Merrill "At Any Cost!" (updated)
Race
Elf
Gender
Female
Class
Mage
Specialization
Dalish Outcast
Voice Acting
Erin Matthews - (Origins)
Eve Myles - (Dragon Age II)
Merrill is a timid, shy elf who has never seen urban life, let alone life beyond the camp perimeter.
From childhood, Merrill began studying the history of the Ancient Elves and was captivated by it from head to toe. As the Keeper says, Merrill knows the history even better than some old wise elves. Throughout the game, we see more and more of Merrill's stubborn character; it seems she moves through life with the mottos "never give up" or "live long, learn long".
Merrill's parents died when she was still a child, and her "second mother" became the Keeper. The Keeper, who loves Merrill like her own daughter, is willing to give her life for her.
In Chapter 3, Merrill takes a desperate step - to go to a demon in a cave and ask for help to restore the Eluvians. On their way to the cave, Hawke and his companions encounter the Keeper.
After you tell her about Merrill's idea, the Keeper tries to dissuade Merrill in every possible way, but she insists on her path and continues on. When you descend into the cave and approach the Idol, within which the demon should be trapped, Merrill does not find the demon. After that, the Keeper appears and says that she let the demon into herself so that it would not take control of Merrill and unleash an ancient evil from the Eluvians; the Keeper warns you that you must kill her to destroy the demon once and for all.
After the conversation, the Keeper transforms into a Demon. Having defeated the Demon, Merrill must kill the Keeper.
Once again, the Keeper proved her love for Merrill and finally reasoned with her at the cost of her own life.
Merrill or The First
Merrill was the First of the Dalish clan and had the respect and trust of the Keeper, who taught Merrill magic.
We meet Merrill in DAO in the Dalish camp. When playing as a Dalish elf, we lose our friend Tamlen, who found the Eluvian in the Elven Ruins and disappeared after touching it. After that, Grey Warden Duncan shatters the mirror so it will not cause harm to anyone again. This is where everything begins - Merrill, concerned about Tamlen's disappearance, decides to make a deal with a demon and study blood magic, with which she wants to restore the Eluvian. Given the circumstances of Tamlen's disappearance, the clan dislikes the idea of restoring the Eluvian, as it may harm others. However, Merrill, filled with the idea of restoring the history of the Dalish elves, decides to leave the clan and head to the grim, dark city with Hawke and his team to fulfill her thoughts and dreams.
Joining the Team
Let me take a look at you.
It all begins with an Amulet that Hawke must
bring to the Keeper at Flemeth's request.
Upon arriving at the Dalish camp, Hawke learns that he must take the amulet to the stone altar and perform the Dalish farewell ritual for the deceased. For this, the Keeper will send her First to aid, whom Hawke must take with him to the city after the ritual is complete.
Romance with Merrill
Merrill is, as we know, very shy and timid, but despite this, she is also romantic, sometimes making inappropriate hints; she loves to flirt, even though she is not very good at it.
Is this Love?
You can easily start a romance with Merrill, almost as easily as forming a friendship. You can sleep with Merrill (let's call things by their names) as either a male or a female character. In other words, Merrill falls into the category of bisexuals.
After the intimate scene, you can, like everyone else, suggest she move in with you. In this case, one problem arises. Merrill will move in with you, of course, but she often won’t be home as she will spend a lot of time in her hovel due to that damned Eluvian. She will completely refuse to move all her things into your house. Overall, she’s a terrible housekeeper.
However, there is one important thing: Merrill cares a lot about whom you support, the Mages or the Templars; being a mage, she naturally sides with the mages.
Merrill's Armor
In DA2, you cannot change the clothing of companions; you can only improve it. Merrill's armor has 4 upgrade slots. Upgrades can be bought in shops or found in quests associated with the companion you are upgrading. Upgrading armor unlocks the achievement "Friend in Need".
Merrill's armor upgrades:
Chapter 2: Dalish embroidery - Sundermount.
Chapter 2: Carved buttons from ironwood - Alyn's Crafting Shop, Sundermount.
Chapter 2: Silk lining - Jean-Luc's Clothing, Upper City.
Chapter 3: from the Pride demon during the quest "A New Path".
If you have a romance with Merrill, her armor becomes silver.
Gifts for Merrill
Chapter 2: Gallus statuette - bought in the Dalish camp at Alyn's shop.
Chapter 3: Keeper's Ring - taken from the body of one of the thieves who attack upon entering the camp.
Merrill's Backstory
"Watch your step, da'len."
The Keeper's warning is late - as usual - and I stumble over a rock, scraping my knees and tearing the skin on my palms on sharp mountain stones. Mital'enast! One day I will learn to look where I am going. Struggling to get to my feet, hands covered in blood, I look around.
We are there.
The mouth of the cave is unbearably horrendous, even for Sundermount, which seems to be trying to earn a medal for its horror. The Scariest Mountain in Thedas, probably. Mist billows from the darkness as if it is breathing, and the slope around it is bare. A gaping maw, consuming all life around it...
Bad vibes, Merrill. Think positive! At least the weather is nice.
"You feel it too, then." The Keeper's voice pulls me back to reality. She looks at me expectantly... which means I have forgotten something. I attempt to smooth out my tunic and manage to smear blood all over the front. Perfect. And I still don’t know what she’s waiting for - oh! An answer. Right.
"Yes, Keeper. The voice here is much louder." The whisper barely clings to the edge of my thoughts, and I can hear it if I concentrate. In the camp, I can only hear it in my dreams, and after waking, I forget the words. Only the memory of dreadful loneliness remains. Even the Keeper woke up in tears on the second night.
Come to me.
I flinch. That’s definitely the source.
"Follow me, da'len. And be on your guard." The Keeper disappears into the hungry maw of the cave. I take a deep breath and step inside.
The darkness is shocking after the sunlit mountainside. Like jumping into a pool of icy water on a hot day. My eyes adjust to the dimness, we pass through a narrow passage into the main hall, and I see... ruins. Light seeps through cracks in the ceiling worn by time and tree roots. So it’s not a cave after all? A temple or a tomb or... I don’t know what it is. Strange.
"Doesn’t look elven, does it, Keeper? Maybe Tevinter?" I look at the Keeper, who silently observes the arch with a reproachful frown I know so well. Poor arch. It hasn’t done anything wrong.
"If this place is a remnant of war, it does not matter who built it. It’s dangerous." The Keeper turns away from the arch, evidently losing interest. "If it’s not from the war, then who knows what it is, and it’s probably just as dangerous." I’m sure there’s a flaw in her reasoning, but it seems that in the midst of this shivering grave-cave isn’t the best time for arguments. She descends down short stairs into the temple below.
I trail after her, reassuringly patting the arch as I pass.
Come to me.
The voice comes from the far end of the temple, from the ugly statue of a large squatting... thing with too many arms and legs. Well, that’s not encouraging.
"Who calls us?" The Keeper demands an answer, standing tall. She looks as I imagine the elves of Arlathan might have appeared - majestic and wise, and the timbre of her voice says, spirit or not, I will smash you if there’s reason. Once she scolded a wild sylvan in that voice, and it slunk away, embarrassed. Well, as much as wood can be embarrassed, of course.
Help me.
Oh, that was definitely the wrong answer.
The Keeper, Maraitari, seems to swell, rising like a column of furious Dalishness. "Identify yourself! Or you will be left to your silence."
I am The One Who is Trapped. Help me.
"Your name!" I have never seen the Keeper so enraged. Not even when Tamlen disappeared.
Looks like that’s the magical code. Courage. Her voice like a winter wind, bitter and cutting.
"Demon." The Keeper spits out the word as if it’s distasteful. She nods to me: "Trapped in the statue. He is no threat to the camp." She turns to leave, satisfied.
Wait! I have been trapped here for untold ages. I have witnessed the fall of your kingdom. Help me, Keeper of the Dalish, and I will share the knowledge of everything I have seen. For a moment I see images of the world as it once was. An empire that stretched across all of Thedas, sparkling elven cities... All this could be yours.
"Let’s go, da'len." The Keeper calls. The vision fades.
I turn and follow her to the light.
(c) Translation by kapxapot
Art of Merrill
