#the descent dlc

[sha-lyuzar]

i will never shut up about the Titans. i will never shut up about these Lovecraftian horrors who sleep beneath their children. Whose blood shapes their entire way of life and stores the memories of every dwarf that has ever lived. Who still sing to their children, even if they can't hear them. Foaming at the mouth.

[imperatoralicia]

I think Lace "I've Already Survived One Fade Apocalypse" Harding deserves to have one of those machine guns from The Descent DLC that BioWare sort of quietly snuck into the Dragon Age universe.

[biancadavri]

Oh my god dude you have to check out Inquisition, it is such a good game about the inherent dehumanization of becoming a symbol of hope disguised as a power fantasy and a look at religion as an institution run by human beings with human flaws who are just as capable as anyone else to put their own survival above all and it has some of the most compellingly written characters in the franchise and, what's the best part you ask? Ehm, erhmmm. The Horror Tunnels. They have fuck-all to do with what I just said, actually. Wait, bro where are you g

[lizzybeeee]

I love the Descent DLC for a lot of reasons, but one of the most memorable parts for me was how they recontextualized the dwarven belief that you would 'fall into the sky!' with the reveal of the Titans.

Thousands upon thousands of years resulted in the phrase losing it’s true meaning, recontextualised to instead refer to the surface of Thedas because they lost the knowledge of what it was talking about. Yet this phrase still endured throughout the ages.

You meet plenty of dwarves in Dragon Age who talk about the importance of reclaiming what they lost -> the Aeducan origin story begins with an expedition to an old thaig, Brosca suffers the caste system that venerates the importance of past ancestors actions, we see characters like Branka commit/allow horrific acts in the pursuit of this...

Even Bartrand, who spent the majority of his life on the surface, felt that pull. Varric has a story about breaking a plate that was brought to the surface with them and how, to Bartrand, that plate was the entire city of Orzammar. So many dwarven characters are reaching for something lost to them...

You walk into the titan (though you don't know this at the time) and you're met with an entire world in there. There's light, fauna, flora, architecture, clouds -> you are in the clouds -> you are in the sky!

The dwarves had an entirely different way of life! How does this all work? Who knows! What is in the booty of a Titan???

And the entire time they've had one small link to the far distant past through the belief that they would ‘fall into the sky’! Which is deeply ironic and tragic in that something so tied to their way of life, under the surface, became synonymous with the surface.

I still remember how excited/awed I was when I realized what that phrase was referring to! You heard it all the time in DAO – even Varric joked about how Bartrand believed it in DA2.

A phrase that was a joke to those on the surface was revealed to be a flicker of memory of what once was. Amazing!

Maybe it was once a small, chiding reminder for dwarven children when walking around in a titan. Maybe it was a joke for the guards/defenders of the titan like the Sha-Brytol? Maybe a dwarf wandered down so far below that they saw all this - making their way back to Orzammar with their account becoming legend. Who knows! But I love it so much <3

[daitranscripts]

The Descent Masterpost

Main Quest:

Pt. 1 - Storm Coast Fissure ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 2 - Shaper Valta ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 3 - Lieutenant Renn ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 4 - Darkspawn Warrens ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 5 - Ruins of Heidrun Thaig ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 6 - Forgotten Caverns ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 7 - Bastion of the Pure ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 8 - The Wellspring ㅤㅤ ㅤ Pt. 9 - The Titan

Other:

Conversation: Renn Conversation: Valta - Ambient: Legion Camp Ambient: Side Quests - Related: Dagna

Deleted Dialogue

[lathbora-virann]

I feel like not enough people have explored the 600+ gamerip tracks from Inquisition that aren't on the official soundtrack and they're seriously missing out. There's 15 hours worth of music with every variation of every piece of ambient, combat, bard song and cut scene music on there, including The Descent and Trespasser DLCs (not sure why Jaws of Hakkon isn't on there, though).

So I wanted to share links to some of my favourites that people might enjoy hearing again and save you having to wade through hundreds of tracks named basically the same thing over and over again to find them. But the full playlist is great to have playing for ambience, especially if you're writing.

Some I obviously renamed after the scene or place they're in and a few others I gave vibes-based names. Most should be self-explanatory.

Prologue Combat Theme

Prologue Pride Demon Fight

We'll Hold Them Off

Forces Approaching

Haven Invasion

Let That Thing Hear You

Conductor of the Choir of Silence

My Responsibility

For Lady Montilyet's Hand

Josephine Cuddles

The Tale of Red Crossing

Vallasdahlen

Exploring the Oasis

Flemeth and Mythal

Peace at Last

The Nug King

Bastion of the Pure

The Abyss

I Lay In Dark and Dreaming Sleep (Lost Elf/The Dead Qunari combined)

[dragonageconfessions]

CONFESSION:

I'm majoring in Earth Science major and learning about the Kawah Ijen volcano and its blue lava instantly made me think of Titans Blood 

Credit: Image provided by Confessor

[redredribbon]

I'm replaying the Descent for probably the tenth time and I got to that section of the Bastion of the Pure that has the arcane horror doing weird blood magic stuff in a side cave? And I think I'd always dismissed this as a weird piece of rock but passing by it today I realized it's a statue of Mythal? Or at least the one they always seem to use for her, with the dragon wings. It's missing the head but it's still recognizable. I tried to lighten it up here (excuse Cassandra standing in the crotch). Interesting...

[clairedelune-13]

Remember what Inky says at the end of The Descent?

“I’m leaving with more questions than answers.”

That pretty much sums up Veilguard. 

[selfpossesedghost]

The Deep Roads - Vivienne and Varric

Transcript:

Vivienne: Lowered into a hole. What an auspicious start.

Inquisitor: We've been in worse places.

Vivienne: Perhaps you have, my dear.

...

Varric: This reminds me of a story.

Inquisitor: Shocking.

Varric: It's about an impossibly handsome dwarf and his friend who got crowned King of the Nugs.

Inquisitor: A nug king. Really?

Varric: It's not as good as it sounds. Nugs mostly just shit on the floor and roll in it. Welcome to the Deep Roads!

---

Dragon Age Inquisition - The Descent DLC

[thed0sian]

i will forever regret not recording this but these two screenshots are my greatest achievement in inquisition

first try, my whole party dead INSTANTLY, no health potions left and saved only by my armor's ability for a 50% change of revival w/half health

best hour of stress of my life

[jazzajazzjazz]

AU where they're happy

[FULL VIEW]

[hyprbole]

Taking Varric and Dorian to the deep roads just to listen to them complain is like a treat, makes up for the ogres

[biancadavri]

how delusional would i be if at this point in time i still hoped that dragon age dreadwolf will turn out to be the descent 2: electric boogaloo

[galaxy-koi]

Just a normal day in the Deep Roads. Unedited to make y'all understand just how long this happened for sdhjkahsd (warning: video contains effects that may be dangerous for people who are photosensitive/epileptic.)

[daitranscripts]

The Descent Pt. 9

The Heart of the Titan

The Descent Masterpost First: Storm Coast Fissure Previous: The Wellspring

The party gets closer to the massive heart of lyrium, and there is blast that knocks Valta off her feet. Stone begin to gather, fused by lyrium, and forms a huge creature. The party fights it.

PC: Run! Don’t let it touch you!

PC: Keep moving!

PC: Destroy the lyrium veins!

The party defeats the lyrium monster.

PC: Valta? Are you hurt?

Valta: (Gasps.) Too loud… the song… Stop!

She clutches her head and a blast emanates from her. She stands.

Valta: I am… it’s all right.

1 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: What happened to you? [2]

Investigate: Tell me about the song. [3]

Investigate: Should I be afraid? [4]

Arcane perk: Dwarves can’t perform magic. [5]

General: I’m concerned about you. [6]

General: Will the tremors stop now. [7]

General: Stay focused. [8]

2 - Investigate: What happened to you? PC: It looked like you were hit by raw lyrium during the battle. Valta: Yes—it should have poisoned me, but I… feel fine. Good, even. [back to 1]

3 - Investigate: Tell me about the song. PC: You said the song was too loud. It was hurting you. Valta: It was… chaos. The rhythm I followed here, but magnified. Overwhelming. But it is gone. [back to 1]

4 - Investigate: Should I be afraid? PC: You almost killed me. What happens the next time you lash out? Valta: I am in control. I would never harm you, Inquisitor. [back to 1]

5 - Arcane perk: Dwarves can’t perform magic. PC: You cast some kind of spell. That shouldn’t be possible. Valta: It wasn’t a spell, it was… an accident. Everything will be fine. [back to 1]

6 - General: I’m concerned about you. PC: We should get help. You may be injured, or… Valta: I feel better than I ever have. Stronger. More… alive. [9]

7 - General: Will the tremors stop now. PC: Have we stopped the earthquakes? Valta: When we entered this cavern, there was a presence. I don’t feel it anymore. [9]

8 - General: Stay focused. PC: Concentrate, Valta. We’re still in danger. [9]

9 - Scene continues.

Valta: The Stone is silent. The rhythm has faded, and so have the tremors. But the song still echoes… it tells me things… The Breach—that’s what disturbed the Titan. It is calm now that it has a connection with one of its children… with me.

10 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: What did we fight here? [11]

Investigate: Did this happen to King Garal? [12]

Investigate: One of its children? [13]

Politics: The quakes could return. [14]

General: Is it safe to mine lyrium? [15]

General: You’ve been changed, Valta. [16]

11 - Investigate: What did we fight here? PC: Was that the Titan? Did we kill it? Valta: The Titan lives. This was… an echo. A guardian. But you silenced it. [back to 10]

12 - Investigate: Did this happen to King Garal? PC: Is this what happened at the thaig where you found Paragon Garal’s book? Valta: Aye, but… I do not know what disturbed the Titan then. The song may tell me… in time… [back to 10]

13 - Investigate: One of its children? PC: You said you are a child of the Stone, not a child of the Titans. Valta: I am not certain what I am, but the Titan recognized me. Like a parent hearing its child’s voice. [back to 10]

14 - Politics: The quakes could return. PC: You were able to calm the Titan, but what happens next time? Valta: Titans do not stir easily. It has been a thousand years. [17]

15 - General: Is it safe to mine lyrium? PC: Is it safe for Orzammar’s lyrium mines to start operating again? Valta: Mining didn’t disturb the Titan—the Breach did. The mines’ destruction was incidental. [17]

16 - General: You’ve been changed, Valta. PC: The Titan changed you, Valta—you need to be cautious. Valta: I am different. But I am still a Shaper. [17]

17 - Scene continues.

Valta: “Isana.” It’s our word for lyrium, and we are taught that it is a gift from the Stone. But there’s so much more to it than we ever imagined. I was sent to the Deep Roads to recover lost history. This is only the beginning. I am staying here.

18 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: You don’t fear the Sha-Brytol? [19]

Investigate: The beginning of what? [20]

Investigate: How will you survive? [21]

General: You’re assuming so much. [22]

General: The Inquisition needs you. [23]

General: This is not a good idea. [24]

19 - Investigate: You don’t fear the Sha-Brytol? PC: The Sha-Brytol killed Lieutenant Renn—and they’re still down here. Aren’t you afraid? Valta: No. I am… pure. I can defend myself. [back to 18]

20 - Investigate: The beginning of what? PC: The Titan is only the beginning? What else could there be? Valta: The Deep Roads are filled with wonders… answers to questions we haven’t thought to ask. [back to 18]

21 - Investigate: How will you survive? PC: If you stay here, where will you live? What will you eat? Valta: I have my stone sense, and now so much more. I’ll be safe. [back to 18]

22 - General: You’re assuming so much. PC: You think you understand what’s happened to you, but you could be wrong. The lyrium could be turning you into a Sha-Brytol—or worse. Valta: The Sha-Brytol turned themselves into monsters. I have changed because the Titan willed it. [25]

23 - General: The Inquisition needs you. PC: In all of Thedas, you’re the first dwarf ever to command the power of magic. Your help would be invaluable. Valta: I have no place on the surface. That world is yours to save, not mine. [25]

24 - General: This is not a good idea. PC: You can’t just decide to stay in this desolate place on a whim. Valta: I know what I’m doing. [25]

25 - Scene continues.

Valta: The mine’s collapse, Renn’s death—it all happened to bring me here.

Party comments:

Cassandra: After all we have seen, you wish to be alone to commune with this… creature?

Dorian: If she wants to stay, that’s her business. I’d like to see the sun again.

Varric: Nothing good ever happens in the Deep Roads. This won’t be any different.

Blackwall: Who could she harm down here besides herself?

Cole: She’s singing, sighing, slipping through the silence. She can heal here.

Valta: I am called to the search, Inquisitor. This is where I belong.

PC: I’m leaving with more questions than answers, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Just be careful.

They turn to leave.

PC: The Shaperate in Orzammar will want to know what happened to you.

Valta: Tell them the truth: you don’t know.

PC: Let’s go.

The party heads back to the Legion camp near the surface, where Harding and some of the Legionnaires are planning.

Harding: [They] always comes back. Pay up, salroka.

They walk over to the PC, and the scene fades to black.