Empress Celene I is arguably the most powerful woman in Thedas. No other nation rivals Orlais in wealth or power, and Celene is Orlais personified. Rumor and scandal surround the empress's rise to the throne, and it is difficult to separate truth from fiction. Celene is the daughter of the late Emperor Florian's youngest sister, and others in the family held stronger claims when Florian died. Court rumors at the time implied that Celene had her uncle assassinated then schemed against her older cousins to challenge their right to rule. —From Orlais: A Modern History, by Revered Mother Laeticia