Daughter of parents whose love story inspired a sea shanty, younger sister of the son set to inherit the family lands, Thomasin Cousland is looking for something to call her own. She's the picture of a dutiful daughter when her father talks politics or parades her in front of noble sons from across Ferelden, although if you cross her, Thomasin's tongue is renown for being almost as sharp as her sword, and her mother has taught her to wield both masterfully. She's fairly confident her parents are hoping for a match between her and Nathaniel Howe, which she wouldn't mind - the Howes are family friends, after all, and being Lady of Amaranthine would mean she gets to stay close to the sea. Although she's not as much of a sailor as the Mac Eanraig side of her family tends to be, Eleanor has always instilled in her children a love and respect for the water. Like both Thomasin and Eleanor before her, the sea can be beautiful if you follow her lead, or deadly if you ignore her warnings.
The overthrow of Castle Cousland and Thomasin and Duncan's close escape throws her out of her home in a way she never expected, stunned and betrayed. With nothing to go back to, Thomasin follows Duncan to Ostagar and agrees to take up the Warden cause, determined that Eleanor's final sacrifice should be for a daughter who also picks up her sword and fights. Raised to lead, her logical tactics and charismatic confidence end up serving her well as The Warden of Ferelden, although she doesn't give up her desire to get revenge on Arl Howe until the very end. (And although Amaranthine could have been hers after all, she and Alistair set their sights on bigger and better things.)
Alistair: content to follow Thomasin's lead at first, and a little nervous of pushing back based on his previous experience of nobility. However, as they warm up to one another (him, admitting his big secret, and her, letting him see her uncertainty behind the confidence she projects) they realize they work really well together...
Leliana: I think Thomasin would love having Leliana as a big-sister type role; Leliana is also someone who can be very soft and also incredibly dangerous.
Zevran: very class-clown coded here; sometimes Thomasin finds him endearing but most of the time she's a little irritated by him (he literally joined the party because he fucked up his one job so like. off on the wrong foot for someone who values competence as much as Thomasin)
Wynne: a little preachy and a bit too willing to accept misfortune for Thomasin's taste.
Oghren: if they didn't need as many people as possible fighting for their cause he would have been found dead in a ditch.
Bryce Cousland: Thomasin's father, the teyrn of Highever and former military commander.
Eleanor Cousland: Thomasin's mother, the teyrna of Highever. Her father, Bann Fearchar Mac Eanraig, was a famous raider, and Eleanor and her three siblings were raised on the deck of a warship. She is responsible for Thomasin's own fighting skills with a sword and shield.
Fergus Cousland: Eldest Cousland son, heir apparent to Highever.
Oriana Cousland: Fergus' wife, formerly of Antiva.
Oren Cousland: Fergus' son and Thomasin's nephew.