Dragon Age Origins Warriors / Characters

Tropes relating to the characters introduced in Dragon Age: Origins as one of The Warden's warrior companions.

Alistair

Alistair in Origins

^{Alistair in Inquisition}

Appears in: The Calling | Origins | Awakening^notechoice dependent | Dragon Age II^notechoice dependent | The Silent Grove | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep | Inquisition^notechoice dependent | Deception

Voiced by: Steve Valentine (English)^{Foreign VAs}

One of the junior Grey Wardens and Duncan's protégé. A former Knight Templar in training, he's a central character to the story and the only remaining Grey Warden in Ferelden aside from the player character. If he was crowned King or remained a Grey Warden in Origins and survived, Alistair will return in Inquisition. As King, Alistair reappears in the Mage plot as well as during a few war table missions. If still a Grey Warden, Alistair assists the Inquisitor as Hawke's informant on the Wardens.

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Tropes In Dragon Age: Origins

Abusive Parents: Well, foster parents. He was raised by Eamon, who made him sleep in the stables or kennels to keep him out of the way. When Eamon married Isolde, she made Alistair's life miserable until she finally convinced Eamon to ship him off to the Chantry to (again) get him out of the way. His Chantry upbringing is also implied to have been pretty strict. As a result, Alistair is very awkward, insecure, desperate for any kind of family (part of why he latches onto Duncan and the Grey Wardens), and has serious self-confidence and self-worth issues. The fact that he was raised to be submissive and dependent as a Spare to the Throne doesn't help.
Adaptation Dye-Job: Becomes increasingly red-haired in the next two games, and red-haired and blue-eyed in the comics.
All of the Other Reindeer: When Alistair was training as a Templar, the initiates from noble families ignored him for being a bastard, while the initiates from poor families resented his noble lineage, leaving him with few, if any, friends during that time.
Always Save the Girl: If romanced, he makes it clear he values the Warden's life over his own. If he is brought along to the final battle without completing Morrigan's ritual, he refuses to allow the female PC to deliver the finishing blow to the Archdemon. Unless hardened, he's under the impression that he'd make a worse king than Anora. This way, he can go out a glorious king and save the woman he loves all at the same time. It can be avoided by leaving him to defend the gate, but he knows exactly what you're doing.
Arranged Marriage: The Warden can organise one between him and Anora, putting both a Theirin and a competent, experienced ruler in charge of Ferelden. Or two, if he's hardened. If she's the Human Female Noble, the Warden can also potentially arrange one between him and herself. If a romance between the Warden and him flourishes, it becomes quite ideal for both.
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: His description of what's wrong with Orlais at the moment if he's king in II.
Alistair: Oh the usual: attempted assassinations, uprisings, fancy parties with stinky cheeses...
Battle Couple: If romanced, he's this with the female Warden. This can be combined with Royals Who Actually Do Something if he becomes King and marries a Female Human Noble.
Betty and Veronica: Very much Betty to Zevran's Veronica. Possibly also serves as the Betty for Leliana's Veronica, too.
Break the Cutie: The massacre of Ostagar and the death of Duncan really took a toll on him. While most of the personal quests end with the companion in higher spirits, Alistair's has an outright Downer Ending. And depending on your choices, he will dramatically change for the rest of the game.
Broken Pedestal: Like most, he holds Loghain in high regard before the Battle of Ostagar, privately admitting that while Cailan is the King, it's Loghain to whom they have to look for victory. Then Loghain retreats from the battle, leaving the King, the Grey Wardens, and Duncan to an ignoble death, and then blames the Wardens for regicide. From then on, Alistair has an undying hatred for the man and it becomes very personal.
Buffy Speak: Tends to lapse into this at times.
Alistair: You stole them, didn't you? You're some sort of... sneaky... witch-thief!
Butt-Monkey:
- Everyone gets a turn to mock him. Even the dog. (The player alone has the option not to do so.)
- Meta-example of a Cosmic Plaything as well, in that the player ultimately decide his fate. He can either become King, remain in the Grey Wardens, die, or end up a drunk loser — all as a direct result of the player's actions.
Child of Forbidden Love: King Maric's bastard. His personal quest has him looking up his mother's family. He was actually lied to about his mother; his real mother, Fiona, hoped he'd have a better life if nobody knew his mother was an elf mage.
Contemplate Our Navels: Morrigan accuses him of doing this while traveling to Lothering, in so many words.
Corrupt the Cutie: If the player chooses to "harden" him, he loses many of his squeaky-clean morals, but the loss of naïve idealism makes him more understanding of his subjects should he be anointed King.
Covert Pervert: In addition to the Girl on Girl Is Hot moments mentioned below, he also apparently spends a fair deal of his time ogling a romanced Warden's ass. Wynne teases him about it.
The Creon: Alistair intentionally avoids mentioning the fact that he is actually the senior Grey Warden — because he doesn't want to lead. In fact, he even refuses to take the throne of Ferelden for exactly the same reason.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Despite the fact that he's... well, Alistair, he is very much capable of holding his own in a fight, being able to take on numerically superior opponents and even dragons. Should the player choose him to duel Loghain at the Landsmeet, Alistair wins and wastes no time in delivering the fatal blow.
Dare to Be Badass: The Warden can often invoke this if they convince Alistair to take the throne.
Deconstructed Character Archetype: Alistair can potentially be one for a Knight in Shining Armor.
- Alistair sticks to his ideals to a fault, in a setting where the characters around him are making political moves and have no problem dirting their hands for the sake of the greater good. In particular, Alistair holds a romantic and somewhat childish view of what it means to be a Grey Warden, when in reality the order is willing to take anyone as long as they can pass the Joining. This comes to a head if the Warden decides to spare Loghain and induct him into the Grey Wardens, where an unhardened Alistair ends up quitting on the spot.
- This also applies to his chivalrous views of love that were popular in many High Fantasy and Chivalric Romance. If a female non-Human Noble Warden who Romances him makes him King and hopes to Marry for Love and become Queen, Alistair counters that the Landsmeet already barely accepts him as King, so there's no way they'd accept a mage or non-human as their Queen. Alistair's squeaky clean morals then shine through at the exact wrong time and his refusal to "degrade" her by making her The Mistress causes him to dump her. (The female Warden had to "harden" Alistair much earlier in the game just to be able to convince him to make her The Mistress, and by then many players don't want to do it since he keeps rubbing in how shameful and tawdry their love would be.) Word of Gaider is that this was meant to demonstrate that Alistair puts his own warped sense of duty and honor before her feelings too.
Deuteragonist: The secondary storyline (Ferelden's Succession Crisis) pretty much revolves around him.
Disappeared Dad: Although he understands why King Maric couldn't acknowledge him as his illegitimate son.
Distressed Dude: Should he be in the party by the time you run into Cauthrien's boss fight and lose or surrender, he gets captured along with the Warden.
Dork Knight: While Alistair is heroic, noble, and brave, he also lacks confidence and fumbles when talking to women.
Drowning My Sorrows: Should the player spare Loghain, Alistair will leave the party. If he was not persuaded to marry Anora but spared from execution, he ends up as a drunkard rambling about how he used to be a prince and a Grey Warden. He can be found at the Hanged Man in II; thankfully, Bann Teagan shows up and persuades him to come home and make a fresh start. By Inquisition, he's rejoined the order.
Entendre Failure: He'd happily hop borders with Zevran given the chance — after all, he's never even been close to leaving Ferelden.
Evil Laugh: He has a very impressive one that he breaks out on a couple of occasions, such as when revealing his nefarious plan to make the other party members mutiny and have him take over as group leader.
Evil Laugh Turned Coughing Fit: In a subversion, he once breaks into a cough mid-evil laugh.
Final Boss: He is the final antagonist fought in The Darkspawn Chronicles.
First Girl Wins: The female PC is the first woman his own age he encounters in the story, having been sent to the Chantry at age ten to be a Templar and then being a part of the Wardens (who, in Ferelden, have no women currently in the order until the Warden come along). Unless you count that one time in Denerim... but those women were not like the Warden.
Foil: To Zevran, especially as a romance. Two orphaned boys who were raised communally (Alistair in a castle, Zevran in a whorehouse) who were shipped off to an organization at an early age (Alistair to the Templars, Zevran to the Crows) without their consent, which largely defined who they became as adults (Alistair a duty-bound warrior, Zevran a loose and easy assassin). They both even have prolific (often deadpan) senses of humor. However, while Alistair is a dorky virgin who hides his pain behind a shield of duty, honor, and lame jokes, Zevran is The Casanova who Really Gets Around and hides his pain behind a charming smile and a devil-may-care attitude. They are even foils when it comes to sleeping with someone, Zevran is good at convincing others to sleep with him but is implied to be nothing special while Alistair is a virgin when he first appears but everyone compliments him to the point where Isabela gives him the biggest praise out of all the characters she can sleep with.
Generation Xerox: Potentially to both of his parents. He's a Grey Warden like Fiona and can become King of Ferelden like Maric.Even more so to Maric if he falls for an Elven Warden, particularly a rogue city elf or mage elf. Maric had a thing for elves too; fell in love with the elven bard Katriel (although that ended badly), and later conceived Alistair with the elven mage Fiona. For a complete Xerox, romance him as a city or mage elf, have him enter an Arranged Marriage with Anora (a human noblewoman he doesn't love) after making him King, and then have him conceive a royal bastard out of wedlock with Morrigan.
Girl on Girl Is Hot: His reaction to a female Warden propositioning Isabela. If he's hardened and the player invites him along, he'll eventually succumb with a sudden "What can I say? I am a weak, weak man." Even if he's not hardened (and therefore willing to give it a go), he'll note, "And here I am, awake and everything..." Also, if he confronts the Warden about choosing between him and Leliana, and the player chooses him, he'll ask, what about her? "I get it, sure — hot. But-" and so on.
The Good King: A hardened Alistair turns out to be an excellent monarch, having a common touch which makes the people of Ferelden love him, and quickly learns the finer points of administration.
Grew a Spine: If he is hardened, he develops a backbone that causes him to be more pragmatic and mature about certain decisions while still being a decent person.
Half-Human Hybrid: The Calling implies that Alistair's mother could be Fiona, an elven Grey Warden and lover of King Maric. Alistair was confirmed as elf-blooded by the devs here. However, the children of elves and humans are always human, so he doesn't look elven. In Inquisition, Fiona herself vaguely hints at her relationship with Alistair, but never outright says it.
Happily Married: Provided the Warden is a Human Noble and is persuasive enough to convince the entire Landsmeet (as well as Alistair privately) that the infertility issue is not a problem. Otherwise, get ready to be dumped like a sack of potatoes (true love or not), unless he's been hardened or the player makes Anora the sole ruler instead.
Henpecked Husband:
- In Dragon Age II, if he's King and married to the Female Human Noble, it's clear who wears the trousers in the relationship. It's treated very lightheartedly, however, and when Alistair calls her "the old ball and chain", it's said with obvious affection.
  Alistair: Just because she killed an Archdemon, she doesn't scare me!
  Teagan: You just keep telling yourself that, Your Majesty.
- If married to Anora and left unhardened, Alistair ends up leaving the actual ruling of the Kingdom to her, effectively becoming a King in name only.
Heroic Bastard: And a royal bastard at that. He notes he should use that line more often.
Heroic Sacrifice: If the player refuses Morrigan's ritual and allow him to finish the Archdemon (he'll insist on it no matter what if him and the Warden are in a romance).
Hidden Backup Prince: He's a bastard, and in line to the throne! His claim is apparently roughly equal to that of his half-brother the king's widow. It's heavily implied that the reason he was not put onto the frontlines at Ostagar was to make sure that if Calian died, Alistair could potentially survive and become king in his place.
Hidden Depths: If the player makes him king, he turns out to be better suited to the job than he expects to be. In Dragon Age II, he demonstrates a willingness to allow fleeing mages to enter Ferelden so long as they follow the laws of the land. Meredith is annoyed that the new king does not immediately comply with her demands. In Inquisition, his codex entry notes that the people love him.
Honor Before Reason: Alistair is very hard-up on duty and honor and will put his squeaky-clean morals before his desires. The Warden can help him grow out of it by "hardening" him. If they don't, this comes to a head in the romance as if a non-Human Noble Warden makes him King, Alistair puts his perceived duty to marry a Bannorn-approved human noblewoman and sire royal heirs with her to avoid another Succession Crisis before his own desires and refuses to degrade his future wife or the Warden by making the latter his mistress, and dumps the Warden. Furthermore, he sees it as his duty to avenge his fallen Gray Wardens and will never accept anything less than Loghain dying for his crimes. [[spoiler:If you recruit Loghain to the Wardens, even for the sole purpose of being a Heroic Sacrifice, Alistair will be so offended, he'll leave the order, and either become king, or a drunk.
Hunk: Quite manly. Quite handsome.
Hypocrite: If you decide to kill Connor instead of going to the Circle for help, he'll denounce you for it the moment you're back in camp, even though he can be the one who suggests doing it in the first place if you bring him along and ask what the options are.
Alistair: I wouldn't normally suggest slaying a child, but... he's an abomination. I'm not sure there's any choice.
Idiot Hero: Morrigan and Anora both accuse him of being one. Although he has his moments, they're never at critical junctions, and he tends to miss a lot of what people say until they explain it more directly. He even calls himself an idiot hero at times.
Alistair: Look, I can't be king. Some days I have trouble figuring out which boot goes on which foot.
In the Blood: Despite being raised a Templar, Alistair is fascinated by strange runestones and figural studies of arcane creatures, to the point that gift items of that type earn lots of approval. Alistair's mother was a mage, implying his fascination with magical items is somewhat inborn. A number of characters also believe he'd make a good king due to being Maric's son.
In Touch with His Feminine Side:
- Alistair is very open about his feelings, particularly his grief over the Grey Wardens (often sounding on the verge of tears when discussing them) and invites you to talk about your grief as well (at least regarding the loss of the other Grey Wardens). This annoys some of the more stoic party members (particularly Morrigan and Sten) who think Real Men Don't Cry, though it doesn't deter him any. Alistair is also pretty unashamed about his less-than-manly moments, like joke with the Warden that Alistair should wear a dress to distract the darkspawn, and mentioning a girly scream he once emitted when he first joined the Wardens.
- This is also a point in his favor with the romance, since Alistair gives a female Warden he's crushing on a rose he had sentimentally picked earlier for unrelated reasons but which now reminds him of her, asks to wait to have sex since he wants it to be special, and is very open about his budding romantic feelings toward her (even if he's not always the most eloquent about it).
Intergenerational Friendship: With Wynne, who becomes something of a surrogate mother to him if they're kept in the party together often enough.
It's Personal: Towards Loghain for causing the deaths of the Grey Wardens and Duncan in particular. Best shown during the Landsmeet if Alistair is the one chosen to duel Loghain.
Loghain: So there is some of Maric in you after all. Good!
Alistair: Forget Maric! This is for Duncan!
Knight in Sour Armor: Although he's aware that Grey Wardens often must do pretty bad things for the greater good, and lives in a world that has rarely shown him any kindness, he still feels as if it's still worth being a decent person and protector. If he's hardened and King, he becomes one if Loghain is spared.
Lady and Knight: If the PC romances him, he definitely behaves like a White Knight to a Bright Lady. This is especially fitting if the female is the human or dwarf noble.
The Lancer: Alistair is the only humanoid member of the Warden's party whom the player can neither fail to recruit nor ask to leave. He's also the only other Grey Warden in Ferelden, and the main character apart from the PC — to the point where he's nearly a deuteragonist. He fits this trope completely if the Warden is on the darker end of Grey-and-Gray Morality.
Lethal Chef:
- When Morrigan joins the party, one of the first things he asks is "Can you cook?" Then he explains that if he has to cook, they're all as good as dead.
- A party banter between him and Leliana can be triggered where Leliana asks him what was in the dish he made for the party's supper the previous night. When he tells her it was a lamb and pea stew, she comments that it had a texture she doesn't normally associate with lamb. He explains this by telling her that this is the way all Fereldans cook.
  Alistair: We take our ingredients, throw them into the largest pot we can find, and cook them for as long as possible until everything is a uniform grey color. As soon as it looks completely bland and unappetizing, that's when I know it's done.
Let's Wait a While: If the female Warden who romances him asks him about sex first, Alistair asks to wait, since he doesn't know if they'll even survive the Blight, and he'd rather not rush into anything. If she insists, Alistair is clearly pretty unhappy about it, whereas once his feelings for her reach "love" he approaches her of his own volition. He can also get to a point where he will happily accept if you ask him before he can ask you.
Loved I Not Honor More: If romanced, he loves the female Warden greatly, but if she makes him king and doesn't harden him, he puts his perceived duty to sire royal heirs (either with Anora or a future Bannorn-approved noblewoman) to avoid another Succession Crisis above his own desires, and further doesn't wish to degrade his future wife or the Warden by making the latter his mistress, so he dumps the Warden.
Love Interest: For a female Grey Warden.
Manchild:
- At times, his decisions are more reminiscent of a temperamental teenager than a defender of the whole land. These are often potential Jerkass moments. He gets called a lad/boy several times. This is slightly justified as he's only 20 years old and from a very sheltered background.
- To drive the point home, his Feastday gift is a Grey Warden toy set.
The Mistress: One outcome of his romance — the non-human noble Warden can become this for him if he's hardened and king. The human noble can, too, but she also has a chance to marry him and become queen.
Modest Royalty: Should he become King of Feraldan, he's shown in II to still be getting the hang of things. He introduces himself to Hawke just as Alistair in a casual and informal way before awkwardly remembering to add that he's also King and Teagan is his uncle...sort of.
More Senior Subordinate: After Warden-Commander Duncan and the rest of the Grey Wardens fall in the Battle of Ostagar, Alistair remains technically the most senior Warden in Ferelden, but passes effective command on to the freshly recruited Player Character instead, explaining that he is not much of a leader. This proves to be a prudent decision, as the Darkspawn Chronicles DLC shows that had the Warden died and Alistair remained in charge, the latter would not have managed to defeat the Blight, despite coming tantalizingly close.
Mutually Exclusive Party Members: No matter what you say to him, he will not fight alongside Loghain under any circumstances.
Odd Friendship:
- Despite being a former Templar, he quickly strikes up a friendship with Wynne and seems closer to her than any of the other companions. This is rather understandable, as he freely admits he was terrible at being a Templar and never wanted to be one in the first place.
- Similarly, aside from some initial awkwardness upon their first meeting, he has no problem with Mage Wardens.
Orphan's Plot Trinket: Averted — he had an amulet from his mother, but threw it at a wall and smashed it. The player can find it after his foster father Arl Eamon painstakingly glued it back together and give it back as a gift, but it has no further relevance to the story.
Parental Abandonment: Repeatedly.
- Both his mother and father weren't present in his upbringing, primarily due to reasons of death (or so he was told) and not being able to recognise him due to his illegitimacy.
- After Arl Eamon married an Orlesian, who took an immediate dislike to him, Alistair was sent to a monastery.
- And then Duncan, who was the closest thing he ever had to a real father, dies in the battle of Ostagar. If Alistair has abandonment issues, they're not hard to understand.
The Pig-Pen: According to Wynne, he smells just as bad as the dog. When he mentions being raised by flying dogs, telling him "That would explain the smell" will not hurt his approval of the Warden rating at all, and will actually open up a line of banter that increases it. This whole line of banter takes a turn for the tragic once the player learns that Arl Eamon used to make Alistair sleep in the kennels in order to keep him out of the way; to a small extent, he actually was raised by dogs.
Properly Paranoid: To the point where some of his dialogue may well be Foreshadowing.
- His suspicions that Flemeth has ulterior motives for sending Morrigan with the party are completely correct.
- If Alistair is king and meets with Hawke in DAII, he'll urge Hawke to continue protecting Kirkwall; Hawke may respond by asking him, "Protect Kirkwall from what, exactly?" Alistair expresses the opinion that Knight-Commander Meredith is probably the biggest threat to Kirkwall — and he's absolutely right.
Race Fetish: A very mild and benign version. While he greatly loves a Warden of any race, if a Dwarf or Elven Warden asks if he loves her even though she's not human, he half-laughs that it's especially because of that.
Raised by Wolves: He jokes about this to the Warden if they get pushy before he's ready. He was raised by dogs. With wings. Who were devout Andrastians. And hated cheese. The Warden eventually learns that Arl Eamon had him sleep with the hounds as a child, so this actually isn't far from the truth.
Reluctant Ruler: Though he's the senior Grey Warden, he's not at all interested in being party leader. Despite, or perhaps because of, his lineage, Alistair is very clear that he does not want to be a leader. Nevertheless, if given the crown, he proves to be good at the job.
Required Party Member: Unlike the other humanoid companions, he cannot be made to leave the party if his approval drops to rock-bottom; and unlike Dog in most origins, his recruitment can't be skipped entirely. The only way to lose him is to recruit Loghain.
Revenge Before Reason: A heroic and justified example. No matter how the player chooses to present the argument for needing more Wardens, Alistair never stays in the party if Loghain is recruited. And if the player wants to even have the option to consider recruiting Loghain or arrange Anora to marry Alistair, do not make Alistair the Warden's champion in the Landsmeet duel, because Alistair kills him without any prompting from the player.
Rousing Speech: Gives a damn good one to the Warden's army before the assault on Denerim, if the player makes him king (otherwise Anora gives one).
Royal Bastard: He is the illegitimate son of King Maric of Fereldan, which makes him the heir to the throne after his half-brother Cailan dies in battle.
Royals Who Actually Do Something: If Alistair becomes King at the Landsmeet, he makes it perfectly clear that he'll be on the front lines and leading the charge during the Battle of Denerim and the assault to take down the Archdemon.
Sad Clown: The game doesn't expect the player to be fooled, however; the Warden can outright say, "Is this the part where you deflect questions with humor?" and he responds, "I'd use my shield, but I think you'd actually see me hiding behind it." None of the other party members are fooled either, and his humor is often irritating to other people; Shale says as much outright.
Sex God: Despite being a virgin, some of the female Warden dialogue choices can make him look like one. After his first night with a female Warden, Alistair comments that the Chantry sisters had him half-expecting to be struck by lightning for doing what they just did, his beloved can reassure him: "Not for that performance." She can also have "girl talk" with Leliana and Morrigan, where she can assure them (out of his hearing range) that he is very good in bed. Even Isabela practically wants to keep him all to herself if she sleeps with both him and the Warden.
"Shaggy Dog" Story: His personal quest in Origins consists in him introducing himself to his half-sister Goldanna, the only remaining family he knows about. When you visit her, it turns out she already knew she had a royal bastard half-brother (though she thought he died at birth). She wants nothing to do with Alistair and that's how Alistair's family investigation stops, though the quest's conclusion consists in a dialog between Alistair and the Warden, which can result in Character Development for the former.
Shutting Up Now: Most obviously when the female Warden rejects his confession of love and when she's the one to suggest sex first. Each for different reasons.
Sibling Yin-Yang: Unlike Cailan, who merely thought himself the Warrior Prince, Alistair proves to actually be one.
Sickeningly Sweethearts: His romance with the Warden comes close to this, if Wynne and Morrigan are to be believed. Wynne doesn't seem to mind; Morrigan is another story.
Snark-to-Snark Combat: When he acts silly, engaging him and being silly back is one surefire way to raise his approval.
Spare to the Throne: Unfortunately, he's a bastard, so he wasn't raised to the task. Needless to say, he's not happy about the idea of becoming king after being trained for something completely different and being quite forcefully assured that his illegitimate status would prevent the question.
Speed Sex: If romanced, it's implied to happen at least once in party banter with Zevran, who remarks at things just seemed to get going when all got quiet, and offers Alistair some herbs to help him last longer in bed. (A female Warden can also potentially tell Leliana during "girl talk" that Alistair tends to get too excited too quickly in bed.)
Strong Family Resemblance: One of the early signs that he and Cailan are half-brothers is that they look virtually identical. The main difference is that Alistair's hair is a short dirty blonde while Cailan's is long and golden.
Survivor's Guilt: Much of Alistair's grief stems from guilt for have surviving Ostagar while all his fellow Grey Wardens died, especially Duncan. He often feels like he should have been there to protect them with his shield, or at least died fighting beside them. (The fact that he was singled out as a Spare to the Throne doesn't help.)
The Talk: Wynne starts giving him one when he begins an intimate relationship with the female PC. Once he realizes what she's going on about, he interrupts with a highly embarrassed "Andraste's flaming sword, I know where babies come from!" She delights in the fact that she gets him to blush. He grumbles that she's a bad person and he hates her, but it's obviously not true.
Trademark Favorite Food: Jokingly admits to having "an unholy obsession with very fine cheeses." The fandom has kind of run away with this one.
Undying Loyalty: Unlike all of the other companions besides Dog, Alistair will not leave the party (even if his approval drops to the lowest possible value) or turn hostile. The Warden can be the biggest jerkass in Ferelden and Alistair will remain by their side. He states at -100 approval that he feels he has no choice — he considered the Grey Wardens to be his family, and the Warden is all he has left. It's actually because Alistair is required for the Landsmeet, where he finally leaves if the Warden spares Loghain.
Uptown Girl: Unless the Warden is a Human Noble, this can present a problem for characters romancing him. If the player makes him King, the best non-Couslands can do is become his secret mistress, and that's only possible if the player has hardened him.
Warrior Prince: Unlike Cailan, he actually fits the warrior part as well as the prince.
What the Hell, Hero?:
- He lets the Warden have it if they resort to killing either Connor or Isolde to resolve the situation at Redcliffe instead of taking the third option, although he calms down and apologizes if the Warden figures out what Alistair is truly angry about and/or convinces him that they did the best they could.
- He will also be outraged and immediately quit if the Warden chooses to spare Loghain, even though they are condemning him to death one way or the other by forcing him to do the Joining.
What's Up, King Dude?: If he is made king, the epilogue can potentially state that he frequents taverns, endearing him to the common folk.
Younger Than They Look: He looks and sounds to be in his mid-twenties to early thirties, but he's actually 20 at the start of the game. See Manchild above.

Tropes In Dragon Age: Inquisition

Assassin Outclassin': The war table mission "Shadows Over Denerim" ends with him and Inquisition agents battling Venatori agents dressed as the Royal Palace's kitchen staff.
The Cameo: His appearance as king in the quest "In Hushed Whispers" is more or less this, since he doesn't appear again except through certain missions in the War Room.
Deadpan Snarker: He's grown even more snarky since the first game. It's a lot more evident if he remained with the Wardens. If asked what it's like being a Warden, his description is gold.
Alistair: Oh, it's wonderful! You get fresh peaches delivered every morning, first choice of the village girls, and bunnies too!
Disappeared Dad: If he was chosen as the one to participate in Morrigan's Dark Ritual, he's this to his son, Kieran. Morrigan, having become kinder in the intervening years, has at least let her son know that his father is "a good man", feeling Alistair deserves that much. (She only mentions this, however, if Alistair is still a Grey Warden and they interact at Skyhold; otherwise, she merely tells the Inquisitor that Kieran's father will not be joining them.)
Good Is Not Soft: As King, he's willing to let the members of the mage rebellion take shelter in Redcliffe. Once they usurp his "sort-of uncle" under the direction of Alexius, however, he shows up in person to retake the village and kick them out of Ferelden for abusing his generosity.
The Good King: He offers the rebel mages shelter in Ferelden, out of a genuine desire to help them. It's only when they ally with the Venatori and kick out Arl Teagan that he puts his foot down and exiles them. He also is on board with the Inquisition far more readily than Empress Celene, requiring no direct intervention from the Inquisitor themselves due to a lack of obstinacy in dealing with Venatori infiltrators in his palace (his infiltration problem is dealt with in a War Table operation instead of in a big involved mission).
Happily Married: With a female Human Noble Warden if she married him in Origins. Could also possibly apply to Anora if Alistair married her instead; their union appears amicable at the very least, and they're clearly in agreement about things when they show up for their cameo in the mage questline.
Heroic Sacrifice: If chosen, Warden Alistair stays behind to fight and hold off the Nightmare so the Inquisitor, their party, and Hawke can escape during the trip to the Fade.
I Will Wait for You: If romanced in Origins, he remains deeply in love with the Hero of Ferelden ten years later, and is impatient for her to return to his side. If he's king and she's his queen, a codex entry in the game notes that although he continues to be a good ruler and the people love him, they're also kind of worried about him (due to noticing how much he misses her).
Is That the Best You Can Do?: After the Nightmare hits him with a "The Reason You Suck" Speech, this is his reaction.
Alistair: Is that all it's got? I've heard worse than that from Morrigan!
Like Father, Like Son: If the player had Alistair perform the Dark Ritual with Morrigan in Origins, then he has an estranged son just like Maric and Fiona had him. For bonus points, if Alistair is a Warden and the Inquisitor completes "Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts" before "Here Lies The Abyss", then Fiona, Alistair, Morrigan, and Kieran can all be at Skyhold at the same time, and Fiona opts not to make herself known to Alistair the same way Alistair opts not to make himself known to Kieran.
The Lost Lenore: If Alistair was romanced in Origins and didn't become King, he can be this to the Warden if the player chooses to save Hawke in "Here Lies the Abyss".
Missed Him by That Much: Depending on the world state and order of main quest completion, it's possible for Warden Alistair, his mother Fiona, Morrigan, and his son Kieran to all be in Skyhold at the same time. Alistair doesn't know Fiona is his mother, Kieran doesn't know Alistair is his father, Fiona most likely doesn't know Kieran is her grandson and vice-versa, and neither parent approaches their estranged child despite having the opportunity.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: If he's still a Grey Warden, he'll object to Warden-Commander Clarel's plan to end all Blights by using Blood Magic and Human Sacrifice to summon a demon army. Unfortunately, this means he's labelled a traitor and hunted by his fellows.
Reluctant Ruler: Just like before, Alistair still prefers letting others lead if he remained a Grey Warden. The Nightmare mocks him for his tendency to pass the buck to other people and then asks him who he'll hide behind this time. If he survives the trip to the Fade, he's forced to lead the Orlesian Grey Wardens despite this. Averted if he's king. He's an excellent ruler and beloved by his people, taking his duty seriously while still being the glib goofball we remember.
Remember When You Blew Up a Sun?: If he's a Warden, he's slightly annoyed when people bring up his involvement in the Fifth Blight.
The Inquisitor: You were there, weren't you? You helped fight the Archdemon?
Alistair: Oh, Maker, I'm going to be answering that question for the rest of my life. Yes, I was there. The Archdemon was big. The Hero of Ferelden was brave...
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: While Warden Alistair and Hawke get along fine at first, Hawke's frustration at the Grey Wardens, the order's use of blood magic to summon demons, and the revelation that Corypheus used several Wardens to help sacrifice the Divine and open the Breach ultimately lead Hawke to lash out at Alistair. While Hawke also chews out Stroud and Loghain, Alistair takes it a lot more personally — the Wardens are like his family.
Uncertain Doom: If chosen to hold off the Nightmare in the Fade to give the others time to escape, he's never seen actually dying. Adding to the uncertainty, the in-game text for making the decision even says whoever holds off the Nightmare will "probably" die.
What the Hell, Hero?:
- If the mages are recruited and he is king, he gives one to Fiona (still not knowing what she actually is to him). Outraged that she took advantage of his hospitality to bring a Tevinter cult into the country, he immediately banishes the rebel mages from Ferelden. In a later petition for aid in disposing of a Venatori infiltration in his palace, he prefaces with an apology for how things went in Redcliffe Castle, regretting not letting Fiona at least say her piece.
- If he is still a Warden, Alistair calls Hawke out during the trip to the Fade for what happened in Kirkwall.
You Are in Command Now: If he makes it out of the Fade, he'll be the most senior Warden present and will take command of the Orlesian Grey Wardens. This is quite a big step for someone who pointedly didn't even want to lead the party as the most senior Warden in Origins.

Loghain Mac Tir

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dao_loghain_1.png

Loghain in Origins

^{Loghain in Inquisition}

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | The Calling | Origins | Awakening^notechoice dependent | Inquisition^notechoice dependent

Voiced by: Simon Templeman (English)^{Foreign VAs}

A hero throughout Ferelden, Loghain is the general of the army brought to fight the Darkspawn at Ostagar. His plans, however, are a little different from what King Cailan expects. After being defeated at the Landsmeet, he can either be executed or recruited in place of Alistair (who resultantly quits). If he was spared in Origins and survived, Loghain will return as a Grey Warden in Inquisition and will assist the Inquisitor as Hawke's informant on the Wardens.

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Tropes In Dragon Age: Origins

11th-Hour Ranger: If he joins your party. Unfortunately, by the time he's a part of your team, you have precious little time to spend with him.
All There in the Manual: His character is much, much better understood once one has read The Stolen Throne and The Calling.
Anti-Villain: He's not nearly as one-dimensionally evil as he seems at first. In his mind, he's a Well-Intentioned Extremist with most of his actions being Necessarily Evil in order to protect Ferelden, the country he loves and has served all his life.
Armor-Piercing Question: Receives one from Anora regarding Cailan. After a lot of arguing, he goes completely silent when she asks point-blank:
Anora: Did you kill Cailan?!
Loghain: (silent, unable to look her in the eye) ... Cailan's death was his own doing.
[Anora scrutinizes him for a while, then throws up her hands and leaves]
The Atoner:
- He realizes what he's doing is wrong, but until he is subdued, Cognitive Dissonance prevents him from stopping his heinous acts.
- He gives a powerful line when he offers to kill the Archdemon instead of the Warden.
  Loghain: Please, I've done so much wrong. Allow me to do one last thing right.
Badass Creed: When asked by the Warden about what he wants, Loghain is genuinely taken aback, then gives one hell of a speech.
Loghain: (taken aback) What I want? What an odd question... (fiercely) I want to ride back to Denerim and sit in the war room and find no empty chairs at the table. I want to lose nothing else. I want a line, clearly drawn, that I can defend. (wistful) I want an end to this war. All of this can rightly be called my fault. Whether or not you can do better remains to be seen. (firmly) But if you can make this the end, Warden, I will follow you. I swear it.
Base-Breaking Character: In-Universe. The country is deeply divided on the subject of his character and his stewardship of Ferelden. Many find it difficult to reconcile the hero who helped free them from oppression with the despot whose corrupt regime has created so much injustice in the land.
Became Their Own Antithesis: After Loghain seizes power, many people accuse him of being every bit as cruel, intolerant and oppressive as the Orlesians he and Maric battled in their youth.
Believing Their Own Lies: Right after leaving Cailan and the Wardens to die, he pins the blame on the surviving Wardens; an obvious scapegoat maneuver since the Warden sees Loghain at the same war meeting where Duncan cautioned Cailan against charging into the horde as much as him. It's unclear how much he believed his claim at the time, but there are hints that he felt at least some guilt, such as his inability to look Anora in the eye when she asked him point-blank if he killed Cailan. However, by the Landsmeet he's been repeating his story so many times he completely believes it, and loudly and proudly proclaims it without so much as a blink.
Big Bad Wannabe: Loghain would be a legitimate Big Bad if the Archdemon wasn't in the game; as it is, he's a genuine threat, but not the main one. The only one of his plans that goes off properly was abandoning his son-in-law at Ostagar. His retreating from Ostagar, declaring himself regent, and demanding troops from the Fereldan nobles starts a civil war. Hiring an assassin (which might have been Howe's idea) winds up with the assassin either dead or recruited by the person Loghain sent him to kill. Poisoning his primary political opponent winds up with the man not only cured, but further alienates the nobility, who don't have proof of his involvement but find it awfully convenient that Eamon mysteriously fell ill right before Loghain took power.
Black-and-White Morality: How Loghain sees the world. As noted, one of his deepest desires is "a line, clearly drawn, that I can defend."
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: While not quite as bad as Howe or Anora, Loghain betrays and abandons nearly every ally over the game. He abandons Cailan and the Grey Wardens to die at Ostagar, then pins the blame on the surviving Grey Wardens. He promises to help Uldred and the rebel mages, but abandons them to the Templars. He promises Lady Isolde he'd find a tutor for her mage son, but sends an assassin to poison her husband instead. He promises Jowan he'd fix things with the Circle if he kills Eamon, but abandons him to Isolde. He promises to merely act as Queen Anora's general, but practically usurps her when she speaks out against him. Most of the Warden's army in the endgame are Loghain's former allies that the Warden saved from his treachery. (Even in the supplemental prequel novel The Stolen Throne, Flemeth warns Maric that "Loghain will betray you, each time worse than the last.") He only really breaks out of it if the Warden defeats and spares him in single combat, and allows him to atone for his crimes.
Cooperation Gambit: Anora remarks as much, saying Loghain worked with Arl Howe despite misgivings because he desperately need allies.
Anora: My father knew what Howe was, and while I despised the man, I know that Father relied heavily on his political mind. I suspect my father thought he was above being influenced by that snake.
Deadpan Snarker: Not surprising, considering that many of the nobles resent the fact that a farmer's son was elevated above them all.
Devil in Plain Sight: The first minute you lay eyes on this guy, you just know he's up to no good, but no one else sees it.
Double Standard: If the Warden calls him out on selling elves into slavery, Loghain tries to justify it by saying, "Isn't it better to live as a slave than die without hope?" This, despite how Loghain nearly let the darkspawn take Ferelden rather than risk re-occupation from Orlais. To Loghain, it's better to die free than live enslaved if you're human ^note, but it's okay to live as a slave if you're an elf. What's worse, he sold the elves to Tevinter, where there's a not-insignificant chance they'll be murdered to power blood magic. So much for living as a slave.
Dying Moment of Awesome: Whether being executed or killing the Archdemon, you're always reminded the man was and still can be a hero.
Easily Forgiven:
- Subverted. If you spare him, Alistair leaves the party and Loghain refuses to believe that you spared him out of mercy. While the player can play the Warden as completely forgiving Loghain for everything he has done, the Warden will be the only one who feels that way. This even extends all the way into Inquisiton, which is ten years later In-Universe. It's clear that his actions have made him disliked by many of his fellow Grey Wardens.
- Played straight regarding his selling elves into slavery. While Loghain remains an in-universe Base-Breaking Character regarding his betrayal at Ostagar and stewardship of Ferelden, no one seems to remember that whole slave-trading stunt. None of the characters ever bring it up or hold it against him, including elven characters. (Not even Solas, the Fade-walking, slavery-hating elf.) It could be that everyone at that point has chalked it up to Arl Howe's actions, however.
Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: Black hair, almost sickly pale skin... no wonder some fans suggested Alan Rickman as a possible live-action candidate.
Enemy Mine: Subverted. To be of use to the Wardens, Loghain must become one himself.
Et Tu, Brute?: Even though his support erodes by the moment, Loghain is defiant throughout the Landsmeet. But when Anora speaks out against him, it seems to take the wind out of his sails momentarily.
Loghain: [after Anora has denounced him to the Landsmeet] So, the Warden has poisoned even your mind, Anora?
Equal-Opportunity Evil: He fully supports his daughter being queen (though only as long as she acquiesces to the terms of his regency), his handpicked lieutenant (and leader of his elites) is Cauthrien, and he knows the female Warden belongs at Ostagar. His attitude towards elves is hazier, though he's personally witnessed Dalish archery.
Loghain: You're pretty for a Grey Warden. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't belong. The first Warden Maric brought to Ferelden was a woman. Best warrior I've ever seen.
Evil Plan: One that is spectacularly thwarted at every turn, and had frankly gone totally off-script before that.
Loghain: (in full Sarcasm Mode) Fine. I confess: it was entirely my idea that Uldred consort with demons. I had a dastardly scheme in which the utter destruction of Ferelden's best weapon would benefit me, personally.
Face Death with Dignity: If you choose to execute him, he does this. However, if Alistair is the one to face him in the duel, he's killed before he really has the chance to choose a way to face the inevitable.
Fallen Hero: He gave up everything to restore Ferelden, and as a result began to resent the very people for whom he won it.
Fantastic Racism:
- Hates Orlais since they invaded his homeland. And killed his dog. And raped his mother while forcing him and his father to watch. This leads to some nasty banter with Leliana on his part. Loghain publicly has this for the reason he betrayed Cailan. He voices doubt in the Landsmeet that the Orlesian soldiers which were expected to come over their borders would simply leave after the Blight is finished.
- While more subtle about it than most, he's clearly callously bigoted against elves. If you call him on selling elves into slavery, he tries to justify it with his usual "I Did What I Had to Do to ensure Ferelden's independence" line, neatly glossing over how elves are Ferelden citizens, too. He's even contemptuous of an Elven Warden who calls him out on it, calling their focus on it "egotistical." Whenever he uses the word "elf" in any conversation, his voice actor practically spits the word like it's a slur or a curse.
- In The Stolen Throne, he's skeptical of Maric's trust in Katriel's abilities partly because she's Orlesian, but mostly because she's a woman and an elf.
Fascist, but Inefficient: He declares himself Regent before an unwilling Landsmeet following an act of regicide that cost Ferelden half its standing army, and appoints the ruthless Rendon Howe as his right-hand man to force the nobles in line. Despite Loghain's reputation as a strategic military genius, his attempt to rule the country like an army proves disastrous; the nobility see him as an opportunistic tyrant who deliberately killed Cailan to seize power and start a Civil War to depose him. Rendon Howe using kidnapping, torture, blackmail, his own cronies and his own secret police on Grey Warden sympathizers and dissenters just destroys any credibility Loghain's regime had even further. Finally, Loghain's completely unwillingness to address any problem besides forcing nobles in line and "securing Ferelden's borders" out of paranoia against Orlais just allows the darkspawn to run rampant and lay waste to half the country.
Fatal Flaw:
- Pride. He let his heroic reputation get to his head and expected all of Ferelden to Kneel Before Zod.
- His hatred for the Orlesians. One of — perhaps the — major part of his character is that he grew up during the Orlesian occupation of Ferelden, which colors his entire worldview; even if an alliance between the two countries would help both, he won't hear of it. He also attempts to invoke public fear about another Orlesian invasion while conveniently ignoring that Ferelden is no longer the collection of squabbling chieftains that fell to them and would present a much more difficult challenge (not to mention the fact that Orlais will not want the tainted ruin that will be left of Ferelden once the darkspawn are done with it because Loghain is wasting his time and armies against a non-existent threat while the real one only grows stronger, and the Grey Wardens are perfectly prepared to abandon Ferelden to its fate and use the time to fortify other nations against the Blight when it spills out, rather than deal with Loghain's stupidity). He also refuses to believe that the Grey Wardens are politically neutral, and thus indifferent to any designs by Orlais. Due to his extreme paranoia against Orlais, Loghain refuses to consider that a politically neutral order aren't in cahoots with them just because they happen be stationed there.
  Arl Wulff: The South is fallen, Loghain! Will you let darkspawn take the whole country for fear of Orlais?
A Father to His Men: He chastises Wynne for criticizing his decision to abandon Cailan's army on these grounds, claiming he wasn't about to throw away the lives of soldiers he knew and cared about for a lost cause. In Inquisition, Solas will note this is one of the impressions he got in the Fade while dreaming at Ostagar.
Figure It Out Yourself: If Loghain is a party member, and you decide not to take him with you to defeat the Archdemon, he wonders why you spared his life if you had no intention of forcing him to kill the Archdemon as an alternative to self-sacrifice. One of your answers is that someday he'll realize why. If you choose the Heroic Sacrifice, it's doubly poignant.
Freudian Excuse: He hates Orlais because Orlesian soldiers made him watch as they raped and murdered his mother. There's also a major element of Green-Eyed Monster regarding Loghain's relationship to Maric. Loghain lost his one true love to King Maric out of duty.
General Ripper: His paranoia over the Orlesians is the cause of his betrayal.
Glorious Leader: Loghain has a damn good hold on Denerim's populace thanks to being the Hero of River Dane. This is averted in the rest of Ferelden, which is less impressed by his tyrannical leadership. Even in the case of Denerim, his hold is maintained less by his own personal magnetism (of which there is little), and more due to Arl Howe's army infesting the city.
The Heavy: While the Archdemon and the Darkspawn are the premier threats of the game, Loghain is the biggest obstacle to the player when it comes to trying to get Ferelden to band together.
Heel–Face Door-Slam: If you choose to kill him at the Landsmeet after Riordan suggests making him a Warden. If Alistair duels Loghain, he doesn't even let him get that far, and kills him on the spot.
Heel Realization: "Please, I've done so much wrong... allow me to do this last thing right."
Heroes Act, Villains Hinder: The Wardens just want to stop the Blight already, but Loghain does everything in his power to hinder them from doing so. First leaving them to die at Ostagar, then pinning the blame on the surviving Grey Wardens for Ostagar, then sending assassins and bounties on them...
Heroic Sacrifice: He will willingly sacrifice himself to kill the Archdemon in place of the Warden in order to make up for what he's done.
Horrible Judge of Character: He makes the transparently evil Arl Howe his right hand man and believes (or pretends to believe) his lie that the Always Lawful Good Couslands are pro-Orlesian collaborators. Similarly, he's willing to make deals with Uldred, Jowan, and Caladrius, while distrusting the infinitely more reasonable Duncan.
Hypercompetent Sidekick: While being The Lancer to Cailan, he's the one who single-handedly manages the war effort with his "boring" strategies. And while not nearly to the same degree, he was this to Maric, as well, though you'd never know it from hearing him talk about the guy.
Hypocrite:
- During the Landsmeet, Loghain accuses Eamon of bringing Alistair forward just to put a puppet king on the throne. This would hold more weight if Loghain himself hadn't spent all game ignoring his daughter's political advice, and just allowed Howe to lock her away for increasingly questioning and disapproving his decisions, effectively reducing her to a puppet queen for his own regency.
- Loghain always froths at the mere mention of Orlais because of how it "enslaved" Ferelden ^note and uses it to justify most of his war crimes. However, if an Elven Warden calls him out on selling alienage elves into slavery, he is dismissive at best, contemptuous at worst.
  Loghain: Honestly, elf, do you think that among all my crimes, that is the one that keeps me up at night? It's a bit egotistical of you, don't you think?
- At Ostagar, Loghain admonishes Cailan's blind confidence in his own military prowess, telling him "we must attend to reality." Yet, Loghain constantly denies the severity of the darkspawn threat, the increasing evidence that this is a Blight, and dismisses Anora's and Howe's increasingly dire warnings that his forces are stretched too thin to fight the darkspawn, and the civil war, and patrol the Orlesian border, all at once, without any help. So much for "attending to reality."
I Did What I Had to Do:
- He justifies his more horrific actions with this argument. For example, he claims that he abandoned Cailan because it was impossible to save him without taking too many casualties to fight the darkspawn.
- He's been this as far back as The Stolen Throne: he told Maric Katriel had been reporting back to the Orlesians, but neglected to tell him that she had reneged on her orders out of love for him. In Loghain's view, Katriel's crimes, regardless of Maric's feelings for her, demanded death, and he wanted to impress upon Maric the importance of a king doing what has to be done, as opposed to what he wants to do. When Maric later learned the truth, it caused a rift between the two that was only healed after Loghain helped Maric through his grief over Rowan's death.
I Need a Freaking Drink: When Arl Howe presents the assassin he hired to kill the Grey Wardens, Loghain can be seen draining his chalice.
Informed Ability: His legendary tactical genius. Apparently, he pretty much won the Fereldan rebellion against Orlais single-handedly, and background characters throughout the game will be heard to remark on all the military victories he wins against the Bannorn in the civil war. The only tactical move the player will actually see him make, however, is his decision to abandon Cailan at Ostagar, a move that nearly destroys the nation. However, it must be noted that Cailan didn't want to employ Loghain's Boring, but Practical tactics, which probably led him to sound the retreat after Cailan did his Leeroy Jenkins impression.
I Reject Your Reality: No matter how much mounting evidence there is that the well-organized darkspawn incursion really is a Blight, and that his forces cannot combat the darkspawn incursion and the rebelling nobles and patrol the Orlesian border alone, Loghain continues to insist that it's not a true Blight and Ferelden can stand alone, even as half the country is swallowed up by the Blight. At the Landsmeet, he changes to admitting that it is a Blight, but claims that they don't need the Grey Wardens to defeat it. It takes being forced into becoming a Gray Warden for him to truly accept that the Blight is a real threat.
It Has Been an Honor:
- Should Loghain be the one to kill the Archdemon one of the parting words you can give Loghain is, "For what it's worth, I salute you."
- Alternatively, if you don't take him with you and didn't Take the Third Option with Morrigan, you can have this exchange:
  Warden: You need to stay here. And live.
  Loghain: (pensive) I see... (Beat) Then let me say it has been an honor to fight at your side, however briefly.
It's All About Me: Believes he alone suffered the worst under Orlesian occupation, and he alone is doing what is needed to protect Ferelden. He also seems to think the Warden's insistence on "opposing" him is due to a personal vendetta, not that they're trying to do, you know, their job of stopping the Blight already. If the Warden is elven and calls him out on his elven slave-trading, he dismisses their rightful anger against him as just "egotistical" self-flattery, since he suffered way worse under Orlesians than they did.
Loghain: None of you deserve a say in what happens here! None of you have spilled blood for this land the way I have!
It's All My Fault: Part of his Character Development is realizing he's been wrong, though admittedly, he might have realized it without his own personal Treacherous Advisor manipulating him.
It's Personal: Orlais invaded his homeland, true, but he has a far more personal Freudian Excuse for being the way he is.
I Want Grandkids: If the Warden's married to Anora and Loghain's still alive in Awakening, he pesters the Warden about when he and Anora are going to have an heir. Unfortunately, Grey Wardens are infertile from the taint and Anora is barren, so Loghain will have to wait a long while.
Jerkass Has a Point:
- In Return to Ostagar, he's completely dismissive of the idea of peace with Orlais, declaring that peace just means "fighting someone else's enemies in someone else's war for someone else's reasons." Cue The Masked Empire, where it's revealed that the only reason Empress Celene wanted to marry Cailan is so she could add Ferelden's military strength to her empire in order to drive back Nevarra and give Tevinter pause. However this is quite distinct from what the occupation he was imagining and leagues better than the blight washing over every inch of his nation.
- The same letter cache will reveal Arl Eamon begged Cailan not to lead the attack on the Darkspawn, stating, "Cailan, I beseech you, as your uncle, not to join the Grey Wardens on the Field. You cannot afford to take this risk. Ferelden cannot afford it", and noting he did not have an heir yet. Both Loghain and Eamon thought Cailan was buying too much into the glory of battle and not employing Boring, but Practical tactics. In the end, both were right, as even if Loghain had attacked, Cailan's plan seemed shortsighted.
Karmic Death:
- Regardless of what he intended, Loghain betrayed and left King Cailan, his own son in law and hundreds of soldiers who idolised him to die at the hands of the darkspawn at Ostagar, usurped a crown he had no right to and murdered many more soldiers, innocent civilians and nobles guilty of nothing more than opposing his blatant attempt to seize power. All while nearly plunging all of Ferelden into the blight right until its armies were at the main city gates, seemingly prioritizing imagined fears over the very real threat of his nation being turned into irrecoverable blight lands and all the horrors that come with being visited upon its people. He is seen as nothing but a vile tyrant who betrayed everything he fought for under King Maric, became just as terrible as the past regimes worst excesses and his death at the Landsmeet is treated as completely deserved, with no one aside from his daughter to mourn who he had once been.
- It’s even worse if Alistair was the one to defeat him in single combat as he doesn’t even get to say goodbye to his daughter, and unlike the Warden and most of their party, no one even tries to stop Alistair from killing him.
Kneel Before Zod: He demands this of the Bannorn. Teagan tells him to get stuffed, and a civil war breaks out as a result.
Teagan: The Bannorn will not bow to you, simply because you demand it!
Know When to Fold 'Em: His retreat as Ostagar, according to him and his followers. The horde was simply too numerous, and the main battle line was already buckling when they got the signal. They still maintain this position almost a decade later in the third game. Almost no one else believes this interpretation of events, though, given he left right after the signal for his attack was sent.
The Lancer: Was one to Maric, then to Cailan. If recruited, he more or less takes over this role from Alistair.
Large Ham: This man isn't ashamed at making a spectacle out of everything at the Landsmeet.
Laser-Guided Karma: If Loghain is a Warden, he's sent to Orlais by the Wardens. To his credit, Loghain is more intrigued than upset.
Love Hurts: He gave up the woman he loved because he knew she would be a good queen, and although he married someone else (Anora's mother) later on, it is mentioned that he lives apart from his family and rarely sees them. As Maric notes, "we are all running from something."
Meaningful Name: Mac Tir, in modern Irish, translates roughly to "son of the land", which is apt given his patriotism. He's also the son of a farmer. Doubles as an Invoked Trope, seeing as he was given the surname by King Maric.
Milking the Giant Cow: Surprisingly, in battle: he seems to like the Rally move (which requires this along with a Skyward Scream) a little too much.
Misery Poker: If you recruit him and call him out on selling elves into slavery, he uses the losses at Ostagar (that he caused) to dismiss the elves' plight (that he also caused).
Loghain: The plight of a few dozen elves in the face of all the hundreds who died at Ostagar, the countless others fighting the civil war that followed, seems irrelevant.
Moral Myopia: Loghain will never forgive Orlais for "enslaving" Ferelden, yet insists his selling Ferelden elves into actual slavery was Necessarily Evil. See Fantastic Racism and Hypocrite above.
Mutually Exclusive Party Members: If you recruit Loghain, you end up losing Alistair permanently one way or another.
Necessarily Evil: It's quite obvious that he realizes that what he's doing is wrong and evil, but he feels it is necessary to protect Ferelden from what he sees as the "true threat".
Never My Fault: Has shades of this during the Landsmeet. Essentially, any time someone accuses him of something, his first response to any mention of his crimes is to deflect the blame onto someone else. Only occasionally does he expand his defense to I Did What I Had to Do, and only if spared does he start to acknowledge responsibility for what he did. Even after the Landsmeet if the Warden spares him Loghain continues to insist that the elven slave-trading was the right move, and will tell the Warden to their face (even if they're a city elf) that it's their fault that he had to resort to it because they insisted on opposing him, and now it's their fault that they're in the mess they're in now.
Nouveau Riche: Despite being one of the most powerful noblemen in Ferelden, he's common-born, and has very little respect for Fereldan political tradition (or, indeed, the law), having never been raised in that culture. Therefore, as a result, the royal court under his regency becomes a tyrannical den of corruption and abuse. Many of the rest of the nobility look down on him as being an upjumped commoner, and feel that his taking of the Regency is nothing but an opportunistic grab for power.
No, You: The entire confrontation at the Landsmeet essentially amounts to this. The Warden brings up one of his many crimes? His most frequent response is No, You and your allies are the ones responsible, not him.
Loghain: You divide our nation and weaken our efforts against the Blight with your selfish ambitions to the throne.
The Warden: You're the one who divided Ferelden.
Loghain: I was not talking to you.
Off with His Head!: If executed at the Landsmeet, he goes out in this fashion.
Opportunistic Bastard: A lot of people feel his taking of the throne with such alacrity after Cailan's death smacks of this.
Papa Wolf:
- In one of the possible outcomes of the Landsmeet, the last thing he does before getting executed at the hands of the Grey Warden is to console Anora. In another outcome, when Shale questions Loghain as to whether he would have killed Anora to take the throne of Ferelden (as Loghain previously claimed that he would do anything to protect Ferelden), Loghain replies that he would not have done so even if he had known what he knows now. Also in Awakening, if Loghain is alive and the (imported) Grey Warden is married to Anora, Loghain tells him to take good care of her or otherwise he'll be back anytime from Orlais.
- In the Return to Ostagar DLC, it's implied that part of the reason he betrayed Cailan was because Cailan was callously going to divorce his daughter due to fears that she was barren, having produced no children during their five year of marriage — and was already planning to marry the Empress of Orlais. If he's in your party when you play the DLC, he will be so furious and disgusted that he will insist you throw Cailan's corpse to the wolves.
Paper Tiger: It's pretty clear he's not the political powerhouse he might portray himself as. (Though he is a military powerhouse.) Highever is openly rioting against him, Redcliffe and nearly the entire Bannorn is warring against him, and according to Bodahn, the darkspawn burn down Gwaren, his own fief, leaving him with Denerim under his military occupation and Amaranthine, which Awakening reveals was increasingly divided because of what Arl Howe did. Actually losing to him at the Landsmeet pretty much requires the Warden to actively avoid the political sidequests, or for them to go out of their way to be a jerk to people they're trying to win over.
Pet the Dog: Literally, if you have him join your party. He ends up getting along very, very well with Dog, and even shares a story about a mabari he once owned.
Precision F-Strike: In Return to Ostagar, after finding Cailan's correspondence, he calls him a "cheating bastard" and the Empress of Orlais a "bitch."
Properly Paranoid: Deconstructed. As Return to Ostagar reveals, Loghain's intentional suspicions about Cailan and Orlais were correct. With letters between him and Empress Celene showing that Cailan was planning on divorcing Anora to marry Celene and officially join Ferelden and Orlais only a generation after the former broke free from the latter's tyrannical hold. However, the ways in which acts on his paranoia provides to the biggest threat to the country he's spent all of his life trying to protect: he goes on to directly betray his king, going on to cause a civil war, which is made worst by the fact that he made these moves a time when Ferelden needed to be more united than ever, leading to Ferelden losing far more than needed to the Blight due to his actions.
Quickly-Demoted Leader: Up until the Landsmeet, he's the one leading Ferelden's defense and managing the entire war effort. The Warden goes from outlaw to taking over his job within a single battle.
Rags to Riches: As explained under the Paper Tiger entry, Loghain does not have the political backing to support his campaign. This is because most other nobles both actively and secretly look down on him and Anora because of his commoner roots. So while Loghain is viewed as a man of the people, he has few actual political allies (the only ones he has being the likes of Arl Howe, who are only in it for what they can gain, or Bann Ceorlic, who is scared shitless of what Loghain will do to him if he refuses to support the man).
Redemption Equals Death:
- He can sacrifice himself to destroy the Archdemon. Anora will invoke this after he does so, saying that all of his crimes were absolved by his sacrifice for the good of Ferelden. The epilogue says a statue of him will be erected by Anora outside the Orlesian Embassy of Denerim. It will become a popular landmark, and Loghain will be remembered for his heroism instead of his mistakes. If unmarried, Queen Anora will refuse every suitor, saying none of them can live up to her dad's example.
- Can also end up sacrificing himself to save the Inquisitor and Hawke in Inquisition.
Reformed, but Rejected: If he joins, no one is particularly fond of him, and Alistair leaves.
Regent for Life: Loghain declares himself regent for his daughter, Queen Anora, in the wake of Cailan's death and effectively usurps her authority, reducing Anora to little more than a figurehead. This only gives more credence to the accusations of the Bannorn that he deliberately left Cailan to die so he could seize power.
Retcon: In The Stolen Throne (written after Dragon Age: Origins due it its five-year development but published a year before DAO due to its release being pushed back a year to make it console-compatible), Loghain employed a number of "Night Elves" to serve as nocturnal guerrilla archers for his army against Orlais. These are never mentioned in-game (to the point that Loghain will tell every other minority Warden except an Elven Warden that he's witnessed their people's prowess firsthand), and actually contradicts Loghain's in-game attitude towards elves, as he sees them as dead weight at best, sellable chattel at worst.
Right for the Wrong Reasons: It's heavily implied that he thought Cailan was using a false "Blight" as a smokescreen to gather Orlesian forces inside Ferelden, allowing their former oppressors to annex the country once more. He was only partially correct: Cailan really was attempting to forge an alliance with Empress Celene, but he wasn't planning to enact a coup with Orlesian forces at Ostagar and the Blight was very much real. Similarly, his suspicions about the Wardens were incorrect as they had nothing to do with Cailan's plans. His belief that the Wardens were traitors was presumably fostered due to their failed rebellion against King Arland, two centuries earlier, which — given his constant allusions to their Order's exile — seems very likely.
Self-Serving Memory:
- By the Landsmeet, Loghain truly believes his claim that the Grey Wardens goaded Cailan into the charge, despite attending the same war meeting where Warden-Commander Duncan repeatedly cautioned Cailan against charging blindly into the horde just as much as he did. Still, the story that they egregiously misled the king into making a charge that took their lives puts Loghain in a much better light, doesn't it?
- It's questionable whether he's just blustering, but when he arrives at Arl Eamon's estate in Denerim before the Landsmeet he warns "The emperor of Orlais also thought I could not bring him down!" Florian didn't die until seventeen years after the Fereldan Rebellion, and Loghain didn't kill the Orlesian king of Ferelden, either (Maric dueled him and won).
Skewed Priorities: Most In-Universe characters' reaction to Loghain prioritizing a possible Orlesian invasion over, you know, the Blight. (At one point in the Landsmeet the Warden will always lose approval with the Landsmeet unless they say, "The Blight is the true threat here, not Orlais.")
Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Subverted. Before the Warden can confront him at the Landsmeet, his daughter Anora helps the Warden dig up some dirt by helping them gain proof that Loghain has been selling Ferelden elves into slavery. However, if the Warden actually presents said evidence to the Landsmeet, his slave-trading earns the least amount of points in their favor, since most human nobles don't care about a bunch of elves, and see it as the least of their concerns at the moment (given the whole Blight and political crap going on).
Slap-Slap-Kiss: According to the World of Thedas, this was apparently Loghain's relationship with Celia, Anora's mother initially; she came to give Loghain a tongue lashing on behalf of the rest of Gwaren, because after years of neglect and fighting, the town was in near ruins and Loghain was concentrating all rebuilding efforts on the harbour. Their first meeting turned into a shouting match where Celia pointed out Loghain would have no support if he left his own teyrnir in ruins, and Loghain grudgingly put Celia in charge of rebuilding Gwaren's town and castle. Though they butted heads frequently, two months down the line, Loghain asked her to marry him.
The Strategist: A military planner of great renown, having acted as a commander and planning campaigns for the kings Theirin since before Ferelden regained its independence from Orlais.
Underestimating Badassery:
- Acknowledges this trope in regard to the Human Noble Warden after being defeated at the Landsmeet.
  Loghain: I underestimated you, Warden. I thought you were like Cailan, a child wanting to play at war. I was wrong. There's a strength in you I've not seen anywhere since Maric died.
- Does the same if he loses to Alistair.
  Loghain: So, there is some of Maric in you after all. Good.
The Upper Crass: Teryn is a commoner elevated to being the local equivalent of a duke. His fief Gwaren, is nestled deep within the Brecilian Forest and is described as a largely rural place with the town itself being a fishery and logging community. The Orlesian Empire views every Fereldan nobleman as being an upjumped barbarian, but that's not necessarily true. Teyrn Bryce Cousland of Highever, for example, is cosmopolitan enough to have deep connections to Antivan trading families (his son married the daughter of a wealthy Antivan merchant) and has positive diplomatic relations with the Grey Wardens. Loghain, on the other hand, acts completely out of step with the rest of Ferelden, and has very little political support.
The Uriah Gambit: Loghain orders his forces to retreat instead of flanking the darkspawn as had been planned. This results in the deaths of both his king and all but two of Ferelden's Grey Wardens. And how does he get away with this? By spreading the word that the Wardens egregiously misled the King, leaving many blaming the Wardens for Cailan's death. Even after his defeat he insists this was the correct move, and that all attacking would have achieved was to get his own men killed as well.
The Usurper: Abandons the King of Ferelden, his son in law, to die and usurps authority from the Queen, his daughter, so he can rule Ferelden as he sees fit.
Villainous Breakdown: If he loses at the Landsmeet, he accuses all of the Bannorn of treason and begins flailing around while he screams at them. If not convinced to have a duel to decide the outcome, he'll decide to attack you out of desperation.
Villain Decay: At the beginning of the game, he's the dictator hunting down Wardens and political enemies like dogs across the country. By the end of the game, his association with Howe and the Warden's efforts have destroyed his credibility, and his grasp of Ferelden is tenuous at best. He's a fairly easy mid-level enemy to defeat in combat. Should you choose to kill him, he ends up getting unceremoniously beheaded in front of the entire Landsmeet.
Villain with Good Publicity: Played with. He's a war hero and while his personal reputation might not take a terrible hit immediately, his regime is hated. Highever and Redcliffe both hate him, the first because of his endorsement of Arl Howe, and the second because he abandoned the king. Amaranthine is divided between those who dislike Howe, and by extension, Loghain, and those who are loyal (primarily, like Howe, out of their self-serving interests rather than any sense of patriotism). His heavy-handed political Epic Fail means that, effectively, the entire Bannorn opposes him. And Bodahn suggests that Gwaren, his own fief, may have fallen to the darkspawn. By the end of the game, he has only one true supporter at the Landsmeet, and Arl Howe is able to kidnap his daughter, the Queen, and hold her hostage. The Warden has to almost be trying to lose the Landsmeet, and even then, Loghain and Anora are only saved by a sudden, last-minute endorsement by the Warden.
- An interesting divide as well is that while the common folk look up Loghain because of his Rags to Riches journey, his fellow nobles look down on him for the same reasons. He has few actual political allies because people look at his actions as a power-grab.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: In his eyes, leaving Cailan and the Wardens to die at Ostagar was the best way to put an end to a second possible Orlesian invasion.
We Used to Be Friends: The Stolen Throne implies that Maric and Loghain's relationship became much colder in the wake of Katriel's death and Maric's marriage to Rowan. It did recover a little when Loghain helped Maric through his grief after Rowan's death.
Worthy Opponent: He acknowledges the Warden as this if he is defeated in the vote at the Landsmeet.
Loghain: "A man is made by the quality of his enemies." Maric told me that once. I wonder if it's more a compliment to you or me.
Wrong Genre Savvy:
- Justified by his backstory as recounted by the tie-in novels. Every time he decided to forego the normal train of logic between problem and solution and decide that it was all an Orlesian plot, he was invariably right. It's no great wonder that he immediately jumped to the same conclusion about the Grey Wardens, especially considering they had already been exiled from Ferelden once before for betraying the King and requested reinforcements from their Orlesian contingent.
- Early in the game, Flemeth states that Loghain's true mistake is thinking of the Blight as an enemy army he can outmanoeuvre, while the Blight can only be ended by a Grey Warden personally killing the Archdemon, so the highly idealised stories about heroic Wardens being the world's only hope (of which Loghain is very dismissive,) are actually true. To be fair, though, the way to end the Blight is a closely guarded secret, so the practical and cynical Loghain would naturally be out of his depth with the Blight. It doesn't help that the darkspawn horde is unlike any enemy he could have faced in the past - no supply lines to cut, spreading disease and destroying crops and land with their very presence, one leader that's incredibly difficult to kill, and zero regard for their own casualties.

Tropes In Dragon Age: Inquisition

The Atoner: In Inquisition he'll invoke this during the trip to the Fade, as he feels he must sacrifice himself to atone for what the Wardens did.
Character Development: Loghain can have the longest character arc in the trilogy, going from a man deeply suspicious of the Grey Wardens to being a Warden who performs the biggest Heroic Sacrifice for the Wardens in Inquisition.
A Father to His Men: The Inquisition's quartermaster, who used to serve under him, mentions that she got the chance to talk with him while he was at Skyhold. He recognized her and remembered her name, ten years later.
Heroic Sacrifice: You will have to choose whether it'll be him or Hawke who makes a heroic sacrifice.
Horrible Judge of Character: He's on the wrong end of this, as Warden-Commander Clarel believes Magister Livius Erimond over him and tries to have him arrested or killed for speaking out against her insane plan.
Is That the Best You Can Do?: When facing the Nightmare, this is his reaction to its "The Reason You Suck" Speech.
Nightmare: Teryn Loghain Mac Tir, the brilliant commander. Pity the one time you tried to rule, you failed so miserably. You had to be beaten, humiliated, lest you destroy your own country. You even doomed the Wardens by bringing the Inquisitor down on them. You destroy everything you touch.
Loghain: Is that all you've got? It's nothing I've not said to myself!
Laser-Guided Karma: If a Grey Warden in Inquisition, the order accuses him of being a traitor when he tries to convince them that The Calling they're hearing is too early and not to go through with using Blood Magic. Better still he winds up on the end of Well-Intentioned Extremist when the Warden's leader starts turning to blood magic and demons out of desperation. He basically ends up being in the same position the Hero of Ferelden and Alistair were in at the start of Origins.
Older Than They Look: He's roughly in his early-60s, but looks like he's pushing 50 at most.
Old Soldier: He's still active as a Grey Warden in his sixties, which is impressive considering he was already middle aged during Origins.
Once Done, Never Forgotten: The events of Ostagar are something few people don't take the chance to point out when talking to him. Ten years later, and people often remind him of his failure or actions, something he admits to having reflected on and understands was a failure on his part.
Only Sane Man: Ironically enough, he's the only one in the Grey Wardens to point out that trusting the incredibly shady Tevinter Magister might not be a good idea.
Redemption Equals Death: Can also end up sacrificing himself to save the Inquisitor and Hawke, redeeming himself for not just the actions of the Wardens, but also himself in the past.
Reformed, but Rejected: Ten years later, and Loghain is still known as the traitor Teyrn, and the Wardens have little trust in him after the events of Origins.
Loghain: I've been a Warden for ten years. They will never fully consider me theirs.

Dog

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Dog_image_1411.png

"Woof!"

Appears in: Origins | Witch Hunt^notechoice dependent

"Mabari are at least as smart as your average tax collector!"

— Ostagar kennel master

The faithful Mabari hound of the PC with human-level intelligence and a mean bite. Can be cute when he needs to be, though; even Morrigan is moved by his puppy eyes once. The player may give Dog any name they wish, but according to writer Mary Kirby, his official name is Rabbit.

Badass Adorable: He's a formidable fighter, but spends most of the time in camp giving you soppy looks and rolling over.
Because You Were Nice to Me: Unless the Warden is a Human Noble (who already has a pet Mabari), it's implied that the Dog is the same one that the Warden cured in Ostagar and he intentionally seeks the Warden, having chosen them to be his new master.
Beware the Silly Ones: Despite doing all manner of silly dog things in camp or elsewhere (such as the "Can I keep him?" bit with a kid in Denerim), he is still a Mabari War Hound. One needs only watch him viciously tear up someone using Overwhelm.
Big Friendly Dog: To everyone but those who threaten his master, except Alistair... and Oghren, both of whom threaten his food.
Bilingual Dialogue: If taken to the market in Denerim, Dog will run off and come back with a human boy he wants to keep. The Warden's response options make clear that Dog is capable of making fairly complex statements using his array of yelps, barks, and whines, and that the Warden is capable of understanding them. Perhaps justified by the fact that Mabari are supposed to have human-level intelligence, but they do just sound like standard dog noises (A proverb mentioned many times in game is that mabari are "smart enough to talk, wise enough not to."). He will also have full-blown conversations with Sten and Loghain in Origins and Ariane in Witch Hunt (who complains about him lecturing her).
Canine Companion: Of the Warden. And Sten, if the Warden makes the Ultimate Sacrifice.
Character Development: In Origins, he constantly draws ire and/or amusement from other companions by getting into mischief (stealing food, putting dead things in their packs, "decorating" their stuff with drool and tooth marks, etc). By his return in Witch Hunt, he is much more serious and rule-abiding, and has to talk Ariane out of performing mischief in the Circle.
Cone of Shame: You can buy one in the Feastday Pranks DLC set. It's the only thing in the game that will lower his approval rating.
Crutch Character: His "Overwhelm" ability and high HP make him useful in the early game, though his unique equipment later in the game makes him more lackluster compared to the other party members. This can be alleviated somewhat by increasing his HP to ungodly levels, though just about any other warrior would be a better choice in any other situation.
A Dog Named "Cat": According to BioWare writer Mary Kirby, his "official" name is Rabbit. (It's said to be an homage to the killer rabbit from Monty Python.)
A Dog Named "Dog": His default name is "Dog".
Dogs Are Dumb: Averted; Mabari were bred by mages to be incredibly intelligent. As the game will remind you over and over and over again, a Fereldan proverb has it that Mabari are smart enough to speak, and wise enough to know not to.
Evil-Detecting Dog: Several times.
- In The Stone Prisoner DLC, Dog will immediately sense that something's very very wrong with "Kitty". You'll find out why he was barking when her eyes start glowing purple and she talks.
- Dog starts barking and growling against Sophia Dryden in The Warden's Keep DLC. Mostly because, like Kitty in The Stone Prisoner DLC; Dog detects that Sophia is possessed by a demon.
- Dog goes absolutely apeshit the first time you encounter Witherfang, barking furiously.
Genius Bruiser: Among dogs, Mabari hounds are geniuses, able to understand spoken language and learn complex commands. They are also hulking beasts, being as large as a dwarf and just as strong.
Hello, [Insert Name Here]: The only party member besides the player character that you can name.
Heroic Dog: In five of the six Origin stories, Dog fought as part of the King's Army before meeting the Warden. The exception is the Human Noble, who brings Dog with them to Ostagar. He was previously part of the defense forces at Castle Cousland, and during the battle assists his master/mistress with the race to light the signal beacon.
I'm Taking Her Home with Me!: If the Warden takes him with them to the Denerim Market, he will suddenly run off and come back with a (rather enthusiastic) young boy in tow. The Warden will then have to convince him that he can't keep the boy and has to return him.
- Because Mabari choose their owners, this even applies to the Warden themselves.
Killer Rabbit: Dog's "official" name is "Rabbit", which could be a shout out to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Mercy Kill: This is an option in the quest that introduces him.
Permanently Missable Content: If a non-Human Noble Warden doesn't find the cure and deliver it to the kennel master at Ostagar, Dog will die and never be available as a party member. He can, however, later be obtained in the Return to Ostagar DLC.
The Pig-Pen: Wynne apparently is not a fan of Dog's tendency to get muddy and covered in grime.
Wynne: Your dog is filthy, I can smell him from fifty yards off!
Dog: [hurt whine]
Warden: Good! He will fell our enemies with his stench!
Dog: [happy bark]
Power-Up Food: The Mabari Crunch, a.k.a. Fereldan dog biscuits. Chewing on one instantly provides him with a few seconds of increased health and stamina recovery, as well as curing him of a single injury like the typical Injury Kit does to a humanoid party member. A rarer variant of it, the Double-Baked Mabari Crunch, provides a three-fold curative effect on top of the standard recovery buff.
Puppy-Dog Eyes: Even Morrigan is affected by his manipulative whine.
Put on a Bus: It's explained that the Warden's loyal hound does not follow them in the Awakening expansion because he's busy repopulating Ferelden's mabari kennels. He returns to their side in the Witch Hunt DLC.
Quizzical Tilt: Occasionally does this during conversations.
Team Pet: The only members of the Warden's party who don't get along with him are Oghren... and Alistair, oddly enough.
- Oghren gets along well enough with Dog... he's just pissed that Dog doesn't want to be the first of his "Wardog Charioteers." That, and in one of his drunken rants, he believes the dog has stolen his pants. Even though Oghren's wearing them at the time.
- Alistair has some difficulty remembering that Dog is a sentient war hound and should be treated as such. Dog doesn't cut him any slack for this. Alistair also probably didn't score any points with Dog when he got too close to his food and accused him of eating people; nevertheless, several of his comments show that he loves the dog as much as anybody else. Party banter implies that they get along decently later in the game.
- He also has a (really very funny) interaction with Wynne in party banter where they do not get along, and he ends up stealing her staff after she makes one too many remarks about using magic to change his appearance.
This Means Warpaint: Mabari are often painted with "kaddis," a paint with a strong scent that helps them tell friend from foe in a heated battle. In-game, kaddis is an equippable item for Dog that can carry a variety of stat benefits.
True Companions: His approval rating is actually over 100% and he is utterly devoted to the Warden — which makes sense, considering the Mabari are the ones to choose their own masters.
Undying Loyalty: No matter what the player does, Dog will always have a 100% approval rating.
- The Mabari War Hounds abandoned the Tevinter magisters to fight alongside the "barbarians" who would become the Fereldan people. More than a thousand years later, they are still part of the elite force of Ferelden's military.
- It's mentioned that one cannot simply acquire a pet Mabari, they choose you.
Urine Trouble: One of the Dog's minigames involves finding landmark objects for him to pee on. Seriously. He's marking his territory. It actually makes him stronger. Of particular audacity is marking the Denerim alienage's Vhenedal tree. Yes, the central honorific tree of the alienage... and Dog pees on it. Then again, so do the elves, so they have no room to complain.
Worthy Opponent: What Sten considers him to be.
Sten: You are a true warrior and worthy of respect.
Dog: (happily) Ruff!

Oghren

Appears in: Origins | Awakening

Voiced by: Steve Blum (English)^{Foreign VAs}

"If you've ever heard of me before, it's probably all been about how I piss ale and murder young boys who look at me wrong. And that's mostly true."

A former dwarf warrior from Orzammar, Oghren is now best known for his drinking and the fact that he was forbidden to carry weapons; a great insult to his status. He was shamed when his wife Branka left with their entire clan to search the Deep Roads for something important to her, leaving only him behind. Shale's nickname for him is "The Drunken Dwarf." He returns in Awakening, where he becomes a Grey Warden himself.

Acquired Poison Immunity: His decades of alcoholic mistreatment of his body has left him pretty much impervious to the negative affects of drinking things. Even the Joining doesn't give him more than slight indigestion where it knocks everyone else out cold (or worse) in seconds.
Aesop Amnesia: Regardless of whether he decided to try to become a better person, he's back to being a disreputable drunkard in Awakening.
The Alcoholic: Talking to him at camp frequently results in him going on drunken (and hilarious) tirades.
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Gets lampshaded. Apparently, this is his strategy for wooing women. Standing still while looking mysteriously angry does wonders.
Badass Boast: Oghren's final words before the The Very Definitely Final Dungeon to fight the Archdemon:
Oghren: This is it, Warden. "When from the blood of battle the Stone has fed, let the heroes prevail and the blighters lie dead." As one of the blighters, I sodding salute you. Let us show them our hearts, and then show them THEIRS.
The Berserker: His fighting style of choice.
Blood Knight: A deconstuction. Oghren at one point laments that Dwarven society trains you to become a Blood Knight and the Deshyrs applaud when it wins you victories in the Deep Roads. But the moment you're back in Orzammar, unable to stop your training kicking in and accidentally kill someone during a Proving, they immediately throw you to the Deepstalkers for it.
Boisterous Bruiser: Deconstructed, as he is shunned by almost everyone for his behavior, all of his relationships have been ruined because of it, and he knows his life is a mess beneath all that drinking and fighting.
Braids of Barbarism: The braids in his beard are probably the tidiest thing about Oghren.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Oghren is drunk almost all the time, crude to the point of it being disgusting at times and hits on almost every woman he can, but he is one of the finest fighters of Orzammar and no-one would ever deny his skills in combat.
Can't Stay Normal: Despite having a new wife and family to settle down with, Oghren's Blood Knight instincts and alcoholism flare up in no time and he leaps at the chance to join the Grey Wardens. The Warden can encourage him to still be a part of his family's life.
Casanova Wannabe: He hits on all female party members, the Female Warden included. It's most often done under the influence of alcohol and to the disgust or snarkiness of all of them. He once even drunkenly tries to hit on a Male Warden, due to a case of serious Beer Goggles.
Oghren: Hey you... yeah, you... where can I get some sauce for that rump roast?
Warden: [completely deadpan] Right here, you mad dwarven stallion, you.
Cruel Mercy: Due to his training as a Berserker, Oghren accidentally killed someone during a Proving that was only meant to be to first blood. Because of his victories in the Deep Roads, the Assembly decided not to exile or execute him, instead stripping him of all his weapons and forbidding him their use in city limits. Part of the reason Oghren is hammered most of the time is because he's got nothing to do anymore! He's a born warrior that has been forbidden from fighting!
Dead Guy Junior: If the Warden hooked him up with Felsi, achieved a high approval rate, and fell to the Archdemon, the epilogue will announce he sobered up and happily married Felsi, naming his child after the Warden.
Did I Just Say That Out Loud?: Invoked verbatim (almost).
Oghren: I swear. The things I could do to you.
Morrigan: Ugh. It is leering at me once again...
Oghren: Oh. Did I say that out loud?
Disappeared Dad: He is one himself as he ran off on Felsi and his child to join the Grey Wardens. He does feel guilt about this later on and can be convinced to try and be a part of his child's life via letters.
Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Once Felsi leaves after visiting the keep in Awakening, Oghren tells the player to save it.
Warden: What happens now?
Oghren: Now you stop looking at me like I'm about to melt into a puddle of Oghren!
Drowning My Sorrows: The reason for his alcoholism, after Branka deserted him and took their entire house into the Deep Roads. It didn't help that shortly afterwards; he was barred from using all weaponry in Orzammar.
Elves Versus Dwarves:
- Downplayed overall, Oghren denies any interest in an elf vs. dwarf rivalry with Zevran when the latter asks about it, but the two do develop something of a friendly rivalry nonetheless.
- Played straighter (so to speak) with one of his stock lines in the Awakening:
  Oghren: Look at me! I'm an elf! Trees are pretty! Tra-la-la!
Emergency Food Supply Animal: Leliana's pet nug just makes him hungry. Somewhat justified, as nugs are food livestock to dwarves — it's as if a party member had a chicken for a pet.
Everyone Has Standards: While an unabashed pervert himself, his interactions with Zevran indicate that even he's turned off by the latter's "ecentricites".
Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Oghren gets an axe in Awakening which he dubs "Darkspawn Ravager." Its special effect? + 10 damage to Darkspawn and explosive hits. The weapon's description: "Oghren named this axe the Darkspawn Ravager because that's what it does."
Flanderization: In Awakening, where his crude and drunken habits are emphasized.
Gameplay and Story Segregation: Oghren has supposedly been banned from fighting or even bearing weapons in Orzammar upon pain of exile, but when he joins the party (in the city) he's carrying a battle axe, and from that point on you can traipse around the city having him kill as many Dust Town thugs and Proving contestants as you like without anyone saying peep about it. The latter part is possibly justified by his being - or appearing to be - part of the Grey Warden's attache.
Gargle Blaster:
- His homebrewed ale will knock the PC out if they don't have a high enough constitution. To him, Darkspawn Blood is barely this.
- Many of his favorite gifts are this as well. These include: two spirits with lyrium in them, a whiskey that is "best taken by the drop", and a mysterious brew called "Dragon Piss".
Girl on Girl Is Hot:
- When discussing the relationship between Hespith and Branka, he starts out angry about it, but then starts imagining it happening... and decides to indulge his fantasies.
- If a female Warden is in a romance with and kisses Leliana, he gains approval if he's allowed to watch.
- If a female Warden brings him to the Pearl and gets a female whore, Oghren interupts:
  Whore: Oh... that's just...! [shrieks]
  Oghren: Heh heh, sorry. Wrong room.
- You can also short circuit his mind if you as a female PC propose a threesome with hot pirate Isabela and Leliana.
Hidden Depths: He's not as stupid as he appears; the theory in Shale's Faking Amnesia entry came from him, with no input from characters one would expect to be more insightful. Shale's reaction to it suggests he might be onto something.
Hidden Heart of Gold: Taking the time to befriend him in both Origins and Awakening makes it clear that despite being a disreputable drunk with a severe lack of personal hygiene, at the end of the day, Oghren's heart is definitely in the right place. If his friendship is maxed out in Origins, he honestly grows to love the Warden.
I'll Be in My Bunk: After he imagines the relationship between Hespith and Branka.
In Harm's Way: He becomes a Grey Warden in Awakening because his Blood Knight nature couldn't accept simply settling down with Felsi.
Innocent Innuendo: Mentions "polishing his weapon" to relieve tension to Alistair, as well as mentioning to Wynne that he sees Alistair "twirling his pike" when he thinks no one is watching. Apparently he's talking about actual weapons (he says).
It Has Been an Honor: He can say this to the Warden just before the final battle.
Late Character Syndrome: Orzammar is easily the longest and toughest chapter of the game, so most players don't opt to do it early on. According to the developers, this is why he returns in Awakening.
Like a Son to Me: If the Warden's approval rating with Oghren is high enough, he'll tell them that he sees them this way. Unfortunately, Awakening resets his approval rating back to zero and, because the expansion has far fewer chances for the Warden to interact with other characters, it's nearly impossible to get it anywhere near that high again.
Loophole Abuse:
- He's not permitted to use weapons while he's within Orzammar's city limits. The Deep Roads are considered outside of the city, meaning that by joining the Warden, in addition to searching for Branka, he can finally get back to cracking skulls.
- Being part of the Warden's retinue also allows him to carry weapons. It's possible that like in Ferelden, Dwarven law accepts that if a Grey Warden vouches for someone, responsibility for their actions falls on them instead.
Matchmaker Quest: His personal quest has him pursue Felsi with the Warden's help.
Mistaken for Gay: Several times by Zevran and also by Nathaniel in Awakening. Although he does tend to hit on the male warden when he's heavily drunk.
Oghren: The whole "quiet and stoic" thing must get you a lot of action, huh?
Nathaniel: I take it you are an admirer, Oghren?
Oghren: What? No! No, well not unless—no!
Nathaniel: Good. Then I needn't worry about getting too drunk at camp.
Oghren: Heh. Okay, I like you. Just not in that way.
My Greatest Failure: If he's there for the Gauntlet, he straight-up tells the Guardian that he feels that he's ultimately failed Branka and his family, believing that if he'd been a better husband, she might not have gone for the Anvil, taking the rest of his family along to their deaths. Crops back up in Awakening with Oghren admitting he was probably never fit to be a husband or a father.
My Significance Sense Is Tingling: Aside from the Warden-sense he gets in Awakening, his dwarven "stone sense" perks up if he's brought to the Urn of Sacred Ashes, saying that there's a huge lyrium lode under the mountain and that any number of weird things could be happening.
The Napoleon: The shortest member of the party (unless the Warden is a dwarf themselves) and is the easiest to anger. One's not necessarily related to the other, but in Awakening he does take insult related to his height:
Oghren: (looking at the Joining goblet) What is this, the sampler size? You tryin' to say something about my height?
Odd Friendship:
- With the Warden if befriended. The Warden seems to be the only one to whom he actually gets close, though he gets along decently with Alistair, Wynne, and Zevran.
- Strikes one up with Nathaniel Howe in Awakening, offering him to take him under his wing and encouraging him not to let others look down on him, just because of what his father did during the Ferelden Civil War.
- He and Wynne bond over ale.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When the Guardian of the Sacred Ashes confronts the party with their regrets, Oghren barely needs any prodding at all before he expounds at length at how he felt he failed his paragon wife and household as they succumbed to Branka's madness, and how he's a disgrace in the eyes of Orzammar society. For someone who's usually being a drunken lech, his tirade is a shock.
Plucky Comic Relief: He tends to light the mood of many a scene by engaging in crude humor and drunken ramblings.
Slap-Slap-Kiss:
- Apparently, Felsi isn't so negatively disposed to him after all. They're even married by the time of Awakening, though when he decides to join the Grey Wardens for real after confessing to her that he just wasn't cut out to be anything more than a warrior, the marriage dissolves.
- Freely admits that his marriage to Branka mostly revolved around bouts of angry or make-up sex, depending on what day it was.
A Tankard of Moose Urine:
- One of his gifts in Awakening is Dragon Piss, which the description says may be a figurative name, but no one knows for sure. Of course, one may only wonder where he gets his own home-brewed ale, as hinted by him and Zevran in party banter in Origins.
- In camp, Oghren may even offer the Warden a chance to try out his ale; it will knock them for a loop if their constitution stat isn't high enough. Although Wynne enjoys it — and critiques it.
Took the Wife's Name: Oghren took his wife Branka's first name as his new last name due to her status as a paragon (essentially a Physical God) while his family was in the warrior caste. Dwarven society states when a new House is founded, it's named after the paragon that founds it, and the paragon's first name becomes a last name.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: His wife Felsi, in Awakening, is quite a looker among Dwarven women.
Undying Loyalty: He develops this towards the Warden with high approval and considers them to be family.
Virgin Vision: He tells an unromanced Alistair that he can smell purity a mile away. It's not actually that useful, though. "Be much better if I could smell cheese."
Vitriolic Best Buds: Slightly with Zevran, perhaps as a small homage to Legolas and Gimli, and to a greater extent with Anders in Awakening.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Aside from Shale, who appears in Asunder, Oghren is the only companion from Origins whose fate is never mentioned in Inquisition.
Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Oghren may love to solve problems with an axe; but if he's recruited before Redcliffe, killing Connor will cause a huge loss of approval from him - even more than it will from more idealistic and moral teammates like Alistair and Leliana. Part of the reason he also left his family prior to Awakening was when he dropped his child.
You Know I'm Black, Right?: Should the Warden ask him if wants to return to Orzammar at any point, he says he'd rather die than be casteless there. If the Warden is casteless themselves, he'll quickly say he meant no offense, then insist they admit he has a point.

Shale

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | Origins | Asunder

Voiced by: Geraldine Blecker (English) ^{Foreign VAs}

"The darkspawn are an evil that must be destroyed, it's true. Though not as evil as the birds... damnable feathered fiends!"

A Golem of the old dwarven kingdoms who was found by a human mage called Wilhelm in the Deep Roads and brought to the surface. Shale was paralyzed after killing Wilhelm and has spent the last thirty years frozen as a statue in the village of Honnleath, completely conscious but unable to move. Abhors birds above all else because of it.

Amnesiac Dissonance: Shale is amnesiac and cannot remember much of what life (for a given value of "life") was like previous to Honnleath. It is possible to unlock some former memories by bringing Shale to the Anvil of the Void to meet Caridin. Learning of them, especially that Shale used to be a dwarf woman, has this form of effect.
And I Must Scream: Was frozen in place in a village for three decades, was fully aware the entire time, and could do nothing about the abuse and humiliation from people, dogs, and especially birds. Mostly played for laughs — she's rather blase about the whole thing, and at one point refers to being paralyzed as "an acceptable trade-off" compared to her master Wilhelm's nagging ways. Played less for laughs was Shale's indeterminate amount of time spent in complete darkness in the Deep Roads before Wilhelm found it.
Another Side, Another Story: We see what became of Shale in the novel Asunder.
Badass Family: Shales house is House Cadash the same house Dwarf Inquisitor is from. Beyond that, they are a prominent family in the Carta.
Badass Normal: Caridin mentions she was an unparalleled warrior and the first woman to volunteer to become a Golem. He also suspects that Shale's free will is due to the fact that Shayle was a highly stubborn and determined dwarven woman.
Become a Real Boy: In one of the possible Where Are They Now Epilogues, she mentions how she wants to find a way to become mortal again. She succeeds in at least one as well, although no details are given.
Berserk Button: Birds. Thirty years of being used as target practice for their... undesirables does not leave Shale with good feelings towards them, to the point where she'll stomp a chicken to death if she leaves Honnleath with you when you recruit her.
The Big Guy: Being a Golem, Shale is naturally tougher than most other warriors.
Companion Cube: You can give Shale a pet rock as a gift from the Feastday Gifts DLC.
Cursed with Awesome: Being turned into a Golem is supposed to be a Fate Worse than Death, but Shale seems to enjoy all the perks it comes with, which includes super strength, enhanced durability, immortality, and fashionable augmentation crystals. It helps that the Control Rod is broken by the time you recruit the golem, meaning that Shale has free will and is no longer compelled to do what others command.
Dishing Out Dirt: Shale can hurl boulders at enemies for area damage in Rock Mastery mode.
Does Not Know How to Say "Thanks": One of Shale's responses to being given a gift (even one that meets approval) is "I'm to carry this around, am I?"
Elemental Punch: The "Small" crystal equippables are Shale's "weapons". They convert all of Shale's attacks into the element the crystal they're aligned with. And Shale's normal attack is punching, as golems are wont to do.
Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry: The crystals serve a battle function, as noted below. However, if the PC is female, she can at one point comment to Shale that "I think they're pretty!" which will cause Shale to gush about them too. It's oddly endearing.
Freudian Slip: Shale has this in an exchange with Sten:
Shale: I could watch you fight all day long. The skill you display, the form... how the light plays on its muscles... I mean, yes. Well done. With the fighting.
Golem: A smaller one than the Golems you fight in the game, to allow Shale to move indoors during gameplay. Shale is quicker on-foot than other golems as well, as to keep up with the rest of the party. Her size is explained in-game as having been the work of her former master, who chiseled her down so she would fit through doorways.
Ground Punch: The "Quake" ability in the Pulverizing Blows mode. Shale slams the ground three times to make a localized tremor, and it deals damage and potentially stuns everyone around Shale.
Hand Wave: Shale being significantly smaller than other golems is explained as a result of being chiseled down in order to fit through doors. This is a developer in-joke referencing the fact that Shale's original, larger character model caused problems in development, partially because it couldn't fit through doorways.
Heroic Comedic Sociopath: Shale's personality can be summed up in one quote: "Crush their skulls and be done with it. Fast. Efficient. Fun." The golem's bloodthirsty behavior is played much more for laughs than either Morrigan or Zevran, making Shale by far the most clear-cut example of this trope in the game.
Alistair: So, Shale... when you were standing there all that time? Did you... sleep?
Shale: I have no need to sleep. My body does not tire or do — ugh — other flesh-related functions.
Alistair: But don't you get bored? Wouldn't you want to dream, at least?
Shale: I do not dream. This is what it does when it sleeps? It paws its nose and mumbles incoherently.
Alistair: Yes, of course. I thought we all — huh... you watch me?
Shale: I watch all closely when they are still at night. There is little else to do.
Alistair: For... hours and hours?
Shale: I count the breaths. It helps to overcome the overwhelming urge to crush their faces while they sleep.
Alistair: Well. I won't be doing much of that anymore.
Heroic Lineage: According to Caridin, everyone from House Cadash — and he isn't kidding, since a dwarven Inquisitor is from that line.
Improbable Weapon User: They're explicitly stated to be magical, so it's somewhat justified, but Shale attacks with crystals in lieu of conventional weapons.
Informed Ability: In dialogue, Shale is often described as being superhumanly strong and Nigh-Invulnerable, but in actual gameplay is no more powerful or less squishy than other warrior-type characters.
"It" Is Dehumanizing:
- Shale was treated like a thing for so long, that the golem refuses to use pronouns for anyone purely out of spite. Shale only ever refers to The Warden as "it," never as "you", and refers to the other party members by made-up titles. For instance, Leliana, Wynne, and Morrigan are "the sister", "the elder mage" and "the swamp witch" respectively.
- By completing Shale's personal quest and maxing approval, Shale may end up correcting one instance of it and referring to the Warden as 'you' once, and then one more time right before the final battle.
Jack of All Stats: Shale has talent lines that allow the golem to be a Stone Wall, dish out a lot of damage, or provide supporting buffs for the rest of the party, but not all at once. Since Shale doesn't have a lot of abilities, it's easy to learn them all and switch between them on the fly.
Jerkass: Shale is quite open about feeling contempt for most everybody.
Leaning on the Fourth Wall: If the Warden tell Shale that being different is not so bad, the response is to ask whether they are easy to please or just fishing for approval (the player then get positive approval anyway).
Madden Into Misanthropy: After having been experimented on, used as a slave, paralyzed for 30 years in a small village and fully aware the entire time, Shale has not come to have any love for "squishy" organic creatures. Especially not birds.
Made of Iron: Stone. not that it's apparent in actual gameplay.
Meaningful Name: Shale is a type of mineral rock. Played with in that her actual name is Shayle.
Megaton Punch: The "Slam" ability in Pulverizing Blows mode. Shale winds up a big wallop, and extra damage and a heavy knockback slam the target when Shale lets fly.
Muggle in Mage Custody: In spite of being a golem, he has no magical powers of his own, and he spent some time as Wilhelm the magician's slave before killing him.
Murder Is the Best Solution: Shale firmly believes this: people problems should be squished.
The Nicknamer: Shale never refers to people by name (with the exception of Sten, on one occasion), instead preferring to use epithets (and, should they protest, shamelessly insulting epithets). The only exception is the main character; Shale refers to the Warden simply as "It."
No-Sell: Shale is the only character the Doubt Guardian at the Gauntlet will be unable to probe, instead being saddened by her instead.
Doubt: Shale, the stone giant. There is so little I can draw from you. I feel the distant echo of a soul, dormant for so long, now awake...
Shale: Good for you.
Doubt: And with the Awakening, the slow realization of all you have lost. Ah, Shale... your entire existence is a test of your will and courage. You have my respect.
Odd Friendship: With Wynne. Even though Wynne is one of the more ethical people in the party, and Shale is arguably the most gleefully violent and amoral, they actually get along quite well, with the mage being one of the few people the golem respects. In one ending, they'll even set off together to find a way to turn Shale into a Dwarf again.
Oh, No... Not Again!: When Uldred sends them to the Fade (by putting them to sleep), Shale snarks bitterly about being immobilized and put into a non-functional state again.
Power Echoes: Shale speaks with a deep and reverberating voice as a result of being a magical golem made out of stone.
Punny Name: Has an appropriate name for a being of living stone, which is even lampshaded by the Warden. Funnily enough, it's her original dwarven name, though spelled differently.
Warden: Is that your name, or what you're made of?
Really 700 Years Old:
- It's mentioned in the Codex that Caridin created Golems during the period 940-947 TE (-255 to -247 Ancient), after which he vanished along with the Forge. Presuming that Shale was one of the first Golems to be created, the golem is 1185 years old at the most. At least, her Golem form anyway.
- Being one of the older Golems is somewhat supported due to the fact that most later Golems seem to be made of Steel, suggesting a refinement of the process and because she was one of the many who volunteered, as well as being the first woman to undergo the process. Later Golems were forcibly conscripted from Orzammar's criminals and the King's political enemies.
Restored My Faith in Humanity: Shale's relationship with the Warden can make her seek out a way to become mortal once more.
Samus Is a Girl: Take Shale to meet Paragon Caradin at the end of the A Paragon of her Kind quest and Caradin will inform Shale of her past as a female dwarf warrior, Shayle of House Cadash.
Ship Tease: With Sten.
Sitcom Arch-Nemesis:
- Birds, the damnable feathered fiends! In Dragon Age II, even people in the Free Marches are commenting on the mysterious drop in Ferelden's pigeon population since the end of the Blight. Shale's portrait in Cassandra's Great Big Book of Everything is also depicted chasing pigeons.
- Greatly downplayed with dogs, who also gave Shale no end of grief when she was still frozen since just like how birds would defecate on her, many dogs had taken the habit of peeing on her as well. Shale even warns the Warden's mabari that if it ever tried urinating on her, she won't hesitate to crush it to a bloody pulp. She isn't as hostile towards the canine creatures, however.
  Shale: I am watching you, dog. Do you know how many of your kind urinated on me in that village? And all I could do is stand there and watch, helpless. If I see one of those legs of yours lift so much as an inch in my direction— pow!
  Dog: [pained whine]
  Shale: I am glad we have this understanding. At least your kind can be reasoned with... unlike those damned feathered fiends!
Stance System: Through four stances, Shale can have its role in a battle change as needed. Need to deal out the hurt? Pulverizing Blows boosts damage but has a defense penalty, and has some damage-dealing talents associated with it. Need to keep attention on Shale? Stoneheart boosts defense and durability and its associated talents draw enemy threat and can stun them, making Shale a potent tank. Need to hurl boulders? Rock Mastery's your mode. It also buffs any archer party members in proximity. Need to buff everyone else? Stone Aura is the answer.
Stone Wall: Literally in Stoneheart mode. That mode makes Shale into a Tank, boosting durability.
Super-Soldier: Golems were originally created to serve the Dwarven kingdom as such. Shale herself was a dwarf who volunteered to become a golem in order to better defend her homeland.
Token Evil Teammate: Not actively malicious, but decidedly amoral, indifferent to acts that could be deemed as such, and often in favor of more violent solutions.
Shale: Oh, please, somebody kill somebody!
Tomboy and Girly Girl: Tomboy to Leliana's girly-girl. Their dialogue is mostly Leliana trying to bring out Shale's good side. They disagree for a lot of it, but they seem to compromise on both liking pretty things and nice shoes. Played with in that Shale will later ask if rupturing things into a fountain of blood is a girlish thing to do.
Turning Back Human: Or rather, Dwarven. In one epilogue, it's hinted that she and Wynne succeeded in turning her back into Shayle.
Undying Loyalty: To Caridin, to the point that she will turn on the Warden if they side with Branka against him. In her forgotten dwarven life as Shayle she was the most loyal of Caridin's friends, and he mentions that he ultimately sent her away out of pity rather than allow her to remain entombed with him at the Anvil forever (which Shale was prepared to do).
Unintentionally Unwinnable: The map for Shale's nightmare in the Fade during the "Broken Circle" quest has poorly drawn movement zones, making it possible for the Warden to get stuck there with no way out. Fortunately you don't need to do so to complete the quest, and can re-load a recent save and go on, though it does mean defeating the Sloth Demon with at most three party members, and missing the Traveler achievement.
Verbal Tic: Shale always refers to all 'organics' as 'it'. Especially noticeable considering the way Shale always speaks of people in the third person, even when directly talking to them.
Vitriolic Best Buds: Seems to have some respect for Wynne in a few dialogues (especially in Asunder), though the casual snark and insults never really stop, and Wynne certainly fires back sometimes. A friendship with the Warden also comes off as this.
Was Once a Man: Or rather, Was Once a Dwarf. And a Female Dwarf, no less. Golems are made by transforming a living dwarf, and Shayle was one of the first volunteers.
What the Hell, Hero?: Turns on the Warden should they decide to fight Caridin.
You Are a Credit to Your Race: If a human Warden gains enough trust with Shale, it will somewhat grudgingly inform them that it holds the Warden in at least some modicum of respect for having the courtesy to be somewhat less hopeless and stupid than other humans, wondering if the Warden is some of sort superior genetic stock.

Sten

Appears in: Origins | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep

Voiced by: Mark Hildreth (English)^{Foreign VAs}

"The Arishok asked 'What is the Blight?' By his curiosity, I am now here."

A Qunari warrior sent to scout out the situation in Ferelden, Sten slew a whole family of farmers that saved him from death. Now he is imprisoned in Lothering by the Chantry, where the priestess might be persuaded to release him into Grey Warden custody. Shale has no nickname for him beyond "Qunari," but Sten refers to the golem as "Kadan."

Anti-Hero: While honourable to a fault, Sten is very ruthless and frequently argues the Warden into whatever will accomplish their goals the fastest.
Anti-Mutiny: Will try to pull this at Haven if he's at low approval. If he's at high approval instead, he'll just state his opinions and leave it at that.
The Atoner: He allowed himself to be locked in a cage in Lothering in order to die, either from starvation or the Darkspawn, for killing innocent people after his Freak Out. The Warden can recruit him by telling him that fighting the Blight at your side can also be a form of atonement.
BFS: Like most Qunari warriors, he's extremely attached to his. Even though he no longer has it. You can help him get it back via a side quest, after which it becomes an equipable weapon specific to him.
The Big Guy: The tallest party member, and the one whose's fighting style only needs investment in the strength attribute to be effective.
Birthmark of Destiny: In Qunari society, Sten's lack of horns means that he is destined for something special. He is the very first member of his race to fight in a Blight, and he can become one of the Qun's triumvirs.
Blatant Lies:
Sten: [after Leliana witnesses him playing with a kitten] ...There was no kitten.
Leliana: Sten, I saw you. You were dangling a piece of twine for it.
Sten: I was helping it train.
- An alternative version of the above that can occur:
  Leliana: Outside, you were picking flowers!
  Sten: ... No, I wasn't.
  Leliana: You were!
  Sten: ...They were medicinal.
Character Catchphrase: "Pashaara!" Literally translates as "Enough!", but in practice tends to be used closer to "I'm Surrounded by Idiots! Where is the dwarf? I Need a Freaking Drink!" If you get his sword back for him, one of your possible responses is "Pashaara?" which amuses him.
The Comically Serious:
- Particularly when he's chosen to break the Warden out of prison. Interestingly enough, Sten does appear to have a sense of humor. If you comment that you find his deadpan snarking funny, you'll even get a big approval bonus.
- This can be a big surprise to a new player who's not expecting him to be capable of delivering the most awe-inspiring burns.
  Sten: The Blight — how will you end it?
  Warden: I just thought we'd ask the Archdemon to please leave.
  Sten: If you hope to slay the Archdemon with wit, you may want to arm yourself first.
Commander Contrarian: Prone to questioning your actions once in a while, though he'll respect you more if you actually stand your ground in an argument. This becomes mildly funny when you realize he's also literally a commander.
Commanding Coolness: Sten translates as "Infantry Platoon Commander," though he only had seven men under his command on his last trip to Ferelden.
Commonality Connection: This exchange:
Sten: I'm a simple creature. I like swords. I follow orders. There's nothing else to know about me.
Warden: You like swords? Me too!
Sten: I knew there had to be some reason I continue to travel with you.
Constantly Curious: According to World of Thedas Volume 2, in his youth, the boy who would be Sten was always curious about the foreign tongue and the world outside the Qun, sometimes even questioning every delegate who entered Seheron's port about things he could not understand about it. It should be noted that a curious Qunari is something considered unheard of in Thedas.
Cultured Badass: Oddly enough.
Deadpan Snarker: Another one, and a master of the "deadpan" half.
Leliana: [while rescuing the Warden] Aren't you having fun? Infiltrating a fort? Isn't it exciting?
Sten: Yes, truly my life has reached its apex.
- His reaction to Anora betraying the Warden is amazing:
  Anora: Eamon! I may have done a terrible thing.
  Sten: No honor, no gratitude, slight grasp of the obvious... fine ruler you have there.
- One of the highest approval boosts you can get is to tell him you think he's funny, which indicates that he is pleased you recognize his deadpan snarking.
Defeat Means Friendship:
- In Haven, depending on his affection level, he might challenge the Warden to a duel over who should lead the party. If defeated, he immediately withdraws his objections, as the Warden is clearly worthy to follow.
- In Those Who Speak, he ends up being defeated in a duel with Alistair. Instead of slaying his former comrade, Alistair proposes an alliance against the Magister who has become their mutual enemy, which Sten accepts.
Deliberate Values Dissonance:
- Being a Qunari, his beliefs (particularly about gender and societal roles) tend to make other party members rather confused, and he finds Fereldan culture just as baffling. For instance, he has trouble grasping the idea of a female warrior, because fighting is a mens place in the Qun, and he outright asks a female Warden if they are actually a woman due to this confusion.
- His habit of challenging your leadership is entirely based in this. It seems like he just refuses to understand the realities if your situation and the need to secure allies and make those allies as prepared as possible. But within the Qun, each person has a role, and must fulfill that role and only that role. You are a Grey Warden, and a Grey Warden's job is to stop the Blight. While he acknowledges that making allies and suchlike are good things, under the Qun that would be the job of a specialized diplomat, while the Grey Warden would concentrate solely on killing the Archdemon. With enough approval (especially if you find his sword), he'll accept that perhaps you understand your role better than he does, and thus follow your lead with less grousing, eventually deciding that the Warden's job is not simply "kill Darkspawn", but more nuanced then that.
Dirty Foreigner: Inverted; he's the one who thinks Ferelden smells funny.
Sten: Ferelden smells like wet dogs.
Warden: You forgot the rotting garbage!
Sten: True. I was trying to forget that part.
Dreadlock Warrior: His hairstyle consists of white dreadlocks tied into a ponytail.
Early Installment Character-Design Difference: Mostly due to the graphical limitations of 2009, Sten just looks like a very tall human with a ruddy complexion. Comparing him to the Quanri of the next 2 games in the franchise make him stand out even more, though at least Bioware had the sense to offer a Watsonian explanation for his lack of horns.
Eloquent in My Native Tongue: According to his game file bio (accessible via the developers' official toolset), his terseness is partly due to believing everyone not a Qunari is beneath him, and partly due to just not being comfortable with the Fereldan language (though he can't resist the chance to snark).
Enemy Mine: If you press him for why he joined you at the start, he'll respond, "For the moment, you are the enemy of my enemy." Considering that he explains Beresaad translates as "Vanguard of the Qunari people", he basically introduces himself to the Warden as being part of an advanced scouting party, meant to pave the way for a future invasion force.
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": With him being a Qunari, this is pretty much a given. "Sten" is actually a rank and role descriptor, being roughly equal to a platoon commander in human parlance.
Fish out of Water: Much of his interaction with both the Warden and the other members of the party consists of him questioning what to him are the odd ways of the Fereldans.
The Friend Nobody Likes: Played with. Most in the camp are justifiably terrified of him, at least at first, and the Warden is the first to befriend him. Eventually, Alistair acknowledges that he's actually quite reasonable in conversation, Leliana enjoys teasing him about his soft side, Morrigan thinks he's attractive and enjoys teasing him (which never works), Shale even flirts with him, and Dog acknowledges him as a fellow warrior.
Friend to All Living Things: He's shown to have a soft spot for Mabari and kittens.
Genius Bruiser: Despite having the fewest lines and shortest dialogue of any member of the team that doesn't communicate by barking, Sten is pretty clearly the most intelligent member of the party overall. His fondness for paintings implies he may even be the most well-rounded.
Gentle Giant: He loves cookies, plays with kittens, enjoys paintings, and is highly upset that the cake is a lie.
Going Native:
- To a minor degree. He starts to affectionately refer to the Warden and Shale as "Kadan," gains a love of cookies, and deliberately reinterprets his orders that the only way he can properly answer the Arishok's question, "What is the Blight?" is to remain in Ferelden until after it is over.
- Some of the writers have suggested that after his lengthy debriefing, he had to go for some re-education by the Ben-Hassrath because of the bad habits he's picked up whilst in Ferelden. They still make him the new Arishok however, after the death of the old one (or if he didn't die, after the old Arishok lost the tome and Isabela again) in Dragon Age II.
- Sten seems somewhat aware of this if he and Dog are the ones to rescue the Warden from Fort Drakon:
  Sten: And now I am talking to an animal. I have been in this country too long.
Hates Everyone Equally:
Zevran: You seem to have quite the disdainful attitude towards elves, my Qunari friend.
Sten: Don't take it personally, elf. I have a disdainful attitude towards everyone.
Hates Small Talk:
Sten: You mean that I should remark upon the weather before I cut off a man's head?
Hidden Depths:
- He may try to pass himself off as just another warrior who likes swords, but you'll gain an approval bonus if you tell him you think there's more to him than that. (but you'll also get half as many points for just agreeing that you like swords, too, though he is a little upset if you just agree that you expected that from him).
- He's an art lover, respecting the artist's control of the brush like a warrior's discipline in battle.
His Name Really Is "Barkeep": Qunari refer to themselves by their ranks; their names are mostly just Social Security numbers to them.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Sten is almost twice the size of a female Dwarf Warden. In comparison, he's only One Head Taller than any non-Dwarf Warden.
I Call It "Vera": His sword Asala.
Joke Weapon: A downplayed example in the form of the Butterfly Sword from the Feastday Pranks DLC, a two-handed sword that flashes rainbows and has butterflies coming out of it. Just giving it to him initially will cause him to lose 50 respect points for you. It is, however, a pretty good early game weapon.
Karma Houdini: Played with. He killed a family of eight, including children, in a blind panic when he lost his sword. While this haunts him, he never really pays for it. When he joins you, he admits to all of this and adds that he never expects to survive following the Warden against the Blight, so his certain death will be his atonement. Thus he's on a quest with the Warden. When the Guardian questions him on this during the Gauntlet about whether he believes he failed his people by letting the Qunari be seen in that light:
Sten: I have never denied that I failed.
Leader Wannabe: Sten turns into this in Haven if you have low influence with him, when he challenges the player character before going into the cultist village. He'll confront you and challenge you for control of the party, since he thinks you're going on a needless deviation. If he likes you he'll just bring it up as a disapproving comment.
Let Us Never Speak of This Again: When Leliana sees him playing with a kitten and/or picking some flowers. She constantly calls him a "softie" ever after.
Literal-Minded: Since the language of Ferelden isn't his native tongue, this leads to amusement.
Sten: "Wonders of Thedas"? What does that even mean? Do they sell geography questions?
- Also, if the Warden says that they would never have thought that Sten would have a sweet tooth, Sten responds with confusion: "None of my teeth are sweet."
- While some of it is genuine confusion, at least part is just Sten's way of messing with people:
  Warden: Do you have to be so literal?
  Sten: No, it's a choice, not a necessity.
Literalist Snarking: To go along with his intentional moments of Literal Mindedness.
Warden: What were you doing in that cage?
Sten: Sitting, as you observed. ^noteHe was actually standing.
Warden: That's not what I meant.
Sten: It's what you asked.
Loophole Abuse: His orders aren't to help the Grey Wardens, they're to find out what the Blight even is. Of course, being on the front lines fighting said Blight is a great way to learn how it works (especially for a soldier like him), and if he leaves before the Blight is dealt with completely, he might miss something important. So he has to remain in your party for the entire game; those are his orders.
Made of Iron: Spent 28 days in a cage in Lothering, refusing food or water, before the Warden recruited him. When the Warden is amazed that he lasted so long, Sten replies that going for prolonged periods without sustenance is actually normal for his people.
Mars and Venus Gender Contrast:
- He has no idea how to deal with a female Warden, as Qunari society considers women more intellectual than men, hence why becoming a warrior is seen as a waste of their talents. It's telling that his first assumption is that the Warden was lying about being a woman, as he certainly can't say she is not a formidable warrior.
- In Inquisition, Iron Bull clarifies why Sten was confused; The Qun has extremely strict gender roles, but it also defines gender strictly by roles as the Qun sets them out; if a biologically-female person is a warrior, then that person is, by definition, a man, as seen with his transgender lieutenant Krem; Krem fights, men fight, and so Krem is a man, end of story. Iron Bull manages to get around this by thinking of female warriors as becoming male when they put their armor on and returning to female afterwards. Sten doesn't have Iron Bull's experience outside the Qun, so he's hopelessly confused by the apparent paradox of someone apparently declaring themselves to be a man by doing a man's role, but then turning around and insisting that they're a woman.
Mathematician's Answer: Sten is very fond of those, often responding the Warden's questions with a single, blunt "yes" or "no" without elaborating on anything.
Mr. Exposition: In Until We Sleep, he tells Alistair the Qunari version of the tale of King Calenhad and why Aurellian Titus wants Theirin blood.
Mundane Object Amazement: "You have a thing... it doesn't have a word in the Qunari tongue. Little baked things, like bread, but sweet, and crumbly." Yes, folks, our resident giant is in awe of cookies.
My Greatest Failure: Had a brief psychotic break due to the trauma of losing his sword, Asala, which led to him murdering eight people, including children. After he realised what he'd done, he waited for several days for the authorities to apprehend him and freely accepted that his punishment was to wait in a cage until he starved to death. As noted above, he acknowledges his failure to the Guardian if present for the Gauntlet.
My Species Doth Protest Too Much: A rather slight and perhaps subtle example, but it's worth noting that unlike most Qunari, he doesn't treat mages any differently than he does the rest of the Warden's companions, and it's about as easy to befriend him as a Mage Warden as it is any other class. That said, take him to the Circle Tower and converse with him afterwards, and he'll give you an earful about why your people's attitude towards magic and mages bothers him so deeply.
Noble Bigot:
- Justified as Qunari beliefs are very different from the rest of Thedas. For instance, while tolerant of the mages in the party, he doesn't see any problem with the Qunari treating their own Saarebas as "beasts in the shape of men", who are locked in cages with their tongues cut out to prevent them from being dangerous. He also finds it hard to reconcile the female Warden being a woman and a warrior, with the former being what he actually questions.
- Similarly, his comment on the Elves being a race that "excel in poverty" could also be seen as less racist and simply an observation on the Elves living outside the Qun, who are either confined to the slum-like Alienages or reduced to becoming wandering nomads like the Dalish. Of course, he is explicitly using it as an example of ludicrous over-simplification of a culture.
No Name Given: Sten is the name of his job. His actual name is never revealed. Later games reveal that the Qunari don't have personal names (with the exception of nicknames used when multiple people of the same role need to be told apart), so 'Sten' is in fact the closest you're going to get to his name.
No Sympathy: Sten believes in action and duty. Angst, navel-contemplation or sappiness, no matter how justified, just annoy him. As such, conversation options that tend to earn the highest approval are those which you stand your ground instead of backing down compliantly.
Not So Above It All: Sten likes to make you believe he is stoic and uncompromising, but he holds conversations with Dog and even plays fetch with him in party banter^note, in addition to his more infamous fascination with cookies, flowers, and kittens.
Old Soldier: Has elements of this character type in that he doesn't initially respect the leadership of the (much younger and less experienced) Warden.
Optional Party Member: Can lead to Guide Dang It! and Permanently Missable Content, if you aren't able to persuade the Chantry to let him go from his cage (or simply forget to collect him).
Pardon My Klingon: In addition to "Pashaara!", he'll mutter "Vashedan!" ("Garbage!") if you take him out of the party, as well as dropping Qunari words when he doesn't know or doesn't care to use the Common Tongue - normally when discussing something he dislikes. It isn't all bad, though, as many players will agree that getting him to call them Kadan is one of their favorite moments.
Perpetual Frowner: Sten disapproves.◊ He does crack a smile if you get his sword back for him, and if you nominate him to lead the group holding the gates in the endgame.
Planet of Hats:
Warden: Tell me about the Qunari.
Sten: No.
Warden: Well, that wasn't what I expected to hear.
Sten: Get used to disappointment. People are not simple. They cannot be defined for easy reference in the manner of "the elves are a lithe, pointy-eared people who excel at poverty".
- He later acts surprised when Leliana assumes he is typical of his people. Non-soldier Qunari are apparently quite different in behaviour and interests; he even differs from most Qunari in appearance due to his lack of horns.
Proud Warrior Race Guy: Actually may be a subversion; Sten acts surprised if the Warden assumes his values or personality are typical of his people. Their society is divided into a strict caste system and the implication is that non-warrior Qunari aren't necessarily anything like him, though the player never encounters any of them to confirm this.
The Quiet One: Dislikes talking to the point that he'll reply to the Warden's questions with single word answers whenever he can. After telling a parable in regards to mages:
Warden: That's more words than I've ever heard you say.
Sten: I've been saving them up.
Rank Scales with Asskicking: As Arishok, he remains a skilled warrior.
Rank Up:
- He gets a pretty hefty promotion in Those Who Speak - he's now the new Arishok.
- Depending on your adventures, he may get promoted in the end upon returning to Seheron. If you do not befriend him (and thus he does not Go Native) and make the ultimate sacrifice at the end, he'll be promoted to general and put in charge of fighting humans in Seheron, which pleases him greatly.
Scary Black Man: There are even a couple of dialogue options with certain NPCs that allow the Warden to refer to Sten as "my large friend" with clearly threatening intent, playing off of Sten's intimidation factor rather than their own.
Shout-Out: One of his banters with Dog seems to be a Shout-Out to Lassie.
Sten: I do not understand what you are saying.
Dog: [barking]
Sten: What? There's a child trapped down a well?
Stay in the Kitchen: He has a very comprehensive list of the professions of women, as the Qunari believe these are the jobs meant for women - choice has no factor in it. The same is true for men, however. The former are shopkeepers, artisans, or priests; the latter are laborers and soldiers. With the female Warden being an Action Girl, he doesn't question his beliefs or the Grey Warden's ability to fight, he questions if she's actually a woman. By the tenets of the Qun, a person who is an artisan is always a woman and a person who is a soldier is always a man, regardless of what they've got between their legs. Sten doesn't understand how a female Warden can simultaneously fight and call herself a woman; it'd be like claiming to be a square circle.
The Stoic: Dry and humorless most of the time. Leliana teases him about this a lot.
Stranger in a Familiar Land: A possibility. If the Warden befriended Sten and speak to him after defeating the Archdemon, he'll suggest that Seheron might not be quite the same to him as it would have been, since their adventures have changed his view of the world somewhat. This is especially true if the Warden is a female mage, since Qunari believe women are not competent warriors and mages aren't even people, and the player has just killed both of those ideas. His writer Mary Kirby says he may even have had to spend some time with the Ben-Hassrath for all the strange ideas he's picked up (though Those Who Speak shows he's reintegrated pretty well, if being promoted to Arishok is any indication). If the Warden didn't befriend him, he'll just be happy to be able to go home and get away from Ferelden's strangeness.
Strawman Has a Point: He approves when the Warden debates Qunari philosophy with him and stands their ground on their own beliefs. A good example comes when he calls non-Qunari foolish for wanting to change their purpose, when they carry their old life into their new one like a turtle carries its shell. He's somewhat impressed when the Warden points out that "having a shell" can actually make someone stronger.
Sugar-and-Ice Personality: He can eventually come to see the Warden as a close companion as he becomes a True Companion.
- In fact, one of the highest approval rating moments for companion is when the Warden tell Sten that he can stay with them after he reveals that He Can't Go Home Again.
Sweet Tooth: He really likes cookies.
Terse Talker: When he's being deflective.
Undying Loyalty: If the Warden recovers his sword and befriends him, he explicitly states that he trusts them with his life and calls them kadan, which is a Qunari word meaning something akin to 'close to the heart'.
Vitriolic Best Buds: One of the best ways for the Warden to befriend him is to get in his face and argue. Even if his approval is quite high, he'll still enjoy snarking with them.
We Will Meet Again: While Sten is not a villain, he admits it's only a matter of time before the Qunari attempt to invade Thedas again. If his approval is high enough, he adds that when that day comes, he will not look for the Warden on the battlefield.
What the Hell, Hero?: He will get angry any time the Warden aren't focused on getting to the Archdemon, like going to Haven; however, if his friendship meter is high enough, he keeps his complaints to himself. Mostly.
Worthy Opponent:
- He grows very fond of the Dog, viewing him as a warrior worthy of his respect.
- Also sees the Warden as this when his approval becomes high. When he voices his objection that the Urn of Sacred Ashes is taking them away from their goal of the Blight, he gains respect for the Warden when the Warden doesn't back down and bests him in a duel to decide who leads the group. Once the Warden helps him recover his sword Asala, Sten admits that he was wrong about the Warden and declares them a warrior worthy of fighting among the Beressad, later stating that the Qunari will inevitably invade Ferelden one day, but if that day comes Sten will not look for the Warden on the battlefield. If the Warden sacrifices themself, Sten explicitly states to the Arishok, when asked if he found any worthy warriors outside Par Vollen, that he only found one. We later learn in Dragon Age II that to be considered "Basalit-an, an outsider worthy of respect," is the highest form of praise a Qunari can give. It also tells us that Qunari view a dead body as little more than useless refuse to be disposed of in the manner most convenient, worthy of no concern for the life it used to be, making his single bow to the Warden's remains much more poignant: how much respect must one earn for even their empty husk to merit a small token?
You Can't Go Home Again: Not if you're a Qunari warrior of the Beresaad and you lose your weapon, you can't.
You Do Not Want To Know: Apparently having sex with a Qunari is at the least lethal for humans. Morrigan is initially interested, but Sten dissuades her when he tells her that she'll need some armor and that he might try to nuzzle. While this can easily be seen as him being a smartass, Iron Bull's carefulness when it comes to sex in Inquisition suggests that there might be some truth to his words.
Younger Than They Look: His developer toolset bio lists him as 30. The white hair, weathered face, and Old Soldier attitude add a few decades.

Characters / Dragon Age Origins Warriors
aka: Dragon Age Alistair

Alistair

Appears in: The Calling | Origins | Awakening^notechoice dependent | Dragon Age II^notechoice dependent | The Silent Grove | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep | Inquisition^notechoice dependent | Deception

Voiced by: Steve Valentine (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Loghain Mac Tir

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | The Calling | Origins | Awakening^notechoice dependent | Inquisition^notechoice dependent

Voiced by: Simon Templeman (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Dog

Appears in: Origins | Witch Hunt^notechoice dependent

Oghren

Appears in: Origins | Awakening

Voiced by: Steve Blum (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Shale

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | Origins | Asunder

Voiced by: Geraldine Blecker (English) ^{Foreign VAs}

Sten

Appears in: Origins | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep

Voiced by: Mark Hildreth (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Alternative Title(s): Dragon Age Alistair, Dragon Age Loghain Mac Tir

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Characters / Dragon Age Origins Warriors aka: Dragon Age Alistair

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Alistair

Appears in: The Calling | Origins | Awakeningnote choice dependent | Dragon Age IInote choice dependent | The Silent Grove | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep | Inquisitionnote choice dependent | Deception

Voiced by: Steve Valentine (English)Foreign VAsMartin May (German), Jacek Kopczyński (Polish), Sébastien Desjours (French)

Loghain Mac Tir

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | The Calling | Origins | Awakeningnote choice dependent | Inquisitionnote choice dependent

Voiced by: Simon Templeman (English)Foreign VAsChristian Gutknecht (German), Grzegorz Pawlak (Polish), Philippe Catoire (French)

Dog

Appears in: Origins | Witch Huntnote choice dependent

Oghren

Appears in: Origins | Awakening

Voiced by: Steve Blum (English) Foreign VAsBen Hecker (German), Dariusz Odija (Polish), José Luccioni (French)

Shale

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | Origins | Asunder

Voiced by: Geraldine Blecker (English) Foreign VAsKatja Brügger (German), Elżbieta Piwek-Jóżwicka (Polish)

Sten

Appears in: Origins | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep

Voiced by: Mark Hildreth (English)Foreign VAsKonstantin Graudus (German), Piotr Fronczewski (Polish), Antoine Tomé (French)

Alternative Title(s): Dragon Age Alistair, Dragon Age Loghain Mac Tir

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Characters / Dragon Age Origins Warriors
aka: Dragon Age Alistair

Appears in: The Calling | Origins | Awakening^notechoice dependent | Dragon Age II^notechoice dependent | The Silent Grove | Those Who Speak | Until We Sleep | Inquisition^notechoice dependent | Deception

Voiced by: Steve Valentine (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Appears in: The Stolen Throne | The Calling | Origins | Awakening^notechoice dependent | Inquisition^notechoice dependent

Voiced by: Simon Templeman (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Appears in: Origins | Witch Hunt^notechoice dependent

Voiced by: Steve Blum (English)^{Foreign VAs}

Voiced by: Geraldine Blecker (English) ^{Foreign VAs}

Voiced by: Mark Hildreth (English)^{Foreign VAs}