I'm currently playing through Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts and I just came across this comment Cole makes about Cullen if you bring him. It kind of makes the whole nobles hounding him thing a bit depressing. Just thought I'd post it here since it's pretty easy to miss. You have to ask Cole if he's seen anything, and he has a couple of other lines not Cullen-related that he cycles through as well.
Spoiler
Poor Cully-Wully.
I...don't get it. Can someone explain what this means?
Hopefully it's just the area then. I still have a few things in other areas before I head to the Exalted Plains, so maybe my luck will be better.
I found that the storm coast is insane when it comes to banter (at least in my game). I could get there up to 5 banters in 20 minutes of gameplay. Not sure why triggers are so sparse in some of the others.
Hopefully it's just the area then. I still have a few things in other areas before I head to the Exalted Plains, so maybe my luck will be better.
I haven't started my game in a while, so it hasn't been updated, but before the second patch (and even the first patch) the only area I had any issued with was the Western Approach. My party was silent, and the background music was lost shortly after traveling there. So, fingers crossed 
Go to Val Royeaux directly from the war table. If you get music there, your banters should fire normally in any other area
Oh, and just to note...the new patch has drastically decreased my banter in game. So...yeah, that sucks...
I found that the storm coast is insane when it comes to banter (at least in my game). I could get there up to 5 banters in 20 minutes of gameplay. Not sure why triggers are so sparse in some of the others.
Yep, same thing with me. I'd go to the Storm Coast, and all at once, everyone would become chatty 
Oh, and Emprise. I got a lot of banter there
I...don't get it. Can someone explain what this means?
Cullen feels harassed and uncomfortable because of all the attention he gets from the nobles.
The whole butt grabbing might sound funny (until you put yourself in his position)
Cullen feels harassed and uncomfortable because of all the attention he gets from the nobles.
But...what I don't get is "hunting him, following fear". Does he just mean that Cullen feels uncomfortable and they can smell it on him and that is why they keep harassing him? (I think the words "afraid" and "fear" are confusing me)....
She is. I guess it is due to the elven rebellion in Halamshiral, as well as Celene's and Briala's past that there is a position of elven ambassador. Still it is puzzling that such position exists considering how city elves are treated in Orlais.
I assumed it was because crushing them this time was going to be a lot more costly than trying to make peace.
Mostly, my feelings about Wicked can be summed up in: "that's it?" Because war is my favorite subject in historical fantasy, and the novel set up this huge war, left me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails to see chaos breaking out all over the place and giving me a great show of what war is really like in this universe (since DAO's "civil war" was a joke), so I was SO EXCITED for it - but then we get to the game and.... the war is over? Wait, what? We're just gonna timeskip ahead and handwave the entire actual war and reduce it to skirmishes among rebel groups in the Exalted Plains and some fancy exchanges of pleasantries at a ball? If you could see my face when I realised the great Orlesian civil war I was hoping for WAS SKIPPED OVER before the game even started. If you could see it.
Stolen Throne remains the closest I've got to getting a good war storyline in this DA-verse, and even that handwaves way too much. Even the super duper mage/Templar "war" was basically a handful of lunatics shouting at each other in the hills for five minutes before you killed everyone and moved on. Sigh. This universe hates me and will never give me a war proper, will it.
That's a pretty good summary there 
Tbh, I would love if the exalted plains tied somehow to the civil war and the Halamshiral arc. Maybe if you could proceed with the Wicked only after finishing a nice juicy plot in exalted plains? Pity we only fought with the undead there instead of getting hands on in the conflict.
But...what I don't get is "hunting him, following fear". Does he just mean that Cullen feels uncomfortable and they can smell it on him and that is why they keep harassing him? (I think the words "afraid" and "fear" are confusing me)....
Cole is always very blunt when describing feelings. The nobles pretty much cornered Cullen and are taking advantage of the fact that he can't leave, they obviously know it, it's a game to them.
The whole butt grabbing might sound funny (until you put yourself in his position)
Ahhh...I see...still. the word "afraid" is a bit...much...no?
Don't know why i am reading into this so much. It just seems misplaced. If we were in a circle tower on a mission and mages kept talking to him, I could seem him getting a bit freaked out cause of...past things. But it just seems like he would consider the nobles a bit ridiculous, not...afraid.
No big deal...just musing over Cole's take on it. I wonder if he is talking about something deeper. Maybe the masks reminding him of demons or something like that. Oh well...it is Cole after all...
But...what I don't get is "hunting him, following fear". Does he just mean that Cullen feels uncomfortable and they can smell it on him and that is why they keep harassing him? (I think the words "afraid" and "fear" are confusing me)....
Actually, that's exactly it. They're "flirting" with him because he clearly is made uncomfortable by it. That's a hellish situation to put an introvert in, and Cole may be reading his reaction very accurately since the victim in that sort of situation is powerless if he or she doesn't have the experience or personality to put an end to it in a way that embarrasses the h**l out of the people doing it. They are essentially on the scent of blood.
Sorry, but I have no patience for people who treat others that way. It isn't flirting if it's clearly unwelcome and the target can't escape.
Actually, that's exactly it. They're "flirting" with him because he clearly is made uncomfortable by it. That's a hellish situation to put an introvert in, and Cole may be reading his reaction very accurately since the victim in that sort of situation is powerless if he or she doesn't have the experience or personality to put an end to it in a way that embarrasses the h**l out of the people doing it. They are essentially on the scent of blood.
Sorry, but I have no patience for people who treat others that way. It isn't flirting if it's clearly unwelcome and the target can't escape.
Ahhh...this makes sense. No need to apologize! I can understand someone being very stressed being put into a position like that. i think my misunderstanding was from the misconception that Cullen kinda thinks nobles are a bit silly. But this would be a potentially intense situation for an introvert.
And, poor Cully...in jacket too tight for him on top of it! 
Ahhh...I see...still. the word "afraid" is a bit...much...no?
Don't know why i am reading into this so much. It just seems misplaced. If we were in a circle tower on a mission and mages kept talking to him, I could seem him getting a bit freaked out cause of...past things. But it just seems like he would consider the nobles a bit ridiculous, not...afraid.
No big deal...just musing over Cole's take on it. I wonder if he is talking about something deeper. Maybe the masks reminding him of demons or something like that. Oh well...it is Cole after all...
You aren't putting yourself into the mindset of a world where these are nobles in a country where it's considered acceptable for chevaliers, much less nobles, to do anything they want to a non-noble. They have all the power in this situation, and they're dangerous, not ridiculous. Insulting one could have all sorts of consequences, to the Inquisition, or eventually to Cullen himself since sooner or later he won't have the protection of the Inquisition.
Actually, that's exactly it. They're "flirting" with him because he clearly is made uncomfortable by it. That's a hellish situation to put an introvert in, and Cole may be reading his reaction very accurately since the victim in that sort of situation is powerless if he or she doesn't have the experience or personality to put an end to it in a way that embarrasses the h**l out of the people doing it. They are essentially on the scent of blood.
Sorry, but I have no patience for people who treat others that way. It isn't flirting if it's clearly unwelcome and the target can't escape.
Agree. Basically, he's being sexually harassed, and altho it's funny to us that he has these fans... the Orlesians aren't backing off and are playing for keeps. Cullen says several times that that isn't his comfort zone... and that's probably without the harassment.
Ahhh...this makes sense. No need to apologize! I can understand someone being very stressed being put into a position like that. i think my misunderstanding was from the misconception that Cullen kinda thinks nobles are a bit silly. But this would be a potentially intense situation for an introvert.
And, poor Cully...in jacket too tight for him on top of it!
No problem! I'm not sure that I think he thinks nobles are silly, though he clearly has little respect for them as people. But that doesn't mean he doesn't recognize their power (he's a Ferelden, after all, and his parents, at least, remembered the Orlesian occupation.)
You aren't putting yourself into the mindset of a world where these are nobles in a country where it's considered acceptable for chevaliers, much less nobles, to do anything they want to a non-noble. They have all the power in this situation, and they're dangerous, not ridiculous. Insulting one could have all sorts of consequences, to the Inquisition, or eventually to Cullen himself since sooner or later he won't have the protection of the Inquisition.
Again, excellent point! See...this is why I need you and ninetozero! You guys have a much better take on the social aspects of Thedas (politics, history, etc). I think I just see them as silly, and am assuming Cullen would as well. Like the woman in the garden during the first scene at Harimsharal...freaking out about a stupid ring. She seems silly. But then, the Dowager has mad power and could potentially ruin that girl's life over a silly ring. So in Thedas, it IS a big deal.
good points...
Actually, that's exactly it. They're "flirting" with him because he clearly is made uncomfortable by it. That's a hellish situation to put an introvert in, and Cole may be reading his reaction very accurately since the victim in that sort of situation is powerless if he or she doesn't have the experience or personality to put an end to it in a way that embarrasses the h**l out of the people doing it. They are essentially on the scent of blood.
Sorry, but I have no patience for people who treat others that way. It isn't flirting if it's clearly unwelcome and the target can't escape.
I so want to tell them to back off, he's with me. Give him a bit of breathing space.
I assumed it was because crushing them this time was going to be a lot more costly than trying to make peace.
I assumed that Celene would first strengthen her position (and hopefully eliminate her rival) and then try to work towards resolving situation with the elves. No doubt what has happened in Halamshiral had serious consequences, yet I don't remember whether we have heard about any new uprisings in other areas of Orlais. I am not arguing the whole plot, I just wish that there was more urgency to the elven unrest.
A few Cullen tarot cards by FightTheNothing at reddit: http://www.reddit.co...ernate_advisor/ (if you have a minute, go upvote their post or leave them a comment, please!)
Cullen (discourage lyrium)
Cullen (encourage lyrium)
Cullen (romance)
Such a cutie pie in that romance one... 
I so want to tell them to back off, he's with me. Give him a bit of breathing space.
I want to tell them that even when I'm not romancing him.
BTW, consider that Cole has said he can only sense people when there is some powerful negative emotion that he can sense and possibly help with. So Cullen's reaction may very well be genuine fear, even if it's social fear, if Cole is sensing it that clearly.
I also want to tell these little fuckers off, as well, since no one should be treated like this. I would gladly take a approval drop to do this to these nobles who are sexual harassing him.
Honestly...I always assumed the writers put this in as a shout out to us cullenites (in a funny way)! That is why I was so shocked to see Cole's line about it. It makes it all very dark (something I at first found funny). Then, when you think about the power nobles have, etc (as pointed out above), the whole scene now feels very different to me. And now I feel bad that Cullen has to go through it! 
http://www.deviantar.../C-15-489893451
link to sad Cullen pic for top of page...
he's being sexually harassed, and altho it's funny to us that he has these fans...
The only reason I can find humor in this scene (and I do still laugh about this every time I do the ball) is because I know it's a wink-wink nudge-nudge shout out to us. It's like yeah, I get it, Cullen has a bunch of Cullenites perving all over him, the writers are getting cute with us. But once you abstract the fourth wall-breaking inside joke with Cullen's fandom and start thinking about how the character himself actually feels in that situation.... yeah. It's funny until it isn't.
I assumed that Celene would first strengthen her position (and hopefully eliminate her rival) and then try to work towards resolving situation with the elves. No doubt what has happened in Halamshiral had serious consequences, yet I don't remember whether we have heard about any new uprisings in other areas of Orlais. I am not arguing the whole plot, I just wish that there was more urgency to the elven unrest.
Oh, I'm not disagreeing, I was just referring to Briala wearing a mask and attending as an ambassador. Since I didn't read the book, just a synopsis, the holes are probably a lot more apparent to those of you who did. Even with the synopsis, it feels a bit truncated.
I wish they'd allocated resources from the beginning to make certain the plots were treated in satisfying depth and left some of the areas a bit undeveloped and fill them in later with DLC content. Some quests I really liked, even if they were technically trivial - putting flowers on the grave of the wife of the elf from Redcliffe, I love that one. Hunting rams in the hills of the Hinterlands - don't I have soldiers patrolling all over the place who could do that?
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