#like the biggest reason why i don’t play da2 as much as i want to is bc getting isabela’s approval up is SO hard w/o the wiki

[teiasviago]

taking a vigorous, copious, mind-boggling amount of notes in my head on how to play the game rn

[maintitle]

I’m a big fan of the dialogue option in Inquisition where you talk about Orsino with Varric.

Inquisitor:  “In the book, you say that First Enchanter Orsino turned himself into a giant monster made of corpses.  How?  Why?”

Varric:  “Do I look like an expert on magical weirdness to you?”

VARRIC SLIGHTLY DISAPROVES.

Now, this could be read in a few ways by Varric himself, but I don’t see it like that at all.  It’s always felt like the writers tilting their head toward the camera and staring directly into the lens.  At the time people were entirely confused by Orsino’s actions, forcing a confrontation with the guy you’re siding with for what can be amounted to as no reason.  

Now, granted, there is in fact an in-game letter that can be found during your chase after your Mother that infer’s Orsino is dabbling in more than he lets on.  

My dear friend, I have obtained the books you requested. I'll leave them at our usual hiding spot. Please collect them as soon as possible. I would hate to see them in the wrong hands! Your last letter was fascinating! You have proven me wrong, once again, by doing the impossible. I shouldn't have doubted your resolve, and I hope you will keep me apprised of further progress. Your friend and colleague, O

This is a Codex found just before the confrontation with Quinton in Act 2, one that’s overshadowed by the horror Hawke goes through in that quest.  I, personally, feel like it was an afterthought put into the game in order to explain why the seemingly straight arrow First Enchanter is suddenly using necromancy to make a person meat shield.

The biggest thing that makes me think this is the Inquisition writing team acknowledging this, however, is Mark Darrah’s wrap-up video on his memories and the lessons he learned leading the project.  

Mark Darrah:  “We’ve talked about the level reuse, which I think is probably one of the weakest things in Dragon Age 2.  The thing that actually makes me feel the most regret for Dragon Age 2 is the way that the endings go.  So, I guess spoilers... but you get to the end of Dragon Age 2, and you have to deal with the mages and the Templars, there’s the whole question of the mages and the Templars.  But regardless of the choice that you make there, you end up fighting both Orsino and Meredith and the mages end up going all crazy regardless.  You’ve made a different choice, you’ve come down on this decision in a very different way... and yet the game has you play through basically the same content, in a slightly different order, but it’s basically the same content.  I think that’s a mistake... I mean, I’m pretty sure that was my decision, but I think that’s a mistake because it undercut the mage/templar question quite a bit.”

Mark Darrah:  “Now the reason why it is that way in Dragon Age II is that the games under incredibly tight constraints.  Orsino isn’t worthy of being an end boss all on his own, so the decision is that you gotta fight Meredith no matter what.  Okay.  So... that’s actually, I think, defensible, you could say.  Meredith has been corrupted by red lyrium, you gotta fight her no matter what.  You can still make the choice.  I think the place where Dragon Age 2 crosses the line is that we also make you fight Orsino no matter what, and I think that’s the mistake.  And the reason we do that is, it’s content, we want players to consume as much of our content as we can, because it feels like waste if we have content that isn’t seen by a player.  And I think that is a mistake, and I think that’s a lesson that maybe video game studios are just waking up to now, that actually it’s NOT waste, content that isn’t consumed by the player ISN’T a problem, that actually you should WANT that.”

Now, that summarization to me covers a lot of DA2, and I’m glad he’s had that reflection, even as the man that pulled the trigger.  DA2 deserves a bit of grace considering they had to take an idea for an Origins DLC and make it a full game because EA demanded it, and I’ve certainly been far more forgiving of the game as time has passed.  But that’s STILL a decision that drives me bonkers.

Now, that leaves us back at where we began.  It’s a FASCINATING moment with the writers, when we get that disapproval at the question.  It almost feels defensive.  Had they learned the lesson Mark Darrah later learned at that point, or where they still a bit upset by how badly that fight was received by folks who sided with the mages?  I’m really not sure, but I love it just because it has such sass attached to it.  It’s a moment in Inquisition where Varric once again becomes the voice of the writers, telling the plot of their previous game in a really defensive manner.  It’s a unique little moment that stands out so much to me.

[mllemaenad]

So I just started a new DA2 playthrough, and remembered something that I'd love to get your thoughts and opinions on, especially since your Joanna romanced Anders. If you give Fenris to Danarius, basically everyone disapproves, except Anders, who actually *approves*. I understand the basics: he's so far gone to his cause he wants everyone who disagrees with him *gone*, fellow ex-slave or no, but I'd love to see if you had a more in-depth thought process on it. Thanks!

Hi. :)

I ... honestly don’t have much in the way of deep thoughts on Anders himself here, because I don’t think Anders is the core problem. I’ve seen people wring their hands over that +5 before, and it’s always confused me. I feel like if you’re worrying about the minutiae of a +5 to friendship you are not grappling with the full horror of what just happened. This whole quest is a catastrophic failure of the friendship/rivalry system.

So - the quest page is here.

Digging a little further tells me that on XBox, at least, Isabela will give a +5 to rivalry for the threat to Fenris’s sister, but nothing for Fenris himself. She has a line, objecting to Hawke’s actions, but no friendship/rivalry change.

I mean - what the hell are we looking at here? Do you know? Because I absolutely do not.

We have a solid +10 rivalry average for handing a friend over to a slaver. I can make that back with two moderately funny purple responses in the right places. In fact, as this is an Act 3 quest I would imagine that many people are missing some or all of these changes because they’ve already maxed out their companions’ scores one way or another. It’s an utter non-event.

Merrill, whose people were enslaved en masse by Tevinter, who lost her whole culture to them and is scrabbling to reclaim it, gives a +10 to rivalry when a fellow elf is handed over to a Tevinter Magister for enslavement and torture. Isabela, the pirate captain who liberates slaves has no followup on that at all. Our biggest rivalry gain is from Aveline, at +15, and - wow. Impressive. A whole 15 rivalry points for doing the worst possible thing to a long-time friend and comrade.

+10! +10! What does it mean? “We can still go for drinks later, but we’re going to sulk”? “Hawke, you’re barred from game night for the next two weeks for that silliness”? I can’t let it go. Those little +10s to rivalry make me much angrier than Anders’s +5 to friendship because they’re treated as sufficient. Anders’s +5 causes distress and dismay, because it worries people that he approves of slavery, but a tiny +10 to rivalry for one of the worst things you can do in this game - and we are not a little bit worried about everyone else’s moral compass?

This isn’t the dealbreaker? This isn’t the day we all leave and never talk to Hawke again? Why the fuck not?

So - for context, in The Urn of Sacred Ashes, back in Origins, Leliana will literally fight you to the death over desecrating the relic; if you spare Loghain in The Landsmeet, Alistair will leave you; if you don’t murder Anders in The Last Straw in retaliation for the death of Grand Cleric Elthina, Sebastian will leave and wage war on Kirkwall. But we can give Fenris to a slaver and it’s fucking fine. Oh, we’re a little annoyed, but we’ll get over it

I am so angry. Not at you, for talking about it, but at the writing in this quest. I don’t think there’s anything very meaningful to be said about Anders specifically. He and Fenris loathe each other. They fight and they poke each other’s sore spots. It seemed like a good idea to someone to give Anders a minor friendship bump if Fenris leaves. When the positions are (broadly speaking) reversed, and Fenris gets to comment on Anders’s fate in The Last Straw he says “He wants to die. Kill him and be done with it”. This is not Fenris having strong opinions about the mage rebellion - although he does have those elsewhere. This is a very broad, facile “fuck that guy”. Obviously the circumstances differ, but in terms of caring about each other’s wellbeing they’re about the same. Fuck that guy. If he’s going away, I’m having a good day.

Was it tacky for Bioware to put that +5 friendship into Alone? Yes. Definitely. But I don’t think it means anything at all about Anders or his view on slavery or his cause, because if I did think that, I’d have to think the other companions’ responses were significant too. I’d have to think that their firm position on this is to wrinkle their collective noses a little and then forget about it. And - I’m just going to do the obvious and gesture emphatically at Isabela’s whole character arc here in refutation of that.

I’m not opposed to evil choices in RPGs. That’s ... kind of how role playing works. But this one is so utterly facile as to be revolting. There are no meaningful consequences for this. And while it is possible to do other revolting things in Dragon Age, things done to companions stand out, because from a narrative perspective they matter. We can say in theory that the deaths of unnamed NPCs are bad and wrong - but it will be the characters we know and love that we mourn over. This isn’t the only bad choice you can make, but it’s a really big one.

For Joanna - this is a non-issue. She’s not going to hand anyone over to a slaver, much less her friend, so (mercifully) I do not have to try to rationalise this nonsense.

For anyone going to because they’ve committed to an evil playthrough? This might be a really good time to bring in “Varric is an unreliable narrator” and head canon yourself some reasonable fallout.

[felassanis]

Characters that I think will make a return in Dragon Age 4

Okay, So lets get the first two out of the way and the reasons why I think they are bound to return.

Dorian Pavus: Pretty much a given, he’s already in Tevinter. He’s got big plans for the city and he’s a fan favourite. it would be a crime if he didnt come back.

Fenris: Will the Blue Wraith release I can’t help but wonder if that’s setting up Fenris’s arc and how it’ll pertain to DA4. How this wonderful character will tie into the shitstorm that’s about to occur in the next installment. When you hear Tevinter, chances are a couple of things will come to mind. Mages, blood-magic, Dorian, Slavery and Fenris. His whole character is linked to this setting. Hes a character who's got the biggest reasons to be there so he better be there. either as the leader of a slave rebellion or possibly an agent of Fen’harel. Also, given how vocal the fandom has been about him coming back, I think Bioware will deliver. I just hope he’s intertwined witht the plot like Varric was, and not given a crappy cameo like Zevran was in dragon age 2. And even if you did (You fucking monster) Give him back to Danarius, then he’ll be in Tevinter too. Or if you killed him like a fucking moron, well Bioware have brought back characters from the dead before. Leliana I'm looking at you

And ngl, I really want a FenHawke moment

Now, these next ones are the “Realistic” few who I think will make a return based on theories and evidence but I’m also making a section of characters who I want to see come back even if it’s not likely:

Sten: I find it very likely we will see this guy again. There conflict between Tevinter and Seheron should be one of the focuses in dragon age 4 and given that our actions in dragon age 2 he becomes the Arishok and if memory serves; he’s in Seheron. More Sten? More likely than you think if I’m right.

Talis: Another one who should make an appearance given her allegiance to the Qunari. Talis was a really good character and criminally underused in Mark of the Assasins and dragon age 2 as a whole. I think she’ll make a cameo, doing her thing as a skilled assassin for the Qunari.

Krem: It would be interesting for this character to make a return, perhaps he could not stand to see what is happening in his home country and makes a return. Given how important Krem is for representation, him being from Tevinter and how popular he was, I think he will also be making a return.

Verania: A small cameo. But I think if you stopped Fenris from killing her, then his sister Verania will be making a return. Which could offer an interesting scene if Fenris also makes a return. She does return to Tevinter, and given that her master was killed (Hopefully) it would be a curious thing to see how she ended up.

Varric: The reason why I think Varric will come back is because of the Red Idol. Varric has history with that thing, it was him and his brother who made the expedition to recover it from the Deep Roads and given how obvious it is that the Red Idol will play a major role in DA4 I think Varric will feel compelled to try and get it back or destroy it. He hates red lyrium and he hates that idol and he knows exactly what it is capable of, so the thought of it ending up in the wrong hands must unsettle him. He felt at fault for the red lyrium and Corypheus, hence why he stayed with the Inquisition to try and sort it all out. I think it will be the same for the red idol, he feels a responsibility to stop it because he thinks it’s his fault it’s out there in the first place.

Scout Harding: A potential LI maybe??? I think she’ll play a vital role whether or not the inquisition was kept or discarded in Tresspasser. I hope she gets a more important role than a simple quest giver.

Isabela: With the recent concept art I am seeing A LOT of Pirates and I couldn’t help but think of Isabela. And that one concept art seems to confirm Isabela is coming back and I'm so excited.

Leliana & Cassandra: It sounds to me like Leliana and Cassandra will come back as advisors of sorts, I’m not sure what role they’ll play exactly in the grand scheme of things in the next game but I do think they will both come back in some capacity, because of their words and cameo in the ending to Tresspasser.

Abelas: maybe only a cameo if you killed him, but Solas essentially recruits Abelas and if hes alive I think Abelas could make a return. 

Unrealistically, but why I think they should:

Zevran: He’s has somehow been mentioned or appeared in every game since origins and I don’t want that streak to be ruined. I think there’s definitely a role for him given how much he adventures and explores, his wit and his tendencies to get into trouble, and how he is a fan favourite.

Oghren: Honestly? Just because we haven’t heard from him a long time.

Cullen: I highly doubt he will come back. Why? Because I feel like the option to romance him in Inquisition on top of his sort of redemption arc in that game is his...end. Like, he got closure, he got the focus he needed regarding all the shit he went through in the past two games and I honestly do believe that is where Cullen’s story ends. But...I could be wrong, they might want to keep the pattern of him appearing in every game and maybe they have something else planned for him since they strangely liked this character because he went from this minor dude in Origins to Meredith’s lackey in dragon age 2 to a fully fledged main cast member in dragon age 3.

Meredith: Speaking of Meredith, I think it would be so neat for her to make a return as a boss fight. Because fighting her in dragon age 2 was so much fun and I think with the return of the Red Lyrium Idol, having her come back somehow would be appropriate. Maybe the statue she turns into merely keeps her in hibernation? So under whatever the hell material the red lyrium used to ‘kill’ her, it actually didn’t snuff out her life but rather preserved it. She’s still alive and fiddling with the Idol brings her back. Edit: turns out shes super dead but I'm leaving it here in case I can somehow rationalise how this scary lady could come back

Orsino: I can totally imagine the theory that Varric lied about Orsino’s death in order to protect him so Cassandra and the Templars wouldn’t go after him. Even the devs said his death was a mistake, so this could be a great way to rectify how shitty a card he was dealt in DA2 and give him a better storyline and role in the next game. Orsino is just a really good character who would do well with more time and focus spent on him. 

Bodahn & Sandal: because I need answers about what the fuck Sandal is and I miss Bodahn. And given Sandal's massive fucking foreshadowing to Solas and the magic of the elves I think HE HAS TO COME BACK but also...idk what they would really do with him, if hed really play a role other than what he did in the first and second game. An enigmatic dwarf for comedic effect and also creepiness.

Anders: if hes alive, and if you didnt romance him. I want a cameo, since he was originally supposed to appear in Inquisition as a hermit in a cave. I'd like that concept to return in the area near Tevinter/Antiva. Because I think it would be tragic, if hes borderline insane and a wandering nomad hiding his identity. Maybe Justice has taken over, maybe we have to free him of Justice to recruit Anders. Maybe we need him to enter the Fade somehow? Maybe when the veil is broken Justice takes over completely that way? I just want an Anders cameo, see a tragic ending to a tragic character with the potential of redemption? Potential chance at happiness through helping the player fight Solas? And maybe, if Isabela or Varric come back...theyd have something to say? They might beg the player to help him? Mourn their friend or fret over him? Varric and Anders hug?

Spirit of Wynne: my girl Wynee gets no fucking love or mention from what I've seen and I will not stand for it. I'm sure she died, even by DAII's timeline. But if the veil is torn? Maybe her spirit will pay us a visit, give us words of encourage or wise lessons??? I miss Wynne so much.

Morrigan: I do think something is being set up with her character and Kieran. And with her being so woven with the whole Mythal thing, I wouldn't be shocked if Morrigan wanted to get involved, since Mythal wanted to live on through Morrigan. Maybe Morrigan has a bone to pick, maybe shes mad that Solas killed her mother.

[motheatenscarf]

Wanted to take a couple days to parse my thoughts, but I am now ready to give my Opinions on DOS2.

The long and short of it is, I do recommend it! 

The combat was FUN, the story was engaging and compelling, the side-quests were all either heart wrenching or hilarious, and the music was beautiful and so were all of the locations and the music always SUITED the location which isn’t always easy to achieve. And the characters were all interesting, too, by which I mostly mean NPCs, and I only got to run around thoroughly with 3 companions but some of them were genuinely amazing for their development and growth. I got way more attached than I was expecting to for some of these characters.

If you’re familiar with turn-based RPGs, it’s one of the best ones I’ve ever played! If you’re not, it should be okay, but I’d recommend watching a couple tutorials or reading some tips/and tricks before going in because this game is DENSE.

I do have a few minor complaints, and if you’ve been following me shrieking about this game for the last month, none of this is new, but I will put it under a read more;

The second act all along the Reaper’s Coast really dragged imo, and that’s for two reasons; one, the rate of acquisition of new quests vs. the rate of completion on old quests is like 5 to 1 and it quickly gets overwhelming and things quickly start to blur together, and two, companions are too quiet during Act 2 and need to be chattier to break up the monotony. 

I will grant you having too many things to do in an RPG is never a problem, and it’s nice to have a lot of different quests lead to the same location, especially if that’s an important area that has a lot of Plot Shit in it, that’s just called good level design. But I always like hearing companions comment on things not only because it makes them feel more developed and the experience more immersive and impactful, but also because, fuck dude, their comments help me keep track of why we’re even here in the first place. Was this for a main quest or a side quest? I don’t fucking remember! I have The Dumb! Your fleshed out, well developed questgivers who are important stand out, or sufficiently tragic shit like “Look, the Magisters are burning down this village!” stand out, but Dwarf #12 with Dwarf Problems asking me to look into his Missing Dwarf while Magister #4 also asks me to look for Dwarf but I’ve already decided to declare open season on Magisters and now there’s no one interesting left to remind me about what I’m supposed to be doing without checking my journal is just... woof, bro, I am NOT gonna remember this shit. 

At the very least, this slog could stop blending together so much if the flag markers that automatically pop up for quests were fucking LABELED. Yeah, there are like 6 flags in this place, but what quests are they for? Fuck if I know, and there are like 40 in my journal and I don’t have time to read through them all, I guess we’ll find out when we get there.

And again, companions should just talk more in general. Not just at the end of quests, but during them. I grant you they won’t have an opinion on EVERY little thing, but given that they supposedly have special character flag dialogue for when I tell them to go talk to Magister #8 on patrol so they’re distracted and I can sneak this guy past their patrol, they clearly have unique responses to things! Let’s see that! And they should have banter and talk to each other! They can’t all just be attached to me! It’s about the FOUND FAMILY! That means they have to form bonds amongst each other! That’s why DA2 will always be the best Dragon Age game!

Anyway, other than the Act 2 slog, my biggest complaint is with the abruptness of the ending. I know the point of the game is to get TO where the Source is being kept, but the whole “And then the war with the Godking happened off-screen,” thing felt kinda... underwhelming. It’s important to stick the landing, and it wasn’t a BAD ending, but it was a little disappointing. I mean, we already killed the other gods, would it really have been such a big step to have, at the end, the Godking push through and nearly win, and THEN we got to choose what to do with the Source?

Like, if you want to be evil and side with the Godking or that demon doctor guy, you can beat him in combat first and then say “Now that you’re beaten, I’m calling the shots!” and enter into a tenuous partnership with them were betrayal is imminent. And if you want to release the Source or seal it all away by repairing the veil, maybe have us not kill the Godking outright but just defeat him so that he retreats. Then it can be to either seal him away while he’s weak, because it’s a one time opportunity even if it will mean turning into a silent monk, or to take the chance and release Source to the world and let people choose from there to fight what remains of the Voidwoken. 

Idk, maybe they’ve got more they want to do with the Godking in later games or something, but for fuck’s sake, if you’re gonna kill all the gods by the end of like, fucking Act 1, you’ve got to let me at least take my shot at the fucker who calls himself the Godking. I am a scrappy little chihuahua with a scythe, high on rage, and I’ve already killed at minimum 4 gods, just lemme aim for this fucker too.

Still a good game, and a decent enough ending, I TECHNICALLY got to do what I wanted with releasing Source to the world. I’ve said before that there are exactly two things I want to do in any RPG and that is make friends and kill god, in that order. And I got to make friends. And I technically got to kill the sickly leftovers of what was left of the gods after the Godking got to ‘em. But I really. REALLY wish I’d gotten to at least fuck up the Godking a little bit if not outright kill him. 

But I did get to make friends with my companions who survived Act 1 and shut specifically Rhalic up forever, so I guess that’s enough.

Oh, also, literally all of the armor is ugly except for late late LATE game wizard armor which looks like something out of Vampire Hunter D., throw a scythe onto that shit and you’ve got an AESTHETIC, but short of that, it’s crap, especially if you’re playing a woman, but ESPECIALLY if you’re playing an elf. This game does elves dirty with its armor. 

But other than all that, all in all. 8/10. Recommend it.

[ohsweetflips]

DAO really was the best game, the lore the ability to absolutely wreck shit, the fact that they didnt do that bullshit ‘all sides are grey’ and clearly showed oppression. I think of my warden, an elven mage, and wonder how she’ll be rewritten more than anything.

right like!!!! i love each dragon age game with my whole heart and they all have super special places in said heart, but origins handles a lot of the social problems really well, or at least from the perspective that i play it as (also an elven mage!)

the rest i’m putting under the cut bc holy shit i can talk abt dragon age a lot. also nothing is proofred. i’m so sorry this got so long i hear “bioware” and “grey morality” and i go wild

(pls talk to me abt dragon age.....)

(also please don’t reblog this!!)

like i understand da2 having a type of grey-morality thing bc the final battle was choosing between the mages and the templars (tho imo they could’ve done better than “the mages hate us bc we keep them locked in a tower and there are multiple accounts of us abusing them and therefore some of them turn to blood magic so therefore we should kill all of them” but still, in a setting like that where the Main End Game Choice was mages vs. templars, then that is understandable)

(but also i haven’t played da2 in a couple years so maybe it’s more nuanced than that)

but inquisition! it’s weird bc inq has a super special place in my heart. i’ve played it 6 or 7 times to completion, not counting the other times i got 20/30 hours into it before external forces distracted me. inq is overall the game i think abt the most, most of my playthroughs average over 100 hours, it’s the only game that i have all the dlcs for, for me it’s the easiest to replay, and yet there’s so much that frustrates me abt it! like, i’m gonna avoid talking abt the actual parts of the writing that bother me, bc that can be it’s own standalone thing, but imo it felt like they never actually solidified what actually caused the mage/templar war? there are those that say anders started it (seems likely), then there are those who talk abt fiona leading the rebel mages in the war? and there, of course, is the “the templars have done wrong but so have they mages and therefore you’re shamed either way for what you do” like i Get what they’re trying to do, trying to encourage players to explore their options and really delve into their own moral values of the game and not just adhere to what the game says, but idk the way they always went abt it always rubbed me some type of wrong

i think part of it is bc, when people mention circle mages turning to blood mages and demons and such like that, it was always framed as “ah these evil mages!” and not “[if these are circle mages] most likely their want for freedom pushed them to that”

does that make it right? no, not necessarily! look at uldred from dao! imo, he was wrong! i don’t like the circle and my warden herself has a complicated relationship with it, but i like that you can say “hey! this is wrong!” without legitimate plot-based “but what if it isn’t?”

of course there will always be companions who push for the more chaotic/harsh choices (morrigan is the one i have the most experience with giving me disapproval for being what i think is nice) (still love her tho), but i think dao handled “okay, look at the big picture, and really think abt what hill u want to die on” stance well

and then there’s the way the mage/templar thing is handled in inquisition vis a vis companions. specifically cullen. and, listen, i as a player have a very complicated relationship with cullen and my heros do too lmao. and i really don’t want to get into the nuances of that bc that can 1) turn into a fight i don’t feel like having and 2) can be it’s own discussion, but basically, from my own perspective, he’s a well-written character who makes for a good antag to a mage-siding hawke in da2 bc of how pro-templar/anti-mage he is. again, don’t agree with any of it (honestly da2 alone puts me on the “okay fuck this” level w/ his character), but it does offer an extreme that is interesting to see. origins is more complicated bc in a game not directly stepped in mage/templar and also a game that stems from 6 different origin stories, it’s very easy to be a non-mage and be like “why do i care abt this guy” (if you get what i’m saying? like i got immediately invested in saving the mages bc my first warden was a circle mage so i was very put off by being told to kill all of them, as compared to if i played a non-mage origin and didn’t really have that background knowledge). but overall, origins and da2 puts cullen on the “pro-templars, mages are more dangerous than they are good side.” and then inquisition is where things get interesting!!

and, for a quick ref, i’m very into getting invested in my characters and really figuring out their morals and what they would actually do, or at least think, so dai becomes interesting bc i play as another elven mage who has never stepped foot in a circle and never will. so, bc of that, i play him as naturally more inclined to not initially Think abt cullen’s past like as a templar bc, as a dalish mage, i hc that he does not know what actually goes on in circles (as compared to my warden, a circle mage, and my hawke, an apostate) (but i hc that, overtime, as he has more and more experiences with templars, he becomes more cognizant of that) (but bioware doesn’t give me the option to just dictate everything my camris lavellan is thinking akjsjkdjk)

and dai-cullen, imo, is actually very interesting! and, tbh, i do have to give it to bioware. i feel like i’m abt to say an unironic controversial opinion, and i feel like i’ve already talked abt the nuances of all of this, but i do think dai did well at reworking cullen’s character. however, i feel like that was also done to feed into the grey-ness of the mage/templars. and, imo, i think they almost did well at actually making cullen show regret for how he treated mages. almost. again, i think there’s a lot of nuance! bc we do see him show some type of regret for how he treated a mage!warden (if he said all that shit like “all these people’s blood are on your hands” if u talk abt not wanting to kill innocent mages) and we do see him step away from templar life (that is, if you tell him to stop taking lyrium)

but!!!! there’s One Thing that puts a thorn in this, and it’s that cullen says something along the lines of, “meredith wasn’t all wrong, she had reason” like bitch!!! no matter what side you choose in da2, you fucking fight meredith!!! she’s wanted to kill innocent mages/make them tranquil even before anders blew up the chantry!!! meredith was all wrong!! she was evil!!!!! she was objectively a harmful person!!!!!!!!! bioware really makes this bitch the final boss of da2 and then has the audacity to say “but maybe she wasn’t all bad” in dai like WHERE IS THIS FOR ORSINO??? ORSINO ISN’T ALL BAD, IS HE???????? OH BUT HE IS BC HE RESORTED TO SUDDEN BLOOD MAGIC IN THE LAST TEN MINUTES OF THE GAME, AS COMPARED TO MEREDITH WHO WAS A DANGER FOR THE ENTIRE FINAL ACT and i digress but the fact that bioware is trying to redeem cullen but also showing that he still sympathizes with a woman who 1) turned against the templars and 2) Literally Everything She Did To The Mages always makes me “hmmmm are u really trying tho :/”

also tho one thing i’m actually not the biggest fan of is that cullen is like “oh i knew hawke in passing........ knew varric in passing.............” meanwhile let’s just cut to everything that happened at kirkwall. this is my own opinion bc i see varric as hawke’s #1 but i personally think that at least half of the comraderie varric and cullen sorta-kinda-had in inq was varric testing the waters of “okay what is cullen going to be like if and when hawke shows up”

also tho i will say a hot-take of mine is that if cullen gets to be redeemed by bioware, then i want something for anders, too, but i doubt bioware would do something so clearly pro-mage. but it could be two sides of the extreme! extremist templar gets redemption, extremist mage does, too! come on, bioware, show your grey morality

(again, i think it’s interesting what they did with cullen in dai and does give some sympathetic light but i also do think the reworking of his character was working towards bioware’s moral-greyness agenda with dragon age. not that that’s necessarily a terrible thing, i understand them wanting some nuance, but it’s the way they do it. like, you can show bad templars and bad mages and still not have “but who is really the bad guy? the oppressors or the oppressed? who is it really?”)

(and also just bc i feel like i need to put my own player claim in this, my opinion on cullen is complicated and also i’m gonna be completely forth-right with u, dear anon, i appreciate cullen in inquisition but, as a whole, he can be terrible to ur warden in dao (that’s not me being shifty it literally just depends on the choice you make in broken circle) and in da2 he’s a nightmare, so bioware had to do a lot of legwork in dai) (tbh tho in my personal-player opinion, if i was to ever romance cullen in inq, it’s not gonna be with a mage)

god this got so out of hand anon i’m so sorry you probably didn’t want this messy essay but i just love talking abt dragon age!!! i think abt it a lot and i have five years worth of headcanons and i have a family tree set up for my surana/lavellan bc of some bullshit i pulled and also!!!! bioware’s writing can get so frustrating but i also think it’s so interesting to pull apart and discuss bc i think the bioware has actually shifted from pro-mage (origins) to neutral-mage (da2 kinda) to anti-mage (dai) and i feel like So Many Choices with characters and their plots reveal that!!! so it’s a frustrating agenda but i also just love dragon age so much that i can’t help but get excited and talk abt it!!!

like, as all things, i do believe there are times when grey morality does work, but, at least from a mage-siding perspective, it hasn’t really landed well for dragon age. bc, and i don’t want to drag in real-life scenarios bc i feel like it would be incredibly inappropriate of me to use any oppressed minority as a comparison for a fantasy world, but it’s the age-old thing of people saying the shitty “but the oppressed fight back and therefore they’re just as bad as the oppressors!” and that’s like....... not how it works.

but also you’ve caught me in a wonderful mood so i feel like, if i was in a bad mood, this would be a lot more “and fucking bioware can’t make a goddamn decision on what side they actually support so instead most of the companions are gonna made rude remarks abt you supporting mages and the ones that support you are seen as distrustful and fuck this and fuck that” but i think that is the joy of loving something with you’re whole heart and also saying “there are so many things abt this that piss me off and so many things that i would change”

and also!!!! ik bioware probably killed my warden so like rip electra surana but i would love for the warden to make an appearance in da4 as a temporary companion/advisor. but! but!!!!!! i also don’t know how much i trust bioware with my “elven mage who is alistair’s mistress and preferred the mages and wanted to free the circles and etc etc etc” bc... idk how to explain it? like, i don’t want them taking my warden and putting words in her mouth that go against choices i meticulously made in dao

[edelgoth]

Hi, I'm 2w1 for ennea and (I think) ENFP for MBTI. I am a big nerd (obviously :D) and for hobbies I do MMA, photography, play the Mandolin, love folk music and acting. I like meeting new people even though it tires me out. My humor can be snarky, and I apologize way too much. I am not assertive at all, but do not shy away from difficult heart-to-heart moments. I do try to be there for people and normally see the best in other by default. DA2 or DA:I? & any gender, if you don't mind. Thank You!!

(Hi. It’s that 2w1) I think I for got to mention that I’m female, and I enjoy writing. But, yeah, thank you so much for if you see this!! ( If you’d like, I’d be happy to do a Dragon Age match up for you as well!!) Thank you again.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you have no idea how excited i was to see a dragon age request in my inbox i’m,,, thank you so much! also, it’d be lovely if you did a matchup for me!! just message me! 

okay, so i tossed this one up a lot, but in dragon age ii, i match you with… 

fenris!!

i think you two have a nice amount of contrast! youhave the sort of personality that’ll help bring him some levity, while he has amore assertive edge

he strikes me of the certain of person to encourageyou to stop apologizing too much; not only have you not done anything wrong, but he has such a clear view of your valuethat the idea that you’re apologizing for nothing doesn’t make sense to him

you’d definitely be the “social point” of therelationship, if that makes sense; fenris is more than happy to let you dealwith other people, but he’s always there when you’re tired at the end ofthe day. he gets it,

he’d like to see your creative outlets, fromwriting to acting, and he’d be very supportive of them; he’s intrigued by howyou express yourself, and would value any extra understanding of you he couldgather from your work. i think he’d also really enjoy it when you played themandolin (i had to look up what that was for this and oh my goodness they’re so cute), and i think he’d be especiallyfond of the folk songs that had a story to them?

just imagine him resting his head on your legs withhis eyes closed as he listens to you pluck away at a laid-back tune,,, bless

i feel like he’d enjoy getting involved in mma withyou (or the thedas equivalent, depending on how you’d like to think of thismatchup), and it could be a good way for him to get more comfortable with beingtouched by others? that’s something he has to work through in a relationship,and while mma certainly isn’t intimate,it could be good practice? i have No Idea where this tangent is going, B U T itgives him a) an opportunity to get competitive for fun, and b) an opportunityto be close to you

fenris had a pretty good sense of humour, and ithink you’d bounce off each other quite well here. his humour is moreunderstated, so he’d like your snarky side 

but at the same time, i think being with someonewho has your outlook would be a good thing for him; he struggles with pessimism(with good reason), and he’s naturally distrustful (again, for very good reason). having someone whosaw the best in others would help remind him that things are okay, and that oneday, maybe things will get better

also, since you like meeting others, i feel likeyou’d help him get out of the house more? he has a habit of cooping himself up,but with the joint efforts of you and varric, he might see the light of day (orthe streetlights) just a little bit more

i think something else that’d be invaluable wouldbe your ability to have those difficult heart-to-heart conversations. fenrishas a lot to work through, and knowing he had someone with who he could behonest and vulnerable with would be precious. it would take him a while to getcomfortable with that, the dialogue you two would be able to have would helpyou both grow as people

and when all’s said and done, he’d try to be thatperson to you, too. i think a lot of people forget that fenris is a deeplycompassionate person at his core, and he wantsto connect with people; it’s just hard for him to really express thosesides of himself. but, knowing he was with someone who treated him with thekindness and patience he needed would inspire him to return that with attentivenessand care.

i love him so much thinking about him has made meemotional hhhhh 

alternative matchups

merrill: she was actually the first person i thought of, but i just felt more passionate about fenris tbh. that being said, i think your relationship with merrill would be quite different to that described above; you share the propensity to see the best in others, and you’re both very kind people. i can see merrill missing a lot of your snarky humour (to varying degrees of endearing), but she’d be as equally invested and supportive as you are. you’d have a very open, honest relationship, and it’d be the kind where you never went without affirmation and affection! 

varric tethras: honestly i can’t can’t quite put my finger on why i think you two would work well together, but this is a great match in my mind? varric is very different from the other two, but you guys would have a great rapport. you have similar senses of humour, artistic inclinations, and you both care a great deal about people. i think that while he definitely seems a tad more cynical than you, i think you’d understand each other very well. also, i think you’re the perfect mum for the kirkwall crew? and honestly, what else would varric look for in a partner? 

your inquisition matchup is under the cut because Big Yike guess i got carried away and this post is getting ridiculously long

in dragon age inquisition, i match you with… 

josephine montilyet!! 

i… love her so much i cannot put itinto words… and i think she would really love you!

first of all, kindest couple? you bothwant (and do) to see the best in people, and I’m guessing that extends to theworld in general, as well? josephine wants to make the world a better place,and you seem like the sort of person who can help her do that

also, beloved socialite couple! part ofher job is literally meeting new people, and she’d love taking her with you todo that. You’d flit through all those parties hand-in-hand, and she’d know exactlywhen to take over when you got tired

okay but josephine would want to takeyou everywhere with her, tbh. expectto travel the world with her, and whenever you meet anyone she knows, she’sdefinitely the sort to say “hello nice to see you have my met my partner? no? well, let me tell you—” before going ona long ramble about all your best qualities

your biggest fan, without a doubt. whileshe may not understand the wrestling (and certainly isn’t going to take partherself), she’ll be there cheering you on!

also loves seeing your creative work! she’senraptured whenever you’re on stage, she gets emotional when she reads yourprose (or poetry!), and she marvels at your ability to capture the beauty of theworld around you. It almost gets overwhelming tbh

she’d love your mandolin so much!! as anex-bard, she’d obviously have a bit of musical knowledge hidden in those puffedsleeves of hers, and she’d delight in hearing you play 

she’s not obviously nerdy, but I feellike josephine is a naturally curious person? Because of that, she’d lovehearing all about your interests and your hobbies, and would always have a cleverquestion to ask

she has a very stressful job, and she’dgreatly appreciate having a partner with whom she could be very honest and openwith. knowing she could be frank about her feelings with you would take amassive weight off her shoulders

you’d have a very good dialogue withone another, and it means that you don’t let things get bottled up or left tofester; your relationship is a very safe, comforting place for both of you, andit’s something you’re both thankful of!

and she’d be your biggest support too! josephineis a very emotional, loving person, and you’d never have to doubt how she feltabout you; she’d always be telling you how much she loves you and how much sheappreciates you

josephine is too good for the world andwe don’t deserve her,,, please duel for her hand in marriage and give her lotsof love

alternative matchups

blackwall: while he’s less bright than josephine, ifeel like the things he’d value in you would be the same. he’d appreciate theway you saw the best in other people, and i honestly think your lifephilosophies would be quite similar? i’m assuming here, but it just reads thatway to me. i feel like blackwall’s also very affirming, once you work out howhe shows love. he’s not as affectionate or overt as josephine, but he’d be justas supportive, once he felt secure in your relationship. he’s just a Good Man, youknow? it’s just going to take a while for him to relax and open up.

iron bull: okay so things would be very, very different withbull. your personalities would bounce off each other quite well, and ithink you’d be that couple that’s always laughing about something. bull would be the toughest nut to crack when it came toemotional openness, but i think he’d get there eventually. like fenris, he’dtell you that you don’t need to apologize so much. he’d teach you how to bemore assertive, and you’d teach him how to see the best in others. your ways ofseeing the world are more different than all the people listed above, but ithink that’d make for a really interesting relationship?

side note: i knowyou didn’t ask for a matchup for origins but,,, you sound perfect fororigins!leliana? softest couple 

[yslanam]

Okay, rank the DA games from least to most favorite and say why. :3

Oh, boy. This got long, so I’m putting it under a cut.

3. Inquisition

I hate the combat so much. Nearly ragequit within 5 minutes trying to figure out how to attack enemies. (Turns out you have to hold down a button for basic attacks.) It feels to me like they tried to combine their old combat style with something like Skyrim that’s more single-player, do-a-thing-for-each-attack style. It feels so tedious. They removed tactics almost entirely, and that was my favorite part of combat. Look, Bioware, if I wanted to play Skyrim-style combat, I’d just play Skyrim. Give me the tactics back!

I also dislike the crafting system and I’m tired of getting ambushed by bears that don’t even give me any experience while I’m trying to actually get somewhere.

Story-wise, I enjoyed it a lot, but I think it suffers from a couple major things:

trying to position Templars and mages as equally moral/equally flawed, which felt more strained to me than in DA2

retconning the elves to make them equally responsible for their own oppression

making absolutely vile characters but presenting them in-game as if they’re totally innocent

not giving as much conversational leeway to object to people or express religious opinions other than Andrastianism

needs more women as companions!

For me, the highlight of this game was the Solas/Lavellan romance because, wow, I got sucker-punched with all the conflicted feels.

2. DA2

I’m one of the very few people who likes the crunchiness of DAO’s combat and skills, so in some ways DA2 was a step down from that. On the bright side, I think they did a good job streamlining everything while still giving the player plenty of control. It felt easier to effectively combo or chain abilities. And there were more tactics options, which was super cool!

Biggest combat/mechanics complaint: give me back unlimited stealth! How am I supposed to disable all the traps when I run out of stealth in the middle of the room???

Side note: there were some weird retcons that threw me for a loop the first time I played. When did the Qunari get horns? Why is Anders talking like blood magic = possession? So that was unfortunate.

I love that the story is centered around a single city and a group of friends just living their lives and getting into shenanigans that slowly spiral into something much bigger. I love all the characters and I want them all to move into Hawke’s mansion and be a family, regardless of who you romance.

Their banter is a little more barbed than DAO’s, which is disappointing. Sometimes companions say things that are way out of line and don’t feel true to character, so I do wish that was smoothed out more, or at the very least that those comments could be constructively addressed in later banters. I know all these people are friends with Hawke, but I want them to be friends with each other, too.

Overall, very good. Just needs more friendship juice!

1. Origins

My tried and true favorite.

Yes, I enjoy all the nitpicky ability stacking and tactics choices and deciding between various character builds. Combat is like a puzzle and I love solving it. Get murdered by mabari or golems or your own ghost party? Reload and rotate that rubik’s cube to find another angle! So satisfying.

(I love the Fade quest for the same reason. Puzzle!)

The main narrative is simple but solid, and the various origins can add so much variation to how your character thinks about and reacts to things that it’s easy to replay. Plus, the companions really shine. (Except for Oghren. I hate him and he’s not invited to anything.) I get so invested in watching them grow and making them happy. Pretty sure I cried when Morrigan said how much she treasured the Warden’s friendship.

Big downsides: Orzammar and the Deep Roads. Even though it’s just a game, they feel suffocating.

Special shoutout to Origins for giving me Alistair, the best character in anything ever.

[happojin-blog]

[Fic] In Circles

In the middle of the night, the resident nerds of the League of Villains discuss the Dragon Age series.

Gen | 1.1 | One-Shot?

Yesterday I said I wanted to write “villainous gamer bfs” but while writing this I’ve convinced myself that it’d never work out, they just have too different gaming styles. Maybe in a future segment, if I do turn this (= Shigaraki and Spinner talking about videogames) into more a stand-alone series, they could reconcile and play a co-op or something. Until then, here’s where we are, mostly, in gen territory.

Side-note: I agree with Shigaraki’s playstyle here. Also this is incredibly self-indulgent, but I tried to make it possible to follow without knowing the ins and outs (or basics) about Dragon Age. 

(There’s no relation between this and the Spinner and Shigaraki chapter of It’s Nothing Personal btw.)

-

”What!” Spinner yelled, nay, shrieked, alerting the rest of the League members who were cooped up in this particular ”hideout” for the time being – Mr. Compress and Dabi – to what would soon turn into a big debate between himself, and their leader.

Shigaraki took his finger out of his ear when it was over.

“Shut up,” he said. “Such a pain.”

“I can’t believe you. You annul the Circle?! You side with the Templars?” Spinner cast a glance towards the other no longer sleeping parties in the room, lowered his voice into a hiss. “How could you of all people be against mage rights?”

“Okay, what’s going on over here?” Dabi came over, settled on the ratty couch next to Shigaraki, whose face was exposed and looking haggard as ever. “You’ve been talking forever. What’s this nerdy shit about?”

Spinner narrowed his eyes at him. “Dragon Age, and it isn’t nerdy.”

“Spinner likes to play it safe and make all the goody two-shoes choices,” Shigaraki elaborated, with his broken lips half quirked up in a smirk.

Mr. Compress judged that he wouldn’t be very interested in videogame morality so he didn’t move from his bedroll – though he turned towards them, lying on his side and propped up his head under his hand, mildly curious in spite of the topic. If they woke him up, there had to be a reason.

“So that’s your reasoning? You’re just against the mages because that’s the evil option? Even though it goes against everything you stand for?” Spinner stood up with enough fervor to make the armchair squeak in protest, pointing at Shigaraki accusingly, who was comfortable in his seat.

“Sure.” He said it flippantly, but clearly enjoyed how agitated Spinner was becoming.

“Is there no consistency to you?! What do you even believe in?”

“Hey, lizard, slow down a bit,” Dabi prompted, edging his chin up. “I’ve no idea what this Dragon Age shit is about so why don’t you first fill in the blanks here?”

“Then maybe this conversation isn’t for you,” Shigaraki suggested, casting a sideways glance at him, which made Dabi want to shrink back just a little – it was still unnerving to see that face without the hand to cover up some of the intensity.

“No, Dabi should hear this,” said Spinner, stubbornly, regaining their attentions. He crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat – Shigaraki leaned back, rolling his eyes.

“Dragon Age is an RPG set in a very intricate and interesting fantasy world. There’s three main installments and you create a new character to control for each, and you get to decide their background and form their personality and skills. The story is engaging and you interact with well-written characters who travel with you, and depending on your choices they will feel differently about you, and you get to make these really important, sometimes very morally grey choices which affect the whole world. It’s a series where you can test your character, and challenge your sense of morality.” He noticed that Dabi was stretching, and yawning – but he continued. “As I was saying! The topic we were discussing was one of the biggest conflicts in the story’s world.

“Because it’s a fantasy there are mages in the story, people who just happen to be born that way. It’s like with quirks, but back when it was rare. And the oppressive religions of Thedas (“What?”), the world of Dragon Age, fear these mages and their powers, because they are liable to getting possessed by demons. The main solution we see in these games is to lock all the mages up in Circles where jailers, known as Templars, watch their every move. The mages live their whole lives taught to hate themselves for their powers, never seeing their families again, and in constant fear of demon possession and Templars…”

“Sucks,” said Dabi, who might have regretted asking.

“Indeed.” Spinner’s face was grave. “So one of the major conflicts of this entire series is… should mages be locked up like this just because of how they were born, or should they be free like everyone else?”

Dabi realised he was being asked to weigh in.

“… Free?”

Spinner nodded, “But what do you think our leader here thinks?”

“Who cares?” Shigaraki scratched his neck out of habit. “The mages… they’re not real, you get that, right? There’s no Templars locking them away somewhere. Thedas doesn’t exist.”

“But-“

“No but, it’s literally made up.”

“Well yeah, I’m not disputing that, but that goes for all games! That doesn’t mean they don’t have moral implications, or parallels to oppression in the real world, and it makes you think-“

“It makes you think you should free the mages, right?” Shigaraki snorted. “Think for yourself a little. I’m not gonna play a game just making the choices I’m supposed to want to make. What’s the point of that? Hate it when it gets too preachy... Nah, I’m gonna test the limits of the game and make the most controversial choices, see how dark the developers wanna go. That’s what’s enjoyable.”

Spinner shook his head.

“You’re illogical. Is it more important to you to be perceived as a villain than to act out your beliefs? It would be as if the government locked up everyone with dangerous quirks, you know! You would be locked up the instant yours showed!”

“You don’t think they already tried that? Well, that was stopped when my master seized power… more history that’s censored but anyway…” The sudden admission gave Spinner pause – he remembered that man, but he didn’t really know much about him, or about Shigaraki’s past, for that matter. Maybe that’s why it frustrated him so to not understand even his gaming habits.

“Point is,” Shigaraki said, stopping more lore from being shared, “Dragon Age is fun sometimes, but it’s too fucking preachy, and it’s more fun to kill the mages.”

Spinner felt like he was talking to a brick wall. Dabi found his face right then pretty priceless. 

Frustrated, he turned his back to them, heading towards his sleeping roll in the corner. “This is meaningless. You’re just a troll. I’m done talking to you, leader. Good night.” Spinner emphasized the last word with venom.

Shigaraki appeared to let him go, and Dabi sought their leader’s eyes so they could have a laugh together at his expense. He was denied – Shigaraki wasn’t done.

“By the way,” he called over the room. “In DA2, I sold Fenris back to Danarius.”

Mr. Compress, who was so thoroughly ignored, sighed, falling down onto the pillow and using it to cover his ears. He had no idea what that meant, but he could tell they were fighting words, which would no doubt prevent him from getting his beauty sleep tonight.

Not even a second passed before Spinner was back.

“You what?!”

[ageofdragon]

DA4 Cameos and Companions

I wanted to address this, since I really liked this post by @quizzy-tielle​ but there are a few more notes that can be added. tdlr at the bottom, under the read more.

Origins

Alistair: Alistair will probably only have a Cameo since he has two different paths (Warden or King), but I could see him being plot relevant. Maybe only a Warden like in DA2, even if it is possible for him to “die” in DA:I. This is because DA:I leaves that open if they want to “retcon” it. The words used in the choice implies you might be leaving Alistair to his death, there is an open end there. Especially since we don’t see his dead body only what looks like him going down. On the other hand, it has been a while since his Joining and unless he is like his mother (or the dragon’s blood theory is true), then he is almost due for his Calling. So if Al is there in DA4, expect him in Grey Warden regalia.

Morrigan: I don’t think Morrigan will ever be a Companion player again, but she will be a major npc no matter where the game takes place. Not only is she headed where we are supposed to be, but she is now carrying some of the last remnants of Mythal whether in her head (depending on who drank the Well) or in her blood.

Leliana: If our game does actually take place in Tevinter, I think she might get a mention at best. Either by reminiscent characters or in the grand scheme of things. I don’t see her playing to much part unless some of the game returns to Orlais, in which case as a Divine she could very well pop up. As well as still being interested/running the Inquisition’s spies against Solas (I believe even as the Divine), so again a peripheral character. That said I’d really be interested to see if Lyrium Ghost Leliana pops up anywhere!

Wynne: Wynne has actually died by Asunder; leaving not a character no one cares about, but one that even if people wanted her she is unable to return. Unless as a spirit of course. That said it is not out of the question to meet her son Rhys and perhaps recruit him as a companion, along with his Templar sweetheart Evangeline.

Oghren: I could have seen Oghren returning when the team consisted of mostly the old writers. But with Weekes in charge and a few new writers around, I agree he is probably too lowbrow and overlooked (even among the writers) to pop up again. At the very most, if at all, it’ll be a quick mention somewhere.

Zevran: I agree that Zevran possibly being dead makes it hard, but honestly if I don’t get to see Zev once in this new engine. I will move to Canada just to stand outside Bioware studios and scream continuously at them till the day I perish. Zevran deserves more and if Leliana can resurrect, why not our favorite elven assassin.

Sten: Sten is actually a pretty popular character, only he doesn’t go by Sten anymore. Well at least not for most people. Which is where the conflict comes in. For anyone who earned Sten’s loyalty, he is Arishok now. Which big Qunari plot means definite appearance by the Arishok. However, I don’t see him being a companion, at best he would be a NPC ally. On the other hand, those who didn’t help Sten left him without the Qun...unless he went back and became Arishok later (after the Warden) which is a very easy work around.

Shale: I could actually see Shale being a companion. I mean they can reuse at least one (even in DA2, Nathaniel was going to be a return companion but they scraped it). Shale was a character a lot of people liked, but being a DLC character was underexplored. She was last seen heading to Tevinter to discover how to be a dwarf again. So golem, dwarven, or a mix of the two, Shale is a huge possibility.

Hero of Ferelden: Bioware has pretty much confirmed the Warden won’t be back in full capacity ever. Mostly because creating a unvoiced major character is very hard, when they once spoke (unable to make canonically mute) and finding a voice is no solution (they wouldn’t be able to appease enough people, no matter the actor). Which pretty much seals it as, if the Warden shows up, it is in a written or spoken about capacity and nothing more.

Dragon Age 2

Carver/Bethany: It would be such a guilt pleasure if they did show up, but I highly doubt they would and certainly not as a companion. They have too many outcomes and possible paths, it’ll probably be like in DA:I where they get a special mention. OR if Bioware was really clever, they’d make an obscure Warden in the background look like them but obscure enough they can handwave it as “no, but maybe”. Either way, might show up in the Weisshaupt storyline as a special mention, but not much more.

Fenris: I agree with the other post, that Fenris is the one person who would be the one most likely to pop up. I still don’t think as a companion, because he can die. But I do think he could be an ally NPC. Fenris either gets sent back to Danarius or has spent the past years hunting down slavers, so he is bound to be in or near Tevinter. I have almost no doubt we’ll see him, physically, at least once. Though I wouldn’t rule out him being a Weisshaupt too, if he romance Hawke and Hawke wasn’t left in the Fade.

Isabela: Isabela has been in every game so far and if they don’t continue this in DA4 I will be upset. Seriously, it’s like an expectation now. Every DA game is like sex, it’s fun, there is depth, and Isabela is there. Maybe as a companion, maybe as an NPC, or a extra to the cause. Don’t care, she just has to be there now. It’s a signature. Which...if we can get her in her sick Captain’s outfit again, more kudos to them.

Merrill: Hmmm, I don’t know about Merrill. She is such a good and well liked character, and I really need her to interact with Solas. BUT she had far more reason to be in DA:I, in a game that most likely will take place in Tevinter and surrounding area...I’m not sure where she’d fit. Not as a companion I don’t think. Maybe a cameo in Weisshaupt or when dealing with Solas stuff, but even then, her investment in those things seems a bit weak. The most likely place for me, would be dealing with the Eluvians or maybe even helping run an elven slave underground...kind of. But it would really depend where the game chooses to focus (on Tevinter, Solas, Weisshaupt, all 3 equally by some miracle).

Anders: I think at this point, everyone who loves Anders wants Anders back and safe, but also doesn’t want him to be touch by Bioware anymore. And anyone who hates Anders has either killed him or hoped that he was dead...so... Mixed feelings and mixed ideas. I don’t think he’ll ever be a companion again, Bioware learned their lesson (kind of considering Sera). But also being the entire world’s [of Thedas’s] scapegoat for the Mage War/Mage Split, I’m 99.9% sure we haven’t heard the last of some saying something bias, pretty much untrue, and absolutely scathing about him.

Aveline: She is helping run Kirkwall, which is where she belongs. If the game reaches out to the Free Marches, a glimpse or mention of her is sure to be heard. After all, she is the biggest badass there at the moment. Her days on the screen are probably over though, she was a good character but not one interesting enough to last past a single game of screen time. That said, I’d love to see her side-story with the Du Lacs actually revisited at some point, give us a deep Investigative story with her.

Varric: I mean I have to agree with quiz tielle, it pains me but his days as a companion are probably over. That said, I absolutely believe he’ll still have a large role to play. For starters, he is still our storyteller. Thedas’ storyteller and I highly doubt he’ll miss a chance to write out all of Thedas’ major historical events into eye-catching adventure novels till the day he dies. He may be a played out companion (can’t relate) but he isn’t dead and he is still an adventurer at heart, no matter how much he complains about the outdoors. All that aside, he is cousin to probably the most important, incredibly attractive magister in Tevinter right now, Maevaris Tilani (Tethras). I can definitely believe he’ll pop in to say hello and maybe scoop up a story or two, during DA4.

Sebastian: I’m not sure, I forget how his War Table mission plays out...but also not to offend any diehard Seb fans or anything...but he is shit and if he returns I’ll want to punch him. I mean he tried to overtake Kirkwall, for no reason than his own pride and probably a political move to strength his own country. It’s a Free Marcher thing, sure. But still, Sebastian Vael can get stuffed. That so awfully said, if he does come back I’ll still have a good time. Which serious for a moment, I don’t know why he would. Unless like I said we return to the Free Marches for whatever reason.

Tallis?: I have no idea if we have seen the last of her or not. I mean according to DA2 we haven’t and she was a War Table in Inquisitiion. So I suppose if there is a Qunari plot in DA4, you’d expect see her there. But I don’t know how there she’ll be...she could even be a companion. It’s a possibility, but I don’t expect it as a strong one.

Hawke: Hawke is definitely coming back, I don’t know when and I don’t know where but they will. I don’t say this as someone who loved their Hawke tho. I say this because Weisshaupt’s storyline seems to weigh on Hawke’s presence (if they escaped, they said that is where they are headed) and again, like I said in Alistair the decision to leave them behind in the Fade wasn’t final. Hell I wouldn’t be surprised in if in the obligatory Fade mission we ran into a Hawke that got left behind, half dead but still trucking along with that Purple Hawke smirk on their face. “You look like wyvern shit, Hawke.”  “You would know.”

Dragon Age Inquisition

Josephine: I think if the Inquisition is there, Josephine is definitely going to be there in some regard. Even if it is a few letters lying around. She’ll be less relevant that she was in Inquisition though, well unless you romanced her. She still has a family to take care of, plus all that new trade and a few diplomatic graces. A lot for her to take on, plus a maybe slave rebellion?

Cullen: Cullen time has come, I don’t think Cullen wants a thing to do with Tevinter cause mages and honestly I’m glad. I mean yeah, he was the white boy version of Isabela’s cameo, but far less entertaining with his anti-mage, but they’re sorta of okay rhetoric. A little salty, yeah. Cause Bioware had 3 chances to get him to a better place (aka make him a great character with growth), but never got there. So as much as I’d love to see them try and fail to make him a better person one more time, it’s time to let him rest. With his slightly changed notions, his lyrium detox facility, and his dog. That rant over, he could be there in the same capacity as Josephine. A few letters and a little something extra for romancers.

Blackwall: A hard one...in theory Blackwall could make a comeback during the Grey Warden plot, Bioware hyped up. He could even be a true Grey Warden companion this time. However, he has a lot of variables and that makes it hard to bring him back as a return character. He could have died, he could have been saved and hidden, or he could have been saved and made a Grey Warden. Not to mention adding romances and whether he got the Grey Warden epilogue or the “prison counselor” epilogue.

Cassandra: I think Cassandra will have the same role/handling as Leliana honestly. She won’t be a companion, but we will see her interacting with the Inquisitor. Divine or not, she is still helping them with Solas. Though we might not actually interact with her, unless Orlais. Again like Leli.

Iron Bull: Another difficult one. On one hand, he could be dead and that is the end of. On the other he could be with Dorian, who I’ll get to in a minute. I think it’ll be a bit easier though, because they can use him like they did Stroud. If he is alive and helping Dorian (or the Inquisitor) then he can show up, be his usual self. Make references to the past game and his Chargers. If he is dead, then he has a blank stand-in that we kind of get to know during the rest of the game, but never to the extent that we know/knew Bull. That said, he is definitely not becoming a companion. Only two characters with a possible death have ever became companions again after said moment, and I think the fact it happens in the same game leaves Carver and Bethany in a completely different category.

Dorian: Alright, if we were ever going to have a returning companion it will probably be Dorian. I have to agree with the assumption. Because Dorian is Tevinter. He’s the good, the bad. The parts that need change, but also the parts that should be praised. He was singled out for this in Inquisition. It was focused on heavily about him being the new Tevinter ambassador. Of him and Mae taking Tevinter by storm. Their reformation of the Magisterium. They even gave him a plot item, that seemed unnecessary and yet provided a link. Which I’m talking about his sending crystal/magic cellphone. It was endearing and also telling. Why need a crystal when letters work too? And I highly doubt it was just to introduce the idea for fun...I’m getting carried away on my favorite boy. What I mean to say, is Dorian, if not a companion, will be a huge player in the next game. Assuming they are still sending us to Tevinter as planned. Not just because he was so loved, which he way. Or because he is an utterly striking, handsome character, which he is. But because Dorian is a major player in Tevinter as is, trying to change his country and you don’t just go to a country and not meet the most influential of them all.

Solas: Oh boy, I have so much to say about this. First off, I don’t agree with the other post. I don’t think Solas will be the biggest villain this game, this time around. Unless Weekes is really enamored with getting that story out of the way, which he might be. I think he’ll be a smaller big bad in the grand scheme of things, whereas he was the big bad in Inquisition (literally all that happened because of him). I think it’d be interesting to see him as a return companion though. Like yes, we all know who he is. But to our new character? Maybe he is just a revolutionist, maybe he was the one who freed them (if they go the slave plot for the PC). Another chance for him to play the PC and we have to watch it happen. But also, we have to figure out why he’d help us with this rebellion (again relies on the slave plot being used) when he has no horses in the race. I don’t know, it is a possibility and a frustrating, but interesting one.

Vivienne: If she is Divine, I don’t see her doing anymore that Cassandra or Leliana in the position. And again, very dependent on if we go to Orlais. Maybe more so, since she wasn’t a founding agent of the Inquisition like Leliana and Cassandra. However, if the Mage College/Circles of Magi issue is more prominent than I think it will be in DA4, then she might show up a bit more than usual. Still don’t think she’ll be a big role or ally to the main character though.

Cole: I don’t agree with Cole not fighting people, but I do agree that he has other things to worry about that the PC in DA4. That said, when it comes to Solas I feel like Cole will be back instantly. Solas and Cole were incredibly close (for a few reasons I can theorize, coughelves=spiritscough), and he was one of the few who actually wanted to save Solas. So if he is there, he is there for his friends and Solas only. Which means no companionship from him.

Sera: I can’t see Sera giving it a try in Tevinter, for so many reasons. Unless the Inky asks her of course. Every thing from the elves, many who just accept their lives. To the magic, to the lack of friends due to brainwashing and fear. It’s just not an environment Sera would enjoy or even want to be it. But if Orlais is still playing a big part in the next game, I’m sure we’ll turn up the Val Royeaux Jenny eventually. Or like I said, if Inky needs her. I doubt she’ll have much to do with the main character though.

Inquisitor: They’ll be there. In some shape or form they’ll show up, that I have no doubt of. How or when will be a mystery. It might be in the form of speaking to Dorian through the sending crystal (removes the need for a CC) or it might be as a Major Ally (i.e. Hawke in Inquisition). I don’t think the story will center around them as much as we think or would like though. Since this isn’t another Inquisitor story, but our new PC’s story.

Tldr: 

As far as I believe, there could be a ton of cameos from almost anybody. Seriously, there are maybe 3 who won’t come back and none of them are the Wardens or Hawkes left in the Fade. 

The only one from DAO I could see being a companion is Shale, but Sten/Arishok deserves a mention if the Qunari War Plot is going to be as important as we’ve been led to think.

From DA2, I can only see Tallis as a companion, again due to the supposed Qunari War plot. But I’m sure we’ll see Fenris, Varric, Hawke, and Isabela again somewhere in DA4. 

Inquisition provides the most likely return companion, Dorian. I could see Solas or Blackwall returning as a companion, but I don’t think they truly beat out Dorian in the amount of importance and content we could get from a returning character by our side. Since Inquisition is the newest game, I especially see most if not all of the characters making some form of cameo.

Some Special Mentions I want to throw out there too. I imagine Calpernia will still be relevant in some way to the story. As she is also someone who wants to redeem Tevinter (in her own way) and could not be killed by the Inquisitor, even being a villain in their game.

Marius, Tessa, and Charter all seem to relevant, recurring characters in the extended media. I wouldn’t be surprised if they roles in the next game. Especially given Marius’s ties to Tevinter and Calpernia

If we don’t have Maevaris Tilani as a companion, after all of this, I will be shocked and scandalized. She has been another character that has both importance in Tevinter and seems to hold importance to the writers (though how this will go now that her main writer, David Gaider has left I don’t know. Weekes still has access to them and he should use it).

We haven’t yet seen the end of Valta...and perhaps Renn. I’m not sure Bioware will approach more dwarven concepts in DA4, but one can hope. Even more so, since I want to see what happened to Valta and just what is happening with the Titans.

[lavellit]

ok so after 6 days and 70 odd hours, i finished andromeda. and i really liked it. there were also some things i didn’t like as much, but i’ll go at it by parts.

what i liked:

the overall hopeful tone. it has a really great star trek-y vibe, which as a massive star trek fan, delights the fuck out of me. that might not appeal to everyone, i don’t know what’s the tone of the original trilogy, i never played it, but i suspect it’s much darker. if you like star trek tho, you’ll enjoy andromeda to hell and back. that’s the best compliment i can pay. if you’ve always wanted a star trek open world game, andromeda scratches that itch something fierce. 

the combat. this is the first mass effect game i’ve ever played, because a) i dislike sci-fi games (sci-fi is my favourite genre of everything else, just not video games) b) i dislike 3rd person shooters ( the only other shooters i’ve ever played are fallout and bioshock, and that’s because they’re what i call “fun shooters”, they make shooting up mooks fun, and andromeda blissfully does this too, albeit not to the enormously satisfying level of bioshock, but on par with fallout)

the loyalty missions. it’s a bioware game, this one is a no-brainer. and in terms of action and duration, they are a lot deeper than in dragon age games, but, i’ll say, some of them don’t do much in terms of satisfying character development. all companion quests in the dragon age series do this a lot better. but over the course of the game, and through main, and secondary quest reaction cutscenes, most of the tempest crew does get some sort of character development.  

lots of cutscenes, even for secondary quests. what can i say, i love cutscenes, and having the opportunity to be a smartass as often as possible. seeing as the lack of secondary quest cutscenes is one of my biggest gripes with da:i, i was really happy that there were so many in andromeda. there could be more tho, i’m talking da2 levels of unnecessary cutscenes to send me to my happy place. 

kadara is amazing, has some of the funniest side quests in the whole game, one of the most engaging and rewarding questlines, and some really well-written characters. plus,  sloane kelly is voiced by indira varma, the same actress who voiced vivienne, and reyes vidal is voiced by nicholas boulton, the same actor who voiced hawke. enough said. all aboard the kadara dlc train

the turian ark rescue mission, i uhm...needed to walk away for a moment after that one. really atmospheric quest.

the missing memory questline is surprisingly rewarding, i say surprising because it was a pain getting some of those memories.

ryder is ryder, i can only compare andromeda to dragon age games, but ryder resembles hawke, a lot more than the warden or the inquisitor, you can make different dialogue options, but the tone is set, and you can’t really go against it. ryder is ryder, but that’s okay, because much like hawke, i happen to like ryder. instead of the sarcastic option you have the casual option, which when paired with the emotional option, leads to what i like to call: bleeding heart asshole, and it’s amazing.

so much background dialogue, it can become a little bit of a cacophony at times, but i like hearing it nonetheless, makes the world feel really alive.

lots of banter, no one shuts up in my game, between my squad, SAM talking about the weather, and ryder pointing out every single thing that came up, i don’t think i’ve gone more than five minutes in silence...but that also leads me to:

what i didn’t like:

lack of romance specific banter. i romanced jaal with scott in this playthrough, and was disappointed that there was no acknowledgement by any of the crew during banter. i didn’t realise this, but jaal was made available very recently as a bisexual option with patch 1.08, so that might be the reason for it. but i did a few searches and there were other ppl complaining about the lack of romance banter for other characters so it might be a general thing. i live for this, and there was so much of it in da:i, and da2, i really felt its absence. it seemed that when i was romancing sera in my first da:i playthrough it was all my party wanted to talk about, and i.was.living. - still, in my next playthrough with sara i’ll romance either peebee or vetra and then i’ll be sure if it is as lacking as i suspect.

the prologue. the only reason i even played as scott in the first playthrough was because my first save with sara got corrupted when i was playing during the origin installation, don’t ask me how that happened. but the sheer prospect of playing through the prologue again was so daunting that it made me start over with scott so it wouldn’t be all the same. the game is very worth it, but the prologue is uhm...a trial.

the nomad. listen i got better at driving the damn thing, but why the fuck do i need to steer with the keyboard instead of with the mouse? what’s the damn point, but it’s fine, it became fine eventually...except, being in the nomad, and the fact banter really only fires in the nomad, meant i had no desire to get out and explore, unless it was for a specific quest. points of interest? i drove right by. and this really frustrates me, because i actually loved exploring every nook and cranny in da:i, but there’s just no tangible reward for it, your party won’t talk, the planet will try to kill you, and you might end up not doing anything more exciting than killing some enemies.

the archon. unfortunately went to the corypheus school of bland villains, fortunately the remnant plot holds its own, and he’s more of a nuisance keeping you from discovering its secrets. 

none of my choices really mattered, at least not immediately, there’s a few i feel will have some serious repercussions in further games and dlc, but as of finishing the game, the consequences were minimal. 

none of my companions betrayed me/ left forever. what the fuck is up with that? honestly this might be my biggest gripe with the game. how am i supposed to pine if they don’t backstab me/ leave for tevinter/ disappear to study eluvians? not one of them blew up a building. 0/10

[feoplepeel]

5, 6, 13, 15

(she says to replace 5 with 22 or 23 but…)

5. Is there any fic that makes you super happy to reread and remember you wrote that?Found Every Reason to Lay or to Lie, which is the Carnivale/Fantastic Beasts crossover fic I talked with you the other day! Rereading it, I loved the language and I wished I could get back to that kind of imagery I had a hold of.

6. Is there any fic that makes you super embarrassed to reread and remember you wrote that?I am embarrassed of literally anything remotely sexual I’ve ever written and you know this and how dare.

13. What’s the biggest change between your style when you started in fandom and today?I think the biggest change is how much I can write and what tenses I feel comfortable writing in. And maybe what I’m comfortable trying. I love researching and trying things. Juggling a bunch of characters instead of two people in a room.

15. Have you ever purposefully written one fandom/fic idea over another because you knew it’d be more popular? I have been influenced by popular fandom ideas, yeah absolutely. But I can safely say no I haven’t purposely changed an idea because it would be more…palatable I guess? And the only reason I know that is @goddamnrey is my beta. We have had the exact conversation of:Me: Why is this so hard?Her: Well, is it what you WANT to write?Me: I don’t know what I want to write, but it’s not fucking this.At which point it usually becomes kind of obvious I’m writing more what people want to see instead of what I want to see and I make some tweaks.

22. Has there ever been anyone who’s made you freak out because they read your work and followed/favorited/reviewed? Yes. @damalur. She liked or reblogged some post of mine related to TBBT I think? I honestly can’t remember how it got started but I DO REMEMBER:-I loved her fics in college-We eventually ended up in the DA2 fandom together-I wrote a giftfic for her and she came and commented on it (okay, yeah, fair enough)-I had this…jolt of realisation that I used to read her stuff in college and things had come full circle and hence the freak out SECOND PART OF THAT STORY:-Small world, her friend lives near me and now WE’RE friends because @odylism is awesome -damalur came into town and we all had lunch and played SlashWhat I’m trying to tell you is…nothing. I’m literally just bragging about how cool my friends are and that I met them through fanfiction. I don’t do it often, let me have this.

23. What’s the nicest review you’ve ever gotten? That’s a really tough question. There was a string of reviews on The Weeds Grow Up that were just…paragraphs of praise (from you, included). I remember one day, @ladynoblesong left just…this massive comment that had me speechless for quite a while. I think those reviews get me quite a bit–I hear people say, “I’m struggling to find a way to tell you how much this has impacted me,” or “I don’t know what I loved most about this,” then they’ll leave a huge comment and I’m like “….wow that’s amazing ;_;” And sometimes it can be hugely motivating.

[nonrebloggingviewerswillbeshot]

A Shameless Rant (Alistair/Cullen)

How far has our society come when we can argue and bicker over such trivial things that have no bearings on life and simply serve to aide someone through a time of distress or something similar?

Games offer something to someone that could be completely different to what it offers another person. An npc in that game could be a source of comfort for a person when another could just as easily hate the same npc and have a strong desire to kill them.

When did going to the people who like that npc and bashing them suddenly become something that was common or normal and vice versa? Since when did we all walk down a tunnel in life or have a hive mind where we all had the same thoughts, the same struggles, the same insecurities and mentality?

Let’s get specific, let’s talk about Alistair and Cullen shall we.

First of all if you hate these npc’s then good for you, that is well within your right, but the minute you decide to bash people for their love of these characters is when you cross a line.

Now let’s get personal.

I love Alistair okay get over it, and I also love Cullen for similar but different and specific reasons.

Alistair is a gentlemen through and through and quite frankly I would take this make up of polygons over what is considered a man in this day and age where ‘being a man’ is doing drugs, boozing up, sleeping with everything on two legs, cheating on your girlfriend, going around beating others up, being obsessed with the taking of steroids, and being the stereotypical version of a bad boy among other things.

Plus I want a man to treat me with respect and it says something about society when it takes a 3D model in a computer game to find it. I’m sick of games nowadays that have romance options being “Let’s bang because we can, not necessarily because we love eachother.” and if you don’t like my opinion, leave, we’re all different and this is who I am.

The argument is that Alistair is too dumb to function but honestly I think we can give that award to Goku who doesn’t know what kissing is despite having kids and other various nonsense that makes no sense.

If Alistair was too dumb to function he wouldn’t even be a grey warden in the first place, he faces down dark spawn, and fights an endless battle with a darkness that will never be ridden from the world until the arch demons are gone. He has the possibility to be a king or just remain a grey warden, either way he has very important roles regardless of what you choose so let’s get rid of that stupid misconception immediately.

(Spoilers Ahead)

As we know Alistair is the son of Fiona and King Maric Theirin, and if you have paid attention to anything he says in Origins you’ll know that he was hated by Isolde and treated poorly because of her suspicion that he was her husbands son.

His moments of hesitation come from talking to a female grey warden, and perhaps other women and I just don’t remember that part, although he has no qualms about raising his voice at Anora so I’m going to refer to my previous statement of it being the female warden.

I’m not going to say Alistair had the hardest life but it wasn’t the easiest either if we consider his age, and he was eventually dropped off at the chantry because of Isolde. Honestly if people hate how shy he is and how much of a gentleman he is at this point whatever, I don’t care but people like that exist, deal with it.

We could argue that his treatment from Isolde aids his fear of talking to the warden which I am personally going with. Let’s look at how hesitant he was to tell you he was a bastard in the first place, he didn’t want to tell you as explained by himself because people either coddle him because of it or treat him badly.

At his young and impressionable age it would have left psychological marks on him that he perhaps fears being treated like this and is thus hesitant when it comes to talking to women let alone those he has feelings for. It would be hard in the least which it is for his character and that is actually realistic.

Origins is a dark fantasy game in the first place so let’s not forget that either, considering the city elf wardens backstory is her getting kidnapped along with several other women to be raped by the Arl’s son and his friends.(yes I played a city elf)

Also if you meet Alistair in Inquisition, gone is his happy-go-lucky attitude he has a cold seriousness about him that breaks your heart when you realize he has become a man that get’s the job done instead of being his usual goofball self.

So essentially if you don’t like a touch of realism in your gaming then gtfo because that’s how life works. Events in our lives leave their marks on us regardless of if we want them too or not.

Which brings me to my second point being Cullen.

Cullen has had a far worse time than Alistair has and that has definitely left their marks on him as a person. If you played a circle mage which I have you will see his rather cute and shy interactions with the warden, and I’m not sure if it’s intended but after you talk to him he sprints off in the other direction.

Moving on to the annulment of the circle at Calenhad we find Cullen trapped in a magical barrier and he’s rambling on about how the demons are using you to haunt him again. The man actually cries when you meet him begging for an end to all this misery, he is a broken human being. And if you bring Leliana with you she will comment on how he had been denied food and water for a few days as well and attempts to give him some.

Afterwards he explains that his friends were killed and tortured some were turned and he was tortured as well as I explained earlier. After finally realizing that you are real he asks you to kill all the mages in the tower including Irving and all the mages who never turned.

You can either choose to go along with his request and kill everyone or not and save the mages, but either way the damage on his mind is already done and he has a fear that would not easily go away considering he still has nightmares in Inquisition.

This in no way supports the slaughter that he suggested because realistically no amount of trauma excuses the harm caused to other people because of it but it is understandable given that fear is a powerful force able to make people do many things they thought they would never do.

Moving along to Dragon Age 2 when he was sent to Kirkwall because Greagoir sent him away because Cullen was no longer allowed to be around the mages in the tower and he needed to be away from the place that caused him so much pain.

So now at Kirkwall; Knight-Commander Meredith has been fostering his hate for mages and so he treated them as less that human stating to Hawke “They are not people like you and me.” I played a mage in DA2 but I always understood the importance of the circle so that we didn’t end up with another Imperium.

I understood why he treated them like this because he was never given a chance to see mages as anything other than evil abominations and blood mages such as what was in Fereldan’s circle. And since I can only assume Meredith was filling his head full of stuff that would make him remain loyal to her and her ideals alone it makes sense.

Moving through the acts you see him questioning her despite his own distaste for mages and I think that is progress because despite his mental scars he is able to see that this is not right, and he has regrets already. He understands that Meredith is going crazy as revealed in Act 3 I believe, but what options does he have when the only safety he has is to cling to the order that controls the mages.

He needs to feel that control over them so that he can in some way be assured that what happened at Calenhad can never happen again. It does however as seen when Anders blows up the chantry but still my point remains. Cullen has a fear that causes him to both hate what the Templars get away with and hate what mages get away with at the same time. Leaving him between a rock and a hard place.

If you tried to face your biggest fear I could see you standing their questioning everything multiple times because it’s not easy to step out from that metaphorical blanket of security you think you have. Cullen turning on Meredith at the end of Act 3 proves he is taking a leap of faith, his convictions strong enough to ignore his fear for a moment and do what is right.

If you aid the Templar's in saving Kirkwall, several mages will surrender to you and Meredith demands their death, but Cullen is expressing his opinion against what she wants, saying that it is not what the order stands for. Hawke ultimately has the choice and they can be saved much to Meredith's displeasure. Fighting against Meredith at the very end proves that he has made a choice and it was the right one.

Moving on to Inquisition, his desire to leave the Templar's is perfectly expected, he has had enough of people like Meredith he’s tired of dealing with mages, and he doesn’t want to be tied to his past life anymore. His ‘whining’ about the mages joining them is still justified even if he get’s over it for the greater good because he realizes that it is your choice to make as the Inquisitor. 

Why would anyone who has been tortured by a certain group want more of them walking freely around them, it’s a panic attack waiting to happen. 

Being someone who has been through some pretty horrific stuff in my life I can understand these characters on a deeper level than most, there are many psychological factors behind the actions and reactions from these 2 characters.

Honestly I could touch up more on this whole thing but I think I have said my peace and this post is already long enough. so thank you for listening to my spiel and have a nice day.

[dgcatanisiri]

Okay, so I've got some more salt about Dorian since I'm now playing a run without him and, legitimately, I feel nothing is missing from the game because of it. (I mean, there's plenty missing from Inquisition in general, but what is missing has nothing to do with Dorian...)

He really is a bad character. I mean that in the sense that he is poorly written, not that he says or does anything outright bad (though, given his privilege and our inability to call him on it, I can understand why people would say that). This is a character who depends entirely on flash and misdirection to make you believe he's more interesting than he is. It is pretty much solely because of novelty value and a charismatic vocal performance that he has developed the fan following he has. Like if there wasn't this dearth of gay characters in video games, I guarantee you, Dorian would not be as popular as he is.

And let's be clear about something here, I don't care that Dorian's writer is not-straight, Dorian was NOT written first and foremost for gay men. He's there to be woobied by a female Inquisitor, act as her best friend and pet gay, far more than he is meant to be there as representation for gay men. This is blatant in the fact that he has these flirt options with female Inquisitors and yet, when he declares that he's gay, the Inquisitor gets to say 'you led me on' and he apologizes, and not in a 'I'm sorry I came across that way' but in an 'in another life...' Like those are his actual words. He’s comforting her for her misunderstanding.

And if the Inquisitor is male, again, he's not there as representation. He's a damn object lesson about how 'gay people are people too, and are Born This Way™ and trying to change them is wrong!' (A lesson that, sadly, still seems to have impacted with a dull thud on more than a few heads...) That's not a lesson gay people need. I don't deny the importance of his story to people, but it brought nothing new to the table. It was the same story we've seen dozens of times over in Very Special Episodes all over.

What makes this NOT work here, however, is the fact that hour one of Dragon Age Origins offered the chance for a Cousland Warden to openly be accepted for having a person of the same sex waiting for them in their room - they get to declare this openly to the whole Cousland family, their parents, their brother, their sister-in-law, and their nephew, and none of them bat an eyelash at the thought. There’s no scandalized gasp from the parents, no ‘not in front of my child’ from Fergus or Oriana, just acceptance. Hell, Fergus openly jokes about it, acknowledging that ‘hey, my little brother/sister is out and open and I’ve known this about them.’ This world initially opened with acceptance. Hell, Leandra will comment on Hawke's romances equally in DA2, and the Amell/Hawke family are Kirkwall nobility. We entered this series with evidence that sexuality was not a concern in Thedas.

But Inquisition pulled the rug out, saying 'ACTUALLY, there IS judgment for this!' Hamfistedly, I might add - After all, Anders, an openly bisexual man whose first love was another man, looked to Tevinter as an example, as a place he'd considered running away to. Fenris was a Tevinter slave abused by one of the magisters. Hell, Isabela traveled the known world. Any one of these characters could have brought this up before. Any of them could have acknowledged that this is an issue in Tevinter – you don’t think that Anders would have tried to learn about this place where mages run things? That Fenris wouldn’t have something to say about Hawke, who joins the nobility in Kirkwall through the course of the game, wouldn’t remark on the comparison? That they didn't says that this was literally only done in the name of giving Dorian this particular story in this particular game.

And this is what Dorian is most remembered for. He's the gay guy. Any other traits make the cut? Nope - no one talks about his scholar side. And... And that's really the only other trait Inquisition bothers to give him. He's gay and a bit of a book nerd. Oh, and he's 'Sparkler,' as nicknamed by Varric, as a reference to his flashy persona. That's all the character Dorian has. Dorian is not a character in Inquisition.

He's a caricature. In game, he's all about words, but nothing actually manages to come out that’s worth it. Like, his whole desire to ‘redeem’ Tevinter is entirely nothing more than words. Does he bring up any of the realities of doing this? The uphill struggle he faces in even making the attempt, let alone being successful? A glimmer of awareness of what is wrong with Tevinter beyond blood magic? A moment of reflection where he recognizes that the idea that Tevinter should simply be burnt to the ground is entirely reasonable?

Like, I’ve said it more than once, to give Dorian this story about his father intending to use blood magic to straighten him out, in a game where the main villain is a Tevinter magister from the past leading a Tevinter cult of the present (so it should make Dorian question what of Tevinter will be carried to the future)… It’s lazy storytelling. It’s falling back on an old, familiar story, just for the sake at plucking at people’s heartstrings, to do the emotional heavy lifting without bothering to try and make a connection to this character justified. Just know that people will immediately flock to a character who is openly suffering from explicit homophobia and you’re set!

I’ve also said that Dorian is, effectively, someone who had all the privilege ever in his upbringing and is on his first social justice endeavor – he knows AN issue, so he believes he knows ALL the issues. That’s literally his stance on things. And, rather than point out how his knowledge and experience is flawed or lacking, Inquisition doesn’t let us do anything of the sort. The little bit we do get, of pointing out that ‘poverty’ and ‘slavery’ are two very different things, gets a disapproval shift from him and he brushes it off.

That’s not how you grow as a person, Dorian! When people of other experiences tell you ‘your understanding of this is flawed,’ you don’t get to respond ‘I may not know how it works, but I bet you don’t know either, so there.’ He NEEDS a slap upside the head, literal or proverbial, about how his experiences are NOT enough to judge everything, and if he wants to be this redeemer he claims to desire to be, he needs to LISTEN when people are telling him about their realities. Otherwise, you’re not going to ACTUALLY fix things. You’re just going to eliminate a really basic level symptom and drive the worst of it underground.

And here’s the thing. If Dorian’s use in Inquisition is about laying groundwork for growth and development in the next Dragon Age game? Then he had NO business being a love interest in Inquisition. Hell, I’d even argue he had little business as a companion in that light. If your character is not going to receive the growth and development until their SECOND appearance in a franchise, their first appearance should be the basics. We saw this with Cullen – in Origins he was just a templar, one who a mage Warden could meet in the origin, then see again in Broken Circle, tortured out of his mind. Then he became a full on secondary character in DA2, with a larger role, culminating in his role in Inquisition as an advisor and romance.

Dorian amounts to numeric representation. That’s his biggest contribution to things. And okay, yeah, I celebrate a gay person in a position of prominence in a AAA game, I do. But this particular character? Is sadly nothing WORTH the celebration, because he’s brought nothing new to the table.

[athena1138]

DA Question Meme

Literally nobody asked for this but I don’t wanna do my homework so HERRRRRE WE GO! edit: doing this made me realize just how attached I am to the same 4 names lmfao. #creativity i guess. 

01) Favorite game of the series?

I like a lot of things about all of them. I like the companion interactions from Origins, the story from DA2, and the character creation and map of Inquisition. But they all have things I don’t like, too, so I’m not really sure I have a favorite. I think DA2 and Inquisition are tied, tbh.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?

My roommate had been (trying) to play Origins for a while so my interest was piqued. Then, I was sitting in my Spanish class and realized PSN was having a hella sale so I went looking for some games. Inquisition GOTYE was on sale for like $70 with all the DLCs so I was like, “Hm. Yeah. Aight.” I then proceeded to get 89 hours banked in the course of like...5 days. It was insane. There was much coffee and little sleep. (I said trying because her Xbox 360, both of them, absolutely refuse to let her finish it before the console corrupts something in the data.)

03) How many times you’ve played the games?

Origins 1 1/2 times. I got all the way to the end with my elf before Alistair broke up with me to be king so I said, “AW HELL NAH” and literally started over just so my Warden could be queen. 

DA2, 2 full times and I’m on my 3rd for “fanfiction research” purposes. 

Inquisition, once all the way through the main storyline, started again, then started again. 

04) Favorite race to play as?

Ya girl loves her some elves. I was a Dwarf as my first ever character, but the lack of romance options in Inquisition turned me off to them. I do like them a lot, though. 

05) Favorite class?

Rogue. Seriously, lockpicking should be a universal thing. Otherwise, mage. 

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?

I try. Most of the more personal decisions I have a hard time changing. Like, should Cole be human or more spirit-y? I can’t. I always make him human. But I intentionally try to change major story arcs. Both my Hawke mages and my mage Inquisitor have supported the Templars where I supported mages 100% before. 

07) Go-to adventuring group?

Origins:  Alistair is almost always a must. My first playthrough, he literally went on 100% of my quests with me. Then usually Wynne and Zevran, but I try to switch it up where I think I can spare having a healing mage. Shale and Oghren are my buds. 

DA2:  Vikara Hawke--Fenris, Anders (li,) then either Varric or Isabela. Belladonna Hawke--Fenris, Carver then Avaline, Varric (hc li.) Titania Hawke--Fenris, Bethany then Merrill, Isabela (li.)

Inquisition: Oh boy. I just. I just love them all. Just so fucking much. Picking my group is painstaking, man. Gemma Cadash--Iron Bull (li,) Dorian, Cole. Vikara Lavellan is tricky because she’s a mage, but Dorian is my literal best friend and she romanced Solas so?--Solas (li,) Dorian, Iron Bull or Blackwall. If it’s a tricky area or I need a lock picked, I’ll usually switch Dorian with Cole. Vanaya Adaar--Blackwall, Dorian, Vivienne or Sera. (Josephine LI)

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

So, I had no fucking idea what Inquisition was about. You can go find my “first playthrough” posts for proof, so I was just going with the flow. But starting completely from the start, I think I put a bit more effort into my Wardens, and most definitely my Hawkes and now my new Inquisitors. 

09) Favorite romance?

Cullen. #1, always. Honestly. I know, basic, but you know what? He’s a goddamn tormented cinnamon roll. I also really love his v.a.. Like I’ll listen to the romance while doing homework to keep me focused. Is that creepy? Shit. That’s creepy. But in Origins, idk. Alistair is adorable, but Zevran is just...damn. I want to try Leliana’s romance sometime. Da2: Fenris, but I’m just so goddamn in love with Varric, man. I know it’s not a romance but IT FUCKING SHOULD BE. 

10) Have you read any of the comics/books?

Bruh I don’t even read my homework.

11) If you read them, which was your favorite book?

12) Favorite DLCs?

For, like, functionality? The Black Emporium lmao. I like to change my appearance as the game progresses. But for fun? I like the Deep Roads DLC for Inquisition, the Legacy DLC for DA2, and tbh I haven’t played many DLCs for Origins yet, just the one for Shale and the one for Morigann. I think I’ll like Leliana’s, though, and Awakening. 

13) Things that annoy you.

Can’t change companion armor in DA2

No voice for Origins. (I understand it, but starting from Inquisition, it’s frustrating. Plus, I’m blind, and the biggest subtitles are still hella small.)

You can’t just go strike up a conversation with companions in the field aside from Origins. 

Dwarves can’t be mages

THERE ARE NO DWARF ROMANCES

The Qunari just felt really..underwhelming til Inquisition? Like. Sten is just a large, stoic human essentially. All the Qunari in DA2 have the exact same face, and nothing about their titles or names are explained. They’re a giantass plot point and you’re telling me not even the Arishok could get some different horns or maybe a face lift or something? 

When your companions break up with you. Like goddamn. Rude. 

The Dark Ritual. 

Forcing Alistair to be King so I don’t have to choose between him or my Hawke. He’s so unhappy as a ruler, but it’s better for his safety. Such a dick move, guys, really. 

Leandra just straight up forgives Gamlen for blowing the entire fortune? Nah, Ma. He’s dead to us now. 

Carver’s such a dick, man. 

Caves,caves,caves,caves,caves in DA2. Like goddamn. 

I have soooo many more but I have to get up in 4 hours lmao

The dog in Origins counts as a companion

Even if Hawke is a mage, Fenris doesn’t cool it with his anti-mage shit. Ever. 

Anders is a dick, man. A beautiful one, but a dick. 

14) Orlais or Ferelden?

Kirkwall.

15) Templars or mages?

Mages, always. Supporting the Templars makes me so frustrated with myself. 

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?

So, cross-games, they’re in the same universe. But as for, like, all my Inquisitors? Idk. I’ve never really thought about it. I don’t HC that I have like...6 Inquisitors or even sibling Inky’s running around, but I don’t see a reason why they wouldn’t keep existing just because one of them got the Mark. I do try super hard to connect all my main characters as closely as I can, just for funsies. 

Like, my new Lavellan was from the same alienage as my Warden except she got swept up in that slave-trade business at the age of like 10. Then she lived as a slave in Kirkwall til she ran away at 15 and was taken in by Merrill’s clan. She and an older hunter were out hunting when the massacre happened, so he ends up taking her up north to meet up with another clan he knows is fartin’ around there. (Lavellan.) So, she remembers Varric and Hawke from their few trips to visit Merrill’s clan on Sundermount. 

Shit like that, y’know? 

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

Random things, usually. My current Hawke’s mabari is called Wrex, last one was Oberyn. I don’t remember any of my Wardens’ mabari names.

18) Have you installed any mods?

I fucking wish I could. Console only over here my dude. 

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?

Vikara Tabris--No, absolutely not. She just wanted to stay in her alienage and take care of her family. She didn’t want to get married, and when the noble dude kidnapped them all she just straight up wrecked them, so she didn’t have a choice. She’s pretty bitter about it all, but Alistair makes it better. 

Titania Cousland--Hells. Yes. From the moment she heard Duncan was coming, she was like a fucking dog with a bone begging that her dad let her join. 

20) Hawke’s personality?

Vikara Hawke:  Kind, peaceful. Blue? I think? The colors represent the dialogue wheel, right? Idk, man, the nice shit. 

Belladonna Hawke:  Sarcastic af. 

Titania Hawke: Agro to others but not her friends. 

21) Did you make matching armor for your companions in Inquisition?

Look, fam, there are only SO MANY GODDAMN PIECES OF LIGHT ARMOR AVAILABLE. AT SOME POINT, WE ALL FINNA LOOK ALIKE IT’S NOT MY FAULT so like yeah

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?

oh jesus

ORIGINS-        Vikara Tabris--so much, man. The most important thing? I think she would’ve put Anora on the throne instead.         Titania Cousland--She would’ve tried to use her connection to the king to make him see reason, make him see that the war was suicide. 

DA2        Vikara Hawke--She would’ve tried to sway Anders away from the terrorist side of things more, had she not been too blinded by love to see what he was doing.          Belladonna Hawke--Would’ve rather taken Bethany’s place with the ogre because she can’t live with the guilt.           Titania Hawke--Corypheus. If she’d have just paid fucking attention, she might’ve noticed how weird Larius was acting, she might’ve been able to do something before the literal sky opened up. 

Inquisition          Gemma Cadash--She straight up wishes she was never at the fucking Conclave. If she’d have just stayed in the Carta, doing what she’s good at, this all would’ve been someone else’s problem. She has a hard time dealing with all the pressure and the stress and constantly fears she’s doing the wrong thing. The only thing that gets her through it is Bull.           Vikara Lavellan--Loving Solas. She wishes she’d seen the signs more clearly, seen where they were going with it. But, loving Solas lead her to Cullen, so in the end? She guesses it was worth it.            Vanaya Adaar--She would’ve tried harder at Haven, to save more lives than she did. If she’d have just been a little faster... 

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?

For my Inquisitors, usually something will be anti-canon, but my Hawkes are usually pretty satisfying to me, and the Warden has enough options I think it’s alright. But like...Vikara Lavellan has almost no faith to the Dalish despite being one. She got her vallaslin because she had to to stay in clan Lavellan. I also sometimes HC that she spent time in the Circle so when Vivienne gets all snotty about it not being so bad, she can be like “uhm, scuse you.” Same with Hawke and Anders, but Idk how it would work. Maybe she was there during his solitary confinement but broke out with her phylactery and that’s when her family moved to Lothering? Oh. Shit. Yeah. That works. Hey, new headcanon! 

24) Who did you leave in the Fade?

First, Hawke, because I hadn’t played DA2 yet, but then I saw how hurt Varric was and I died inside. So, Stroud usually. 

25) Favorite mount?

Cadash--the Avaar War Nug Lavellan--Tirashan Swiftwind Adaar--Hunter Shade Dracolisk