#maybe this is normal for bioware games i would not know

[quilleth]

Bioware made a mistake bringing Isabela back for da4 because like hell she wouldn't tell the entire da2 crew about what's happening with Solas which means they'd all show up ready to curb stomp him about Varric. Even moreso if hawke was left in the fade. That's two of their number down because of this fucker. Also Merrill should get to deck him specifically while also being like "what, like it's hard?" about fixing the eluvian that was blighted and cost her two of her closest childhood friends (potentially), her place in her clan, and her home. Again, going back far enough, because of him.

I just miss them 🥺

[amourningcrow]

Late game spoilers, particulary about Varric! I wasn't able to put this into words before, but now that I've had some time, I think I can actually talk about it. It's a little long though.

I tried to start a new playthrough three times now, but I can't even make it to the ritual side without breaking down. It is, frankly, embarrassing.

But Varric means so, so much to me. I knew deep down that he wouldn't make it out of this alive - that he even survived past DA2 was a surprise to me. The man's got tragic death written all over him! But I still wish we had gotten some more out of him. Some more interactions with the companions, more banter, more relationship dynamics. We never even found out what he would have called the others! (Aside from Neve, who was 'Slick', apparently.)

This isn't even a criticism of the writing! I think it makes sense and fits his character, sadly. (Though it's also the first time they actually managed to make me hate Solas, which is quite a feat.) It's just me being heartbroken about one of - or maybe even my ultimate - comfort character. I played DA2 (and the others, too, but DA2 holds a special place in my heart in this regard) during a time in my life where I was very much just... lost, I guess. God. I think I actually felt physical fucking grief when I went through the Fade prison scene? I was shaking and sobbing the whole time and I don't know if I have it in me again.

I'm a bookseller by trade and Varric loving stories always resonated with me. He's often reduced to being the sarcastic sidekick, but I love all his aspects and complexities so very dearly.

The son who didn't ever quite fit in with the society he grew up in, who couldn't hold up to his parents expectations and so instead refused to be tied down by them, but still had a deep love for his family.

The man who was so tragically in love with a woman he couldn't have that he made her his little secret, keeping Bianca's identity even from his best friends. Who probably still didn't let go of his yearning all those years later, maybe because it was easier than opening up and getting hurt again.

The one who was always bickering with Cassandra, this steely woman he was always at odds with, but still wrote her a continuation for his romance series he didn't even think was good because beneath all of his veneer, he still cared.

Who was presented with this half-spirit half-boy and saw just a squirrely kid who needed some help to find his place in the world. (And yeah, this is special to me. Because god damn it, I never had someone like that growing up, and I would have given all my limbs and a kidney for it.)

Who was so, so full of compassion himself, despite all the shit the world had already thrown at him.

I don't know. Maybe I just have a thing for people who try to lock their hurt away so not even they, themselves, have to confront it. (Maybe because I'm a little like that myself and maybe that's why I like Lucanis so much, as well. Damn you, Mary Kirby.)

But anyway. Sorry for the vent. I just needed someplace to share this, I guess. I don't know what to do with this hole in my chest, but props to Bioware (and damn you again, Mary Kirby) for putting it there, because it's definitely not normal for me to care this much. I wasn't even this sad when I had to leave my Hawke in the Fade. Maybe they'll finally find each other again, wherever they are now 💔

[himluv]

HIMluv's Masterpost!

I've only been on this hellsite for damn near a decade, I should probably introduce myself and link all my fics.

Hi, I'm HIMluv (she/they)! By day I work in libraries, writing Speculative Fiction in my free time. In my free-free time, I write fanfic, mostly for Bioware games. Find links and details for my various fics below!

Aggressive reminder: THIS BLOG IS HOSTILE TO AI!

Dragon Age:

Title: Say My Name (say it twice) Pairing: Lucanis Dellamorte x Embria "Rook" Aldwir Rating: E for (eventual) Smut Status: Complete Summary: Lucanis's life is a mess. Thanks to Rook, he escaped the Ossuary, but now that means he might have to actually do something about all of his problems. Between blighted gods, a demon, his city under occupation, and his idiot cousin, Lucanis barely has time to think. So then why do all his thoughts keep revolving around a certain elf with violet-tinged eyes? Why can't he stop thinking about Rook?

A chronological collection of linked Lucanis/Rook oneshots. The slowest of burns. Pining galore. Demisexual Lucanis (and probably Rook too, let's be honest.)

Title: Inevitable Pairing: Solas x Riallan Lavellan Rating: M Status: Complete Summary: A series of linked oneshots, following Riallan Lavellan through her journeys with the Inquisition, and her doomed relationship with a certain bald elf. (this is the fic of my heart)

Title: The Warden and Her Crow Pairing: Zevran Arainai x Cerine Tabris Rating: M Status: Complete (w/potential for more?) Summary: A collection of oneshots for my Warden Cerine Tabris and Zevran.

Title: Through the Eluvian: Dragon Age Stories Pairing: Multiple Rating: M Status: Complete (w/potential for more?) Summary: A collection of Dragon Age short stories, featuring a slew of pairings and OCs (yes, I did the god-awful thing and put a mashup of pairings and characters in one fic. I'll fix that someday, maybe.)

Mass Effect:

Series: Santa Sarita: The Patron Saint of a Third Rate Smuggler Works: The Fall of Santa Sarita, The Cost of Salvation, The Sacrament, Sanctified, Sanctuary (wip), The Lost Sermons (oneshots) Pairing: Sara Ryder x Reyes Vidal Rating: M-E Status: Hiatus (work #6 = wip w/intent to finish) Summary: After defeating the Archon, Sara and Reyes try to find a new normal. But when the Charlatan's shadows grow too dark, can their relationship survive?

Title: The Charlatan and the Coinshot Crossover fic with Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn universe Pairing: Sara Ryder x Reyes Vidal Rating: T Status: Complete Amazing Art by @artsyblacksheep Summary: After tragedy strikes in Elendel, Sara Ryder flees into the Roughs, the wild west of Scadrial. But, at the very edge of the continent rests a town nestled in the cliffs: Kadara Port. And in the Port there’s a suave smuggler that just might prove to be more trouble than he’s worth.

Reyes Vidal had seen enough hopelessness in his days in Elendel’s slums. That despair had settled so solemnly in Kadara Port infuriated him. He would have to do something about Sloane Kelly, and the arrival of a Pathfinder might just be the key to all his schemes. But getting Sara Ryder to help him might be a bigger risk than he can afford to take.

Title: A Gift for the Dying Pairing: Thane Krios x Female Shepard Rating: G Status: Complete Summary: Thane's perspective of the attack on the Citadel, from before the attack to his final moments. A gift for @forlornmelody

Horizon Forbidden West:

Title: Medicine Pairing: Kotallo x Aloy Rating: M Status: Hiatus (wip w/intent to finish) Summary: After the Embassy, Kotallo finds his life in shambles. He is half the man he was, the last of Hekarro's Marshals, carrying the shame of surviving when he could have had an honorable death. So when his Chief gives him orders to escort an Outlander to the Bulwark, he considers it just one more embarrassment to shoulder.

What he doesn't expect is to find a new direction, a new path for his life in the Nora Huntress. He knows he will never truly heal, but he cannot deny, her touch is medicine to him.

If you made it this far... damn. Well done! If you read any of my work and enjoyed it, please let me know! I love hearing from readers :))).

[mythalism]

1) not to give veilguard credit where it's not due 2) I just woke up and do not have sources, please ignore me if I'm wrong. I think Mythal turning into a dragon is like. Special, specifically? I thought that was implied in the Dalish myth about her becoming one the first time that this was beyond normal shape shifting abilities, there was something extra that she did. Obviously Dalish myths come with some heavy grains of salt, but that could be a tiny bit of truth hidden in that one. There's also the fact that Morrigan couldn't shapeshift into one without the Mythal juice, despite having theoretically fought the Haven dragon and an archdemon. The whole well of sorrows/dragon thing had always implied to me something Special and Extra and Specific to Mythal that allowed the dragon connection/Morrigan to shapeshift. Now, none of that explains why Elgarnan couldn't shapeshift into something ELSE big and powerful and dangerous. Maybe he thinks it beneath him. Maybe shapeshifting was a particular talent of Mythal's, part of her niche, and she taught Solas but told her husband to fuck off and get his own hobbies. The world may never know. God knows Bioware won't bother to explain

i think you could absolutely be right, i just dont think the game decided to give us a concrete answer. i think everything you said is true, mythal is def specifically associated with dragons in a way the other gods are not (like with all her statues) but my confusion comes specifically from the codex entry found in the temple of mythal that alludes to the dragon form being "reserved for the gods" and calls it high treason.

to me this is clearly saying that all of the evanuris could "fly in the shape of the divine", as dragons. but i would assume the devs just kind of forgot

[paletigers]

DAI and My Questions as a Trans Guy

So, I recently got into Dragon Age again (thanks @/fullgoob) and I've been sitting here with a thumb up my ass because I really would love to write a fanfic about Solas but I feel like I'm not there yet.

To any DAI fans, or DA fans in general, do we know how Elven and Dalish culture view trans people?

(Long thoughts ahead and very sleep deprived thoughts:)

We obviously only see transness through the lens of the Qun and Krem. (Only speaking to DAI, I haven't played the other games yet.) In the Qun, people are put into gender based on their role in society. In a conversation with Cassandra and Iron Bull, Iron bull states that women who are warriors are considered "men" under the Qun solely based on their role. He also sees Krem as a, for all intents and purposes, as a man not because of his role but because of who he is as a person and because he's just a great guy and cares (poor wording on my part, sorry). Now whether or not the Qun is "progressive" for this isn't what I'm curious about.

I'm curious on the rest of the party. We don't get to see or hear reactions of Krem's gender from anyone else besides Cassandra and Bull, but it's more about Qunari society and less about Krem, and Cassandra makes neither a positive nor negative remark.

So, to make a long story short and get to the point: How would Solas feel about a trans inquisitor? And adding onto that, how do the Dalish treat transgendered people/transexuals? Homosexuality is more "accepted" in Southern Thedas, but the Dalish are really keen on keeping tradition alive and passing down their lore, so I would assume that 'bonding' and child bearing is important one way or another. The acceptance of homosexuality would be on a case to case basis.

I really don't know how the Dalish would treat transgender people, however. I would assume that for the most part, as long as you are fufilling your duty (whether you are to be a keeper, hunter, mage, etc.) it wouldn't bare any issue. The issue of child bearing and keeping up the population and passing down the gift of magic would pose a question, but so would it in the case of homosexuality. I assume that as long as population numbers are steady and there is no active threats against this, trans people and gay people are fine. It would varey from clan to clan.

Now, Solas. I really can't get a read on this guy. I would like to believe he would be accepting (just cause I, unfortunately, love him) but I don't really have any justifications for this (I also don't have justifications for the opposite either, not trying to be negative, lol). Sera, from her point of view, sees the Lavellan/Solas relationship and says Solas probably shouts "Elven glory!" during sex, but that's just from her perspective as a City Elf with her biases towards the Dalish. The most I can gather from my single playthrough of DAI is that Solas would, probably, be super understanding about it. He doesn't have much connection to this world at all, much preferring the Fade, so maybe being transgender is just a new concept to him. Or, maybe it's completely normal, since spirits in the fade just... mimic the lives of mortals. Spirits are completely agender, just encompassing a specific purpose and fufilling that purpose, they have no use for the concept of gender. AND THEN... we know Solas is only straight because Bioware wanted to avoid a negative trope and have him not be bisexual. Because IF Solas lives with agender beings ALL THE TIME then why would he care if the Inquisitor is a woman or not?!

So, as I write this currently, I think I have come to a small conclusion:

I don't think he would "care" in a negative sense. I don't think he would be rude or crass, or even angry about the inquisitor coming out as trans. I don't even think that current canonical straight Solas would care if he was in a relationship with female Lavellan and Lavellan came out as a trans man to him. I think he would probably consider this natural and completely not "odd". Probably would say some shit about how in the fade, a lot of his spirit friends don't have gender either. I feel like he's a guy who just GETS it. He would probably have questions about like, the bodily process of transitioning (I still don't understand how the body magic works. Is it like magical HRT? Do they do like, magical T shots or rub magical T gel? Is there puberty blockers? Do you even have to do voice training? Someone please tell me) and would try his best to understand. If he got rid of your hand could he perform top surgery? Just like rift fade them off your body? Would you trust Solas to do your top surgery? I think I would.

Anyway. Let me know if we got any other opinions or stuff to add onto this. I really want to write some transguy fics with him because there is a SEVERE lack of them on AO3.

[kurczeno]

i love solas because he is one of the most prominent examples of media vs fanon

each time i see a fanart of his he is so yassified and i cant help but laugh bcs in game he looks like this fellas

my mom entered my room once when i had dai opened and immediately asked "why does he have pussy on his chin" which, i think, is a polish idiom used when someone has this like hole????? on their chin (tho to be fair i didnt notice this particular thing, my mom is just super rude. she once bullied a girl out of her school and the teachers are still scared of her, one of them she put in a hospital, but thats story for another time)

i mean, hes pretty ugly (meaning not conventionally attractive of course, because people have different tastes and shit). Which I actually rather like, because as a Solas ha... disliker, even I have to admit - when he suddenly flirts with you it's hot. Like the va is doing an amazing job + his confidence is quite attractive, considering the fact that usually we know him as this nerdy nerd. And now he's just like "I wanna dominate you :)" OUT OF THE BLUE? after telling you about some random shit abt the fade. I mean you're telling me this bald guy tm is more confident than, say, cullen?XD Who would a homeless, elvhen, apostate hobo practice on, fucking spirits? Mythal???? (oh sweet summer child)

And I like that about Bioware games, that many characters aren't traditionally attractive but that's not why people choose them. Garrus is literally a huge lizard?, Liara has tentacles on her head, Solas pic rel, Zevran I think was supposed to be conventionally hot? But theres something terrifying about him, idk, maybe the random amount of detail, in comparison to let's say, Leliana, Morri in the first game - same shit. Also what did they do to her make up jesus. Also Varric. For 13? years we see the community being absolutely insane about him, begging Bioware to let them romance him. And let's be honest, the Veilguard guy is yassified Varric (Solas too), that's NOT who they were horny for these 13 years ago (not me tho, I am loyal to Isabela. Still, I absolutely get you.)

So I started with the fanarts and I'll end with Veilguard, god bless ADHD. Bioware, leave my "ugly" companions alone ffs. I like them that way.

Also to be fair - i'm not exactly shitting on Veilguard here, or people making fanarts bcs

a) Inquisition did similar shit with Varric for example (Morri I think was supposed to be hot, but the graphics.......)

b) their drawing, their solas. I mean people like to "yassify" characters on fanarts (as my friend noticed, Fenris also usually has a more "basic" face on fanarts, and he already is quite "basic" in DA2) when they like the personality, it's pretty normal. Just a matter of preference, the way you imagine the character and, sometimes, not remembering the source material. So there's nothing wrong about that.

It's just that when I see hot solas fanarts/in veilguard I immediately remember the egg from the game

[pimenita]

I finished DATV so here are my thoughts:

First a bit of context: I became a dragon age fan around ten years ago, after playing Fable and looking for games that had a similar feel (and my 2 GB RAM PC could run) I knew DA Inquisition was out but there was no way my PC could take it, so I got Origins and holy shit… my 2010 PC could barely handle it too. When I tell you that the game craawwwled, that the best I could squeeze out of my computer was a stutter and that every quest must have taken me at least 3 times the normal amount of time they should have taken.

Dragon Age Origins is still one of my favorite games of all time, and as someone who joined the party very late, I'll admit experiencing that month of waiting for DATV was very exciting. After completing the game, I'll say the enthusiasm hasn't died down but not because the game is amazing, it's because DATV worked for me: it gave me what I wanted while avoiding most (most!) of the pitfalls of working on the 4th installment of a series that is close to being 20 years old.

We all know how turbulent the development of DATV was and how close to being cancelled for real it got. Is nothing better than the game we got? Not to me, I enjoyed it, I had fun, I'm still playing it (on my 2nd playthrough right now)

What saved DATV for me is what saves most everything for me: the characters. Some had good arcs, some had great arcs, and some were… there. But I never felt like they were a drag to be around. I like how they interact with each other, I love that nobody is calling anybody a slut or crazy (finally) because I get conflict, believe me, it's always fun to have your little guys wanting to kick one another's ass, but there was something so insidious in the way some conversations would go (Aveline and Isabela, just about every chat with Sera) that had me thinking it was more than just two characters tearing into each other. It was like the writer's barely disguised actual beliefs, if you know what I mean.

That being said, I know I'm not the only one that felt like some chats were too hamfisted, too on the nose—someone called the game Dragon Age: Friendship is Magic and I'm still laughing. I've seen the idea of "therapy speak" being used in books in ways that break immersion and I couldn't help feeling like some interactions the companions had were clear examples of this. What makes it weirder in my opinion is that the guys at bioware know how to write compelling conflict that makes sense and has a satisfying resolution. Let's take for example Lucanis' and Davrin's spat after the team fails to kill Ghilan'nain: they throw barbs at each other, then when they cool off they realize they were being asses, so they talk it out and make peace. Like adults, like a hardened assassin and warrior would. It adds to the conflict, it adds to the story, and it informs us of the type of people they are. Then there's Emmrich and Harding discussing a camping trip and waiting for my Rook to pick a side, and I'm like: dude you're both old enough to compromise? Also why do I care what you do with your time when we aren't fighting gods? Appalling stuff. Scrap it, think about better banter.

Then there's the huge elephant in the room: why is Thedas so sanitized? Is this the result of new writers not knowing enough about previous games?—it could be, they don't even know who Zevran is.

Or is it executive meddling?—maybe, there's a screenshot going around of the writers on bluesky (I think) where they vaguepost about critics of the game being right and how they (bioware team) fought against stuff that was included regardless. So, who knows.

On this front I will only reiterate that I'm glad Zev didn't show up. I already side-eyed Isabela (and also Taash) for her ideas about "treasure hunters" (read: pirates) and how they are actually good guys if you think about it (please, don't think about it too hard). Which, fine, let's say they really believe this, the same way the Crows believe they are freedom fighters or another vaguely Latin American coded thing; I understand that people entrenched in a system can truly believe what they're selling, but where's the other side of the coin? Where's the chats about the hurt they inflict on others to achieve what they want? The Crows have that one guy that ends up being a corrupt politician, and the Lords of Fortune… well, they are there.

Dragon Age is such a centrist series that I have heard just about everything about it. That it loves elves, that it hates elves, that it's pro-mage, that it's pro-templar. And it's because it has so many different factions that defend their ideologies that you can't say for sure what the writer's feelings are on the subject (and also because it's centrist, both sides are wrong bull most of the time). I swear I love Dragon Age; it's only because I care that I point out this stuff.

But that's the thing, I'm ok with both-sides-are-wrong fiction if it means it won't be a black and white take full of good guys telling me how good they are, while the bad guys twirl their mustaches evilly. And, unfortunately and except for a few cases (Solas) I feel like DATV dropped the ball here. Actually, I'm also fine with bad guys going full camp (Hezenkoss is one of the best parts of the game) just, you know, it has to be intentional, otherwise it feels like bad writing.

tl;dr DATV has very high highs, and very low lows, and I would've loved a more polished game, but I enjoy what we got and I will keep replaying it because of the companions and because it's a fun little game… most of the time at least.

[nadas-dirthalen]

So glad to finally made it to the positive Veilguard site. I normally try to not block out other opinions, but it ended up making me so depressed and feeling like I always had do defend myself for being really happy with Veilguard, actually wondering if something is wrong with me… :(

but it’s just a really nice game, great characters, great story, in my eyes best combat of all the DA games… this game was made for me!

so yeah, thanks for shining a positive light (stumbled upon your tumblr by accident and then found the veilguard positive tag and now I’m slowly building a nicer environment for me to simply enjoy the game).

And for a little ask: Do we know what dead bodies are outside the memorial garden at the necropolis? Like the really big ones? They don’t look like giants to me but I have no idea what they could be…

(hope this all made sense, I’m actually at work and my brain is a very chaotic place at the moment)

Nothing at all is wrong with you. 💛It is not wrong to enjoy a game. It is not wrong to have fun. If people are making you feel that way, they're wrong!

Veilguard made me cry more than any piece of media ever. The way BioWare wrote it, with an emphasis on personal stakes in Rook's focus over world stakes (where it was the opposite in DAI), struck me in my core. It was masterfully done, truly.

I don't know what those giant skeletons are! They also don't look like giants to me. One thing I wonder is if they are in any way related to the titans, because it seems like if Harding can have a Titan Shade (a manifestation of her emotions that took shape from the lyrium of her titan) then maybe the titans did once have humanoid avatars walking around for them, outside of just the dwarves. Maybe they're related to the Forgotten Ones, or to the spirits who Elgar'nan burned out of collective memory. Not saying they're spirits themselves, but maybe that long ago, we knew who/what these huge skeletons were, but Elgar'nan burned them out of memory.

I dunno if we'll ever know! However, I would very much like to know!

Your ask did make sense! No worries!

[tideveil]

furthermore, it's not even the fact that there are no ideas that could be seen as vaguely problematic, but that the world of thedas was scrubbed from it, just as if bioware is so terribly afraid of offending someone that all the complicated issues that they created (or rather, the writers before them), are just swept under the rug.

slavery in tevinter is a vague concepts and it's just good guys who want abolish it, and evil guys who want to keep it. if you create a society where slavery is so much ingrained into it, you should meet characters who consider slavery very much normal and very much part what should be normal. said characters may be funny, likeable, cool and whatnot. and personally, I think it's very important that we are faced with characters like that. characters that are outwardly friendly, kind, funny but still have problematic opinions at worst, and opinions you wouldn't agree with at best. it's important for understanding media and having media literacy that many people sorely miss. and we need to discuss those opinions ingame and get to agree or disagree. not the different options of agreeing with a character and not having your own opinions. but I digress. bioware takes this even a bit further, it's not just "the good guys hate slavery, the bad guys like slavery" - you don't even get to see any slaves, and slavery remains something that is vaguely mentioned sometimes, but of course, nobody actually goes in. (this isn't me trying to defend slavery in any way. fictional or non-fictional. slavery Is the prime example I use for established issues being ignored)

and as mentioned before, not one single elf you interact with says something like "hey we've been mistreated for so long, maybe it would be right to join the evanuris, they could help us" as in... desperate people do desperate things. or being so terrified of the evanuris that they join them out of fear. no, the "worst" you get is "wow i feel a bit conflicted about the fact that our gods are back but they are evil, but i won't have a crisis of faith and question everything i knew about my culture and origins, fuck the evanuris!" - and on the other hand, everyone knows that they are elven gods, and not once, you see even a designated hate sink npc even say "fuck the elves, that's their fault" - whereas in past games, elves couldn't even sneeze without the humans blaming them for a plague (or whatever the quote is).

plus the whole idea of "we are in the north, so the mage-templar war and the divine in orlais are irrelevant" is infuriating because the north =/= tevinter lmao. at least one character should have opinions on that.

i won't go into the whole bullshit bioware created in regards to the antivan crows and shifting them from an assassin organisation who recruit and abuse children and practice slavery to quirky freedom fighters who only want the best for everyone - as this topic has been talked about enough, lol.

it's just... the game only gives you the option to be good. you don't even have the option to be even slightly amoral, someone who is objectively good but wants to get the job done, and has no time or patience for every little issue your companions have. you're forced to be the good guy, but choosing the good options isn't worth shit if the bad options.

[sekaithemystic]

Neve Gallus Analysis and Theory series [Part 2]

Rana snapped a salute as we entered. Knight-Captain Jahvis stood on the other side of the desk, all patched-up armor and sleep-deprived glares in front of an expensive marble fireplace. I sympathized. My family has more templars than mages. I’m sure that says a lot about me. The point is, I’m not from an old family and I felt as at home in Lady Varantus’s house as Jahvis looked.

The section under this contains spoilers from the podcast Vows and Vengeance.

[part 1] [part 3]

Neve and Radonis - the possible bastard of the current Imperial Archon

Let’s start with the similarities in their designs

Serpent theme: This is less visible in Radonis’ design compared to Neve. Aside from the collars and his staff, there isn’t much to talk about. However, in the illustration of Archon Darinius, we see that he has a snake’s head on his headpiece, which does give out the idea that Archons have some sorts of relation to the serpent theme.

Teal color: Radonis wears a full teal outfit, and we can also see that Darinius has teal accent in his as well. I guess we can say that teal is something to associate with the Archon, or at the very least, Tevinter itself. One of Neve’s alternative outfits, the one that concept art Neve wore, actually made it into the game, and you can see that it is a full teal outfit, just like Radonis. I would like to say that the design is quite clean cut, and it gives out the impression of someone from the upper classes - quite the opposite to her default one.

Also, their faces, guys! That DNA test is coming out at 99.9% /j

Next I’ll move onto Neve’s tarot card. This section is actually more concrete than the designs’ similarities to be honest.

The background: The Archon’s Palace can just mean that they are in Minrathous, but then it is also, well, the place the Archon lives and reigns. Having a blood moon that indicates changes can be read as “the changes are coming to Tevinter” or more specifically, the Archon himself.

The shadow: Here I will break it into smaller points

I mention that the shadow is quite similar to an Arcane Horror, except that this Arcane Horror is holding a staff. Now, throughout the last three games, all the Arcane Horror we have encountered use their bare hands to cast magic. Why? Because they don’t need a catalyst to focus on to channel their magic into; they are demons! So seeing one with a staff means that it has to be different somehow. More intelligent, more powerful? Someone like the Archon himself?

It’s not just the presence of the staff, but also the design of it that is questionable. You can see that there are some types of scales near the head - it kinda reminds you of a dragon/snake’s head. Radonis’ staff has three heads instead of one, but then, I don’t expect Bioware to actually put a copy of his staff in here when these cards are more about symbolisms. Maybe this is his staff after being corrupted? 

My favorite finding really, and I’m quite proud of this. Note how the orb of Neve’s staff is positioned right at the center of the shadow’s chest. In Heroes of Dragon Age, Radonis had an orb of the exact location. In Magekiller, however, the orb has been discarded, but there is still this empty space that is of the orb’s shape. Certainly something to consider.

Neve: This is based on vibes only, but you can feel like Neve is waiting for the shadow to come. Why? Is this somebody she knows?

This is more of a personal tidbit but from Vows and Vengeance episode 1, we know that Neve has made quite a lot of enemies in the Magisterium for how much she knows about the Magisters and their shady business. So just how come she is still alive? I know that she is a talented mage, but let’s be honest, if any of those Magisters wants her dead, I don’t expect her to stay alive that long, or even just live normally in Minrathous. I’ll say that there’s an external factor here, someone trying to keep her alive. But then, who has the power to do so except for the person above these Magisters?

And how interesting would it be if this is true? The lowborn bastard who doesn’t believe in the superiority of mages and the mighty Archon who rules over with magic, both fighting for their visions of Tevinter. 

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 3 replay, Citadel post coup:

-Notably, the C-Sec officers on the human embassy level are all turian.

On the presidium, the C-Sec officers are human.

Was this intentional of Bioware? Maybe the idea is to minimize potential conflict of interest on the investigation into Udina by assigning non-human officers to it and assigning the human officers to public spaces?

-Why do the C-Sec officers forbid Solik from filming the refugees on the docks?

They claim it’s because he’d be “disruptive”.

I suspect they’re actually trying to avoid a potential PR disaster if people see the conditions on the docks.

-Cerberus specifically looked for Kelly.

A bit flattering, in a sense – she’s more important to them than she thought!

Also a bit terrifying. TIM is really pissed at everyone who left Cerberus and is determined to clean up loose ends. There’s no other reason to go after Kelly; she’s no threat to Cerberus.

-Conrad is one of the best parts of ME3. All that busywork in ME1 finally pays off!

I know he’s supposed to be a joke about all the side quests, but I wish more or ME3 relied on past decisions like Conrad’s.

Maybe not to the extent that you lose content if you did not do so something, but so outcomes were at least influenced by them.

There are parts of ME3 influenced by past games – is Wrex alive? Kirrahe? Legion? Etc. – but there are a lot of past decisions that make no difference at all, like the turian insignia or if you got Lorik to testify against Anoleis.

Even if they just added flavor, I’d appreciate their inclusion.

-If you go renegade with Jack, you learn that her students helped get civilians off Palaven.

Interesting – turians usually don’t regard adult turians as civilians, since everyone has military training. The term is normally reserved for children or client races. So is Jack using the term in the human sense of non-combatants or the turian sense?

I’m probably thinking about this more than Bioware did.

-If you flirt with Joker, he just about panics. He does not think of Shepard that way.

-Joker won’t consider Shepard because they’re both in uniform and there are regulations against that.

There are no regulations against dating the ship AI, however, so that’s okay.

That’s cutting it awfully thin, Joker. I’m sure if the Alliance had ever considered the possibility of a ship having an AI they’d have regulations against it.

-Paragon or renegade, the fact Edi’s body is made of metal and Joker has brittle bones is brought up.

To go completely off script: Is this really relevant? They don’t have to have sex. Or they could get very creative. This is not what I would consider a deal breaker.

-If you go renegade with Edi, she brings up the lifespan difference between her and Joker.

Apparently she spoke to Liara about it and Liara was no help at all.

Interesting – Liara’s the obvious choice, since she’s an asari. However, her own relationship experience is very lacking so it’s logical she would have little to offer Edi. Very much a case of the blind leading the blind.

-As Thane dies, if you go paragon the last prayer is for you.

If you go renegade, the last prayer is for Thane.

-Shepard to Thane after he passes: Goodbye, Thane. You won’t be along for long.

Yeah, Shepard does not expect to make it through the Reaper war.

-The volus bank teller is skeptical of Sanctuary. How can it promise more safety than the Citadel? Second time a NPC’s called bullshit on Sanctuary and it’s another volus. I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked that the merchant race recognizes a scam when they see one.

Now we just need to set them up with an official broadcast so they can inform everyone else instead of one person at a time.

-Captain Sommers wants to kill a C-Sec officer who assisted Cerberus during the coup. He killed other officers and is now bargaining for a better deal by offering intel. He’s former Alliance and Sommers feels that the Alliance should deal with him.

Paragon, you tell Sommers to stand down because the intel may save lives. Renegade, you use spectre authority to let Sommers kill him legally.

It’s a nice touch to have another sidequest where paragon/renegade feels very different.*

In most of ME3 it feels like renegade has had the teeth removed; it just feels “softer” than in ME1 and ME2. This is a good instance of the two differing more.

*In main missions they differ more, although there the renegade dialogue still “feels” softer.

-Ghorek is the only time Shepard has to really deal with the consequences of destroying a colony in Arrival, and it’s disappointing.

He’s a terrorist, so you’re already predisposed to dislike him. You only exchange a few lines, and there’s no opportunity for investigate or a real back and forth.

I’m glad Bioware included it, but it feels very surface level with little depth. I wish there was more to it to really show the harm Shepard did and how they’re dealing (or possibly not dealing) with it.

Also, there should be choices between letting him die and calling over the nurse. Is there a reason I can’t call over the nurse AND inform C-Sec he’s a terrorist?

-Officer Noles is an excellent reminder on the importance of CyberSecurity. Balak’s using codes from when the batarians had an embassy on the Citadel.

That was what, 20 years ago? Those codes should have been decommissioned as soon as the embassy closed.

But they were not, and there are dead humans for it.

This is why it’s important to have standard operating procedures and regular asset reviews, people.

(How did Balak even get the codes?)

-Balak continues to be compelling.

He’s an evil bastard that’s been killing humans out of misplaced revenge, but paragon or renegade you can appeal to his desire to save his people and he’ll give you his support. You can see how much it costs him to do so, but he’ll set aside his personal desires to serve the batarian people.

In another timeline, Balak could easily have been hero. He has more than enough courage, intelligence, and drive.

In this one, however, he’ll just have to settle for being the lesser evil.

(Also, Balak can see that working with Shepard is the batarians’ best bet, but you expect me to believe that Udina thought Cerberus was a better option?)

-Also, nice of the C-Sec officer standing right there to ignore Balak holding a gun to head. Great job, sir.

-The callback to the Levaithan of Dis first mentioned in ME1 is also well done. The reveal it was a Reaper corpse, that the batarians who studied it all became indoctrinated and that’s why the Hegemony fell so easily – harsh and completely in line with lore.

-Kaidan: Knowing that you acted with integrity – then it matters.

Ah, Kaidan. Paragon of paragons, integrity carved into your bones. Regardless of who took the shot, you handle Udina’s betrayal poorly.

It wasn’t your fault.

-If you refuse to let Kaidan on board, he handles it very well. He doesn’t argue; just takes the polite rejection well and leaves.

Normandy

-When you speak with Traynor to receive the mission about the Cerberus scientists that have quit, Shepard mentions that many who worked for Cerberus believed they were doing the right thing. Shepard did.

And of course the game doubles down that Shepard did do the right thing by working for Cerberus in ME2 and that the Cerberus was working to stop the Collectors while the Alliance did nothing.

Did I hallucinate the Virmire Survivor on Horizon during all my playthroughs? And has the game forgotten that spectres have leave way to choose their own missions – so Shepard could have pursued the Collectors as an agent of the Council rather than a terrorist?

-If you let Traynor take a shower but don’t join her, Shepard comes off as the most oblivious lady in the world. It’s actually rather funny. Traynor left the door open and Shepard registers nothing.

-James’ meeting is very touching. He opens up and is vulnerable – last time he was in command he lost everyone. He’s afraid it will happen again.

For all the bravado he puts on, there’s a lot going on behind that facade. He’d probably make a great officer and N7.

-There was a Cerberus spy working with the Collectors. How much you want to bet he was sanctioned by TIM?

Yet the game still insists Shepard was right to work with Cerberus in ME2.

Ugh.

-The game keeps talking up Kai Leng, especially Andeson, but when he doesn’t have plot armor he’s a wimp.

He’d have died in the attack on the salarian Councilor if a single character in that scene had had any sense.

Citadel

-And once again Cerberus leaned on the “we saved colonies from the Collectors” angle to get an in with someone, this time the Din Korlack.

Apparently it can even excuse fighting with the Alliance.

And surprise, surprise the terrorist organization turns around uses the aide you provided them to blackmail you. It’s almost like they always had their own reasons for what they did.

-Din, it’s bad enough you helped Cerberus at all. Refusing to turn over the name of the colony you sold out unless Shepard is charismatic enough? Be better.

-The game’s refusal to explain Zaeed’s beef with Cerberus pisses me off to this day.

Once again, a Codex entry would easily have solved this problem. Or a few more lines from Zaeed. But no, keep guessing.

-James, stop shrugging while you’re getting a tattoo!

And getting a N7 tattoo before you’ve completed the program is a terrible idea.

-James panics even more than Joker when Shepard makes a pass. Lol, Kaidan’s the only human man that can keep up with femShep. The rest all run away.

-Kelly: I heard about the terrible things Cerberus did during the coup. That’s not the organization I joined.

Yes, Kelly, it is. Here’s a list of terrible things Cerberus did during ME1. Ask Jack if you want some more items that predate it.

Cerberus has always been terrible. The apparently just have the best PR department in the galaxy since everyone is shocked every time some new terrible thing they did comes to light.

-Liara still won’t speak to me on the Citadel, although everyone else will.

Well, except Garrus but that’s because he’s not there. Liara’s the only one both hanging around and not initiating a dialogue.

-Kaidan also takes it well if you reject him on the Presidium, although his hurt shows through more.

He does stick you with the bill, however.

[sol-consort]

Do you hope the next mass effect will have the original Normandy crew or do you want a new protag and new companions?

(Also wanted to let u know, there's a game in the works by old bioware veterans called exodus: become the Traveler. Appreantly its gonna be a lot like mass effect with a big focus on companions and choices, and the original writer Drew who wrotr mass effect is also involved I think and many other bioware veterans from the golden days of bioware. I realy hope exodus and mass effect 4 wont dissapoint.)

I'm hoping for a new crew. I love the OG gang but ME3 showed me that almost all of them are used to this by now, they've become jaded and they each have their own spot in the galaxy to fullfill that we're stealing them from.

I'd love for them to do their own thing as we get occasional updates, and maybe they join as an extra companion in a mission or two, like how Wrex was in the citadel dlc.

I'd love to see Liara command a group of assassins as the shadowbroker that come to our aid. Garrus with his own special unit and ship that has a special room just for calibrations. Ashley and Kaidan preforming their individual spectre duties and having this friendly competition with Shepard.

All except Joker. Because Joker and Shepard feel like a package deal. There is no Shepard without Joker and no Joker without Shepard. Would love for EDI to be there but again, she deserves to actually go out and explore the universe and what it means to have a soul, not just stay glued under Joker's wings all her life.

Because there is so much potential for new companions! Maybe we get a reaper one? Maybe an asari matriarch? A female krogan? Humans who are the best of the best with their own individual quirks and personalities that were given to join the crew of the commander Shepard.

Hell, even a hanar! Maybe a volus, too. I still can't forget Thane's description of how deadly hanar are in water. Maybe a new species joins, and humanity isn't the new kid anymore. Maybe we even get to show off as this new species looks up to us for guidance bc we speedran getting a seat at the council. I'd love a batarian crew memeber.

I'd love to see more conflict. An asari civil war. A turian and salarian disagreement about who should be held accountable for the genophage that turns deadly quickly. For once I want it not to be the humans who are fucking shit up and have to call others for help.

Maybe even dealing with a blackhole problem. Like how that one sun Tali was investigating began aging quickly. A disease or something spreads that makes stars every wear age at an alarmingly rate and the whole of the milky way is threaten to be swallowed by blackholes from these sun and we have to defy physics and stop it somehow.

Or just a normal adventure without a galaxy wide threat yk? Something lowkey where you can take it easy at times and indulge in luxury or comfort rather than tighten your belt for the upcoming war in ME3. Discovering new planets, saving people and doing side fun side quests. Let us explore the world we saved goddammit! I want to see more of Thessia and we didn't even get to land on palavan!

Beach party at hanar homeworld let's go!! Using water guns against your crew and having a friendly match.

Also Shepard shines more when surrounded by new people who are impressed by you. Think of Brooks before the reveal, wasn't she endearing and made you feel special? Wasn't that how meeting Cornard in ME1 made you feel? Same with the interviewer?

Like imagine a bunch of side quests where you have to deal with your fame and the problems it causes. Because especially after the Citidal dlc, Shepard became a famous gamer with a record only you held. Now you're not just popular with military people but most of the common people.

Having to disguise yourself while shopping for groceries. Being asked for autographs at very inappropriate times. The hanar harassing you about Javik. It should be lighthearted and only happen during these side quests so it doesn't become annoying.

I want to see Shepard relax and be appreciated dammit! I'm tired of war. If one happens, it shouldn't be human related so that we don't feel necessary to go intervene.

Tho I think they should let you keep your romance around. Would love to get to import ME3 save. And ME4 starts with you recovering in a hospital. They did say that Shepard was already part synthetic right? So it makes sense to be able to repair them no matter how bad the damage even without Cerberus.

And it was Miranda who led the project last time, so maybe she could do it again since she got on good terms with the alliance or she gave her information to Liara in case she died.

What I would absolutely hate is a drastic time skip where Liara wakes you up and is like "Shepard, it's been 100 years" or some bullshit like NO. FUCK YOU.

Another fucking time skip? Where everyone thinks I'm dead again??? And all my loved ones died?? NO. BAD LIARA BAD.

If you want some feature timeskip nonsense then let the WHOLE crew join me. Maybe Joker accidentally steers the ship into a wormhole and we end up in the future. As long as everyone Is inside the Normandy when it happens then I'm fine with it. At least this time around we would get some catharsis while proving we're not dead again in front of the same companions who were mad at us for being dead.

Also I'd like more character creation options that influences lore and isn't just cosmetic? Like the background one or the psychology one.

It'd be cool if we got to pick one during each game to determine what Shepard has been up to while we weren't here. In ME4 maybe we get to decide if we setteled down and tried to have a family or if we kept exploring and fighting during the character creation before the game begins.

I don't want it to effect much besides stray dialogue and callbacks, maybe a special quest or two.

The biggest problem tho is the ending. I don't know how they're going to make ME4 without establishing one canon ending for ME3. In which case it sucks and makes the whole endgame choice feel pointless if it was predetermined from the beginning.

And if it wasn't predetermined but imported, then I don't see how it won't drastically change the game. They'd have to make 3 seperate whole games. One where we're hugging and kissing reapers, another where they don't exist.

But like ME2 having an ending where Shepard dies. Probably the only way to import your ME3 save is if you picked the red ending where it's the only one where Shepard lives.

That'd be disappointing but I get it. From a dev perspective I see why it would save them so many headaches.

There is also the possibility to play as another companion or a whole different person? Maybe we try to resurrect our space jesus Shepard? Maybe we're Liara as a Matriarch? Who knows.

Gonna keep it real. I don't wanna play as an asari. Literally okay with any other race. Because I saw how disgusting and weird other npcs get around asari and I don't want to be subjected to that sexual harassment again. The constant flirting gets very old quickly.

Otherwise asari seem really cool and it's a shame they aren't explored much besides "hot alien race"

I talked a lot man, I have to go to my doctor's appointment. Ah I hate doctors.

Anyway I did check the game you mentioned!

WE ARE AN ENGINEERED CHILD? FUCK YEAH!!! WE ARE SPECIAL WOO.

so much trauma potential! Just like Miranda.

It also follows a similar plot to Andromeda from what I've seen? We were in cryosleep for so long while travelling to another place and exploring?

There is also the rot thing, and apparently, we are the only cure. Makes me think if we're gonna play more of a healer saviour role rather than a war hero.

The mech suits look so fucking good, I hope we get the option to pilot one constantly like that one revealed companion.

I do like that we have established parents, please do not kill off my dad this time around :( please. But it leaves less room for customization and background ah. I'd hate it if we couldn't even design our own character and had to use premade ones.

It seems cool so far! Imma keep tracking its progress. The last update was 7 days ago and the devs are open about answering questions. It's a new title so they'll have to make new aliens and such, I hope they end up good.

I mean in a space game, it is the aliens that make or break the game. You either end up with high on life aliens or mass effect aliens.

I don't like the idea of having to re-explore parts about earth history because the player already knows all of that. I don't want to spend an entire quest just to dig up a gameboy or something and have these characters gawk and make bad guesses at what it is. It feels cheap to piggyback off of nostalgia and misunderstanding humour. Every character turning into Ariel and brushing their hair with a fork.

Or are we talking ice age, pyramids and such? It'd be more tolerable then but...also the players are familiar with these things in other games who milked the concepts.

I don't want humans reacting to past human inventions, I want aliens doing it at at least or just give me a whole new world to explore. Why are we so stuck in the past?

But maybe this is special to this one recently revealed character, in which case that's fair. It's a character and their quest is probably optional, plus that will definitely appeal to some people.

My hope is that they realise no one wants to do these massive collection quests in these planets with a massive map and please skip the fluff and stuffing. I'd rather the effort goes into handmade quests like in BG3 rather than "scan 50 plants because fuck you"

Yes I am irritated with Andromeda, am I a pathfinder or a fetch dog? I also hate the resources and crafting our own equipment system.

Like this is clearly somone else's job! what are you people even doing if I'm the one collecting material for my stuff and crafting them? Shouldn't this be your job while I just gave you the credits? Why would I even care about the arks and nexus if I'm fully self sufficient! At least in mass effect you were forced to go there to shop and get your stuff. It made the world feel not so useless.

Like I get it. You want us to feel like we're explorers who make the best of the world around us. We're tight for materials so we have to scavenge and survive! That would've worked if we were stranded in space and not doing fetch quests for the said scientists who can't even give me some uranium to craft my fucking grear and no one is selling it to me either! I hate it here.

I hope Exudes goes away from that direction. And the hacking games one too. I'm tired of soduko, it haunts me in my dreams. Mass effect had this problem too.

Games can be very fun without the fluff and stuffing in between actually interesting quests.

[nightingaletrash]

finale spoilers

okay so first off HARDING IS ACTUALLY SUPER DEAD THEN?! COULD I HAVE PREVENTED THAT IF I CHOSE DAVRIN TO LEAD THE DISTRACTION TEAM OR WOULD HE HAVE DIED INSTEAD?!

Neve honey I am so sorry, you have been going through it every step of the way in this game, first Minrathous gets attacked and the Venatori takeover, but now the Blight as well?!?!?!?! though I'm pretty sure it would have happened to Bellara instead if I'd chosen her to take out the wards

also Neve is out here saving the world tits out, and climbing on a prosthetic leg that probably is not built for climbing up giant tendrils, and I feel so bad for her, I made so many choices that hurt her ;-;

BUT THEN SHE FUCKING HELPS KILL LUSACAN AND CONTROLS THE BLIGHT AND HAS THE BLIGHT PULLED OUT OF HER?! SHE'S OKAY?! OH MY GOD I CRIED, I WAS SO RELIEVED, SHE DESERVES THE WORLD AFTER EVERYTHING SHE WENT THROUGH

and Solas. Remind me to never take you to a casino. Your investment in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy would make you a horrible gambling addict. But I'm so glad the game gives you the chance to help him let go, to accept his regrets and move forward. Mythal releasing him from his service reminds me of Leliana when she finds Justinia's message, telling her to lay down her burden. I could very easily see them having a heart-to-heart over how painful it is to have failed someone so dear to them and the subsequent struggle to let go. I like that the game also lets the Solavellan ending be a little open-ended, so you can decide what becomes of them. In my mind, they've gone to introduce him to Tala, to clean up the mess in the South and to finally just settle down and be... normal. Or as normal as is possible for an immortal mage whose life sustains the Veil.

As for my other OCs... Garrett was provisional Viscount while Varric was away, and Marian was running the Lords of Fortune with Isabela. When word of Varric's death arrived, Marian went back to Kirkwall to attend the funeral and to support her brother as the nobles elected him to take the seat in Varric's place. Harding and Neve sent his body back to Kirkwall, which is why Rook never saw any hint of it, you can't change my mind.

As for Seraeda... I don't know. Fiona and Neve are both proof that the Blight can be cured, but we don't know how it worked or what did it in either case. Maybe she found her cure elsewhere, but it's a mystery. Maybe one that bioware will answer someday, but not today.

anyways I need to write fanfic now. Some brother-sister stuff with Viago and Alessia, some Solavellan family stuff post-game, and ofc the news of Varric's death reaching Kirkwall ;-;

[crossdressingdeath]

I've talked a little before about the general issue of DAO having no Warden uniforms even though they absolutely should. Story-wise it does make more sense that the Warden and Alistair aren't covered in griffins when the Wardens are considered enemies of the state, but they should have Warden gear at least at Ostagar; even if we say Duncan went for a special commander's uniform and the Warden's uniform isn't ready yet due to that taking time, Alistair should be in standard Warden kit. But there's another aspect specifically to do with Surana/Amell, and it's hard to judge if this is supposed to say something about Duncan's thoughts on mages or if it's just because no potential Wardens get an outfit change at Ostagar.

I mean, I think I've said this before, but it would make a lot of sense for Duncan to put Surana/Amell especially in armour, or at least clothes that aren't essentially a neon sign saying "LOOK AT ME I'M A MAGE". Warden candidates do seem to be treated with a great deal of respect by the general population of the Ostagar camp (the bit where the quartermaster yells at an elf Warden thinking they're a servant and immediately backpedals on learning they're a Warden recruit even with no evidence beyond the Warden's word makes that clear), but it still seems like a bad idea to send a mage wearing mage robes and carrying a staff through a camp that's got Templars in it. We are very consistently shown that the Templars aren't great at respecting the Wardens' right to recruit mages or the fact that those mages are beyond Chantry authority, and while all the stuff with Anders hasn't happened yet Duncan has to conscript Surana/Amell to get them out of the Circle, so he knows the Circle isn't too keen on letting go of this mage in particular. It's another one of those moments where the Warden's background isn't really taken into account I think, because if Duncan was smart he'd either escort the Warden to Alistair so that one of them was always keeping an eye on the situation or he'd make an effort to prevent people from recognizing that the Warden is a mage (which could be partially solved by him putting the Warden in armour or normal clothes instead of leaving them in mage robes). Not to mention they're also the only potential Warden who isn't already wearing armour (except for maybe Tabris, depending on whether you think they're canonically still wearing their wedding clothes or not) and aside from gameplay demanding that armour sets have a strength requirement there's no reason why a mage who's fighting in a war to be wearing simple cloth that would be about as effective as paper at stopping a blade.

But I don't know if we're supposed to think anything about Duncan because of this total failure to consider the complications of the Warden being a Circle mage and looking the part. I mean, there aren't any mage armour sets; there are a few boots, but no armour (unless you count the Arcane Warrior spec making the strength requirement magic instead, but I don't). So it could have just been a limitation of the armour created for the game, except Bioware could have just dropped the strength requirement for one of the early game armour sets so that Duncan could at least offer his new Warden actual armour. Except I don't know if they'd bother with that level of detail. This is one of those things where the gameplay and the story intersect in a really inconvenient way.

[herssian]

Would you suggest FF14 to someone who doesn't play MMOs? I followed you years ago for Bioware content but I'm extremely curious if there's any story in FF to get me to try it. Thanks!

i actually consider ffxiv's main story to be better than that of dragon age and mass effect (and i say this as a big fan of the games) or of any other form of media i've consumed. the world-building goes on throughout all expansions and has the player at its center/gives you a sense of influence even if core changing of events is understandably limited. added plus is that you don't have to have played or know what the other final fantasy games are, but if you do, you'll notice little callbacks or hints throughout

i don't know how adverse you are to actually playing the mmo side of it but the devs have been working to make most parts of the progress achievable solo if you wish. there are still story points you'll have to play with others to complete but the majority of the player base are eager to help new players/will go out of their way to explain things. fucking up, especially in normal content, isn't a big deal--you'll see people who have played for years and have done much harder content regularly screw up or die in easy duties because you forget things/aren't paying attention and that's part of the charm. maybe start with a dps job so you can get a feel of how tanking/healing looks like by watching others and having less responsibility. any assholes can be promptly blocked/reported. if you see someone with a giant toad head in your cutscene, understand it'll be you in four months

the only drawback, though i don't think it's that big of a deal since you won't know how much better everything gets later on till you actually go through it, is that the beginning stages can be a bit of a drag or not as interesting. things pick up considerably after a certain point but i found even the very beginning to be meaningful lore and character wise. if somebody tells you to skip A Realm Born (the first part of the story), i would highly advise you ignore them and give it a chance anyway. it'll be HIGHLY rewarding as you continue

[villainanders]

i really don't need to be morally behind anders' actions in the last straw to find them interesting/compelling (clearly) and though i do think bioware fundamentally misunderstands how terrorism and revolutions work on a level that it makes it hard to like. engage with the last straw in the way i believe they intended, that is the direction i find most interesting and prefer to see da2 through

HOWEVER i think it genuinely rocks that anders kills elthina and not meredith. i know this is not a new take in any way but i think it's cool in way that i do not expect from bioware and is pretty much absent from dai that while meredith is the one plotting tangible violence, elthina (who is nice to the protagonist, who is sympathetic to the mages, who even uses her power to reign in meredith) is recognized as the one who enables that violence on a level that even meredith does not as an arm of that system. i know some people feel like that game completely discredits anders' actions, but i feel like it very consciously makes room for the player to agree with him in full good faith. i just really love that it characterizes elthina the way it does and then points at her

forget why i started the post with a caveat about whether i agree with anders' actions. i think maybe i was going to say something about how one of the secret good well written endings to da2 would actually engage with the effects of mass violence on a meaningful level but while i normally think rewriting anders' action to make them palatable just hurts the game overall, another secret good ending to da2 would lean way more heavily into assassinating elthina specifically. and i would be 100% on his side