The more I think about Davrin the more I think he's the best datv companion.
(no, im not going to sell you "anyone who don't like Davrin is a racist" point of view. and not going to talk about bioware's weird marketing because it's shitty and always has been)
You can often see people blame the writer because Davrin was bound to Assan. Cute lil mascot, which is usually a classic disney move to push souvenirs sales. But it's nothing alike really.
Emmrich has a skeleton companion, and Davrin has a griffon. That's all. If you take Assan out of Davrin's story (just keeping the whole Gloom Howler questline, no personal attachment to the character) Davrin would be interesting whatsoever.
A dalish who used to have a soft gentle side when he was young (caring about hallas, humming to them) but once he grown up he decided to walk his path. Became a hunter, then - a monster hunter. Spent his life trying to prove his clan and himself he's worthy. He can be defender, he can be a shield protecting others from darkness. It became the main goal. Trying to reach it he's chasing deathly creatures, death itself. Forgetting how to live.
Every single day is a battle, or a training, or chasing the quarry. Preparation and waiting. He transformed himself into the actual weapon, a deathly tool with a simple goal.
After the Weisshaupt he faces reality. He did a long journey and it has to be the end.. but it isn't. And now he suddenly realized he has to learn how to live. Just live.
Assan is a good bonus because through their relationship with Davrin you can see how these two are alike. Griffons always have been warriors, it's what they do - fighting darkspawn and the Blights. But what if they can change its life? What if they don't need to be just warriors anymore? Through their relationship you can see how Davrin re-living his own story. "Assan is stubborn", "He has to be prepared for battles or he dies", "He has to listen", "He is meant to be a warrior". But what if he doesn't need to be? What if he can do both, to defend and live its own life?
Assan is an emotional support griffon for Davrin and a good way to show players Davrin's story and highlight the character's personal conflict.
It would be harder without Assan, but not impossible. Davrin is still the same. He starts questioning his life after the Weisshaupt, and not because he has a griffon but because he got a second chance to live.
Considering the amount of teammates and time spared per character, it's a solid work. Delicate yet strongly persuasive. Just as it should be.
(especially because Davrin is a new character and was never presented before like Neve, Lucanis, Harding or Emmrich).
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