You’re standing at the gates of the Winter Palace. Your armor is gone, replaced by a stiff, red Orlesian formal suit that probably costs more than a small village in the Hinterlands.
If you've played Dragon Age: Inquisition, you know this moment. Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts isn't just a quest; it's a gauntlet. It is the most polarizing mission in the game because it stops being an RPG about hitting dragons with sticks and suddenly becomes a high-stakes social thriller where your "Court Approval" meter is the only thing keeping you from a "Game Over" screen.
Honestly? It's stressful.
The first time I ran through Halamshiral, I lost points every five seconds just for jumping. Apparently, Inquisitors aren't supposed to hop around like rabbits in the middle of a grand ball. Who knew? But once you look past the rigid etiquette, you realize this is the pivot point for the entire Third Blight-era narrative. You aren't just choosing a leader for Orlais; you’re deciding the fate of the elven people, the stability of the Chantry, and whether or not Corypheus has an empire to feast on.
The Court Approval Trap
Most players fail at the social game because they treat it like a combat encounter. You can't just barge in.
The Court Approval mechanic is a fickle beast. If it hits zero, you're kicked out. If you're playing as a Qunari or an Elf, you start at a disadvantage because the Orlesian nobility is, frankly, incredibly racist. You’re already fighting an uphill battle before you even speak to Empress Celene.
Why You Keep Losing Points
It's the little things. If you stay out of the ballroom too long exploring the gardens or the library, your approval ticks down. Why? Because you're being "fashionably late" until you’re just plain rude. Orlesians value presence. If you aren't seen, you don't exist.
Wait for the second bell. Not the first. Not the third. If you enter after the second bell, the game rewards you for perfect timing. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s the difference between starting the night as a respected guest or a social pariah.
And for the love of Mythal, stop jumping. Every time you jump in a public area, you lose 5 points. I've seen players tank their entire run because they couldn't stop spamming the spacebar.
📖 Related: FC 26 Web App: How to Master the Market Before the Game Even Launches
The Three-Way Tug of War: Celene, Gaspard, and Briala
This is where the real meat of the quest lies. You have three main players, and none of them are "good" people in the traditional sense.
Empress Celene is a patron of the arts and a diplomat, but she’s also someone who burned an entire elven alienage to the ground to prove a political point. She’s stable, but at a bloody cost.
Grand Duke Gaspard is a soldier. He hates the "Game." He wants Orlais to return to its roots of military conquest. He’s honest, but his honesty will probably lead to a massive war with Ferelden or Nevarra.
Briala is the wild card. She’s Celene’s former lover and the leader of an elven spy network. She doesn't want the throne—she wants leverage.
The "best" ending is subjective, but if you're looking for the most stable outcome for the Inquisition, forcing a truce is often the go-to. However, the game doesn't make this easy. To get the "Public Truce," you need to find specific blackmail on all three of them.
The Hall of Bellies and Hidden Statues
To get the leverage you need, you have to find Halamshiral's Halla Statues. There are 10 in total. You cannot open every door in a single playthrough. This is a design choice that drives completionists insane.
If you want the best lore, you save your statues for the Empress’s private quarters or the lower library. If you want the blackmail, you head for the vault. Most people waste their statues on the first door they see. Don't do that. Save them.
You’ll find a hidden stash of "Caprice Coins" too. Tossing these into the fountain in the garden gives you a slight boost to Court Approval. It’s a literal "pay to win" mechanic for social standing.
👉 See also: Mass Effect Andromeda Gameplay: Why It’s Actually the Best Combat in the Series
Morrigan’s Return and the Fade’s Influence
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the Witch of the Wilds in the ballroom.
When Morrigan shows up, the tone shifts. She isn't there to dance; she’s there because she knows that a Tevinter cultist, Grand Enchanter Fiona (if you sided with the mages) or a generic Venatori agent, is messing with the Empress’s inner circle.
The quest takes a dark turn into the "Royal Wing." Suddenly, the music fades, and you’re back to fighting rifts. This transition is jarring but necessary. It reminds you that while these nobles are arguing over who sits on a gold chair, the world is literally ending.
Finding the Red Jenny Caches
If you brought Sera along, you’ve got a side quest to find Red Jenny caches. It’s a great way to see the palace from the perspective of the servants who actually keep the place running. It’s a sharp contrast to the glitter of the ballroom. These caches provide decent loot, but more importantly, they offer a grounded perspective on the "Grand Game." To the servants, the nobles are just "nobs" playing with lives like they're chess pieces.
The Confrontation: Who Lives?
At the end of the night, you’re forced into a showdown. You’ve found the assassin. You’ve found the blood magic. Now, you have to decide who walks away.
- Support Celene: Orlais stays the same. The status quo is preserved.
- Support Gaspard: Orlais becomes a military powerhouse, but at the cost of internal peace.
- Support Briala (through a puppet): You can have Gaspard executed and force Celene to share power with Briala, or have Briala rule through a disgraced Gaspard. This is the "pro-elf" ending, but it’s fragile.
- The Truce: You walk out onto the balcony, reveal everyone’s dirty laundry, and force them to work together for the Inquisition. It feels powerful, but the ending slides suggest this peace doesn't last long.
The most satisfying moment for many is letting the assassin attack, then stepping in at the last second. It gives you maximum leverage. It’s cold. It’s Orlesian.
Expert Tactics for a Perfect Run
If you want to finish with 100/100 Court Approval—which nets you a specific achievement and better rewards—follow this path:
First, talk to everyone. Every noble with a name has something to say. Use the "investigate" options.
✨ Don't miss: Marvel Rivals Emma Frost X Revolution Skin: What Most People Get Wrong
Second, find the Great Library. There’s a puzzle involving urns and fire. Solving it gives you a massive chunk of "Evidence" that you’ll need later.
Third, listen to the "Whispers." Throughout the palace, you'll see glowing circles on the floor. If you stand in them and use your search ping, you can overhear conversations. Take this gossip back to Leliana. She’s stationed in the courtyard and acts as your spymaster for the night. Turning in bundles of secrets is the most reliable way to keep your approval high while you’re off exploring the "forbidden" areas.
The Boss Fight: Florianne
Grand Duchess Florianne is the real threat. If your approval is high enough (85+), you can actually talk her down without a fight. You "dance" her into a corner, politically speaking, and have her arrested.
It is infinitely more satisfying than a boss fight. Watching the leader of the local Venatori cell get dragged away in handcuffs because you out-maneuvered her at a party is the peak Dragon Age experience.
If you do have to fight her, she’s a typical rogue. She teleports, she uses stealth, and she has annoying archer adds. Bring a party with good crowd control. Blackwall or Cassandra are essential here to keep the aggro off your mages while you navigate the tight arena.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
To truly master Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, you need to change your mindset. Forget the combat stats for an hour. Focus on the narrative layers.
- Bring the right party: Solas and Sera have the most unique dialogue here. Solas loves the Fade-related lore, while Sera hates everything about the palace. Their bickering is top-tier.
- Equip the "Circle" or "Inquisition" formal wear: Don't worry about your armor stats until you enter the Royal Wing. Stay in your formal attire to maintain the immersion (and avoid some weird visual glitches in cutscenes).
- Prioritize the "Secrets" Perk: Before starting the quest, spend an Inquisition Perk point on "Underworld Knowledge." This opens up extra dialogue options with several nobles that can bypass difficult social checks.
- Keep a save before the Ballroom: The game is notoriously buggy during this quest. Sometimes the "bells" don't trigger correctly, or a Halla statue might clip through the floor. Keep a backup save just in case.
The Orlesian Court is a viper's nest. But if you play your cards right, you'll walk out of the Winter Palace with an army at your back and the most powerful nation in Thedas in your pocket. Just remember: stay away from the jumping. Seriously.