^ I imagine my Inquisitor just shakes his head and laughs every time Dorian complains about the environment. It's so predictable after a time that it just becomes amusing.
"Well you did say to not kill anyone without you..."
"I did say that, didn't I? (Sigh.)"
I have dragged Dorian with me everywhere in my current game and I really can't recall him complaining even once. He did mention a stint of camping he did on his own trek south, but that was ages ago right after we killed Frosty. In my last Dorian-mance game, he complained all the time so I'm not sure what happened this go-round. I feel like I'm missing out.
In my games the complainer is Viv. The Hissing Wastes has left her with peeling fingertips and skin that will never be the same again due to all the sand in the air. I would've just told her to think of it as a free exfoliation treatment.
I was just running around the Emerald Graves the other day and Dorian made a sarcastic comment about how pretty the forest was. I love hanging with him and The Iron Bull, who's afraid of getting his shins wet. So between the two of them, I'm the only one who knows how to pitch a tent and light a campfire!
Dorian seemed to like my decisions in Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts
but it got me wondering about how he responds in the other endings. I know in this one he gets slight approval, if you reunite the lovers tho he gets great approval so what does he have to say in that instance? Does it set his romantic heart all aflutter? Does he say that bit about twisting an empire around your little finger in every instance?
I know in this one he gets slight approval, if you reunite the lovers tho he gets great approval so what does he have to say in that instance? Does it set his romantic heart all aflutter? Does he say that bit about twisting an empire around your little finger in every instance?
Not sure about his approval aspect, but I think he says the twisting line every time. Though, it might depend on how much court approval you finish with. He's always said it in my games but I've always had high/max court approval. It's isn't romance-specific, if that is what you are asking.
Not sure about his approval aspect, but I think he says the twisting line every time. Though, it might depend on how much court approval you finish with. He's always said it in my games but I've always had high/max court approval. It's isn't romance-specific, if that is what you are asking.
Nah I was asking cuz I wondered whether it was SPECIFICALLY tied to me putting Briala in charge. Cuz I think that might be the most 'twisting an empire around your little finger' decision available. Except maybe the blackmail one but that just seems like a bad idea. The approval info I got from the wiki.
Here is an art to make up for my posting...
SpoilerFrom hauvatiaene on tumblr. This artist has a series of companions fears based on the gravestones in the Fade. I do suggest looking at them all.
I really like the symbolism used with Dorian's and like the fact that they didn't use sex as I've seen on some tarot card pieces, which just seems trite for him at this point.
Not sure about his approval aspect, but I think he says the twisting line every time. Though, it might depend on how much court approval you finish with. He's always said it in my games but I've always had high/max court approval. It's isn't romance-specific, if that is what you are asking.
Here's what he says if you reunite Celene and Briala.
Here is an art to make up for my posting...
SpoilerFrom hauvatiaene on tumblr. This artist has a series of companions fears based on the gravestones in the Fade. I do suggest looking at them all.
I really like the symbolism used with Dorian's and like the fact that they didn't use sex as I've seen on some tarot card pieces, which just seems trite for him at this point.
I really like that one. Interesting choice to make the apple green instead of red though. I wonder why he chose that... maybe something to do with the fade?
Oh wow his one for Cassandra is perfect as well.
I was just running around the Emerald Graves the other day and Dorian made a sarcastic comment about how pretty the forest was. I love hanging with him and The Iron Bull, who's afraid of getting his shins wet. So between the two of them, I'm the only one who knows how to pitch a tent and light a campfire!
My husband refers to Dorian as 'gay Salvadore Dali'. Well, Salvadore Dali DID have a homosexual relationship so....Dorian secretly Dali?
Anyway, earlier posts have mentioned Dorian's apprehension about relationships, and as a gay man, I actually identify with a lot that he was going through and I really loved how his romance panned out. It honestly felt like I was experiencing what my husband dealt with through the eyes of my IQ and everything Dorian did and said was such a perfect reflection of everything I did and said.
Not wanting to delve waaaaay off topic and make this all about me, but you won't believe how hard it is to meet a man who wants more than just a casual relationship. Commitment is rare and hard to find that you really do give up hope and sell yourself short. I always knew I was attractive and desirable and I always knew that most men would like to sleep with me, but when I actually had a man say "Hey, it's not the sex I want. Let's start a relationship." I became really insecure. It was this mixture of shock, disbelief and a 'I have no idea what to do and is this even possible for me?'. Seeing it in Dorian made me realise just how incredibly foolish I was - assuming that my partner just wanted something pretty on his arm, assuming I make him look bad, assuming I'm doing him more harm than good. Of course these thoughts were irrational, but they didn't stop me from rejecting his proposal 3 times because I 'know' he's not thinking straight (heh) and doesn't know what he's getting himself into. That our love was dangerous, problematic etc because I had nothing in my life at all to compare it to since 99% of my relationships were purely sexual and dramatic.
So it's safe to say I'm relatively biased in how I really appreciate Dorian's romance. It's not a perfect hearts-in-your-eyes romance, but it has progression and character development on both ends. It actually deals with contextual stuff and sometimes romances in games dump all of that and get lost in the romance while ignoring external influences such as stigma, character, the fact that both characters had a life before the romance. Sweeping statement: I feel a lot of homosexual males who secretly wish they could be romantically content can identify with Dorian's reactions and emotions in the romance.
TL;DR, this screenshot sums up how some gay males feel when being told that someone actually wants your soul and not your booty:
^ That was amazing, and very nicely worded. Thanks for the perspective.
I feel like there needs to be more stories out there like this in reaction to the Dorian romance; a real, personal perspective that shows that the inclusion of the character is meaningful for a lot of people. (Although I can't blame you for not posting this outside of the relative safety of this thread.) David Gaider has mentioned that he's gotten personal messages along those lines, but I haven't seen too many on the forums.
There have been so many negative posts regarding his character being cliche and so forth, and as a fan of the character it has been upsetting and irksome to see that people really don't bother to delve beyond the surface. Although, to give an ounce of fairness, I think a lot of Dorian's nuance is revealed as part of the romance -- the insecurities and so forth -- and players who just aren't interested will never see it. And I've gotta say... I do kinda like that it takes work to see the other side of him, and that players who make the effort are rewarded for it.
Spoiler
Lol... All right, I do admit that my very first thought was of Snow White. BUT, in my defense my very next thought was of the "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," now commonly represented as an apple. As the fabled fruit of "temptation," this was probably the symbolism that the Grimms were going for when they wrote it, and also that the artist was going for in the piece. I do like that it's a green apple though. Dorian likes his Granny Smiths, I guess 
. Or I suppose it could be Fadey green... yeah, let's go with that.
(I know your post was in jest. And despite my reply, I didn't take it that seriously.)
*snip*
Well said. I no longer consider the relationship abusive but I do view it as a huge mistake, especially on Dorian's part. I also would consider it escapism. Something he's no stranger to judging by the WoT. It seems like the same old same old. Or it's getting worse. Dorian getting drunk and running off to an elven whorehouse....Dorian running off drunk and sleeping with a half brain washed Qunari. I wonder what he would sleep with next if he isn't romancing the IQ. And although Dorian seems happy with Bull later on, I hardly consider the relationship rainbows and poppy flowers. What does he desire to do other than hang out in South Thedas and have sex Bull? It's like the same ambition to save his country is just gone. Something he tells the Inquisitor is something he wants more than anything. It makes me wonder if by romancing Bull Dorian gives up on his countrymen and his desire to save his people.
But overall, that would never happen in my games. I haven't played in a long time and most likely won't anytime soon. But I'm okay with Dorian heading back to Tevinter to fight for it after being inspired by the Inquisitor.
^ That was amazing, and very nicely worded. Thanks for the perspective.
I feel like there needs to be more stories out there like this in reaction to the Dorian romance; a real, personal perspective that shows that the inclusion of the character is meaningful for a lot of people. (Although I can't blame you for not posting this outside of the relative safety of this thread.) David Gaider has mentioned that he's gotten personal messages along those lines, but I haven't seen too many on the forums.
There have been so many negative posts regarding his character being cliche and so forth, and as a fan of the character it has been upsetting and irksome to see that people really don't bother to delve beyond the surface. Although, to give an ounce of fairness, I think a lot of Dorian's nuance is revealed as part of the romance -- the insecurities and so forth -- and players who just aren't interested will never see it. And I've gotta say... I do kinda like that it takes work to see the other side of him, and that players who make the effort are rewarded for it.
You're welcome. 
I'm relatively new to the forum since it was only recently that I caved and installed Origin to get DAI, I'm a total Steam slave. It would be interesting to get a decent poll on how homosexual and heterosexual players view Dorian's relationship. I'd imagine that most people would simply see Dorian as stirring up drama of 'oh man, we shouldn't be doing this because I'm an evil Tevinter', but from my perspective that's a small part of it, a big part of it is romance anxiety. I had a habit of self-deprecation just to lob some excuses of why we shouldn't be together as a defense mechanism against my fear of being a really bad romantic partner and fearing I'm getting something I don't deserve or shouldn't have. It's a difficult concept to pull off and it does, as you say, require looking beyond the bare bones detail that you're given in the game. Heh, I tend to always fall for the misjudged character who needs extra effort to really get a proper understanding of.
In regards to your other post...granny smiths? Do I spy an Australian?
I'd imagine that most people would simply see Dorian as stirring up drama of 'oh man, we shouldn't be doing this because I'm an evil Tevinter', but from my perspective that's a small part of it, a big part of it is romance anxiety.
With Dorian it's all bound up together. If you haven't, I do suggest you read his World of Thedas Vol. 2 entry.
I had a habit of self-deprecation just to lob some excuses of why we shouldn't be together as a defense mechanism against my fear of being a really bad romantic partner and fearing I'm getting something I don't deserve or shouldn't have.
Dorian does this as well. In this thread we've talked about how he occasionally tries to give the Inquisitor an 'out.' It's obvious what he wants, and that he cares, but he presents this flippant attitude because he doesn't expect it to last, because he previously had no grounds for such an expectation.
Because same-sex relationships aren't an actual thing for one to aspire to in Tevinter, it's not something he really ever considered as a factor in his life. His future has been planned to the last detail since before he was born. Even if he had gone along with getting married and just had his guys on the side, kept it a matter of pleasure only, he wouldn't have been able to have the kind of relationship that he wants with another man in Tevinter. Dorian is a passionate guy and is the type to want to be himself completely, saying to the world, "This is who I am. This is who I want to be with." He would not have been able to be open in Tevinter. David Gaider said of Halward that his issue wasn't with Dorian's "homosexuality in and of itself," and that he would have had no problem with it had Dorian "agreed to marry as intended, and kept his homosexuality as a private conceit." But that's not who Dorian is as a person.
In the Dragon Age setting, and Thedas at large, same-sex relationships (being together as a couple, outside of sex) aren't really a big deal, even for nobility. Considering that one does one's 'duty' to their family, has the correct marriage and produces offspring to continue the line, they don't really care. In Orlais for example, one can be openly homosexual and have a known same-sex paramour -- at the Winter Palace one of the male party goers is introduced along with his wife and a male paramour.
So I think the root of his problems lie in Tevinter. If he had been born elsewhere he might not have had the same issues. If Dorian were, say, Orlesian, and his father still insisted on him getting married, the differing views on homosexuality in Orlais might have made a difference for him.
Finally, romance aside, I think being away from Tevinter has been good for him. Being around different types of people, who think in different ways, around whom he has been able to be himself, can only have had a positive affect.
(Don't mind my long-winded posts... I tend to get carried away when talking about this character. I've given a lot of thought to his reasoning and thought process.)
We have Granny Smith apples in the US 
.
You're welcome.
In regards to your other post...granny smiths? Do I spy an Australian?
Not a man but also not straight and I'm very happy Dorian exists. Explaining how I relate would take too much out of me 
^ Rofl... the look on his face in the ss is perfect for the line too... 
Humor aside, the tone of his voice when he says, "What is it you want from me, exactly? A relationship?" like he can't even believe the words just fell out of his mouth. Then he's actually speechless when the Inquisitor replies, "Is that such a terrible idea?" Gah, it's so hard to not pick this path every time because I know what I'm missing.
Happily, there are gif sets for that! Tumblr is good for some things after all... Whenever I see these things I can totally hear his voice in my head. It's so great.
Lol... All right, I do admit that my very first thought was of Snow White. BUT, in my defense my very next thought was of the "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," now commonly represented as an apple. As the fabled fruit of "temptation," this was probably the symbolism that the Grimms were going for when they wrote it, and also that the artist was going for in the piece. I do like that it's a green apple though. Dorian likes his Granny Smiths, I guess
(I know your post was in jest. And despite my reply, I didn't take it that seriously.)
I agree with your thoughts completely. The symbolism of this art is the Inquisitor is the forbidden fruit.
Also just going to put this out there, Dorian and The Seven Dwarfs would be dirtiest, sexiest novel in all of Thedas. 
^ Rofl... the look on his face in the ss is perfect for the line too...
Humor aside, the tone of his voice when he says, "What is it you want from me, exactly? A relationship?" like he can't even believe the words just fell out of his mouth. Then he's actually speechless when the Inquisitor replies, "Is that such a terrible idea?" Gah, it's so hard to not pick this path every time because I know what I'm missing.
Happily, there are gif sets for that! Tumblr is good for some things after all... Whenever I see these things I can totally hear his voice in my head. It's so great.
So this is what you get if you pick the "let's take it slow" option? Yeah, I can't do that.... Although, maybe I did once just to see what happened, then reloaded for the "it's about time" option.
I tried the take it slow option. It was good but I prefer the longing and apprehension Dorian has post sex. He's nervous, ready to bolt with his excuses yet he remains, hoping for more even when he doesn't want to hope for more. Oh Dorian!
I agree with your thoughts completely. The symbolism of this art is the Inquisitor is the forbidden fruit.
Also just going to put this out there, Dorian and The Seven Dwarfs would be dirtiest, sexiest novel in all of Thedas.
Dorian ends up living amongst a bunch of lyrium smugglers from the Carta after getting on the bad side of one of his potential suitors?
And she send a Crow to take his heart and place it in a box, but fails his take due to the powers of Dorian's seductive mustache.
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