Math is Hard! (age question)

[darkrose]

How old is Loghain at the beginning of Origins? How old was Maric when he disappeared? (I know DG has confirmed that he's dead, but for fic-writing purposes, as far as I'm concerned he's only comic-book dead.)

The inconsistency of dating between novels and game makes my poor little non-mathematically-inclined brain hurt.

Comments

[niniane]

I'll agree that it is possible that Maric was all "eh, it doesn't matter, since you don't like me". But surely at some point he...noticed? I mean, maybe not, but it still seems kind of cold to sleep with one person when engaged to another and not even talk about it first...

I'm not saying that Maric is this horrible person, but it's hard for me to see him either as this paragon of virtue where he's so great and noble and faithful that he would *never* so much as consider cheating on his wife (who he didn't love, at least in TST).

Even Alistair is willing to have a menage a trois with Isabella or marry Anora (if you make him). And he's sure as hell willing to cheat on his wife (with you) if you take the mistress ending. For all that, he's more than willing to drop you like a hot poker if you save Loghain, but will still marry Anora (if hardened), despite that he describes her as being "just like her father". I mean, seriously...I'm not sure that he's this perfect paragon of virtue, either. (Not to mention that he'll let you do horrible things left and right in game rather than storm off and go "screw you". Yeah, I know, game mechanics. But it still unnerves me that with a persuasion check he registers -5 at killing the city elves, -0 at slaughtering the Dalish, and not that much from what I can remember at desecrating the ashes.)

I'm willing to say, "yeah, it's possible that Maric was perfectly faithful to Rowan". But it doesn't seem that implausible to say, either, "Yeah, Alistair's the son of a serving wench that Maric knocked up while still married to Rowan". I mean, ultimately? If Alistair is *not* Goldanna's half brother, there's been a major conspiracy going on...

[darkrose]

But surely at some point he...noticed?

Maric is pretty damn stupid throughout TST. It never occurred to him that Katriel wasn't what she seemed? Seriously?

I'm not saying that Maric is this horrible person, but it's hard for me to see him either as this paragon of virtue where he's so great and noble and faithful that he would *never* so much as consider cheating on his wife (who he didn't love, at least in TST).

I don't think it has anything to do with being a paragon of virtue. I think that Maric is an inherently passive, reactive character, who doesn't initiate sex. I also think he's does guilt real well, and he does know he's not exactly being fair to Rowan as it is.

Also, sleeping around on the very popular queen? Not a good move, politically.

Even Alistair is willing to have a menage a trois with Isabella or marry Anora (if you make him).

Not sure what this has to do with Maric.

I mean, ultimately? If Alistair is *not* Goldanna's half brother, there's been a major conspiracy going on...

Alternately, if Alistair isn't Fiona's kid, then The Calling makes even less sense than it already does. Who's the kid? Why is there a huge deal made of Duncan saying he'll keep an eye on the kid?

And of course, you get back to the simplest answer, which is that Gaider Jossed himself and used The Calling to retcon Alistair's backstory.

[niniane]

Yeah, I totally see "The Calling" as a retcon of Alistair's backstory. But would prefer to keep the one in game, as, eh, "The Calling" is an awful book (IMHO), while Dragon Age is an awesome game. ;)

Ah, and Alistair's willingness to marry is just that I can totally see Theirins cheating on their spouses. Sorry. It's late. I am muddled. This happens. *sigh*

I do agree that sleeping around on a popular queen is a bad idea. But Cailan obviously was willing to risk it with Anora. *shrugs* And, yeah, I agree that Maric is a fairly passive character. But, again, I'd be astounded if he wasn't hounded by women, all of whom desperately hoped for a favor here or there. It comes with being an attractive, powerful man. It just doesn't strike me as implausible that he'd give into temptation, no matter how much he came to love Rowan or how popular she was.

I think that either interpretation is possible. I just (personally) have an easier time seeing the elf-baby as someone else than Alistair just in that otherwise we have to figure that there is this grand conspiracy to make him believe that he has a fake half-sister, a serving girl Mom, etc. If it was just one person, I'd be like "yeah, lying". But Alistair apparently found something that convinced him that Goldanna was his half sister, Loghain confirms that it was the serving girl, and I think Eamon does too. That seems like a lot. While I can see them all being "in on the plot", it does get kind of goofy.