This one is just mean

Day Ten: Favorite Party Banter

Favorite party banter? Favorite party banter? You really expect me to choose? How can I possibly decide which of these hilarious, telling, touching conversations I liked the best?

We have Zevran and Wynne conversing about her bosom; Alistair trying to get romantic advice out of Leliana by asking whether she's female; Morrigan flirting with Sten and getting more than she bargained for; Zevran reporting to his employer about his failure to assassinate the Wardens (a banter I heard for the first time in yesterday's game, and it was so perfect: "You don't say."); Oghren and Wynne discussing his homebrew, and Oghren asking Leliana about pants; all the interactions with Dog; Wynne calling out Alistair for ogling at the Warden ("I once had a very large cat"); Zevran's wonderful response when Shale asks about his romance with a male Warden and the issue of reproduction; Zevran (are we sensing a theme, I think maybe we are) alluding to getting Alistair to "cross borders", and Alistair's priceless reaction.

And that's just the first game. Awakening has some wonderful exchanges as well -- Sigrun and Nathaniel and class privilege; Nathaniel's gentle flirting with Velanna; Justice planting the seeds of doubt in Anders's mind; Sigrun putting Oghren in his place. Nathaniel and Anders and imperfect analogies. Any banter that mentions Ser Pounce-a-lot. Ogrhren, Velanna, and the baby rocks. For such a short game, a lot of character development is packed into those banters, and I love it.

As for DA2, well. Where do I even start? Isabela and Aveline, of course, have to be high on the list; Anders and Varric discussing possible punishments for Bartrand (and the sobering callback in Act 3); Merrill and Fenris and the puppy dog eyes; everything Carver and Merrill ever say to each other; Isabela cutting through the crap about justice as an unattainable ideal; "She is pretty cute."

I'm sure there are dozens I'm forgetting, in all the games, in the DLC. Because this is the strongest aspect of the series: the party characters and the development of their characters and the relationships they have with each other. Maybe they would never have met if it weren't for the Warden and/or Hawke -- the player character is the linchpin that brings them all together -- but they have lives and motivations and relationships outside the PC, especially in DA2. It adds such a richness to the story and to the world; that's what drew me in, and that's what keeps me coming back.

But I haven't answered the question. And probably the answer depends on the day. But here's one that made me laugh, and laugh and laugh:

Zevran: Has anyone told you what marvelous eyes you possess, my dear?
Morrigan: Again with the flattery? Do you not tire from these pointless exercises?
Zevran: In Antiva, women are accustomed to being showered with the praise they deserve. Men should worship you at your feet as you pass.
Morrigan: They don't find that incredibly annoying?
Zevran: They are goddesses receiving their subjects, just as you should be. Whatever would be annoying about that?
Morrigan: I have no wish to be placed upon a pedestal.
Zevran: But you deserve no less. You should be admired by painters, copied by sculptors, exalted by poets! Surely you know that yours is a beauty so exotic it--it would turn the eye of the Maker Himself!
Morrigan: [hesitating] Well, I suppose I...
Alistair: By the Maker! You were right. You win, I guess.
Zevran: Thank you, ser. I expect payment forthwith.
Morrigan: I hate you all.

Complete list of questions