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[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Oh, and on my current playthrough, I'm playing a dwarf noble woman who is romancing Zevran, with nothing going on with Alistair. The love scenes and kissing scenes are so damned cute, Zevran and his little dwarf minx. I don't know if you get the same cute kissies and lovies with Alistair playing a dwarf, but I took so many screenshots of Zev and Lucretia getting their freak on because it was so damned adorable!



Elf on dwarf love....you just can't beat it!

[SusanStoHelit]

DarthRomance wrote...

It's true I did not harden him so maybe it is different.  I have only played through completely once and I picked the "you've got us" responses.  I wanted him to feel like he had a home after he got dumped by his sister cuz I am not a total jerk. 

I did that too, the first time. But since my character was male human noble, and ended up putting Anora on the throne and marrying her, that was fine.

Alistair doesn't change a lot when you harden him. Or I didn't think so. It's not so much that he suddenly becomes tough, and pragmatic, and mature, and macho (I detest macho men irl and in games, so cliche). It's that he starts thinking for himself, is less easily led (which can be bad for you if you want to save Loghain, but I don't see that as a betrayal of you, I see it as being loyal to himself - unfortunately the two are then in conflict). What it does is let you see the first glimmerings of what in time will be a mature, responsible, just man. Remember, he's only about 19/20 years old. And the epilogue lets you see that that is the case - eventually, he grows up, just like the rest of us.

If you don't like boyishness, sweetness, tenderness, emotional honesty, sensitivity, and all the rest of the package that is Alistair that is fine. Your prerogative. It takes all kinds, after all. But a lot of women do like those things, and judging from the comments of gay players, so do a lot of men.

I am so glad that Bioware stays away from the butch, He-man stereotype for male romanceable characters. And that their female romanceable characters aren't just helpless ditzes or women just looking for the right man to make their life complete. All of them have their own individual personalities, their own goals, their own drives, their own backgrounds that had a real impact on them. They all have a past. They all feel 'real'. Love them or hate them individually, they aren't just paper dolls that you can imagine are any way you want them to be. They are themselves. And I love that. Thank you Bioware.

[Sandtigress]

Hardened Alistair will also forgive you for choosing Loghain, to some degree, as well, once he's cooled down a little. My PC told him that she didn't want what had happened to come between their friendship, and he agreed that he didn't really want that either. Plus, in the epilogue, he said he was no longer mad, was sad that she was leaving for the Wardens, and hoped that they would see each other around.



In the end, I think that's real maturity - being able to forgive someone for a terrible wrong-doing. Even if choosing to spare Loghain was the more merciful decision (why my City elf did it, which surprised me because I had played vengeance is mine for the most part - I think seeing what vengeance did to the Dalish had a big impact on her), it was still a betrayal of Alistair's trust. Really, I just let Riordan talk too long and let him convince her that it was the right thing to do...



She never would have stood for Vaughn being a Warden, for instance, and being a Warden meant less to her than it did to Alistair. For him, being a Warden was the greatest honor he could think of and was his salvation from a way of life that he hated, as well as being his surrogate family, which was completely destroyed when Loghain became a Warden.



Strangely enough, I think it takes the romance to see the depth of Alistair's character. My male blood mage thinks he's whiny and they hate each other. My girls all think Alistair would make a wonderful king. Though it seems the same thing can be said of Zevran - he is completely flippant until you really get to investigate his past.

[Sarielle]

Sandtigress wrote...
She never would have stood for Vaughn being a Warden, for instance, and being a Warden meant less to her than it did to Alistair. For him, being a Warden was the greatest honor he could think of and was his salvation from a way of life that he hated, as well as being his surrogate family, which was completely destroyed when Loghain became a Warden.

Mmmhmm. My HFN warrior actually had a personality similar to Alistair's in a lot of ways...took more abuse than she should (picked responses like "I don't think I really deserve this hostility" rather that telling people where to get off, etc.) and was far to apt to offer people second chances/spare lives.

Her first impulse was to spare Loghaine too...but when Alistair flipped out, she was able to think about how she'd feel if it were Alistair sparing Howe, and she relented and allowed Alistair to behead the man.

I think that was the only origin I played her as (of the ones I've played so far) though that she'd have enough of a vindictive streak to be able to understand and choose to execute Loghaine.

[melkathi]

Sarielle wrote...

Her first impulse was to spare Loghaine too...but when Alistair flipped out, she was able to think about how she'd feel if it were Alistair sparing Howe, and she relented and allowed Alistair to behead the man.

I think that was the only origin I played her as (of the ones I've played so far) though that she'd have enough of a vindictive streak to be able to understand and choose to execute Loghaine.

My human noble really did not understand what Alistair's problem was. They'd be going into battle and accidents happen during the heat of battle. And she would not blame Alistair if, while cutting down hurlocks, he spun around and only too late realized that what he had just beheaded wasn't a hurlock but Loghain.
If it had been Howe, she would have demanded he stands trial after the end of the blight and, when people told her that wardens get an amnesty for what tehy had done before, would rain down furious anger, then collect herself, let him join and sneak into his room during the night and throw him out the window.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

melkathi wrote...


My human noble really did not understand what Alistair's problem was. They'd be going into battle and accidents happen during the heat of battle. And she would not blame Alistair if, while cutting down hurlocks, he spun around and only too late realized that what he had just beheaded wasn't a hurlock but Loghain.
If it had been Howe, she would have demanded he stands trial after the end of the blight and, when people told her that wardens get an amnesty for what tehy had done before, would rain down furious anger, then collect herself, let him join and sneak into his room during the night and throw him out the window.

My human noble would have never even allowed it to get that far. The idea of giving her arch-enemy any form of reprieve was unthinkable. Despite being forced to be a Warden, the idea of having to be anywhere in Howe's presence as a commerade in arms was simply NOT an option, and she would have killed anyone and anything that tried getting between her and a violent death for Howe.

Subtlety and subtrefuge on just about any other issue, fine. But Howe? No. And given her erratic and extreme nature, she would have probably violently dispatched the person even suggesting it. 

So naturally, she was quite understanding when Alistair wanted to make mincemeat of Loghain. And Loghain's antics cost her time and aggrivation, delaying her goal of killing Howe and made the Blight that much harder to fight.

[ejoslin]

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Oh, and on my current playthrough, I'm playing a dwarf noble woman who is romancing Zevran, with nothing going on with Alistair. The love scenes and kissing scenes are so damned cute, Zevran and his little dwarf minx. I don't know if you get the same cute kissies and lovies with Alistair playing a dwarf, but I took so many screenshots of Zev and Lucretia getting their freak on because it was so damned adorable!

Elf on dwarf love....you just can't beat it!

Zevran + Dwarf female = THE best kiss in the game.  It's unfair how good that kiss is compared to the others.

[ejoslin]

melkathi wrote...

Sarielle wrote...

Her first impulse was to spare Loghaine too...but when Alistair flipped out, she was able to think about how she'd feel if it were Alistair sparing Howe, and she relented and allowed Alistair to behead the man.

I think that was the only origin I played her as (of the ones I've played so far) though that she'd have enough of a vindictive streak to be able to understand and choose to execute Loghaine.

My human noble really did not understand what Alistair's problem was. They'd be going into battle and accidents happen during the heat of battle. And she would not blame Alistair if, while cutting down hurlocks, he spun around and only too late realized that what he had just beheaded wasn't a hurlock but Loghain.
If it had been Howe, she would have demanded he stands trial after the end of the blight and, when people told her that wardens get an amnesty for what tehy had done before, would rain down furious anger, then collect herself, let him join and sneak into his room during the night and throw him out the window.

Actually, didn't the HNF demand that Howe be tried at the landsmeet when she first came to Denerim?  Or she demanded blood rights and said she wanted to be heard at the Landsmeet.  The fact that she got to kill him was a happy accident, not a planned event.

[Thiefy]

I'm Team Alistair.



But I have to say, between the two I think Zevran has had the harder life and childhood.



You know the sad thing is I probably would like him a lot more if he didn't have long hair. I know, I know! It's shallow......very shallow, but long hair on a man is just sooooo....emasculating for me.



That's also combined with the fact that he's shorter than me....I know, I know, terrible reasons! D:

I mean he's fun to be around and hang out with but I just have a hard time being attracted to him. >___<



But the other thing that I find good about Zev more so than the other (f) romances, there's no accidental relationship. Not compared to Alistair or Leli anyway. The flirt lines are obvious, and if he flirts with you and you say "you are my friend" he takes it at that. I don't for a minute believe all those guys that say Zev accidentally stole their man-virginity.



But yeah I still like Alistair better. While I can have fun with the both of them, not everything becomes a sexual innuendo with Ali. That and blushing on a guy is cute. I can't see Zevran blushing or getting embarassed over anything.

[Thiefy]

bah double post =/

Modifié par Thief-of-Hearts, 29 janvier 2010 - 02:44 .

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

ejoslin wrote...

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Oh, and on my current playthrough, I'm playing a dwarf noble woman who is romancing Zevran, with nothing going on with Alistair. The love scenes and kissing scenes are so damned cute, Zevran and his little dwarf minx. I don't know if you get the same cute kissies and lovies with Alistair playing a dwarf, but I took so many screenshots of Zev and Lucretia getting their freak on because it was so damned adorable!

Elf on dwarf love....you just can't beat it!

Zevran + Dwarf female = THE best kiss in the game.  It's unfair how good that kiss is compared to the others.

Agreed. And when talking love-stuff, the way he looks down at the dwarf while talking...

One thing I love about this game, is that dwarves actually can be taken seriously as romantic leads and heroes. First time I've played an RPG where a dwarf female can be femminine and attractive enough to be taken seriously.

Add a kinky sex-maniac elf to be the love interest of a ruthless, jaded, and ambitous dwarf princess, and well...

Win.

[ejoslin]

Thief-of-Hearts wrote...

I'm Team Alistair.

But I have to say, between the two I think Zevran has had the harder life and childhood.

You know the sad thing is I probably would like him a lot more if he didn't have long hair. I know, I know! It's shallow......very shallow, but long hair on a man is just sooooo....emasculating for me.

That's also combined with the fact that he's shorter than me....I know, I know, terrible reasons! D:
I mean he's fun to be around and hang out with but I just have a hard time being attracted to him. >___

But the other thing that I find good about Zev more so than the other (f) romances, there's no accidental relationship. Not compared to Alistair or Leli anyway. The flirt lines are obvious, and if he flirts with you and you say "you are my friend" he takes it at that. I don't for a minute believe all those guys that say Zev accidentally stole their man-virginity.

But yeah I still like Alistair better. While I can have fun with the both of them, not everything becomes a sexual innuendo with Ali. That and blushing on a guy is cute. I can't see Zevran blushing or getting embarassed over anything.

Zevran can get REALLY awkward at times -- there's one time he calls the warden lovely, and you know it's not a line because he almost trips over the word.  Once he starts to care for the warden he drops a lot of the bravado, and it shows with some very tender moments, even before he falls in love, but especially afterwards.  

And no, you can't end up with Zevran by accident.  If he offers the message, he asks if it can go further.  You can always say, no.  Or you can say NEVER!  Or you can say, we're not alone.  Or you can agree.

I don't find him effeminate at all.  He's slender and of standard elf height, but his features are actually quite masculine, moreso than most elves in the game.

My advice to anyone and everyone is at least finish the romance once.  Talk to him, don't worry too much about  ticking him off.  You don't need to give him gifts at all if you go for maximum approval, but you get huge approval jumps for the gloves and boots, and there are four others that should take you high enough, even with not being THAT nice but at least being decent, to get him to adore.  Especially if you are going to the tent with him -- +1 approval until he hits 100, actually.  If you take him everywhere, if he ticks you off, tell him to shut up (minor approval loss usually) but also, maybe listen to him and see what he has to say.  He is very good at sizing up situations at the very least, and you may end up surprised at what he stands up for occasionally.  He won't turn on you unless you have ignored him or have been very rude to him anyway.

It's a romance worth doing, with all the "squee* you could possibly want.  It cannot be finished if you're romancing Alistair at the same time, which is why a lot of people think it ends with the first offering of the earring (which should be turned down as you should never accept gifts that don't mean anything ).  I've done more playthroughs than I care to admit to at this point, and I'm still not tired of it.  It really is that beautiful.  I probably know the Alistair romance almost as well, and I know it has its moments of intensity.  It also has so much potential for tragedy and pain, and it makes my heart break for the poor guy because he just is such a victim of circumstance.  But the Zevran romance just has something to it, something so unexpectedly touching.  Plus I like the character.  He's fun, funny, wild, yet incredibly smart and pragmatic.  And having someone fall that hard for the warden, which of course I put myself into the role . . . it's how I expected the Alistair romance to end the first time I played it through. 

Modifié par ejoslin, 29 janvier 2010 - 12:44 .

[ejoslin]

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

ejoslin wrote...

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Oh, and on my current playthrough, I'm playing a dwarf noble woman who is romancing Zevran, with nothing going on with Alistair. The love scenes and kissing scenes are so damned cute, Zevran and his little dwarf minx. I don't know if you get the same cute kissies and lovies with Alistair playing a dwarf, but I took so many screenshots of Zev and Lucretia getting their freak on because it was so damned adorable!

Elf on dwarf love....you just can't beat it!

Zevran + Dwarf female = THE best kiss in the game.  It's unfair how good that kiss is compared to the others.

Agreed. And when talking love-stuff, the way he looks down at the dwarf while talking...

One thing I love about this game, is that dwarves actually can be taken seriously as romantic leads and heroes. First time I've played an RPG where a dwarf female can be femminine and attractive enough to be taken seriously.

Add a kinky sex-maniac elf to be the love interest of a ruthless, jaded, and ambitous dwarf princess, and well...

Win.

Gah, and I wasn't going to play another dwarf seeing as I've done both noble and casteless and have yet to finish a human mage.  But oh, that kiss, and the magical invisible step stool my little dwarf must carry around.  Plus, yes, the tent scene IS cute, especially the look he gives her.  That's one of the most real looks in the game. 

And with Alistair, the kisses and the tent scenes are all exactly the same no matter what the race.  I wonder if there's a meaning there.  I doubt it.

[Thiefy]

ejoslin wrote...

Thief-of-Hearts wrote...

I'm Team Alistair.

But I have to say, between the two I think Zevran has had the harder life and childhood.

You know the sad thing is I probably would like him a lot more if he didn't have long hair. I know, I know! It's shallow......very shallow, but long hair on a man is just sooooo....emasculating for me.

That's also combined with the fact that he's shorter than me....I know, I know, terrible reasons! D:
I mean he's fun to be around and hang out with but I just have a hard time being attracted to him. >___

But the other thing that I find good about Zev more so than the other (f) romances, there's no accidental relationship. Not compared to Alistair or Leli anyway. The flirt lines are obvious, and if he flirts with you and you say "you are my friend" he takes it at that. I don't for a minute believe all those guys that say Zev accidentally stole their man-virginity.

But yeah I still like Alistair better. While I can have fun with the both of them, not everything becomes a sexual innuendo with Ali. That and blushing on a guy is cute. I can't see Zevran blushing or getting embarassed over anything.

Zevran can get REALLY awkward at times -- there's one time he calls the warden lovely, and you know it's not a line because he almost trips over the word.  Once he starts to care for the warden he drops a lot of the bravado, and it shows with some very tender moments, even before he falls in love, but especially afterwards.  

And no, you can't end up with Zevran by accident.  If he offers the message, he asks if it can go further.  You can always say, no.  Or you can say NEVER!  Or you can say, we're not alone.  Or you can agree.

I don't find him effeminate at all.  He's slender and of standard elf height, but his features are actually quite masculine, moreso than most elves in the game.

My advice to anyone and everyone is at least finish the romance once.  Talk to him, don't worry too much about  ticking him off.  You don't need to give him gifts at all if you go for maximum approval, but you get huge approval jumps for the gloves and boots, and there are four others that should take you high enough, even with not being THAT nice but at least being decent, to get him to adore.  Especially if you are going to the tent with him -- +1 approval until he hits 100, actually.  If you take him everywhere, if he ticks you off, tell him to shut up (minor approval loss usually) but also, maybe listen to him and see what he has to say.  He is very good at sizing up situations at the very least, and you may end up surprised at what he stands up for occasionally.  He won't turn on you unless you have ignored him or have been very rude to him anyway.

It's a romance worth doing, with all the "squee* you could possibly want.  It cannot be finished if you're romancing Alistair at the same time, which is why a lot of people think it ends with the first offering of the earring (which should be turned down as you should never accept gifts that don't mean anything ).  I've done more playthroughs than I care to admit to at this point, and I'm still not tired of it.  It really is that beautiful.  I probably know the Alistair romance almost as well, and I know it has it's moments of intensity.  It also has so much potential for tragedy and pain, and it makes my heart break for the poor guy because he just is such a victim of circumstance.  But the Zevran romance just has something to it, something so unexpectedly touching.  Plus I like the character.  He's fun, funny, wild, yet incredibly smart and pragmatic.  And having someone fall that hard for the warden, which of course I put myself into the role . . . it's how I expected the Alistair romance to end the first time I played it through. 

It's actually just my personal taste - the long hair really does it for me sadly. I can seriously think a man is smoking hot and the minute he puts on a long haired wig, it's like a total shut down and I see him as feminine - even with masculine facial features, muscualr or toned body, prominent Adam's apple, you name it. The only exception to this ever has been Ben Barnes.

Unfortunately, he is still shorter than humans. I found that the shortness of elves to be disappointing, especially since I wanted to play one first. I thought they would be much taller, taller than humans anyway.

I don't think I got the awkward line with him, or if i did i dont remember. will have to double check that. I've always wondering if he treats Dalish Elf PC different from other PCs.

[Lenimph]

Err neither?
...

My first playthrough I ended up picking Leliana because I thought my male options where... disappointing... plus she charmed me crazy with that voice of hers

But I definately prefer Alistar over Zevran.
Alistair is cute, his voice is like butter and he has such a wonderful sense of humor. I like how he's innocent and obediant, but his romance only really works with the noble origin imo.

Zevran on the other hand... reminds me of puss and boots and is not nearly as cute enough to possess the same amount of charm.  Plus he makes me feel.. like i could catch something from him...

Modifié par Lenimph, 29 janvier 2010 - 03:57 .

[Eruanna Guerrein]

I've never felt as though I had to "mother" Alistair. I do feel protective over him but I feel protective over my dad and older brother and anyone else I love too. I don't feel that way because he's weak, in other words, as I don't find him weak but a kind, smart, funny, strong, flawed human. I adore his shyness. It reminds me of being young and the excitement of new love yet it still feels more real than my first crushes did (which usually lasted all of a week lol). I really like that he's got so much going for him but isn't cocky at all. His shyness makes me feel special and worthy. Of course, his sexiness is undeniable and I love the accent and voice acting too. I find the way the party members tease him totally hilarious.



Zevran is the exact opposite of what I find appealing physically and that's something I can't get passed. At first I thought he was slimy too but after getting to know him I like him a lot. I don't like that I feel like a notch on his bedpost during the first part of the romance though and simply put, he just doesn't do it for me. I enjoy him greatly as a companion however. He's smart, funny, loyal, honorable, and after awhile, picks locks well enough that I don't have to drag Leliana with me any longer (I hate listening to her speak).

[ejoslin]

You know, I never got the feeling that the warden was just a notch on the bedpost. That doesn't mean that I think it was deep and meaningful at the start (if you went that route -- it's possible to wait until they're in love, though I personally don't see the point). Zevran was done with the bragging about his conquests by the time he got to the PC. Also, before going to the tent is even an option, Zevran does try to get a commitment of some sort out of the Warden, at least he wants to consider them having a future together. I think there is an area between it being nothing but a conquest and it being an expression of true love, and what was going on fell somewhere in between those two points, though where it falls can played in a lot of ways according to different dialogs and of course roleplaying.



And he is faithful, unless the warden chooses otherwise. And he leaves that entirely up to the Warden.

[Sandtigress]

For me, the notch in the bedpost thing depends on how early you ask him to your tent. I think its different if you let him really initiate that part of the romance, otherwise its "I should have warned you, this was inevitable" and it does feel rather cheap. I'm not denying that the later parts of the romance are sweet though - I think its really cute when he refuses to go to your tent later on and then you force him to explain why.

[Eruanna Guerrein]

Well I only romanced him once, to get the achievement, and that time I was also trying to romance Leliana, to get the achievement heh, and trying to hold back on the Alistair romance so I could get the other two first (I already had his achievement lol). So I slept with Zev pretty much right off. So I had flirted with Al and Lel but that was it. I'm not sure if he bragged about conquests any more but I am positive he continued to hit on my companions. I don't recall him saying anything to any of them that made me feel special either.



I never did get Lel's achievement in that play through by the way. I got too far with Alistair and he made me choose between him and Zev first promptly followed by him or Leliana. I thought it was cool that he told me he understood how I could be into Leliana because she was hot though.



I had two endings in which Zev was in love with me even though I'd clearly been romancing Alistair. That was odd and kinda took me out of my RP zone.

[Addai]

ejoslin wrote...

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Oh, and on my current playthrough, I'm playing a dwarf noble woman who is romancing Zevran, with nothing going on with Alistair. The love scenes and kissing scenes are so damned cute, Zevran and his little dwarf minx. I don't know if you get the same cute kissies and lovies with Alistair playing a dwarf, but I took so many screenshots of Zev and Lucretia getting their freak on because it was so damned adorable!

Elf on dwarf love....you just can't beat it!

Zevran + Dwarf female = THE best kiss in the game.  It's unfair how good that kiss is compared to the others.

I think we need video evidence!

[ejoslin]

Well, the hitting on your companions . . . Wynne, it's obviously to make her uncomfortable. Morrigan, it's a bet (which he wins). Leliana . . . someone who uses seduction as a tool must know that asking someone to "knock boots" is not going to work -- it just doesn't come off as serious. Oghren is a joke, obviously. I like the conversations he has about you with the companions, though, telling shale it wouldn't be a bad thing if the warden got pregnant, telling Morrigan that the warden and her lovely eyes (or strong hands) is the reason he's there. There's a lot of nice stuff there as well.

[ejoslin]

Addai67 wrote...

ejoslin wrote...

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Oh, and on my current playthrough, I'm playing a dwarf noble woman who is romancing Zevran, with nothing going on with Alistair. The love scenes and kissing scenes are so damned cute, Zevran and his little dwarf minx. I don't know if you get the same cute kissies and lovies with Alistair playing a dwarf, but I took so many screenshots of Zev and Lucretia getting their freak on because it was so damned adorable!

Elf on dwarf love....you just can't beat it!

Zevran + Dwarf female = THE best kiss in the game.  It's unfair how good that kiss is compared to the others.

I think we need video evidence!

Roll a dwarf.  Seriously, the kiss . . . first it starts with a look even more smoldering than the look he gives the elf, then the kiss goes on for longer than any of the others THEN he pulls back just a little and looks into her eyes.  It's ridiculously nice.

Gah, I think I'm rolling another casteless my next play through.  And i can't believe I can describe the kiss in THAT much detail.   dialog tweaks!

[Addai]

Sandtigress wrote...

For me, the notch in the bedpost thing depends on how early you ask him to your tent. I think its different if you let him really initiate that part of the romance, otherwise its "I should have warned you, this was inevitable" and it does feel rather cheap. I'm not denying that the later parts of the romance are sweet though - I think its really cute when he refuses to go to your tent later on and then you force him to explain why.

You get an opportunity to call Zevran on his boastfulness about being a good assassin and lover, and he admits it, rather charmingly and abashedly I thought.  He is realizing that he doesn't need his defenses anymore. but that is a process.  I think not all characters are going to be able to "get" him and be able to move past the surface.  My city elf got him immediately, and felt a kinship with him, whereas it just wasn't working with my human mage.  I love that in Wynne's preachy confrontation she reveals that Zevran "has a tenderness in his gaze" for the PC and that she sees that now.  You have an option to tell her "I saw it all along."  That means it was there all along, if your character had eyes to see it.

[Addai]

ejoslin wrote...

Roll a dwarf.  Seriously, the kiss . . . first it starts with a look even more smoldering than the look he gives the elf, then the kiss goes on for longer than any of the others THEN he pulls back just a little and looks into her eyes.  It's ridiculously nice.

Gah, I think I'm rolling another casteless my next play through.  And i can't believe I can describe the kiss in THAT much detail.   dialog tweaks!

I just can't play dwarves.  I don't know what it is.  I haven't even tried the origin stories, though I'd like to someday, but I don't know if I'd be able to get far enough in the game to get a Zevran kiss.  It's the stubby legs, I guess. 

[Sabriana]

About the Zevran betrayal. I don't think it's so hard to understand. He just turned his back on the Crows, a very powerful organization, hoping that the PC will help him. Read the codex on the Crows, it'll give an idea how powerful and far-reaching an organization it really is

Now, if the PC makes him doubt that he is safe with her, perhaps because she's very nasty, ignores him, etc. he feels his life is in danger. He needs to make a decision, and when Taliesin comes along he chooses the safer option.

Uncertain future and death vs. known future and his old organization, is how he sees it. He swore an oath under the impression that he would get shelter and protection from the PC, and when that is in doubt for him, he has to choose the way that is best for him. As a matter of fact, there is a coversation line where he implies that he thought the PC made a promise to him as well. An "unspoken promise", when he took the oath.

It really is not hard to get him to the point where he at least will step aside in the Taliesin fight, but not leave the PC. And the PC really doesn't have to walk on eggshells, just be reasonably courteous.

I have a play-through at the moment where my PC inadvertently go this approval to 100, and all his gifts are securely locked up in the camp's chest.

Strangely enough, this PC tried to keep Zevran at a lower rate, because she also had something going with Alistair, and was torn.

She was quite shocked when Zevran suddenly called her on the carpet and made her choose. I  (and she) had no idea he had gone up so high already. When she went to break up with Alistair, he was at 100 friendly, so there was no initial approval loss when she told Zevran that he is her chosen.

She did the break-up talk, using the "I wish it hadn't come to that" line, and the "I'm glad your okay with it" line, and ended up with 100 friendly. No approval loss at all.

Compared to Zevran being torn to pieces when broken up with, that's a great difference.
Don't get me wrong, I like Alistair. But as a mate, it's Zevran all the way. Yes, he is shorter than she is, but it's not enough to matter to her (or me).

One thing that struck me is that the PC gets big approval losses when deciding to go against Alistair's wishes. Mine usually look at -5 and more, even being nice and persuasive. On the other hand, when she told Zevran that she would not consider saving the anvil, she got  -1. The approval losses to Zevran are minimal compared to Alistair's. Except in the break  up department. Zevran takes it really, really hard, whereas Alistair seems to be able to shrug it off without any losses.