14311 réponses à ce sujet

[Bruddajakka]

So how do things work among the shadier elements of surface Dwarf society? Men of Honor? Or typical Thieves Guild?

[Anarya]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Anarya wrote...

So hm. Can dwarves not have children with other races then? It makes me wonder why they haven't just intermarried with human society if dwarves like Varric are virtually no different from anyone else. Have they not been present on the surface for long, is it taboo, or are they just insular maybe?

Well, for one thing, dwarves have enough trouble with fertility rates when they're breeding with other dwarves. With humans or elves the odds drop to "miniscule." For the other, there's still a lot of family and caste based politicking that goes on among surface dwarves, and they frequently marry strategically, much like their Orzammar kin.

This seems puzzlingly maladaptive for any species, the infertility. Dwarves are like pandas?

Strategically advantageous marriage makes sense though.

[Mary Kirby]

Saibh wrote...

Plus, they're short! HA HA HA!

I think you forgot this.

You're welcome.

[ErichHartmann]

Mary Kirby wrote...


Well, for one thing, dwarves have enough trouble with fertility rates when they're breeding with other dwarves. With humans or elves the odds drop to "miniscule." For the other, there's still a lot of family and caste based politicking that goes on among surface dwarves, and they frequently marry strategically, much like their Orzammar kin.

But why are these fertility rates miniscule in your scientific opinion? 

[Anarya]

Now I'm wondering what a half-dwarf would be like and how in the world you would be able to tell one from just a shorter, stocky human.

[Saibh]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Saibh wrote...

Plus, they're short! HA HA HA!

I think you forgot this.

You're welcome.

So that's what they're called! Rimshots! Good god, I could never figure it out! I just called it the...metal drum tambourine noise. Damn it. Uh. Cymbals.

[Mary Kirby]

ErichHartmann wrote...

But why are these fertility rates miniscule in your scientific opinion? 

You know, maybe it's not healthy to live underground in a single population for generation after generation right on top of a pool of lava? You'd think breathing in the fumes from that would maybe have something to do with it...

So how do things work among the shadier elements of surface Dwarf society? Men of Honor? Or typical Thieves Guild?

Which shadier elements? If you asked Varric, (and depending somewhat on the day of the week) he would probably tell you that the Dwarven Merchants Guild was every bit as cutthroat and criminal (if not moreso) as any thieves' guild in Kirkwall. But he might be slightly biased.

Modifié par Mary Kirby, 13 septembre 2010 - 07:05 .

[Anarya]

Mary Kirby wrote...

ErichHartmann wrote...

But why are these fertility rates miniscule in your scientific opinion? 

You know, maybe it's not healthy to live underground in a single population for generation after generation right on top of a pool of lava? You'd think breathing in the fumes from that would maybe have something to do with it...

Yeah what's with that anyway? Was that the art department's idea? Dwarves are peculiar little dudes.

[Dave of Canada]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Which shadier elements? If you asked Varric, (and depending somewhat on the day of the week) he would probably tell you that the Dwarven Merchants Guild was every bit as cutthroat and criminal (if not moreso) as any thieves' guild in Kirkwall. But he might be slightly biased.

I can't... tell if this is a tease or not.

[Dave of Canada]

Anarya wrote...


Wait I didn't think dwarves had fertility problems, I just thought they had children less often for whatever reason. But I'm no dwarf expert.

Again, don't quote me on this..

I think it's the entire reason it's encouraged for them to sleep around (and probably why bigamy / noble hunters exist).

[Bruddajakka]

It is.

[Anarya]

Dave of Canada wrote...

Anarya wrote...


Wait I didn't think dwarves had fertility problems, I just thought they had children less often for whatever reason. But I'm no dwarf expert.

Again, don't quote me on this..

I think it's the entire reason it's encouraged for them to sleep around (and probably why bigamy / noble hunters exist).

Yeah right after I posted that I went "well then why the Noble Hunters?" and then had a facepalm moment when I remembered that dwarves in DA also don't have longer lifespans like Tolkien dwarves. Just ignore me

[Mary Kirby]

Dave of Canada wrote...

Mary Kirby wrote...

Which shadier elements? If you asked Varric, (and depending somewhat on the day of the week) he would probably tell you that the Dwarven Merchants Guild was every bit as cutthroat and criminal (if not moreso) as any thieves' guild in Kirkwall. But he might be slightly biased.

I can't... tell if this is a tease or not.

No, that was serious. Okay, well, mostly serious. Varric is in the Dwarven Merchants Guild, but they are the bane of his existence. They're much like the Assembly in Orzammar, only they don't weild political power. Not directly, at least. Varric hates sitting through meetings.

[Jarek_Cousland]

Ahhh so he's the Dwarven merchants guilds bad-boy then?



Sweet, everybody loves a good rebel >

[Anarya]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Dave of Canada wrote...

Mary Kirby wrote...

Which shadier elements? If you asked Varric, (and depending somewhat on the day of the week) he would probably tell you that the Dwarven Merchants Guild was every bit as cutthroat and criminal (if not moreso) as any thieves' guild in Kirkwall. But he might be slightly biased.

I can't... tell if this is a tease or not.

No, that was serious. Okay, well, mostly serious. Varric is in the Dwarven Merchants Guild, but they are the bane of his existence. They're much like the Assembly in Orzammar, only they don't weild political power. Not directly, at least. Varric hates sitting through meetings.

So does he run a shop (with a back room full of shady things) or smuggle transport goods or something or is that a spoiler? I hope he has minions. He seems like a guy who should have minions.

[Dave of Canada]

Anarya wrote...

So does he run a shop (with a back room full of shady things) or smuggle transport goods or something or is that a spoiler? I hope he has minions. He seems like a guy who should have minions.

Remember how he can summon women to fill his goblet with wine? Those are his minions.

[Anarya]

Dave of Canada wrote...

Anarya wrote...

So does he run a shop (with a back room full of shady things) or smuggle transport goods or something or is that a spoiler? I hope he has minions. He seems like a guy who should have minions.

Remember how he can summon women to fill his goblet with wine? Those are his minions.

No besides the wenches. Wenches are great for draping themselves on and around your person and keeping your goblet full but they're just no good for the other menial tasks you're too cool to do yourself.

[Dave of Canada]

Anarya wrote...

No besides the wenches. Wenches are great for draping themselves on and around your person and keeping your goblet full but they're just no good for the other menial tasks you're too cool to do yourself.

Blood Mage Wenches. They get the finest wines from consorting with Desire Demons and slitting their wrists to bring it forth into reality. They can also kill almost everybody and nobody expects the Varric Inquisition.

Modifié par Dave of Canada, 13 septembre 2010 - 07:26 .

[Mary Kirby]

Anarya wrote...

So does he run a shop (with a back room full of shady things) or smuggle transport goods or something or is that a spoiler? I hope he has minions. He seems like a guy who should have minions.

Varric has... well, he wouldn't call them minions. He'd say "contacts." or "People." He's the younger son in the Tethras family: His older brother is the head of the family and runs what could be called a small financial empire. They don't have a shop. They invest in shops. Officially, Varric is an idle younger brother in a wealthy household who spends most of his time hanging out in taverns telling wild stories while other people buy him drinks. Unofficially, he maintains a spy network with contacts throughout all levels of the city so he can quietly deal with the assassination attemps, scandals, and campaigns of industrial espionage that come along with being a family in the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

[nightcobra]

is varric on good terms with his brother or is it along the lines of Male noble dwarf / bhelen relationship?

[Anarya]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Anarya wrote...

So does he run a shop (with a back room full of shady things) or smuggle transport goods or something or is that a spoiler? I hope he has minions. He seems like a guy who should have minions.

Varric has... well, he wouldn't call them minions. He'd say "contacts." or "People." He's the younger son in the Tethras family: His older brother is the head of the family and runs what could be called a small financial empire. They don't have a shop. They invest in shops. Officially, Varric is an idle younger brother in a wealthy household who spends most of his time hanging out in taverns telling wild stories while other people buy him drinks. Unofficially, he maintains a spy network with contacts throughout all levels of the city so he can quietly deal with the assassination attemps, scandals, and campaigns of industrial espionage that come along with being a family in the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

So what you're saying is, Varric is prime sugar daddy material. And also a total badass. That's awesome.

[aimo_ahmed]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Varric has... well, he wouldn't call them minions. He'd say "contacts." or "People." He's the younger son in the Tethras family: His older brother is the head of the family and runs what could be called a small financial empire. They don't have a shop. They invest in shops. Officially, Varric is an idle younger brother in a wealthy household who spends most of his time hanging out in taverns telling wild stories while other people buy him drinks. Unofficially, he maintains a spy network with contacts throughout all levels of the city so he can quietly deal with the assassination attemps, scandals, and campaigns of industrial espionage that come along with being a family in the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

Dayum. Regular party member whenever possible throughout DA2? All signs point to yes.

Also, Mary, I'll be saving my fangirl tears in a tub for you to power your Coffee Machine when he turns out not to be an LI.

[Jarek_Cousland]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Anarya wrote...

So does he run a shop (with a back room full of shady things) or smuggle transport goods or something or is that a spoiler? I hope he has minions. He seems like a guy who should have minions.

Varric has... well, he wouldn't call them minions. He'd say "contacts." or "People." He's the younger son in the Tethras family: His older brother is the head of the family and runs what could be called a small financial empire. They don't have a shop. They invest in shops. Officially, Varric is an idle younger brother in a wealthy household who spends most of his time hanging out in taverns telling wild stories while other people buy him drinks. Unofficially, he maintains a spy network with contacts throughout all levels of the city so he can quietly deal with the assassination attemps, scandals, and campaigns of industrial espionage that come along with being a family in the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

Huh. Sounds like my Male Human Noble, I bet they'd get along fantasticly.

[Dave of Canada]

Mary Kirby wrote...

Varric has... well, he wouldn't call them minions. He'd say "contacts." or "People." He's the younger son in the Tethras family: His older brother is the head of the family and runs what could be called a small financial empire. They don't have a shop. They invest in shops. Officially, Varric is an idle younger brother in a wealthy household who spends most of his time hanging out in taverns telling wild stories while other people buy him drinks. Unofficially, he maintains a spy network with contacts throughout all levels of the city so he can quietly deal with the assassination attemps, scandals, and campaigns of industrial espionage that come along with being a family in the Dwarven Merchants Guild.

This makes him sound awesome. Yet, if he's a party member... wouldn't his spy network suffer due to being with Hawke at the time (although I doubt you can answer that)?

[Oblivious]

Varric: He's Han Solo by day and the Shadow Broker by night.



Tell me again, why isn't Varric the main protagonist?