Series: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Class: Altus
Alignment: Good
Gender: Male
Species: Human (Mage)
Age: 29
Birthdate: 9:11 Dragon
Height: ~6' (~182 cm)
Weight: ~160 lbs (~72 kg)
Short Description: Well-built, well-groomed man with black hair and a well-kept moustache.
Info: Scion of House Pavus, son of Magister Halward Pavus of Tevinter's Magisterium, and biggest disappointment in the Imperium. Expected to marry and produce an heir to continue Tevinter's breeding program in which the Tevinter Imperium hoped to create the "perfect mage", Dorian refused, both due to his sexual orientation, and that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with someone who didn't love him. However, when his father arranged for a blood magic ritual to try to make his son "acceptable" (in other words, to change his sexual orientation, a ritual which would have rendered him braindead if it failed), Dorian broke ties with his family and left. Arrogant and smug, there is nonetheless a sweet, caring man underneath all the bluster. One who is afraid to trust too much, but proves a fiercely loyal friend when one takes the time to earn his trust.
Taller than average for a man, well-built but not bulky, black hair in a carefully-groomed coiffure with a slight undercut -- these perfectly describe the man here. He sports a well-trimmed moustache that he keeps in a carefully arranged curl at the ends. it doesn't stick out, no; it lays against his face.
He wears an elaborate outfit that might be armor, given that it's made of leather, and there are diamond-shaped pieces of metal serving as studs in the leather, metal knee-guards, and a metal elbow-guard on his left arm. And he carries a staff, either in his hands or along his back, that resembles entwined serpents at the top end.
- Magic - Dorian is not just a mage. He is an Altus mage, a descendent of the original Somniari-- the Dreamers, the first mages in Thedas. Besides that, he is the product of an involved, sophisticated breeding program in Tevinter to distill the perfect mage and leader. He is thus one of the most powerful mages in Thedas. His magic possesses a utilitarian side too. The pure power itself, when unshaped into any specific element, can power magical devices. He can read and sense magic in his general area too, though he may not be able to get a sense of what exactly the magic is.
- Magic Knight - While it's not uncommon for mages to be "squishy", Dorian defies this type quite soundly. Not only is he as tough as a warrior, but he's physically stronger than one might expect a mage to be, and he can use a staff as more than a magical focus. He's been taught to use a staff as a bludgeoning weapon too, and is not above cracking a skull or two.
- Tactics - Not strategy, that's planning ahead. He is, however, great at thinking on his feet, and can come up with a plan with little more than a few moments' thought.
- Heraldry - He can recognize the crests of all the noble houses in Tevinter, and match the crest to a name. Bloodlines are serious business in Tevinter.
- Politicking - Dorian has been groomed pretty much since birth to take over his father's seat on the government of Tevinter. While that looks unlikely now, he does still have the know-how and skill-- and the pure charisma-- to run for an office if he so chose.
- Politesse - Dorian Pavus is the son of a noble house. In keeping with this, he knows how to behave himself when in the company of high class or titled guests. Though just because he know how to behave himself, that doesn't mean he will.
- Tevene - Tevene is the old language of Tevinter, comparable to Latin on Earth. It's generally relegated to official Tevinter documents, but Dorian has been known to curse in Tevene when so motivated.
None Yet
Background
Dorian was born in the country of Tevinter, to House Pavus, the latest in a project to create the perfect mage and leader in Tevinter. His parents were selected and told to marry, despite the fact that the two didn't like each other in the slightest. But his family took good care of him nonetheless. He was important to the future of Tevinter's project, after all. He learned many things growing up. One of them, learned from his father Halward Pavus, was a hate for blood magic. His father called it "the resort of the weak mind". He told Dorian of the hidden dangers, of the blood magic and backstabbing that went on behind the scenes, so that his son would be able to negotiate the hostile territory.
Thedas's mages are usually ascribed to "Circles", that take a variety of forms. In Ferelden, Circles are akin to prisons for mages, where they're rarely let out of a templar's sight. In Orlais, they're military boot camps. In Tevinter, where Dorian was born, they're prestigious academies. Being a magister, Halward Pavus, Dorian's father, had his pick of Circles, and enrolled Dorian in one of the best. However, he was expelled at 9 years of age, when his powerful magic injured one of the other boys during a duel.
Shortly after this, he came to the attention of Magister Gereon Alexius, who offered to make Dorian his apprentice. It was Dorian's chance to hone his superior magic even further! He had grown up being told that he was Tevinter's pride, after all, and more than that, that he was the pride of House Pavus. He had high expectations when he went into Magister Alexius's care that he would be one of Tevinter's finest mages. And under Alexius his talents developed.
He also began working with Magister Alexius on a theory based around the practical application of time magic. If Tevinter could master time, they would doubtless be unstoppable! But the magic never worked, and remained a theory for Dorian's time with the Magister. However, during the time he also befriended Felix, Magister Alexius's son. The two became friends, though, with Felix sneaking Dorian food from the kitchens when Dorian was up late at night working in the study.
At some point in Dorian's life, likely in his teenage years, he heard the rumblings of marrying him off to the next link in the chain. He didn't like the idea, either. A young fellow by the name of Rilenius is mentioned in passing; perhaps it was Dorian's feelings for Rilenius that made him realize why the idea of marrying a woman that his parents picked out for him that he didn't even know was so objectionable. Well, more objectionable than it should have been under normal circumstances.
All indications are that he attempted to explain this calmly to his father, that he wasn't interested in the woman that had been picked out for him-- and furthermore that he wasn't interested in women at all. Unfortunately his father wasn't prepared to negotiate, and the situation likely blew up into a major argument. At the end of which Halward apparently said, "Get out. You are no son of mine."
Not too long after this, Dorian caught wind of something horrible-- his father was planning a blood magic ritual to try and make Dorian obey the command to marry. Dorian was crushed. His own father had taught him to hate blood magic, suggesting that only the weak-minded would rely on such things. And not only had Halward turned to it, but he was using a ritual to try and change his son. The risks? If the ritual failed, Dorian would be all but braindead. The realization stunned Dorian-- his father was willing to take a risk like that with his own son's life, just to preserve his legacy? Just to preserve his place in the Magisterium? Just to keep receiving the benefits from this "breeding program"?
Between that and all that had happened in Tevinter, all the things he had learned growing up about how things were behind closed doors, all the horrible and unsavory things that were hidden-- and the knowledge that, if he stayed, he would have to hide who he was throughout his entire life-- Dorian decided three things. Firstly, he would have to leave. Not just his house, but leave Tevinter entirely. Secondly, that Tevinter had to change. No more hidden blood magic, no more backstabbing and favors. And third, HE had to be the one who did it. Himself because only someone from Tevinter would know what needed to change, and how to change it. Besides that, it would show the world that not all "Vints" were the same.
But when the Breach split the sky, Dorian was drawn into the Fade. He thought at first that he was being drawn in to be possessed by a demon of some kind. But eventually the Fade spit him out again, into Neo-Tokyo.
Personality
Dorian Pavus is more complicated than a lot of people who meet him want to believe. Outwardly he seems like an overly arrogant man who cares far too much about himself than his stated aim of "setting things right" should allow. That arrogance alone would lead many to seek help elsewhere, if it can be found. He displays a high degree of vanity, he is quick to point out when his help is needed and exactly how his brilliant mind and powerful magic could be of use, and he wears his good breeding, high-class childhood, the fact that he's a mage, the fact he's from Tevinter, AND the fact that he's a pariah, like a series of shiny badges on his jacket. And he generally acts like he's completely above all of the things that are going on around him. Even the Breach, the tear in the sky caused by the explosion of magic at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, seems a thing he's only marginally interested in, only because it causes him a personal inconvenience somehow.
That, however, is an act. Dorian is from Tevinter, you see, and in Tevinter showing weakness in one's character means the sharks immediately begin to circle, searching for that weakness again so they can tear in with razor-sharp teeth. It's true it would generally be only verbally, magisters in Tevinter live and die by words, their reputations held aloft by words of praise and honor or cast down by words of criticism. So it's understandable that he would create this "mask" of nonchalance and unaffectedness. If no one sees him caring about anything-- or anyONE-- then no one can set out to destroy it and hurt him.
The average person is unlikely to see the real Dorian through the layers of wit-- and sometimes sarcasm-- that he figuratively raises in front of himself when he faces the world. It's lucky that he's also honestly quite charming and witty in addition to being insufferably smug and arrogant! His skill with magic is difficult to deny, too, and this alone could offset a great deal of his unpleasant qualities. Besides that, he's generally observant enough to know when he's pushing it with his arrogance, and will curb it in this situation.
Another part of hiding weakness is to cover it up when he's worried. He tends to cover up his worry under a layer of anger. Those who know him well enough will be able to tell when this is happening-- this is one of the few times he actually resorts to flat-out cursing in the common tongue, rather than his curse words being in Tevene. However, this is rarely aimed at anyone in particular, and at times it can come across as complaining. The few times he does aim this false anger at others, he is quick to apologize and admit such sniping is beneath him.
Underneath that mask, Dorian is a man who cares deeply. Deeply enough to leave the home he still loves to fix what's wrong with it. He recognizes that there's much that needs to change about Tevinter-- like anyone else with a brain in their head. But change is not going to come from within, Dorian knows this. All the Magisters are too deeply wrapped up in their own little power games. Change, if it's going to come, is going to come from outside-- from someone with the guts to strike out on their own, bare Tevinter's flaws to the light, and point unabashedly at them. Someone like him.
This in mind, knowing that Tevinter is corrupt to the core and needs to be taken down a few pegs-- "...All right, perhaps a few... HUNDRED pegs or so," Dorian might admit if pushed-- Dorian still loves his homeland. That is, in fact, why he's trying to change it. Because he still loves his homeland, and his family, but he can't be there with them as long as the current status quo remains. When preventing a scandal is more important than the life of a man's own son, there's something seriously wrong.
Let's set this down immmediately-- yes, Dorian is homosexual. Apart from where it concerns his interactions with his family, however, he generally tries to keep this hidden from others. Part of keeping all that hidden is not flirting with every reasonably attractive male he meets. He'll only begin to reach out if the other shows interest. In the absence of that, he keeps a lid on things. Though he may engage in idle flirtations with women, since that both is acceptable and makes him seem all the more charming and dashing.
It's kind of ironic that he would choose to hide in such a way, because that's one of the things he despises about his family and the "breeding program" they're participating in, that he has to hide who he is, even from his family. "It means every perceived flaw-- every abberation-- is deviant and shameful. It must be hidden." Though perhaps that's what he resented so much, that even his family-- the people he should have been able to turn to for anything, and should have understood and loved him anyway, would not accept who he was and tried to change him. Particularly with blood magic, which his father Halward had taught him to hate.
Dorian has a rather particular habit he's got -- when unsure what to think about an event, object, or person, it's 'something'. "Well, that's... something", he'll say. And he may continue, "I don't know what. But it's something." This may be in an effort not to appear impressed, wowed, or confused. In a battle of wits, the one who fails first to find words loses. He has a number of other odd quirks as well. Dorian apparently has a fondness for Ferelden beer, one he tries to keep hidden whenever possible -- this is very likely because, being from an upper-crust family from Tevinter, he shouldn't be seen drinking such "low-class" beverages in public. He also seems to suffer from seasickness quite easily. He seems to be fine on lakes, ponds, and other still bodies of water, but when it becomes the open ocean... all bets are off. Dorian dislikes the cold as well. Which actually makes sense since he's a mage that seems to be more aligned to fire and lightning than ice. And he's allergic to stripweed, a popular plant for teas in Tevinter.
Overall Dorian is an interesting character, but isn't perfect. He may annoy with his arrogance and vanity, but his wit and charm will keep him from making too many enemies. And his honest desire to make things better is undeniable. Underneath it all, he really does care, otherwise he wouldn't be so passionate about changing Tevinter for the better. And despite his negative qualities, Dorian is actually a kind man who cares about the condition of those around him. It wouldn't make him so angry otherwise.
