! This cannot be allowed! I will stop it! Do you hear me, Champion? I will crush you!"
  • "Can evil be so powerful? Maker, help your servant. Please tell me what to do! But what if... I am wrong? Maybe all of this is madness? ... No! I must be vigilant!"
  • "My own knight-captain has fallen under the influence of blood magic. You have all fallen under its influence! You are pathetic! Mages are controlling you, turning you against me! But I need no one! I will save the city myself!
  • "I cannot be defeated! Maker! Help your servant!"

Opening scene of the game. To the right is Meredith.

Interesting Facts

  • David Gaider personally crafted the character of Meredith for Dragon Age II.
  • Meeting Meredith is an integral part of achieving the "High-Ranking Friends" achievement (as is meeting First Enchanter Orsino, appointee Marlowe Dumar, and Lady Elthina of the Chantry).
  • Meredith is one of the two figures featured in the game's opening scene (the other being First Enchanter Orsino).

*Author's translation.

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