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Solas, Spirit-Speaker, Second to Mythal, Fen'Harel the Dread Wolf, Immortal Definition of the Sunk Cost Fallacy, He Who Makes it Hard Sometimes

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Another snapshot roundup from Veilguard

Two old friends, having an unintelligible chat:

Check this out! (Is this Aang's marble trick in the streets of Treviso?)

The Antaam really hate chairs:

Cheese!

The Lighthouse from Beacon Island:

Shadows in Minrathous:

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I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE, GAME.

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Rook, after busting out of a prison designed to hold ancient gods for an eternity in less than a week:

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The real question Solavellan fans should be wondering:

So uh, immortal being seeking atonement with his love by his side...

His mortal love.

What happens in 50 or so years?

(I already handwaved it in my mind with "Oh it works out so she gets to live forever too, somehow. Fade stuff. Spirit stuff. Something like that." But still...)

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Just cultists looking for a new jerk to follow

"So hear me out... 'Elgar'nan' sounds a lot like 'Elder One'..."

-- The Venatori, probably.

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Solavellan Question:

Why do people think that Solas and the Inky are in his regret prison? I just finished another playthrough and I recorded the convo at the end, so I've watched it a few times. At no point does he say they're going into his regret prison!

He does say he will "seek atonement" and when Lavellan volunteers to come along, he says that where he's going will be "terrible". But he ALSO just said he's going to try to calm the Blight. So he's got two terrible tasks ahead: atonement for the sins of an immortal being who was twisted from his original purpose into the 'elven god of lies, treachery, and rebellion' and the task of dealing with the Blight, which by its very existence makes up the largest portion of his misdeeds.

Part of atoning is making reparations. How would being in some fade prison help that? Hanging around regretting stuff and feeling pissy isn't atoning.

He's now tied to the Fade and is on a path of atonement. He also knows more about the Fade than anyone else. What's in the Fade? The Lighthouse, the Crossroads (with its bustling spirit market! He can get tea! Er, I mean hot cocoa!), the Eluvian network, and the prison holding the Blight (which apparently was about to crumble anyway, so he should get on that first thing).

Did I miss something?

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I love Solas and all, but really...

Solas: I abhor the use of blood magic and if I could control you and mess with your mind I would have done it already!

ten seconds later after he realizes Rook doesn't yet know what happened after they got knocked out.

Solas: immediately uses blood magic to control Rook and mess with their mind.

I do love how perfectly they animated (and acted by GDL) the exact precise moment Solas decided to fuck with Rook.

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Mourn Watch Rook has finished

What a delightful playthrough. I've never been into the Necromage skills in the previous games, but oh lordy they were fun in this one. As much as I loved the Void Blade, I will be hard-pressed not to go the necro route any time I play a mage from here on out.

A Death Caller build is basically a "never need potions, never die" build. Low health? Just slap an enemy with Spirit Bomb to top off and do some explosive damage. Every enemy can be Spirit Bombed. EVERY. ENEMY. Need mana? Channeled thoughts will fill you up. I'd Frost Nova the ground around me and then fill up my mana bar while my companions executed some combos. And yes, you can add passives that let you use health when mana is low, just in case you're really missing the old Blood Mage style.

I usually play on Default difficulty and after a while, it felt like Storyteller. Death Caller is definitely in the top position for class when/if I do a Nightmare run. The only problem is you're pretty squishy till getting Spirit Bomb.

As for background, Mourn Watch gets a lot of extra dialogue and flavor, which was fun. Romancing Emmrich was an utter delight. I made a certain choice regarding his life's dream, and it turned out far more romantic than I thought it would. I am tempted to just romance him again and make the other choice because he was so lovely! His personal questline was also fantastic with great environments and an amazing villain. And he could teach Lucanis a thing or two about romantic dates.

Davrin will be next, with a Warden Rook. I think I'll step outside my mage love and try rogue?

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Speaking of brash rebels

Did Dorian and The Viper hook up in 9:38 while in Cumberland?

The people want to know!

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Battlefield flirtation from Emmrich

"A sound hit, my love!"

Me, having flashbacks to Garrus's "Nice shooting!": 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍!!

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Some more random snapshots around the game:

WTF is this room in the Lighthouse, Solas? Is that a Jabba the Hut Rancor trap in the middle of the floor? You sending people out the Moon Door?

A titan. I mean, I knew they were big...

Lusacan.

Sad Lucanis in his sad room with sad wings on the wall.

This game is really quite pretty.

Best personal quest villain.

Cheese is a dangerous artifact.

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Veilguard things

So, if you talk Mythal onto your side (which is much easier if you have already defeated Anaris, btw) before you fight the Revenant Dragon, she will show up in dragon form to help you fight. It's pretty awesome (and very helpful, since that dragon is a fucking beast).

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If there's a chance to make Solas chuckle, I take it.

And it worked!

This should be the motto of every character I play.

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Emmrich...

I-- He... he calls you "darling" when he praises your work on the battlefield. As if I didn't love this adorable dapper gentleman enough already.

A Mourn Watch Rook who romances Emmrich gives me 30s screwball comedy/mystery vibes, and I am so here for it.

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So apparently I have a type

And it's older Fade-expert men who call my spirit indomitable.

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Mourn Watch Rook has locked in her romance

With Emmrich. He calls her "darling"!

Also, I am very glad to learn the Necropolis has a no corpsefucking policy (though lichs are excepted from that rule, as Emmrich helpfully informed Rook while talking about... stuff.)