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Rogues
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Tevinter Templar: The Retired Mageocracy Enforcer
Male Human Professional
Faction Represented: Tevinter
Basis of Recruitment: Plot point-of-contact once the Fugitive escapes Riviani and needs help in the Free Marches. Is the ‘political strategist’ of the effort, with contacts akin to (and including) Varric and Vivienne, and key to recruiting multiple companions. (Has knowledge of most significant groups/people, and requires the player to help save Seer.)
Sticks with the Party Because: Is working for interested parties, including elites of the Free Marches and Rivaini, to prevent a wider war. Also has a sense of personal responsibility for Seer, who is sticking around for the quest.
Backstory:
Tevinter Templar, being the oldest of the party and easily into his later 40s, has the longest life history- but most will know him for once being the Knight Commander next in line to lead the Tevinter Templars.
Once upon a time, he was a Tevinter Templar- the enforcers of the Magisterium. Tasked with stopping the abuse of magic, but more often simply a tool in the Magisterium’s mage politics of crushing rivals and threats, the Tevinter Templars have a well-deserved reputation for being brutes rather than knights. Too blatant to be called a Secret Police force, they are internal enforcers of the Magisterium’s will against anyone, or any mage the Magisterium labels maleficar. They were thuggish tools, and had a reputation to match- expected to overwhelm by sheer numbers of expendable bodies, and used almost as often against mundanes ‘threatening’ mages as they were rogue mages.
Tevinter Templar was first among a movement to try and change that. The reputation, not the mission. Influenced by the reputation, professionalism, and public faith that Templars had in the south, T.T. was part of a faction that sought to professionalize to the Tevinter Templars. Good order and discipline, better ethics and pride, but most of all an intolerance of corruption within their ranks, all to raise the quality of the Tevinter Order. Against widespread skepticism, T.T. and others argued that these improvements and a bit more autonomy to go after low-level offenders would make the Tevinter Templars more effective and useful for the Imperium’s Magisters. Despite fears by Magisters that they were making a play for power and to overthrow the Magisterium, the Professional Faction didn’t- even stopping a Magerister’s coup attempt that attempted to use more brutish Templars. Swearing loyalty to the magisterium, the Templars got more interest and political support from a would-be reformist faction of Magisters who, at the very least, wanted the Tevinter Templars to be less corrupt and less of an embarrassment for the Magisterium.
This period- before the events of DAO- was the golden age for the Tevinter Templars. T.T. himself became a rising figure in the reformation and professionalization of the Tevinter Templars- making them an efficient, effective arm of the Magisterium rather than thugs in armor. T.T. went south to study the southern Templars, learned what he could about fighting and tracking and investigation, and took it north. At home, they took these lessons and formed a secret police of sorts- spy networks, investigative practices, and a precision that made them more of a scapal than a club. The Tevinter Templars had always been feared, but now they had a trust and growing respect.
The Tevinter Templars were beginning to become an actual political factor with a rising reputation for opposing corruption- including by Magisters attempting to use them as petty enforcers. By the time T.T. became a senior Knight Commander in line to lead the order, the Professional faction was in shooting distance of taking over the Tevinter Templars entirely. They weren’t just the loyal enforcers of the despotic regime, but they were capable and professional enforcers. Tevinter Templar was a political actor, a mundane in the mageocracy that Magisters knew and non-Magisters often feared.
As the Tevinter Templars became more difficult to corruptly bend to the will of random magisters, the more powerful and influential the magisters who actually controlled them were. The Professionalism faction put great importance on obeying the orders of the lawful authority, which was the Archon and a few select Magisters of the oversight committee. Magisters fought for those positions- Magisters as corrupt as any other. During one power play, the Magisters ordered the Tevinter Templars to join the war in Seheron- supposedly to use their ability and training against an increase in Qunari Saarebas. The Professionalism faction disagreed but obeyed, and sailed to the war.
It was a disaster.
Quanri dreadnaughts intercepted the fleet with the Templars. Most never got to shore, and those that did were ill-suited for an actual war. The Tevinter Templars were professionalized in following the Magisterium and fighting maleficars, but not in open warfare. The Templars were quickly subsumed by the military, and were whittled away in failed attacks. Tevinter Templar uncovered that it treachery from the start by Magisters afraid of the Templars political power, and brought down one instigator- a Magister in a battle that left him wounded and captured by the Qunari.
Captured but still proud, T.T. prepared for interrogation or worse. Instead he- like the rest of the prisoners- were treated considerately. Qunari treat prisoners as potential converts rather than slaves, and Tevinter Templar was a valuable one. Politeness and reasoned discussion gave to back-and-forth debates led to two-way interrogations. Tevinter Templar was quizzed on how Tevinter managed its Templars and mages, led to offer how he’d do things if he had the power to choose, and even given a Saarabas of his own to demonstrate how it ‘should’ be done. Or how mages ‘should’ be used to wage war. All the while, his Qun handlers chipped away at his ideological loyalty to the Magisters- teaching him critical thinking to fight the Tevinter Propoganda, challenging his assumptions, and giving him a new viewpoint to play with and logically challenged.
Tevinter Templar was turned by the Qun, practically converted without realizing it. He fell to a mixture of respect, empowerment, but most of all letting some ego and arrogance convince him he wasn’t being turned until he was. Interrogations on how Templars fought mages turned to advisement on how to hunt down runaway and hiders like the Fog Warriors turned to suggestions of how to use the Saarabas, all on the hypotheticals of how ‘he’ would wage a mage war against Tevinter if he had the power and were on the Qunari side. Which he was- and didn’t mind, because by this point he’d been turned against the selfish mageocracy and was beginning to believe the Qunari were better for everyone.
This changed after another devil’s advocate session in which he described and laid out the idea of using Saarabas as abomination-bombs to throw Tevinter’s strongholds in disarray. Take a Saarabas, smuggle them behind enemy lines, force an abomination, and… bam. Weapon of mass destruction and distraction. It could even be more moral than a regular offensive by lessening the time and suffering of a regular offensive. Greater Good for the Demands of the Qun, and all that. For T.T. it was just another of his devil’s advocate hypotheticals, but when the Qunari handling him took it seriously and made preparations to carry it out, he broke out of his conditioning. Realizing what he’d been doing, T.T. used his relative freedom and trust to break out and sneak back to Tevinter lines. He warned of the suicide attacks, but most still occurred.
Tevinter Templar was brought back to Tevinter a Hero but a broken man- the Professional Faction had been crushed by the Magisters on Seheron, the new controllers of the Templars were as corrupt as any others, and he was the last obstacle of the old Professionals and had a target on his back. To make it worse, he’d done worse than commit treason on Seheron- he’d been convinced by the Qunari of the flaws of Tevinter. No longer able to fall back into the adherence to the Magisters, no longer able to overlook the flaws, but also aware that the Qunari were just as monstrous and willing to sacrifice innocents for their goals, Tevinter Templar was too disillusioned to continue trying to reform.
Tevinter Templar took advantage of a minor scandal, retired to the surprise of many, and left Tevinter. He fled to the Free Marches, where he used his analytical skills, a network of contacts reaching in and out of Tevinter, and experience in the Tevinter Templars to set himself up as a political advisor and problem solver, especially for mage problems. His job is to think and advise decision-makers on the so-whats of big events and plan for contingencies. He predicted the Mage Rebellion, the period of disorder, and helped city guards around the Free Marches organize and learn how to deal with mages once the Templars abandoned. He had no real role during the events of Inquisition- in fact, he was watched as a possible Venatori facilitator- but he did well enough that he has his own network of people. Since the mage rebellion and events for Inquisition, a mundane who can read the tea leaves of the age of freer mages, understand political contexts, and help both prevent and resolve issues with newly freed mages is always in business.
At the start of the Mage Rebellion, thanks to old ties to Vivienne from Tevinter T.T. became the unofficial guardian of Seer after she fled the Seers. With the Rivaini Circle annulled and nowhere else for her to go, he became her de-facto guardian. T.T.’s time with Seer is implied to have helped turn his life after Tevinter around and give him a more positive focus rather than amoral cynicism he’s capable of. Since personal developments between the two of them where Seer started having romantic interest in him, he’s pressed her to either go to a Circle/College or to return to the Seers- forcing a choice by tipping off the Chantry (and thus LKISA), but leaving it up to her.
When the Fugitive comes along, he is quick to realize the political implications of the assassination plot, and is paid by political connections (including people with ties to the old Inquisition’s core group) to help unravel the mystery. T.T. will help the Fugitive clear their name- on condition that the Fugitive help himself and LKISA rescue Seer from a band of slavers.
Personality:
Pragmatic intellectual in the extreme, with a tendency towards contrarianism and critical thinking. His job and joy in life is as an advisor to authorities: thinking critically, identifying problems, and proposing solutions for other people to make. As part of the Tevinter Security State, he was good at deconstructing a threat and taking it down in the most effective, if not most moral, way possible- people, groups, even monsters. Since becoming disillusioned he’s lost his commitment to any particular cause. He’s less concerned with what people do than how they do it. ‘Do wrong right if you do wrong at all’ would be a good motto.
Has a tendency to be a contrarian who questions just about any Big Decision you do. It’s not about if you’re naughty or nice, he’s really interested in your justifications for why you did what you did. As long as they are reasonable and reasoned- not blind idealism, purely selfish, or purely emotional- any reason will do as long as there’s thought in it. A call back to his Qunari POW experience, Tevinter Templar likes challenging people and their deeply held beliefs- not to call them wrong, but to make them think, defend, and occasionally evolve their positions.
Despite his disillusionment and tendency towards devil’s advocacy, there’s a much-subdued idealism at his core. He’s not a misanthrope and he likes good people, even if he’s no longer motivated to be that good person himself. A knight in very, very sour armor, he still prefers greater-good arguments and outcomes for greater numbers of people, likes helping the innocent whenever possible, and dislikes needless suffering. Just as he’ll play the devil’s advocate to more idealistic players, he’ll also challenge cynical players on the value and importance of idealism and morality in politics. It’s implied he had a very dark and amoral period after fleeing Tevinter where he nearly entered the underworld and worked for the Carta, but that Seer helped keep him on the moral horizon.
The faint flickering idealism from his youth still burns for ethos and reputation of the Southern Templars- for a 40-something old man, he’s practically a fanboy over moral and incorruptible figures like the legendary Cassandra or Sir Baras (if he’s alive). Templars were his heroes growing up because they did what was inconceivable in Tevinter- they kept the mages down, and scared the Magisters. There’s very little about the Templars or Circle System pre-Rebellion that bothers him on a moral level- everything bad the Templars ever did, Tevinter Templars did worse and for worse reasons at behest of the magisters, from Tranquility to massacres of dissident factions. He admires the Templar’s organizational autonomy and sense of purpose, that they not only could be did rebel to pursue their duty when the Chantry tried to let the rebellion go, and regrets if they’re gone. If the Templars were ended, he’d already be involved in the inevitable creation of a substitute organization to succeed them. He’s also involved in helping set up local security forces by Kingdoms to address mage problems with the Colleges.
Unlike Carta, whose opposition to ‘good’ people is hypocrisy, Tevinter Templar’s big objection to overly good-good (and bad-bad) characters is ‘corruption’ and ‘not thinking.’ He admires purity of belief no matter the form, but despises blind shortsightedness that is counters stated goals. He has as much contempt for corrupt and hypocrtic moralizers as he does for short-sighted and selfish parasites on society. His disillusionment with the Magisters wasn’t the hypocrites among them (that he knew of already), but that their selfishness made them destroy a loyal institution out of fear. His disillusionment with the Qunari is that they (or at least the ones he was tied with) abandoned their ‘we don’t do that with mages’ when they were willing to use suicide Saraabas and deliberately invoke demons.
Despite these, T.T. has a lingering fondness for both Tevinter and the Qun. Tevinter is home, and for all its flaws and selfishness he likes the idea of the Magesterium as an assembly to represent people and promote alliances and consensus building (even if it’s the Mage people). For the Qun, T.T. remembers their surprising kindness to prisoners and how they not only engaged him intellectually, but expanded his mental horizons. He’d be the first to warn of Qunari spies, but also encourage classes on Qunari philosophy in an academy.
Race Politics:
Tevinter Templar could be called a 19th century progressive- bad by modern standards, but progressive compared to much of contemporary Thedas. He’s a modest cultural Chauvinist when it comes to ‘barbarian’ cultures like the Avaar or the Dalish, but he firmly supports integrating people of all races into a civilization. This comes in large part to his Tevinter Templar experience- when freed slaves and city elves were some of the most loyal (and eager) of his Templars and agents. It also comes in large part towards his view of magic as the most important factor- in Tevinter mages regardless of race were generally higher than non-mages, and so while there was still a purity pecking order for the mage elite from the mundane side it was magic that was most important.
Despite his pro-Templar view, he’s not anti-mage. Or rather, his disillusionment with the Magisters is, but his contempt of the Southern Mages comes more from a Tevinter political contempt for Southern Mages in general- as weaker, spineless, more incompetent breed that let themselves be stopped by Templars for a millennia, and then ran their own rebellion back into the arms of the mundanes for protection. He blames the Mages for their own demise if the Inquisitor recruited the Templars, and he has pure contempt for Fiona as a politician.
For individual mages, though, Tevinter Templar is comfortable with them for uncomfortable reasons. Tevinter Templar believes and espouses the Tevinter narrative of mages as the natural elite and ‘chosen of the Maker’, as well as various Darwinian ‘survival of the fittest’ and ‘the most powerful will and should rule’ lines of argument. Tevinter Templar would say free mages will naturally rise to dominate commerce and politics thanks to magic… and that that’s totally okay. Totally works out in Tevinter, in an entirely non-sarcastic manner. Tevinter Templar is intended to make pro-mage advocates uncomfortable, as he’s internalized a very mage-freedom/mage-dominant viewpoint that is not pro-equality, openly expects and accepts mage oligarchy, and he himself has been complicit in systemic abuses.
Back to race relations in general, Tevinter Templar does have one horrifying, radically progressive view that’s deliberately intended to catch in the throat of players: T.T. advocates the end of the elven race by means of (willing, peaceful) intercourse and union with humans. Again calling to the 19th century progressive, he supports a sort of voluntary eugenics: a rational, calmly made argument that since discrimination is bad, and elf-human unions mean that elves will die out as a species anyways if they become integrated fully into human society without social barriers to unions, that we should hasten the end of the elven race by encouraging these human-elf unions and discouraging elf-elf unions. That way the inevitable is done with sooner than later, racial discord ends, and the generations of people don’t have racial discrimination to deal with anymore.
(Big Massive Disclaimer: The above was a position for a character. Not the writer. It is intended to be something the player can object to vehemently. I wish I didn’t need a disclaimer, but past experience shows I do.)
Main Flaw:
Fatalism.
When he was a Professional, Tevinter Templar believed in a strong professional code of ethics and in doing the best decision for the greater good. It wasn’t always possible, but he tried. Since the betrayal of the loyal Professionals at Seheron, and his encounter with the Qun and what they’d consider a ‘demand of the Qun’, he’s too disillusioned to keep trying. He’s largely given up trying to make things better himself- only in pointing out how things could go wrong and leaving it to other people to choose.
The flaw also carries over to his personal life. Tevinter Templar’s biggest reason for avoiding Seer’s interest is that he considers it ultimately doomed. Depending on average lifespans on Thedas he is already either middle-aged or past it. T.T. sees his life in ‘what can I do before I die,’ rather than ‘what do I have to live for,’ at least until he’s re-inspired.
Tevinter Templar doesn’t want to be the only one futilely trying to improve things- he’s dismissive to charity in general- but will help others who are trying themselves. Teach a man to fish, rather than give fish.
Character Arc and Resolution:
Rekindling his idealism and desire to make things better ultimately comes to whether he should return to Tevinter as a Templar for the latest Reformist faction in the Magisterium, or work on helping the political situation in Rivaini/ northern White Divine Thedas.
Pretty early on, Tevinter Templar is approached by agents of the (former) Inquisition with an invitation from Dorian to return to Tevinter to assist Dorian’s new reformist faction in the Magisterium. Dorian knew of the Professional Faction before their fall from his Father, who was a supporter, and he heard of Tevinter Templar through Varric and Vivienne, who are the sort of political figures that T.T. works for in the Free Marches. The Professional Templars reputation for incorruptibility outlived them, but T.T.’s still alive with a reputation for political aptitude in a changing world, and Dorian would like more non-corrupt people enforcing the will of the Magisterium. Ideally as allies, but even an apolitical faction that can’t be bribed by anyone would be an improvement.
T.T.’s arc is coming to terms with this invitation and making his decision. There are old wounds, a formidable challenge, and his entire backstory. But there is also the things in his life now- he’s been helping politicians adjust to the new Circle-College system, helping Seer, and so on. At first, any return to Tevinter seems like too much effort to try and re-change an institution after failing to once before- but as the arc moves, he realizes he’s already been helping people and he can do more. It’s just a matter of where and how.
T.T. is ultimately re-invigorated not by a personal quest or tie with the PC, but in seeing the rest of the party make progress in their lives. T.T.’s biggest hookup is seeing off Seer to a Circle/College, or returning home to the Seers. Once his ward is safely set, T.T. is freed to commit himself to whatever path he wants. T.T. is motivated, and based on the PC and such he will either return to Tevinter to re-build the Professional Templar faction, or stay in Andrastian Thedas to help the political system there adapt to the new Mage-Mundane relations.
Love Interest?
Not to the PC. As a professional, he doesn’t sleep up or down his leadership totem, and the Fugitive is a leader. In fact, he’ll even give a precaution to the PC if the PC starts any romance. As a retired professional, though, he’s more open to his own relationships since he’s not a boss.
Tevinter Templar, as the old experienced guy on the team, and was young once. He’s had non-romantic but sexual relations with Carta in the past, and if he ends up where her nephews and nieces are (either Tevinter or Chantry Thedas), then they might get together on a more permanent partnership as he looks after them and Carta supports him in turn. A pragmatic close-friends-with-benefits relationship.
The real bread and butter, though, is the inter-companion romance arc with Seer.
Tevinter Templar is on the receiving end of a crush from Seer. Old enough to be her father, despite (or maybe because of) having been her guardian for the last few years, they both know he knows of her interest. Seer’s interest is one of his main reasons for trying to push Seer to either return to the Revaini witches or go to a Circle.
Despite this, the relationship can be encouraged on both ends. If interest is not encouraged, he supports LKISA’s mission to take Seer to a Circle and approves of her chivalrous interest. If Seer goes home to the Seers, he supports her in that as well.
If interest is encouraged, he and Seer can ultimately end up together by the end-game in a May-December romance. The Seer-Tevinter Templar romance is described more in Seer’s section.
Inter-party Relationships:
LKISA: Positive opinion and significant respect. Playing devil’s advocate and challenging her beliefs gives respectable answers and follow-on advice. Mentor-mentee relationship follows, in which he as the older Templar shares experience to help her avoid same disillusionment by challenging naiveté. In return, she has good opinion of his core character for what he’s done for Seer, how he tried to hold himself to higher standards and do better even as he was a Templar enforcer for the evil Magisters, and prods him towards trying to improve things again. Tev sees LKISA as a moral figure from the start, but LKISA plays a significant role in convincing him that he’s more moral than he himself believes. There’s a surprisingly amiable love triangle tension between them and Seer- both are protective of her, have differing sorts of affections, and ‘hand off’ her to the other gladly depending on Seer’s outcome..
Carta: Amiable companionship and past history- Carta knew Tev before he left Tevinter, where the Tevinter Templars had Carta contacts and arrangements to help search for maleficar cabals and wanted fugitives. Both enjoy cynicism, pragmatism over morality, and playing devil’s advocate. Have slept together in the past, as well as past business dealings, Carta was involved in Tev’s near-recruitment by the Carta after his defection. There’s less ‘warmth’ until the end of Carta’s arc and her willingness to start improving the world, but more respect for the honest of their personal flaws. There’s no romantic tension or love triangle over the Seer angle- Carta dismisses T.T. as being soft for her, calling Seer one of the reasons T.T. never got too into the Underworld, and makes a ‘not surprised to see old man bed young girl’ if they get together.
Chevalier: General development of professional respect. Chevalier is one of the first and few to challenge T.T. on a personal level rather than the other way around- having a dim view of the (modern) reputation of the Tevinter Templars, and pushing Tev to prove otherwise. Chevalier pushes Tevinter Templar to re-hone his lost edge and get back in shape by training, needling the ego and Tevinter arrogance a little on the way. Implied Older Man fanservice for other characters, as their training sessions at camp are ‘something to watch.’ On a more personal side, both men are understanding and empathetic of the difficult and mature concerns they have- of Chevalier’s wife, and Tev’s concern for Seer as a guardian.
Dalish: Scorn and cultural chauvinism for a ‘barbarian’ culture. Dalish in Tevinter are nearly non-existent, and ones who are closer to guerilla bandits before they get wiped out by Tevinter’s Templars. T.T. as a Templar has ambushed some clans and killed at least one Keeper personally, and has a poor impression of the Dalish on top of the Tevinter view of history of crushing the elves. Dalish himself definitely comes off as the more reasonable and sympathetic in the exchanges, and Tev at his worst. Some kindness comes through when Dalish’s personal quest comes to a head. T.T. doesn’t like the elves, but he can respect pride, and Dalish’s choice either causes him to question the relative worth of human civilization, or to offer help in Dalish adapt to human life.
Tamassaran: Polite, differential, even friendly- all of Tevinter Templar’s good experiences and feelings for the Qun flow here, especially since Tamassaran is opposed to corrupt/rogue elements of the Qun. The two discuss conversion, identity, and the role of critical thinking and healthy questioning to make the Qun philosophy liberating rather than tyrannical (though ‘critical’ thinking might not be the right word). One of the important (though not necessarily true) elements is Tamassaran’s assertion that the Qun element that turned Tevinter Templar, the ones that would have used abomination bombs, was almost certainly not Qunari (ie, rogue/unsanctioned) for how they used Saarebas. Tevinter Templar appreciates that, but raises whether her assurance itself is simply a demand of the Qun- ultimately he decides not to press it, but believes she’s telling the truth when they speak as friends.
Seer: A significant pre-existing relationship. T.T. took in and sheltered the Seer during the Mage Rebellion, protecting her both from the Mage-Templar conflict and from the pressures to return home and become a Seer. Even as he was a guardian two decades her senior, Seer has been something of a morality pet to T.T. Seeing after her kept him from descending to totally amoral cynicism after fleeing Tevinter, and despite the age gap she often chides and looks after him in turn. As she matured from ‘girl’ to ‘young woman’, Seer started to have feelings, prompting T.T. to push for seeing her either off to a Circle or to return to the Rivaini witches, rather than deal with her feelings directly. T.T. wants her to leave safe and happy, especially with LKISA to a Circle, but the player’s involvement could encourage a Mad-December romance. T.T. and Seer’s companion dialogue focuses on fleshing their mutual affection, and broadening Seer’s experience to help her (and both of them) come to their choices about the future.
Warden-Mage: Veteran banter and war-story trading. Warmer professional respect from T.T. than the reverse, who feels the Tevinter-Dalish grudge more. The dynamic is used to show not only Tevinter respect for the Warden order (which is also one way for slaves to escape their status), but also the differences between how Tevinter regulates their mages (disciplined Templars with a security state vs. just more Warden warriors in case the worst happens). Both act as peanut gallery for the younger party members and/or PC in love.
Saarebas: Wariness, but surprising empathy. Tevinter Templar, as a de-facto Saarebas handler himself during his near defection, understands a good deal of Saarebas’s viewpoint once he gets past the disdain for the Tal-Vashoth. (Learning that Saarebas was a defector, rather than born and raised barbaric, helps greatly.) The two occasionally exchange Qunari as well as English- practice and nostalgia on both ends. Despite the personally amiable nature, Tevinter Templar is wary and does view Saarebas as something to be studied and considered as a threat and opportunity: the implications for ex-Tranquil will have ramifications for both the South and Tevinter. Saarebas is less than pleased when he realizes that T.T. keeps on eye on him with a readiness to kill him, but accepts it as an appropriate role/purpose for a Templar/former Handler.
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Mata-Summary Note:
Went through a lot of revisions. Was originally an anti-corruption figure, but that was implausible and adopted by Tamassaran. Ultimately intended to be a sort of lawful-evil character- or at least formerly lawful-evil- of a police state Templar suitable for Tevinter. Hints of the pragmatic villainy remain, while humanized by the personal connection with Seer. Aside from a longer backstory and a different approach on a Templar concept, the real appeal to me was the idea of an inter-companion romance arc: something significantly romantic between companions, rather than just the player. A May-December, guardian/young adult, even Templar/Mage romance were interesting to me. (Shadows of two of the three remain for LKISA, though her take with Seer was the more chaste knightly romance.)
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Extra description from initial PM outlining these characters, asked for by someone who will remain anonymous. They wanted to know more of what Tevinter Templar is and looks like.
I tried not to get too carried away with T.T.- he was basically a bad fanfic character at one point- but he's what I'd think you'd get when a mundane buys into mageocratic nationalism and tries to build a better police state, but then has his mind blown open by the critical thinking of an alien ideology. There's probably nowhere he really 'belongs' now- he's too individualistic for the Qunari, but too common-good for the Tevinter.
To describe him... well, somewhere between French and Italian in complexion. Definitely older, but not necessarily graying, or at least only to a point of 'dignified/experienced.' Still has a full head of hair, but keeps it short and tightly controlled.
Generally sharp and composed features, befiting a tendency towards 'order'. Has a mustache, Tevinter style, and trimmed hair. More low-brow, more modest, and without the chiseled/waxed elongations of Dorian. A soldier's stache, not an aristocrats, the image going for is 'disciplined' rather than 'aristocrat.' Soldierly influences in the neat and tidy nature, particularly the sort that wouldn't be an embarrassment near a respectable politician. At the same time, some visual indicators that hint at a slippage or easing into retirement- that the discipline is out of habit, rather than present purpose, and may be slipping a bit.
Not a particularly bulky man. A rogue, not a warrior, he'd wear light armor- either light plate or leather- to emphasize that he plans things out rather than trades blows like a thug. Tevinter Templars- at least the professional faction- tended towards being rogues rather than warriors. Without lyrium to neutralize magic in a stand-up fight, they focus on other non-lyrium ways to neutralize to beat mages- usually by disrupting their focus at critical moments.
Tevinter Templar as a class/specialization would be a knife-user’s mix of Tempest and Artificer- using tricks, coordination, and bits of technology to set conditions for a sudden strike at the enemy’s mages and archers. Disruption and stun effects are their bred and butter- the epitome being an alchemical flash-bang.
Back to appearance, Tev prefers treated leather, because it's easier to look good and be subtle. The type to always keep his (and everyone else's) loose straps tied down as much for the aesthetic as the practical relevance. Toned muscles, and a good figure in light shirts for sparring practice. He has scars, but his face is better thanks to Tevinter healing magic. (Magisters appreciate prettier faces- the rest can be covered by clothes.) Any facial scars are subtle and dashing, rather than dominating and hideous.
8+ on the 'DILF' scale, if he had any children.
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Dalish: The Shemlen Elf
Male Dalish Racial Contradiction
Faction Represented: Dalish
Basis of Recruitment: A member of the Dalish Caravan that helps the Fugitive escape Riviani. The Keeper of the Dalish Caravan knows that all elves, including the Dalish, stand to be accused of the assassination or complicity with Solas, and so wants to clear the name of the Dalish.
Sticks with the Party Because: Tasked by the Keeper. Dalish, as a human, is uniquely situated to accompany the Fugitive across human lands… and getting the human-elf away from the clan for awhile will help clan tensions as well.
Backstory:
Dalish is a young (hu)man, early twenties at best, who has been raised by the Dalish all his life. Found as a baby in the wreckage of a caravan, Dalish was taken in by the Keeper and raised as part of a Rivaini Dalish Clan.
Dalish is, in effect, a social experiment by a reformist Keeper with views so radical even ‘moderate’ Dalish clans consider this clan’s Keeper extreme. Rather than turn over the baby human to the nearest Chantry orphanage and be done with it, the Keeper chose to raise Dalish as a Dalish in an experiment of nature versus nurture. With wild (and broadly unfounded but with a nod to the fandom) theories that modern elves are becoming more like humans because they lost their culture, the Keeper wanted to see if the inverse could apply, and if humans could become more elven if taught the culture.
The overarching ambition was to reverse the slow-motion extinction of the elves and the Dalish in particular by conversion- not just of city elves, but also of humans. If countless (or even most?) humans are elves who happened to have a human parent generations ago, perhaps an element of elvenness remains within. If it could be nurtured and restored- and one day, perhaps even racially reverted- perhaps the elven race could be reclaimed and restored from the humans, rather than die out to inter-breeding and conflict. It’s a radical fringe idea that is extremely controversial amongst the Dalish, even amongst the ‘reformists’ who broadly want peace with humans rather than hostilities.
Dalish himself is a success story in almost every other way. He’s culturally Dalish in practically every regard- he worships the Creators, understands the Path of the Hunter and the other philosophies, devours every scrap of ancient elven lore he can almost as if he intended to be a Keeper, and is a skilled hunter loyal to the Clan and to the People. He wears his vasselin with pride, and earned them honorably helping the Inquisition in Rivaini during the events of DAI. Dalish lives, breaths, and believes the in Dalish way of life- and even has the grain of suspicion and wariness to the humans and outsiders who would threaten The People, his own race not withstanding.
But his own race does stand as a factor- and is the crux of his character. He can never escape from the truth of his birth. It is the first thing people, and The People, notice about him. The ‘civilized’ societies often look upon him with pity and contempt- abducted by heathens, or raised by savages, and so on. Their views hurt less than opposition from his people, The People. Most other Dalish clans don’t consider him a part of the People, many have called him an abomination and a mistaken experiment, and a few have even tried to sabotage or arrange hunting accidents for him. No matter how sincerely he believes, or how hard he tries, Dalish will never be fully accepted. Even if he tries twice as hard, he’ll only be half the elf of a ‘real’ elf.
The fact that he is exceptionally quick-witted and skilled only cements the moniker he’s lived with- he is the Shemlen Elf.
Though Dalish has the acceptance, if not endorsement, of most of his clan, even there his heritage causes problems. While the Keeper supports him, practically raising him as a foster-child and treating him as a practical Second in teaching the lore, Dalish still faces tensions and discriminations. No matter how much lore he devours, he can never be First for his own clan. No matter that everyone has to tolerate his presence, some will never accept him. And as for love…
No matter how much he loves the elves, or any elf in particular, no Dalish woman will ever love him back and have a human child. For a straight man who’s been brought up and practically conditioned to love elves…
The conditions, and conditioning, Dalish has grown up in have left their marks. A recent scandal left a cloud over Dalish and tensions between clans over an allegation of murder of a Dalish elf that was actually self-defense. While the accusation is unfounded, come the crisis and the Keeper’s intention Dalish’s departure from the clan to support the Fugitive has benefits all around.
Personality:
Dalish is a young man, generally moral, and with an outlook that can generally be summed up as ‘Dalish reformist.’ That means that Dalish is generally reasonable from a Dalish viewpoint- intimately aware and knowing the harms inflicted upon the Dalish in the past, but not inclined to let racial animosity dictate his views on the Andrastians. While Dalish considers the Chantry, as a religion, a cultural threat to the elven people and culture, he doesn’t extend that to individuals. Though he instinctively sides with Dalish/elven sympathies, he wishes ill on no one in particular (bar maybe Tevinter) and won’t let racial sympathies overwhelm guilt and innocence. A ‘willing partner’ for co-existence, even if he’s proud of his culture and uninterested in assimilation by human society.
Dalish is generally a competent, well-rounded young man whose insecurities tie mostly to his race and love life. In terms of maturity, confidence, and capability, he’s young but proven. Dalish earned his vasselen by serving as a scout for the Inquisition during the crisis of the Breach. He’s fought demons, red Templars, and even a few Venatori, and left the Inquisition with merits and recommendations that have served his clan well in letting them travel through human lands unmolested. Serving in the Inquisition is not only a point of personal pride, but broader pride of the Dalish’s contribution to resolving the crisis and keeping Rivaini from falling to the chaos of the south. In combat Dalish is a proven figure, respectable and self-assured.
Dalish is emotionally empathetic- not in terms of being weepy or moved by a sob story, but in terms of empathizing with others and not enjoying suffering if avoidable. As per Dalish belief and the Way of the Hunter, when killing is necessary it should be direct, deliberate, and painless, with respect for the hunted as appropriate. Recently accused of murder for self-defense himself, Dalish has empathy for the falsely accused. As a beneficiary of charity in being saved and raised by the Keeper, Dalish has a soft spot for similar acts of charity to the unfortunate, strong expectations of loyalty to those who raise you, and especially for bonds that transcend race or religion. While Dalish encourages city-elves to join the Dalish and relearn ‘their’ culture, he’s one of the few Dalish who doesn’t look down on city-elves who choose to fully integrate or marry into human society. It's tragic, but he respects the deliberate decision.
One of Dalish’s key personality traits is modesty and humility, almost to a fault. Not only does Dalish value that in others, but it’s key to him. Dalish learned early on that while he had to work twice has hard to be half as accepted, actually being twice as good was sure to get him isolated. Though Dalish is an exceptional scout and archer- PC companion tier and all that- he actually hides much of his skill out of habit when around others. Dalish’s goal is to be ‘a Dalish’, not ‘the best Dalish’- and outshining other hunters often spurred racial resentment. Whereas Tevinter Templar has to get back into shape, Dalish learns to not hold back like he used to. The quest with the Fugitive is the first time since working with the Inquisition that Dalish is able to use his full abilities without restraint.
[Meta-note: Dalish struggles with ‘Dancing with Wolves’ syndrome of being a better elf than many elves, the consequence of being a companion-tier NPC. Unlike those movies, though, the deconstruction is that Dalish is resented for it- and so plays down his ability.]
Dalish’s cultural identity is key to him. He takes pride in the elven history- which he views of the history of all of Thedas- and thinks humans have largely forgotten and ignore that they came from it. Dalish is an elven lore hound, loves learning bits of the past, and sympathizes with/supports the elves and Dalish by default.
At the same time, Dalish won’t stand by Dalish abuses just because of Dalish doing it. Dalish rejects a ‘elves can do no wrong’ thanks to the influence of his Keeper- who, aside from racial points, has a very strong belief that the Dalish are dooming themselves and that indulging self-destructive (and immoral) behaviors isn’t love for the People. Dalish would stand against Dalish murdering humans, and dismiss them as disgraces to the people. This does touch in bits of denialism, as Dalish will downplay elven faults when there is ambiguity, or dismiss bad Dalish as not ‘really’ Dalish, but when it comes down to it he’ll put right over race, and not use history of someone else to justify injustice now.
Dalish’s humanity is not only the biggest cause of his problems in life, but also in love. Dalish was raised- practically conditioned by upbringing- to find elves desirable, and discouraged from humans. Because of his race, he has never had a healthy or good relationship with a Dalish elf. Even the other Dalish that would tolerate him would never accept an arranged match for breeding that would produce a human, and even his own clan-mates who accept and care for him won’t love him in that way.
Dalish has had two significant (and bad) romantic experiences that overshadow him. His first strong, passionate love was a Dalish clan-mate that the player can meet in the Caravan. They were close, she cares for him, and would have accepted him had he been an elf, but rejected his love explicitly because of the race factor. A second relationship- more of on the rebound- was an exploitative fling from another clan. Dalish went along with it because it was a Dalish elf was expressing interest, until it turned out that the elf in question only wanted to be able to claim she fucked over the Shemlen, figuratively, when she attempted to murder him after taking him to a private place in a forest. Dalish killed his would-be paramore, but the incident left physical and emotional scars, as well as the accusation of human man murdering elven woman.
Dalish is a virgin, though not the naïve/innocent sort such as Alistair. Instead his revolves around a self-doubt of if he can be loved. Dalish has true friends amongst the Dalish, but feels his prospects for anything more than that are poor to non-existent. Dalish’s deepest insecurity- a wound to be picked at by demons- is the feeling that no one can truly love him or want him, born from the rejection and the attempted murder. Dalish would be extremely vulnerable to desire demons- he desires Dalish acceptance, the love of an elven woman, and fantasizes about becoming racially elven himself.
Race Politics:
Can you say ‘Dalish’?
Dalish was raised to be, and views himself, as a bridgehead between humans and elves in the elven direction. Culturally Dalish is pro-elf to the most moderate extent possible, and Dalish sympathizes with the trials of city elves. Dalish supports city elves leaving to join the Dalish clans.
Dalish has skepticism and caution with humans. There’s a mix of Dalish bias, personal experience with pity/contempt from humans over his upbringing, and a touch of self-hating human in there on top of the conditioning of his upbringing. Dalish’s main positive experience with humans came with his time with the Inquisition as a scout, where a diverse group of people came together in common cause. Seeing tribals and ‘barbarians’, rather than just Andrastians, helped Dalish accept that humans weren’t just Andrastians or the occaisional magi. Dalish has moved past discriminating against humans as a collective, and has no trouble with any given human so long as they have no trouble with him.
Dalish does condemn the human kingdoms for anti-elf discrimination, and passionately hates even the appearance of trapping elves in a location or job against their will, equating it to slavery. He’s a strong advocate of city elves standing out and organizing as a political force for their own rights and autonomy in the Kingdoms. He’s the sort who (distantly) applauded Briala in Orlais.
That said, while he dislikes oppression he does not necessarily support reforms- Dalish opposes the assimilation of elves into Human society and the loss of elven culture. While he dislikes discrimination, he dislikes the loss of elven culture and identity even more- the Dalish (his Dalish) hope and goal is to convert and bring elves into the Dalish culture, not lose them to the Chantry. Dalish supports reforms for city elf autonomy, but not integration. Separate but equal.
This puts Dalish (and many Dalish elves in general) as ambivalent to even quietly opposed to Chantry reform efforts for the city elves. A Divine Leliana’s efforts to make Andrastianism more appealing to the elves goes hand-in-hand with making the Dalish/True Elven culture being less appealing by contrast, and reforms that bring the city elves in also lead them from leaving to join the Dalish. City elf conversions to the Dalish are down to a worrying degree, and as many Clans depend on city elfs to supplement them Dalish himself dismisses Chantry reformists like Leliana as well meaning but ultimately ignorant humans who are carelessly or uncaringly destroying Elven Culture as much as any racist human.
As a clarification, though- as someone who respects the deliberate effort to assimilate into a resistant culture, Dalish doesn’t look down on city elves who choose to convert or assimilate into Andrastian culture. He has a respect for them, and their choices, for facing the difficulty. Dalish has a suspicion of the elites and broader institutions being assimilated to- a suspicion that they are deliberately or ambivalently complicit in furthering the destruction of the elven identity.
Though Dalish is an experiment in Human being raised as elf, Dalish has no enthusiasm or interest in converting humans to try and join the Dalish like the city elves do. Even Dalish doesn’t think that’s feasible- that a human would have to be raised as an elf from the start. Its pseudo-science reasoning- humans have to overcome biology, while city elfs are naturally elven- but that’s how much of the lore rolls. There’s also a personal element of hurt and trials that he wouldn’t want to inflict on others, and doesn’t think converted humans could fairly overcome. Instead, Dalish views himself as the test case- to see if it does work- and his only interest in raising more human-Dalish would be either child orphans (like himself) or, if romanced, his own children.
Dalish’s views on other groups are ‘typical’ Dalish.
On mages, Dalish is ambivalent about mages. He opposes abuses of the mageocracy like Tevinter, but doesn’t have an objection to defacto mageocracy of the Dalish Keepers. Dalish can reflect more on the mage limit traditions- his Clan would have one, though it’s always been ideally resolved by trades- as well as hunting-down a Keeper-abomination. Dalish finds that elven Circle mages are among the least elfy elves around, reflecting the race-blind view of mages by Andrastian. Templars in Rivaini are largely a non-issue, because the Templars (and Chantry) are reigned in by the crown and do not pursue Dalish Keepers. The only Templars Dalish has fought were Red Templars. For Rivaini witches, Dalish and the Dalish treat them as natural disasters- generally steering clear of the witches to avoid trouble.
Dalish opposes the Qunari. The Qunari are equal-opportunity oppressors, and the biggest threat to the Dalish- poaching potential city-elf converts and crushing any clan that enters their territory. Dalish and his Keeper believe that if there was a Qunari invasion, the Dalish would have to fight with the Andrastians lest they be conquered and the elven culture obliterated. The Dalish vow to never submit again applies to the Qun as much as anyone else. Despite the opposition, there is uncomfortable awareness that Dalish’s own upbringing might have been inspired by Qunari culture’s race-blindness.
Dalish has general empathy/support for ‘tribal’ societies and other minority cultures. As long as they don’t endanger elves, he’s all for cultural diversity.
Dalish is caught up in the broader cultural turmoil surrounding Dalish culture since the events of revelations of Inquisition. Though facts are murky and contradictory, the revelations not only of the fall of the Dales but also the Evunaris and the threat of Solas are slowly emerging. The challenges to Dalish narratives and identity are still developing. Some elves buy into Solas’s claim of elven salvation and want to support him. Many Dalish are in denial- viewing the Dread Wolf with skepticism, but also distrusting the historical revelations from the Chantry-tarred Inquisition. Some Dalish are giving up hope, despairing at the revelations, while others are using them to argue for big changes. Reformists, or those advocating unity, and so on. Dalish culture is changing, and that’s threatening the survival of the Dalish common identity.
That would be mostly an emerging plotline, to be handled for a sequel game as a movement begins for the Dalish clans to re-unit and make a move while they still can. For his part, Dalish is loyal to the Dalish, not to ancient elves of Elven Glory, and he believes the Inquisitor’s warning that Solas’s plan would destroy the Dalish. Revelations might shake his religious faith, but ultimately he treats them as revisions to history rather than a challenge to the society he holds dear.
Main Flaw:
A desire for (elven) love and acceptance.
Dalish’s character weakpoint is in his racial identity, especially in the topic of love and attraction. Dalish had close relationships dashed for explicit racial reasons, and was nearly murdered by another Dalish out of racist animosity. Dalish wants to belong, to have love, and to contribute to the future of the Dalish, but struggles with being racially locked out.
Dalish avoids being desperate or needy for approval of any given elf- his Keeper raised him to not be sycophantic or adopt a ‘elves can do not wrong’ attitude- but the approval of elves (or an elven PC) touches him more than the approval of others. Dalish is biased, and aware of it. Dalish is in the middle of coming to terms with the idea that he might never be accepted by the Dalish, but he still has the desires and wish to be accepted by the elves.
While Dalish is competent and emotionally well rounded in most other aspects, Dalish would be particularly vulnerable to desire demons. Dalish’s desire would manifest as an elven woman- or, more than that, a magical promise to be made into a ‘true’ elf himself.
Character Arc and Resolution:
Dalish’s story is ongoing when the player encounters him, rather than starting after recruitment. With the death of his last relationship and near-murderer still leaving a cloud over Dalish’s head, Dalish is coming to terms with the fact that he might never be accepted by the Dalish. His journey with the Fugitive is a chance to get space, clear his head, and let things calm down before returning to the Clan.
Dalish’s arc starts with him quickly resolving to return to the clan, but ends up revealing his past. When Dalish begins to come to terms with his place in Dalish society, an encounter in a human town brings up the topic of his discovery… and parentage.
When at a town, Dalish comes across rumors of a Dalish raid of a human caravan, and a human noblewoman trying to find whoever was responsible and bringing them to justice. Her pretty elven maid-servant, a city-elf, explains that a dalish group was spotted scavenging the wreckage of a caravan attack long a go where the woman’s child went was lost, and that the Dalish are the prime suspects of the more recent caravan attack as well. The noblewoman asks anyone willing to stop the Dalish- and to look for her child, who would have a birthmark or special items in the caravan wreckage. Dalish wants to clear the Dalish name- or stop any Dalish bandits himself rather than let human mob justice perpetrate racial vengeance cycle- and looks into it, as his Keeper taught him. The Keeper- Dalish’s foster-parent- had a large impact on his viewpoint, and on how the Dalish need to learn from their mistakes and stop themselves before Humans retaliate.
The attackers are elves, but are really city-elf bandits who were posturing as Dalish. They have pretensions of being Dalish, but lack the pride and don’t know the words and don’t even have real vasselin, just crude charicatures of face paint. Dalish refutes their appeals of elf solidarity to bring them to justice- offering the Fugitive a choice of killing them, or forcing them to face trial (and certain execution) by the humans they wronged. Player choice is player choice.
But what Dalish finds in the course of the investigation is that the older caravan wreckage was a lot further back than he thought. Not by this group, but nearly two decades ago… and that it was his caravan. Or rather, the caravan he was found in. And that the Dalish clan spotted at its ruins long ago… must have been his own. And the noble trying to find the ones responsible for the missing child? His own mother- still looking nearly twenty years later, knowing nothing but the hidden birthmark that he has.
Dalish’s resolve to return to the Dalish breaks as the implication that his own clan raided the caravan and abducted him from still-living parents looms. Dalish isn’t an orphan like he believed- he was a child abductee, and Keeper was responsible for keeping him away from his family. His birthright. His race?
Dalish starts to suffer a crisis of identity as the more immoral aspects of his upbringing are focused on, including his early conditioning to like elves and distrust humans. Dalish loved his clan because he thought they- that the Dalish- were worth it despite their flaws, and because they cared for him as an individual. But if they’ll never accept him- if they stole him and denied him a life of acceptance he could have had... Dalish is angry, uncharacteristically so, even though doing so casts him as the ‘angry human’ rather than the cool and composed elf he tries to be. Dalish hates the Dalish, hates himself, and even hates the vasselen he’s so proud of- tattoos that are permanent reminders of his folly and will forever tar him as Dalish even if he tried to leave.
Dalish goes and confronts Keeper, his foster-parent, to demand answers. Keeper, who had been keeping it a secret, is in a bad light when she confesses her motivation and makes a defense. No, the Dalish didn’t attack the caravan- Darkspawn did, a raiding party around the time of the Blight, and while the Clan was nearby they were too late to save the caravan. Dalish wasn’t the only survivor, but his father died of the Blight soon after, living only long enough to write a testament to the Dalish innocence. Keeper knew Dalish’s mother was still alive- she knew Dalish was a noble child- but that’s why the previous Keeper of the time had kept him. As a bargaining chip, a potential trade, or even a political gambit- to raise a noble in the Dalish’s pocket, who could inherit the estate but would use it for clan interests. A tool, in other words.
But Keeper had a change of heart, even as there was a change of Keepers and she came to power. As Dalish grew, and absorbed the culture, and wanted to be elven… Keeper loved Dalish as her own, as one of her own, and changed the intentions. Keeper taught Dalish as a true Dalish because he wanted to learn, and because she wanted him to be one of them and didn't want to lose the child she had come to consider her own. Keeper had intended to reveal the truth some day, if/when she was able to arrange a match for him or he found someone himself within the clans… but he found out first. Keeper makes an apology and gives Dalish items what he was found with- items that, along with his birthmark, would prove his heritage.
The choice of what to do with them is Dalish’s. To return to his mother and claim his birthright… or to remain with the Dalish even so. The choice depends on the culmination of the player’s inputs in the quest so far- either in encouraging Dalish’s place with the Dalish, or encouraging him to leave a culture that wouldn’t accept him and try to find acceptance with family and the kingdom. Either way requires Dalish to return to his mother with the items he was found with.
If Dalish leaves the Dalish, he goes to his mother and reveals himself as the surviving infant. Though the Dalish tattoos raise eyebrows and suspicion, people who know of him (the human-elf) and his service with the Inquisition vouch for his character and integrity, and his mother accepts him. While she’s upset at the Dalish for keeping him away for so long, Dalish’s mother is happy enough to see him that there’s a measure of peace made. When Dalish returns to the Caravan to let Keeper know, the clan already does, and there’s hard feelings and tension over his departure. While Dalish remains with the party to complete the quest, he returns to his family for the epilogue. While Dalish never completely fits in, he is accepted by his family and converts to Andrastianism. Dalish ends up writing a book, ‘My Life With the Dalish,’ which is a mixed but not unkind reflection of his life with the Clan. Dalish is a minor celebrity as well as a minor noble, and becomes a supporter of the Chantry’s elven reformist faction. If unromanced, Dalish marries a city elf, his mother’s elven maid, and raises the child as human.
If Dalish resolves to stay with the Dalish, he still has to return to his mother to tell her the partial truth. Dalish shows the proof-items and letter from his father- absolving the Dalish of responsibility- and claims he (the child) died of Blight sickness soon after. That that the Dalish were afraid to tell her for fear she wouldn’t believe them. His mother breaks down with the proof, and Dalish embraces her for the only time in his life. Though his mother is heartbroken, she accepts it, even thanks him and the Dalish, and Dalish leaves… and only later realizes no one there recognized him as human. They all saw the vasselen, and saw him as an elf. Dalish returns to his clan/caravan, who are surprised he returned to them despite the human nobility he could have had. Returning earns Dalish acceptance and credibility he hadn’t had before, and Dalish forgives Keeper and promises to return to the Clan after the Quest. Come the epilogue, Dalish is accepted by more Dalish. While he spends the rest of his life trying to convince others, he earns a place at the Dalish councils, and is a proponent of peace with humans. If unromanced, Dalish never marries or has a relationship with a Dalish elf- but his clan does adopt more orphaned humans, and he helps to raise them as the next generation of shemlen elves
Love Interest?
Yes, though intended as straight. Dalish is interested in love, but also with a Dalish-influence view of ‘the next generation’ in the long-term. Dalish sees little issue with having a relationship with traveling companions- though he has precious little experience with a relationship.
As a love interest, Dalish is initially a bit insecure and uncertain of the PC’s intent. Dalish has been hurt by love- or claims of love- before, and while he’s recovered, the near murder by the last elf (and man) who claimed to love him has left some scars. Dalish isn’t looking to be someone’s trophy bang, a curiosity, and is looking for acceptance and openness to commitment- long-term commitment. Once the PC affirms that they really are interested, and open to that, Dalish will ask for a ‘reset’ so that he can ‘properly’ court the PC according to Dalish tradition.
The middle/latter half of the romance is just that- Dalish wooing the PC by Dalish practice, gifts of hunting and rare flowers and all, even though the attraction and intent are already established. Think of it as ‘going through the steps properly.’ The Dalish culmination scene is a private hunting trip, a hand-crafted momento obtained thanks to his friends (and possible first heart break) from the Clan, and elven words of love. In the after glow, Dalish thanks the Fugitive for accepting him, and expresses his love for them no matter what their race (though perhaps with a special disbelief if the PC is elven).
Dalish will be heartbroken if the Fugitive breaks up then- extremely heart broken- but will be committed to the last if not spurned. The romance can only conclude after the personal question, and the post-culmination is a scene of wondering and discussing the future. If Dalish stays Dalish, you can wonder how it will work- Dalish invites the PC to travel with the Clan, even if they’re non-elven like him, or he can settle at the semi-permanent Dalish settlement, and so on. If Dalish returns to his family and the humans, Dalish invites the Fugitive to live with them. In either case, Dalish broaches the prospect of eventually having children- even if the PC is an elf. The player doesn't have to commit then, but Dalish is happy if they do.
Dalish is intended as a female-only love interest, due to his interest in the next generation. Though Dalish had a same-sex relationship in the past, this is intended to demonstrate the extent of his elf-fetish/conditioning- that he went along because of nurture rather than his own nature- and that it was a hint of his desire for elven acceptance rather than a desire of his own. Dalish could be made into a bisexual romance, but the prospect of progeny is important to his character story and there’s another character intended as the bisexual male interest.
If Dalish is NOT romanced, he does have a fling/one-night-stand with Carta. It’s not a romantic relationship, but a no-strings-attached non-pity sex which, after Dalish’s character arc discovery, gives Dalish some confidence and resolution going forward. Even though Dalish will never have a Dalish love or marriage, he will have prospects for relationships in the future.
Inter-party Relationships:
LKISA: Initial friction/misunderstanding, followed by amiable and respectful dialogue and ultimate friendship. LKISA initially assumes the worst of Dalish’s upbringing- that he was kidnapped as a child, that he deserves pity and needs to be saved- while Dalish sees her as ‘elf’ rather than ‘templar,’ and might make an initial display of interest. Once they both (politely) make clear they’re not interested in the other’s initial impression, they quickly find they have more in common in other ways. The two share thoughts on what it’s like to be minority members of a group they revere, on the challenges of fitting in, and also support eachother’s interests. Dalish respects LKISA’s commitment to becoming a Templar, even if he’s skeptical of the Chantry, and LKISA acknowledges Dalish as one of the few humans who really ‘gets’ the feeling of working uphill as a minority. If one or the other gets in a relationship, they’ll offer support and approval. While there are some things they’ll never agree on- such as mage-Keeper leaders, mage limits, or so on- they focus on what they can do for their societies to get along better. The compromise they work out is that they’d both be willing to exchange missionaries- let Dalish openly recruit amongst alienages in exchange for Chantry sisters being allowed to talk to (though not harass/constantly sing) in Dalish camps. While LKISA favors Dalish returning to the Andrastian society during his quest, she respects his decision to stay with the Dalish. If Dalish does choose to leave the Dalish, LKISA is implicitly the first to help him adapt and even broaches the teachings of Andraste/the Maker as a lead-in to his ultimate conversion.
Carta: Bantering followed by eventual fondness. Carta looks down on Dalish as a weird kid at first, not really buying the Dalish aspect or taking him seriously until his abilities speak for themselves. While bantering focuses on race expectations, there’s an element of teasing about race and Dalish’s own virginity. Carta gets Dalish to spill the beans, has a bit of empathy, and if Dalish isn’t in a relationship with the Fugitive they have a one night stand. It gives Dalish a bit of confidence to temper that ‘no one would want me’ insecurity, and afterwards the two are a bit fonder if not romantically interested. Carta is largely indifferent, but roots Dalish for staying with the Dalish because cities suck and he should show up the Dalish by being a better Dalish than they are.
Chevalier: Mutual dislike/cultural pretensions, with grudging respect for ability and gradual understanding… and a shared interest in elven women. Though the two take pride in their cultures and dismiss the vanity of the other’s, the fact that they’re not blind to their cultural flaws gradually helps. Chevalier’s guilt over his initiation and his troubles with his elven wife get Dalish to offer sympathy, and Chevalier offers the same when Dalish sees the seeming betrayal of the Keeper. Their banter goes from hostile cultural posturing to young-man/old-man bantering. The penultimate conversation after both their companion arcs is them talking about attractive elven women they’ve seen on the quest, with (comedic) variances for whether Chevalier is still married (appreciating beauty isn’t cheating!), whether Dalish is in a relationship with The Fugitive (and thus is awkward about checking out girls with his own girlfriend so close), and varying inputs from the third companion present.
Tevinter Templar: More cultural scorn and hostility than with Cheavlier, similar to the Solas-Iron Bull acrimony. Tevinter is the source of nightmares for the Dalish, even more than southern Thedas, and T.T. is open with how he’s been responsible for the destruction of some of the few Dalish clans (of bandits) that exist within Tevinter. Tevinter’s views on ‘there is civilization, and everyone tribal is barbaric’ feeds on the worst Dalish practices (such as mage limits and occasional banditry), while his views on the ultimate fate of the elves- seemingly doomed to extinction by integration or elimination- disquiet Dalish. There’s even a perverse approval of Dalish being a better Dalish than most Dalish- while T.T. looks down upon the Dalish, he supports Dalish getting it on with another Dalish precisely to further the demographic decline. The only thing close to support or positive T.T. has with Dalish is condemning racism against the city elves, and T.T.’s reformist inclinations. While the two never become close, and never friends, there is something approaching respect at the end of their paths. T.T. stirring himself to either fight Tevinter corruption or actually help people rather than be a sidelining snarker earn some respect from Dalish, and it Dalish chooses to leave the Dalish, T.T. is supportive and adopts a far kinder tone as he offers contacts and resources that could help Dalish re-assimilate to human culture and the nobility. If Dalish stays with the Dalish, there’s a grudging respect from T.T.- that maybe the Dalish do have something to be proud of if a human would choose a life with them rather than a chance at human nobility, though T.T. takes it as a challenge that civilization needs to do better. Still, the hostile acrimony ends.
Tamassaran: Suspicious and cautious, despite polite discussion and counseling. Dalish’s cultural protectiveness and dalish caution over the Qunari stand out, as does Tamassaran’s polite, calm, and reasoning patience. Despite hostility from Dalish over the Qunari conversion of elves and cultural eradication of elven culture, Tamassaran actually helps Dalish deal with his insecurities of belonging with the Dalish and self-identity. Even if it’s not a role the Qun would have, Tamassaran helps Dalish take confidence in his role in the Dalish, and encourages to be himself- to not hold back his talents for social concerns. Tamassaran is the main person to help Dalish work through his internal blocks from a qunari perspective, including when she hears about his sex/romance related issues, and come the companion arc finish she helps Dalish accept and resolve to his choice. Though Tamassaran believes the Qun would be better, and Dalish never believes that, Tamassaran earns fondness as a mentor/counseling figure who helps Dalish.
Seer: Polite and amiable. While Seer is a human, she’s a Rivaini witch, and so (like mages) operates from a different social tier or position than most humans. Dalish-Rivaini witch interactions are the focus here- not hostility, but limited engagement and cautious distance. Rivaini witches are notoriously protective of their communities- abominations in defense- and so the Dalish have learned not to allow ‘hunting accidents’ or casual murder of Seer-communities (like the Dalish origin story choice) lest they have a natural disaster bearing down on them. So while Seer’s potential wrath is a reason Dalish keeps patience with T.T., they otherwise have no problem and are broadly supportive of whichever choices they make (though Dalish has concerns if Seer intends to go to Tevinter with T.T.).
Warden-Mage: Respect/admiration for her, even if it’s not initially reciprocated. Warden-Mage is the representation of the ‘typical’ Dalish encounter for Dalish- skepticism and aversion to a human-elf, to be won over by perseverance, demonstration, and general amiability and interest in the variety of Dalish cultures. While Dalish is interested in female elves, he has no special interest or romantic attraction to Warden-Mage- not because she’s infertile, but simply because a general attraction and appreciation doesn’t mean seeing everyone as a potential sex partner. While Warden-Mage is resistant at first, she gradually accepts Dalish as a Dalish, and not a Shem. When Dalish has his personal quest crisis, Warden-Mage encourages him to stay with the Dalish rather than go to the humans, and they lose some hard-one closeness if he leaves The People. If Warden-Mage is romanced and becomes pregnant, if Dalish stayed with his clan he offers/she asks that the child be raised by the Dalish as Dalish was.
Saarebas: The political implications of ex-Tranquility are beyond Dalish, but he does understand strong and volatile emotions. Dalish shares experiences of the cultural memories of the Dalish that provoke strong emotions and self-destructive practices, and some of his own triggers in youth, like being called the Shemlen Elf. Dalish supports Saarebas on gaining emotional maturity to channel his emotions in healthier directions. For his part, Saarebas finds Dalish a nonsensical contradiction- a Human Elf- but Dalish’s quest brings resolution. Depending on Dalishs’ choice, Saarebas either says he resembles an elf more than he used to, or comments that the Dalish tattoos still confuse him if Dalish returns to humans.
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Meta-Author Note:
Probably my favorite stand-alone character, in that this is a Dalish I think could work in just about any given DA game context. All sorts of complexities and mixed feelings about the Dalish, but above all else really a projection of 'pro-Dalish BSN poster' into the game- but not as the elves some of them definitely identify as. A good case of how racism and racial difficulties aren't a one-way street, suitable for dark fantasy like Dragon Age, and also a look at both sides of the question of conversion and assimilation. I imagine he'd spark a lot of discussion and arguments about seeming contradictions- pro-elf, but anti-chantry reforms for elf, an advocate of assimilation, but opposing it in the wrong direction, and the whole deal with his quest and the question of who's right or wrong... I'd like it, at least, and I think others would too.
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