Julian Hawke

Name: Julian Hawke
Class: (Dual-Wielding) Warrior; Specialisation -- None Yet

Hobbies: Julian has had little time for his hobbies since the Blight drove them to the north. Work with Meeran kept him busy. He is an extremely social person, and spending time with people is one of the things that he enjoys. He enjoys swordplay, and is very good at it. In what free and alone time he has, he likes to write and to read.

Personality:
In a life that demands it, Julian is a warrior of great skill. He has worked hard to get to this point out of a desire to protect his family. He does not mind selling his skills as a mercenary, or doing odd jobs ranging from saving kittens from trees to assassinations. He does not ask many questions when doing jobs, lest his conscience get in his way. He is more devoted to his family -- and to his friends -- than he is to his home, be it Ferelden or Kirkwall. He is used to his home not being a permanent one. "Home is where the heart is," they say, a phrase best describing what Julian feels.

That doesn't mean he doesn't get attached to a place, especially when he makes friends there. Julian is a very social person who does not like to be alone. Whenever he is distressed, he has trouble sleeping, and his reaction in these times varies, whether he wants to beat the training dummy, laugh with people in a tavern, or dangle his legs off of the edge of building in the docks over the sea in the moonlight. He finds women attractive, and to an extent, men, but does not see himself pursuing a relationship, having heard sad tales of grief.

Having family members with magic has given him mixed feelings about it. He would of course defend his sister(s) if she (they) were in any way threatened, even by the templars, for the Gallows here are about as much a prison as it was back in the days of Tevinter. But that doesn't mean he likes magic; on the contrary, he has a distaste for it. He does not, however, hate mages unless they are bad people, and when they are he hates them as he would any criminal. Demons are, of course, a risk to mages, but that isn't something they can truly help.

Picture from Game:


Note: If I win -- should the other winning participant want a male (unless it doesn't work that way), I can easily change Julian to Juliana. Should the other winner want to be a non-mage, I'd like to change my Hawke's class to Mage. If, of course, that is alright with the staff.

Note that this does have some dialog from the game. It is only that of Ketojan and Hawke's companions, however. All of Julian's dialog is different, and of course, some of the game dialog is changed to reflect it. This is a pivotal moment of Julian's story (I may be writing a fanfic of this character; circumstances of course are different on this board) that was on my mind. I'm sorry about it being so long, but I wanted to show a lot of Julian's thoughts and reactions.

Post Sample
Julian stowed his swords, turning to Ketojan -- or Saarebas, as Arvaarad had called him, the Qunari word for mages, apparently -- who still knelt in pain on the ground, light-blue energy coursing over his body. He was desperate to find a way to help him, because he looked to be in pain. Expressions were hard to distinguish on Ketojan, but by the way he huddled, he had to have been in pain. He didn't know what to do, and was sure the saarebas could not answer him. "Ketojan!" he said. "How..."

Ketojan lifted his head, turning it in the direction of the Arvaarad's corpse. Julian followed his gaze and saw the control lying in the unrolled Qunari fist, and he quickly snatched it up. Upon close examination of the device, he found that it closely resembled the broken mask upon the saarebas' face. He pointed it at Ketojan, hoping that he wouldn't make things worse as he wasn't sure how to use the thing. There was a button on the lower half. He tentatively pressed it, and the shimmering light around the mage disappated.

"Are you alright?" he asked the mage, placing the rod into his belt and rushing to Ketojan's aid, holding arm to help him to his feet. The mage gripped Julian's arm, and though the warrior was strong, the Qunari was much larger than him. It took some effort to get him to his feet. But finally, he looked down at the human, his expression difficult to judge as a mask covered his face and his stitched mouth neither turned up or down at the corners. "Can you talk?"

The mage grunted, and then he spoke. "I am unbound..." he said. His voice was scratchy, as though he hadn't spoken in a long time. "Odd...wrong...but you deserve honour. You are now Basvaarad, worthy of following. I thank you intent, even if it was...wrong. I know the will of Arvaarad. I must return as demanded. It is the wisdom...of the Qun." The words took a while for him to form. The mage started to walk, his steps heavy against the grass, which was wet from the dew and splattered red with the blood of the soldiers they had fought.

Julian followed Ketojan to the edge of the cliff, which rose abruptly from the coast. The morning mists were rising and the air was cool. Off in the distance, a boat was leaving the Gallows. "Why?" Julian asked, confused. "Arvaarad seemed ready to kill you. And I'm assuming that is what would happen if you returned to your people. Do you really want death?"

"I do not want death," he replied simply. "I want to live by the Qun."

Julian could not understand how it was, to be bound to such a philosophy. As it was, he did not understand the Qun, but it sounded like Ketojan had been brainwashed. He glanced to Fenris -- who had earlier aided him in his negotations with the Arishok, as much of a failure as they'd been -- but the elf offered no explanation. He was sure that there were things about the Qunari that even the former slave did not know, and his companion's views concerning mages were heavily skewed. "But that means you would die," he said.

"Yes. Is it that hard to grasp?"

"Isn't there another option?" Julian wondered, thinking back to what Ketojan had first said. If it meant saving this mage's life and giving him freedom and comfort, he would consider this. It would cause more problems for them with the Qunari, though, and Gamlen certainly wouldn't be happy. "Maybe I could take you to the Tal'Vashoth?" he suggested. As he did, he recalled that fight in the cavern in the Wounded Coast. The Tal'Vashoth had had a Saarebas, bound and controlled just as Ketojan was. He did not want to see Ketojan treated in that way. Not anymore.

"They are not my kind. I am Qunari. They are not. They have refused what they are. I...can't choose to 'not be.'"

Anders decided this was a perfect time to chime in. "Of all the ridiculous, mind-controlled, senseless piece of shit arguments I've ever heard!"

Ketojan turned his gaze on Anders. "What comfort has freedom brought you, mage? You would have more if you submitted to the Qun." To which Anders shook his head, crossing his arms. "I have chosen," he told Julian. "It is bred in the bone."

"Then let me offer you another option," Julian said. To the Void with what Gamlen wanted. He didn't even care about the Arishok's reaction. He couldn't just let this mage die, or return to a life in chains. He'd grown attached to this mage, in the small amount of time that he'd been with him, and he was sick of losing the people he'd sworn to protect. Father's death had been the result of a failed magical experiment; Julian had been out fishing with Carver when it happened. And Carver...

"I can be your handler. Your arvaarad. You said that I am basvaarad, worthy of following. Let me lead you. Let me insure that you will not be corrupted."

"Hawke," Aveline chided. "You could get in trouble with the Qunari for this."

"I have to take that chance," Julian replied.

"Well, I won't stop you. I just wanted to be sure you were aware," she replied.

He turned back to the mage. "Ketojan...Saarebas, my sisters are mages. I've kept them safe from demons and anything else that might threaten them. I want to do the same for you."

The Qunari's expression did not change, as his gaze remained on the boat in the distance. But he had taken in Hawke's words, and he responded, "You would do this?"

"Of course," he said with great certainty. And he would. From the beginning, Julian had been hesitant to just let this mage out into the open with all his chains and bindings on. He deserved true freedom, no matter how he'd been brainwashed to believe that he did not deserve it. And Julian would show him that with a good friend to aid him along the way, he need not fear his magic.

"Then I will go with you, Basvaarad," Ketojan replied.

Relief and surprise washed over Julian. "Thank you," he said. He glanced at the sky. "He'll stick out like a sore thumb in Lowtown," he said. "We'll have to make camp here." Luckily, the Qunari already had one, with a fire going.

The bedrolls were limited, but Hawke wasn't interested in sleeping even after the others had curled up by the fire. "There's no need for masks and chains and collars anymore," he told Ketojan. "Let me tend to those." He knelt by the fire, and Ketojan silently sat in front of him, and he began to untie the broken mask that obscured his eyes. Ketojan blinked as the mask was finally lifted, and gazed upon Hawke with gentle green eyes. Julian set the mask down, and began to help him from his collar and his pauldrons and his chains. Though free, Ketojan was still bound by personal chains, which would take much time to heal. Could he do this for the mage? Julian would try regardless.

The coast in the morning smelled of sea water and had a nice, cool breeze coming up off the ocean. It smelled fresh with the faint tint of seagull droppings and dead fish. What a pleasant odor to be in the air for a city dwarf like myself. It wasn't enough that I took my rear out to check on my friend to see how he was doing but I also got to participate in the scent-o-rama of the local countryside. What a pleasure that was.

I came into the camp before the sun had fully risen and winked at Aveline who was on watch. Then I sat on my heels and poked Hawke's boot with a stick. I could have used Bianca I suppose but that's Bianca! Why in the world would I put her near such a filthy looking thing as the bottom of his feet? Poor Bianca would never forgive me.

"Hey Hawke. Wakey wakey time sleeping beauty. Did you forget that there were other things to be doing today?"

The Fade was the realm of dreams, which those who could dream visited every time they slept. Only mages could walk it awares and they drew their power from it. These were things that his father had taught him. Even knowing this fact, whenever he dreamed, it felt real, and he could not discern whether it was truly happening or not -- until finally, he woke.

"Saarebas! Show that your will remains bound to the Qun!" shouted the Arvaarad, and with a grunt, Ketojan knelt. Julian looked from the Qunari to the Arvaarad, then back, and what he saw disturbed him greatly. His sisters knelt, bound up in heavy collars and chains, the light blue aura coursing over them. Julian reached for his swords, but was grabbed by one of the Qunari, and forced to look down upon them. The Qunari kicked him in the foot, but it didn't hurt, it felt like he was being poked?

He opened his eye to see Varric holding a stick. "Hey, Hawke. Wakey wakey time, sleeping beauty," the crossbow-carrying, storytelling dwarf said. "Did you forget there were other things to be doing today?"

Julian rubbed his eyes, and sat up. "Good morning to you too, Varric, How's my favourite dwarf?" he said good-naturedly. Varric had been there when they'd met with Petrice, but he'd decided against going into the underground warrens and to the coast. The country wasn't his thing, as Julian recalled. But of course, he'd known where to find him. The mission had come up so suddenly that he hadn't thought about their other tasks -- includkng returning the amulet that Flemeth had given them, to the Dalish. He kept true to his promises as much as he could. Between this and that Tintop fellow, he kept getting sidetracked...but at least it was getting them money which would go towards the Deep Roads expedition. Julian trusted Varric, so he had the dwarf keep the funds they were amassing in his suite at the Hanged Man. He did not trust Gamlen with anything, after what he'd done with the family fortune.

He sat up, and glanced around the camp. He'd fallen asleep on one of the bedrolls sometime after helping Ketojan out of his bindings. The Qunari mage was now sleeping peacefully, his chains, collar, and mask off of him. Fenris was warming his hands over the fire, and Aveline was watching for bandits, qunari, or whatever else might approach the camp, like the fine guardian she was. Anders was writing something, no doubt his manifesto, which had a tendency to show up everywhere. "Right, we've got a lot to do," he said, rising to his feet. "We need to have a word with Sister Petrice first of all. She tricked us. Maybe we'll collect some money from her too. We did what we asked, after all."

Of course, if it hadn't been for her, they would never have met Ketojan. "And I need to explain to Gamlen we're going to have an extra guest. If he ends up kicking us out, I guess we'll have to stay at the Hanged Man." He had considered that. Varric could probably get them a discount.

"I'm as good as I ever get, Hawke." I said this with a smile on his face as I couldn't believe that the magical Qunari was still with my friend, "So you have yourself a pet Saarebas. Good for you. I hope you can control it and get rid of all that extra stuff on it. Those stitches and that head gear is horrible." It was disgusting to see how the Qunari was trussed up like a bird ready for roasting. How anyone could accept being treated so was beyond me but then again I'd seen many situations where I thought those involved were just brainless pawns or toys. It did not mean that it didn't still disgust me.

"I guess if you want to be staying at the Hanged Man it shouldn't be much of a problem. There is extra coin in it and we can certainly get it for free anyhow with tossing out unrulies. It's not like we haven't kept it safer for some time now with our presence." I patted the handle to my pride and joy to show that most knew of my Bianca.

"Anyways, what did you want to do first? It's not going to be easy passing this guy off through Lowtown. Even the fools there aren't that easy to misdirect. Should we take him in at night instead when we can just shoot anyone who gives us grief?"

Julian glanced over at Ketojan, sleeping soundly on the ground. The collar, the pauldrons, and the mask were off. He'd have to get his mother's help with the stitches -- he did not want to hurt the Qunari mage. "I wouldn't call him a 'pet'," he said. He cared about the saarebas, and he hoped that he could show him how safe he was being free. Qunari were so fearful of magic, that they would go to such lengths to protect themselves from them. Brainwashed slaves, they were, but there was little he could do about that fact. The only thing he could hope to do was prove to Ketojan that he could have a life, free of bondage and fear. Ketojan respected him, yet he remained firm in his belief in the Qun.

The mages he spent time with weren't good examples for the Qunari mage. Merrill had desperately turned to blood magic to help her restore her people's past, and Anders was -- no matter what the spirit might be -- an Abomination. His sister might be a good influence, though, so he'd have to get Ketojan to meet Bethany. "I've got most of it off of him," he said. "Just need to remove those awful stitches, which mother can do better than I can." She had, after all, sewn and mended their clothing. Leandra was a smart and caring woman, and though she might be confused by her son's actions, she'd do just about anything for him.

"That's good to know." It was great to have options. If they did hole up in the Hanged Man, he'd have to pay his family a visit every day, though; they'd miss him a lot. The owner of the Hanged Man would, however, appreciate having them. Between Isabela, Varric, and himself -- Ketojan would have to keep on the downlow -- they could keep peace. He chuckled. People that challenged them did end up shot, sliced, mangled, or worse. "We should wait till nightfall," he said. He turned to the others. "Is that alright with you all?"

"I've got to get back to my post," Aveline said, rising from the leaning position she was doing against a tree. "I'll take Lowtown tonight on guard duty so I can make sure you're not caught."

"Thanks," he replied with a smile. "I knew I could count on you, Captain Aveline." Aveline was a very good friend to him. Ever since they'd fled Lothering, they'd been on good terms. Despite the fact that Julian had told him it was up to her to put her husband out of his misery. They'd both lost someone important to them that fateful day. Life would never be the same without Carver. Aveline seemed to be doing well since the loss of her husband Wesley.

"Anytime, Hawke," she replied with a chuckle. "I just hope you know what you're doing." She started back towards the warrens. Julian wouldn't have advised a person to go to the undercity warrens at any time of the day alone, but Aveline could handle herself, and they'd pretty much cleared the place of spiders and thugs on their way through.

Julian turned to his other two companions. "Always here to help a fellow mage," Anders said, looking up from his work. "I've had less activity in my hospice, so I guess I can take the day off."

"Here when you need me," Fenris said, staring into the fire. "Just make sure you watch him closely. Any mage is a danger." Anders glared at him, but let it go -- there was no swaying Fenris as to the plight of mages. Fenris seemed to not notice the glare.

Julian nodded, turning to Varric. "That's that, then. We'll take him to the Hanged Man at nightfall. So I guess we're here for the day." He sat down on a log. "I guess you wouldn't mind telling us a story to pass the time?" he told Varric, patting the other side of the log. Of that, he had no doubt; he knew the dwarf loved to tell stories, and he always had a good one.

So the kid had taken up liking the Saarebas and accepting him as one of our own. It shouldn't have surprised me and to be honest, it did not. To see someone who could accept so many so easily was a pleasant thing and even without willing it I felt a smile lift the edge of my lips. Well, I had to admit it was nice to see one who would fight only those who required such and not just anyone who stood in his path.

For once I didn't have much to say as Aveline spoke with Hawke then left. It wasn't that I didn't like the woman as I did but I needed to consider other things for the moment. I listened to the mage and mage hater waiting for the inevitable squabble which did not follow. I looked up to see the scowling faces, mind you.

Ah, now Hawke wanted a story and I had to truly smile wide at that request. Yes, I was a story teller. By the stone, I still am a story teller. That will never change so much as everything else in this world will unless my tongue is relieved of my mouth and fingers chopped off so I cannot make books. That would be a day I would not survive if it ever came to be but no need to think of that nightmare.

"A story you say, Hawke?" I asked being nonchalant, almost as if I were giving it more consideration than it required, "What kind of story are you looking for? I could tell you one of love, adventure, with many mages for our magical troop or danger and fear. What would Master Hawke think is a story that would keep everyone here satisfied?"

Julian could see the smile spreading across the dwarve's unbearded lips. Any time that he could tell a story, Varric was happy to tell it. And anywhere that he could get a good story, he was there. Storytelling was what he did best, though Julian knew that he could also depend on him on the battlefield. Well, him and Bianca. He wasn't wierded out by the fact that Varric had named his bow; he had in fact named his two blades, taking after the dwarf. Kristy and Marlen, names that had just come to his head but had stuck. "How about the adventures of a dwarf and his trusty crossbow?" He grinned, knowing Varric would love telling such a tale, and it would be entertaining, for sure.