Tapster's Tavern - For all your dwarven needs !

Yeah, there's really no telling what would've happened if their baby had been born a girl. Obviously she'd be casteless, but whether Bhelen would accept that or try to rework the system is anyone's guess.

Sifr I don't necessarily think Bhelen would consider himself more honorable for marrying Rica as opposed to just raising her up to concubine status. As far as I can tell being a concubine is an accepted and even respected position in dwarven society, so I think Bhelen calling Mardy a whore was just him being a huge hypocritical dickbag and a product of his society, so... you know... nothing new there.  (I LOVE THIS WHOLE FUCKED UP FAMILY LMAO.)

Slightly unrelated, but I personally think Bhelen married Rica partly out of a sense of genuine affection (in the DC origin Rica says he treats her "like a real lady, not just someone to tumble and forget")... and partly as a power play. Some non-epilogue info about Bhelen's treatment of the casteless: Bhelen's crier claims that Harrowmont "kicks casteless in the street" and doesn't respect those below his station (obviously biased and likely exaggerated, but still), Harrowmont's crier claims that Bhelen's going to marry a casteless woman (and this is presented as a negative), in the DN origin Bhelen implies that it's unusual to see the middle Aeducan out and about among the common folk (he says this somewhat disparagingly) and sarcastically recounts Trian's "speech you gave to the legless boy about hard work and making something of himself". In the DC origin there's a woman in Dust Town who sounds positively overjoyed because, "Prince Bhelen smiled at me!" These to me are all tiny signs that he doesn't just want to loosen up caste restrictions to bolster Orzammar's army; there's something more genuine going on here.

I think by actually ponying up and marrying Rica, he's just putting his money where his mouth is. There are these little hints here and there that he wants to shake up the social strata of Orzammar, but making a casteless woman, the mother of his first(?) son, the Queen of Orzammar is a statement. And in DAI if you played as Warden Brosca, he puts a giant statue of you in front of the palace as "King Bhelen wants all of Orzammar to venerate his wife's noble house." He's like.... not fucking around and demands that people respect her.

Which is all very interesting. Doesn't make him a good person - and I don't just mean because of his ruthlessness or kinslaying, but because he shamelessly manipulates Rica and paints himself as a victim of the eeeevil Harrowmont - but I think he's authentic about this one thing.

On the one hand I agree, because it'd be nice if more Wardens were aware of this stuff rather than it being a case of meta-or-bust. On the other hand I suppose it's one of the charms of having multiple origins. You really do come at it from a different perspective depending on your background, and it makes sense that people who grew up in Orzammar would have more context than humans or elves (not to mention being Bhelen being your brother or brother-in-law).

Juuust leaving these here. It's neat to see it all at once! 👀

If Orzammar hates the casteless so much, why have they never been exiled to the surface?

I don't know how relevant Punnett squares are when it comes to elven genetics - look at Zevran! - but it sounds like fun anyway.

I never knew that Harding had her own tavern song! I'm a bad fan. It's so catchy. Maryden sure does love writing songs about archer ladies. Sera, Scout Harding, Leliana... :dumb:

One of my fav lines!

Merela ~ good to see you!


Loooove this line. Easily one of my favorite remarks in DAO.

Merela Not dwarf related, but where is your avatar pic from? Is there a larger version? It looks charming.