Dorian Pavus Thread "He's More Handsome Than A Cockroach"

Hmm, Dorian wearing lighter colours to thumb his nose at Tevinter's "evil" darker colour scheme does seem in-character... I may have to go back and retint his outfit now. Which is a shame, because he does still look rather fetching in the black and reds I normally give him.

(As for my progress on my first Dorianmance run, finished up his personal quest, got to the first kiss and the delightful talk with Mother Giselle... between disapproving fathers and priestesses, there was a heavy amount of tutting packed into those ten minutes)

Dorian deserves a happy ending, he does. Even though I'm quite sure he is going to die in DA4, or there being at least a choice where his death is an option.

Love these pictures by rebelflet, and old Dorian is damn hot.

So, I was just going to the Bioware forums to post a new fanfiction aaaaannndddd it's getting deleted in ten days. My computer is having issues (maybe motherboard, maybe wiring) so I can't play, so I haven't been active on the boards either and just found out.

I'd been feeling extremely down about my writing, about wanting to share it, and some personal stuff regarding my original fiction, so I went back to read the nice comments I got before to cheer me up, which lead to me deciding to finish the second fic I'd started a long time ago.

Went to post it, and got hit with a nice, sudden "we're deleting the boards, sorry" post. Bleh. But I saw someone mention this place and came to check and see if my favorite character had a thread going.

I'm so glad to see at least a remnant of what was the Bioware forums, and a few people I recognize here!

If you guys don't mind, I want to share my Archive link.

archiveofourown.org/users/d4eaming/works

I have two Dorian fics, different male Lavellan, in there. No spoilers (yet).

Ugh I am so happy to see some people here that I recognize!

^ Hm... I've never realized how close the fadey-green color is to a glow stick!

Well, you could try searching for him on Deviant Art or Tumblr, but you might also find some stuff you might not care to see. I'll go through my Tumblr and repost some of the Dorian arts I've reblogged.

Thanks for all the directions!

Do we know a lot about Dorian's mother? She doesn't get mentioned a whole lot during the game, and I'm intrigued to how she's affected Dorian on top of his father.

Most of what we learn about her can only be obtained with certain races, a few throwaway lines in different locations and being a friend (or romance where he returned to Tevinter straight after DAI) in Trespasser.

When talking with non-mage Trevelyan, he mentions how his mother is very concerned with bloodlines and would have the vapours to hear the Inquisitor isn't bothered about them. He also says that knowing about bloodlines are lessons taught and tested by strict nannies, which would seem to indicate that his mother had very little to do with his upbringing. This seems borne out by the comment in the Exalted Plains that the river reminds him of boating with his mother and then reflects that actually it was the servants who took him boating while his mother watched from the shore.

There is another part where he mentions about his mother being concerned with deportment but I don't remember the exact quote.

If you take him to the ball, he mentions how his mother would be dragging him out by the ear and his comments suggest she still treats him like a child.

In Trespasser, if you ask him about his trip back home (2 year visit) he mentions how he visited his mother and she was drunk as usual. So it would definitely seem that he probably got his drinking habits from his mother's example of how to deal with the lousy side of life.

Since he says his parents hated each other's guts and Dorian idolised his father when he was a child, and his father even suggests that the adult Dorian is very like him, this would probably account for the lack of closeness with his mother. She may have been a typical noble who really didn't have much time for her child but could equally have been a very lonely woman who found it difficult to show affection.

I got this creepy chill because I might want to romance Dorian.. now I'm the first one to scream that Dorian is an amazing friend and a cool character, but a horrible, abysmal lover, but maybe if I romanced Dorian with someone who is MORE horrible as a lover than he is?! I kinda want to make a complete jackass to romance Dorian with. These times I wish friendship/rivalry romances were still a thing... because I want to piss Dorian off and then fuck him senseless (!!! consensually!!!!).

Maybe? Idk, I just want to make an non-traditional mage who is pompous, a jackass, selfish, morally corrupt and who just wants power any way he can get. Cozying up to the son of a Tevinter magister, just another way to gain power one way or another, possibly, idk.

^ It seems more like the former, to be honest. Some women just aren't interested in being mothers, either because it interferes with their outlook on life and how they see themselves, because they don't want to go through the whole pregnancy and birthing ordeal, they don't like children, or any number of reasons.

In the novel Gone with the Wind (as opposed to the film), much more detail is given on that aspect of Scarlett's life. She hated being married to these various men. She hated having to do her marital duty and have sex with them (it also seemed like she didn't even like sex until she started having it with Rhett who knows how [and wants] to please a woman). She hated getting pregnant and baring their children. She hated being pregnant and giving birth. She hated being a mother and consequently had little interest in her children; what little care she gave them was out of obligation.

Given the circumstances of their marriage, I can certainly imagine that all of these things might have applied to Dorian's mother.

I've always wondered about the wording of the letter that Halward writes to Giselle. He does speak of "their" concern and also uses "we." Naturally, due to the circumstances of his leaving, Dorian focuses on his father's involvement, but I wonder how much of that was a put on by Halward, or if she did have legitimate concerns as well. After all, being part of the Inquisition and being in the path of danger isn't really something most parents would wish for their child. On the other hand, it just seems so Tevinter to stick your fingers in your ears and go, "Lalalala," when doom is bearing down upon you. Whether Dorian died as part of the Inquisition, or when Corypheus took over, he'd be dead either way.

It's worth remembering Halward himself was forced into a loveless sham marriage for the sake of the grand Tevinter experiment in eugenics. Is it really unexpected then why Halward was so adamant about holding his son to the same standards and expectations that were visited upon him by his own parents?

This does not diminish Halward's atrocious behaviour or lack of understanding towards his own son, but as you say, Halward has been so indoctrinated and ingrained into the cultural mentality and attitudes of Tevinter society, he cannot divorce himself from looking at the world (or his son) through that skewed lens.

Either way, we should pity Halward. Either he cannot understand why being miserable in a sham marriage, solely because of what the neighbours might think, is not appealing to Dorian... or he understands perfectly, but feels that since he had to suffer through a loveless arranged marriage, it's only "fair" that his son should do the same.

I always say to Dorian, to talk to him, do not let him just be there. Halward seems broken. Probably he regret, and really want to back his son's trust. But if we don't care about Halward, I think the talk with him, and possibly forgiveness better for Dorian. I believe, that not too good a lifetime to carry the burden of hatred (uh... so highly lofty words!), and Halward died. It was his last chance to get rid of his anger against his father. As we heard, they was in good relationship, when Dorian was little boy. I'm sure he would feel bad if he had not talked to him last time. Yes, this is metaknowledge, but we still know: he left Tevinter, and we dont know, when he want to back (IF he want to back...)


Pfft, I hope, I was understandable...
(Whatever, I not a psychiatris, it's somewhat based of my experience, and maybe I'm seems too soft hearted, but this not really true, I'm a hot-headed angry jerk, but I can't be angry at anyone for a long time, and I always feel better, when my anger fade.)

UPDATED: Still not my fav. romance, but they are looks good: