Why Dori Was Absent from Nahida's Birthday Photo

Nahida’s birthday celebration photo captures a significant moment in Sumeru’s history, featuring key figures who played crucial roles in the nation’s transformation. The composition of this group portrait reflects more than mere attendance - it represents a carefully curated gathering of Sumeru’s most influential individuals.

The photo includes prominent figures like Al-Haitham from the Akademiya’s Haravatat school, Cyno as the General Mahamatra, Kaveh the renowned architect, and other distinguished individuals who contributed significantly to Sumeru’s development. Each person in the photograph earned their place through their dedication to Sumeru’s cause and their close relationship with Nahida.

Dori’s absence can be understood through several key factors:

First, Dori’s primary motivation has always been profit. Her interactions with Sumeru’s affairs are typically transactional, focused on business opportunities rather than genuine investment in the nation’s wellbeing. Unlike others in the photo who risked their positions and lives for Sumeru’s future, Dori maintained a strictly commercial relationship with its people and institutions.

Second, while Dori possesses significant wealth and business acumen, she operates outside Sumeru’s core power structure. The birthday photo gathering predominantly features individuals who hold official positions or have demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Nahida and Sumeru’s transformation. Dori’s role as a merchant, though important to the economy, places her in a different social sphere.

The developers' character design for Dori consistently emphasizes her mercantile nature. Even during crucial moments in Sumeru’s history, she approached situations from a business perspective. While she occasionally provided valuable information or resources, these contributions were typically motivated by potential profit rather than dedication to Sumeru’s cause.

This situation mirrors real-world dynamics where commemorative photographs often reflect not just physical presence, but also symbolic representation of power structures and relationships. In Sumeru’s case, the birthday photo serves as a historical document, capturing those who were instrumental in shaping the nation’s destiny under Nahida’s leadership.

The absence of Dori from this significant moment thus reflects both narrative consistency and character development within the game’s storytelling framework. Her continued focus on business ventures in Port Ormos during the celebration perfectly aligns with her established character traits and priorities.