#The Docks Games

[retrogamingblog2]

Stardew Valley Nintendo Switch Dock made by LudaWorkshop

[littlescribbs]

"Good things happen, Neve" ... and one of them is being able to kiss you every time I burst into your office 😌

[brekkie-e]

Ok. I am all for giving Veilgaurd the space to be it's own game and appreciate it for what it is, but every time I see a person who openly talks about only getting in to dragon age this year or some other nonsense go off about how long term fans hate the game cause they cant handle change I see red.

I mean, to be a Dragon Age fan, you have to be able to accept change. Change is at the core of the experience. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing is a different question. But if you're a long-term fan of the series, you've succeeded in the task of accepting change.

The criticisms of Veilgaurd are, in my opinion, a little unique to the franchise. For all Inquisition tweaked certain lore and it irritated a lot of people- it did so with self-awareness and intention. I am thinking about how it did the Dalish dirty in many respects. For all I do not agree with that writing direction, the game itself atleast acknowledges it is 1. New information. 2. Dependent on the clan. 3. Gives you the room to roleplay your character according to previously established lore. This is just one example, of course.

Veilgaurd is unique in the fact it ignores much of the series pre-established lore and in no way owns up to it.

I have seen a lot of hateful comments about how Origins hasn't been the framework of the series since 2009. And yeah, sure to a degree that is true. The gameplay certainly got tossed out. But in many ways, Dragon Age 2 is a direct continuation of that world and setting. DA2 and Origins and the lore they established are solid and share a vision. Play as a Mahariel and engage with Merril's clan. It's the same world. The same npc's. Inquisition does not deviate that far from that vision when you look past the companions all playing devil's advocate.

I really don't think everyone disappointed with this game or finding it lacking are "blinded by nostalgia." Most Dragon Age fans will be the first ones to tell you the franchise is a mess. But acting like the games that established it as beloved to it's fans are no longer relevant is so nasty to me. You as a newer fan would not be able to play Veilgaurd if the older fans had not made the previous titles financial successes. If they had not kept the love for the series alive, this new game would never have made it out of development.

The game is good. It's enjoyable to play. It's not without its charms. It should be given room to shine for what it is. It's a miracle we have it given the development journey it went on.

But it's also a massive smack in the face to many people who loved all three previous titles. And that's a bad thing. And I hope future titles remember the lore and tone of the series better.

These two things can both be true.

[sydneystarlights]

The Viper | Ashur and his ties to the chantry

Wanted to compile a post with all possible references I've found (so far) to Viper being the Black Divine both in game and from other sources (I’m brainroting hard and need to ramble.)

In game connections

Starting with the most obvious connection, the Venatori Message by Bataris found during the quest “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting” to save the captured Viper that states that the venatori have heard rumours that the Vipers true identity is that of the scion of the Vesperians, the fruit of at least 4 bloodlines.

And the Cult Victim you rescue during the “Last Rites” prelude quest says that the Venatori mentioned that killing the Viper at the Temple of Andraste specifically would “suit him” thus starting the quest “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting”

Viper himself is confirmed to be a Highblood mage “Born and bred” during the argument he has with Tarquin and that fits with him being the scion of the Vesperians.

Side note-

The tile of the quest to save Viper “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting” is taken from the Chant of Light: Canticle of Exaltations 1:8 "Whatsoever passes through the fire Is not lost, but made eternal; As air can never be broken nor crushed, The tempered soul is everlasting!"

Which ties into saving Viper from being executed at the Temple of Andraste, but also could tie into his connection with the Chantry itself.

In the Codex entry: Different Flavors of Andraste Harding mentions that the current divine is Aequitas II and the youngest son of Corimer Vesperian as mentioned in the codex Neve’s Case Notes: Maevaris Tilani. Said Case note codex further elaborates on how Aequitas II Vesperian was supportive of Maevaris and Dorian’s Lucerni faction.

In an ambient conversation between Tarquin and Viper, Tarquin directly implies that Viper has at least some power in the Chantry, asking him why he cannot do anything about Knight-Commander Lenos since Lenos answers to the Chantry.

The Vesperians have ties to house Tilani. Maevaris taking the Lucerni underground and the Viper happening to be one of the leaders on par with both her and Dorian is noteworthy.

With Viper having power in the Chantry, the Venatori rumours about him being Aequitas II, him being a highblood like the Divine is, and his closeness with Dorian and Maevaris him being the Black Divine fits.

Datamines

Now, the datamined lines are cut content and not present in the final game, but with all the evidence that is already in the game they're important to note.

Firstly, a direct quote remarking on Viper being the Divine 

(shout out to amirdrassil on twitter for originally posting this script line and starting my downward spiral into the insanity of spending hours going over the script myself and going through frosty editor for the game files)

Second script thing is from a whole conversation between what seems to be Rook, Viper, and Lucanis where Viper is referred to as “Your Holiness”

The conversation is pretty jumbled with how the scripts formatted but it seems like Viper might?? of been Lucanis contact who found out where Zara was for him, since Zara is found in the Treviso Chantry. 

The Third is a reference to his “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting” quest, it's unclear who is speaking the lines but it directly comments on Vipers ties to the Chantry.

[Editing to add another script pic] While these lines from mae to viper are vague, with the codex that mentions that house Tilani has ties to the Vesperians it felt relevant enough to add.

Extras

This section is more or less unrelated conjecture but still some fun things to note.

On page 206 of the art book Docktown is described as "We thought of it like Gotham City from Batman: The Animated Series. A less-grim Sin City with magic instead of guns.”

And on page 208 Viper is described as Minrathous’s equivalent of the Shadow.

The Shadow is one of Batman's main inspirations drawing a clear parallel between docktown and gotham and Viper and Batman. The Vipers secret identity then being of someone of very high importance further fits with the Batman thing he has going on, since Bruce Wayne isn't just a generic normal rich guy he’s on another standing from that. (Also the picture of Viper no mask and with hair looks so similar to depictions of bruce wayne haha)

Bonus things I'm including for fun that have vipers religion influencing things he does: Viper repeating a part of the Chant of Light: Canticle of Trials 1:2 during the memorial for the dead shadow dragons.

And the codex on the pawn shop and how Viper totally chose it partially due to its relevance to Shartan and Andraste, adorable.

[unsanctitude]

cracks open my coffin lid to show my newest disgusting old person furry

[reagan-the-saunders]

Seascapes Of Thedas

[dykedvonte]

I think it’s so ironic that the Pony Express escapes a lot if not all blame in discussion. I can’t even say I am excused from it but it’s just how hard people circle back to the characters alone without considering the environment they were made to be in.

Why would they design a ship where only two of the rooms lock? Not the bathroom? Not the sleeping quarters? We assume that all the companies in the universe are this shallow and careless to their workers but we explicitly know the Pony Express in extra vile. They are fed processed slop pack they can’t even really cook and the ration of those pack is meager at best. They hired and made people with a plethora of conflicting demeanors and beliefs work together on a mission where cohesion is important if not an outright necessity and punish them for not being happy about it. There’s no social protocols, not chain of command other than Captain’s word/choice and the only way to enforce that is with a literal firearm. They don’t allow them to celebrate freely and even took away leisure activities that would make them less stir crazy. They are only allowed a few hours of sleep despite their being no other real responsibilities or work on the ship, no matter the position or its importance. With any crew, with any level of synergy, this was a powder keg waiting for a spark.

I’m not saying characters that made mistakes didn’t make huge ones, but I think part of the horror is that at least for some (this is targeting Jimathan) those mistakes are partly made by a force of the hand. There’s a running theme of lack of choice and being forced into something and the very nature of how The Pony Express expected them to function plays a big part.

[olrinarts]

Day 10: Bishop's Relic, with bonus short featuring sheep lore and a very nervous Lamb

[valgeristik]

let him fish in peace, he earned it....

Vetted Gaza Evacuation Fundraiser List

E-sims donation

[zackstriker]

just had a bizarre dipnpip dream where dan uploaded a video of him proposing to phil but dan filmed the entire thing himself (like, holding the camera) so the video was from his perspective and the camera was WAY too close to phil’s face the entire time?? the video was called “how to impress people with only 3 coins” and for some reason his big proposal speech involved him throwing 3 different american pennies off a dock? then the next day phil uploaded a scripted funny skit video where their characters were husbands so the phandom was having Major Discourse over if dans video was a skit too because it was Such A Bad Proposal and dipnpip had to be like “yall plz we were serious”

[ceadogart]

this guy has to think about food at like... every second of the day

[retrogamingblog2]

Nintendo Switch Plant Dock made by 3DPrintedCanada

[searchsystem]

Analogue / Pocket & Dock / Video Game Console / 2019

[opbackgrounds]

I can’t decide which is funnier, this expression, or the idea itself

[crossdressingdeath]

Seeing people whine about the Crows being softened because their training methods don't get discussed is so funny to me because... well one I'm informed de Riva can straight up say their training was torture at one point (I don't know where it comes up exactly but I've been informed it is there) in conversation with Lucanis (y'know, another Crow and not an outsider), but aside from that... the Crows we meet are not going to talk about any issues they have with their superiors, first because Rook is either a complete outsider or the Fifth Talon's favourite and second because we mostly get the chance to talk to Crows during situations where they can actually talk and aren't in the middle of something significantly more urgent than talking to Rook in the Diamond where Teia and Viago are literally standing right there why would the Crows talk shit about their bosses when said bosses are very obviously within earshot. Like there are things to be said about how I doubt Teia and Viago are cruel to their trainees (Teia's too idealistic and Viago's too pragmatic, they're not going to go easy on the fledglings but they're not going to be excessively cruel, at least as far as Crow standards go; it's made very clear that the houses all do things differently, Houses de Riva and Cantori in 9:52 being different from House Arainai in 9:30 is not a retcon) but more importantly you are basically never in a position where any Crow who did have an issue with it (which Zevran acknowledges in DAO isn't all of them, remember; the Crows have never actually been set up as an organization where every member outside the highest ranks is a victim forced into it against their will and desperate to get out so no Lucanis talking about recruits who joined willingly and not telling the non-Crow he's talking to that sometimes they also buy recruits isn't a retcon either) would speak to you about it. It's not a retcon for Bioware to not have characters pause to bring up things they logically would not talk about with Rook! They're expecting you to pay attention to what's happening, not just what's being explicitly stated! A lot of it is in de Riva and Lucanis's dialogue (since unsurprisingly two friends who are both in the Crows are a lot more willing to discuss the downsides of the organization they both belong to in private conversation) and the rest is mostly in side stuff like that one quest where you can help a Crow run away with an ex-Venatori they've fallen in love with because their superiors will probably kill them for it. It is there, Bioware just didn't put the story on pause to go "did you know that the assassin's guild does bad things? May we remind you that the things you've known about for three games are still a thing?" like they were reading a story to toddlers. As far as I'm aware at least as far as the Crows go nothing has been actively contradicted, we're just seeing a different aspect of the organization.

[waspgrave]

now there was no reason for lucanis to be given purple johnny silverhand as a plot point and then never have the purple johnny silverhand utilized except for maybe 3 or 4 times in the game (if you saved Treviso, otherwise it's twice) and dialogue. Dialogue where he pretty much just says weird and funny things and occasionally gets scolded like a dog which is entertaining sure but there is Literally A Demon In One Of The Companions Why Is This Not A Bigger Deal