Nathaniel Howe thread -Your wish is my command-

Despite of the first impression, Nathaniel becomes a very good friend, who dedicates himself to GW duties, takes them very seriously.
I really like this character.

Also I like a phrase from Oghren: banish Nathaniel first, then you meet him all of a sudden and he asks you to recruit him. And here Oghren reminds how similar it is to Zevran recruitment (Oghren comment just killed me, considering Zevran is always my LI.)

Shoulda been romanceable in DAA. A huge step up in the maturity dept from Alistair and, while initially setting out/thinking to kill the Warden, not actually a killer like Zevran.

It's been a while since I played femCousland, but I headcanon them two making googly eyes at each other growing up as one of the reasons dear daddy Howe sent Nate away.

let's add some fan-arts

Source: Agregor

Source: YumiKoyuki

Apparently that's all I've got for now (LadyofNemesis got to my other two before me )

I like Nate a lot and wish he could return, but IIRC he can be killed in DAA so it doesn't seem likely.

He had a great voice. Every time he called Velanna "my lady," I would get a bit envious. He also had a nice relationship arc with the Warden, going from suspicious and antagonistic to extremely supportive and loyal (a la Sten and Miranda). He was part of my favorite 3 rogue team along with my DW city elf, Sigrun and Arcane Warrior Anders to protect the rest of us. It was fun to watch him slumming it with three irreverent commoner goofballs and taking it very well.

In my headcanon Nate (unbeknownst to him) is Loghain's son, which is part of the reason Howe mistreated him and his mother. (Nate has Loghain's nose, brows and hair and looks very little like Rendon Howe, IMO.) Of course, this would lead to some truly uncomfortable conversations with the Warden.

Nate: In the end, I'm glad you recruited me, Commander, but sometimes I still feel remiss for not avenging my father.
Warden: Oh, Rendon Howe wasn't your father.
Nate: What? Then who...?
Warden: Teyrn Loghain. I found your mother's diary hidden in my room.
Nate: Loghain? But ... You killed him, too, didn't you?
Warden: Uh...
Nate: You killed BOTH of my fathers!
Warden: I'm sorry, I didn't know you then! They needed to die!

He`s one of my favorite companions in DAA! One of the things i like about this character it`s his relationship with the warden, evolving from hostility to friendship . And it was great to see him again in DA2 even if it was only for a quest.



Some banters with him that made me smile :


Sigrun: I found something under my bed at the keep. Something tells me it's yours.

Nathaniel: Miss Maggie! I remember her. She's not mine--she belonged to my sister, Delilah. Miss Maggie was her favourite doll.

Sigrun: Miss Maggie appears to be missing her arms.

Nathaniel: Delilah and I had a fight. Then I ripped off Maggie's arms and hid them in places where Delilah would find them later.

Sigrun: What a sweetheart you were.


Nathaniel: So you have a sister? A younger sister?

Velanna: That is no secret. I've mentioned her several times now.

Nathaniel: For the longest time, I thought my sister was dead. When we were children, she put beetles in my blankets. She would laugh to hear me shriek.

Velanna: Seranni liked to put sap in my hair. She also pushed me into an icy river. Twice.

Nathaniel: Ouch.

Velanna: Hmm. Yes. Why did I want to rescue her, again?


Oghren: The whole "quiet and stoic" thing must get you a lot of action, huh?

Nathaniel: I take it you are an admirer, Oghren?

Oghren: What? No! No, well not unless--no!

Nathaniel: Good. Then I needn't worry about getting too drunk at camp.

Oghren: Heh. Okay, I like you. Just not in that way.

to add my favorite Nathaniel banter

Sigrun: Cheer up; no one loves a grump.
Nathaniel: For a dead woman you're remarkably perky.
Sigrun: I could be less perky if you like. 'The darkness of the Deep Roads is seeped into my soul. The world is dead, my heart is black. Alas. Woe. Woe!'

that is one of things that made me respect him: Nathaniel lost everything, wanted to kill a GW (if it is a Noble GW it was even worse for him), but still already after the joining you can see some changes in him. In the end, after all his losses, he remained himself, and became a GW from whom others could take example, he was true to GW cause to the end (I hope): again, one of the characters whose fate is not shown in the game, though he was even your companion.
His losses didn't break him, only made him stronger imo. That deserves respect.

yep, forgot about humor. Not every person is able to make jokes or at least some funny phrases in his situation with losses.

Would like to have him in DAO tbh. Would have been different dialogues but would like the same outcome as in DAA ((don't care about romancing him - "to be or not to be" - try or not not try - whatever), but as a companion I think he would have fit just fine in DAO.

O_O I had no idea this happened!

LadyofNemesis, do you know if it's possible to get the "some of my best friends have wanted me dead" while letting him go,  or is that only when you conscript him? Been so long since I've played Awakening I can't remember.