Dorian Pavus

"I'm here to set things right. Also? To look dashing. That part's less difficult."

Dorian Pavus is a human Altus mage of the Tevinter Imperium, and a companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition. He is a potential romance option for a male Inquisitor.

Background
Dorian was born to the prestigious House Pavus of the Tevinter Imperium, demonstrating from an early age a flair for magic which made him the envy of his peers. Dorian studied at the Circle at Vyrantium and later served as a student under magister Gereon Alexius, though eventually Dorian became disillusioned with Tevinter lies, scheming, and the illusions of supremacy.

With his magical ability, wit and charm, it would seem he would have had a promising career in Tevinter had Dorian not become a pariah for opposing every fault his homeland is known for. Dorian bears his ostracism with pride as he feels Tevinter will only change if someone like him makes a difference.

Approval
Dorian enjoys witty banter, and playful flirtation. Flirting with Dorian (by either a male or female Inquisitor) will always garner you approval. He approves of any decisions made that support mages, and disapproves of disparaging remarks about Tevinter and mages. He favors witty or kind responses over aggressive ones.

Having seen firsthand what became of his mentor, Alexius, Dorian is wary of blood magic and any other forbidden uses of magic.

There are several instances where critical decisions made by the Inquisitor can influence Dorian's approval:

Romance
Dorian is a romance option for a male Inquisitor of any race.

Whether Dorian joins up in Redcliffe or the during the siege of Haven has little effect on his romance path. The Inquisitor can begin casually flirting with Dorian after the conclusion of In Hushed Whispers (or alternatively, at Skyhold if the Inquisitor chooses to recruit the templars). Eventually Dorian will begin to reciprocate, particularly as his side quests One Less Venatori and A Friend in Qarinus are completed.

Shortly after arriving at Skyhold Mother Giselle will appear in the main hall to trigger the quest Last Resort of Good Men. The Inquisitor may take Dorian to Redcliffe with or without his knowledge, though the latter results in Dorian feeling betrayed and disapproval. Regardless of the outcome, after returning to Skyhold Dorian reveals his father's attempt to "correct" his homosexuality through blood magic. If the Inquisitor is supportive of Dorian and selects the romantic response, the two will share a kiss.

Mother Giselle and Dorian will be found having an argument. Mother Giselle informs the Inquisitor that the presence of an Imperium mage in his inner circle has many people suspicious that Dorian may be unduly influencing the leadership of the Inquisition. After she departs, Dorian tells the Inquisitor he does not care what people say about him, but he does worry about how their romance may hurt the Inquisitor's reputation.

An additional side quest involving the retrieval of Dorian's family amulet can be completed despite his insistence that the Inquisitor not get involved. Upon returning the amulet Dorian expresses mixed feelings, saying he is grateful but doesn't want it to appear as though his interest in the Inquisitor is purely for winning favors and self-gain.

Once Dorian's approval is high enough he will imply there is something "interesting" waiting in the Inquisitor's private quarters. Going to the bed chamber results in Dorian following along shortly thereafter and seductively propositioning the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor may then break off the romance, request they slow things down, or sleep with Dorian. If the two are intimate a cutscene follows in which they set the parameters of their relationship: Dorian conveys he would like something deeper than just sex, but will back away if asked to. Again the Inquisitor can choose to end the relationship, make it exclusively about sex, or enter a more emotional engagement with Dorian.

If the Inquisitor requests they slow things down Dorian will become confused. He will disbelievingly ask if the Inquisitor wants a relationship. The Inquisitor can confirm or say no. If they say yes Dorian will be shocked into silence and share that he has never been in a relationship and is unsure how to go about one. After being reassured the two will share a kiss and Dorian will leave.

If they are still involved at the conclusion of Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, Dorian will approach the Inquisitor on the balcony and praise his efforts. They may share a private dance if the Inquisitor accepts. After returning to Skyhold after completing Here Lies the Abyss, Dorian angrily snaps at the Inquisitor for disappearing into the Fade, leaving him to believe the Inquisitor was dead. If Dorian was in the party during the mission, he says he arrived in the Fade first and panicked when the Inquisitor did not immediately follow, thinking the other did not survive.

After escaping the Temple of Mythal, Dorian informs the Inquisitor (regardless of the status/dialog path of their relationship) that he will be returning to Tevinter after they've defeated Corypheus. If asked about their romantic future, Dorian says leaving will be painful, but the Imperium will not change unless he takes a proactive role in guiding the Magisterium.

After the Elder One is destroyed, Dorian can be spoken to at the celebration in Skyhold where he again mentions he intends to leave the Inquisition. He will not depart for some time, however, and plans to remain at the Inquisitor's side for the time being. When the Inquisitor goes to retire to his quarters, Dorian follows. Upstairs the mage sarcastically tells the Inquisitor that he is "incredibly dull" and he hates him. The Inquisitor smirks and asks if there is anything else. Dorian, still being playful, wraps his arms around the Inquisitor and says he hopes their relationship ends soon.

While not a romance option for a female Inquisitor, Dorian can still be flirted with to earn humorous dialogue. Picking one or more of the flirtatious options in conversations with him opens up a unique dialogue chain in the conversation that occurs after Last Resort of Good Men. The Inquisitor will accuse Dorian of leading her on, for which he will apologize. He states that he thinks the Inquisitor is a fine woman, and that if she wishes him to stop he will. The Inquisitor may admonish him for it, say that she wishes to remain friends, or encourage him to keep up with their playfully flirtatious relationship (the latter option earning major approval.)

Trivia

 * Dorian is the first male companion who is an exclusive romance option for a male protagonist in the Dragon Age series.
 * Promotional material for Dragon Age: Inquisition describes him as "The Redeemer".
 * Dorian is named after the character "Prince Dorian" from the cartoon series The Mighty Hercules, which ran from 1962-1966.
 * Dorian enjoys playing chess.
 * Dorian was written by David Gaider.
 * Dorian's greatest fear is to fall to temptation
 * The Pavus and the Trevelyan family are distantly related, although a human male Inquisitor can still romance him.
 * Party banter between Cole and Dorian suggests that Dorian was, or wanted to be, in a romantic and/or sexual relationship with a man named Rilienus.
 * If the Inquisitor doesn't romance Iron Bull or Dorian, the two will have party banter indicating a sexual relationship.

Quotes

 * "Selfish, I suppose. Not to want to spend my entire life screaming on the inside."
 * "If I truly believed my homeland was beyond all hope, I wouldn't miss it so much."
 * (About the Winter Palace) "I hope you tried the ham they were serving, by the way. Tasted of despair. Fascinating."
 * "Better to be in the fold than out in the wilds? For a sheep, that is."
 * "Living a lie... it festers inside you, like poison. You have to fight for what's in your heart."
 * "Not everything from Tevinter is terrible. Some of us have fought for aeons against this sort of madness. It's my duty to stand with you."
 * "In the south you have alienages, slums both human and elven. The desperate have no way out. Back home, a poor man can sell himself. As a slave he can have a position of respect, comfort, and could even support a family. Some slaves are treated poorly it's true, but do you honestly think inescapable poverty is better?"
 * (Regarding the Inquisition's library) "All these 'gifts' to the Inquisition and the best they can do is the Malefica Imperio? Trite propaganda. But if you want twenty volumes on whether Divine Galatea took a shit on Sunday, this is evidently the place to find it."

Bugs

 * There is a potential bug (all platforms) that may cause Dorian's romance not to trigger correctly. If Dorian's approval becomes too high before reaching Skyhold and an essential dialog is skipped, players may find his romance chain broken. The best way to ensure this does not occur is to not select any flirty responses (those marked with a heart) when speaking with Dorian until after receiving the cutscene regarding Felix's letter at Skyhold.