Queen Anora Theirin

You know what to do.

I gave you the benefit
Of the doubt, it's true
But keep in mind, my darling
Not every saint is a fool
--Poe, Haunted

___

OOC

Handle: Tori
Contact: toriangeli on Plurk
Over 18? Y
Characters Played: N/A

THE CHARACTER

Character Name: Queen Anora Theirin, née Mac Tir
Series: Dragon Age
Canon Point: During the events of Awakening.
Character Age: 27 (not stated in canon, but she was an absolute maximum of 2.5 years older than Cailan, who was about 24 at the beginning of the game and "he was newly born and I in swaddling clothes" when they were engaged; Arl Eamon writes she "approaches her thirtieth year," but in the same letter he also grossly exaggerated when a woman goes through menopause, as it was a very pointed attempt to get Cailan to divorce Anora and marry someone not related to Eamon's chief political rival).
Background: Wiki Linki, plus world state I am using.

Personality: Anora's father, Loghain, describes her as a child: she could fall down, skin her knees, and command them to stop stinging. Unlike her common-born parents, Anora grew up expecting to be listened to by an entire nation. It shows in how she moves--the upright line of her spine, the soft curves of her hands, elbows kept bent, chin held high, shoulders square, the manner in which she walks out of a room when she knows she is being watched. She moves and commands like one born to royalty rather than one who married into it.

Anora is proud, stubborn, devious, and agonizingly competent. She is described by Arl Eamon as being popular among the people of Ferelden as well as the aristocracy, and Empress Celene of Orlais calls her "a solitary rose among brambles" compared with the rest of Fereldan nobility (and it is worth noting that she wasn't just saying it to get along diplomatically--Orlesians don't care what Fereldans think of them, even in their politics). She maintains a steely composure during unexpected or unwelcome events, such as when magically sealed behind a door as Arl Howe's prisoner. Even if her father is executed in front of her, she keeps her head until the Landsmeet is over.

Anora is a woman of action and a warrior of some skill, though being queen has caused her to step into a more administrative role since the days of slaying a giant alongside her first husband. Even so, she is known by the aristocracy to have been the real ruler of Ferelden while Cailan chased women and glory. She is charming, studied, and a quick thinker, careful to be both realistic and benevolent without upsetting the apple cart too much. It's a career, one she enjoys and is very good at.

She is proud and even a touch arrogant (though not half as arrogant as those who underestimate her) and her father is a major blind spot for her. She easily falls into the trap of believing that she is the only one who can fix something that has gone wrong. There is some justification--Cailan and his father were not good rulers, although they were handsome, charming, and charismatic. The hard work was done by Anora and her father. This led Loghain to cause Cailan's death and the massacre of nearly all the Grey Wardens of Ferelden, seize the government from his newly widowed daughter (although he insists he pointedly never took power from her), and inadvertently start a civil war with many subsequent atrocities carried out in his name. Anora took a great while to see her father's deeds for what they were. Even when she did, she still made excuses for him, reminding the Warden of his heroic accomplishments and the love he had for his daughter. As she took charge of her own fate, she manipulated her own rescue and arranged support for her throne, only withdrawing her support from the Warden if the Warden refused to support her bid for the throne or stated intention to kill her father. For Alistair to rule instead was, in her mind, a disaster waiting to happen. Alistair was clearly a good man, but he had neither desire nor training to take on the role of king despite his Theirin blood. So, the apple did not fall far from the tree. Alistair looked ready to follow in his father and brother's footsteps, and Anora believed, as her father did, that she was the only one who could unite the country and end the chaos.

She is fluent in the rules of politics and compromise. She is one of Thedas' most skilled negotiators, according to a war table mission in Inquisition. Her marriage to Alistair was arranged by the Warden. Since it gave Anora what she wanted, she reluctantly agreed to the match. She is greatly pragmatic and seldom romantic, keenly aware of the role she must play as well as how to play it to the kingdom's best advantage, blind spots aside. Her main flaws are caused by the extent of her dedication, a degree of myopia causing her to be willing to sacrifice her morals for a greater good as she perceives good. There is a ruthlessness to her. She can be the Warden's best asset in the Landsmeet, or she can take them down in the blink of an eye. Her trust is not easily won. She is cunning and intelligent, but for the most part, she uses her Slytherin wiles for good. When she doesn't, it's generally due to that metaphorical myopia. She can, in canon, betray the Warden to save her father's life or to save her place on the throne, but only if the Warden is blatant enough to tell her they plan to kill her father and/or give her job to Alistair. In other words, if she believes you will betray her, she will screw you over you before you have the chance. If the Warden is unwilling to compromise, she will choose a different course of action, backing her father and believing it is for the good of Ferelden to defend against people who do have every appearance of being power-driven.

She has a distinct lack of rose-colored glasses and is not much driven by sentiment. She is willing to sacrifice her father for the good of her country, something he very much taught her. She came to love her first husband, Cailan, but knew he had mistresses. If the Warden is in a relationship with Alistair when the marriage is arranged, Anora asks whether the relationship will continue. While she is relieved if the Warden steps back, if they don't, Anora asks only that they try not to embarrass her. Her underestimation of Alistair is a very common mistake--everyone underestimates Alistair--but there is still something distinctly Anora-ish about it nonetheless. Alistair looks a great deal like his half-brother Cailan, he acts like a doof, and Anora assumed he would essentially be a Cailan copy, terrible at governing and uninterested in learning. After she speaks with him for the first time (a scene we do not get to see, unfortunately), she admits to the Warden that their marriage will not be the "curse" she first believed. While prone to snap judgments and a sort of arrogance in thinking she understands people she does not know, she is willing to learn and to adjust.

Being queen is her job, and she loves her job. She has lost a great deal because of it--her husband, her father--but you don't just change careers when you are good at what you do and your country needs you. El Nysa will be a fascinating place of growth for her, to see how she will adjust to a new life and a new career.

Powers/Abilities:

-Diplomacy
-Combat with sword and shield
-Ballroom dance/basic girls' finishing
-Reading/writing/office organization
-Deflecting sexism
-Economics
-Bookkeeping and arithmetic
-Sass
-Rose gardening (learned from her mother)
-Supernatural ability to pretend Alistair is not there during their joint coronation

Power Nerfs (if applicable): N/A sass too powerful to be nerfed sufficiently, please use those precious resources elsewhere

Inventory:

-Simple black mourning gown
-Linen undergarments
-Walking boots
-Jeweled hairpins
-Cameo necklace
-Onyx ring with diamond accents
-Simple gold band wedding ring

Incentives: Anora mainly wants the wellbeing of the Fereldan people, whoever they are and however many there be. Otherwise, she is very self-motivated and will start or take over a business. She will want a position of power, but would be more satisfied with earning it than being gifted it. A very special incentive would be to have roses from the garden her mother used to tend, or at least rose hips from them. She would give a lot to have those. One rose breed per "quest" might work out really well, and she would be able to grow her own nursery and profit from it.

SAMPLES

TDM top level