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{{Quote|Planning has never been my strong suit. Now, killing...killing and love-making. Killing and love-making and witty retorts. Those I am better at.}}
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<onlyinclude>{{CharacterTransformer
 
<onlyinclude>{{CharacterTransformer
|style = {{{style|}}}
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|style = {{{style|}}}
|name = [[Zevran Arainai|Zevran]]
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|name = [[Zevran Arainai]]
|image = ZevranBetter.png
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|image = <gallery>
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ZevranBetter.png|Origins
|px = 270px
 
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ZevranDAII.png|Dragon Age II
|longtitle = [[Zevran|Zevran the Antivan Crow]]
 
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</gallery>
|title = Antivan Crow
 
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|px = 270px
|affiliation = [[Antivan]]
 
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|title = [[Antivan Crows|Antivan Crow]] <small>(formerly)</small>
|gender = Male
 
|race = [[Elf]]
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|gender = Male
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|race = [[Elf]]
|voice = [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0193088/ Jon Curry]
 
|appearances = [[Dragon Age: Origins]]
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|class = [[Rogue (Origins)|Rogue]]
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|affiliation = [[House Arainai]] <small> (formerly) </small> <br> [[Antivan Crows]] <small> (formerly) </small> <br> [[The Warden]] <small>(conditional)</small>
|title=[[Crows of Antiva|Antivan Crow]]
 
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|specialization = [[Assassin (Origins)|Assassin]]
|class=[[Rogue]]
 
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|rank = Normal or Boss
|specialization=[[Assassin]]
 
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|voice = [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0193088/ Jon Curry]
|romance=Yes
 
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|appearances = [[Dragon Age: Origins]] <br> [[Dragon Age II]] <br> [[Heroes of Dragon Age]] <br> [[Dragon Age: Inquisition]] <small>(mentioned)</small>
}}</onlyinclude>
 
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|quests = [[A Murder of Crows]]
'''Zevran Arainai''' is a libidinous and amoral [[elven]] [[Antiva]]n [[rogue]]. He is a possible [[companion]] and [[romance]] option for [[Warden]]s of either gender in ''[[Dragon Age: Origins]]''. If Zevran's approval is +27 or more, he will teach the [[assassin]] [[specialization]].
 
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|}}</onlyinclude>
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'''Zevran Arainai''' (born 9:04-9:05 Dragon<ref>His father was killed in 9:04, before Zevran was born.</ref>) is an [[Elf|elven]] [[Antiva|Antivan]] [[Rogue (Origins)|rogue]] and accomplished [[assassin]]. He is a possible [[Companions (Origins)|companion]] and a [[Romance (Origins)|romance]] option for either male or female [[The Warden|Warden]]. He gained his surname Arainai after being brought into House Arainai as a Crow recruit.<ref name=wot2>{{Cite wot2|96}}</ref>
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== Background ==
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Zevran was born around 9:05 Dragon to a [[Dalish]] woman who fell in love with an elven woodcutter. His elven mother abandoned her clan and moved with the woodcutter to Antiva City. Zevran is unsure whether the woodcutter is indeed his father. After the woodcutter died suddenly - presumably from disease - Zevran's mother was forced into a life of prostitution in Rialto to pay off the woodcutter's debts, and died soon after giving birth to Zevran. He considers himself lucky for a boy who grew up in a brothel.
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In fact, the woodcutter was a contract kill by the [[Antivan Crows]] in 9:04 Dragon. Along with other elven orphans, Zevran was raised communally by the prostitutes in the [[Brothels|brothel]] until the age of seven. His cunning and skill in stealing had brought him to the attention of Guildmaster Talav of [[House Arainai]] who paid the remainder of the debt his mother had been forced to repay. As such, he was considered ''compradi'' (purchased).
   
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He and [[Taliesen]] were both purchased in 9:12 and out of eighteen recruits bought that year, they were the only two to survive. Despite a promising start, however, neither boy showed any real talent until [[Rinna]] was introduced into the House. The trio complemented each other well, Rinna overseeing planning, Taliesen providing the physical strength and Zevran handling both poisons and seductions. Indeed, they worked so well together than Eoman Arainai trained them together as a unit within [[House Arainai]]. This eventually led to the trio becoming romantically involved.
==Background==
 
   
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In 9:28 Dragon, Zevran and Taliesen were tasked with killing Rinna, whom the Rosso Noche were trying to put forward as an heir to King Natale. Following her murder, the heart seemed to go out of Zevran. Indeed, it appeared that during later missions, Taliesen was covering for Zevran in order to keep up the appearance that Zevran was still a loyal member of the Crows. His later bid for a contract to kill the two remaining Grey Wardens in Ferelden was interpreted by some in the Crows as an attempt to attain the rank of master, but was in actuality a suicide attempt.<ref name=wot2/>
{{DAOSpoiler|Zevran was the son of a [[Dalish]] elf who left her clan and moved to Antiva after falling in love with a wood cutter. After the wood cutter passed away, she worked as a prostitute to pay off his debts, until eventually dying in childbirth. Zevran was raised by the other whores until the age of seven, when he was sold to an elite guild of assassins called the [[Crows of Antiva]]. He attempted to resist their training, but eventually accepted and excelled in his position. Trained in both stealth and seduction, Zevran is now one of the Crows' most promising assassins.
 
   
==Involvement==
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== Involvement ==
   
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===''Dragon Age: Origins''===
Zevran is hired by [[Loghain]] and [[Arl Howe]] to assassinate the Warden, who will eventually be lured into an ambush of Zevran's making. If Zevran is overcome in the battle, the Warden is presented with an option to either kill him or allow him to say his piece. Should he be kept alive for interrogation, Zevran will ask to join the group, offering to protect and serve the Warden in exchange for his life. [[Alistair]], [[Morrigan]] and [[Oghren]] will object to accepting this offer, while [[Leliana]] will approve. [[Shale]], [[Wynne]] and [[Sten]] have no reaction.
 
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{{SpoilerDAO| Zevran is hired by [[Loghain Mac Tir|Loghain]] and Arl [[Rendon Howe|Howe]] to assassinate the Warden and Alistair. The Warden's party will eventually be lured into an ambush by the Crows during the plot-based encounter [[The Long Road (Origins)|The Long Road]].
   
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The ambush begins with a lone, desperate woman approaching the party and begging their aid after an apparent attack on her wagon. When you follow her, Zevran and numerous other assassins appear and the party must then fend off both the Crows and the woman they met on the road, who proves to be a [[mage]]. If Zevran is defeated in the battle, the Warden is presented with an option to either kill him immediately or allow him to speak in his defense. Should he be kept alive for interrogation, Zevran will ask to join the group, offering to protect and serve the Warden in exchange for his life.
* {{Approval|Morrigan|-3}}
 
* {{Approval|Alistair|-5}} or {{Approval||-3}} if persuaded (This goes down to {{Approval||-10}} if you choose the last line about 'picking up cast-offs')
 
* {{Approval|Oghren|-5}}
 
* {{Approval|Leliana|+2}}
 
* Shale, Wynne, Sten: no change
 
   
Note that in order to trigger the encounter with Zevran, the Warden must have completed [[The Arl of Redcliffe]] up to reaching [[Arl Eamon]], or obtained one of the other allies through the [[Ancient Treaties]] or completed [[The Urn of Sacred Ashes]].
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Note that in order to trigger the encounter with Zevran, the Warden must have passed through [[Lothering]] and completed one of the major story lines: [[The Arl of Redcliffe]] up to reaching Arl [[Eamon Guerrin|Eamon]], [[A Paragon of Her Kind]], [[Nature of the Beast]], [[Broken Circle]] or [[The Urn of Sacred Ashes]].
   
[[File:Zevran_In_Action.jpg|thumb|280px|Zevran in action]]
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[[File:Zevran In Action.jpg|thumb|280px|Zevran in action]]
   
 
Confident and eager to put his abilities to good use under the Warden's employ, Zevran is easygoing by nature. Though many of the party members have their doubts about whether or not he is trustworthy, he takes their suspicions in stride and deflects their accusations with wit. He has no reservations about what he does for a living, nor does he try to dress up his role as a Crow. He acknowledges freely that he is a killer and that he cannot picture himself doing anything else. Even so, he does possess a somewhat slanted sense of morality that guides his actions.
 
Confident and eager to put his abilities to good use under the Warden's employ, Zevran is easygoing by nature. Though many of the party members have their doubts about whether or not he is trustworthy, he takes their suspicions in stride and deflects their accusations with wit. He has no reservations about what he does for a living, nor does he try to dress up his role as a Crow. He acknowledges freely that he is a killer and that he cannot picture himself doing anything else. Even so, he does possess a somewhat slanted sense of morality that guides his actions.
   
Zevran is among the least judgmental companions. The Warden's execution of quests, for good or ill, rarely affect his disposition more than a few points (if at all), though there are some exceptions. He will object should the Warden opt to destroy the [[Anvil of the Void]], arguing how valuable it could be to their war effort. He will also protest the decision to wipe out the mages in [[Broken Circle]], questioning why his life was spared while those of the mages are so easily disregarded. If asked about the Dalish elves after the Warden has completed [[Nature of the Beast]] by siding with the [[werewolves]], he will snap that it is ghoulish thing to bring up after everything that has transpired (even if he has not joined the party until after said events), although Zevran will concede that the werewolves deserved their revenge, and the Dalish fell because they were weak. If he is in the party when the Warden proposes slaughtering the Dalish, Zevran will plead with the Warden to spare their lives, although the Warden can overrule him and persuade him to go along with no drop in approval.
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Zevran is among the least judgmental of the Origins companions. The Warden's decisions, for good or ill, rarely affect his disposition by more than a few points (if at all), though there are some exceptions. Zevran will object should the Warden opt to destroy the [[Anvil of the Void (object)|Anvil of the Void]], arguing for the anvil's value to their war effort. He will also protest the decision to slay the mages in the Tower in [[Broken Circle]], questioning why his life was spared while those of the mages are so easily disregarded. If he is in the party when the Warden proposes slaughtering the Dalish, Zevran will plead with them to spare the lives of the elves, although the Warden can overrule him and persuade him to go along with no drop in approval. If asked about the Dalish elves after the Warden has completed [[Nature of the Beast]] by siding with the [[werewolves]], he will snap that it is a ghoulish thing to bring up after everything that has transpired - even if he has not joined the party until after said events. Zevran will, however, concede that the werewolves deserved their revenge, and the Dalish fell because they were weak. If Zevran's approval is 27 or more, he will teach the [[Assassin (Origins)|assassin]] [[Specializations (Origins)|specialization]].
   
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If you have Zevran in your party when entering the Fade during [[Broken Circle]], you will later find him being pulled on the rack during his own nightmare. He seems to be reliving a past experience of being tortured by two fellow elves in order to prove that he can endure pain, apparently a necessary step to join the Crows. While in the Fade, Zevran is oblivious to the fact that he is already an Antivan Crow, and has to be reminded of this by the Warden. Once convinced, Zevran will disappear, re-appearing before the final battle against [[Sloth]].
Despite his Dalish lineage and the fact he briefly lived with a roaming clan, Zevran thinks of himself as an Antivan above being an elf. He claims to feel no collective kinship to other elves, those in alienages least of all: Zevran believes that too many of his kind have accepted being considered inferior as a fact of life, and thinks they have to fight to earn a higher level of respect. Regardless of what he says, Zevran will approve the Warden's freeing of [[Soris]] from Howe's prisons during the Landsmeet and disapprove if the Warden frees [[Bann Vaughan]], but only if the Warden brings up the topic of the elven uprising in Denerim (around -5 approval).
 
   
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Despite his Dalish lineage and the fact he briefly lived with a roaming clan, Zevran thinks of himself primarily as an Antivan. He claims to feel no collective kinship to other elves, those in alienages least of all; Zevran believes that too many of his kind have accepted being considered inferior as a fact of life, and thinks they have to fight to earn a higher level of respect. Regardless of what he says, Zevran will approve the Warden's actions if they benefit elves in general. For example, he will approve of freeing [[Soris]] from Howe's prisons during the Landsmeet and disapprove if the Warden frees [[Vaughan Kendells|Vaughan]], but only if the Warden brings up the topic of the elven uprising in Denerim (around -5 approval).
In time, if the Warden has garnered a high approval rating with Zevran, he will reveal the specifics of some of his missions as a Crow. The last job he performed in Antiva was to be carried out with the assistance of his fellow assassins, [[Taliesen]] and [[Rinna]]. Zevran explains that he had become genuinely smitten with Rinna in a way that directly conflicted with his assassin training. But as the trio planned their attack, Taliesen learned that Rinna had accepted a bribe from their mark and was planning to betray them. Zevran watched Taliesen kill the traitor, callously mocking her pleas of innocence and dying declarations of her love for him, and the two men carried out the mission on their own. Only after their target was dead did they discover the real source of their victim's information, which in turn proved Rinna had been telling the truth. Heartbroken and disgusted by his actions, Zevran returned to the Crows and made a bid for what many believed was a suicide mission: kill any remaining [[Grey Wardens]] in [[Ferelden]]. He took the job expecting to die at the hands of legendary heroes, only to have his would-be killers show him the mercy he had not given Rinna. This is brought up by the [[Guardian]], who will ask Zevran if he feels remorse for her murder.
 
   
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In time, if the Warden has garnered a sufficient approval rating with Zevran, he will reveal the specifics of some of his missions as a Crow. The last job he performed in Antiva was to be carried out with the assistance of his fellow assassins, [[Taliesen]] and [[Rinna]]. Zevran explains that he had become genuinely smitten with Rinna in a way that directly conflicted with his assassin training. But as the trio planned their attack, Taliesen learned that Rinna had accepted a bribe from their mark and was planning to betray them. Zevran watched Taliesen kill her, callously mocking her pleas of innocence and dying declarations of love for him, and the two men carried out the mission on their own. Only after their target was dead did they discover the real source of their victim's information, which in turn proved Rinna had been telling the truth. Heartbroken and disgusted by his actions, Zevran returned to the Crows and made a bid for what many believed was a suicide mission: kill any remaining [[Grey Wardens]] in [[Ferelden]]. He took the job hoping to die at the hands of legendary heroes, only to have his would-be killers show him the mercy he had not given Rinna. This is brought up by the [[Guardian (character)|Guardian]], who will ask Zevran if he feels remorse for her murder.
In the later stages of the game, while in [[Denerim]] after [[Arl Eamon]] calls the [[Landsmeet]], Taliesen approaches the party and offers to take Zevran back to Antiva. If his approval rating is not high enough, Zevran (regardless if he's in the active party) will betray the team and permanently die in the following confrontation. If this happens, his codex entry will be updated with details regarding his death. If he has high approval (+26, or at least at "warm" or "interested"), he will deny the Crows. If he is in a romance with the Warden and at least "interested" but below +71, he may refuse to fight, depending on how the Warden answers Taliesen. If this happens, the Warden will have the opportunity to question Zevran about his relationship with Taliesen later. If he is in a romance with the Warden and the approval rating is high enough, he will fight alongside the Warden. Afterwards Zevran states that the Crows will have assumed he rejoined Taliesin and subsequently died with him. This gives Zevran an opportunity to disappear before they learn otherwise, and his disposition will determine if he then asks for his freedom or to remain with the group and continue to defend from the [[Blight]].
 
   
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Within [[Dragon Age: The World of Thedas]] volume 2, the truth of this final mission is revealed. Rinna, a bastard daughter of Prince Estefan, was working with the ''Rosso Noche'' (Red Night), an organization with the goal of presenting Rinna as a legitimate heir to King Natale of Antiva. When a member of House Valisti, [[Claudio Valisti]], discovered this, he bribed Eoman Arainai to have Rinna killed to allow a member of the Valisti family a better chance of royal succession. Zevran and Taliesen were informed that killing Rinna was a test of their loyalty but the act left Zevran feeling wracked with guilt and self-loathing.
== Romance ==
 
   
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After [[the Landsmeet]] quest has started, and while traveling through [[Denerim]], Taliesen approaches the party and offers to take Zevran back to Antiva. If his approval rating is not high enough, Zevran (regardless of whether or not he's in the active party) will betray the team for the Crows and permanently die in the following confrontation. If this happens, his codex entry will be updated with details regarding his death. If he has high approval (+26, or at least at "warm" or "interested"), he will deny the Crows. If he is in a romance with the Warden and at least "interested" but below +71, he may refuse to fight, depending on how the Warden answers Taliesen. If this happens, the Warden will have the opportunity to question Zevran about his relationship with Taliesen later. Zevran expresses regret over killing Taliesen as, despite everything, Zevran had feelings for his fellow Crow. If he is in a romance with the Warden and the approval rating is high enough, he will fight alongside them against his fellow assassins. Afterward, Zevran states that the Crows will have assumed he rejoined Taliesin and subsequently died with him. This gives Zevran an opportunity to disappear before they learn otherwise, and his disposition will determine if he then asks for his freedom or to remain with the group and continue to fight the [[Blight]].
A supposed master of seduction, Zevran will blatantly flirt with the Warden, in addition to some of the other companions, even if only in jest. He is typically undeterred by anything short of a firm and clear declining of his advances, thus making it easy to start a relationship with the Warden, regardless of gender. Almost immediately after being recruited into the team he will reveal his attraction to the Warden, and from there the Warden can drop unsubtle hints that the thought is reciprocated.
 
   
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If the Warden survives the final battle of the Blight, Zevran attends to the coronation ceremony. He expects the Crows to come after him, and thinks that staying in one place is only going to invite them to find him that much quicker. He will ask if the Hero is in favor of him remaining with them, whether they are staying in Denerim, leaving, or returning to the Grey Warden fold.
It is a simple enough matter to get into Zevran's good graces. He enjoys playful innuendo and being asked of his exploits, and so long as the Warden avoids criticising his life as an assassin, the romance will continue. He can be asked to accompany the Warden back to their tent with a moderately high approval rating, which he happily accepts. Afterwards he explains that he holds no claim to the player character, and it is their choice if the encounter is a one-time thing or will continue. Conversely, if Zevran has a high approval of the Warden and they have not yet asked him to bed, he will offer his company for the night. Pressing Zevran for either love or an exclusive commitment at this stage will result in a loss of approval, though telling him it's a one night stand will result in a significantly larger approval loss.
 
   
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==== Romance ====
If the Warden is concurrently romancing Alistair, Leliana, or Morrigan, Zevran will eventually ask if that relationship is going anywhere. He will offer to step aside to avoid complications down the road, stating they have "had their fun", but the Warden should pursue the path of lasting happiness. Choosing to stay with Zevran will result in a significant approval boost, and dumping him in corresponding disapproval.
 
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A supposed master of seduction, Zevran will blatantly flirt with the Warden, in addition to some of the other companions, even if only in jest. He is typically undeterred by anything short of a firm and clear rejection of his advances, thus making it easy to start a relationship with the Warden, regardless of gender. Almost immediately after being recruited into the team he will reveal his attraction to the Warden, and from there the Warden can drop unsubtle hints that the thought is reciprocated.
   
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It is a simple enough matter to get into Zevran's good graces. He enjoys playful innuendo and being asked of his exploits, and as long as the Warden can accept his sexual history, the romance will continue. He can be asked to accompany the Warden back to their tent with a moderately high approval rating, which he happily accepts. Afterward, he explains that he holds no claim on the player character and it is their choice to either continue the relationship or end it there. Conversely, if Zevran has a high approval of the Warden and they have not yet asked him to bed, he will offer his company for the night. Asking Zevran about love afterwards will result in a loss of approval, though telling him it's a one night stand will result in a significantly larger approval loss as well as ending the relationship. Zevran is just as faithful as the other romance partners once in a relationship.
While Zevran and the Warden can become very close quite soon after starting the romance, Zevran's approval rating won't switch to "love" until after the calling of the Landsmeet. The party encounters (and slays) Zevran's old friend Taliesen, and with that Zevran is given a reprieve from being hunted by the Crows. In gratitude, he offers the Warden an earring. Upon being asked if the item is a token of his affection, Zevran will give an awkward response that should make the answer obvious. However, pushing him to actually say it will result in a refusal to hand over the earring and a minor approval drop. Another alternative is to refuse the earring altogether, which will also cause disapproval. Later, he will approach and offer it to the Warden again. There is an option to suggest that the earring represents a proposal, which Zevran will agree to if it is the Warden's wish that it be taken as such.
 
   
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Indeed, according to [[David Gaider]], Zevran finds himself quite surprised by a stable romantic relationship with the Warden. Though his reputation as a laughing lover is not undeserved, Zevran had—until meeting the Warden—assumed his life would consist only of "shallow encounters and jobs to be completed," and that he himself was undeserving and in fact incapable of love.<ref>{{Tumblr|author=David Gaider|url=http://dgaiderarchive.tumblr.com/tagged/the-eternal-conundrum The Eternal Conundrum.}}</ref> A blooming romance with the Warden forces Zevran to confront and admit his own deep feelings. As much as the Warden benefits from Zevran's company, it is fair to say as well that their love is literally life-changing for the assassin.
After he has offered the earring, Zevran will refuse sexual encounters. If prompted to give a reason why, or asked if he wants to end the relationship, he will snap at the Warden and end the conversation with a small gain of approval. When asked about his change in behavior he explains that he is confused about his feelings, and from here the Warden will have to express love or end the romance. If the conversation ends well, Zevran will again take the Warden's bed.
 
   
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If the Warden is concurrently romancing Alistair, Leliana, or Morrigan, Zevran will eventually ask if that relationship is going anywhere. He will offer to step aside to avoid complications down the road, stating they have "had their fun" but the Warden should pursue the path of lasting happiness, though there is some indication, as noted above, that his feelings run quite a bit deeper than he is letting on. Choosing to stay with Zevran will result in a significant approval boost while dumping him will produce a corresponding approval loss.
If the Warden survives the fight with the archdemon and elects to rebuild the Grey Wardens, Zevran will accompany them to rebuild the order, assisting with recruitment and training, though he will never actually join. The Warden choosing to remain in Denerim, return to their clan, travel, or other such options will result in Zevran staying for a time. The circumstances aren't clear, although the [[Epilogue]] indicates that Zevran still loves the Warden. The Warden is also able to keep Zevran as a consort if his approval rating is high enough, despite marrying Alistair or [[Anora]] and becoming king or queen. There is an additional conversation with him regarding this once the engagement is announced, where he will ask about where he stands and whether or not the romance will continue in spite of the upcoming nuptials.
 
   
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While Zevran and the Warden can become very close quite soon after starting the romance, Zevran's approval rating won't switch to "love" until after the calling of the Landsmeet. The party encounters and slays Zevran's old friend Taliesen, and with that Zevran is given a reprieve from being hunted by the Crows. In gratitude, he offers the Warden an earring. Upon being asked if the item is a token of his affection, Zevran will give an awkward response that should make the answer obvious. However, pushing him to actually say so will result in a refusal to hand over the earring and a minor approval drop. Another alternative is to refuse the earring altogether, which will also cause disapproval. Later, he will offer it to the Warden again (if the right dialogue choices are made when pressing Zevran on why he no longer accepts their sexual advances -see below-). There is an option to suggest that the earring represents a proposal, which Zevran will agree to if it is the Warden's wish that it be taken as such. This apparently is what Zevran wishes as well. If the Warden decides a proposal is too much after suggesting it, however, the relationship ends as Zevran wants some promise of a future together.
Finally, if the Warden self-sacrifices in the final battle, the Epilogue notes that Zevran, despite frequent offers of bed partners, never loved again.
 
   
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After he has offered the earring, Zevran will refuse sexual encounters. If prompted to give a reason why, or asked if he wants to end the relationship, he will snap at the Warden and end the conversation with a small gain of approval. When asked about his change in behavior he explains that he is confused about his feelings, and from here the Warden will have to either express love or end the romance. If the conversation ends well, Zevran will again take the Warden's bed and, more importantly, their relationship will continue.
==Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening==
 
   
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If the Warden survives the fight with the Archdemon and elects to rebuild the Grey Wardens, Zevran will assist with recruitment and training though he will never actually join. The Warden electing to remain in Denerim, return to their clan, travel, or other such options will result in Zevran staying around for a time. A Cousland Warden is also able to keep Zevran as a consort if his approval rating is high enough, even if they choose to marry [[Alistair]] or [[Anora]] and becoming a co-ruler of Ferelden. There is an additional conversation with him regarding this once the engagement is announced, where he will ask about where he stands and whether or not the romance will continue in spite of the upcoming nuptials.
While Zevran does not appear in ''[[Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening]]'', he is referenced once when the Warden (imported only) is recruiting [[Nathaniel Howe]], and again at the end of the game if the Warden was romantically involved with him. In so, the ending reveals that the Warden eventually travels to Antiva in order to find Zevran—whether to confront him, to lead the Crows at his side, or to continue to adventure with him remains up to the player to decide.
 
   
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Finally, if the Warden makes the ultimate sacrifice in the final battle, the Epilogue notes that Zevran, despite frequent offers of bed partners, never loved again.}}
Nevertheless there is also a letter from him to a Warden whom he loves present in the game files that when the game was first released, did not appear in the game. This has been fixed in the 1.04 patch. See [[A Letter From Zevran]] for details.
 
}}
 
   
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=== ''The Darkspawn Chronicles'' ===
==[[Gifts]]==
 
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{{SpoilerDC|
Zevran enjoys leather items and bars of gold or silver. When given the [[Dalish Gloves]], he will initiate a brief conversation that may lead to an extra approval bonus, for a maximum of {{Approval||+12}}.
 
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Zevran joins the fray in the [[Denerim Alienage]], where he fights the [[Hurlock Vanguard]] alongside his fellow elves. It is explained in the codex that Alistair spared his life, but sent him away, and Zevran, fearing Crow retribution, took refuge in the alienage. He drops the [[Crow Dagger]] on defeat.}}
   
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=== ''Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening'' ===
{{ItemGiftTable|
 
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{{SpoilerDAOA|
{{:Antivan Leather Boots (Gift)|style=itemgiftrow}}
 
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While Zevran does not appear in ''[[Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening]]'', he is referenced when the Warden (imported only) is recruiting [[Nathaniel Howe]], and again at the end of the game if the Warden was romantically involved with him. If so, the ending reveals that the Warden eventually travels to Antiva in order to find Zevran. Whether to engage in a showdown with him, to lead the Crows at his side, or to continue to adventure with him remains up to the player to decide.
{{:Dalish Gloves (Gift)|style=itemgiftrow}}
 
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{{:Medium Gold Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
 
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There is also a letter from him to a Warden whom he loves present in the game files which did not appear in the game when it was first released. This has been fixed in the 1.04 patch. See [[Codex entry: A Letter From Zevran]] for details.
{{:Medium Silver Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
 
{{:Small Gold Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
 
{{:Small Silver Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
 
 
}}
 
}}
He also enjoys a [[Feastday_Gifts#Zevran|Rare Antivan Brandy]] ([[DLC]]) for {{Approval||+50}}
 
   
  +
=== ''Dragon Age II'' ===
==Initial Statistics==
 
  +
{{SpoilerDA2|
  +
[[File:ZevranDA2.jpg|thumb|280px|Zevran meeting with Hawke]]
  +
If you are in a relationship with Isabela and ask how her late husband "freed" her, she says he met an assassin's blade in the back of the skull. She thanked the man repeatedly and it inspired her to become a rogue herself; as mentioned in ''Dragon Age: Origins'', the assassin was Zevran, and an 'artist', according to Isabela.
   
  +
Since the end of the Blight, Zevran has been trying to dismantle the Crows from the inside. Four months after the end of the Blight, master Eoman Arainai had been killed with evidence showing a Crow responsible though no contract had been taken out on him. Four other members of House Arainai died in similar circumstances over the next three years. Grandmasters Runn and Availa died soon after at the hands of an unknown assassin. By 9:35 Dragon, Zevran was said to have two out of the seven Guildmasters in his pocket, and to be responsible for the death of the Guildmaster of Rialto. <ref>[[Codex entry: Zevran Arainai (Dragon Age II)]]</ref><ref name=wot2/>
Zevran starts out as a Rogue of at least level 9.
 
   
  +
As a result of his activities, Zevran is being hunted by the Crows. He may be encountered in a cave near the Dalish camp after [[Hawke]] accepts the quest [[A Murder of Crows]], given by an Antivan named [[Nuncio]] at the beginning of Act 3. Hawke will have the option of bringing him back to his employer, letting him go or fighting him. If Hawke let Zevran go and killed the Crows hunting him, he will appear during the final battle with Meredith to aid Hawke.
'''Relative Attribute Weightings on Auto-Level''': Strength 0.5, Dexterity 1.5, Willpower 0.5, Magic 0, Cunning 1.3, Constitution 0.8.
 
   
  +
If Zevran was not in a loving relationship with [[the Warden]] at the end of [[Dragon Age: Origins]], Isabela is not in the party, and at least one of the flirtatious dialogue paths is chosen when talking to him, he will offer to "get to know" [[Hawke]] after the Crows are eliminated. If an un-romanced Isabela is present, she will demand sex from Zevran. Even if Hawke is in a relationship with Isabela, she will ask Zevran for sex. Hawke can ask her not to and Isabela will comply, telling Hawke they had better make up for it with sex later. Alternatively, a Hawke of either gender can join them in a threesome. If the Champion is in a relationship with Anders, Fenris, or Merrill and they are present when Zevran makes his offer, they will react jealously and Zevran will retract his offer. Hawke may still go through with the counter with no approval change if the love interest is not in the active party (except Sebastian).
'''Class:''' [[Rogue]]
 
   
  +
{{Bug|DA2|There is a bug that causes Zevran to offer to sleep with Hawke and/or Isabela, despite having been in a loving relationship with the Warden that has not been officially fixed. Although the dialogue responses for Zevran turning Isabela's proposals down and commenting on his relationship with the Warden have been recorded for imported saves, they do not appear in-game for many players. An unofficial fix for {{Platforms|PC}}users can be found [https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage2/mods/3979 here].}}
'''Specialization:''' [[Assassin]]
 
   
  +
Zevran will also fight alongside Hawke in the final battle against [[Meredith Stannard|Meredith]], but only if Isabela or [[Varric Tethras|Varric]] is in the party. Note that there are specific conditions for his appearance; see [[The Last Straw]] walkthrough for details.
'''Starting Talents/Skills: '''Zevran begins with level 3 poison
 
  +
}}
   
  +
=== ''Dragon Age: Inquisition'' ===
'''Assassin:''' Mark of Death
 
  +
{{SpoilerDAI|
  +
[[File:Zevran WoT2.jpg|thumb|Zevran in Crow attire.]]
  +
Zevran does not personally appear in ''Dragon Age: Inquisition'', but there is content specific to him, and specific to an import where he was romanced in ''Dragon Age: Origins''.<ref>{{Tumblr|author=David Gaider|url=http://the-gaider-archives.tumblr.com/post/109508786688/heres-two-more-questions-first-of-all-do-you Here's two more questions.}}</ref> If Zevran was not romanced, at the war table, the [[Inquisitor]] [[A Missing Assassin|receives a message]] from him which is addressed to Leliana. He inquires if he happened to kill a Crow working for the [[Inquisition]], and in turn he would like to offer his services, for only a moderate price in consideration of his friendship with the spymaster.
   
  +
It is implied from Zevran's communications with the [[Inquisition]] that he is no longer associated with the Crows, and potentially working for himself. When the Crows offer to meet with him, his correspondences indicate reluctance, and his desire to leave the [[Free Marches]] as soon as possible.
'''Rogue:''' Dirty Fighting, Below the Belt, Deadly Strike, Lethality (level 9), Stealth, Stealthy Item Use, Combat Stealth
 
   
  +
If Zevran was romanced in ''Origins'', and the Hero of Ferelden survived the events of Origins, a letter from [[the Warden]] received during the War table operation [[Contact Hero of Ferelden]] indicates that Zevran has joined them in their expedition to Thedas's far west.}}
'''Dual Weapon:''' Dual-Weapon Training, Dual-Weapon Sweep, Flurry, Momentum
 
{{see|[[Companion Strategies]] for suggestions on how to use Zevran}}
 
   
  +
== [[Gifts (Origins)|Gifts]] ==
==Gear==
 
  +
Zevran enjoys leather items and bars of gold or silver. When given the [[Dalish Gloves]] , he will initiate a brief conversation that may lead to an extra approval bonus, for a maximum of {{Approval|+12}}.
===Initial Gear===
 
{{:Longsword|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
{{:Crow Dagger|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
{{:Antivan Longbow|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
{{:Leather Armor|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
{{:Leather Gloves|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
{{:Leather Boots|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
{{:Mixed Metal Rounds|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
===Zevran Specific===
 
{{:Mixed Metal Rounds|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
 
   
  +
{{ItemGiftTable|
== Plot Skills ==
 
  +
{{:Antivan Leather Boots (gift)|style=itemgiftrow}}
  +
{{:Dalish Gloves (gift)|style=itemgiftrow}}
  +
{{:Medium Gold Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
  +
{{:Medium Silver Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
  +
{{:Small Gold Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
  +
{{:Small Silver Bar|style=itemgiftrow}}
  +
}}
   
  +
He also enjoys a [[Rare Antivan Brandy]] ([[Feastday Gifts and Pranks]] [[Downloadable content (Origins)|DLC]]) for {{Approval|+50}}.
As you befriend Zevran and gain his [[approval|approval,]] he will gain additional skills:
 
   
  +
== Initial statistics ==
{| class="daotable"
 
  +
Zevran starts out as a Rogue one level above the Warden.
|- style="background: #333333; text-align: center; vertical-align:bottom; "
 
  +
{{Note|He is the only companion whose default initial [[tactics]] is set to assist or "rescue" the Warden during combat by engaging any enemy attacking the main character.}}
!Skill Name
 
  +
!Benefit
 
  +
=== Attributes ===
!Requirement
 
  +
Relative attribute weightings on auto-level:
  +
{| class="daotable" style="text-align: center;"
  +
| style="width: 16%;" | Strength
  +
| style="width: 16%;" | Dexterity
  +
| style="width: 16%;" | Willpower
  +
| style="width: 16%;" | Magic
  +
| style="width: 16%;" | Cunning
  +
| style="width: 16%;" | Constitution
 
|-
 
|-
  +
| 0.5
|Inspired: Minor Dexterity
 
  +
| 1.5
| +1 to Dexterity
 
  +
| 0.5
|25% approval
 
  +
| 0.125
  +
| 0.375
  +
| 0
  +
|}
  +
  +
=== Specialization ===
  +
{{:Assassin (Origins)|style=iconmini}}
  +
  +
=== Skills ===
  +
{{:Poison-Making|style=iconmini|tier=3}}
  +
  +
=== Talents (PC) ===
  +
{| class="daotable" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"
  +
| colspan="2" | [[Assassin (Origins)|Assassin]]
  +
| {{:Mark of Death (Origins)|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Exploit Weakness|style=iconmini}} (level 11)
 
|-
 
|-
  +
| rowspan="3" | [[Rogue talents (Origins)|Rogue]]
|Inspired: Moderate Dexterity
 
  +
| [[Rogue talents (Origins)#Dirty Fighting tree|Dirty Fighting]]
| +2 to Dexterity
 
  +
| {{:Dirty Fighting|style=iconmini}}
|50% approval
 
 
|-
 
|-
  +
| [[Rogue talents (Origins)#Below the Belt tree|Below the Belt]]
|Inspired: Major Dexterity
 
  +
| {{:Below the Belt|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Deadly Strike|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Lethality|style=iconmini}} (level 9) &ensp; {{:Evasion (Origins)|style=iconmini}} (level 12)
| +4 to Dexterity
 
|75% approval
 
 
|-
 
|-
  +
| [[Rogue talents (Origins)#Stealth tree|Stealth]]
|Inspired: Massive Dexterity
 
  +
| {{:Stealth (Origins)|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Stealthy Item Use|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Combat Stealth|style=iconmini}} (level 10)
| +6 to Dexterity
 
  +
|-
|90% approval
 
  +
| rowspan="2" | [[Dual Weapon talents (Origins)|Dual Weapon]]
  +
| [[Dual Weapon talents (Origins)#Dual-Weapon Training tree|Dual-Weapon Training]]
  +
| {{:Dual-Weapon Training|style=iconmini}} (level 8) &ensp; {{:Dual-Weapon Finesse|style=iconmini}} (level 13)
  +
|-
  +
| [[Dual Weapon talents (Origins)#Dual-Weapon Sweep tree|Dual-Weapon Sweep]]
  +
| {{:Dual-Weapon Sweep|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Flurry|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Momentum|style=iconmini}} (level 7)
 
|}
 
|}
  +
{{Note|Zevran will have Exploit Weakness and Evasion even if not meeting the requirements for these talents.}}
  +
{{Note|This list is for {{platforms|pc}}, on {{platforms|ps3|xbox360}}he starts with [[Cripple]].}}
  +
  +
=== Equipment ===
  +
{| class="daotable"
  +
| [[Weapons (Origins)|Weapons]]
  +
| {{:Longsword|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Crow Dagger|style=iconmini}} &ensp; {{:Antivan Longbow|style=iconmini}}
  +
|-
  +
| [[Armor (Origins)|Armor]]
  +
| {{:Leather armor set|style=iconmini}}
  +
|-
  +
| [[Accessories (Origins)|Accessories]]
  +
| {{:Mixed Metal Rounds|style=iconmini}}
  +
|}
  +
  +
== Restricted gear ==
  +
{{:Mixed Metal Rounds|style=iconmini}}
  +
  +
== Plot skills ==
  +
{{Plot skills|companion=Zevran|gender=male|attribute=dexterity}}
   
  +
== Quotes ==
{{Note| These bonuses are non-cumulative, i. e. the companion will get a total bonus of +6, not of +13.}}
 
  +
{{Main|Zevran/Dialogue}}
  +
[[File:Zevran Concept Art.jpg|280px|thumb|Concept art]]
   
  +
=== ''Dragon Age: Origins'' ===
==Quotes==
 
  +
*''(When first introduced)'' "The Antivan Crows send their regards."
[[File:Zevran_Concept_Art.jpg|280px|thumb|Concept Art of Zevran]]
 
  +
*"Can you smell that? Like rotting flesh. Just like back in Antiva City. Now if only you could find me a prostitute or two, a bowl of fish chowder and a corrupt politician, I'd really feel like I was home!"
 
*"We all do our share of murdering around here, don't we?"
 
*"We all do our share of murdering around here, don't we?"
*(''After Solving The Bridge Puzzle) ''"I'm sure there's a moral in here...something about building bridges with friends, and such. Something poetic...oh, well."
 
*''(After Giving Him Antivan Leather Boots) ''"Ah yes...that smell. Just like rotting flesh. Now if I had a prostitute, some fish chowder, and a corrupt politician, I'd really feel at home!"
 
*''(After Incurring The Wrath Of The Werewolves) ''"I see where this is going. Downhill. And quickly, too"
 
*''(Sighs)'' "And here I thought the Wonders of Thedas would be a whore house. Pity."
 
*"Now that we have mentioned tying me up in that context, do we have any extra rope about?"
 
 
*"You tend to get up to interesting things. You meet interesting people and then you kill them. I'm game to tag along, if you are."
 
*"You tend to get up to interesting things. You meet interesting people and then you kill them. I'm game to tag along, if you are."
  +
*"Let's see... when was the last time I slipped my hand into some dark hole? Hmmm... I remember. Long story, that."
*''(upon seeing the high dragon)'' "A high dragon? We're not... planning on actually fighting it, are we? Couldn't we just... sneak around it?"
 
  +
*"In truth, for the chance to be by your side I would storm the Dark City itself. Never doubt it."
*''(when unlocking the Warden's cell during [[Captured!]])'' "Ah, my dear Warden. Did you miss me?"
 
  +
*"What we are doing here... stopping the Blight. I can not think of anything I have ever done which is so worthy."
*''(upon entering the start of the Gauntlet)'' "I feel like we have just entered the Grand Cleric's bedchambers. Where no one has gone before..."
 
*''(After talking to Murdock in Redcliffe)'' "Thats good. The survival rate of ingrates is remarkably low, so I hear..."
 
*(''Upon urging Ser Perth to use the oil in the siege of undead on Redcliffe)'' "A fine tactic. Provided it actually kills them and you don't end up having to deal with '''flaming''' undead."
 
*"'Death happens,' as we like to say. 'And when I get paid for it, death happens more often.'"
 
*''(upon interrupting father Eirik's sermon in Haven)'' "Just once I'd like to walk into one of these places and discover a lively dance, or a drinking festival. Or an orgy. But alas, no "
 
*"By your side I would willingly storm the gates of the Dark City itself. Never doubt it!"
 
*''(upon choosing him as your champion in the Landsmeet)'' "Am I the only one who sees the irony in this? Ah well. I do love to work in front of an audience."
 
*"Oh? I must admit I do love a good royal scandal."
 
*''(upon finding the Urn of Sacred Ashes)'' "Nice vase. I should get one for my home."
 
*(''after defeating Shah Wyrd'') "Yes, I've been close to death from real monsters, now we've got to worry about imaginary ones?"
 
*(''after inviting him back to your tent'') "Arg! Pirate Zevran reporting for duty! Prepare to be boarded!"
 
*(''asking him to your tent straight after doing so) ''"Again? What must the others think?"
 
*(''after the foursome with The Warden, Isabela, and Leliana'') "I don't mind never speaking of it again, as long as we could do it again."
 
*''(after coronation')'' "Does the Ferelden monarchy make much use of assassins? Hmm... I wonder if this is a good time to ask."
 
*(''while questioning the guard in Haven'') "Ah, quiet insular communities. There's always something nasty going on behind closed doors. I hope it involves chains. I hope they ask me to join in."
 
*(''when searching the tree stump of the mad hermit'') "Ha! Let's see... When was the last time I slipped my hand into some dark hole? Hmmm... Long story, that."
 
*(''When receiving Cailan's sword at Ostagar'') "That is a sexy sword. I must have it!"
 
*''(when asked about one of his contracts; it's a poem recited by a target in an attempt to get Zevran to let her go)'' "The symphony I see in thee/ it whispers songs to me/ songs of hot breath upon my neck/ songs of sighs beside my head/ songs of nails dug in my back/ songs of thee come to my bed."
 
*(''When female warden interrogates him'') "There are worse things in life than serving the whims of a deadly sex goddess."
 
*"I could also stand and look pretty, if you prefer. Warm your bed? Fend off unwanted suitors? No?"
 
*(''about the Antivan Crows'') "The Crows aren't so bad. They keep one well supplied: wine, women, men. Whatever you happen to fancy. Though the severance package is garbage, let me tell you. If you were considering joining, I'd really think twice about it."
 
* (''Random banter between Shale and Zevran'') Shale: So you see me winning the affection of another golem, do you? Most golems are slaves to whomever holds their control rod. Zevran: Funny, it works exactly the same way for us as well.
 
* (''Consoling a widow'') Your husband? Dead. It was terrible, and so forth.
 
   
 
==== Dialogue ====
 
==== Dialogue ====
  +
*'''Warden''': Care to answer some questions?
{{See| [[Zevran's Dialogue]] for the complete list of the dialogue that Zevran shares with other companions}}
 
  +
*'''Zevran''': (If Zevran is in love) If they're dirty ones, certainly.
  +
*'''Zevran''': (If romance is active, pre-love-making scene) All right, but I get to stare at you luridly while you do so.
   
  +
=== ''Dragon Age II'' ===
*'''Warden:''' "You must think I'm royally stupid."
 
  +
*"Killing my former brothers-in-arms is oddly satisfying."
*'''Zevran:''' "I think you're royally tough to kill. And utterly gorgeous. Not that you'll respond to simple flattery. But there are worse things in life than serving the whims of a deadly sex goddess." (If the Warden is a female.)
 
*'''Zevran: '''(If Warden is male): "I think you're royally tough to kill. I'm only ''hoping'' that you're stupid. That was a joke. Let me rephrase that. I'm ''hoping'' that you're the sort of fellow that takes a chance every now and again. Ha, ha... No?"
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Warden:''' "You tried to kill me!"
 
*'''Zevran:''' "Unsuccessfully! Besides, someone in your position can't take these things so personally can you?"
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Warden:''' One can never tell with you elves.
 
*'''Zevran''''':''' '''''Oho! Well, if a racist crack like that doesn't cajole me into telling a tale, then nothing will!
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Murdock: '''"We aren't going to refuse help that is being offered. Don't want to seem like an ingrate."
 
*'''Zevran: '''"Thats good. The survival rate of ingrates is remarkably low, so I hear..."
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Shale:''' "Order me to do something."
 
*'''Warden:''' "Give Zevran a hug."
 
*'''Zevran:''' "Now, now. I don't care much for foreign objects invading my personal space. Well... usually''.''"
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Warden: '''"Care to answer some questions?"
 
*'''Zevran: '''"If they're dirty ones, certainly."
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Warden: '''"And here I thought I seduced you."
 
*'''Zevran:''' "Why aren't you the saucy little minx then. I've been used and wasn't even aware of it! A masterpiece."
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Warden:''' "Care to join me in my tent?"
 
*'''Zevran:''' "Oh? Is there something in your tent that needs assassinating? That is my specialty, or so I'm told."
 
{{-}}
 
*'''Warden:''' "Care to join me in my tent?"
 
*'''Zevran:''' "Arr. Pirate Zevran reporting for duty. Prepare to be boarded."
 
   
=== Battle Quotes ===
+
== Codex entries ==
  +
{{:Codex entry: Zevran Arainai|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
"I hope I don't get blood all over me again."
 
  +
{{:Codex entry: A Letter From Zevran|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
  +
{{:Codex entry: Zevran Arainai (Dragon Age II)|style=iconmini}}{{clrl}}
   
  +
== Trivia ==
"Time for a little bloodletting, I see!"
 
  +
*In conversation with [[Oghren]], Zevran jokes that the sarcastic insults and slight tension between them is the result of a "typical dwarven/elven rivalry", though Oghren denies it. This references the fantasy trope that elves and dwarves do not get along (most notably seen with Legolas and Gimli from ''The Lord of the Rings''), though ironically this trope does not carry over into ''Dragon Age''.
  +
*The quote during one of the possible endgames - "You meet interesting people and then you kill them" - is a nod to the movie ''Full Metal Jacket'' in which the lead character mentions that he wanted "to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them."
  +
*Zevran is mentioned in ''[[Dragon Age: The Silent Grove]]'', as he put [[Alistair]] in touch with Prince [[Claudio Valisti]].
  +
*Initially Zevran was intended to take the place of [[Varric Tethras]] in the Dark Horse comic series but his appearance was cut due to concerns about party dynamics.<ref>''[[Dragon Age Library Edition Volume 1]]'', p. 18, annotation by [[David Gaider]].</ref> Zevran was also to make a cameo appearance within the comics but that too was cut from the final script.
  +
*In [[Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening|Awakening]], when recruiting [[Nathaniel Howe]], the Warden-Commander (if imported) can say, "Some of my best friends once tried to kill me." This is likely a reference to Zevran. If present in the team when recruiting Nathaniel, provided that he was released earlier and is approaching an imported Warden-Commander of his own will, Oghren will comment that the others should be on their guard, should Nathaniel "pull a Zevran", referencing the latter's failed ambush that introduced him to the Warden in the first place.
  +
*After the Blight ends, Zevran begins to kill off his fellow Crows and becomes known by them as the "Black Shadow." <ref name="wot2"/>
   
  +
== Bugs ==
''(after a successful fight, with no significant injuries)'' "We are ridiculously awesome."
 
  +
*You can loot Zevran's invisible corpse even after he has joined your party so long as he is not one of the active four teammates.
 
"Grey Warden, Darkspawn. Darkspawn, Grey Warden."
 
 
"I hate the smell these darkspawn leave on my blade."
 
 
"I love this part!"
 
 
"Hah, I still remember my first battle!"
 
 
"You... do know how to fight, right?"
 
 
"Ah! This really gets the blood pumping!"
 
 
==Cheat for Infinite Approval==
 
When in a romance with Zevran and the conversation allows the choices "I want to discuss something personal" and then "Care to join me in my tent", there is a chance to gain an infinite amount of approval from Zevran. Invite him the first time and choose options that end the conversation without the love-making cutscene playing. (I.e. "I was only joking, really. Just forget it." "Fine. Get in my tent. No more questions." "That's… not what I had in mind.") After the first invitation has failed, you can repeatedly ask him again and give the answers "Enough with the coy bit. Get in the tent," and then "That's… not what I had in mind." Each time you do you'll gain {{ColorPositiveStat|+7 Approval}}.
 
{{Note|If you ever trigger the love-making cutscene, you will lose these conversation options, though subsequent tent visits always net {{ColorPositiveStat|+1 Approval}} so it's really not necessary to use this cheat.}}
 
 
==Trivia==
 
* Writer [[Sheryl Chee]] has said that when going out for a drink Zevran would "insist on garnishing his with an orange slice and an umbrella." <ref>[http://old.dragonagecentral.com/filtered/page1/?quality=trivial&age=All-time&developer=Any&rating=1&language=all&search=refuse+to+partake+&mode=and Sheryl Chee, ''Dragon Age Central'']</ref>
 
* Lead Writer, [[David Gaider]] described Zevran as "deceptively spicy salsa."<ref> [http://old.dragonagecentral.com/filtered/page1/?quality=trivial&age=All-time&developer=Gaider&rating=1&language=all&search=spicy+salsa&mode=and David Gaider, ''Dragon Age Central'']</ref>
 
* One of David Gaider's influences for Zevran was Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer<ref>[http://old.dragonagecentral.com/filtered/page1/?quality=trivial&age=All-time&developer=Gaider&rating=1&language=all&search=zevran+spike+buffy&mode=and David Gaider, ''Dragon Age Central'']</ref> and Lord Rochester from Plunkett & Macleane.
 
*It has been suggested that some of Zevran's demeanor came from a 1970's-80s tv commercial (see [http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Easter_Eggs#Other_2 Easter Eggs]). However many aspects of his character and behaviour emulate Puss-in-Boots from the Dreamworks animated film Shrek 2, such as his accent, his love of leather boots, the fact he is an assassin sent by the King, how he offers his life in service after being allowed to live, and Puss is even called a "sleazy hit man" which is how Zevran is seen by others.
 
*Zevran is the only Elven party companion in Dragon Age: Origins and has no companion quest.
 
*The quote during one of the possible endgames 'You meet interesting people and then you kill them' is a nod to the movie Full Metal Jacket in which the lead character mentions that he wanted "to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them."
 
 
==Bugs==
 
*You can loot Zevran's invisible corpse even after he has joined your party so long as he is not one of the active four.
 
 
{{Note|Some PS3 and Xbox 360 users report that Zevran's invisible corpse CAN be looted even if he is an active party member.}}
 
{{Note|Some PS3 and Xbox 360 users report that Zevran's invisible corpse CAN be looted even if he is an active party member.}}
*If you romance Zevran as a male warden, the epilogue may refer to you as "the woman he loves".
+
*If you romance Zevran as a male Warden, the epilogue may refer to you as "the woman he loves".
  +
*When in a romance with Zevran and the conversation allows the choices "I want to discuss something personal" and then "Care to join me in my tent", there is a chance to gain an infinite amount of approval from Zevran. Invite him the first time and choose options that end the conversation without the love-making cut scene playing (i.e. "I was only joking, really. Just forget it.", "Fine. Get in my tent. No more questions.", "That's... not what I had in mind.") After the first invitation has failed, you can repeatedly ask him again and give the answers "Enough with the coy bit. Get in the tent," and then "That's... not what I had in mind." Each time you do you'll gain {{Approval|7}}. However, if you ever trigger the love-making cutscene, you will lose these conversation options, though subsequent tent visits always net {{Approval|1}} so it's really not necessary to use this cheat.
*There is one pivotal conversation, where if it ends with Zevran initiating a kiss (this kiss can happen publicly -- it's nothing to do with the tent time), his romance will never update to love.
 
  +
*There is one pivotal conversation which can end with Zevran initiating a kiss (this kiss can happen publicly — it has nothing to do with tent time). However, his romance will never update to love.
 
  +
*{{platforms|ps3|xbox360}} (v1.04) It is possible for Zevran to disappear from your party for good. This can happen during the confrontation with [[Taliesen]]. If you skip through the dialogue too quickly, he will not join the fight and will disappear forever. There is no way to fix this and you'll need to reload your save.
==See also==
 
  +
*Upon request, Zevran's voice actor (Jon Curry) recorded an audio of himself saying "trans rights" in Zevran's own way of saying it, and also expressed that he wishes everyone to stay safe during the 2020 pandemic.<ref>https://soundcloud.com/user-82484407/zevran</ref>
<!---descr="Links to other wiki articles."--->
 
*[[Codex Entry: Zevran Arainai]]
 
*[[A Letter From Zevran]]
 
   
==References==
+
== Gallery ==
  +
<gallery>
<references/>
 
  +
Zevran mask detail.jpg|Sketch of Zevran's mask by artist Matt Rhodes.<ref>{{Tumblr|author=Matt Rhodes|url=http://mattrhodesart.tumblr.com/ Matt Rhodes Art}}</ref>
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Zevran in Haven.jpg|Zevran in Haven (Dragon Age: Origins)
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Zevran Ambush.jpg|Zevran about to ambush the Warden
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Zevran Blurb.png|Official description of Zevran from ''[[Dragon Age: Origins]]''
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Zevran's Nightmare.jpg|Zevran's nightmare in the Fade
  +
HODA Zevran.png|Tier progression of Zevran in ''[[Heroes of Dragon Age]]''
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HoDA Crow Zevran.jpg|Tier progression of Crow Zevran in ''Heroes of Dragon Age''
  +
Promotional Zevran.jpg|Artwork of Zevran in ''Heroes of Dragon Age''
  +
</gallery>
   
  +
== References ==
{{Companions (Dragon Age)}}
 
  +
<references/>{{Companions (Origins)}}
   
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arainai, Zevran}}<noinclude>
+
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arainai, Zevran}}
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[[de:Zevran Arainai]]
</noinclude><noinclude>
 
  +
[[es:Zevran Arainai]]
[[Category:Characters]]</noinclude><noinclude>
 
  +
[[fr:Zévran]]
[[Category:Origins characters]]</noinclude><noinclude>
 
[[Category:Elves]]</noinclude><noinclude>
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[[Category:Characters]]
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[[Category:Dragon Age: Origins characters]]
[[Category:Antivans]]</noinclude><noinclude>
 
[[Category:Companions]]</noinclude>
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[[Category:Dragon Age II characters]]
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[[Category:Heroes of Dragon Age characters]]
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[[Category:Love interests]]
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[[Category:Dragon Age: Origins companions]]
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[[Category:Elves]]
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[[Category:City elves]]
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[[Category:Antivans]]
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[[Category:Slaves]]
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[[Category:Antivan Crows]]
 
[[Category:Rogues]]
 
[[Category:Rogues]]
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[[Category:Assassins]]
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[[Category:Romantic encounters]]

Revision as of 02:51, 21 April 2020

“Planning has never been my strong suit. Now, killing...killing and love-making. Killing and love-making and witty retorts. Those I am better at.”


Zevran Arainai (born 9:04-9:05 Dragon[1]) is an elven Antivan rogue and accomplished assassin. He is a possible companion and a romance option for either male or female Warden. He gained his surname Arainai after being brought into House Arainai as a Crow recruit.[2]

Background

Zevran was born around 9:05 Dragon to a Dalish woman who fell in love with an elven woodcutter. His elven mother abandoned her clan and moved with the woodcutter to Antiva City. Zevran is unsure whether the woodcutter is indeed his father. After the woodcutter died suddenly - presumably from disease - Zevran's mother was forced into a life of prostitution in Rialto to pay off the woodcutter's debts, and died soon after giving birth to Zevran. He considers himself lucky for a boy who grew up in a brothel.

In fact, the woodcutter was a contract kill by the Antivan Crows in 9:04 Dragon. Along with other elven orphans, Zevran was raised communally by the prostitutes in the brothel until the age of seven. His cunning and skill in stealing had brought him to the attention of Guildmaster Talav of House Arainai who paid the remainder of the debt his mother had been forced to repay. As such, he was considered compradi (purchased).

He and Taliesen were both purchased in 9:12 and out of eighteen recruits bought that year, they were the only two to survive. Despite a promising start, however, neither boy showed any real talent until Rinna was introduced into the House. The trio complemented each other well, Rinna overseeing planning, Taliesen providing the physical strength and Zevran handling both poisons and seductions. Indeed, they worked so well together than Eoman Arainai trained them together as a unit within House Arainai. This eventually led to the trio becoming romantically involved.

In 9:28 Dragon, Zevran and Taliesen were tasked with killing Rinna, whom the Rosso Noche were trying to put forward as an heir to King Natale. Following her murder, the heart seemed to go out of Zevran. Indeed, it appeared that during later missions, Taliesen was covering for Zevran in order to keep up the appearance that Zevran was still a loyal member of the Crows. His later bid for a contract to kill the two remaining Grey Wardens in Ferelden was interpreted by some in the Crows as an attempt to attain the rank of master, but was in actuality a suicide attempt.[2]

Involvement

Dragon Age: Origins


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.


Zevran is hired by Loghain and Arl Howe to assassinate the Warden and Alistair. The Warden's party will eventually be lured into an ambush by the Crows during the plot-based encounter The Long Road.

The ambush begins with a lone, desperate woman approaching the party and begging their aid after an apparent attack on her wagon. When you follow her, Zevran and numerous other assassins appear and the party must then fend off both the Crows and the woman they met on the road, who proves to be a mage. If Zevran is defeated in the battle, the Warden is presented with an option to either kill him immediately or allow him to speak in his defense. Should he be kept alive for interrogation, Zevran will ask to join the group, offering to protect and serve the Warden in exchange for his life.

Note that in order to trigger the encounter with Zevran, the Warden must have passed through Lothering and completed one of the major story lines: The Arl of Redcliffe up to reaching Arl Eamon, A Paragon of Her Kind, Nature of the Beast, Broken Circle or The Urn of Sacred Ashes.

Zevran In Action

Zevran in action

Confident and eager to put his abilities to good use under the Warden's employ, Zevran is easygoing by nature. Though many of the party members have their doubts about whether or not he is trustworthy, he takes their suspicions in stride and deflects their accusations with wit. He has no reservations about what he does for a living, nor does he try to dress up his role as a Crow. He acknowledges freely that he is a killer and that he cannot picture himself doing anything else. Even so, he does possess a somewhat slanted sense of morality that guides his actions.

Zevran is among the least judgmental of the Origins companions. The Warden's decisions, for good or ill, rarely affect his disposition by more than a few points (if at all), though there are some exceptions. Zevran will object should the Warden opt to destroy the Anvil of the Void, arguing for the anvil's value to their war effort. He will also protest the decision to slay the mages in the Tower in Broken Circle, questioning why his life was spared while those of the mages are so easily disregarded. If he is in the party when the Warden proposes slaughtering the Dalish, Zevran will plead with them to spare the lives of the elves, although the Warden can overrule him and persuade him to go along with no drop in approval. If asked about the Dalish elves after the Warden has completed Nature of the Beast by siding with the werewolves, he will snap that it is a ghoulish thing to bring up after everything that has transpired - even if he has not joined the party until after said events. Zevran will, however, concede that the werewolves deserved their revenge, and the Dalish fell because they were weak. If Zevran's approval is 27 or more, he will teach the assassin specialization.

If you have Zevran in your party when entering the Fade during Broken Circle, you will later find him being pulled on the rack during his own nightmare. He seems to be reliving a past experience of being tortured by two fellow elves in order to prove that he can endure pain, apparently a necessary step to join the Crows. While in the Fade, Zevran is oblivious to the fact that he is already an Antivan Crow, and has to be reminded of this by the Warden. Once convinced, Zevran will disappear, re-appearing before the final battle against Sloth.

Despite his Dalish lineage and the fact he briefly lived with a roaming clan, Zevran thinks of himself primarily as an Antivan. He claims to feel no collective kinship to other elves, those in alienages least of all; Zevran believes that too many of his kind have accepted being considered inferior as a fact of life, and thinks they have to fight to earn a higher level of respect. Regardless of what he says, Zevran will approve the Warden's actions if they benefit elves in general. For example, he will approve of freeing Soris from Howe's prisons during the Landsmeet and disapprove if the Warden frees Vaughan, but only if the Warden brings up the topic of the elven uprising in Denerim (around -5 approval).

In time, if the Warden has garnered a sufficient approval rating with Zevran, he will reveal the specifics of some of his missions as a Crow. The last job he performed in Antiva was to be carried out with the assistance of his fellow assassins, Taliesen and Rinna. Zevran explains that he had become genuinely smitten with Rinna in a way that directly conflicted with his assassin training. But as the trio planned their attack, Taliesen learned that Rinna had accepted a bribe from their mark and was planning to betray them. Zevran watched Taliesen kill her, callously mocking her pleas of innocence and dying declarations of love for him, and the two men carried out the mission on their own. Only after their target was dead did they discover the real source of their victim's information, which in turn proved Rinna had been telling the truth. Heartbroken and disgusted by his actions, Zevran returned to the Crows and made a bid for what many believed was a suicide mission: kill any remaining Grey Wardens in Ferelden. He took the job hoping to die at the hands of legendary heroes, only to have his would-be killers show him the mercy he had not given Rinna. This is brought up by the Guardian, who will ask Zevran if he feels remorse for her murder.

Within Dragon Age: The World of Thedas volume 2, the truth of this final mission is revealed. Rinna, a bastard daughter of Prince Estefan, was working with the Rosso Noche (Red Night), an organization with the goal of presenting Rinna as a legitimate heir to King Natale of Antiva. When a member of House Valisti, Claudio Valisti, discovered this, he bribed Eoman Arainai to have Rinna killed to allow a member of the Valisti family a better chance of royal succession. Zevran and Taliesen were informed that killing Rinna was a test of their loyalty but the act left Zevran feeling wracked with guilt and self-loathing.

After the Landsmeet quest has started, and while traveling through Denerim, Taliesen approaches the party and offers to take Zevran back to Antiva. If his approval rating is not high enough, Zevran (regardless of whether or not he's in the active party) will betray the team for the Crows and permanently die in the following confrontation. If this happens, his codex entry will be updated with details regarding his death. If he has high approval (+26, or at least at "warm" or "interested"), he will deny the Crows. If he is in a romance with the Warden and at least "interested" but below +71, he may refuse to fight, depending on how the Warden answers Taliesen. If this happens, the Warden will have the opportunity to question Zevran about his relationship with Taliesen later. Zevran expresses regret over killing Taliesen as, despite everything, Zevran had feelings for his fellow Crow. If he is in a romance with the Warden and the approval rating is high enough, he will fight alongside them against his fellow assassins. Afterward, Zevran states that the Crows will have assumed he rejoined Taliesin and subsequently died with him. This gives Zevran an opportunity to disappear before they learn otherwise, and his disposition will determine if he then asks for his freedom or to remain with the group and continue to fight the Blight.

If the Warden survives the final battle of the Blight, Zevran attends to the coronation ceremony. He expects the Crows to come after him, and thinks that staying in one place is only going to invite them to find him that much quicker. He will ask if the Hero is in favor of him remaining with them, whether they are staying in Denerim, leaving, or returning to the Grey Warden fold.

Romance

A supposed master of seduction, Zevran will blatantly flirt with the Warden, in addition to some of the other companions, even if only in jest. He is typically undeterred by anything short of a firm and clear rejection of his advances, thus making it easy to start a relationship with the Warden, regardless of gender. Almost immediately after being recruited into the team he will reveal his attraction to the Warden, and from there the Warden can drop unsubtle hints that the thought is reciprocated.

It is a simple enough matter to get into Zevran's good graces. He enjoys playful innuendo and being asked of his exploits, and as long as the Warden can accept his sexual history, the romance will continue. He can be asked to accompany the Warden back to their tent with a moderately high approval rating, which he happily accepts. Afterward, he explains that he holds no claim on the player character and it is their choice to either continue the relationship or end it there. Conversely, if Zevran has a high approval of the Warden and they have not yet asked him to bed, he will offer his company for the night. Asking Zevran about love afterwards will result in a loss of approval, though telling him it's a one night stand will result in a significantly larger approval loss as well as ending the relationship. Zevran is just as faithful as the other romance partners once in a relationship.

Indeed, according to David Gaider, Zevran finds himself quite surprised by a stable romantic relationship with the Warden. Though his reputation as a laughing lover is not undeserved, Zevran had—until meeting the Warden—assumed his life would consist only of "shallow encounters and jobs to be completed," and that he himself was undeserving and in fact incapable of love.[3] A blooming romance with the Warden forces Zevran to confront and admit his own deep feelings. As much as the Warden benefits from Zevran's company, it is fair to say as well that their love is literally life-changing for the assassin.

If the Warden is concurrently romancing Alistair, Leliana, or Morrigan, Zevran will eventually ask if that relationship is going anywhere. He will offer to step aside to avoid complications down the road, stating they have "had their fun" but the Warden should pursue the path of lasting happiness, though there is some indication, as noted above, that his feelings run quite a bit deeper than he is letting on. Choosing to stay with Zevran will result in a significant approval boost while dumping him will produce a corresponding approval loss.

While Zevran and the Warden can become very close quite soon after starting the romance, Zevran's approval rating won't switch to "love" until after the calling of the Landsmeet. The party encounters and slays Zevran's old friend Taliesen, and with that Zevran is given a reprieve from being hunted by the Crows. In gratitude, he offers the Warden an earring. Upon being asked if the item is a token of his affection, Zevran will give an awkward response that should make the answer obvious. However, pushing him to actually say so will result in a refusal to hand over the earring and a minor approval drop. Another alternative is to refuse the earring altogether, which will also cause disapproval. Later, he will offer it to the Warden again (if the right dialogue choices are made when pressing Zevran on why he no longer accepts their sexual advances -see below-). There is an option to suggest that the earring represents a proposal, which Zevran will agree to if it is the Warden's wish that it be taken as such. This apparently is what Zevran wishes as well. If the Warden decides a proposal is too much after suggesting it, however, the relationship ends as Zevran wants some promise of a future together.

After he has offered the earring, Zevran will refuse sexual encounters. If prompted to give a reason why, or asked if he wants to end the relationship, he will snap at the Warden and end the conversation with a small gain of approval. When asked about his change in behavior he explains that he is confused about his feelings, and from here the Warden will have to either express love or end the romance. If the conversation ends well, Zevran will again take the Warden's bed and, more importantly, their relationship will continue.

If the Warden survives the fight with the Archdemon and elects to rebuild the Grey Wardens, Zevran will assist with recruitment and training though he will never actually join. The Warden electing to remain in Denerim, return to their clan, travel, or other such options will result in Zevran staying around for a time. A Cousland Warden is also able to keep Zevran as a consort if his approval rating is high enough, even if they choose to marry Alistair or Anora and becoming a co-ruler of Ferelden. There is an additional conversation with him regarding this once the engagement is announced, where he will ask about where he stands and whether or not the romance will continue in spite of the upcoming nuptials.

Finally, if the Warden makes the ultimate sacrifice in the final battle, the Epilogue notes that Zevran, despite frequent offers of bed partners, never loved again.


The Darkspawn Chronicles


This section contains spoilers for:
Darkspawn Chronicles.


Zevran joins the fray in the Denerim Alienage, where he fights the Hurlock Vanguard alongside his fellow elves. It is explained in the codex that Alistair spared his life, but sent him away, and Zevran, fearing Crow retribution, took refuge in the alienage. He drops the Crow Dagger on defeat.


Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.


While Zevran does not appear in Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, he is referenced when the Warden (imported only) is recruiting Nathaniel Howe, and again at the end of the game if the Warden was romantically involved with him. If so, the ending reveals that the Warden eventually travels to Antiva in order to find Zevran. Whether to engage in a showdown with him, to lead the Crows at his side, or to continue to adventure with him remains up to the player to decide.

There is also a letter from him to a Warden whom he loves present in the game files which did not appear in the game when it was first released. This has been fixed in the 1.04 patch. See Codex entry: A Letter From Zevran for details.


Dragon Age II


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age II.


ZevranDA2

Zevran meeting with Hawke

If you are in a relationship with Isabela and ask how her late husband "freed" her, she says he met an assassin's blade in the back of the skull. She thanked the man repeatedly and it inspired her to become a rogue herself; as mentioned in Dragon Age: Origins, the assassin was Zevran, and an 'artist', according to Isabela.

Since the end of the Blight, Zevran has been trying to dismantle the Crows from the inside. Four months after the end of the Blight, master Eoman Arainai had been killed with evidence showing a Crow responsible though no contract had been taken out on him. Four other members of House Arainai died in similar circumstances over the next three years. Grandmasters Runn and Availa died soon after at the hands of an unknown assassin. By 9:35 Dragon, Zevran was said to have two out of the seven Guildmasters in his pocket, and to be responsible for the death of the Guildmaster of Rialto. [4][2]

As a result of his activities, Zevran is being hunted by the Crows. He may be encountered in a cave near the Dalish camp after Hawke accepts the quest A Murder of Crows, given by an Antivan named Nuncio at the beginning of Act 3. Hawke will have the option of bringing him back to his employer, letting him go or fighting him. If Hawke let Zevran go and killed the Crows hunting him, he will appear during the final battle with Meredith to aid Hawke.

If Zevran was not in a loving relationship with the Warden at the end of Dragon Age: Origins, Isabela is not in the party, and at least one of the flirtatious dialogue paths is chosen when talking to him, he will offer to "get to know" Hawke after the Crows are eliminated. If an un-romanced Isabela is present, she will demand sex from Zevran. Even if Hawke is in a relationship with Isabela, she will ask Zevran for sex. Hawke can ask her not to and Isabela will comply, telling Hawke they had better make up for it with sex later. Alternatively, a Hawke of either gender can join them in a threesome. If the Champion is in a relationship with Anders, Fenris, or Merrill and they are present when Zevran makes his offer, they will react jealously and Zevran will retract his offer. Hawke may still go through with the counter with no approval change if the love interest is not in the active party (except Sebastian).

Bug icon Bug! There is a bug that causes Zevran to offer to sleep with Hawke and/or Isabela, despite having been in a loving relationship with the Warden that has not been officially fixed. Although the dialogue responses for Zevran turning Isabela's proposals down and commenting on his relationship with the Warden have been recorded for imported saves, they do not appear in-game for many players. An unofficial fix for pcPCusers can be found here.
Zevran will also fight alongside Hawke in the final battle against Meredith, but only if Isabela or Varric is in the party. Note that there are specific conditions for his appearance; see The Last Straw walkthrough for details.


Dragon Age: Inquisition


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


Zevran WoT2

Zevran in Crow attire.

Zevran does not personally appear in Dragon Age: Inquisition, but there is content specific to him, and specific to an import where he was romanced in Dragon Age: Origins.[5] If Zevran was not romanced, at the war table, the Inquisitor receives a message from him which is addressed to Leliana. He inquires if he happened to kill a Crow working for the Inquisition, and in turn he would like to offer his services, for only a moderate price in consideration of his friendship with the spymaster.

It is implied from Zevran's communications with the Inquisition that he is no longer associated with the Crows, and potentially working for himself. When the Crows offer to meet with him, his correspondences indicate reluctance, and his desire to leave the Free Marches as soon as possible.

If Zevran was romanced in Origins, and the Hero of Ferelden survived the events of Origins, a letter from the Warden received during the War table operation Contact Hero of Ferelden indicates that Zevran has joined them in their expedition to Thedas's far west.


Gifts

Zevran enjoys leather items and bars of gold or silver. When given the Dalish Gloves , he will initiate a brief conversation that may lead to an extra approval bonus, for a maximum of Approves (+12).


Name Notes Description

Antivan Leather Boots
Antivan Leather Boots
Located: Haven
Plot Item
>Becomes: Antivan Leather Boots
A handsome pair of boots, made of luxurious Antivan doeskin.
Dalish Gloves
Dalish Gloves
Located: West Brecilian Forest
Plot Item
Becomes: Dalish Gloves
These gloves are made of supple leather and lined with soft rabbit fur.
Medium Gold Bar
Medium Gold Bar
A fairly heavy gold bar.
Medium Silver Bar
Medium Silver Bar
A bar of pure silver.
Small Gold Bar
Small Gold Bar
Located: Circle Tower
A small bar of gold.
Small Silver Bar
Small Silver Bar
Located: Haven Chantry
A bar of pure silver.

He also enjoys a Rare Antivan Brandy (Feastday Gifts and Pranks DLC) for Approves (+50).

Initial statistics

Zevran starts out as a Rogue one level above the Warden.

Note: He is the only companion whose default initial tactics is set to assist or "rescue" the Warden during combat by engaging any enemy attacking the main character.

Attributes

Relative attribute weightings on auto-level:

Strength Dexterity Willpower Magic Cunning Constitution
0.5 1.5 0.5 0.125 0.375 0

Specialization

Assassin Assassin

Skills

Expert Poison-Making Expert Poison-Making

Talents (PC)

Assassin Mark of Death Mark of DeathExploit Weakness Exploit Weakness (level 11)
Rogue Dirty Fighting Dirty Fighting Dirty Fighting
Below the Belt Below the Belt Below the BeltDeadly Strike Deadly StrikeLethality Lethality (level 9)   Evasion Evasion (level 12)
Stealth Stealth StealthStealthy Item Use Stealthy Item UseCombat Stealth Combat Stealth (level 10)
Dual Weapon Dual-Weapon Training Dual-Weapon Training Dual-Weapon Training (level 8)   Dual-Weapon Finesse Dual-Weapon Finesse (level 13)
Dual-Weapon Sweep Dual-Weapon Sweep Dual-Weapon SweepFlurry FlurryMomentum Momentum (level 7)
Note: Zevran will have Exploit Weakness and Evasion even if not meeting the requirements for these talents.
Note: This list is for pcpc, on ps3ps3xbox360xbox360he starts with Cripple.

Equipment

Weapons Longsword LongswordCrow Dagger Crow DaggerAntivan Longbow Antivan Longbow
Armor Leather armor set Leather armor set
Accessories Mixed Metal Rounds Mixed Metal Rounds

Restricted gear

Mixed Metal Rounds Mixed Metal Rounds

Plot skills

As you befriend Zevran and gain his approval, he will gain the following additional skills:

Name Benefit Requirement
Inspired: Minor Dexterity Inspired: Minor Dexterity +1 dexterity 25% approval
Inspired: Moderate Dexterity Inspired: Moderate Dexterity +2 dexterity 50% approval
Inspired: Major Dexterity Inspired: Major Dexterity +4 dexterity 75% approval
Inspired: Massive Dexterity Inspired: Massive Dexterity +6 dexterity 90% approval
Note: These bonuses are non-cumulative, i.e. the total bonus is +6, not +13.

Quotes

Main article: Zevran/Dialogue
Zevran Concept Art

Concept art

Dragon Age: Origins

  • (When first introduced) "The Antivan Crows send their regards."
  • "Can you smell that? Like rotting flesh. Just like back in Antiva City. Now if only you could find me a prostitute or two, a bowl of fish chowder and a corrupt politician, I'd really feel like I was home!"
  • "We all do our share of murdering around here, don't we?"
  • "You tend to get up to interesting things. You meet interesting people and then you kill them. I'm game to tag along, if you are."
  • "Let's see... when was the last time I slipped my hand into some dark hole? Hmmm... I remember. Long story, that."
  • "In truth, for the chance to be by your side I would storm the Dark City itself. Never doubt it."
  • "What we are doing here... stopping the Blight. I can not think of anything I have ever done which is so worthy."

Dialogue

  • Warden: Care to answer some questions?
  • Zevran: (If Zevran is in love) If they're dirty ones, certainly.
  • Zevran: (If romance is active, pre-love-making scene) All right, but I get to stare at you luridly while you do so.

Dragon Age II

  • "Killing my former brothers-in-arms is oddly satisfying."

Codex entries

Codex entry: Zevran Arainai Codex entry: Zevran Arainai

Codex entry: A Letter From Zevran Codex entry: A Letter From Zevran

Codex entry: Zevran Arainai Codex entry: Zevran Arainai

Trivia

  • In conversation with Oghren, Zevran jokes that the sarcastic insults and slight tension between them is the result of a "typical dwarven/elven rivalry", though Oghren denies it. This references the fantasy trope that elves and dwarves do not get along (most notably seen with Legolas and Gimli from The Lord of the Rings), though ironically this trope does not carry over into Dragon Age.
  • The quote during one of the possible endgames - "You meet interesting people and then you kill them" - is a nod to the movie Full Metal Jacket in which the lead character mentions that he wanted "to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them."
  • Zevran is mentioned in Dragon Age: The Silent Grove, as he put Alistair in touch with Prince Claudio Valisti.
  • Initially Zevran was intended to take the place of Varric Tethras in the Dark Horse comic series but his appearance was cut due to concerns about party dynamics.[6] Zevran was also to make a cameo appearance within the comics but that too was cut from the final script.
  • In Awakening, when recruiting Nathaniel Howe, the Warden-Commander (if imported) can say, "Some of my best friends once tried to kill me." This is likely a reference to Zevran. If present in the team when recruiting Nathaniel, provided that he was released earlier and is approaching an imported Warden-Commander of his own will, Oghren will comment that the others should be on their guard, should Nathaniel "pull a Zevran", referencing the latter's failed ambush that introduced him to the Warden in the first place.
  • After the Blight ends, Zevran begins to kill off his fellow Crows and becomes known by them as the "Black Shadow." [2]

Bugs

  • You can loot Zevran's invisible corpse even after he has joined your party so long as he is not one of the active four teammates.
Note: Some PS3 and Xbox 360 users report that Zevran's invisible corpse CAN be looted even if he is an active party member.
  • If you romance Zevran as a male Warden, the epilogue may refer to you as "the woman he loves".
  • When in a romance with Zevran and the conversation allows the choices "I want to discuss something personal" and then "Care to join me in my tent", there is a chance to gain an infinite amount of approval from Zevran. Invite him the first time and choose options that end the conversation without the love-making cut scene playing (i.e. "I was only joking, really. Just forget it.", "Fine. Get in my tent. No more questions.", "That's... not what I had in mind.") After the first invitation has failed, you can repeatedly ask him again and give the answers "Enough with the coy bit. Get in the tent," and then "That's... not what I had in mind." Each time you do you'll gain Approves (+7). However, if you ever trigger the love-making cutscene, you will lose these conversation options, though subsequent tent visits always net Approves (+1) so it's really not necessary to use this cheat.
  • There is one pivotal conversation which can end with Zevran initiating a kiss (this kiss can happen publicly — it has nothing to do with tent time). However, his romance will never update to love.
  • ps3ps3xbox360xbox360 (v1.04) It is possible for Zevran to disappear from your party for good. This can happen during the confrontation with Taliesen. If you skip through the dialogue too quickly, he will not join the fight and will disappear forever. There is no way to fix this and you'll need to reload your save.
  • Upon request, Zevran's voice actor (Jon Curry) recorded an audio of himself saying "trans rights" in Zevran's own way of saying it, and also expressed that he wishes everyone to stay safe during the 2020 pandemic.[7]

Gallery

References

  1. His father was killed in 9:04, before Zevran was born.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Dragon Age logo - new Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 96
  3. Tumblr icon David Gaider. The Eternal Conundrum. . Tumblr.
  4. Codex entry: Zevran Arainai (Dragon Age II)
  5. Tumblr icon David Gaider. Here's two more questions. . Tumblr.
  6. Dragon Age Library Edition Volume 1, p. 18, annotation by David Gaider.
  7. https://soundcloud.com/user-82484407/zevran
  8. Tumblr icon Matt Rhodes. Matt Rhodes Art . Tumblr.