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[Akrabra]

Playing through Dragon Age II again. Female hawke rogue with witty personality. Somewhere along the first year i began to think abit about the Viscount/ess position, what does it actually mean? How much power do you have? Is Hawke to young for it? etc. Also how will romances actually work as you take this position. 

 

If you romance Sebastian rivalry he will become prince and you viscountess, seems like the strongest option, also leaves a possibility for heirs. In a friendly romance you will have a chaste marriage, which doesn't really leave room for any children. What exactly is a chaste marriage? Can one kiss without it beeing a sin?.

 

If you romance Fenris and take become the Viscountess, would it have been accepted? Someone in that position with an elf as a lover? Also if they had children, would that son or daughter as a half-elf be able to become viscount?. 

 

Rest of the romances are kind of irrelevant to my general wondering.

 

 

[Aimi]

Somewhere along the first year i began to think abit about the Viscount/ess position, what does it actually mean? How much power do you have?

Like most "institutions" in an era of personal politics and charismatic authority, the position of viscount(ess) only has power because of the person wielding it. A person with a forceful personality, strong political connections, and native...abilities might be very dominant in a variety of ways, overseeing and orchestrating much of Kirkwall's politics and society. Somebody without that personality, connections, or abilities would find herself hard pressed to exert much influence at all.

The game doesn't make the office of the viscount's legal position particularly clear. Apart from control over the city's guard (promotions, appointments, and dispositions), limited control over the disposition of lands (e.g. the provision of the grounds near the docks to the qunari for their compound), and authority to make diplomatic agreements, we don't see much. It's difficult to imagine the office not being able to impose and collect taxes, but it's not clear to what extent that ability is circumscribed. And although we know that there are magistracies in the city, their relationship to the viscount is unclear.

[Han Shot First]

Regarding Fenris, I would think the Viscount would have to keep him secret. He'd basically have to be like FemWarden or Leliana in a playthrough of DA:O where either Alistair or the MaleWarden marries Anora,  but FemWarden or Leliana remains the newly crowned monarch's mistress. Given the amount of prejudice against elves in human lands, I doubt either the nobility or the commoners would be willing to accept an elf as their Viscount or Viscountess. And I would also think that any children born from a union with an elf would also be in danger were they ever to be crowned, assuming their elven origin is known.

[BronzTrooper]

You forgot Merrill and Isabela.  Merrill would probably be worse than Fenris, politically, simply because she is also Dalish.  And Isabela, well, she was/is a pirate and she's been... around, if you get my meaning.  Anders, well, he's probably dead if you're Viscount/ess.

 

As for age, Hawke is probably around 30 by Act III, so that's not really much of a problem.  The role of Viscount/ess is similar to that of an arl or teryn in Fereldan.  It's most likely inherited and really, do you think the nobles in Kirkwall would accept Hawke as Viscount/ess for long when they are with Fenris or Merrill?  Most likely, their relationship would be kept under wraps.  And if Fem!Hawke had a child, the only question would be, "Who is the father?"  If Hawke is smart, s/he will have a political marriage if they are with Fenris or Merrill and use that as a cover.  As long as the nobles don't know that Hawke had a half-elven child as opposed to a fully human one, no one will complain.

[Han Shot First]

 

As for age, Hawke is probably around 30 by Act III, so that's not really much of a problem.  The role of Viscount/ess is similar to that of an arl or teryn in Fereldan.  It's most likely inherited and really, do you think the nobles in Kirkwall would accept Hawke as Viscount/ess for long when they are with Fenris or Merrill?  Most likely, their relationship would be kept under wraps.  And if Fem!Hawke had a child, the only question would be, "Who is the father?"  If Hawke is smart, s/he will have a political marriage if they are with Fenris or Merrill and use that as a cover.  As long as the nobles don't know that Hawke had a half-elven child as opposed to a fully human one, no one will complain.

 

I think that is the smart route to go.

 

Otherwise Hawke faces a scenario where even if he or she is able to maintain their own reign despite it being plagued by scandal, his or her child likely never sees the throne. The Champion's heir would probably be murdered or overthrown not long after Hawke's death.

 

If Hawke wants to secure a dynasty I think he or she needs to play the game, and keep up appearances.

[BronzTrooper]

I think that is the smart route to go.

 

Otherwise Hawke faces a scenario where even if he or she is able to maintain their own reign despite it being plagued by scandal, his or her child likely never sees the throne. The Champion's heir would probably be murdered or overthrown not long after Hawke's death.

 

If Hawke wants to secure a dynasty I think he or she needs to play the game, and keep up appearances.

 

That's politics for ya!  

[draken-heart]

Thing that gets me is F!Hawke with Merrill or Isabela, or even M!Hawke with Fenris or Anders. And how that works as Vicount/Viscountess. Likely there would be a doubly important reason to keep it a secret, but Merrill gets caught by Act 3 anyways.

[Lavaeolus]

You forgot Merrill and Isabela.  Merrill would probably be worse than Fenris, politically, simply because she is also Dalish.

 

The whole "blood mage" thing doesn't help either.

[Han Shot First]

Thing that gets me is F!Hawke with Merrill or Isabela, or even M!Hawke with Fenris or Anders. And how that works as Vicount/Viscountess. 

 

Gay or Lesbian Hawke would probably have to do what historical monarchs who were probably gay did: they married someone from the opposite sex anyway and produced heirs and spares. 

 

Or maybe Kirkwall is more like ancient Rome than medieval Europe and people who are adopted are accepted as legitimate heirs. If so, Hawke could adopt.

[draken-heart]

Gay or Lesbian Hawke would probably have to do what historical monarchs who were probably gay did: they married someone from the opposite sex anyway and produced heirs and spares. 

 

Or maybe Kirkwall is more like ancient Rome than medieval Europe and people who are adopted are accepted as legitimate heirs. If so, Hawke could adopt.

 

From what I know of relations and nobility in Thedas, there is a pragmatic issue there. Same-sex couples can't have biological children, so the marry to reproduce is the only real option.

[Han Shot First]

From what I know of relations and nobility in Thedas, there is a pragmatic issue there. Same-sex couples can't have biological children, so the marry to reproduce is the only real option.

 

That depends on whether the nations of Thedas only recognize bloodline like the nations of medieval Europe, or whether adopted children can be recognized as legitimate heirs as well. The ancient Romans were only concerned with continuity of family name, and bloodline was not as important. The Roman Emperor Trajan for example was adopted as Nerva's heir, he wasn't his son by birth. 

[Akrabra]

Interesting, did not know that. Not really sure what the stance on homosexuality in Thedas is, to be honest. Some people seem very open with it, others not so much.

When it comes to the half-elf, the only ones i know about ingame is Feynriel and rumored Alistair, both look human and i guess it would be possible to make an half-elf viscount. 

 

From a "normal" perspective i would say that male hawke fits best with Isabela as a partner if he takes the throne and female hawke with Sebastian. But i like neither of those romances particularly well. Also the choice to go viscount in a romance feels lacking compared to queen consort or prince consort in Origins. 

[Han Shot First]

Interesting, did not know that. Not really sure what the stance on homosexuality in Thedas is, to be honest. Some people seem very open with it, others not so much.

When it comes to the half-elf, the only ones i know about ingame is Feynriel and rumored Alistair, both look human and i guess it would be possible to make an half-elf viscount. 

 

From a "normal" perspective i would say that male hawke fits best with Isabela as a partner if he takes the throne and female hawke with Sebastian. But i like neither of those romances particularly well. Also the choice to go viscount in a romance feels lacking compared to queen consort or prince consort in Origins. 

 

Even Isabela might have to be kept under wraps. Would the people of Kirkwall, particularly the nobility, accept a lowborn foreign pirate as their Viscountess? Hawke might be better off marrying the daughter of a powerful noble family he needs as allies, and keeping Isabela as a mistress. Isabela isn't exactly monogamous anyway, so she might be open to that arrangement.

[caradoc2000]

What exactly is a chaste marriage?

It is a marriage in which Hawke is a regular at the Blooming Rose.

[Akrabra]

A chaste marriage in Christianity is just saving one self for the actual wedding night, no?. Or is that just chaste before the marriage?

Curious as how this would work in the chantry.

[renfrees]

Well, the Viscount/ess Hawke disappeared a few years later, so that might particularly answer your questions about romances.

[Akrabra]

That it does, but i was thinking more from a lore perspective, not from whatever the Warden and Hawke is upto. 

[renfrees]

That it does, but i was thinking more from a lore perspective, not from whatever the Warden and Hawke is upto. 

From the lore perspective Kirkwall's nobility would frown upon any of 4 potential LI's. Hawke would have to adapt or concede the title.