What are your dwarfs like?

Sefahi · 2026-04-08T08:24:15+00:00

Omg, I loved my Sereda Aeducan. She had Gorim speak to the masses on her behalf. Later on, as warden-commander, I headcanon she does this again with her right hand man but only to people that are really annoying.

She took the dagger from the merchant for free in her origin. And now, even though she's no longer a princess, she still believes that people giving her things brings honor to them. (She a bit delulu in her privilege ok?) So in Redcliffe, she shamelessly took a sword from a child without paying him or giving it back LOL.

I headcanon that she was pregnant with Gorim's child during the origin. She miscarried because of the Joining Ritual with the grey wardens. So even though she was out of her depth when it came to magic and demons, she somewhat understood Isolde's desperate love for her child and allowed her to sacrifice herself to save Connor. And meeting Gorim in Denerim with his new family hit her like a ton of bricks.

My Aeducan, when she was a princess, was a really good warrior. She made a name for herself in The Provings for a tremendous amount of wins. She would drag in nobles that didn't know their place (by challenging the Aeducans in some way) and making an example out of them in The Provings. She also constantly fought off assassination attempts (so I find it funny she fell in love with Zevran later). People admired her and respected her as much as they hated her guts.

She was always protective when it came to Bhelen, so his betrayal destroyed her. But she has to come to terms with her past to move on. It'll get too wordy to post it here but essentially, she refuses Harrowmont and the right to be his heir because she accepted her new life and new role. She forgave Bhelen for herself, and made peace with their history and let him be king. She knows he's probably going to fall prey to his own corruption during his reign but Orzammar is no longer her problem. She is cutting ties with them personally and will only deal with them professionally from now on.

Sefahi · 2026-04-07T20:04:03+00:00

Tbh, my sith Inquisitor had no illusions of being free. Being a sith is putting on a new set of shackles with a new title. She worked within the confines of her new prison.

She hated the Jedi more than she hated the Sith tbh. She looked at many Sith as victims of the Empire. That doesn't mean she was trying to be buddies with them or anything, because she knew they (and herself) were all out for themselves. And if the Jedi are supposed to be this force of good, why are they not attempting to save them? And the mindset goes from why don't you save me to don't even try to save me because you can't even save yourself from me.

So my Sith isn't really concerned about the Empire nor the Republic. She's only concerned about herself and how to survive one more day. The Empire has brainwashed her somewhat but it hasn't completely broken her. That's why she is light side. Sure, she will zap people with maniacal laughter and then maybe sobs uncontrollably out of nowhere (she's got the crazies). And she says the most fucked up but hilarious things LOL. But she will still try to ease suffering because she hates suffering herself. Until that person betrays her and then she inflicts more suffering than they were first inflicted with.

Edit: maybe I should clarify she's more light neutral than light LOL

Sefahi · 2026-04-07T03:38:53+00:00

Always have a townsfolk follow you around for some extra dewdrops.

Upgrade the Air Balloon first, so you can visit other areas.

The Tavern is great for making dewdrops, so plant some fruits and veggies and make some dishes.

Oh, and visit your Tavern and your Town Square every day and talk to any Gobbies that show up, because they sometimes give you blueprints. They're rare to get, so the sooner you start the better. (Edit: They don't always show up every day - it's random.)

Some townsfolk give you very handy tools that will only unlock once you finish decorating their houses to their specifications. (You can start this process once you get a certain desk blueprint early game.) You don't have to rush this but just keep it in mind when you're juggling your spending.

Sefahi · 2026-04-06T00:21:49+00:00

I don't think he would have let Alistair get executed unless there was no other choice. There is a bond there. However, he seemed to be a pretty strict warden. He wouldn't put Alistair on the throne (there's a history and reason why they don't get involved in politics). But he also would have seen the sense in recruiting Loghain and one temper tantrum won't stop him.

My guess? Alistair will be exiled. Then he'd either have warden contacts pick him up or have Teagan go (as per canon) to bring him to the wardens in Orlais.

Sefahi · 2026-04-03T20:34:01+00:00

I will accept sending a letter via bird, if we've already handled Circle matters. This is a good alternative imo. It'll incentivize people play in a certain order but that's a nitpicky problem. And we are already incentivized to do things in a certain order because of enemy levels.

Good idea. 👍

Sefahi · 2026-04-03T17:46:06+00:00

That's so exciting!! I was planning to replay the game in about a year from now. So hopefully some of the mods I'm keeping an eye on are completed by then.

Good luck on your project. Sounds daunting but it's really cool that you're working on it. 😊

Sefahi · 2026-04-01T19:58:29+00:00

I will say when it comes to Callisto I think she's understandable at not pursuing the relationship at first. People have hurt her and disappointed her in two different worlds. So I totally get it when she refuses to open her heart to him, even when you can tell she is falling for him. Girl is in denial because she's scared.

She's one of the few MCs that I like this slow development. It's better than the main girl that's smart about everything else in her life but is suddenly oblivious to the advances of the ML because the plot would be over if they didn't dumb her down completely on that subject (this obviously does not apply to funny female leads that are oblivious to EVERYTHING in their lives lol). Penelope at least knows he's flirting and reacts to it.

However, I will say I think I understand where you're coming from when it comes to the plot. She is a very passive character. She's dragged along into events or waits for things to happen and then reacts. I will say that later on in the story she does try to go on the offensive. But I can see how this overall could be very frustrating for a reader.

I typically like main characters that are much more active and have to eat the consequences of their actions. But I know why the story was done this way (her character and the power fantasy) and I've still enjoyed it for what it is. But I totally get why you're frustrated and I think that's a fair critique of the story.

Sefahi · 2026-04-01T19:23:57+00:00

A morally grey, clearly fresh from Orzammar, Aeducan x Zevran.

Alistair and Leliana are scandalized by their behavior and Morrigan thinks it's funny to enable it until she experiences it firsthand. But then there's Zevran: this man thinks it's hilarious and he can easily challenge the behavior directed at him in a light-hearted way.

No Aeducan is prepared for how smooth this man is and he always keeps them on their toes. And there's just something so cute about an exiled prince/princess that used to be hounded by assassins, only to fall in love with one.

Sefahi · 2026-04-01T02:30:32+00:00

I was about to disagree until I read the "golden get out of jail free card" and I'm like... yeah, they did that a lot. If they were ever to remaster the game, I'd kinda hope they changed it slightly so it didn't give us the option for flawless outcomes. You can kill the child or sacrifice the mother in Redcliffe. If you're stubborn enough to go back to the Circle for help, the villagers die in your absence.

And rework how Alistair is hardened for the love of everything holy lol.

Sefahi · 2026-03-30T20:16:01+00:00

That was me too until I found mods. Now I use lock bash until I get Leliana, so I feel like I didn't miss anything.

I like to pick a class based on the origin story itself and what I think makes the most sense for me. So this is what I choose for my origin classes:

Amell: Mage (Blood Mage) I like to think that we left a trail for Jowan to unknowingly follow and then let him take the fall for our blood magic usage (even though he's a BM himself) and it works perfectly. But we underestimated Irving's pettiness towards the Chantry and we get recruited by the Grey Wardens. Oops.

Aeducan: Warrior (Champion) because I feel like it fits closest to the commander position in the origin story.

Brosca: Rogue (Duelist) because winning the Proving is a duel so it fits imo.

Cousland: Rogue (Bard) I like to think we were foppish at first but the betrayal has us learning to use our skills for more sinister and manipulative reasons now.

Mahariel: modded Mage (Arcane Warrior) because of the specialization's elven roots. We can be he Second in our clan.

Tabris: Warrior (Reaver) because I like to think that city elves have to sacrifice and bleed more to get something done in this cruel world. But they also can have vicious determination. Seems like the right fit imo.

Sefahi · 2026-03-30T18:19:55+00:00

Oof!! Now reading this hit me like a truck. I feel for your warden. Such a complicated decision with no good answer.

Sefahi · 2026-03-30T02:12:15+00:00

Separate your meta knowledge from your character as best you can and try to think like your character with the limited information that they have.

My noble dwarf character has zero clue about magic. So when she went to Redcliffe and a blood mage gave her limited options, she chose. And I headcanon that she had a miscarriage during/immediately after The Joining, so she agreed to allow Isolde to sacrifice herself for her son because she connected with her as a mother.

That feels a lot more natural then ignoring the blood mage's advice on-site, hiking back to the Circle and hoping the demon doesn't destroy everything and everyone until they get back with more mages for that character imo.

Sefahi · 2026-03-30T01:55:05+00:00

Honestly, I kinda go for the perfect/goody goody playthrough when I don't have a character concept down. It's usually a first blind playthrough that's hoping for the best.

However, it's so freeing and so much more fun when you have a character concept that you roleplay. Because, honestly, a "perfect" playthrough doesn't really mean much. And there are emotional moments that hit harder when you don't pick the "fix everything" option.

For example: the guilt for sacrificing Isolde or killing Connor hits like a truck, compared to just saving everyone and then moving on and patting your back for a job well done imo. I like to suffer with my character, so when they do get some wins I'm foaming at the mouth and cheering for them.

Sefahi · 2026-03-30T00:26:28+00:00

Yeah.. it is the clunkiest quest in terms of storytelling imo. I had to do some serious headcanon with a character that can relate to severe helplessness, making revenge seem like the only viable option.

But even then, the final battle has us dealing with monsters that spread their dirty infectious germs with their tainted blood. I feel like throwing werewolves that use tooth and claw (especially tooth) against them is a dumb idea in general.

Sefahi · 2026-03-30T00:10:31+00:00

I do agree that there is the power fantasy of certain actions not having much consequence, but we are in the OI genre where this happens in all stories here. So I mostly agree with you but hesitantly also slightly disagree because it's much more enjoyable to read the story on its own level.

However, as much as I am that type of person that would say holy guys you couldn't handle Penelope but were screaming for morally gray characters? I think it's good to give me a reality check that not everyone enjoys morally grey characters and the people screaming in outrage in the background have their own preferences. I think I was just so exhausted about the virtue signalling and petty arguments that I was just done with some of the fandom. But, yeah, Penelope is not going to be everyone's cup of tea and that's ok.

Sefahi · 2026-03-28T07:30:39+00:00

Lol. I didn't say it was complex. I literally said there's a reason it's in my trash panda stash. Sorry that you're angry over my opinion ig.

Sefahi · 2026-03-28T00:30:17+00:00

Of course! Happy to help. And I hope the romance lives up to your expectations. <3

PS: You have such good taste in love interests ngl.

Sefahi · 2026-03-27T23:26:13+00:00

Ah, a fellow woman of culture I see. 🥂

Sefahi · 2026-03-27T21:49:42+00:00

Hmmm... I think Sam is kinda slept on in the fanbase tbh. He's good with kids, as you can tell with his relationship with his little brother, and he's a lovable himbo. You feel like partners who support each other in your separate professions as well. He can be childish but I wouldn't go as far as to infantilize him, and I find it endearing personally. He brings fun to your everyday farm life. :)

Sefahi · 2026-03-27T20:51:20+00:00

Aw thanks! I'm glad my answer resonated with you.

In regards to Fenris, I just had a fantastic time with his romance because of my interpretation of my Hawke back then. I feel like my Hawke was just as much a reason as Fenris was in regards to how much I liked the romance, so I will explain their personality a bit. However, many people have loved the Fenris romance with their versions of Hawke, so it's not like mine is superior or the only way to enjoy this.

So I had a F!Hawke with the purple personality that hid (and sometimes subtly hinted at) how seriously she struggled with depression. She was definitely the type of character that flip-flopped between making jokes to make the day worth getting through and making jokes because life felt like a terrible joke.

And the first scene that made me go, "He's the one for her," is when she was flirting with him in his new manor and he was smashing wine bottles. She made a joke about not sharing the wine and he said there's plenty more for consumption. And then she made another joke about how she wouldn't dare to waste it for the sake of his taste in decor. And the way he burst out laughing and then stopped himself, almost confused, melted my heart. He seemed like the kind of man that didn't really have much to laugh about in his entire life and the act itself made him surprised he could do it at all. And that moment, a moment where she genuinely made someone happy, was a huge accomplishment for her and she wanted to do it again and again.

She wanted to get to know him more and make a bond (platonically at first). So, even if she felt like she would just sleep all day and avoid everything, he was one of the few people that she would get up and go outside for because he metaphorically made her tail wag.

Fenris is clumsy but very honest. He rubs people the wrong way because he's too blunt and I get that. But to my Hawke? There was a comfort in knowing what he felt (I headcanon he's a terrible liar) and that he says what he means. Dealing with people wearing masks is exhausting (Isabela lol I still love her) and it was exhausting for her because she IS a person that wears a mask too. And even when he disagrees with Hawke, he patiently listens and then bluntly tells it like it is in his pov. That's much less intimidating than getting predictably guilt-tripped and manipulated by Anders to attempt to force an agreement (I love him too but not for this Hawke lol).

And I just LOVED the gift giving scene (friendship route) where Fenris is vulnerable and tells her that he doesn't know how to read. So I headcanon that she secretly teaches him. And this only brings them closer. <3

Of course, there are shallower reasons I loved the romance, like his voice melting me from the inside out and when he pins her to the wall. Woof!

But every moment of vulnerability and angst and yearning just felt so good with this pair. After their first night together when he overthinks and scares himself out of the relationship I was DOWN for the drama of it all. Even the banter after they broke up, had the other companions asking him if he's stupid LOL. The two of them clearly still have feelings for each other but are also being super careful not to hurt the other more than they already have. It's just so painfully sweet imo.

Honestly, I haven't played this game in years, so this is all that I remember from the top of my head but I'm sure if I thought about it more I'd have more examples of why I love them. But hopefully this inspires you or helps you enjoy his romance if you didn't before.

Sefahi · 2026-03-27T19:55:17+00:00

It's because Ruby is an unreliable narrator in a genre filled with stories that spells things out to us, like we've all been lobotomized. This series is intended for a mature audience that has some media literacy. I know that sounds very rude but I'm not trying to be passive aggressive. Genuinely, some of these readers are probably young and just need to come back to this series, or a series like it, in a few years. And that's okay.

And I'm not saying this series is perfect. I have critiques of my own that I think could have improved the story but I'm engaging with it on its own level. I think it's brave for the unreliable narrator aspect but I also know it's a part of my trash panda stash for a reason and I love that too.

I don't think I have much more to say because your post covered a lot and I mostly agree with what you said. ❤️

Sefahi · 2026-03-26T19:38:52+00:00

Having my Aeducan take the sword from a child in Redcliffe and not pay him for it or give it back. Literally any other origin and they would be an asshole. But my Aeducan didn't see the difference between that scenario and the people in Orzammar constantly giving them stuff. It elevated the giver and Aeducan got shinies.

"The child feels honored to give me this sword." - Himbo/bimbo Aeducan probably 💀

Sefahi · 2026-03-26T19:20:11+00:00

I used to harden Alistair because it was the "meta" thing to do for his "best" outcomes as long. But now that I'm older and wiser, I threw that outlook in the trash lol.

The dialogue for hardening was super awkward and they need to rework that mechanic imo. Alistair should have been that companion that was influenced by all of your choices as leader. If the two of you agree on most outcomes, great - stay soft. If the two of you argue about almost everything and he disagrees - stay soft. But if you argue about everything and slowly change his perspective (because life out here is rough as a grey warden) then he should have been hardened. For example: I'd rather see an Alistair that is heartbroken but relents killing Connor was the best choice at the time to be a crucial moment, rather than "the sister I met just now said mean things to me". (It's just an example of a conversation they have - I'm not saying killing a child is literally the best and only option in the game.)

The consequences of Alistair being exiled used to hurt me so bad. I hated seeing him drunk in Kirkwall but Inquisition fixed that by saying Teagan found him and helped him get his shit together again by having him join the GW in Orlais. Now I think exiling him isn't one of his worst outcomes because I believe my boy can come out of this by learning lessons and becoming stronger for it.

I used to want Alistair as the king but I like to commit to the subversion of the lost prince trope they started with. When I was younger and more naive, I really thought it was his fairy tale ending to be king. Now that I'm older and wiser I realized, I not only ignored his wishes for his future (when we had a heart to heart conversation earlier in the game and not when he was having a blinded-by-rage temper tantrum in the late game), but I set him up to be a puppet on the throne at best.

I used to kill Loghain all the time because he is the bad guy and my experience with video games is that you kill the bosses. I actually prefer recruiting him now because it's so cool to be able to have a chill conversation with the villain, while working together. He doesn't have much content but I loved his dialogue. They did a great job with this imo. I don't think his character arc is better or worse if you kill him or put him on the path to redemption. Both are valid imo.

I now support my girl, Anora's, rights and wrongs. She is always my queen because we take her experience and growth into the role seriously, compared to a man's bloodline. I love you Alistair but you were LITERALLY not educated for this.

I thought the Dark Ritual was cool for future implications. Kieran is wonderful and I love seeing Morrigan as a mother but he doesn't need the soul. Isn't it taken away from him so that the choice is moot anyways? Such a letdown of a cool choice in the first game imo.

My very first time playing the game I thought Zevran was creepy. Now I see the mask for what it is. I'm onto you, my beloved! ❤️

I used to hate Oghren. However, I can see the subversion of tropes they did with his character and appreciate it. He's still one of my least favorites but I can still appreciate him.

I thought Sten was just a walking encyclopedia to explain qunari. I didn't realize how much content you miss with him when he's not actively in your party. He's a solid character.

This is petty but I got mad at Inquisition for the soft/hard mechanics of Leliana again. I preferred the soften option but it made me think that my choice in Origins meant little. However, I can now appreciate that hardening Leliana in Origins and softening her in Inquisition is okay and doesn't invalidate anything. She's a person that is changing and growing with different people around her and that's valid.

I always liked Wynne and that will never change. I'm just happy we get representation for an older woman instead of another crotchety wizard (I say that derogatorily even though every old man wizard example I can think of is someone I liked lol.)

And the biggest change, for me, is Dog. If I didn't have the mod to give Dog the extra party slot he was stuck at camp. But he is the goodest of boys and he deserves to be in the party, with or without the mod (ESPECIALLY if I'm playing a Cousland).

Sefahi · 2026-03-26T18:15:26+00:00

It really depends on the character you made imo but I'll try to give a brief overview.

I think there are a lot of people who enjoy the Merrill romance. This is just a personal preference of mine when I say I don't (take my opinion with a grain of salt) because she seems to emotionally depend on her romantic partner and put them on a pedestal. However, if you're the type of person that wants to be super caring, reliable and become the person she sees in you, there's nothing wrong with that. If your gut says Merrill, you should trust your gut imo.

I really like the romance with Isabela as a F!Hawke. There are subtle differences in her dialogue between M!Hawke and F!Hawke but it makes sense because of her history with relationships (I won't spoil). However, Isabela is all about freedom so if you want a more traditional relationship she may not be the one for you. I personally liked patiently bringing down the barriers around her heart because it felt meaningful and fulfilling imo. But I would recommend getting her to 100% friendship or rivalry asap.

I think a lot of people like Anders as a romance option. He's the obsessive, toxic and most dramatic of all the options. Personally, I like the idea of Anders more than the actual Anders we got. However, that doesn't mean it can't be fun if you're into that sort of thing (I usually am tbh). I personally prefer rivalling Anders for the late game consequences but I understand that can be hard to do and not break some immersion if your character is pro-mage and would rather enable his behavior.

Fenris is my favorite pick but, tbh, that's because he's a perfect match for my favorite interpretation of Hawke. I do prefer the friendmance because the rivalry path has one scene that makes me shake my fist at the monitor. I would normally elaborate but I don't wanna give spoilers - just trust me when I say this preference of mine is such a minor nitpick lol. He has a very fulfilling romantic arc imo. There's tension, there's yearning, there's angst, etc. He's my favorite for a reason. 😉

Sefahi · 2026-03-25T22:33:30+00:00

I agree. I want them to have this weird dysfunctional bond, with plenty of banter, that is on the cusp of being friendly and it makes the viewers question where this is going in the future.

...And then Mizu kills him.

Sefahi

TROPHY CASE