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□ Name: Arianwyn Hawke

□ Journal: wittydiplomacy

□ Series: Dragon Age II

□ Canon point: Post "All That Remains"

□ History:

http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Storyline_for_Dragon_Age_II
http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Hawke
 

Dragon Age 2 is unique in a manner that although there is a definite beginning and end, decisions made in the middle of the canon can influence a character's game canon history. This is especially true of its Playable Character (who is customizable in every way from appearance to general personality). Also, events from the prequel do have some impact on how Dragon Age 2's story progresses. However, these are minor things to the whole. The only real effect is how NPCs and certain quests are made available.

 

For DA2, the certain choices made in the main quests do have a much bigger effect on how the story is played:

1. She joined Athenril's smuggling group to pay off the debt for entry into Kirkwall. (Destruction of Kirkwall)

2.  Upon saving Feynriel's life, Hawke encouraged him to "find his own path" which allowed him to join the Dalish. (Wayward Son)

3. Deciding that bloodshed was not an issue, Hawke chose to trick the Templar Ser Karras that the mages had already escaped and only one was left behind. (Act of Mercy)

4. When asked if Keran should keep his status as a Templar, Hawke agreed that he should. (Enemies Among Us).

5. When about to depart on the Deep Roads Expedition, Hawke made the choice to leave her brother, Carver, behind. Upon her return, she discovered Carver had joined the Order. (Deep Roads Expedition).

6. Upon trying to pacify the Qunari, Isabella returned, intent on giving back the relic she had once stolen but when  asked to be handed over, Hawke chose to duel the Arishok for her friend's safety. Her victory over the famed Arishok granted her the title of Champion of Kirkwall. (Demands of the Qun).

7. Realizing the horror that Anders committed, Hawke reluctantly allowed her former friend and fellow mage to remain alive but refused his offer of assistance. This act forced Sebastian, another fellow companion to leave her side, vowing to take his revenge of the destruction of the Chantry on Anders, Kirkwall and possibly Hawke herself. In the final moments before the final battle, Hawke surprised everyone by siding with the Templars instead of the Circle Mages. When everything finally reached its final conclusion, Hawke was made Viscount.
 

□ Personality:

As previously mentioned, everything about Hawke is customizable though in terms of her personality, there is a catch. The game offers three distinct "personas" to endow upon Hawke to keep the voice she uses through the game consistent. These personas are Diplomatic/Helpful, Sarcastic/Charming, Aggressive/Direct.

Although the player is able to change the "default" personality, it does take some effort  to do so, especially late in the current Act.

 

That said, the persona this Hawke has is a mix of Diplomatic/Helpful and Sarcastic/Charming.

For the most part, Hawke wants to help others and is always willing to listen to their problems. She could be seen with a smile ready to be given and a helpful hand for whatever problem that she sees before her. She's a meddler of sorts, unable to stop herself from interfering when something catches her attention. At first, this was because she wanted to gain coin for the Deep Roads Expedition but after a while, she started to keep lending aid without a thought for payment or reward.

There are times her sense of humor can get away from her and she can't help but inserting a quip here or there but she tries to keep it serious when a serious problem is at hand. No guarantees when she's with her friends and knows them well enough that they'll get her particular brand of wit. With strangers, she rather give a persona of the woman who can't stop helping others.

In her own way, helping others would maybe one day let them all remember that not all Mages are evil or should be taken the Circle. Also, helping others is much better than dwelling on her own problems and the things she knows she can't fix but would give a limb just do to so (she could have been faster, stronger; Bethany and Mother would both be alive if she was).

Given her mage status, Hawke actually takes the effort to not be a walking billboard of Magedom. It's always a last resort to show her magic out in the open when not in a fight for her life. She wears clothing that doesn't resemble the classic robes of Mages. When asked about the Staff on her back, she merely attempts to pass it off as a spear or pole arm. Not hard considering the bladed portion of her father's old weapon is about two feet in length.  She'll reveal herself if she feels she has no choice or if there is a benefit (and there are no untrustworthy witnesses around).

By helping mages, she, in turn, is helping herself though in comparison to their plights, she personally believes she received the better end of the mage deal. She was never admitted into the Circle, never lost her parents until her Father died and later, when Bethany then Mother had died. She still has Carver but she's never sure what side he's really on ever since he joined the Templars.

If given a choice between violence and pacifism, there's a good chance Hawke would try to choose the most non-violent option there is but there are times where she'll just choose combat over talk--generally if time is of the essence and the issue at hand is very dire. She's a pacifist for the most part, wanting to keep as many people alive as possible but she does understand the need for execution and self-defense.  Given that a lot of people are dead because of her (and their own damned choices), Hawke tries not to think much about the deaths she committed. She had to keep moving on and sometimes, her own needs have to take priority over the guilt (needing to see to her family's safety when running from the blight after Bethany died.)

Another thing to note is how inquisitive, Hawke is. It doesn't matter if the information is meaningless, she has a curiosity to her that makes her want to know all the details. Gossip or facts, she doesn't care. She's well-read and enjoys the collection of books in her family estate. When not out on errands or lending her aid, she can settle down with a good tome and just read. Or let herself join a game of Diamondback or Wicked Grace with the rest of her friends in the Hanged Man, the Lowtown Tavern.

Her temperament is cool, like the ice magic she wields but that doesn't mean she isn't a passionate woman. She rather play cool and collected before showing her hand. Keeping a level head is obviously the best way to deal with the more vocal members of her group and the issues that keep piling onto her. Her opinions are her own and she won't change them, or allow others to do so. She'd willingly discuss anything, the mages plight, the templars but she'll keep her views to herself for sake of keeping the air peaceful when she brings vocal opposing opinions on quests.

She lets people make their own opinions and only strives to push them into a certain direction if she thinks it is really for the best. She wants to help everyone and if that means playing devil's advocate, she will do so but only if she thinks they need it. Sometimes you need to be tested to really find out your views about something and she holds that thought close to her chest.

Lately, however, magic is something she's starting to despise given how close to home it hit. Her mother died because of a Blood Mage and she could do nothing to stop that. The guilt is festering, more than the blame she carries for not being fast enough to save Bethany. Family is the biggest thing to her and keeping her family protected is the first and foremost priority. When faced with the problems of others and their own relatives, she tries to enforce family bonding, reconciliation. Maker knows she has almost none with her brother Carver when he left for the Templar Order.

In terms of attraction and flirtation, the former is something she only feels in passing but the later is a bit of entertainment. Granted, she won't actively flirt for the most part but she will react and respond in kind of someone else starts it. Despite all the chances to sleep with others in Dragon Age 2, Hawke hasn't taken it. In fact, she would have never gone into the Brothel Blooming Rose if a quest didn't demand it.

She might not have a love interest (outside enjoying Sebastian being flustered by her few initial flirting attempts) but being loyal and not committing infidelity is something she holds in high regard given how she views her parents' relationship. It'll take some adjusting to the idea of uncommitted and casual sex, maybe a lot of re-education, before she actively seeks it or even takes a part of it.

I feel she might be a demisexual, someone who only feels sexual attraction if there is a good foundation already between two people (usually friendship) but that might not be the case. After all, throughout DA2, she had more priorities to worry about than her love or sex lives: protect her family, gain enough coin to fund the Deep Roads Expedition, buy back the Amell Estate, get out of the Deep Roads alive and safe, deal with Carver leaving her and mother behind to join the Templars, etc, etc, etc.
 

□ Age: 27~28 due to her canon point.

□ Gender: Female

□ Appearance:

http://i40.tinypic.com/28ck9k5.jpg

Hawke's appearance isn't the default option but a customized  version made by the character creation. Her black hair is shoulder length, with one annoying bang covering one eye before being swept to the side. Her eyes is a particular shade of blue and grey though it might appear as pale lilac-grey due to its sometime purple tinge.

She's always covered, from neck to toe in black leathers and instead of the normal robes mages may wear in Dragon Age, Hawke prefers a pair of leggings and boots. They might be a bit skintight but they're better than tripping over the skirt hems when in a fight. Dresses are not something she'd ever think she wear and would do her utmost to avoid.

Other than that? She has an attractive, almost hour glass figure though her bosom might be smaller than Isabella and Aveline's impressive ones.  She certainly is able to garner a few looks from strangers when she walks past.

□ Abilities/Powers:

As a mage, Hawke is able to connect with the Fade and bring forth fearsome spells into this side of the Veil (or our world). In fact, she's always connected to the Fade and when she dreams, she spends time there, though however dangerous it could be with Demons more powerful in the Fade itself.

However, for all the dangers the Fade may pose, Hawke is one of the most powerful mages in the game due to having mastery over Fire and Ice, Thunder and Earth and even Force Spells (spells like telekinesis). She does have a few healing spells in her arsenal but compared to Anders, hers is a little lacking due to not being a specialization she active practices. With time, however, she should be able to mend more than a few cuts and bruises but also give a quickness to her allies in their times of need.

She also takes care to create barriers of protection when she is able but those don't tend to last long lest she constantly tries to maintain them and give up being an offensive unit in the party.

Granted, being a mage in Dragon Age, there's always a possibility she might use Blood Magic but it would be with her dying breath before she uses that type of foul magic. Despite having a close friend who dabbles in it, she can't ever bring herself to think of anything good could come of it but the temptation is always there for mages.

 

□ Personal Items:

1. Full grown Mabari Hound named Gawain, if possible. The FAQs mentioned the only items that cannot be brought with characters are large weapons. I would like Arianwyn to keep her hound, even if she can't actually bring it out on walks. It's a fairly well-mannered, if playful war dog. After spending at least a year or so in Gamlen's dwelling, I'm sure it'll adjust quickly to apartment-living.

2. Staff of Parthalan. This is Hawke's staff, one that once belonged to her father. It is admittedly not quite used as a melee weapon but as a focusing device for her magic. The staff is as tall, if not taller than Arianwyn by a few inches and one end is very much a pointed spear (the blade maybe 2 feet in length). On its other end is a large red sphere trapped inside a cage of "roots".

3. Regardless of whether or not she can keep her staff, I do ask that she retains the one other weapon she's seen with in the game, a relatively small dagger about maybe 10 inches in length. It's not used for active combat but rather as a utility tool (and occasionally to stab someone that really irritates her).

4. 3 Health Draughts

5. 7 Lyrium Potions

6. 5 Injury Kits.

7. A private moleskin journal of her observations, thoughts and etc.