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Hullo dwarf thread! I went out hunting for fanart and I found this:



source

I enjoyed the conversation with Kardol, the leader of the Legion of the Dead in DAO.

He is basically like "Oh, the surface is having darkspawn problems? That's adorable. Down here, we just call it wednesday."

I'm playing through DAO again and am at the dwarven choice. My Warden is a non-dwarf, although I have played through both the noble and common origins before (Aeducan was my very first character).

I would like your various perspectives for choosing Harrowmont or Behlen. I'd also request that the meta information of the epilogue NOT factor in to the discussion; that information is NOT known to our Warden and so I don't believe that should factor into any roleplay choice. (I don't care what an individual player does in their own play, but the meta doesn't factor into my own choice.)

As mentioned, I'm playing a non-dwarf, a Cousland, so I can't go by anything other than what is presented to me when going to Orzammar later in the game. I try very hard to play it out through roleplay: my Warden doesn't want to get involved*, talks to both of the reps, talks to every NPC available in the common areas (I don't go around picking locks, etc), and then makes a decision as a last resort.

In talking with various people, it just doesn't seem like Behlen is a good choice. Most people seem to think that Behlen is all about Behlen, his own power. Talking with his man and learning about that first task just leaves me with a skeevy feeling; he wants to do something underhanded, while Harrowmont's man only requires that I win the Proving (while also learning about the intimidation and extortion of the Harrowmont fighters). That is what I base my choice on.

I don't like the idea of working with one guy and then choosing someone else at the end, so I make my choice at that point and stick with it.



* To go along with this, I head to Orzammar early on, find out about these problems and learn that the Assembly is deadlocked, and leave to go do another plot area with the idea to give them more time to decide. This would be several weeks of time, so it seems reasonable to me.

Warden Aeducan 😍😍

I wish we'd get quality dwarfy-looking elaborate braids!


Ah, I see what you mean. In that case it's probably more about how investigative your character is and what their values are. You have to do some digging to see the full extent of Bhelen's scumminess and any of his virtues. A city elf might sympathize with the plight of the casteless and see Harrowmont as part of the problem, a blood mage who sold Connor to the desire demon might admire Bhelen's ambition, a Cousland might believe that it's all in the blood and that Bhelen's lineage trumps Harrowmont's claim to the throne.


Well, I imagine there will be pleeeeenty of humans and hopefully a good number of dwarves if we're going to Tevinter.

Just started an Aeducan in origins for my Dragon Age series run. I think I'll romance Morrigan with him, since my main Brosca romanced Leliana. I am in Lothering right now and I forgot how much they mentioned my character as a dwarf.

I am having fun all over again and plus I get to read all of the dwarven codex.

My non-dwarf Wardens side with Bhelen because of how bad they see the situation is with the castes and especially the casteless so they want to change that meaning siding with Bhelen since Harrowmont won’t. Even the Human Noble fits this since we are told unlike some nobility our house has a reputation for kindness towards those other nobles May deem below them, like the elven servants. And obviously the Elves and Mage backgrounds would want to change that. As for my Dwarf origins. Dwarf Noble sides with Harrowmont because of what Bhelen did to them and my Dwarf Commoner sides with Bhelen for the reasons above as well as because of their sister.

Favorite romance for a casteless Warden, either gender, hit me.

Alas, there's no indication that Lord Aeducan and Gorim have any sort of romantic relationship. And I agree with you that dwarven nobles are probably plagued with some of the same issues as the Tevinter elite. Possibly it's worse, considering how low the birth rate is and how much pressure there is to reproduce...

It's probably acceptable to have a lover on the side, though, like with Branka and Hespith. Even Oghren says something like, "If I knew she felt that way..." (in an understanding tone, not a creepy one). And if you're playing a male dwarf commoner, when you come back to Orzammar (presumably wearing nicer gear), your alcoholic mother will say, "did the prince decide he likes boys, or did you find some other way to bring in coin?" So I'm sure it's acceptable for gay dwarves to have "kept men" similar to female concubines.

I think they didn't do a male Aeducan/Gorim thing because those resources went into the noble hunters Mardy and Teli, especially Mardy since if you sleep with her you have a son and there is a side quest to help them.