I’ve never been a fan of the this character doesn’t exist unless the Player Hand of God bestows life on them type of gameplay.
Which is why I loved that Origins didn’t do that. All the origin stories are still canon no matter which one you choose.
Didn’t play as a City Elf or a Human Noble? Doesn’t matter, those events still happened and the guards at Howe’s estate will still talk about “the elves to broke in here” and some of the guards will still allude to the “take over” at Highever. And you will still see the battered body of Ser Gilmore in Fort Drakon.
Didn’t play as a Mage? Doesn’t matter. The event with Jowan still happened. He still managed to escape and get caught up in Loghain’s plot. And the Warden will encounter him no matter their Origin.
Didn’t play as a Dwarf Noble? Doesn’t matter. What happened to Aeducan will be eluded to (though the character gets defaulted to male for some reason). And you will still find Gorim in Denerim selling DWARVEN CRAFTS! FINE DWARVEN CRAFTS! DIRECT FROM ORZAMMAR!
Didn’t play as a Dwarf Commoner? You will still encounter Leske imprisoned in the cell in the Carta Hideout. Along with a dead body. That Leske talks about as his friend who didn’t make it.
Didn’t play as a Dalish elf? Well, during Witch Hunt, Ariane will talk about encountering a fellow clan where two hunters found a mirror - one got sick and died, while the other vanished. Not to mention that Hawke will meet up with the Warden’s clan in Dragon Age 2.
The details might change, but the overall story is still there. Tabris will break in or be taken into the Arl’s estate. The attack on Highever still happens. Mahariel still got sick from the eluvian. Surana and/or Amell still helped Jowan trying to escape. Aeducan will still get exiled to the Deep Roads. Brosca will be taken by the Carta. All of those things are canon.
So that’s what I’m headcanoning for DA:I. The other characters were still at the Conclave. All you did as the player was pick who survived, like in Origins. Cadash and Lavellan still went there to spy. Adaar still went there with their mercenary group to acts as enforcers/guards. Trevelyan still went there either as a Templar recruit or a mage from the Circle.
Their stories are valid. They still existed. And they could potentially have been the Inquisitor if fate (or the player) had willed it.
It is a shame that this didn’t continue in later games. Inquisition never did this. It would’ve been cool of each and every origin was alluded to in the game, but that never happens. Your origin or the other origins are barely mentioned.
And the main catalyst that set everything in motion? In Origins you play through Ostagar, but in Inquisition? It’s a fancy little title screen. Which honestly, for me, meant that the game started with disappointment. I wanted to play through that