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P L A Y E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Your Name: Manda
OOC Journal: captivator
Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: No
Email + IM: brightlyshining@gmail.com; librarynin
Characters Played at Ataraxion: None

C H A R A C T E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Name: Dorian Pavus
Canon: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Original or Alternate Universe: Original, but since the canon has different possible choices, they'll be listed in AU Clarification
Canon Point: After 'From the Ashes', when the Inquisition has settled at Skyhold. Before both the next plot quest and his companion quest.
Number: No preference

Setting: Wikipedia on Dragon Age, Dragon Age Wiki, Dorian at the Dragon Age wiki

History:

"Living a lie... it festers inside you, like poison. You have to fight for what's in your heart."

Dorian Pavus grew up as the privileged young heir to a prestigious family from the highest strata of Tevinter society.

The Tevinter Imperium is a notoriously corrupt and decadent society, a land ruled by mages who oppress the common folk, keep slaves, and practice blood magic, which is about as pleasant as it sounds. Oh, not everyone does, but though blood magic is generally held to be a terrible thing, that doesn't stop magisters who crave power from using it freely. Tevinter itself has an awful reputation across the rest of Thedas, and a great amount of that reputation is entirely true.

That is the society Dorian grew up in. The Tevinter Imperium, his homeland, values magical talent highly, and Dorian has plenty of that. He also has charm, wit, and physical beauty - all of that, combined with his highborn birth, seemed to make him destined for greatness, or at least high political position. The Pavus family, despite their high rank, is not as corrupt as some, and that molded Dorian's opinions in many ways. Dorian's father called blood magic the last resort of the weak mind, and never used it, unlike many magisters. He supported Dorian, had great hopes for him, and had pride in his skills.

As Dorian grew, he studied magic in a Circle, essentially a school for mages, and had as his mentor a magister named Alexius. Alexius spoke of reform, of wanting Tevinter to rise from the ashes of its former ambition and become something better. Dorian agreed, and assisted Alexius in his studies, including that of time magic - something no one really believed possible.

Dorian had always disagreed with the corruption that was present in the Imperium - he disdained blood magic, didn't approve of wanting dominion over others. Like Alexius, he wanted to make the Imperium a better place. That all changed in a sequence of events that lead him to join the Inquisition. The timeline of that sequence is a little unclear, but all the events definitely happened, and this is the order that makes the most sense.

He was expected to marry and participate in the time-honored Tevinter tradition of breeding a better mage - carrying on the legacy of the Pavus house. Unfortunately, Dorian resisted this. He preferred the company of men, and unlike most Tevinters, had no desire to marry 'properly' and keep a slave on the side to enjoy himself with. He stood up for what was in his heart, as he would say, choosing to refuse the life his father tried to press upon him.

The struggle between them continued until Dorian discovered that his father had betrayed the principles he'd once had. He was planning to use blood magic to change Dorian - to make him into what he was supposed to be. If that wasn't bad enough (and oh, it was), there was no way to know if this magic would work. It might just as easily turn Dorian into a drooling vegetable. Faced with the knowledge that his father was willing to risk destroying him utterly in order to make him marry a woman, willing to change his entire personality and desires for nothing more than his own legacy, Dorian left.

He traveled. With no access to funds or support from his family, he was forced to sell his family's amulet, but he was able to survive and make his way in the world. It's unclear exactly how long Dorian's travels lasted, but at some point, things went very wrong for his former mentor Alexius. On a journey to Hossberg, the capital of the Anderfels, his son's caravan was attacked by darkspawn. His wife was killed, and his son Felix, Dorian's best friend, was afflicted by the Blight - a certain death sentence.

Alexius began to be obsessed with saving his son. Dorian met up with him in Minrathous, where they created a time magic amulet together. Alexius then tried to get Dorian to join the Venatori, a cult of Tevinter supremacists. This was the last straw for Dorian, who saw that his mentor had changed utterly. Once, Alexius had hoped for reform, just as Dorian had. Now, he was willing to throw all that away, to throw everything away, in order to save his son.

Dorian refused the offer and left, utterly disillusioned. He had been betrayed by his father and his teacher, and Tevinter was living up to all the darkest words about it. Alexius went to Redcliffe, using his time magic and his wiles to enslave the rebel mages who were using the village as a base. The Inquisitor came to investigate, and, using Felix as a messenger, Dorian approached to offer his help.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, after accepting that help and going to confront Alexius Dorian and the Inquisitor were thrown into the future, thanks to the time magic that Dorian had helped Alexius develop. They fought their way through and made it back to the present, defeating Alexius in the process. Dorian chose to join the Inquisition after that, particularly knowing that the originator of the rift in the sky had been Tevinter (at least, once upon a time). He saw it as his duty to show the world that not everything about Tevinter was corrupt - and, more important, he considered it his duty to make up for what the Venatori and Corypheus had done by joining the Inquisition.

The remaining rebel mages, free from their imbalanced deal with Alexius and the Venatori, joined the Inquisition along with Dorian - though he didn't consider himself one of them, as a Tevinter mage rather than a Circle mage. After this, the Inquisitor closed the rift in the sky, and the Templars attacked the Inquisition's stronghold at Haven. Dorian fought and escaped with the survivors, making his way to the Inquisition's new base at Skyhold. He settled in, often to be found in the library, ready to help in whatever way he could.


Personality:

"I'm here to set things right. Also? To look dashing. That part's less difficult."

Charming, witty, skilled, handsome - Dorian would call himself a lot of things, all of them complimentary. He's not lacking in self-confidence, after all, and he has something clever to say in any given situation. He keeps things light, if sometimes barbed, responding to serious situations with an apparently flippant attitude. But he can easily be serious when it is necessary, and the flippancy is a veneer, a mask meant to conceal his weaknesses.

Dorian's exterior presentation is carefully constructed. It isn't untrue - he isn't faking it, he really is witty and clever, and he does care about his appearance. He's interested in fashion, he takes care to be properly groomed, and he enjoys being the center of attention, when it's on his terms. He wants people to talk about him because of his dashing appearance, his charming personality, because if they're doing that they're not talking about the things he's grown used to hiding. Well, that and he just enjoys the attention.

There are other things about him that he doesn't make an attempt to hide, but that he doesn't play up, either. For one, he's a giant nerd. Dorian's usual haunt, the place he can always be found, is a nook in the library. He comments on the poor choice of tomes, does genealogical research for the Inquisition, and has a history of working on new and difficult magical innovations. Dorian is an intelligent man, curious about things he doesn't understand - he peppers Cole with questions about himself and about spirits and the Fade. He's interested in learning more, and he values knowledge highly - he's more than just a pretty face. He'd be the first to say that, but even so, he doesn't make as big a deal about his intelligence and scholarship as he does other aspects of himself, like his appearance.

What Dorian's pretty face, careful grooming, and witty words hide is his deep insecurity. Oh, he's confident - in his appearance, his abilities, his social acumen. He has no doubt that he is able to do things, and do things well. What he does have difficulty with is believing that others will see the value in him - the personality and the person beneath all that glitter. Dorian spent most of his life hiding his desires and his truest self, and as a result he's had very few real friendships. By the end of the game, after Felix has died, Dorian calls the Inquisitor his 'best and only friend'.

He was betrayed by both of the people he looked up to, his father and Alexius. His father hated what he was and betrayed his trust and love because of it, and Alexius betrayed the ideals that he and Dorian had shared. What other friends Dorian had were generally surface friendships, where he hid his sexuality and therefore his true self, knowing that they wouldn't stand by him if they knew. Is it any wonder that Dorian finds it very difficult to open up to people, that he prefers to make clever comments and dress stylishly than to be open about himself?

In addition, despite Dorian's acceptance of his own sexuality, he's never had a meaningful relationship. In Tevinter, relations between men were only carried out covertly - a night or two, leave in the morning, never speak of it again. If romanced, Dorian is truly surprised (and pleased) by the fact that the Inquisitor doesn't simply want him to leave afterward - and if broken up with, he takes it very well, stating that he's been 'a port in a storm' before. This shows that he expects sexual relationships to be a brief affair, and romance? That's never been part of his life, though he is deeply romantic in his own way, showing his strong devotion and love for the Inquisitor if romanced.

Another thing that becomes obvious in conversations with him is how little he's been praised. Oh, for his looks and his social skills, certainly, and even for his intelligence and magical prowess. But for his actions and morals? Almost never. Being called brave for his decision to leave his home startles and pleases him - as if no one's ever said it before, probably because no one has. Dorian's difficulty opening up about himself means that it's harder for people to hurt him, but it also means that it's harder for him to find support, too. He's used to hiding the parts of himself that might expose him to ridicule or pain, but those are also the parts that are most important to him - and he's never really received praise or support for them, either.

That self-confidence of Dorian's covers up his many fears and insecurities, and covers it so well that few would guess what lies beneath. But despite his fears, he is supported both by his own strong knowledge of himself and love for what he is. He knows he deserves more than to spend the rest of his life miserable. He knows he is clever and entertaining and smart. Even if no one else loves him, he can love himself.

He also finds strength in his idealism. Thedas is a difficult place to live, but though Dorian seems jaded and sarcastic, it's clear that deep down he believes things can be better. He believes that the Inquisitor can save Thedas. He believes that the world can change. He believes that the Tevinter Imperium, fallen from grace and soaked in blood magic and slavery, can be fixed - and he thinks that he can do it, or at least contribute. He joins the Inquisition to make up for what his countrymen have done, all the damage they have caused. Despite the fact that Dorian left his home, and acknowledges all the horribleness that happens there, it's still his home. He doesn't want to abandon it, he wants to fix it. Make it better. If that's not idealism, what is?

And if it doesn't work out, well, he'll always have a witty comment and a bottle of wine to fall back on.

Dorian is far from perfect. He hides so much of himself, he plays up his self-confidence to the point of ridiculousness at times. He recognizes many of the things that are wrong with his homeland (blood magic, decadence) while not fully understanding the impact of others (slavery). He was born privileged, and though he left, still carries some attitudes from that time. His wit can be hurtful at times, and he probably drinks too much. But he tries, more than anything, to make things better and to be better.

Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:

Mages in Thedas wield many different types of magic, and through study and experimentation can use their magic to do all sorts of things. However, each mage tends to specialize in certain things. Though this doesn't mean they can't do anything outside of that specialty, it does mean that the spells within those specialties are easier and take less effort and concentration. This is essentially the difference between needing to do a large ritual to summon a spirit, and being able to summon one in a matter of moments in the midst of battle.

Dorian is a well-educated, skilled mage, with plenty of power. His areas of concentration are mainly fire magic and necromancy. His mastery of fire magic allows him to light people on fire and create explosions of flame, walls of fire, and fire 'mines' that explode when crossed. Generally, he's pretty good at lighting shit up.

His necromancy isn't about animating corpses, but rather summoning spirits - and other things that might not seem so connected, like inflicting uncontrollable fear on his enemies and cursing people with 'walking bomb' effects that cause them pain until a final explosion of pain/damage. Necromancy also means that killing someone temporarily increases his power. (In an RPG, this is less awful than it sounds.) Unrelated to necromancy, he also has the ability to cast barriers that can protect others from harm. Dorian cannot heal, however.

In addition to all of these spells, which he's very familiar with and can cast without any extra effort needed (and in the middle of battle!), with study and preparation Dorian would be able to craft and cast spells outside of his usual areas. He assisted Alexius in creating time magic, a thing that was previously thought impossible, so he's no slouch when it comes to magical R&D.

As for weaknesses, well, there's a reason mages aren't front-line fighters. Dorian isn't a physical fighter and never will be. He carries a staff, but he shoots magic out of it - he doesn't whack people over the head. He can't take as much damage as a trained fighter, and in the right circumstances, a punch can lay him out. Physically, Dorian is a squishy mage who cannot hold his own in a fight. It's magic that levels the playing field for him.

In-game, his magical strength would be halved. His spells' effects would be less, and the power it takes to cast them would be more.


Inventory:

- a staff (infused with his magic, it shoots very basic ice spells)
- a set of mage robes
- 4 books ('Metaphysics of the Fade: Theory and Research', 'Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons', 'A Treatise on the Ethics of Reanimation', 'Tale of the Champion')
- a small vial of lyrium (temporarily increases magical powers)

Appearance: here and here
Age: No stated canon age, probably 27-29

AU Clarification:
- Female dwarf Inquisitor
- Inquisitor sided with the mages
- Dorian was recruited
- Dorian's personal quest hasn't been done yet
- Everyone else has been recruited
- No one has been romanced

S A M P L E S
Log Sample:

"How hideous," Dorian murmured to himself, inspecting the strange clothing he'd found. Objectively, it wasn't that unattractive, but it was so... dull. Uninteresting and unflattering and certainly not anything Dorian would be caught dead in. "This is simply adding insult to injury. Abduction and torture. Just another day for the Inquisition, I suppose."

His words steadied him, helped calm the anxiety and fear he'd felt when he arrived. This was nothing like any place he'd ever been - not Tevinter, not the cold, damp south, not the Anderfels, not even the Fade. Dorian had resisted the impulse to panic, instead inspecting everything he could for clues, but he'd found nothing. Well, not nothing - many things. Many unfamiliar things that he wasn't capable of putting into context, because he had no idea what they were. They were clues, certainly, but not the useful kind.

This locker was far more helpful. Some of his things were here, and the mere sight of them was a comfort. And seeing the rest of the storage space made him certain that, lonely as the place had been so far, Dorian was not alone. Someone - many someones - had used this space, and as it didn't seem dusty and abandoned, they were probably around. Somewhere.

Whether that was a good thing or not remained to be seen.

"Though anyone who would inflict an outfit like this on an innocent man is probably untrustworthy - or blind," Dorian said with a sigh. At least some of his own clothing was there, too. The first thing to do would be to get dressed and make himself as presentable as possible, given the limitations here.

Then he would try to find whatever creatures had also used this space and get some answers. With luck, his winning personality and undeniable charm would carry Dorian through, but if not - well. That's what magic was for.

One way or another, he would learn all he could about this place. Perhaps there were things here that could be put to use, brought back to the Inquisition. Perhaps there were potential allies. And perhaps he'd end up dead in a ditch somewhere, but wasn't that always a possibility?

"At least I'll make a dashing corpse," Dorian said, and began to dress.

Comms Sample:

Fascinating.

[There's no technology like this in Thedas, but Dorian's an intelligent man. He managed to figure it out eventually, and without any embarrassing up-the-nose selfies or accidental nudity (intentional nudity, on the other hand... well, none of that, either, but it's certainly an idea, isn't it?). So he more or less has an idea what he's doing. A pleased smile crosses his face as it appears to be working properly.]

There's nothing like this where I'm from, though it would certainly be useful. Imagine, immediate communication over distance... why, the ravens would be out of a job. Good riddance, too.

[But that's beside the point.]

Is there a library of some sort here? I've found myself shockingly ignorant about - well - nearly everything, and that simply won't stand. Anyway, I can't just lay around being handsome and indolent all day, I may as well find something to occupy myself with.

Ah, and one more thing. I refuse to wear this sad excuse for a uniform. Is there anywhere I might be able to acquire more clothing? Wearing the same outfit every day is unacceptable. I deserve better than this, and you all deserve to see me at my best.

[Dorian gestures to himself, to the single set of robes he's been wearing since he arrived.]

You may be asking yourself how I can possibly look better, but I assure you, this is nothing. Now, if anyone could direct me to either of those things, I would greatly appreciate it.