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You know, I think I prefer Aeducan killing Trian rather than just being framed for it. They both have their share of drama but being duped into doing it by Bhelen makes your character feel more flawed - partly because they're not immediately able to sniff out Bhelen's schemes and partly because they're, you know, willing to kill their brother. It says something about the world they grew up in. Instead of painting Aeducan as a victim, totally justified in taking Bhelen's head off, things are a little more ambiguous. Yeah, little bro manipulated you into doing it, but you're the one who ultimately made that decision. The weight of your father's disappointment, everyone you know calling you "kinslayer" when you return to Orzammar... it's all based in reality. You are the one who brought dishonor on your house and the rest of the game becomes more of a redemption story than a revenge arc.

Plus, Trian's lines at the Gauntlet change if you kill him vs. being set up, which I think is neat.

I still love them both, but I think for my canon Aeducan I'm going to go this route.

I get it. It really is a careful balance of roleplaying and realism, what motivates your character, how far they're willing to go, and what you as a player are going to enjoy.

My Aeducan had no particular desire to be queen, though privately she did think Trian would make a poor king as he seemed more concerned with glory and posturing than, you know, actually doing something about the darkspawn. She was a warrior first and foremost, a scholar of dwarven history and she considered herself the responsible sibling, with Trian as the inveterate nobleman and Bhelen as the put-upon but harmless younger sibling with a penchant for adopting social causes. She wasn't stupid, but she was not as politically savvy as her younger brother. Her first concern was always the darkspawn threat and the survival of Orzammar as a whole. She considered Trian's grandstanding an annoyance and didn't catch onto Bhelen's scheming until it was too late. But the main reason she killed Trian wasn't because she wanted to be queen - it was because Bhelen insinuates that Trian sees you as a threat, and she didn't want Trian coming for her head. She had real work to do, after all. If Bhelen had come out and said he wanted to be king, she would've supported him.

I just found this way more satisfying than my original DN playthrough, where my Aeducan was a paragon (no pun intended) of goodness, saw right through everyone's machinations, and was victimized by her evil brother. This time around she did have blind spots - or "priorities", as she would call them - and had the capacity to be ruthless, and also to regret her actions later down the line.

Aeducan can be politically savvy, like when s/he orders the assassination of that guy who was arguing with the scholar, how you handle the merchant selling a dagger or refusing that request to defend the surfacers. 

S/He only isn't politically savvy when the plot demands so.

As time goes on I do prefer killing Trian. Had two motives that stuck with me. One for a lady Aeducan who was thinking of his Breeding Flesh comment as she hacked her axe in him over and over. Second was a lord Aeducan who realized he was duped once Trian confronted him, but also realized he didn't care and since he was already in too deep he might as well enjoy separating that condescending head off it's shoulders.

Edit: And also I do like that you can shank the scout and your dad basically goes "No wait, it's cool, I would have done the same. Now let's ask Ivo". 

One thing I consider when playing Aeducan is that s/he is said to be very popular with the people of Orzammar. So I give him/her a pleasant personality and a general respect for tradition.

I loved that, too.  "Murder's fine, that lowlife impugned your honor, nbd."

Rica Brosca punching me in the feels again *upturns every table in sight*

I love that headcanon! I did something similar. After that shady fella in the Commons asks to buy some of your teeth, I headcanon that my dwarves do exactly that, and in later years their smiles are notable for having a few silver teeth. You do what you gotta do to survive Dust Town.

Both the CE and HN origins got to me in different ways - I'm a sucker for pain, and I cried during both - but DC gets me because there is no one on your side except Rica (and eventually Duncan, if you're lucky enough to meet him). When I play other origins, it really pains me to imagine Brosca giving up on life, allowing themselves to starve to death in Beraht's cell, hopeless and certain in the knowledge that they've failed Rica and their life amounted to nothing just like everyone said. Ouch.

Oh, certainly. That's one of the things I like most about Origins. I shudder to think what happened to Tabris (not to mention Cyrion getting sold into slavery....) and the thought of Cousland getting slaughtered with their family, leaving Fergus behind... Mahariel dying a slow, agonizing death from the Taint... yeeeaah, it's not pretty for anyone. But at least they all had a decent life before they died. Brosca just kinda got crapped on their whole life and died in a cage. 😓


I noticed that!

What are the differences and similarities between dwarven politics and Orlesian politics?

Pretty sure that's a Legion of the Dead thing.