#but even with that one I think flemeth says Hawke is special?

[a-shakespearean-in-paris]

“Rook ascends because of competency, not because of a magical macguffin”

So this was a quote from the new game informer article about DAV, and honestly…that’s what I loved about the Inquisitor.

The inquisitor is the inquisitor because of sheer dumb luck. The character you select just happens to be the one that overhears Corypheus during the ritual. It truly could have been anyone who grabbed the orb—you just selected the person that happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Because of their resilience however, partly because of more sheer dumb luck (falling through a tunnel during the avalanche after corypheus’s assault) they are made inquisitor. It was an interesting curbing of expectations of the chosen one narrative that we don’t typically see.

I’m glad the Rook has a different background than the inquisitor, but I don’t agree with the simplification of the inquisitor’s role. It’s one instance of pretty clever and meta writing in my opinion.

[my-dumb-obsessions]

Something to consider w/r/t HAnders:

Hawke can express an interest in shapeshifting after meeting Flemeth in the da2 prologue. Anders can be taught shapeshifting magic by the hero of Ferelden in Awakening. If Anders is taught shapeshifting in awakening, to my knowledge it’s never mentioned or acknowledged in DA2.

Could you imagine Hawke finding out that Anders can shapeshift into animals this whole time and didn’t tell them?

Interesting thought, so considering that the shapeshifting specialization is something done by "barbarian" mages (hedge mages, witches, etc.) and some Dalish mages, it's not something he would have learned in the Circle. Given the timeline and the characters we know, that means the most likely person to teach Anders to shapeshift would be Velanna (unless the Warden is a mage with that spec; my Amell was a blood mage/arcane warrior/battlemage). I wholeheartedly support this idea because I want him and Velanna to be friends.

Given what Morrigan says about how it's done and having to study the animal and get into its head to assume its form, I imagine Anders would only know a few forms - specifically, a cat (thanks to Ser Pounce) and probably some birds he could study in the eyries of Vigil's Keep, so one or more kinds of falcon/kestrel/hawk (haha). A dragon is way above his pay grade, and he wouldn't have had much opportunity to study a living dragon up close. Bird forms might be semi-useful in combat or scouting, but both cat and bird would be super handy for him in hiding from Templars. Even if they raided the clinic, he could get to those high windows to escape.

So, my Hawke, who isn't a mage but loves him dearly would be grateful that he has that option, might be a little put out that he didn't trust her with that knowledge since it would have made her less fearful for his safety early on, but ultimately understand.

A mage Hawke who wanted to learn would probably give him crap about the dragon thing until they realized he doesn't know it and can't teach them, and that he just didn't think it was all that useful to bring up. They'd still probably ask him to teach them how to become a hawk though :)

[felassan]

Faces of Thedas Part 1

(Part 2 is here)

Soooo I came across what seems to be the whole of Faces of Thedas free online. 0: 

I’m picking through it and there’s some cool/interesting stuff in there. these parts were the highlights and most notable bits for me so far. not suggesting this is all new or that these things are all good, just that they were what stood out most to me.

- it specifically notes that it’s a useful guide to their characters, with their histories and personalities carefully researched and detailed. i.e. it’s official information. I do have to say there are quite a few typos (Par Vallon? Kal-shirok? Teveinter? Bartran? Sa arebas? bit sloppy) and even several lore-errors in it. not a big deal, just you’d think it’s the kind of thing they would have caught during editing and proof-reads

- blond hair and blue eyes are distinctive features of Anderfels mountain men

- Leliana’s features are very Fereldan

- it describes Cass as a “cactus patch” LOL, dragon-hunting as a limited field with just two classes of practitioners - “skilled” and “deceased” - and lists Anders’ Awakening-era equipment as including Ser Pounce-a-lot (yey!) and dried mackerel (yuk). includes notable quotes from some of the characters; Dog’s is “Woof!” (of course). Varric is totally making Cass a character in his next bestseller. Cole’s equipment list ends “and an unusual hat”. Stitches is one of the best healers in Ferelden. Dalish the Charger is a flirt. Varric’s allegiances include “the Champion of Kirkwall”. ;__; Harding’s role is “Adorably Sarcastic Lead Scout”, and her family mabari Contessa weighs 170 pounds. an aside, but descriptions of Origins-era Anders cause him to strike me as an Enneagram 7

- if Hawke killed Anders for his actions at the end of DAII, disciples (like-minded mages) elevated him to martyrdom for his valiant blow against their oppressors. if Anders lived, after the Kirkwall Rebellion he’s not only a pariah but arguably the most universally despised person alive in all of Thedas. even among the Rebel Mages he’s considered an extremist, and there’s apparently hardly a mage alive who’s in any way pleased with his actions 8| according to this book, hundreds died when Kirkwall Chantry blew up

- one of Alistair’s few indulgences as King was commissioning a custom pike designed specially for him. it’s a masterwork ironbark twohanded spear, and was inspired by Oghren’s old off-color jokes about pike-twirling.

- “Alistair is one of the few truly good people in Thedas”

- he sees siring Morrigan’s child as a fate worse than death

- whatever her outcome, Anora remains a Queen of Ferelden in her heart

- Leliana is still the girl that had a pet nug she named Schmooples, despite it all

- after the Fifth Blight, Dog was allowed to rest/retire, settle down, find a mate, and produce many Mabari pups. these pups share the ferocity of their father, and could prove equally valuable companions to those worthy of their loyalty. after his passing, there’s a good chance that interested parties would be after his bones to display them as a prize or curio.

- far from just using the network of mirrors to hamper both sides in the Orlesian Civil War, back when Briala had control of the eluvians she also used them to bring food to alienages, gaining the support of City Elves in the process, and to aid elves in other ways too. she’s also noted to have been doing what she could to gain the support of the Dalish, and that her logic was that the longer she could drag out and harry the Orlesian war effort, the more time she would have to free her People from their bonds. her goals are for all of the elves of Orlais, City and Dalish both, and she’s making efforts to bring unity between the two. in the Orlesian court she spends time, through intrigue, supporting nobles who support elves and tearing down those who do not. Briala is bae ok I added that last bit myself

- “Many Dalish don’t see city elves as being truly elves and so don’t see any particular reason to help them, and for that matter why would anyone want to have equality with a shem?”

- in need of an Inquisitor to head up their soon-to-be-hatched recreation of the Inquisition of old, and potential allies of the Chantry and the Divine, Leliana had set out in search of the Hero of Ferelden while Cassandra sought Hawke.

- rogue Seekers as well as the templars and rebel mages were in attendance at the Conclave. before the sky opened, Cassandra and Varric were supposed to address the Conclave, so that Varric could recount his tale of the Champion

- I like this snippet on Cass’s development: “introspection is a difficult skill to learn, however, and her brash impulsiveness often leaves her deeply chagrined or ashamed of mistakes that could have been avoided had she taken time to consider before rushing to judgement. Or to paraphrase her own recriminations, recent events taught her anything, it’s the extent of her own ignorance and short-sightedness.” I like to think this sort of reflection and development applies to her looking back on some of the ill-thought comments she made early in the course of DA:I, like asking Lavellan “Isn’t there room for another god?” and similar.

- Cass and Galyan could never make a stable, serious relationship, but they did get together when they could and harbored feelings for each other right up until he died at the Conclave Q.Q

- “Celene does, in fact, have sympathy for the elves,”    ಠ_ಠ

- Cole perceives pain as very nearly a physical thing with which he can interact. his unhesitating stream-of-consciousness recounting of peoples’ most painful memories occurs because he wants to excise the pain by exposing it and helping his subject through it

- This part on how Dorian can potentially be used by GMs in campaigns: “Dorian provides a strong candidate for a high-society Tevinter who would employ the heroes. Due to his position in Tevinter nobility as well as his experience in researching arcane lore, he would be able to provide access to Tevinter archives or artifacts in return for tasks the party performs for him.” Echoes of Dorian’s role in Dragon Age 4, perhaps?

- idk i just really like the parallels in the Grey Warden order recalling Fiona to Weisshaupt and making the shocking discovery that she was cured of the Taint, and the order recalling the Hero of Ferelden upon learning that no Warden died to deal the killing blow on the Archdemon, if Morrigan’s ritual was completed

- literally everything about Fiona

- Fiona’s silverite battlemage staff is emblazoned with the Theirin coat of arms.. my heart...

- the lil section on romancing Harding

- bit more insight into Qunari views on gender and trans people

- an alternate version of the story of Flemeth and Conabar; Flemeth was betrothed to the poet Osen, but they were very poor. The nobleman Conabar struck a deal with Osen to buy her. she agreed but Conabar recanted, claiming he had no money to pay. he killed Osen and imprisoned her. she called upon the demon to aid her, but it only became her guide and never possessed her. she killed Conabar and fled.

- Harding’s calling cards in guerrilla warfare are latrines booby-trapped with Antivan Fire or hornet nests. a former bard and fellow scout even immortalized one such escapade in a spectacularly graphic limerick

- Josie’s dangerousness, hardworkingness, talent, formidableness and high sense of personal responsibility/ethics is emphasized 👏 “she is one of the most gifted communicators and stateswomen alive”!!

- the Charger Dalish “hails from a secret group of elves. It has long been thought that the elves had regained the secrets to lost magic, and Dalish is living proof”.

[cosmiciaria]

In defense of Dragon Age 2 (review - no spoilers - long post!)

It seems I'm only allowed to play games in disorder, because I played this one after Inquisition, and guess what I'm almost at the end of now (yes, you guessed it, Origins). But it's not a problem for me, because after I *checks notes* ejem, played, uhm, like nine playthroughs of Inquisition, cof, cof, I've learned all the tiny details and branches and possible endings of each installment. So this game's story wasn't a surprise in many aspects – although there were still things I didn't know or I didn't expect.

So DA2 is the black sheep of the family, and somehow I can see why. It differs greatly from the origin prologue you get to play in the first one, and the silent protagonist is gone, replaced by an already created and established character, Hawke. Hawke can be male or female, mage, rogue or warrior – but they are only human. We are ripped off of the option of choosing between races.

And that's not the only thing the game takes away from us – we are used to travel around Ferelden, searching for allies, to fight the Archdemon, because the End is Nigh and we Must Save the World united with friends and so on – here, it's just a city. We only get to know Kirkwall, a Free Marches city that used to be owned by the Imperium and now rejoices in its so-called freedom. Kirkwall consists in some neighborhoods and some notorious buildings, but that's it. It's just the city. And I daresay, it's another protagonist of the game.

Yes, you get to go outside a few times – you even go through the ( I don't know WHY) still mandatory Deep Roads quest and whatnot – but the main storyline will still happen inside the city walls.

And that's… not so bad. But I'll get there in a moment.

So you play as Hawke, the older sibling of the Hawke family. You're escaping from Lothering, which you may remember from Origins – yes, it's the same town you visit right after Ostagar. Lothering has been overrun by darkspawn and so you take your mother and your two younger twin siblings with you: Carver, a warrior, and Bethany, an apostate mage.

In your way to the port, you come across Aveline, a well seasoned captain, and her husband Wesley, a templar. Wesley isn't in a very good condition but you still allowed them both to join your escape.

It isn't so long before the darkspawn reach you, and you make your last stand here.

Now, in this part of the prologue, what matters the most is the class you chose for Hawke. If Hawke is a mage, Bethany, the other mage, will perish at the hands of the ogre that is leading this barricade of darkspawn. If Hawke is a warrior/rogue, it will be Carver the one who makes the ultimate sacrifice so his family would survive. As I have stated in my Inquisition review, I love mages, so of course I created a mage Hawke, and so I watched Bethany, so young and rebellious, die in front of my eyes (Wesley, Avelin's husband, dies as well but we don't care much for him sorry not sorry).

Choosing a class isn't a minor or just a gameplay thing here, because it leads to two very different stories. Carver is resentful with you, he blames you for the death of his twin, and he can't get over the idea that you (and him, as well) are being hunted by templars. He can even become a templar if you choose the required options – so ironic, you a mage and your own brother a templar! His inferiority complex makes it really hard to get on well with him. Bethany, on the other hand, seems to care more for her older sibling, and bears a great admiration for their father, who was a mage and the one who taught her everything. She's guilty over the fact her family is doing everything they can to protect her from the templars and the Circle, and her attitude towards Hawke always follow that line. Her destiny has more options than Carver, though, so it makes me think that maybe Bethany was the "canon" sibling who survived – Still, I always play as a mage so I'm used to Carver by now and it feels kind of contradictory to see Bethany alive and well.

Amidst the chaos, a dragon appears, stretching its wings – it destroys the rest of the darkspawn, and soon we see that it's not just a beast. It transfigures into a human, quite known for us DA's fans: Flemeth, the Witch of the Wilds, Morrigan's mother. She's saved us, but of course she wants a little favor in return, nothing too problematic. For those who are wondering "but HEY I killed Flemeth in Origins", well this encounter happens before you do that. And if you know anything about Flemeth is that she always comes back.

Finally, you reach destination, the almighty Kirkwall, with its columns that seems to go on forever into the sky. Here, you'll start over. Here, you'll pave your way to your future. And the plot begins!

The story is divided into three well marked acts: the first Act you'll be saving money to go on an expedition to the Deep Roads to gain enough coin and reclaim the Hawke estate in Kirkwall; the second Act has you going around playing the diplomatic link between the Viscount and the Qunari who have made the city their headquarters; and the third Act, well, everything blows up. Literally, I might add.

Between the prologue and Act 1, one years passes. Between Act 1 and 2, three more years go by; and finally, Act 3 happens three years later as well. The whole story takes up like 8 years or more inside the same city. This… wasn't a good decision on the developers, in my opinion, but I'll say it after I talk a little about the characters.

First we have Hawke, our Champion. Their personality varies between diplomatic – sarcastic – upfront and direct. And this time is easier to know because gone are the days with the many responses available and now we have the wheel which shows you an icon displaying the "tone" of your reply. If there's something common across all the Hawkes you can create, is that they care for their family, they want to recover what's theirs, and there's no stopping them. They are loved by those around them and seen as a leader. Loyalty is a powerful word here, which will play a big part in the final act, because only those who are truly loyal to you will remain by your side. And it's endearing, really, to see the support of those characters that accompanied you the whole game. Oh, and they have voices. I say this because in Origins we have a silent protagonist (which took me aback considering I played Inquisition and 2 prior), and they are so well portrayed it makes them more human and approachable.

Now that we are on that topic, voice acting here is just FLAWLESS. I can't get over Gideon's voice for that stupid elf damn it.

Alright so, just like in the other games, you can recruit companions. I already spoke a little about Carver and Bethany, who are playable… for a time, at least. 

This is the first time we come across Varric, our favorite storyteller. Varric isn't only just your best bud for life here, but he's also the one telling Hawke's story: he'd been abducted by Cassandra Pentaghast (yes, the one from Inquisition) who wants to interrogate him about the Champion. Varric is like your north in the game, he's always there for you, he's always supporting you, he doesn't take sides, he's funny, he's welcoming and he cares so much that I want to hug him. Goodest best friend forever.

Aside from him, you'll be crossing paths with Aveline again, now a soldier in the guard. Aveline is the correct type of person: she takes pride in her job, she wants things to get done well, following the rules. She respects honor, dignity and justice, and she doesn't approve of taking advantage of "illegal" situations and underground activities. If she's on your good side, you'll get a great supporter and a great friend, who will got your back, always.

Fenris is an elf who comes from the Tevinter Imperium – if we know anything of Tevinter apart from its blood mages, it's that they are slavers. Fenris used to be a slave who managed, somehow, to escape from his master. He bears a burning hatred towards the Vints, mages and every slaver out there. He always remarks he's a free man and he will disapprove of your support for the mages or any kind of sympathy towards slavery. So much so, that I started my relationship with him in -10 because I was a mage.

Merril is a dalish elf whom you'll be recruiting after finishing Flemeth's little favor. Merril is a blood mage, and she doesn't see the demons as enemies, but rather friends. She intends to leave her clan and go live in the city, because she's sure she can help her kin from outside instead of remaining cloistered and secluded inside. This will grant her the dislike of all her clan's members, but that doesn't stop her. She's naïve, she doesn't seem to understand most of human customs, and she's quite direct because she can't see through sarcasm or white lies. She's the purest of the team, although her abilities may tell you otherwise.

Isabela isn't new for us, if you come from Origins. Here she'll be joining us again after losing her ship. Her intentions remain a mystery most of the game, but let's just say she's quite involved with the plot of the second act. She's a forced to be reckoned with: she doesn't mess around when things need to be done and she gets them done in her own way. I'm still a bit spiteful about her because she abandoned my team after the second act, although I thought I was doing everything right!

Sebastian is only available through the Exiled Prince DLC – he's a chantry brother whose family was brutally murdered and his estate back in Starkhaven lies headless. He's conflicted about whether to remain in the chantry or go back to reclaim his land. He's righteous, he doesn't accept any rule breaking and, to be honest, he's pretty dull – specially if you're trying to romance him only because of those shiny blue eyes. The fact that he only joins you after Act 1 supports this allegation, in the way that he's not available through the first part for party banter, which always adds a lot of more depth to the characters you're playing with.

And at last… we have Anders. For those of you who played Origins' expansion, Awakening, Anders isn't a new character either. This time, though, it's not just Anders: he's possessed by a spirit of Justice, the same Justice we meet in Awakening. Anders remains in control most of the time, but when he loses it or when he enters the Fade, it's Justice the one who takes over. Anders serves as a healer in Kirkwall, helping refugees for free. He wants to move on from his past as a Grey Warden and he fights for the rights of the mages who are being hunted by the templars. Oh, man, of course I would fall for the subversive mage! Boy was I deceived… He plays a large role in the final battle, which, depending on your choices and your principles, will change your view of him forever. Let's just say that he's a pretty hated character in the franchise.

In this game you'll have choices as well, and your comments and actions will bear points of friendship or rivalry with your companions. This doesn't mean that if you get 100 rivalry points with one of them they'll abandon you, no, it doesn't work like in Origins or in Inquisition. Here you have to see the bar in both directions: the closer it is to one of the extremes, the better. The danger zone is the central one: if you have little points of friendship or of rivalry, the companion is likely to abandon you. This is what happened to me with Isabela: I had a good chunk of friendship points with her, but it seems I needed to max them out, which I didn't, and thus she flew away, goodbye. You can even romance characters with high rivalry points, and their romance plays a little different because of it. As it says, it's "rivalry" and not "deep hatred with death wishes", so maybe it spices some things up in your relationship.

Each companion will have their own questline that stretches across all three acts, and if you want to have all your team available by the end of the game, I recommend you do them. Although… well, you won't have the whole team, but I won't spoil it for you.

So I mentioned before I would talk about why the eight year story decision wasn't a good take for me after speaking a little about the characters – well, it's simple. In those three year gaps, the story acts as if nothing happens. Yes, sometimes the characters say "hey, I haven't seen you in a while" or "that thing happened three years ago" or whatever, but it doesn't work well. For instance, if you romance Fenris, you'll sleep with him in the second act, and then he goes away, seemingly not wanting to continue with the relationship. Three year pass, and then you resume your romancing with him, and he's like "yes, idk why I left that night I so regret it lol" DUDE, you're like just two meters away from Hawke's house, are you truly telling me you didn't talk to them after what happened in these three years? 

The story plays as if there are no gaps in time. In fact, if you take away Varric's narration, which states that x amount of time happens between act and act, you won't even notice it! And that's the thing: I don't know why they chose to do this. I mean, I guess I understand the point, they wanted Hawke to make their own name, to be known and loved by the citizens as years went by, they wanted them to start in rags and rise to fortune, I get it. But something similar was accomplished with the Inquisitor in the third game: time passes, I believe almost a year, and you feel the love and respect you've earned from your companions. It didn't take my Inquisitor eight years for that. It didn't even take her half a month to get Cullen in love with her ok sorry. What I mean is, the eight years thing isn't well developed, and characters act as if no such time had passed, and the story is planned as well like that. It's almost as though they wanted to stray as far as possible from Origins in terms of design and choices, which is a great idea, but some things just don't add up.

For example, in Inquistion's expansion, Trespasser, two years have passed. And here you see, you feel that your characters have been away for long. They've all been following their own paths and when they finally reunite they catch up and speak about their futures and what they want for themselves. It truly feels like two years have passed. There's a huge impasse between the ending and the expansion, which marks a milestone, and you can understand why all these characters haven't seen each other for a while. Whereas between Act 1 and 2… it's like… yeah we went to the Deep Roads and yeah… hmm… Varric really three years and you still didn't hear of your brother or… wait is this letter by Carver just sent? I mean he's been away too long now but he could always send me letters why wait three years…. and so on. It breaks the continuity. In fact, it doesn't only do that, but it also makes your characters stupid. Are you telling me Anders has been in love with me for three years and he still hadn't done anything?? What are you, fifteen?

But apart from that, I believe this game is really good. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I enjoyed the mechanic regarding your siblings: their appearance changes depending of what preset for the face and skintone you choose for Hawke. I like the idea that only one of the twins is available throughout the game. I like that the gameplay has been improved from Origins, I love that as a mage you feel so destructive with all those spells, I love that it's fast paced and more colorful. I got also really involved with some of the companions, specially Anders, Fenris and Aveline. I love that, even though they may disagree with you on some topics, they still remain by your side if you were a good friend, because that's what friendship's about. Friendship/rivalry here feels like a human thing, something quite relatable, instead of just shoving gifts onto your companion so they'd like you better. I like that somehow all of your companions are entangled with what happens in the city, and this leads me to my final point about why DA2 is still a good game.

Kirkwall. Our vedette. Our goddess. Kirkwall is the scenario for 90% of the events of the game. We're not saving the world here. We just want the peace for the city. Who should rule? Whose forces should Hawke support? Is Hawke good enough to be Viscount? Are the templars doing a good job? Or is Knight-Captain Meredith going too far?

Political intrigue. And just one city. Not all of Ferelden. Just one bad person trying to control the strings in this small portion of land, not an army of zombies or a dragon ready to consume the world. I love that the plot is just restrained to this small thing, because it lets you go deeper into everyone's stories, and it doesn't mean that it gets less epic, on the contrary. I enjoyed the final boss here way more than I did with Corpypheus in Inquisition. Here Meredith has an actual goal and she's acting upon what she thinks it's right, and at some point and to some extent, she's right! But her methods are questionable, in the least. She's not just a bad guy for the sake of being a bad guy, like it happens with Corypheus. She's bad, but she has her reasons.

You don't get to know a lot of people, because you just know those who live in Kirkwall. The familiarity, the warmth of its streets, it's like you've been living there as well, sharing with these characters and learning about their pasts. Instead of allowing you to see a huge picture with hundreds of characters involved, you just focus on those you care about, explore them more in depth. Sometimes covering everything doesn't lead you anywhere, so it might be better with just a handful of well written plot points and characters.

I'm not saying that Origins is the worst because of this, because it seems like I'm hating on it. In fact, I can't still speak much of it because I haven't finished my route yet (although I know how it ends). I'm just saying that Origins is good, that Inquisition is good, and that DA2 is also good. It's different, but still a good game. Sometimes you're tired of playing as the chosen one hero who must save the world, and maybe saving one city is enough for your heroic career.

I loved the game. I loved that it pushed my beliefs of helping the mages to the limit, to the point of questioning myself. I loved that it played tricks on me like that with the romance option. I loved the sarcastic Hawke, such a well written script. Also, Cullen is here so of course I'd love it.

Just… don't hate it that much. And if you still haven't played it, give it a shot. You might be surprised.

[tenderthings-archive]

mothers. (ladies of thedas #6)

rating: t

word count: 1k~

prompt: “family & home

summary: the mother we’ve known throughout the series, including leandra hawke; kalah brosca; fiona; morrigan; eleanor cousland; and flemeth.

warning(s): mentioned & depicted child abuse, alcoholism, death

a/n: i’m so busy, this’ll have to be my last addition. i really wanted to write this piece, however, so here it is.

for ladies of thedas appreciation week 2018: (x)

i. “You don’t know my mother.”

Malcolm promises open skies, fields of gold, a farm stretching as far as the eye can see. He gives her that, in Lothering. His brown skin glistens, bones finally free, working the land. She stays indoors, a hand on her swollen belly, feet sore. Fingers poised for needlework learn how to peel, cut, and scrape together a meal barely fit for dogs. Her eldest is bright and growing like a weed. All her clothes and toys will be passed down, so Leandra tells her to be careful, but she runs and dances in the grass. A twinkle on her fingertips, happy, hotter than the sun. Then, she comes home with half her dress in cinders, soot mixed with sweat.

Leandra yells until her voice breaks, a two-year old faced with every ache and bad day no woman her age should know. Little Hawke runs, in tears, her father behind her. A panicked glance back. The front door slams. Leandra stays in the kitchen, if it can be called that. She loves her husband. She loves her children, but it takes returning to Kirkwall to realize she never loved her life with them.

ii. “Dust town, it sticks to the skin.”

Two men come, two men leave. There’s a joke to be made, so she makes it, then takes another swing. It irks to know they’re both girls. At least Rica has pretty skin and ruby hair, like her father or maybe her mother, before the dirt sunk in. The younger one stays out of sight so it’s hard to remember if she’s pretty, or dead, or pretty dead. Some days, she forgets whose who, or if she had one or three or none. Other days, she puts down the bottle and cries all night. By morning, she’s drunk again. Rica teaches her sister how to stop hurting every time she yells, spits, hits. Within a few years, baby Brosca stops flinching and starts swinging her fists. Her eldest holds back  tears when she returns from her first job, covered bruises. Kalah says nothing when she pries the pennies from her daughter’s bawled, swollen fingers.

If sorrow had a smell, it would be their mother’s rancid breath. Rica makes her sister promise to never drink. (Does it count if its blood?)

iii. “My mother was a serving girl at the castle.”

The older she grows, the less cruel winter feels. With the world covered in snow, she imagines children tucked away, safe and warm in their beds. A mother kissing their foreheads goodnight; a father shutting the door behind her. At last, content. Her baby, now a man, with holes in his socks and a thick coat hand-stitched by someone he loves, speaks to the crowd. Like Maric, he glows. The people are drawn to his radiance, his cheer, his laugh. There is so little of Fiona in him. His ears, for one, but his smile— With a tremble, she realizes he has her smile. At this distance, who could be sure, but she could hold a mirror to her face, see all her lines, her pain, her dark skin, and find her smile again. 

As the snowflakes fall, Fiona steps back from the crowd, a king’s voice calling for family. Union. Sacrifice. Her heart is full and, for a moment, healed. She laughs when light peeks through the cold and the white city streets shimmer, like her son’s eyes. She walks freely at last.

iv. “Now the sharp edges have worn away. Perhaps it was Kieran.”

She never names the boy by her side while she serves the empress. She never raises her voice beyond a mummer, a sing-song sigh before he returns to her, giggling. She never pulls him along, only offers an outstretched hand that he takes, every time. She never chastises him for his love of all things occult, ethereal and untouchable. She never chases him unless he wants her to, running through a hall of mirrors, laughs echoing, a chill spreading through the palace. She never kisses him in public, but peppers his face with frantic worry when he disappear for an hour too long, a pull from beyond the Veil tickling at his feet. She never wants for anything but him, safe. She never tries anything but her best, facing down an old god, offering her soul, only to be saved by someone very much like her old friend.

He never dreams the same way again, but his mother will always be there to hold back the darkness.

v. “Goodbye, darling.”

In her youth, men tripped over their own feet to meet her on the battlefield. It warms her heart to know her daughter will be the same— rattling her older brother half to death, a bucket of grasshoppers found with his things. Eleanor bites her lip and elbows her husband for laughing along. She takes her by the ear, then wears out the other with talk of ladies, manners, and rules. A bruised-kneed child blooms before her eyes. In time, Eleanor stops trying to make a rose out of her; she’s already covered in thorns. Instead, she holds her hand as tight as she can and kisses each knuckle. She goes back to the nights spent counting her baby girl’s fingers and toes. She jumped so much in her belly, Bryce was scared she’d be born a toad.

Now, she counts her freckles, eyelashes, scars, birthmarks, the days spent together, the years they will now be apart. She recollects everything, every memory and apology never spoken but understood, if only to breathe what she can back into Bryce’s body. When the soldiers come, she is alone but she doesn’t die feeling so.

vi. “I am many things, but I will not be the mother you were to me.

She remembers all of them: the first girl dying in her arms, less than an hour old, and every baby after that. The last one is special, however. Charged by a thunder storm on the night of her birth, only to discover she was small, barely breathing. Too little godliness in her but plenty of the earth. She took to nature and breathed in the rage, rot, and reward of the old woods, yet coveted mankind’s toys. A magpie twisted into a raven, wings blackened, a shade more beautiful than even her mother. It was never jealousy, rarely greed, every time she bent the child’s arm and told her to be savage, not exotic. There is no greater cruelty than love. She learned faster than the others, but grew, gnarled, as a willow tree. Rarely, did her babies ever weep, but Morrigan cried. Morrigan cried until she was empty, then she was cold, then she was gone.

Mythal chides her for ever  thinking she was too soft, too different from the People. Flemeth silences her for the first time in a thousand years. Looking down at her sleeping grandson, she knows softness was never the problem. Motherhood was.

[perahn]

Translation Meme Extended

So I loved that snippet of Andraste’s Cupcakes I Google Translated into Tajik and back again so much I decided to do the whole story. Some of it got disturbing... but I laughed so hard.

An elderly woman is weak. He was traveling long and unbearably, and he was abusive, even in Tehran, the best in Kirkwall, with the help of the washing machines and shining candles for the company. The girl should be better. She had a long white coaster with a long sauce. It's back in its shop. "They ... the cup of dust from the stomach to the stomach." He throws it into the rock and the trunk and brought it to the eye. After a cup, a young woman is standing at the door. It was so beautiful that 100 bridges strengthened each hundred sheets that filled hundreds of clips (the dot at the end, but her beauty was very encouraging for her suicide), and reading a few days reading them more and more even after hearing this verse, he was still beautiful. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" As he was speaking, sunshine, colorful colors, tables and more. The old woman who saw in a coffin came up before she arrived at the coming of the arrival of a newcomer. "Thursday," she says. "I'm sorry," a beautiful girl repeats, went to the woman's table and went back. "I have had many problems ... out of the house." "You should not be careful, girl," she said. "I do not love the husband." It was very sad and pleasant, but he did not ignore to see his daughter, who later looked at the picture. In addition, he left his husband to the oldest, and Flemeth hoped to get the girl on his side. I know, "But we should not talk about him, no matter what the Bible says, Ace, Flemeth - about the fifth, how are you?" An elderly woman is hit. "Planning and hatred, rape, and one of my daughters sent me back in a few years, I am proud of him." "Did I ever say that you have a specific relationship to your children?" Flatt opened - then a tea took tea, because it smashed her throat. "No, this is amazing, girl, I'm stealing girls, and I only have one goal: save your sons, boys, flesh, blood, and scars, and I have lost them but not safe, but soon." "You said before," Andraste noted, giving thanks to a woman who offered flowers to her. The server fell back into the cabin, and it was temporarily blocked. "I just realized why you are proud that one of the girls who tried to kill you was to kill you." "Because I taught him, and what he taught Urunelli, he had to remember him and his brothers and remember the dragon." Flemeth burned the pulp from the air through the air and recommended that he would live and listen to his deepest voice. "When you understand your children, you realize that if you are 18 years old, you have the ability to do it." There was a glass of thunder. "I'm not talking to you!" And you have to drink it. "I'd like to say that sort of thing about him, but I'm convinced that there is a complete mood of spirit, of course, we are not too long, I'm convinced that I can test him a little test do it. " The director became a long distance, as the light and the light could endure. Many of these are closed as their signals. Fleming rested his skirt over his dreams. "Men can do, girl, two-thirds. If you have any doubts, try to talk about Herel, then Melhol and others are aware of it." Andraste was there when he was on a yellowish cupcake. When Kort and his crew were destroyed, he looked at how he went to the Flemings of the ancient Flemish. - But it would be nice to call Alvin's books. If they were released, he was with Flemeth, when he wanted to worship another man. It would be nice to get out of the house too much. Bronze Bungalow, when her husband had been sacking, was very bitter, and he had been working so much since he had killed him. He wanted to move on to something big, but he said that the Black Friday is like the sixth gold. Bronze Bungalow had a very small problem for them, and it ignored the solar side of the sun, which they never had to worry about. They came to the fence of the wall, but it was just waiting. And at least they did not live in Timber Hut. "Kill your mouth, my daughter, I do not eat spoon." Fleming is covering his own taxi.

"Sorry, just think." If you think you are thinking about ideas, you may even know the knowledge. Andrare wore her hand. At the same time, she was covered with a semi-catering spell, with little results. "Save your children for girls and guys, Save Flemish, I do not need it". "Yes, of course, no, your argument is in perfect order." She was scared. "Please do not remind me that this did not apply to all plans." He converted the cake into a cake with a lot of colors that made his tooth. "But at least I had a reputation, even the Tevinters even rejected you." Fleming laughs. "This is my way, I love my daughter, that I love my privacy, and I want to hear that" Flet Wallet! or "Asha'elelar branches!" all the time. " "You have one point." The scent has dried up. "People swear by the parts of their body that they are more suffering from violence. You know, I hear that knickerweasels" Andrey "is another day? I do not believe what knickerweasel should be perfect " Flemeth snickered. "What?" ... I am not even one of them! If they could, they would take care of me at the high school events! "You have not succeeded successfully," said Flemett. "Men are easier than they are ... knickerweasels, if they have them." Another glitter from the thunderstorm. "When I see it, I'll believe it," Flemet replied. And that's not a call. " Andraste was inspired by the idea, and then tried to color the color of the blue clothes. Their words were covered in a couple of cups of tea and pearls, and Andrack remembered why he had agreed or agreed to these meetings - Fleming when he chose him, and some old ways he knew his husband never no it was. That was not enough, but then Flemeth was older and never had a man. Finally, the door opened again, and four arrived there. Men have not been sufficiently exposed in the desert, tragic, and complete teashop, but what they have suggested would be better if they get somewhere else. It can be eyes, green gold, and completely like Flemish, or the unknown force of power they have joined to them; it could have been the way they were white hair and unhealthy faces. About its reflection, it was possible that all of them were wonderful. "Facts" "Happiness, sons." And they greeted them. The strongest person who wants to see you again - or something like that was a bit difficult - Dimo, an old god of Sindhie. Who, of course, could not say anything. André once saw that he was wrapped in his legs; he did not save his voice. He just fucks it with the mouth and grabs with "Howe". Dressed in the hairdresser's clothes, grenades and dresses on his head, Zazikel, Chaos's dragon. Andrei said: "Suicide of Turkish," Zazikel replied. "Grow the dots of green vegetables!" His servants, Andrare, believed that why Tevinter was never in the war at War. "Sister," he told another man, who is easier than anyone who asked for it; The God of the Jews caught smoking. All over. He offered to take the courage to lower Andreas. He felt that the heat was far away from him and he died before the death. As innocent, he was probably not ... but not in danger. "Unfortunately," she says with the expression of the sheep. His area filled the hill with smoke, because he was listening to the voice of peace of the people, waking up the fire, and sheltering Zazikel with the exodus. Fleming only lost to the boy with such anxious expressions of love and love, which was completely uncertain. "This is a dream because we have passed through our short conversation." Andrey also said that "although the former slave himself was himself, he was very difficult. The slaves of the slain were drowned. "Did you see this city?" "Uh ..." Flemeth arose out of his chair and looked at it empty. "I have nothing to do with money." Andraste has already left a bit of money on the table - twice as much to search for tea - and rejected the authenticity of the woman. The robots were about to mourn her when they walked out of the store and gifts of Andreysat and, despite all that, they jealously envy her for everything that is morally and indefensible to ill-treatment and ill-treatment. They were together happy with the family that had been separated (probably enjoyable) and finally found one another again. One family

He wanted. She wanted the pedestal of a small footwear about Bronze Bungalow, the joy of the small sounds in Flood. She wanted them to punish them with a rush of food for breaking the dishes, and she wanted to find some food and fuel, not what they could break, but she wanted it. One of the questions that she trusted in her husband. Andraste through Kirkwall focused on the audience, featuring special attention to pairs and families. In the summer of summer, both were still, but everything he was looking for was not there. He went to Dinara, and came to see him, and by the biggest figure he could represent. The spiriter thought that how it seemed to be, like a war or resistance, was probably inevitable. He did not want to have a little idea about functional clothes. It was anxious to have a young brother who had a haircut that covered him on his wrist. There was a gap that could not close her eyes. "Why?" He repeats himself in his or her brain. His example. Why is it so? His example. Looking for enthusiasm for her sexual organs is completely happy. It was just ... it was ... "Sebastian!" a woman with a high voice, a low voice, a smirking smile to a frustrating, near the nakedness, her late Andrade, a man with her and a dove behind them. "Tomorrow is a few expeditions available for prostitution around the globe," said the man. "So sad, where are you?" "I want it to be fun," she said. "They say," the man said, and then turned into a number of promotions. They were locked up at the entrance to the locker before the woman's wedding. She saw in the chapel that was called Hawke and sat in the camera. That was all there. Then a piece of frightened himself and exclaimed that he tied him to the shackle and closed it and covered it with a few roses. And he felt astonished by his surprise. Three eyes with a special expression, and all the women needed for selection. Of course, he is learning what he needs. The air dispersed one of the sky, which was a few minutes before the cloud, and the thunderstorm of light was running one minute, but Andrack did not listen. He had a plan. Epilogy "Well done, No, Isaiah, again I admonish you, when you repent of your sins, and do not show partial desire to the flesh. "Oh, are not I hated your body?" Ismellar flowers. But I know, but I am here another. Sebastian ... "she slowed down her voice, suddenly disappeared from her sense of torture." I had a vision. " Every clause that talks with him, with regret before he is entrusted to him. "Why did he tell me this?" "This was Andrare's meeting." "Well, I did not want to know that!" "Oh, right now the skin has skin?" He thought about this. "Tell me that he is poisoned in the pages of the book. This woman who wants to fight for something she wants to do, needs others, with caution, with a sword ..." Some days have really been spoiled. "Hey man, please tell your servant and this unfair harlot that distracted the bride ..." "You need to learn about him," said Esau. "That was where it was, Andraste came to me in my vision, and she asked me to help me with magic." It was a bit broken. "I advise her to give her advice - alcohol, skin and regular drink, then I told her that if she helped her, she might have a handshake, and she said she would remember it . " "Isabella ..." he was healed. "Oh, I'm almost forgetting, he wanted me to pour out my past message, then shuts off his shield and you want to close it." Sebastian buried her hand in her hands. "But this is not the real truth I am here ..." "I'd like to see Andrare, I have chosen the light of Oscars, and it's a beautiful shining light and a magic spirit. How will I be my sister?"

[warmageragnar]

Okay, specializations and the way they’re dealt with changed quite a lot over the course of the Dragon Age series. In the first game, most of the party members came with their own spec already unlocked, and it was strongly tied to their backstory and character arc. Wynne was a Spirit Healer because she was fused with a spirit of Faith, Morrigan was a Shapeshifter because Flemeth, etc. In order to unlock those specs for your main character, you needed to earn enough approval (or in Morrigan’s case, lack thereof for some reason) for them to willingly teach you the basics. How exactly you teach someone to use powers that you only obtained via spiritual fusion is beyond me, but I digress. At least this way the specs were generally lore-friendly and the way you obtained them was relatively well-explained... until you hit level 14 and you could literally turn Wynne into a Blood Mage at will. Hm. Fast-foward to DA2, and each party member has a completely personalized specialization. Fenris’ was based on his lyrium powers, Merrill had Dalish plant magic and blood magic, Isabela was a swashbuckling duelist, etc. So far a good decision, but then the game series took a step BACKWARDS about the main character’s own specializations. You don’t need to be taught by anyone, you just suddenly... know Blood Magic at level 7. No side-quest, no letter, no notification, you just have it now. Anders became a switch-on White Mage or Glass Cannon via spirit fusion and corruption, but Hawke apparently can be EVEN BETTER at the White Maging without any contact with any spirit of any form. And the story just... rolls with it without mentioning it. You’d think Fenris would be royally pissed off with a Blood Mage Hawke, and it does paint HAWKE in DAI later as a raging hypocrite, but still, let’s move on. In DA:I we go back to specializations being non-personalized for party members, but still having MOST of them connect to their backstories somehow. Cassandra has Seeker powers, which are very similar to Templar powers, and there actually are side-quests to OBTAIN those specs for your Inquisitor. So far so good, right? Except in some cases it feels like they just gave some specs to the characters for its own sake, or just so you could try them out via your squadmates before you committed to them. I mean, Sera being a Tempest covered in alchemical mayhem comes completely out of the left field and there’s no story telling just WHY she went for that. As if her savant-level archery wasn’t bad enough. Bull said he’s not a Reaver himself (meaning he never drank dragon blood to get powers), but still made himself fight like one. Uhh... okay, how does one teach themself to summon ethereal dragon claws that consume one’s own life essence, and to vampirize enemies on the spot for some Wolverine-level regeneration? Seems like a serious reach... And Dorian with the Necromancy? Sure, the man is against blood magic in general, and the Focus skill is related to Time Magic, but... why not give him just time-based spells like Haste, Slow, or even frigging Disruptor Field? The story says he studied TIME MAGIC, there is no corpse puppeteering in his resume, and he has no ties to the Mortalitasi. What the fuck? I think it’s a spec-based “pair the spares” kind of deal, if that makes any sense, and you’re not supposed to think too much into it, but it still kinda bugs me. Sure, it’s convenient for the Inquisitor to have access to the same specs as everyone else in his Inner Circle (snrk...!) because not only can you try them out before deciding which one to irreversibly pick, but also gives you a good understanding of each spec for you to form your team and strategies. SO as to not be one who rambles about a problem without giving a suggestion of how to solve it, here’s my pitch: Bring back the personalized snowflake specs from DA2. Dorian gets super unique time magic (the scale of which is not enough for him to find it overly dangerous), Bull gets berserker-like skills WITHOUT the Kyuubi claws and cannibalism (maybe some damage backlash because Qunari are “tough as old leather”), and Sera gets some silly trick archery, with pies and bees and whatnot, because I don’t really see her touching anything remotely magical with a ten-mile-long stick. Let the Inquisitor get their own selection of specs, so that they feel more like their own special asset to the team rather than just a copy of someone you left at Skyhold. BUT still make the main character WORK for that spec and have their access to the knowledge neatly explained. Also, make the party members’ unique specs simple enough for the AI to handle, because I’m quite sick of Bull killing himself with his own blood-consumming attacks and Sera wasting perfectly good Flasks of Fire when all her juicy attacks are on cooldown. Just saying. TL;DR: Bring back DA2′s personalized specializations for party members, but keep the player’s specs separate and still requiring at least a side-quest to unlock, because flavor and lore-friendliness.

[cyanidecrystal]

DRAGON AGE: THE UNTOLD STORIES Podcast Announcement + Auditions

Welcome to my newest project, a podcast based on the events of Dragon Age games.

It’s Dragon Age: The Untold stories, an audio drama. The series will consist of 3 seasons, later called “books” (one for every game), 1 additional stories Awakening special and more.

The show will be character driven, focused on relationships between them and exploring the DA lore, in creative ways, making games into an even more plot driven experience.

But to make the podcast I need voices for all the characters! So this is a casting call for all you voice actors, aspiring voice actors and bored people with microphones in the fandom. And this is what I need. You can try out for more then one character. Send your lines to dragonagetus@gmail.com.

BOOK 1 “ORIGINS” CHAPTER 1 “FADE”

Recurring Characters*:

+Adresin (The Gray Warden)

Young, male, but slightly feminine, rebel type, any accent.

Line 1: “Can I get you a ladder so you can get off my back?”

Line 2: “I’m so sorry… I wish it was me… Can you hear me?! I wish it was me!”

Line 3: “I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

Line 4: “You aren’t worthy to die by my hand… You shemlen scum.”

+Flemeth/Narrator

Old, intelligent, trickster.

Line 1: “I am a fly in the ointment. I am a whisper in the shadows. I am also an old, old woman. More than that you need not know.”

Line 2: “You are required to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one’s eyes tight or open one’s arms wide, either way, one’s a fool.”

Line 3: “Men’s hearts hold shadows darker than any tainted creature.”

Line 4: “You’ve rage enough inside you, tempered into a blade of fine steel. Into whose heart will you plunge that one day, I wonder?”

+Duncan

Older, leader, fatherly, commanding.

Line 1: “The Chantry teaches us that it is the hubris of men that brought the darkspawn into our world.”

Line 2: “I am so sorry…”

Line 3: “I hereby invoke the Rite of Conscription.”

Like 4: “We need to leave now.”

+Tamlen

Young, impatient, wannabe leader type, any accent.

Line 1: “You are my best friends, it’s just… It didn’t seem like I’m yours.”

Line 2: “HELP ME!”

Line 3: “Why do shemlen always need to assign ownership to everything?”

+Merrill

Young, naive, girly, welsh accent.

Line 1: “It’s a Keeper’s job to remember. Even the dangerous things.”

Line 2: “Oooh, a trick! Very clever.”

Line 3: “I let you down, Hawke. Again. I’m so sorry.”

Line 4: “Let the Dread Wolf take you!”

Supporting Characters:

+Fenarel

Young, any accent.

Line 1: “I wanna go with you!”

Line 2: “Is the Keeper sending you back to that cave to look for Tamlen?”

+Marathari

Old, stern, leader, welsh accent.

Line 1: “There are few things in this world more powerful than a promise kept. Remember that.”

Line 2: “Farewell, da’len.”

+Ashalle

Old, motherly, kind, any accent.

Line 1: “Your parents would be so proud of you.”

Line 2: “I suppose you’re old enough…”

+3 background voices (male)

Line 1: “You’re the Gray Warden!”

Line 2: “We’re sorry, elf! We didn’t know this forest was yours!”

OTHER RECURRING CHARACTERS**:

+Alistair

English accent, young, uncertain, “jokey”.

Line 1: “For the Grey Wardens!”

Line 2: “So there you have it. Now can we move on, and I’ll just pretend you still think I’m some… nobody who was too lucky to die with the rest of the Grey Wardens.”

Line 3: “You… you’re alive. I thought you were dead for sure.”

Line 4:  “Absolutely not! Riordan, this man abandoned our brothers and then blamed us for the deed!”

+Morrigan

Mature, based on the in game one.

Line 1: “Oh, you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you!”

Line 2:  “At least they have chosen freedom over subjugation. Better hardship and danger than slavery.”

Line 3: “I want you to know that while I may not always prove to be… worthy… of your friendship, I will always value it.”

Line 4: “The truth does not “go away.””

+Leliana

French accent (not based on the in game one, french natives welcome), young, feminine.

Line 1: “Let me introduce myself. I am Leliana, one of the lay sisters of the chantry here in Lothering.”

Line 2: "Dear Journal… Leliana has shown much affection for me. Even asked me to come to bed with her, but alas, subtlety is lost on me.”

Line 3: “But the shoes! Living with these ridiculous trends was worth it for the shoes!”

Line 4: “I was framed. Betrayed by someone who I thought I knew and thought I could trust.”

+Sten

Deadpan, low pitched, stern.

Line 1: “Why are we stopping?”

Line 2:  “Either you have an enviable memory, or a pitiable life, to know nothing of regret.”

Line 3: “Qunari do not waste resources. And few are more valuable than lives.”

Line 4: “That would be different. The Qunari would improve your people. The humans have improved nothing.”

+Wynne

Old, motherly, intelligent, determined.

Line 1: “I… I thought it was a legend. I didn’t believe…”

Line 2: “T-this cannot continue. We have to stop it…”

Line 3: “I’ve never been in an alienage. Life must be… hard here.”

Line 4: “I will not lie motionless in a bed with coverlets up to my chin, waiting for death to claim me.”

+Zevran Aranai

Spanish accent, flirtatious.

Line 1:  “We… are ridiculously awesome.”

Line 2: “Planning has never been my strong suit. Now, killing…killing and love-making. Killing and love-making and witty retorts. Those I am better at.”

Line 3: “You wish to talk? Ah, good! I have a question for you. How well-versed are you in poetry? Antivan poetry specifically.”

Line 4: “ Ahhh, I grew up in a place such as this. They say you can never go home again, but for ten silvers an hour you can get pretty close.“

+Shale

Stoic, deadpan, a literal rock.

Line 1: “The darkspawn are an evil that must be destroyed, it’s true. Though not as evil as the birds… damnable feathered fiends!”

Line 2: "Oooh, Shiny!”

Line 3: “Now, let us crush something soft and watch it fountain blood. That is a girlish thing to want to do, yes?”

Line 4: “Does sound like a delightful place where it comes from. Mages on leashes. What will they think of next?”

+Oghren

Permanently drunk, loud, middle-aged.

Line 1: “As one of the blighters, I sodding salute you. Let us show them our hearts, and then show them theirs.”

Line 2: “Misery, vomit and malt liquor. Ah, reminds me of home.”

Line 3: "If you’ve ever heard of me before, it’s probably all been about how I piss ale and murder little boys who look at me wrong. And that’s mostly true…“

Line 4: "Shave my back and call me en elf!”

+Loghain

Stern, older, leader type, commanding, determined.

Line 1: “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for my homeland.”

Line 2: “Your fascination with glory and legends will be your undoing, Cailan. We must attend to reality.”

Line 3: “Hate doesn’t describe it. I’ve seen painted, masked lords beat an old farmer to death with riding crops. To this day, I don’t know why. Is that hate? I saw good, sensible men fighting armored chevaliers with nothing—no weapons, no armies, not even hope of success—to see the occupation end. Is that hate?”

Line 4: “Traitors! Which of you stood against the Orlesian emperor when his troops flattened your fields and raped your wives?”

+Eamon

Old, intelligent, english accent.

Line 1: “Nobility does not exist without obligation. We owe everything we have, even our lives, to our land and people.”

Line 2: “Must we sacrifice everything good about our nation to save it?”

Line 3: “ Ah, Warden… No. I’m afraid we can’t leave the fate of all Ferelden up to your dog. Anyone with a leftover ham bone could buy his allegiance. Choose someone else.“

Line 4: “You have gathered an army to replace the one lost at Ostagar, Grey Warden. Let us pray…that it will be enough.”

________________________________________________________________

*Recurring characters will appear in more then one chapter.

**These characters won’t appear in the first chapter, but they are important and I need them for later.

[cosmiciaria]

Dragon Age Origins review! (spoiler free - long post)

Dragon Age 2 review

Dragon Age Inquisition review

So at last I closed this cycle and finished Dragon Age: Origins. I'm still playing Awakening and will probably comment on it but it won't be a proper review.

I left Origins for last because I had a few mishaps in the way here. My first Dragon Age ever was Inquisition, so I'm so so sorry for having started this story by the third installment. However, you may be very happy because thanks to that awesome game I plunged myself into the world of Thedas and now I'm stuck in that dark pit of hell forever.

After I was done with Inquisition (for like… eight times), I said to myself, hey, I should play Origins. I don't own a ps3 so it kinda discouraged me quite a bit, because I am a trophy hunter after all, but the PC version had to be enough for me (the same with DA2). I booted the game, created a female mage warden, played through her origin story, met Alistair, fell for him, recruited Leliana, Morrigan and Sten and… arrived at the Broken Circle main quest. Boy was I put off by it! I had a ragequit when I reached the Fade mission and left the game for dead.

But lately I've been hearing things about a possible DA4… and fangirled about Inquisition with a friend and… Well I wanted to play Inquisition again, but the thing is I know that game by heart now and I wanted something new. My friend insisted that I should fall for Fenris, Fenris this, Fenris that, and so I obeyed her and played DA2 only to fall for Anders (sorry my fren!). And once I was done with this? Alright, I went back to Origins. But I discovered my save files had been eradicated from earth! I almost quit but gathered courage and said to myself that I hadn't lost much gameplay hours. I restarted the whole thing, a new mage again.

And this time, I used mods!

And this time, I finished the game!

It was SUCH an experience. I'm really put off by the graphics of this game. Let's face it: it doesn't push the ps3 hardware to the limit, not at all, on the contrary I might add, and sometimes it may very well be a ps2 quality game. Textures are all dull, brown, grey. The color palette isn't very broad, character creation is quite limited (thank god for the mods) and animations are rigid and repetitive. So much so that I noticed (and I think everyone noticed it too) that animations are the same across the three games. DA2 added a few more, specially for mages, but they reuse the same five or six animations all over again. Faces all look the same, except for some important characters; gameplay is slow, ordinary fights take up too much time and playing as a mage in this first installment is a nightmare (whereas in the other two games it was greatly improved and accelerated).

I can understand if the game had low budget. Great things can be achieved with low budget. Just look at The Witcher! Just beware: if you really care about graphics, you're going to suffer through this game, because some scenes look cringy and terribly animated.

Some quests and dungeons drag on forever. You know of what I'm talking about. The Fade side mission inside the Broken Circle main quest (which is recommended to be done early in the game) it's such a huge warning for players, because it's even longer than main one. It can greatly discourage people to keep playing, as it is long, it doesn't add much to the actual plot that we care about, and it feels like a filler for the sake of adding more hours to the story. The other "oh god please end me right now" main quest that lasts forever, is the I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY mandatory Deep Roads level. I just, I just really hate the Deep Roads, guys. For those of you who don't know, the Deep Roads are the underground labyrinth built by dwarves. After playing The Descent expansion pack of Inquisition, I began to feel dread whenever I entered a dwarven architecture, I felt claustrophobic. The experience was such of running around with no goal whatsoever in these endless halls that I can't bring myself to enjoy it. So when there's a Deep Roads quest, I always have a bad time.

But… does all this make it a bad game? Not at all.

So you play as the Warden, a main character you create. You can be a human, an elf or a dwarf. Depending on the class you choose (warrior, mage or rogue) you are going to have a different origin story. For instance, a rogue or warrior elf can be both a city elf or a dalish elf (you choose), but if you make them a mage, then you're forced to play the magi origin. Also, not all classes are available for everyone, as dwarves cannot be mages. So on and so on.

The interesting thing about these origins (it happens the same in Inquistion) is that all the possibilities that you can have at the beginning, actually happen. It's just that it's the character you create the one who is chosen to be a Warden. I mean: if you choose a human mage, all the other characters you didn't choose (human noble, city elf, dalish elf, dwarf commoner, dwarf noble, mage elf) they all happen and go through their origin stories as well, it's just that they aren't lucky (or unlucky?) enough to become a Warden. Proof of this is that Hawke (our main oc in DA2) is linked through their mother to the Amell human mage, whether this one was the Hero of Ferelden or just another ordinary mage with no heroic career in the Circle. You encounter the secondary characters of each origin story across the story of the main quests, just as it happens with Jowan, a mage you meet in your magi origin, but if you're not a mage, he still appears in the Redcliffe main quest. This is confirmed by the wikia, and it's pretty interesting! You, as the player, have the power to manipulate these threads that intertwine: you are the one who decides whose fate will be heroic.

Depending on your origin, your initial story varies. But at one point or another, you're going to come across Duncan, a Grey Warden who is recruiting lads and lasses to the Joining. Duncan offers you to accompany him to Ostagar, and you must accept.

And what the nugs are Grey Wardens? Grey Wardens are an "elite" army who fight the darkspawn, and they are the only ones who can fight them. Darkspawn are their own version of zombies let's say: they live underground, in the Deep Roads. They're not intelligent but crave for surviving, so they're dangerous and a plague. Every now and then, a Blight occurs: a creature called Old God – a dragon – transforms itself into an Archdemon and commands these armies of darkspawn, giving orders and destroying everything in their stride. Wardens exist to fight the Blight, as it is the moment the world is in more peril.

And why so much secrecy? Why not an ordinary army? Grey Wardens are different from an ordinary soldier since, to become one, you must drink darkspawn blood. From now on, you'll sense the darkspawn, you'll hear their whispers in your head, and your lifespan is heavily reduced. This is the price Grey Wardens pay: many see it as an honor, others as a punishment.

You've joined the Grey Wardens: alongside the other junior Warden, Alistair, you're going to take part in the next battle in Ostagar. People are still arguing if this is a Blight or not, because there had been no signs of an Archdemon, but everything changes when the armies strike, and a huge, blood-red dragon pierces the sky with its shrieking howl.

King Cailan has come to your aid and he fights valiantly with Duncan on the field. Meanwhile, you and Alistair must head to the tower to light the beacon for the reinforcements led by Ser Loghain Mac Tir know they must come to the rescue. You are overrun by darkspawn, your Wardens can't take it anymore, you manage to reach the top of the tower, you light the beacon – you can make it, you can…!

…Only to watch Loghain command the order to his armies to retreat.

And they do.

And everything turns black when an arrow pierces your chest.

You wake up fresh and recovered in an old hut, where Morrigan and her mother Flemeth live. Flemeth has saved your life with her obscure powers – she remains a calm force, albeit a mysterious one. Alistair is safe and sound as well and as the only two Wardens left alive in Ferelden, you must regroup with those in Orlais and recruit as many possible allies as you can. The world opens up for you: you have the power to reach each corner of the map to make use of your title. Morrigan joins your team, forced by her mother, with a somehow vague motive, and soon you're sent to your main quests to gain allies.

And from here on out, the game will take the route you, the player, desire. In each of the main quests you'll end up having to make a huge decision that will undoubtedly change the future of the plot. Then again, you feel like the god of this game, choosing what to do, who to save, who to side with. It's all up to you! And since this is really dependent on the player and spoilers, I won't delve into it. Just know that there are multiple endings, and that there are characters you can save (or not). My piece of advice: trust in your team members!

And since we're on that topic, let's talk about companions! As it is a staple of these games, you can recruit not only allies for the war but also companions for your team. Your first party member will be Alistair, that I have mentioned a few times before. He's a junior Warden as well and the golden boy with a golden heart. His past is soon presented to you: he's the bastard son of late King Maric, and half-brother to King Cailan, now dead as well. This changes your whole view on him, now that the throne is being disputed for. He was training to become a templar when Ser Duncan recruited him. He highly respects Duncan, who took him in, and the Arl Eamon, the man who raised him. He's awkward, has some funny interactions with Morrigan and is easily teased because he's just too good. And I don't know what are you doing with your life if you don't romance him.

Morrigan is the mysterious daughter of Flemeth, the Witch of the Wilds. She'd lived secluded in a hut in the Korkari Wilds with her mother, learning black magic and how to shapeshift. She's witty, and her greatest weapon is her tongue, for she can be cruel and deceitful with just a few words. But if you open up to her and she starts to trust in you, behind that veil of "I don't care" you'll find a great friend who speaks her mind. Personally, towards the epilogue, I felt so much joy in having befriended her, because she truly shows her caring side.

Leliana is a sister of the chantry who happens to know how to fight (convenient! Or suspicious!). She joins your team because she had "a vision" that told her to do it, and so following the light she reaches you. She used to be a bard in Orlais, but now she has renounced her freedom to the Maker, their god. But if you dig deeper in her life… you'll find some interesting things and a very protective and supportive friend. She seems naïve, always wishing for a peaceful approach, although when she readies her arrows she's as deadly as Morrigan with her words.

Zevran is an assassin elf who was hired by Loghain to kill you, but he soon realizes he's outmatched by you. You can spare his life or not, but if you, you'll gain a very handsome and funny ally. He comes from the Antivan Crows, a guild of mercenaries who kill for the best bidder. He wants to leave that life behind, but he also wants to be free from a past who is (literally) hunting him. It's up to you to help this poor precious man or not!

Sten is a qunari whom you can free quite early on. Qunari are a race of big guys with horns that come from across the seas to conquer these lands, so they're mostly seen as criminals and scum. Sten is actually not a name but a title: he won't tell his real name though. He's very hard to talk to at the beginning, since qunari take everything a little bit too literal, and his culture differs greatly from what we're used to. But once he starts talking about his past and you learn about his principles, he becomes an easy man to deal with.

Wynne is a potential companion if you decided not to slaughter all the mages in the Broken Circle main quest and I advise you to do so, because she'll be your best healer, for at least the early part of the game. Wynne is an old woman who's seen her fair share of things in life, from tortured mage apprentices to demons taking over bodies. She holds a secret she kinda is ashamed of, and despite her full life, still has a few regrets here and there. She's kind and wise, but she may sound a bit nosy when she wants to interrogate you about your personal life. Still, she does everything with the outmost love and devotion, so she deserveS the WORLD ALRIGHT DON'T HURT MY MOTHER!!! AND SIDE WITH THE MAGES DAMMITTT

I should mention Shale, although I was too stupid not to recruit her. I thought I didn't have the dlc needed for her, as she isn't one of the vanilla party members. Shale is a golem brought to life with dwarven magic. I can't say much about her but people seem to love her a lot, as she brings a new fresh perspective into this too much humanly story. Many of the main quests may change her fate, so be careful when you act in her presence!

And last but not least, how could I forget about best boi in town, Dog. Yes, you have a dog as a party member. Yes, it's almost as good as Persona 3 where you have a dog who can summon other bigger and badasser dog to fight, almost as good. Dog plays out as any other warrior in the game, you can play as him as you can play as Alistair, and he's got his own ability tree and his own set of armor. And you can also interact with him as well! He loves you so much that you start the game at 100 love with him and that number will never diminish. He's always present at party camps, and sometimes you can trigger cutscenes of him with the other companions for the comic relief section of the game.

With these guys you up against the world, yay!

Decisions play a huge role in this game. Each playthrough can differ immensely from another one from the very beginning. Since it's a lot to cover, I'll leave all the discoveries to you. But don't be afraid to choose! Although, like I said before, trust in your comrades. The rest comes and goes.

So, is this a good game? It definitely is. The amount of possibilities, the countless sidequests, the ability to shape the story as it unfolds – it has the perfect recipe for a good plot. Do I think it's the best out of the three? Well, that's personal. I do think this game lacks in a lot of aspects that DA2 and Inquisition have mended and even improved upon, but that's because this one was the first attempt at something like this. You can't blame it for trying! In the story department, it is a good story, don't get me wrong, but maybe a bit too Young Adultish – in the sense of that you're the chosen one, you become the hero, you're a special snowflake and you can romance Alistair who's taken straight out of a love story for teenagers (I'm not complaining though!). It's a bit like all the other stories we've been seeing, watching, reading, playing for a while. If you're an avid reader of fantasy books (like me) then this game won't bring any new concepts to the table, except perhaps for the Grey Wardens and the fact that you can choose your adventure your story. Gameplay was sluggish and many a time I felt like I was playing World of Warcraft, specially when my mage had to cast a huge spell. Luckily, mods exist and they make everything easier, smoother and faster.

I would've loved to have played this game in a console, but alas, I'm stuck with my non-trophy-hunter pc version. I encourage everyone who's new to the series, to give this one a try. And if you don't dig the graphics or the long ass quests that never end, don't stop here, try the others! You might be like me, who played them in complete disorder, and still managed to love them all.

I'm in love with Thedas, with its lore, its characters and its endless possibilities for future titles. I just hope that someday, somehow, Dragon Age 4 can see the light.