SD) Fenris (Dragon Age II)

Artwork by general_din

"You are looking for forgiveness,

but I'm not the one who can give it to you."

Introduced in Dragon Age II, Fenris goes against many standard conventions of the fantasy genre. He's an Elf, but instead of being elegant and frail he's a sturdy warrior who wields a two-handed greatsword. Instead of being prim and elegant, he's brash, rude, and at times vulgar. Instead of having a natural affinity for magic, he harbors a deep rooted hatred of the arcane. Despite all of this, he rarely comes off as ignorant, being far more level-headed than some of the other party members in the game and always being able and willing to talk about the how and why he feels the way he does about things. At his core, Fenris is a man of contradictions who is unapologetic about who he is while remaining open to admitting when he is wrong.

Once a slave to a Tevinter mage named Danarius, Fenris was subjected to a grueling process that infused lyrium into his body via the tattoos that cover his body. While this process ultimately wiped his memories, it left with the ability to phase through solid objects, an ability he often uses as a weapon. Though he's physically resilient, a trait that is undoubtedly enhanced by his tattoos or the process of getting them, he's shown to have an aversion to being touched, feeling discomfort when the tattoos themselves are touched in any way. Whether this is a physical pain or the result of trauma is never explained, though it's likely a combination of the two.

As we get to know him, we can eventually learn that he has a sister who happens to be a mage. She reveals to us that his original name is Leto, and that contrary to what he believes, he not only wanted the tattoos, but actively competed for the privilege of receiving them in order to free his mother and sister from slavery. This adds a layer of complexity to Fenris and his actions that even he himself didn't know about, and his sister will also reveal that her freedom has not been the boon he thought it would be, as she has no idea how to live freely.

Due to his background, Fenris has an understandable distrust of mages and the arcane. He is not, however, completely opposed to working with mages, and seems to let those who wield magic prove themselves on an individual basis. While his trust is hard to earn, once someone proves worthy of it he becomes a steadfast ally who will still voice his opinions and concerns while cautiously going against his instincts. In Shattered Destines, he will naturally gravitate toward other warriors while keeping a distrustful eye on those who wield magic.

I see his role in the group as being that of the skeptic, sometimes playing the voice of reason among the more naive and trusting in the group. While the mages may eventually gain his trust, he will always be the first to raise concerns over the misuse and over reliance of the arcane. While normally level headed, a mage with an especially strong personality will have no trouble in gaining his ire, likely pushing him to lose his cool. If this happens, he'll likely be the first to apologize for his outburst.

As a counterpoint to Fenris, along the way our group will encounter Anders, who has become even more deeply tied to the Spirit of Vengeance that resides within him. In a heated argument with Fenris, Anders will succumb to the power of Odio, his hatred for those who oppose magic making him a perfect vessel. After defeating him, instead of allowing the experience to justify his beliefs, Fenris will instead see the parallel between Anders and himself. He'll be forced to face the fact that his hatred of magic and mages will, if left unchecked, lead him down the same destructive path. After this event, I see Fenris growing, being more willing to interact with the magic wielding party members in an effort to protect them, and himself, from the same fate.