|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2018 23:18:42 GMT
Hey all! I have been bored out of my mind with games lately and decided that I wanted to do some good old nostalgic RPG'ing. I am going to replay the whole DA trilogy and wanted to start from the beginning. That's when I realized that I haven't played some of the origins in DA:O for quite some time (seriously, it's probably been 5-7 years since I've payed through the Dalish or Mage origins). So I decided to spend my lonely cold day off in Fereldan, replaying each of the origins.
And that got me thinking -- now that years have gone by and the franchise has really expanded and deepened its lore, which origins hold up? Which do my LGBT+ (including allies  ) peeps on this forum find the most enjoyable. And, since some of them feel different depending on the gender of the PC, I included options for gender as well. For example, the female city elf is one of my favorites (I love playing her as a lesbian who doesn't want the marriage and then turns into a hardened -- and racist -- survivor of sexual assault; it's a narrative that you don't get to play in most games, so I appreciate that this is a story that I can tell); the male city elf is pretty blah in comparison, though -- not bad, but definitely not in the top for me.
So, in addition to the poll above (pick your three favs!), I also wanted to hear from a LGBT+ perspective, which narratives did you enjoy.
For me, I really enjoy the female city elf story when I RP her as a lesbian. I also really love the male human noble story because not only does it give you a fling with a sexy squire (Dairren  ) and the chance to gaze at dreamy Ser Gilmore (alas, I play an unmodded console version so his romance remains far outside of my sticky fingers), but it also adds some gay ally realness from your brother Fergus. If you tell him that you are having company that night, he goes in full big brother mode about how "he'd" (Dairren) better be up to his standards. Doesn't even blink, meaning that he's totally cool with his bro being into guys. Fergus Cousland -- Gay Ally Icon  ! I love that guy!
The third one that I'd pick is the male dwarf noble story. I'm always torn on this one. This is my canon origin (love a dwarf; love a KISA; and this origin lets me play both) and I typically play him as a savvy, but "good" character. He gets duped by Bhelen, but still refuses to kill Trian. That kind of guy. Lawful Good 101. But........I also think that he's a duty to House Aeducan guy too. Which brings me to Mardy and Teli. I love the idea of him being a gold star gay. But I also love the idea of him just closing his eyes and doing his "duty" for his house. Again, it's a narrative that I don't see often. And it ends up with a little baby boy Aeducan (Duncan, natch) to show up as a cameo some day (right....right?!?). That being said, this one gets third place for denying me my Gorim and male Aeducan romance. Fuck that noise. Why does Lady Aeducan get all of the fun? 
So that's my top three from a LGBT+ perspective: 1.) male human noble; 2.) female city elf; 3.) male dwarf noble.
What about you?
|
|
|
|
Post by Andrew Mancer on Nov 23, 2018 23:46:48 GMT
If we're looking at it strictly from a gay perspective, the male human noble origin gets my vote for the exact reasons you stated. I play with mods so I get the chance at both the Ser Gilmore and Alistair romances. These, for me, create one of my favorite gaming experiences. I enjoy being able to lose myself in this amazing fantasy world where I can be nobleman and marry my first love, or in another scenario marry the bastard prince and rule the kingdom together. I love that the mods in these cases don't conflict with anything in the game and flow so well with the narrative. And yes, being able to establish myself as a gay man with the hunk Dairren and have such a loving and supportive brother is an amazing way to start off the game.
The other Origin stories I played (Male Dalish, Human Male Mage, and Male City Elf) don't really do it for me as far as the LGBT perspective goes because they don't offer the same inclusive content that the noble origin does. I can't have Tamlen as a male Dalish, Cullen doesn't have a crush on the male mage, no male flirts with Jowan, and the straight marriage just doesn't work for me. There's also the issue with the Ser Gilmore romance not having the same impact on the other origin stories with the childhood friend to lovers story, and not being able to rule the kingdom with Alistair.
So from an LGBT perspective the human male noble is the only winner for me, and the only way I play the game now. I do have a lot of love for the Dalish Origin though, and enjoyed going through the mage and city elf stories as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by dgcatanisiri on Nov 24, 2018 2:30:58 GMT
Yeah, from the gay perspective the Human Noble is the best unequivocally - it's the only one that offers any chance for same-sex loving from the start. I am always bringing up the fact that the Couslands are not in the slightest bit scandalized or upset to hear if their child has a partner of the same sex waiting for them in their room as what made playing that origin always feel like acceptance from the start (and what bothered me about inserting homophobia into the universe in Inquisition).
And it really doesn't seem to make sense that the other origins don't have the option to include these things (but do have the opportunity for Leske to make remarks suggesting that he thinks a male Brosca wants to have sex with his sister...). Like this is a great reason for Tabris to not want to get married, since these are breeding matches more than for love. I can't imagine there wouldn't be noble hunting dwarven men, looking for noble ladies to impregnate with a daughter, and, as an extension, would be accepting of a roll in the hay with a dwarven prince looking to slum it. Really, the various crushes that the origin companion has in one gender would require nothing to change to exist for both genders.
That said, I head!canon (sledgehammer, more like but...) these things in there. I've already written two fics involving these pairings (one for M!Mahariel/Tamlen and one for M!Amell/Jowan). Also had a M!Brosca/Leske plot bunny running around I haven't quite chased down yet.
Just irritating that, legitimately, Cousland is the only one who has the option. Part of me wants to just chalk this up to BioWare's human noble boner, putting the most content here, on the idea that most casual players would probably have their one playthrough as a human noble, but... Well, history doesn't exactly speak in favor of offering BioWare the slack that gives them.
|
|
|
|
Post by vertigomez on Nov 24, 2018 5:25:31 GMT
Shoutout to the Dwarf Noble (female), whom Trian calls "useless breeding flesh" - I love playing her as being into women but feeling constrained by her life as a noble (bc bloodlines) and a woman (bc "drop 'em and rebuild the empire"). Not that I love the ideas behind that whole plotline, but I think the origin really lends itself to that kind of story. Especially as my Lady Aeducan wanted to be seen as a warrior first and a princess second.
There are a few lines you get as a male dwarf commoner where Leske and your mom make remarks about finding a "prince who likes boys" and that being a way out of the slums. Maybe not like a noble hunter, with the bloodlines and castes and all, but I could see lower-class dwarf guys being "kept men" and having money and stuff funneled to them by wealthier men so inclined.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lee on Nov 24, 2018 6:41:24 GMT
I voted for Male human Nobel. (though if I'm on ps3 I play female since no mods there) eh...origins would be an amazing game if it wasn't for straight Alistair...all these years later it really stings more now than it used to. With mods though it's alright-but I dislike playing it on pc for mechanical reasons.
|
|
Catilina
The Beastmaster
Wanted Apostate
Posts: 827 
Likes: 3,282
|
Post by Catilina on Nov 24, 2018 11:10:49 GMT
From LGBT+ viewpoint? Human noble, and female city elf also good in this view. But still elf/human mage my favourite Origin (I found the story touching when I played it first – and more and more, as DA2 and DAI released.) closely followed by the human noble.
|
|
|
|
Post by disgustednoise on Nov 28, 2018 4:09:47 GMT
Male Cousland, especially with the Gilmore mod. <333
|
|
dmc1001
The Beastmaster
Posts: 495
Likes: 1,048
|
Post by dmc1001 on Dec 1, 2018 5:52:35 GMT
Human Noble. Tried human mage and hated it. I tried an elf - can't remember if Dalish or city - but didn't like it. I'm more open in DAI than DAO for some reason.
|
|
|
|
Post by disgustednoise on Dec 1, 2018 5:56:12 GMT
Human Noble. Tried human mage and hated it. I tried an elf - can't remember if Dalish or city - but didn't like it. I'm more open in DAI than DAO for some reason. Probably because Trevelyan, Lavellan, Cadash, and Adaar are basically the exact same person outside of headcanon lol. |
|
|
|
Post by dgcatanisiri on Dec 1, 2018 11:10:20 GMT
It's interesting, Origins based itself on the multiple protagonist and origin story, but that pretty much vanishes the moment that you get to Ostagar, aside from a handful of one-liners and returning to the area from your origin. Like, I have a very prominent memory of Uldred yelling to my Dalish Warden about "your Chantry," which... Okay, mind of madness, sure, but a Dalish elf is not part of the Chantry, and that's kind of an obvious thing. Meanwhile, the multiple races were an extension addition for Inquisition, and there are at least more references to their race sprinkled throughout the game.
Like, neither are perfect, but Inquisition actually makes it more of a thing than Origins, the game where it was the primary gimmick.
|
|
) peeps on this forum find the most enjoyable. And, since some of them feel different depending on the gender of the PC, I included options for gender as well. For example, the female city elf is one of my favorites (I love playing her as a lesbian who doesn't want the marriage and then turns into a hardened -- and racist -- survivor of sexual assault; it's a narrative that you don't get to play in most games, so I appreciate that this is a story that I can tell); the male city elf is pretty blah in comparison, though -- not bad, but definitely not in the top for me. 
) and the chance to gaze at dreamy Ser Gilmore (alas, I play an unmodded console version so his romance remains far outside of my sticky fingers), but it also adds some gay ally realness from your brother Fergus. If you tell him that you are having company that night, he goes in full big brother mode about how "he'd" (Dairren) better be up to his standards. Doesn't even blink, meaning that he's totally cool with his bro being into guys. Fergus Cousland -- Gay Ally Icon 
! I love that guy!
