aefenglom application

[magisterium]

Player Information
Name: Christine
Age: 30+
Contact: necrofancy or PM
Other Characters: Karin Koenig (sonnestark)

Character Information
Name: Dorian Pavus
Canon: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Canon Point: Post-Trespasser DLC.
Age: 33
History: "Living a lie... it festers inside you, like poison. You have to fight for what's in your heart."

Personality:

The first impression that Dorian tends to make is that he is as vain as he is confident, managing to weave quips about how stunning he is into most conversations with ease. He’s always a strong presence in whatever room he happens to enter, and enjoys making a show of any given situation. He is openly friendly and flirtatious, and his wit and charm make him highly approachable despite the fact that he is from Tevinter, which makes him a sort of bogeyman to most people in Thedas— the Tevinter Imperium is the only place in Thedas where mages rule, while their power is feared elsewhere. Tevinter itself has quite a reputation among the peoples of the southern nations, and is known for a society of decadence that is built on slavery and dangerous, unchecked magic— blood magic, in particular, if the rumors are to be believed. Fortunately, Dorian has a good sense of humor about how other people see him as well as his native country, and is the first to admit that there is a great deal about Tevinter that he would change. While he openly disapproves of many of Tevinter’s regular practices, he openly admits that if he didn’t love his homeland, he “wouldn’t miss it so much.” Behind his flippancy and playful quips, he is a man who is both passionate and outspoken about seeing things in his homeland change for the better, and is dedicated to having a hand in making it happen.

As a result of this behavior, Dorian made himself a pariah back home, which is a large part of what drove him to the south to join the Inquisition, in addition to having decided it was his responsibility to put a stop to his former mentor’s efforts in service to the Venatori, a group of Tevinter magisters serving the ‘Elder One’ responsible for the great gaping hole in the sky that was sure to bring doom upon all the world. It was during these efforts that he met the Inquisitor himself, along with his companions, and showed himself to be an ally of the newly-formed Inquisition by directly opposing Magister Gereon Alexius, a man he had once placed on a pedestal above all others. Alexius had been responsible for setting Dorian on the right path when studying magic, helping him to flourish when no Circle or private tutor would have him, and it is clear that opposing him is challenging for Dorian, a test of loyalty that he would rather neither of them had to endure. The Inquisitor does question Dorian’s loyalty as a whole, wanting to know if he is trustworthy, and it is here that we learn that even as someone who considers himself dedicated and loyal to those who have earned it, Dorian has limits. Heartbreaking as opposing his mentor is, he is firm on it being the right thing to do, and says the same for lending his aid to the Inquisition itself, insisting that is all the reason one needs to make such a decision.

Aside from his natural talent for magic, Dorian is highly intelligent and greatly enthusiastic about the act of learning even now, long after his education has been completed. He is actively interested in magic theory and the development of new spells, and studies schools of magic beyond those he actually practices for the sake of being well-rounded and knowledgeable about other applications mages’ power. As a necromancer, he walks a fine line between what is acceptable and what is considered anathema— necromancers are certainly rare in the south, and the sort of magic they use is reminiscent of what most people would associate with maleficar, or dangerous apostates. In Tevinter and Nevarra, it is not nearly so taboo, but it may even be the questionable nature of this school of magic that draws his attention to begin with. We learn during a visit to the Raw Fade that Dorian’s greatest fear is Temptation, which is a serious concern for all mages as they are susceptible to being tempted and possessed by demons to become abominations if they are not careful, but perhaps even moreso for him due to his keen interest in exploring magic’s boundaries and dabbling in what many other mages would consider to be too dark or dangerous. Dorian believes in gray areas as far as what magic is acceptable; while blood magic is reviled just about everywhere, it is quite common in Tevinter, and while he himself does not practice it, he goes so far as to say “if you’re to use a bit of your own blood, then what’s the harm?” Using someone else’s is where things get tricky, or so he says, but this flippant summary of his own view on blood magic is his way of deflecting and avoiding discussing his own personal experiences with it.

Dorian is firm on his disapproval of blood magic and the peril it invites, saying that his father always called it the “last resort of good men,” but it was Magister Halward Pavus’ acting in contradiction to his own words that has only further driven Dorian to loathe the practice, in addition to causing an irreparable rift between father and son. Though his loud opinions about Tevinter itself are the main reason he was forced to leave his homeland, the falling out he had with his own family as a result of his father’s attempt to use blood magic to make Dorian himself more cooperative was the nail in the coffin. Despite the fact that Magister Pavus himself had always spoken out against the practice, he grew desperate and tried to use a form of mind control through blood magic to change Dorian and make him agreeable to an arranged marriage in the interest of carrying on the family line. Dorian was beyond outraged, as well as deeply wounded— his father neither accepted his wishes nor respected his son’s being open about his sexual orientation, and goes on to insult Dorian by telling him that he can do whatever he wants behind closed doors so long as he does what’s right for the family. Dorian himself is quite open about and comfortable with his own sexuality, and truly believes that all people should live their truth and keep no secrets about who they know themselves to be. The fact that his father expects him to live a lie is unforgivable in his eyes, and even should their confrontation about these events go relatively ‘well’ depending on the player’s choices, their parting is still bitter, and Dorian struggles to accept that the man his father has become is the same father he once looked up to. Much like Alexius, his father is yet another figure who has come to disappoint him, and these past relationships color those he forms going forward.

On the whole, Dorian is optimistic without being idealistic, and covers his concern and other more complex or negative feelings with flippancy and showmanship. Though he is quite friendly and quick to flirt with the Inquisitor, he relies on his facade of confidence and conceit to help him to keep people at arm’s length, allowing them to become friends without risking yet another disappointment. This, naturally, doesn’t last— he forms deep and lasting friendships with many members of the Inquisition’s Inner Circle, but none so important as his relationship with the Inquisitor himself, despite his early attempts to deny that real attachment had formed between them. He has a long history of insecurity and often worries about being ‘enough’ for others, the Inquisitor included, and it is implied that he has had a number of relationships with men in the past who had little use for him once their entanglement became ‘inconvenient’ for the other party, whether it was because of their politics, social standing or family situation. He has become used to disappointment and being left behind, to not having anything last, and hence is cautious about new relationships. Fortunately for the both of them, Inquisitor Brennan Trevelyan has more than managed to earn his trust as well as his affection during his time with the Inquisition, and Dorian has flourished both in having found a partner and being among friends who do not consider him to be an inconvenience or a temporary fixture.

Abilities & Skills: Dorian is a talented mage who specializes in necromancy, which in addition to the abilities listed makes him a formidable foe when it comes to zombies, vampires and other reanimated creatures. His primary use of necromancy involves calling spirits into corpses to temporarily reanimate them to fight at his command. Even when this power is not in use, having spent so much time with it at his disposal means he is quite comfortable around the undead and the darker side of magic itself— when used responsibly. He supplements his necromancy by using inferno magic, falling back on fireballs and flame mines when going for direct offense. He has also picked up a couple of spirit spells in the interest of utility, namely the Barrier and Mind Blast spells in order to protect himself and his allies when things get a little too intense on the battlefield.

Beyond his actual spellcasting ability, Dorian is extremely well-read and well-educated, though he got a slow start with the latter, having acted out enough to get himself expelled from his Circle at the age of nine. Years later, he was taken in as an apprentice and pursued magic through private tutoring, where he did quite well for himself, and later went on to join the Circle of Magi at Minrathous where he became a full-fledged Enchanter. He has a talent for developing and innovating magic, and is credited with assisting in the development of the magic that Magister Gereron Alexius would, unfortunately, later use to manipulate time to disastrous effect. He has a strong grasp of Thedas' history and mythology, and has studied several schools of magic beyond those he actively practices.

He’s also very good at coming up with things to do between missions.

Inventory/Companions:

A small satchel with a number of restorative potions and mana supplements, as well as a complement of herbs.

Coinpurse containing thirty gold sovereigns and a number of silver pieces.

His staff, Pyre of the Forgotten.

His journal, largely used for taking notes.

Choice: Witch
Reason: Magic is a major part of Dorian's identity. Being born a mage in Thedas shapes your entire life, regardless of where you come from. Even if the spells he's used to having in his arsenal don't work as intended here, he will adapt well and throw himself whole-heartedly into learning a new kind of magic. He's so enthusiastic about magic theory and magic's various manifestations that he will be fascinated by the prospect of learning how it works in an entirely different world, and so though he will certainly complain about change, he will inevitably flourish as a Witch. From a player perspective, my current character is already a monster and I would very much like to play with the other side of things!

Sample: Dorian @ the September TDM, TDM Thread w/Inquisitor Trevelyan