Joanna Kucharska (UJ), Magdalena Bednorz (UŚ)
Modern scholarly term referring to ‘Fin Amour’
Code of behaviour that gave rise to modern ideas of chivalrous romance
A knight of noble blood would adore and worship a woman from afar, seeking to protect her honour and win her favour by valorous deeds
The woman chastely or scornfully refuses him in public while encouraging the love in private
Associations of nobility (peasants cannot engage in ‘fine love’), secrecy, adultery and (paradoxically) with chastity, since the passion could never be consummated due to social circumstances – ‘higher love’, unsullied by selfish carnal desires
Fantasy influences
Arthuriana connections
Disassociation from adultery
Disassociation from chastity
Semblance of equality
Bioware games:
a) Continuous presence of romance storylines in Bioware games (focus of storytelling and promotion)
b) One of the most visible companies on Western cRPG scene over recent years
c) Allows for character customisation as male and female
Fantasy setting
Female character-oriented romances (clearest examples of trope, most popular in terms of engagement)
Present in almost all romances and in relationships with non-romanced companions
Romance-only quests
Anomen: Order of the Radiant Heart, father, sister’s death
Alistair: the entire game is his personal quest: regaining the birthright, sister, Redcliffe, Wardens
Cullen: Lyrium addiction, Samson storyline
In subsequent romances the quests become more personal but less character shaping
Gifts as a part of personalquest: Anomen, Alistair, Cullen
Dragon Age 2 – romanced characters change armors after romance is ‘consummated’
In case of Anders, change of attire is not related to the romance, but relies on completion of his personal storyline
Nobility: genre trappings (‘my lady’ address), player character can be of noble origin (necessary for ‘the happiest’ Alistair ending), PC comes or arrives at a position of political power
(Josephine – her nobility drives all of her personal quests and romance)
Humble knight origins (self-imposed for Sebastian), work their way trough the ranks of their respective orders
All are warrior or fighters classes
Moral code: neutral or good alignments
Willingness to follow your moral compass
But similar alignment necessary for romance path
Religious beliefs and connection: cleric, ex-Templars
Cullen praying: religion highlighted in a scene turning into a romantic one
Sebastian’s religion and chastity vows
Conversations about chastity (Cullen, Sebastian), virginity (Alistair) or purity (Anomen) – usually they have little or no experience
Breaking the trope by the possibility of the PC having significant sexual experience
Alistair and adultery: arranged marriages, mistresses (Warden, Leliana, Anora)
The game mechanics usually prevent adultery (as in multiple romances, if not subsequent)
Josephine and prevention of adultery accusations during her arranged engagement
Dueling: Landsmeet, Josephine
Arthuriana: Alistair/Morrigan
Secrecy: Anora, Josephine, Cassandra
Bastard prince/exiled prince: Alistair, Sebastian
Kidnapping/knight in distress: Anomen, DA2 love interests
Blackwall (antithesis)
Cassandra (meta)
Josephine (gender reversal or played straight)
Agency on the player’s side
Final decisions
Political agency, (Cousland’sproposal/proclamation), player character’s decisions shape characters
Cosmetic trappings of power relations: ‘my lady’ address, ballroom dancing, dialogue
Cullen has the most agency since he is not player controlled at any time –player character becomes an interloper in his storyline
Interposing the personal/domestic into the courtly love
Mods removing gates on romances
Parody
Arranged marriages alternate universes
Alistair/Cousland/lover AUs
Ser Gilmore mod
Royal wedding mod
Expanding the study towards non-fantasy games
Expanding the study towards non-Bioware games
Study of non-female player character-oriented romances
Expanding the study of players’ engagement within non-fandom communities
Deeper research of the relationship between the trope and video game mechanics
Joanna Kucharska, Uniwersytet Jagielloński ([email protected], @joannekucharska)
Magdalena Bednorz, Uniwersytet Śląski ([email protected], @charismacheck)
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