#thedas adventures time

[mastcrmarksman]

@transistorized gets a little dragon age with the most vague of setting

❝ Why is it, every time we have to work together, we end up in the most blight ridden, undead crawling of places? ❞ Oh, he was going to make Tony regret being born today with the level of complaints he had. He was a criminal then a treasure hunter. Yet for some reason, because he shoots better than anyone in all of the Southern and Northern lands, he ended up contracted by whackos trying to save all of Thedas. ❝ You couldn't have taken me somewhere sunny and nice, like a beach? It always has to be the wettest and smellest of marshlands? Is for robbing your coffers? I paid you back... ❞ Three years later... that's besides the point, though he had never apologized but it feels too late for that. You apologize for borrowing your neighbor's cow without permission, not for robbery.

[ozziyo]

Nell grew up in the lords of fortune, which means for a solid few years there was a dwarven child just living her most insane life as the littlest lordling of them all

bonus closeup on the top illustration

[onelastkiss4you]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Just Went From A Good RPG To One Of BioWare’s Most Important Games

In light of BioWare scattering some of its most foundational veteran talent to the winds, Dragon Age: The Veilguard sure reads like something made by people who saw the writing on the wall. The RPG leaves off on a small cliffhanger that could launch players into a fifth game, but I’m skeptical that we’ll ever get it. The quickness with which publisher Electronic Arts gutted BioWare and masked it with talk of being more “agile” and “focused” shortly after it was revealed The Veilguard underperformed in the eyes of the power that be makes me wonder if BioWare was also unsure it would get to return to Thedas a fifth time. Looking back, I’m pretty convinced the team was working as if Rook’s adventure through the northern regions of this beloved fantasy world might be the last time anyone, BioWare or fan, stepped foot in it. But that may have only made me appreciate the game even more.

Yeah, I might be doomsaying, but there’s a lot of reasons to do so right now. The loss of talented people like lead writer Trick Weekes, who has been a staple in modern BioWare since the beginning of Mass Effect, or Mary Kirby who wrote characters like Varric, the biggest throughline through the Dragon Age series, doesn’t inspire confidence that EA understands the lifeblood of the studio it acquired in 2007. The Veilguard has been a divisive game for entirely legitimate reasons and the most bad-faith ones you can imagine on the internet in 2025, but my hope is that history will be kinder to it as time goes on. 

A Kotaku reader reached out to me after the news broke to ask if they should still play The Veilguard after everything that happened. My answer was that now we are probably in a better position to appreciate it for what it was: a (potentially) final word.

The Veilguard is just as much a send-off for a long-running story as it does a stepping stone for what (might) come. Its secret ending implies a new threat is lurking somewhere off in the distance but by and large, The Veilguard is about the end of an era. BioWare created an entire questline essentially writing Thedas’ history in stone, removing any ambiguity that gave life to over a decade of theory-crafting. As a long-time player, I’m glad The Veilguard solidifies the connective tissue between what sometimes felt like world of isolated cultures that lacked throughlines that made the world feel whole. But sitting your cast of weirdos down for a series of group therapy sessions unpacking the ramifications of some of the biggest lore dumps the studio has ever put to a Bluray disc isn’t the kind of narrative choice you make if you’re confident there’s still a future for the franchise. 

Unanswered questions are the foundation of sequels, and The Veilguard has an almost anxious need to stamp those out. Perhaps BioWare learned a hard lesson by leaving Dragon Age: Inquisition on a cliffhanger and didn’t want to repeat the same restriction. But The Veilguard doesn’t just wrap up its own story, it concludes several major threads dating back to Origins and feels calculated and deliberate. If BioWare’s goal with The Veilguard was to bring almost everything to a definitive end, the thematic note it leaves this world on acts as a closing graf summing up a thesis the series hopes to convey.

Pushing away the bigotry that has followed The Veilguard like a starving rat digging through trash, one of the most common criticisms I heard directed against the game was that it lacked a certain thorny disposition that was prevalent in the first three games. Everyone in the titular party generally seems to like each other, there aren’t real ethical and philosophical conflicts between the group, and the spats that do arise are more akin to the arguments you probably get into with your best friends. It’s a new dynamic for the series. The Veilguard doesn’t feel like coworkers as The Inquisition did or the disparate group who barely tolerated each other we followed in Dragon Age II. They are a friend group who, despite coming from different backgrounds, factions, and places, are pretty much on the same page about what the world should be. They’re united by a common goal, sure, but at the core of each of their lived experiences is a desire for the world to be better.

This rose-colored view of leftism doesn’t work for everyone. At its worst, The Veilguard can be saccharine to the point of giving you a cavity, which is far from what people have come to expect from a series in which Fenris and Anders didn’t care if the other lived or died. It also bleeds into a perceived softening of the universe. Factions like the Antivan Crows have essentially become the Bat Family with no mention of the whole child slavery thing that was our first introduction to them back in Origins. The Lords of Fortune, a new pirate faction, goes to great lengths to make sure you know that they’re not like the other pirates who steal from other cultures, among other things. I joked to a friend once that The Veilguard is a game terrified of getting canceled, and as such a lot of the grit and grime has been washed off for something shiny and polished. 

That is the more critical lens to view the way The Veilguard’s sanitation of Thedas. To an extent, I agree. We learned so much about how the enigmatic country of the Tevinter Imperium was a place built upon slavery and blood sacrifice, only for us to conveniently hang out in the common poverty-stricken areas that are affected by the corrupt politics we only hear about in sidequests and codex entries. But decisions like setting The Veilguard’s Tevinter stories in the slums of Dogtown gives the game and its writers a place to make a more definitive statement, rather than existing in the often frustrating centrism Dragon Age loved to tout for three games.

I have a lot of pain points I can shout out in the Dragon Age series, but I don’t think one has stuck in my craw the way the end of Anders rivalry relationship goes down in Dragon Age II. This is a tortured radical mage who is willing to give his life to fight for the freedom of those who have been born into a corrupt system led by the policing Templars. And yet, if you’ve followed his rivalry path, Anders will turn against the mages he, not five minutes ago, did some light terrorism trying to free. In Inquisition, this conflict of ideals and traditions comes to a head, but you’re able to essentially wipe it all under the rug as you absorb one faction or the other into your forces. So often Dragon Age treats its conflicts and worldviews as toys for the player to slam against one another, shaping the world as they see fit, and bending even the most fiercely devoted radical to your whims. And yes, there are some notable exceptions to this rule, but when it came to world-shifting moments of change, Dragon Age always seemed scared to assert that the player might be wrong. Mages and Templars, oppressed and oppressors, were the same in the eyes of the game, each worthy of the same level of scrutiny.

Before The Veilguard, I often felt Dragon Age didn’t actually believe in anything. Its characters did, but as a text, Dragon Age often felt so preoccupied with empowering the player’s decisions that it felt like Thedas would never actually get better, no matter how much you fought for it. While it may lack the same prickly dynamics and the grey morality that became synonymous with the series, The Veilguard’s doesn’t just believe that the world is full of greys and let you pick which shade you’re more comfortable with. It’s the most wholeheartedly the Dragon Age universe has declared that the world of Thedas can be better than it was before.

Essentially retconning the Antivan Crows to a family of superheroes is taking a hammer to the problem, whereas characters like Neve Gallus, a mage private eye with a duty-bound love for her city and its people, are the scalpel with which BioWare shifts its vision of how the world of Thedas can change. Taash explores their identity through the lens of Dragon Age’s longstanding Qunari culture, known for its rigidness in the face of an ever-changing world, and comes out the other end a new person, defined entirely by their own views and defying others. Harding finds out the truth behind how the dwarves were severed from magic and still remembers that she believes in the good in people. The heroes of The Veilguard have seen the corruption win out, and yet never stop believing that something greater is possible. It's not even an option in The Veilguard's eyes. The downtrodden will be protected, the oppressed will live proudly, and those who have been wronged will find new life.

That belief is what makes The Veilguard a frustrating RPG, to some. It’s so unyielding in its belief that Thedas and everyone who inhabits it can be better that it doesn’t really entertain you complicating the narrative. Rook can come from plenty of different backgrounds, make decisions that will affect thousands of people, but they can never really be an evil bastard. If they did, it would fundamentally undermine one of the game’s most pivotal moments. In the eleventh hour, Dragon Age mainstay Varric Tethras is revealed to have died in the opening hour, and essentially leaves all his hopes and dreams on the shoulders of Rook. After our hero is banished to the Fade and forced to confront their regrets in a mission gone south, Varric’s spirit sends Rook on their way to save the day one last time. He does so with a hearty chuckle, saying he doesn’t need to wish you good luck because “you already have everything you need.” He is, of course, referring to the friends you have calling to you from beyond the Fade. 

Varric, the narrator of Dragon Age, uses his final word to declare a belief that things will be okay. This isn’t because Rook is the chosen one destined to save the world, but because they have found people who are unified by one thing: a need to fight for a better world. But that’s what makes it compelling as a possibly final Dragon Age game. Reaching the end of a universe’s arc and being wholly uninterested in leaving it desecrated by hubris or prejudice is a bold claim on BioWare’s part. It takes some authorship away from the player, but in return, it leaves the world of Thedas in a better place than we found it.

The Veilguard is an idealistic game, but it’s one that BioWare has earned the right to make. Dragon Age’s legacy has been one of constantly shifting identity, at least two counts of development hell, and a desire to gives players a sandbox to roleplay in. Perhaps, as Dragon Age likely comes to a close, it’s better to leave Dragon Age with a game as optimistic as the people who made it. I can’t think of a more appropriate finale than one that represents the world its creators hope to see, even as the world we live in now gives us every reason to fall to despair.

In my review for The Veilguard I signed off expressing hope for BioWare’s future that feels a bit naive in retrospect. Would a divisive but undeniably polished RPG that felt true to the studio’s history be enough when, after 10 years of development, rich suits were probably looking for a decisive cultural moment? That optimism was just about a video game. Having lived through the past 32 years, most of the optimism I’ve ever held feels naive to look back on. I think I’m losing hope that the world will get any better. But even if we haven’t reached The Veilguard’s idealized vision, I’ll take some comfort in knowing someone previously at BioWare still believes it’s possible. - ken shepard, shepardcdr.bsky.social

[danielnelsen]

they were like "we didnt include the warden/hawke/inq because players could make so many different choices" and then just decide what the player's choices were anyway.

um. no she did not

[felassan]

The Next Dragon Age Has a New Title

by Author - BioWare - Posted on June 6, 2024

"Join us on Tuesday, June 11 for the Official Gameplay Reveal Hi everyone, Summer is nearly upon us, and as promised, we’re ready to provide an update on our big reveal. We’d like to invite the world to join us on Tuesday, June 11, for the official first look at gameplay for the next Dragon Age! After Dragon Age: Inquisition launched, the studio was given an incredible opportunity to explore, test, and validate a variety of gameplay concepts as we worked to determine what the next Dragon Age could look like. We brought everything to the table which, yes, even included a multiplayer concept. The time we spent experimenting and iterating gradually taught us a lot. This work, and the amazing support from EA, helped us re-focus on creating an incredible single player game, with all the choices, characters and world building you’d expect from us. At BioWare, we create worlds of adventure, conflict and companionship, where you’re at the center of it all. As fans of our franchise know, every Dragon Age game has delivered a new standalone story. Set in the world of Thedas, these tales explore epic locales and threats, always thrusting you into a new conflict. Each game also introduces a new lead hero – The Warden, Hawke, The Inquisitor – that you can call your own. You can expect all that, and more, with the new game. And of course, much like your unique hero, it wouldn’t be a Dragon Age game without an amazing cast of companions – right?  Each of the seven unique characters that make up your companions will have deep and compelling storylines where the decisions you make will impact your relationships with them – as well as their lives. You’ll unite this team of unforgettable heroes as you take on a terrifying new threat unleashed on the world. Naturally, the Dread Wolf still has an important part in this tale, but you and your companions – not your enemies – are the heart of this new experience. So, to capture what this game is all about, we changed the name as the original title didn’t show just how strongly we feel about our new heroes, their stories and how you’ll need to bring them together to save all of Thedas. We proudly introduce to you Dragon Age™: The Veilguard.

We know you’ve been waiting a long time for this reveal and we’re so ready to show you what we’ve been up to. We’ll see you on Tuesday, June 11th at 8:00am PT at the Dragon Age YouTube channel with over 15 minutes of gameplay from the opening moments of the game that has you jumping back into Thedas on your new adventure. This moment means so much to everyone at BioWare, and we wouldn’t be here without you. We’re ready to have some fun, so join the chat early…we’ve got a few special surprises for you.  Thank you for all your support. See you soon, Gary McKay Executive Producer, Dragon Age, and General Manager, BioWare"

[source]

[hyperions-light]

Rook Story Time DLC: Thorne

An add-on for the Rook story time prompts, just for Grey Warden Rook! Tell a story or draw something based on the prompt you are sent/choose. You can try writing in character, as Rook, if you want! Have fun! | de Riva | Mercar | Ingellvar | Laidir | Aldwir |

Rook relaxing with other Wardens

Rook helping clear out the artifacts in The Cauldron

Rook recruiting new Wardens

Rook playing with the griffon flock

Rook protecting civilians from Darkspawn

Rook meeting an intelligent Darkspawn (The Architect, Corypheus, etc)

Rook discussing the Fifth Blight with the Hero of Fereldan or one of their companions

Rook finding and dealing with one of Ghilan'nain's laboratories

Rook executing someone before they can turn into a ghoul

Rook assisting the Legion of the Dead

Rook reclaiming a Warden fortress previously lost to the Blight

Rook going on an adventure with Antoine and Evka

Rook meeting up with Wardens from a nation in southern Thedas

Rook helping to reclaim and restore Weisshaupt

Rook dealing with a Warden they were close to leaving for their Calling

Rook helping to teach Warden recruits combat skills

Rook discovering an old Grey Warden secret

Rook and the remaining Wardens memorializing the fallen after Weisshaupt

Rook helping the dwarves of Kal Sharok reclaim part of the Deep Roads

Rook negotiating on behalf of the Wardens

BONUS: AU where Rook has to kill an Archdemon

BONUS: AU where Rook is the First Warden during Veilguard

[bunabi]

aw that's exactly what I was worried about with Davrin 🧍🏾‍♀️ what is it with DA and characters who feel limited/burdened by their culture

I'm sure there's room in the Dalish for adventure & heroism considering they investigate ruins & tread the more dangerous outskirts of Thedas all the time

our very first slice of Dalish life is Tamlen & Mahariel fucking around (literally, if you choose to do so) while scouting like enough lol

[scuttlingcrab]

The Perfect Teacher

Summary: Late one night, Emmrich stumbles upon Rook giving Manfred dancing lessons in the library, coming to the startling realisation that he might have feelings for her. And boy oh boy, does Emmrich fall hard and fast...

You can find it on AO3 too!

BTW! I'm open to receiving any/all prompts on Emmrich, so please send away! xx

(Image via pictureamoebae)

After an exhausting day of cleansing blight from the streets of Treviso, Professor Emmrich Volkarin was relieved to finally be back in his quarters and have the evening to himself. 

It had been seemingly never-ending, its pools of corruption sprouting up like a plague, not to mention the dreadful legions of Darkspawn that crawled around every corner. Rook, Lucanis and Emmrich were only able to destroy a portion of the growth that day, the mere thought of how much more was consuming the city was enough to give Emmrich consecutive nightmares.

Once he had his nightly bath, donned a fresh set of clothing, and partook in some tea and refreshments; Emmrich nestled up in his red leather chair by the fireplace, ready to begin a new book. Courtesy of Bellara, the rather interesting work was a title he was not acquainted with: By Way of the Fade.  

Since the team’s inaugural book club, Emmrich was keen on reading more than the allocated novels, curious as to what other narratives he had yet to discover. It was his own personal fact-finding mission, purely for experimentation, gaining more insight into the world outside of Nevarra through these novellas. 

Emmrich naturally knew all the classics, had read and re-read the entirety of Thedas’ greatest tragedies and its grandest adventures, but was unfortunately a bit out of touch when it came to the latest trends. That realisation alone caused a new wave of dread to wash over him. However, seeing Bellara’s passion for storytelling, and her eagerness to start the book club in the first place, temporarily put Emmrich’s aging heart at ease. 

Shortly after discussing The Hallowed Halls with the group, he had discreetly asked Bellara if she had any more recommendations. In a burst of excitement, she sprinted back to her room, returning with a massive pile of her favourite novels and serials. In the end, Bellara made not one, but three trips; stumbling back and forth as she struggled to balance the volumes, eventually lining them up neatly by his desk. 

These weren’t normally the types of titles he’d pick up on his leisure. In his youth he most certainly would’ve been inclined to indulge himself in these risqué romances or elaborate espionage thrillers, but now, his motivations were directed elsewhere. To his duties in the Mourn Watch, to fighting the Evanuris, and to his eventual, Lichdom. 

But alas, it was a nice change of pace. It had only been a few weeks since his arrival at the Lighthouse, and he was already accustomed to this lifestyle, his new acquaintances, and the plethora of adventures he’s had so far. Quite the difference from his days writing papers and teaching in the Necropolis, where he was more than content to just keep drowning in his work.

Though he could do with less blight, and Darkspawn for that matter. The amount of washing he’s had to do to rid his ensembles of blood stains and dirt and..! Oh, but he shant complain, he was happy to have been chosen and included in something worthwhile. 

Time passed quickly as Emmrich read, and soon he had reached the final page. He closed the book with a contented sigh, placing it carefully on his lap. He let his mind wander as he watched the fireplace, mesmerised by the flames dancing as he digested the remnants of the story. 

Despite what the title suggested, By Way of the Fade barely broached the topic of the Fade itself, which was a massive upset to Emmrich. It was another romance that focused on love enduring through the ages, even moving beyond death itself. 

Emmrich bowed his head in agreement to that sentiment, his thoughts briefly flickering to his parents, before moving on to the rest of the book. The plot was rife with political turmoil, not to mention an unexpected murder and shoddy third act. In Emmrich’s opinion, the less faff the better, and perhaps not such a misleading title would have made him give it a higher rating.

He made a mental note to speak with Bellara about the ending in the morning as he rose from the chair, stifling a yawn. 

The hour was growing late, too late in fact, encroaching into his sleep schedule. As a man of routine, he seldom liked when he lost track of time, but some things just couldn’t be helped, especially when his hobbies were concerned. 

Emmrich reached for the cup on the table beside him, surprised by how weightless it felt in his fingers. Empty. He moved to the teapot, opening the lid only to find it was also devoid of any beverage. 

He hummed in disapproval, searching his room for any sign of Manfred. His companion should’ve been back ages ago to deliver the final tea of the evening. Manfred’s behavior had been changing noticeably as of late, instances of misbehaving or breaking an established rule; whether it was purposely or by accident, Emmrich would have to investigate further. 

The sound of raucous laughter trickled in from outside, stealing Emmrich from his thoughts. He raised an eyebrow, both in confusion and utter vexation as he wondered who could possibly be making such a racket? And at this hour? Had they no decency for the others?

Emmrich fetched his favourite burgundy dressing gown and proceeded towards his door, quietly exiting his quarters as he let the growing curiosity lead the way. He crept towards the balcony overlooking the library, half expecting to find Taash and Harding giggling incessantly once again or perhaps this time it was Bellara and Neve, engaging in another heated gossip session. 

As he carefully peeked his head over the railing, he caught his breath. Simultaneously Emmrich’s mouth fell agape and his eyes grew impossibly wide at the sight below him. 

Rook was dancing with Manfred, or rather, she was teaching him how to move accordingly. The pair were alone in the library, the table shoved back against the bookshelves to allow more room. A music box sat on its surface, a nostalgic tune, a classical rendition of a Nevarran folk song, resonated through the library. 

For an Elf, Rook was tall in stature, and Manfred just about came up to her shoulders. Despite her muscular frame, she led him with expertise, moving with an air of grace and tranquility as she went over the steps with him. 

The music came to an end as Rook paused her movements, patting Manfred on the top of the head. He hissed back in excitement, jumping up and down and pointing towards the music box. Rook let out another boisterous laugh. 

“Okay, okay… we’ll do it one more time. Remember Manfred…” Rook started, breaking away and standing across from him. “How do we begin?” 

Manfred stared back at her with a blank expression, tilting his head as he thought long and hard. Rook watched him expectantly, clasping her hands together as she waited for an answer. After a moment or two in silence, she smiled warmly and flicked her wrist. Her fingertips illuminated, purple bursts of magic filling the air around them as she used a spell to rewind the music box. The same melody began again and Rook took a step forward. 

“You bow… and I curtsy.” 

Manfred hissed happily and bowed, perhaps too deep, his head nearly reaching his feet. Emmrich couldn’t help but beam with pride at the sight, although he would need to show Manfred how it’s properly done later. Rook curtsied in return, proceeding to extend her hand as Manfred reached for it. 

“Now we move this way…” The two began walking in a straight line, their hands still joined. Rook took single sweeping movements, bouncing on her toes every other step as she moved forward. 

“One, two, three… one, two, three…” 

Manfred attempted to copy Rook but his movements were clumsy and off tempo, his bones rattling to each step.

“You’ll get there, Manfred. Now… the tricky bit.” 

Rook twirled to face Manfred, causing him to blurt out another enthusiastic hiss. She held both of his hands up in front of her as she guided him in a new direction. She took a balletic step and hopped with one foot, repeating the motion swiftly and lightly. 

“We step… and hop, step… and yes! Hop!”

Manfred was lagging behind Rook’s movements and instead of taking steps, he sprang along with her like a giddy rabbit. Rook chortled, trying her best to keep it together while continuing the dance. Manfred, oblivious to his errors, hissed with an amount of happiness that surpassed any level Emmrich had heard come from him before.

Emmrich gripped the railing as a memory suddenly floated to the surface. Images of him standing at the threshold of his parent’s kitchen, watching them dancing in a similar fashion, so full of love and adoration for each other. Another image of his mother pulling Emmrich into the dance, teaching him the steps with care, the three of them, a family, fumbling together, laughing hysterically, so much merriness, warmth... Emmrich’s heart swelled as he relished in this echo from the past, a lump forming in his throat. 

He felt pulled towards Rook, moving down the steps as if in a trance. He was unable to peel his eyes away from how she presented herself around Manfred, without judgment, with unadulterated patience. Rook was the epitome of elegance as an instructor, a side he never thought he’d see from their fearless leader. 

“Yes, good Manfred!” Rook remarked, keeping Manfred’s arms raised as they twisted and turned under each other, and then again. They followed this same motion, twirling around the floor.

Emmrich reached the bottom of the staircase just as the music came to an end, watching as they eventually stopped dancing, Rook’s back now facing him.

“It’s not perfect yet, but we’ll get there with more practice.” Rook exclaimed, giving Manfred a passionate high five. “I promise.” 

Emmrich straightened his shoulders just a little more than usual, pulling at his dressing gown as he prepared to take a step forward. 

“If you would allow me…” Emmrich began.

Rook spun around, a tinge of shock painting her visage if only for a split second, before it was replaced with a smile. Emmrich reached towards the music box on the table, manually rewinding it. 

“It will do Manfred some good to observe how it’s done. I’ve found he learns most effectively when led with concrete demonstrations…” Emmrich bowed, extending his hand in an invitation. Rook curtsied and readily accepted. 

The music started slowly, and so did their movements. Emmrich delicately held Rook’s hand as they strode in sync to each other, matching every swing of the foot and light hop with an exact precision. They went through the choreography, coming face-to-face as they twisted and turned under each other, spinning in a small circle, just as Rook had shown Manfred a short time ago. 

This wasn’t the whole waltz, there were still leagues more that Rook hadn’t taught his companion. Nevertheless, Emmrich decided they would continue through the rest of the motions and finish the dance in its entirety, as it was intended. And he so desperately, selfishly, wanted to test Rook’s skills, see if there was more to what he had just witnessed.

Rook followed along effortlessly. With each step, each twirl, they moved closer to each other, until Emmrich placed one of his hands on Rook’s waist, the other interlocked with hers. It was at that instant Emmrich glanced at Rook’s face, for the whole dance he had been too focused on each step, how they moved together, complemented each other's gestures to truly see the woman before him. 

Rook’s eyes, which were always supported by that infamous hard stare, a characteristic he found to be quite endearing, albeit terrifying; were softer and glittering as they stared at him. Her lips, consistently pursed and ready to chuck an insult at anyone she thought deserved it, were parted slightly, the sides curving into a sly smile. 

It took a moment to register her expressions, and he nearly stumbled while they continued the choreography, moving about in circles. Panic surged through his body like a jolt of electricity, his ears burning. He wanted to look away, to hide himself from that stare which stripped him of all his defenses. But he was mesmerised, caught in an unexpected trap.

Emmrich took this opportunity, at this newfound affinity between them, to savour her beauty. Rook’s short plum coloured hair, an asymmetrical cut, fit her sharp jawline exquisitely. Her complexion was hardened with years spent on the battlefield, faded scars across her weathered cheeks, but she was striking all the same. He caught himself wondering what other scars lay undiscovered beneath the surface of her clothing, if he would ever get a chance to see them, to touch them… he bit his tongue, out of habit, to keep these illicit thoughts at bay.

This was the closest he’d ever been to Rook, a type of intimacy he hadn’t known for over a decade. As he held her closer, the smell of her soft perfume wafted up from her neck. He breathed it in as they twirled, as they stepped, hopped, and twirled again. Warm and spicy, scents of vanilla, perhaps… yes, a floral scent, a familiar one that he couldn’t place…  

When Emmrich was first introduced to Rook, he was charmed by her youthfulness and the commanding presence that followed her into every room. Perhaps he was even slightly intimidated by her tenacity, bluntness, and that peculiar sense of humour. Despite some of the rather vulgar swears thrown about on their excursions, words he hoped Manfred would never hear, it did make him smile. 

Rook’s flirting, with him and the other companions, did not go unnoticed either. Emmrich never missed one of Rook’s saucy exchanges with Neve, her heated glances towards Davrin, or even the abnormal amount of time she spent with Lucanis. 

So, as one might expect, Emmrich was taken aback by Rook’s flirtatious nature towards him. The time for romance was over for Emmrich, or so he thought, now in his seniority, there was barely enough time left for teaching Manfred all he had to know, let alone all of his upcoming plans for Lichdom. 

He initially believed Rook was just being polite, her way of making him feel part of the team. He took it in stride, relishing in the thrill of being noticed, pocketing the compliments, the cheeky banter, and nothing more. But it didn’t end there. He felt her eyes on him whenever they travelled together, how she leaned in closer as he spoke, showered him with those coy smiles, and often came into his quarters to solely strike up a random conversation. 

Then there was the matter of the previous night in the Memorial Gardens, Rook’s words on how impressed she was with his informal tea arrangement still nagging at the back of his mind. 

Emmrich’s chest tightened, a foreign sensation compared to his usual bouts of existential dread. A warmth pooled from the pits of his heart, surging through his being as it travelled all the way to his fingertips. 

It was only when Manfred joyfully hissed, his hands waving about in the air that Emmrich realised the music had ended. Emmrich and Rook came to a stop in silence, their lips dangerously close, a mere hair’s breadth from kissing. They stood there for nearly a minute, unmoving.

“You OK, Emmrich?” Rook whispered at last, her amber eyes still glittering.

He attempted to respond, but found his lips parched, his tongue latching to the top of his mouth. Manfred intervened, approaching the two and pointing at Emmrich as he hissed in a range of octaves.

Emmrich stiffened at Manfred’s statement, looking at him in denial as he instantly pulled away from Rook. Manfred hissed again, clapping furiously. Emmrich brought his hands to his cheeks to hide the fact that they were on fire, convinced his skin would melt away at any second. 

“I…” He cleared his throat, “If I may be honest, Rook. I have not danced like this in quite some time.” 

Rook took a step towards Emmrich and he backed away. She was looking at him intensely, eyes locked, pupils dilated, as if she was possessed by a greater being and ready to devour him whole. He could only stare back at her, his heart pounding so fast he was convinced it would wake the entire Lighthouse. 

Manfred hissed again. 

“Manfred, please!”

Rook laughed, that sly grin he’s grown to admire returning to her lips. 

“C’mon then, what's he saying?”

Emmrich huffed in defeat, putting his hands behind his back as he squeezed his fingers together.

“What Manfred wishes to say… is that we make quite the couple, apparently.” 

Rook burst out laughing, Emmrich promptly joining in, delighting in the ridiculousness of the entire situation. She grabbed hold of Emmrich’s arm and nearly fell towards him in a fit of giggles and he froze, the heat from her touch becoming the focal point of his entire body. He was terrified of moving, for fear of losing control, of what might become of him if he met her lips against his. It was that unseen force again, binding them closer… tempting him to kiss her… if only to see how it felt, how she tasted on his lips… 

He cringed at the thought, bringing him back down to earth.

“Say, Emmrich, isn’t it past your bedtime?”

“I beg your pardon!” 

It was her turn to blush.

“I just… I never see you this time of night. It’s mostly Manfred wandering about. You’ll be surprised what he gets up to after hours… he’s quite the card player, you know. Isn’t that right, Manfred?”

“I assure you, Manfred most certainly does not –”

Emmrich glanced towards Manfred and his jaw dropped to the floor for the second time that evening. Manfred’s expression might be unreadable to some but Emmrich could see right through him; that slight tilt of the head, the shift of the shoulders, enough to know it was true. Is that what Manfred gets up to when he’s asleep? 

“If you must insist, Rook, I was engrossed in a new book.”

“Oh?”

“A story I found to be quite intriguing, if not a bit imperfect. Focusing on a couple…” 

As Emmrich nearly began to describe the intricate plot points of the romance novel, he paused, noticing Rook was giving him that look again. The one where she was digging through the fragility of his armour, stripping him bare, piece by piece… 

“...of interesting developments in my research of the Fade.”

Rook nodded in disappointment, that mischevious look in her eyes fading, and Emmrich let out a small sigh of relief. 

“Ah, well…”  Rook stretched her arms out wide as she walked towards the stairs, “I think it’s time for me to get some sleep anyways.” 

“A wise decision, after such a tiring morning.”

“Mhmm, this was fun though.” 

Rook stopped, turning back to Emmrich as they shared a final lingering look. 

“Indeed,” Emmrich responded, with a bow. 

He could only watch as Rook ascended the stairs, walking further away from him and soon disappearing into her room. His heart sank when she was gone, from the thundering absence she left in her wake. 

Emmrich eventually turned to Manfred, shaking his head. 

“Manfred, perhaps in our next lesson we’ll focus on the traits of decorum.” 

Manfred nodded, hissing in anticipation.

“But first, you owe me some tea, do you not?” 

Manfred jumped and nodded again, running towards the library doorway. 

Emmrich remained as Manfred made his start to the kitchen. He stared inquisitively up at Rook’s room, the scent of her still strong in his memory. 

That floral auroma… 

Emmrich’s eyebrows raised at the flash of recognition, alas.

“Jasmine…” he whispered, nodding, chuffed with himself and her chosen blend of perfume. 

What a curious development. 

Emmrich walked out of the library, a slight pep in his step as he contemplated how he might begin his advancements.

[high-dragon-bait]

I've almost got all the descriptions for the hypothetical Dragon Age 5 companions complete, but I'm too tired to finish them tonight. Here're the four that are concretely done as a little WIP/motivation booster to finish these tomorrow

Hypothetical Dragon Age 5 "Plot":

Playing as either a child of or a great admirer of a past protagonist, 30 years after the events of Veilguard. It is 9:82 Dragon, and you are determined to become the last great hero of this Age before it ends.

You have decided your path is not in Thedas, but across the sea, and have joined a dangerous expedition to discover what may lay beyond the world...

Companions WIP

Asala - Qunari Rogue - Female

Summary - A qunari in her late thirties. Asala has lived her life in deep devotion to the Qun, but she carries a secret. She was never truly satisfied with her role, no matter how hard she tried to be. She eventually met a Sten, and trained with him in secret, discovering her love for the physical arts of combat, and passion. In time Asala gave birth to a child, whose conception was not approved by the tamasraans. Asala has joined the expedition to atone. Taking on the name "Asala" meaning "Soul", she will become the embodiment of the very soul of the Qun and carry it to wherever the Qunari began eons ago, and perhaps then she will be worthy of her role once again.

Appearance - Dark, dark grey skin with a violet undertone. Incredibly fine tuned muscles on her back and arms. She has just as dark black hair, thickly curled and tied into a long black cascade down her back, with a single shorter lock falling in front of her face between her horns. Her eyes are molten amber, set into black sclera. Burning at you from the rest of her face. Her horns are long, ribbed and twisting like an antelope's. She wears silver rings between each rib, with a thin chain connecting them from two pierced points at the tips.

Hissera - Qunari Mage - Female - Romance Interest

Summary - A qunari in her early thirties. A tal-vashoth seraabas, the qun shaved her horns to nothing and cauterized them with molten gold, after cutting out her tongue, and sewing shut her mouth. Hissera lived like that for years before she finally escaped, and has slowly been reclaiming herself and the identity she was denied, scars and all. Hissera has joined the expedition in hopes of seeing where the qunari came from, and if the cruelty she experienced at their hands is truly part of their very origin.

Appearance - Warm grey skin, like a storm cloud at a dawn, contrasted against glittering silver hair. She wears it in a half-braided style, one thick braid in the center, and the rest of her hair being allowed to flow down beneath it. Her horns are sawed away and covered in once-molten gold to keep them from growing back. Forever set in a frozen drip pattern down what's left of them. She wears heavy golden weights in stretched ear lobs, and gold studs in the holes that once held her mouth shut. The largest stud being in the middle of her upper lip. Her eyes are a vibrant blue set into bluish-white sclera, like a clear still pond.

Tamsin - Elf Warrior - Female - Romance Interest

Summary - An elf in her fifties, Tamsin became a Warden only a year before the sixth blight ended all blights. While there were still Darkspawn to be fought, Tamsin felt she had missed the golden age of being a warden. Now, darkspawn are growing scarce, as is the time Tamsin has left before the taint takes her body at last. She has decided to join the expedition for one true adventure, before it is all over.

Appearance - Dark brown skin that has just begun to settle into creases around her eyes and mouth. Once vibrant brown eyes have faded under age and blight, and her full curled hair is growing in grey at the roots, with some strands already beginning to streak through. She wears it tied back haphazardly, and many stray strands stick out of various places on her head. She carries many scars of being a warrior. She has a long jagged scar from the corner of her right eye to the center of her cheek, and she is missing half of her left ear, a matching scar cut into the scalp just behind it.

Glory - Spirit Warrior - No - Romance Interest

Summary - A spirit of glory drawn to you and your quest by your drive to be remembered. It becomes infatuated with you, and molds itself into your idea of what is "glorious" as the story goes on.

Appearance - A faceless golden impression of a person. Its body ends at its hips, leaving it floating legless a few feet of the ground. It carries a large yellow blade on its back, and a flowing swirl of energy around its echos of shoulders that could be an attempt at hair or a cape, depending on how you choose to look.

[triaelf9]

I keep seeing posts about concept art for a blighted Warden, or a Fade destroyed whoever you left in the Fade and like all these ppl being all like WE WERE ROBBED, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS, WHAT ABOUT OUR CHOICES, HOW WILL WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM and it's like...

thank god they didn't come back. I don't want to see that. My warden is elsewhere in the Anderfels looking for a cure with her dragon that she got from an egg in Awakening (b/c I got a dragon egg, and no one said I CAN'T hatch and raise the dragon myself) and her husband Alistair after he met up with her after DAI.

My Hawke ripped her way out of the fade b/c of COURSE she did, she's HAWKE, and there were so many fade tears open that whole game, plenty of time. She returned to Fenris on their quiet little farm where they spend time when not going off on wild adventures to rescue some random person b/c of course they do. Another reason why I'm glad Fenris didn't come back.

I HAVE stories for them, I KNOW what they're up to, and I like that I can decide their fate and no one can tell me "BUT THE CANON SAYS SPECIFICALLY" SHUSH this is my game, my choices, and I don't need anyone to tell me what my Thedas looks like b/c I KNOW what it looks like. This is where I'd like the word of god to but out and open up another part of the world where I can create new things for my Rook.

The less they mess with past choices, honestly, the better. I know what happened to my heroes, those games are complete, and I had their lives plotted out. I want to look forward and enjoy what's to come, not wallow in what happened, or be forced to have my characters' lives play out in a way that doesn't fit them.

Anywho, I wanna do some comics of them all at some point, and I hope other ppl will create what their HoF and Hawke are up to b/c I love to see what other folks have created and what path their creativity and hopes for their lil blorbos have put them on.

I just think that's neat ^_^

[krems-chair]

I would give all my critiques (this is a lie) back if at the end of Veilguard we had found out in an extra extra post-Marvel credits scene that it's just been Sandal playing with figurines on the Skyhold war table's map of Thedas all Civil War Buff Dad style.

I wasn't going to do this because everyone deserves to rationalize Veilguard however works best for them, but in the wake of that hilariously dismal end-of-times IGN interview and AMA, I thought I'd share how my best friend and I decided to view Veilguard. Everything below is taken from probably a fifteen minute text conversation we had working through our disappointment together, but by the end we both felt way better about the game.

Picture this. You reach the climax of the game, Solas has freed himself from the fade and is getting ready to cast a really powerful spell and suddenly, out of nowhere, he just gets squished flat and then it immediately cuts to Bodahn in a little fire-lit room saying "Oh Sandal, you crushed another one of the pieces?"

Varric is sitting there alive, well, and BLONDE, and has been playing the whole game with Sandal and says "the kid's got a great imagination." They're all in the home of the Inquisitor.

So how do we get here, you might ask?

*drumroll*

Actually wait no I fear this is going to be long so I'll put a divider thingy in.

So hear me out.

We'll go a year or so after Trespasser. The inquisitor is going through it. Skyhold is still theirs to command because sure everyone and their mother's mother was mad at the Inquisition for taking care of business, but what are you going to do, take their home away? Not if any of the Inquisitor's fiercely loyal friends have anything to say about it (I'm sure Josephine had something worked out to get a title locked down after there being so much uncertainty at Haven, anyway).

So it's become a home base once more, regardless of how intact the inquisition is or isn't under Divine Victoria. Agents are always going in and out, the murals in the rotunda serve as an ever-present reminder of the mission at hand, and Varric visits regularly from Kirkwall to touch base. On one such visit, Bodahn and Sandal accompany him, because they heard there might be a need for enchantments (BOOM).

One night everyone ends up around the map because it's been a rougher week than usual and a game of wicked grace at the tavern just isn't enough, they've gotta treat this like an overdue group project and pull an all-nighter to get SOMEWHERE on tracking down Solas.

Enter Sandal. He's bored, no one is asking him to enchant anything, and Dagna isn't around for them to talk shop (engage in probably illegal/definitely unsafe experiments). And there, amidst the pile of clutter the team has been using when they need to add a new piece to the war table, is a Rook chess piece.

He's seen one before, of course. Varric used to try and teach it to him back in Kirkwall, and Sandal was good in the way that new chess players who go full chaos mode are stellar at driving experienced chess players crazy. His win streak is no joke. So he grabs it, tries to lighten the mood around the war table because no one in a bad mood is going to be requesting enchantments any time soon, and suddenly the tension that's been building up for months starts to ease just a little.

Eventually, everyone gets involved. Much like any great D&D campaign, they fit time in for the adventures of Rook & co in between skrimishes, secret missions, and stressful planning sessions, but that just enables more people to have input.

The Chargers keep making suggestions of all the missions Rook should go on when they pass through, but these all end up becoming Neve's cases.

Bellara was made up by Cassandra who stopped by for a visit from rebuilding the Seekers/wearing her big hat and she was too busy to give anything substantial, but she went with what she knows: a character who loves romance and has a dead brother.

Sera doesn't have the attention span to get too in-depth with it, but she does doodle all over the map of Thedas and add some much needed commentary as the Rook piece moves across it. She also INSISTS that the villains of the story be old and elfy, because they don't get enough representation as villains.

Lucanis loving coffee/it being 75% of his lines comes exclusively from the fact that on the nights they get too invested to stop it's the only thing that keeps them going and he became the character that embodies that particular struggle.

There are so many enchantments Rook can take advantage of because Sandal keeps thinking of new ones he can test with Dagna when she's next around.

Speaking of Sandal again, he tried to kill Varric off in the beginning because he was putting on his author hat and over-narrating. Varric was of course like "wait no why did you kill me I wanted to be part of this" so he keeps interjecting as himself and everyone else is like "shhh you're dead." They only indulge him when they conclude what feels like a major plot point and need someone with an understanding of narrative and pacing to tie all the threads together or give them an idea of where to go next.

The Inquisitor struggles to get into it sometimes because they feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders yet again. Occasionally, they'll sighs heavily and insert their game piece onto the board (Blackwall carved it, so it's as close s a completely different style can be to their true likeness) to be like "so anyways, THESE are the problems happening in Southern Thedas, in case anyone forgot" only for their message crystal to light up and Dorian's voice to filter through.

"I hear you're working on an astounding number of hypotheticals. Do you think it would be feasible to form an undercover group that works to liberate slaves?"

And then suddenly they spend the rest of the night working through how effective such an organization might be (through Rook's eyes, of course), but because Dorian isn't there to stop them they give him an insane new hairstyle and mention it every time they're giving a description of the Shadow Dragon leader. He is horrified.

Harding gets to be a self-insert because everyone unilaterally agrees that a fictional scout wouldn't hold a candle to her skill level. All the not fleshed out dwarven plot points come from their scrambled theorizing, but it does inspire her to look deeper into the mysterious Kal-Sharok during her real travels.

The reason Morrigan acts so out of character is because they're all like "we have no fucking idea what she gets up to when she isn't saving the world, but we know she'd be there in some capacity."

Leliana is busy busy busy but when she hears about what they're doing and that Morrigan is involved, she finds the time to send a letter saying "let's give her different hair :)"

When Morrigan finds out she brings Kieran for a visit (he missed all of his friends at Skyhold anyway) and is like "seems a most inconvenient waste of time..." and then finds out Leliana is the reason her game piece looks crazy and is like...make a character who is nosy and up in everyone's business all the time but still super reserved and afraid to trust others. (Boom, hi Neve).

Kieran gets really into the story and is critical to designing Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain. "She has sooOOoO many arms!" he explains, miming it out over the sound of a muffled voice crystal shaking as Dorian yells "you could've killed me! You could have made me evil! But you made me UGLY?!"

Even the Inquisitor, exhausted as they are, still finds the time to check in and ask if brown-haired Varric is still dead. The answer is always yes.

They all have a good laugh about the idea of Treviso and Minrathous being full of zip lines, but how else are they going to get to the parts they actually care about?

Minrathous gets destroyed instead of Treviso because while they're deciding the stakes for Rook to be faced with, Fenris stops by to check in with Varric because he heard they might need to go to Tevinter. He takes one look at the board and goes "hanging bodies. Everywhere."

"Fenris, that means the venatori will take over."

"...this game is stupid anyway."

Iron Bull definitely said "this story needs a DRAGON HUNTER" so boom. Enter Taash. A Dorian that romanced him sighs heavily and decides to play along if only to get to spend more time with his amatus another way. He models a character after one of his favorite professors from when he was a child.

Solas looks so yassified because the Inquisitor's love interest (or Sera, if they're pining after the Dread Wolf himself) came by and threw his actual war table piece into the fire during a particularly rough evening after his agents thwarted them yet again. To replace him, they let Kieran draw on a spoon and add a new cursed detail every time he pulls some bullshit to try and cheer each other up.

Fenris goes back to Kirkwall and complains about the stupid game Varric is running instead of spending all of his time on saving the world. Merrill overhears and is like "oh! They're incorporating eluvians? That's nice!" until she hears about how many there are and her eye starts twitching.

Harding only dies because everyone over-celebrates when Rook finally gets a win over on the stuffed squid animal being used to represent Ghilan'ain and her game piece topples over. Varric insisted that it be canon because he's tired of being the only dead one.

Blackwall gets Sera to be a little more invested by promising they can make a character together, maybe an elven Grey Warden! She washes her hands of anything too dalish, even though Blackwall makes it clear that there's more to him than that, but insists he should have a loyal griffon friend in honor of his rocking toys.

It's one of the Inquisitor's fondest memories as they prepare to actually find Solas for real, and one of the only unifying threads keeping everyone sane.

[drakorn]

Rewriting Veilguard Part 1 - The World State

Disclaimer: I don't hate the game, I actually think it's quite great given the development hell Bioware went through in those 10 years. This is more of a hypothetical universe where there was less of that behind the scenes drama. Just a fun writing exercise.

Expanding Veilguard's World State Editor

Like many of us, I was disappointed with the total amount of choices carrying over from past games being only three, one of which dealt with romance, two with decisions made in the Trespasser DLC, and all of them being from Inquisition. This already set the precedent that we shouldn’t really be expecting the game to be as connected to our unique Thedas as we have come to be used to from previous titles—no more uniquely flavoured codex entries, no more small but sweet cameos here and there that make the world itself feel like a larger place that we had helped shape.

Given The Veilguard’s very troubled production history of multiple delays, staff layoffs, and all-around restarts of the entire project, it is honestly a surprise that we even got three choices, so credit where credit is due. They made with what they had. But what if The Veilguard had this vision from the start? What if there wasn’t any of this meddling? What if Bioware simply had more time and control? What if they could truly let us import the World State this game deserved?

Now, for this hypothetical rewritten playthrough, I’m going off from the fact that the Dragon Age Keep will not be used; I actually found it a neat idea to tick my three choices in the character creator, and it would have probably been better had Inquisition done something similar. Why do I think that? Because it means we are not running into any dangers of servers potentially shutting down, leaving us trapped in the canon we happened to have imported last. Converting the Keep into an offline editor was a good idea, but unfortunately not executed nearly enough as, let’s face it, we all expected. So we’re gonna have some fun for Veilguard.

Disclaimer: I’m going to refer to the game’s title as Veilguard from now on, not “the” Veilguard. I really don’t like the change of having a “the” in a series of otherwise one-word, or one-number, titles.

Of course, we have to be realistic about this. It is virtually impossible to implement every single decision from across all three games, and those that can be implanted can’t alter the main plot too much. Certainly, we like to imagine and picture things, but let’s approach this from an actually doable point of view.

Right, so imagine you just finalised your Rook, and then get a screen titled “Past Adventures”. Not just “The Inquisition”. And it would take up the entire screen instead of being shoved somewhere in the corner of the final CC page, which many people missed. I could have missed it too, had I not known beforehand that it was going to be there!

It would say something akin to “You can customise the protagonists and several events from the games Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. These choices will have both major and minor effects on the plot of Veilguard. If this is your first Dragon Age title, you would be advised to skip this section for now, as you may otherwise risk getting overwhelmed. A default World State has been pre-generated for the game.”

Why did I add this disclaimer? Because it would show us, right from the get-go, that we respect both new and old players. If you’re a new player, feel free to skip this part as it won’t matter to you anyway and, quite frankly, you wouldn’t want to spend an eternity in the character creator doing things you might not even be familiar with. But if you’re a returning player or someone who has read up on recaps and watched countless lore videos, come on right in, we’ve got you covered, don’t worry! We know how much time you spent meticulously crafting your World State for Inquisition, so join us and customise to your heart’s content.

If you choose to not skip ahead (honestly the only time I would click “skip” on that shit is if I was a new player), you will be presented with three tarot cards, one shows the griffon, the Grey Warden symbol, one shows Kirkwall’s heraldry, and one shows the Inquisition’s banner. Here’s your previous three games. And now we get to customise them a little. The little gremlin in me would be quite gleefully rubbing his hands at this prospect.

Past Adventures: The Blight

We open the first slide and are immediately hit with a crimson screen and an ambient reprise of several of Inon Zur’s themes from DAO. I loved this part in the game, when you click to customise your Inquisitor and are immediately hit with “Calling the Inquisition”. Really great stuff for early emotions. Now let’s actually customise things.

The Hero of Ferelden

I do not expect us to actually be able to recreate the Warden in the flesh, but I believe they should be at least brought up in conversation or mentioned in codex entries and letters. Here are the things we get to customise about them specifically:

The Hero: Here, we get to tick the race, gender, class, and background for our Warden. Again, no character creator, just fancy tarot cards. But guess what? That would already be more than enough for what we can do. At least we know the game acknowledges their continued existence.

The Warden’s fate: Did the Hero of Ferelden perform the ultimate sacrifice?

Romance: Who did your Warden romance, if at all?

The Companions

Now that our Warden is set, we jump over to DAO’s companions. Each companion has their own little mini-section. The first few questions will always be “Did you even recruit them? And if so, did they survive? If so, were you on good terms or not?” These questions, depending on the answers, will immediately lock or open the more specific ones. Which are, as follows:

Did the Warden have Morrigan perform the Dark Ritual?

What is Alistair’s ultimate fate?

Was Sten reunited with his sword?

What happened to Loghain?

What happened to Marjorlaine?

The Battle of Ostagar

What happened to the prisoner at Ostagar?

The Arl of Redcliffe

What is Connor’s fate?

Is Isolde alive?

Did you help Bevin and return his sword?

The Urn of Sacred Ashes

What happened to the Urn?

The Nature of the Beast

How was the situation between the Dalish and the werewolves resolved?

A Paragon of Her Kind

What happened to the Anvil of the Void?

Who rules Orzammar?

Did the Warden help Brother Burkel create a Chantry in Orzammar?

Did the Warden prove the Legion of the Dead was connected to a noble house?

Did Orta join the Assembly?

Warden’s Keep

What happened to Sophia and Avernus?

Denerim

Did the Warden complete Slim Couldry’s crime wave?

Who rules Ferelden?

Who killed Urthemiel?

Awakening

What happened to Nathaniel?

What happened to the Architect?

What happened to Vigil’s Keep and Amaranthine?

As you can see, I have not included all the choices, just the ones I think can be carried over in both realistic and interesting manners. Not all of them will heavily feature in the game; in fact, many of them are for flavour and codex entries only, but there is still merit in those. We know there is a whole lot of stuff happening in the South thanks to the letters the Inquisitor regales us with. So let’s put some world-state uniqueness to those letters. But in this rewrite, some of these choices will, in fact, feature in a more substantial manner.

And that’s Dragon Age: Origins done! Moving on to the next one!

Past Adventures: The Tale of the Champion

When we enter this screen, the CC assumes Kirkwall’s orangey-yellow tone and we get a reprisal of the key DA2 themes by Inon Zur, the most prominent one being, of course, Hawke’s family theme. This one is not going to be as big as DAO, but there are a few important factors nevertheless, especially concerning possible deaths and survivals.

The Champion of Kirkwall

Unlike the Hero of Ferelden, Hawke will actually be customisable in this one. Because no matter whether or not they were sent to the Fade or Weisshaupt, there is always the potential for them to still be alive. So, here are the choices regarding Hawke:

The Champion: Here you can customise Hawke’s gender, class, and personality.

Who did Hawke romance, if at all?

The Party

Pretty much every companion’s card, aside from a few, will have the questions “Did you recruit them?”, “Are they still alive?”, and “Were they friend or rival to Hawke?” at the forefront. Most of it is gonna be flavour, but it’s still my flavour, dammit!

What happened to Bethany or Carver?

What happened to Isabela and the Tome of Koslun?

What happened to Fenris and Danarius?

What happened to Merrill, her eluvian, and Clan Sabrae?

What happened to Bartrand?

What happened to Anders when the Chantry exploded?

Did Hawke approve of Anders' actions?

Did Aveline marry Donnic?

The Tale of the Champion

Did Hawke protect the Bone Pit from all its dangers?

What happened to Feynriel?

Did Hawke let Zevran go?

Did Nathaniel survive?

Did Hawke side with the mages or the templars?

Fewer choices are carrying over here compared to DAO, but many of the events that occurred in DA2 are only relevant to Kirkwall’s immediate fate, which is already resolved by the time of DAI. Many of these will be flavour again, but some of them, I’m not going to say which, will definitely have a bigger impact.

Right, we’re done with DA2, let’s move on to the last one!

Past Adventures: The Inquisition

And here we get to the big one, the game that most directly impacts much of DAV’s story. We click on the last page and get the green shades and DAI’s ambience themes, a beautiful reprisal of Trevor Morris’ great hits. I would like to once again reiterate how emotional the CC music made me feel here when I was playing the game. Let us now customise our choices.

The Inquisitor

While the Hero of Ferelden will be a background figure in letters and codex entries, and Hawke more of a minor character with a significant role, the Inquisitor will have a much larger presence. Just how large, you’ll find out soon. But for now, let’s customise them:

The Inquisitor: Here you can customise your Inquisitor’s race, gender, class, and specialisation. Their personality as well, for while it wasn’t as apparent as with Hawke, the Inquisitor does still have a distinct range of dialogue choices. You can still be diplomatic, lighthearted, or even rough.

Who did the Inquisitor romance, if at all?

The Inner Circle

As with the other companion sections, pretty much all slides here will feature the “Did you actually recruit them?”, “Are they still around?”, and “Are you friends or not?” questions. Alongside a few specific ones that will definitely have more of an impact here.

Did Dorian resolve the issue with his father?

What happened to Blackwall?

Did the Iron Bull remain loyal to the Qun?

Did Cassandra rebuild the Seekers of Truth?

Did Cassandra discover the book of secrets and what did she do with it?

What happened to Harmond?

Which path did Cole choose?

What happened to Solas’ friend?

Did Varric track down the red lyrium source?

Did the Inquisitor give Vivienne the heart of a snow wyvern?

How was Cullen’s lyrium dilemma resolved?

How did the Inquisitor help Josephine resolve her family’s fortunes?

Was Leliana hardened or softened?

The Path of the Inquisitor

Did the Inquisitor embrace or denounce their title of Herald of Andraste?

Did the Inquisition side with the mages or the templars?

What was the general principle upon which the Inquisition was founded?

Who rules Orlais?

Who stayed behind in the Fade?

What happened to the Grey Wardens after Adamant Fortress?

What happened to Samson or Calpernia?

Who drank from the Well of Sorrows?

Did the Inquisitor respect the rituals at the Temple of Mythal?

Who became Divine Victoria?

The Inquisition’s Influence

Did the Inquisitor ally with the Hinterland cultists?

Was the rift in Crestwood closed?

Was Caer Bronach captured?

Did the Inquisitor make a deal with Imshael?

Was Suledin Keep captured?

Was Griffon Wing Keep captured?

Was Sutherland’s company formed?

What tone did the Inquisitor’s judgments take?

Jaws of Hakkon

Did the Inquisitor learn Ameridan’s fate?

Was Hakkon slain?

Did the Inquisitor share the truth about Ameridan?

The Descent

Did the Inquisitor stop the earthquakes from destroying the Deep Roads?

Trespasser

What is the ultimate fate of the Inquisition?

What is the Inquisitor’s final goal regarding Solas?

Again, this looks like a lot, and it is, but bear in mind that a lot of these will only have minor impacts on the story in the form of cameos and codex entries. However, there are several major DAI choices that will have significant impact.

For our hypothetical rewrite, I shall not list every single choice I made for my imaginary playthrough. Instead, I shall reveal them as we go along so as not to clutter the space too much. And it’s a bit more fun this way.

And that’s the World State editor finally done! I believe all of these choices are able to feature in some capacity, be it big or small. But no matter if it’s a big world-changing consequence or simple flavour texts and cameos, it will still be our Thedas, our own unique version of it that we helped shape.

Now that the past is dealt with, let’s look at the present. Next time we’ll talk about Rook, the six factions, and why a DAO-style origin story selection would have not only been beneficial but very doable.

Rewriting Veilguard Part 2 - The Shadow Dragons

[kirkwallsfinest]

Glorified Lap Nug

Hawke and his dog are more alike than he thinks -- chiefly, in how damn clingy they both are.

Or, in which Hawke comes home and argues with his own dog over who gets your attention for the evening.

Garrett Hawke/Reader

The mabari — a large and ancient breed, their reputation as a fierce protector often precedes them. They’re strong and intelligent beyond words — this, any Ferelden could tell you, regardless of whether they’ve ever owned one themselves. Heroic hounds charging into battle, teeth bared against their foes, piercing howls that seem to rumble the battlefield… it’s a powerful image — one that’s etched itself into all of Ferelden, or perhaps, even all of Thedas. But what people don’t know, is that for all their might, they’re rather clingy, too.

A dramatic sigh from your doorway tells you that your lover is finally coming to terms with this fact.

You look up from your book, grinning in amusement. You raise your other hand in a wave, but the moment you pull your hand from the dog atop your chest, the hound lets out a whine — just as pitiful as his owner’s. You chuckle in turn, turning your attention back to the dog, but not before placing your bookmark in its place to cast the novel aside. It lands with a quiet “thud” somewhere on the bed, quick to be forgotten in favor of the pup demanding your attention — as though he hasn’t been commanding it for the better part of the day. It’s not often that you get a day free from your little “errands,” as you and Garrett have taken to calling them over the years — so the Maker will have to forgive you for using it to relax with your favorite animal. Both hands now free, you scratch behind his ears once more, and he grumbles contentedly, flopping back down with his head to your chest… meanwhile, Garrett grumbles in his own discontent, shutting the door to shuck his armor.

“You’re a war hound, Dog. War.” His chest piece falls to the floor, and he raises his hands in mimickry. “Barking, bloody, vicious? Ever heard of it?”

Dog, in response, only makes himself cozier in your hold. Hawke scoffs, fighting his way out of the last of his leathers with a half of a hop, nearly falling on his face in the process. You watch the display, amused, as he finally gets the damnable piece off. “Glorified lap nug,” he murmurs, before throwing his voice back to the dog, “I know you can understand me, Dog.”

Again, no response.

This time you can’t help but laugh in full — typical of him, to lose an argument with his own dog —but extend a beckoning hand nonetheless. At this he perks up from his melodramatic rambling, rounding the bed to instead kneel at your side. He leans forward, placing a quick, familiar kiss upon your lips. Some of the tension of the day seems to slip from his shoulders at this, and melts only further when you card a free hand through his hair to massage lightly at the base of his scalp. His eyes flutter shut at the gentle ministrations. For all of the adventuring you’ve been on over the years, you’re still shocked at how soft he’s managed to keep his locks — not that you’d ever ask “how,” for fear of inflating his ego any further. Although as you work your way through the tangled mess, the crunching sensation of slightly-singed hair makes itself known. You frown.

“You weren’t off fighting dragons without me, were you?”

“By the Maker, you think me so cruel?” His eyes crinkle in mischief, peering up at you from his spot on the ground, “I would never deprive you of such a thing.”

You raise your brow, questioningly, and he continues.

“I’m just too good at what I do…”

“Meaning?”

“Rogues work in the shadows, unseen… and I just happen to be so good at it that our wonderful, magical compatriots also didn’t see me before hurling a bit of fire.”

“So what you’re saying is that you were in the way?”

He chuckles, leaning into your hold a bit more, eyes drooping — “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

You chuckle softly, taking in his gradually relaxing form. “Fenris will have a field day with this one,” you murmur.

“Don’t remind me,” he responds, letting his eyes finally flutter close.

That is, until the Mabari covering you barks in protest, startling you both out of the moment. Garrett shoots a glare at his companion, and you extract your hand from his locks to flick his chest lightly in warning — coaxing a pout from the man, not unexpectedly — before returning it to the hound.

“Be nice to him,” you scold, “he’s been doing a very good job at keeping me safe, you know.”

He hums, “Ah yes, because you’re so defenseless. I leave you at home for one day, and suddenly you’re helpless against the evils of the world? No, it must be quite the danger, for you to need a hand. What’s he protecting you from today? The horrors of the written word?” He gestures at your discarded book. “Or is he protecting you from your lovely—” a kiss to your forehead, “dashing—” to your cheeks, “devoted—” to your lips, “and exhausted boyfriend?”

You smile at his antics — dramatic as ever. “Well you see, it’s rather cold out tonight. Bit of a draft, we’ll have to find someone to fix that.”

He blinks, eyebrows raising in question. “So he’s protecting you from… the cold?”

A hum of affirmation from you, and he grins wickedly.

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” He leans further into your space, continuing lowly, “If you needed a knight in shining armor, I am happy to apply, you know. I, myself, know plenty of ways to keep you warm, your majesty.”

You laugh, placing a hand to his bare chest to push him away playfully. “Maybe he should be protecting me from you!” Although your attempts to nudge him away backfire as he grabs your wrist, keeping the contact as he holds your hand firmly to his chest. He rises to his feet, only to prop his leg on the bed to lean over you. Dog barks wildly at this, and scrambles to the other side of the bed when he realizes Hawke is not, in fact, stopping his advance. You laugh, struggling in his hold, but to no avail.

“Gare’, you are filthy—”

“Your loyal protector has defected from the royal army—”

“You are not getting on this bed without a wash—”

“Whatever will you do, your majesty? There’s no time to waste, you’ll freeze if we wait any longer—”

“You are incorrigible—”

He silences your protests with a kiss, slotting himself between your legs as Dog barks on, until the latter ebbs into a single, defeated whine. Bested at his own game, he pads off to go play with another — at least, that’s what you assume. It’s hard to think straight when Garrett muddies your thoughts so effortlessly — he smiles into the kiss, and against your better thoughts, you throw your arms around his shoulders to bring him in closer. He groans softly into your mouth, pressing himself against you so firmly that he quickly becomes your whole world. Large, scarred hands wander down, and down, and—

Furious scratching at the door breaks you out of the moment once more, and this time the groan your lover lets out is rather different in tone. You laugh to yourself — Fuck it, you’ll wash the bedding tomorrow. You squeeze his bicep fondly, nodding your head towards the door: “Go let him out, love.”

[casino-lights]

it really feels like Illario sees the Crows as his job while Lucanis sees the Crows as his entire purpose. we don't get any solid look into Illario's personal life, but we can see that Lucanis seems to take the job home with him. he doesn't sleep in a normal room because it's safer to be in the pantry where it's dark and has only one choke point. he keeps a log with his entire schedule almost down to the minute and he spends hours maintaining his equipment weekly, if not daily. he doesn't have many hobbies or contacts outside the Crows themselves and the job he's on at the moment. even prior to his imprisonment, he's shown to pretty much be "on" all the time, whether he's planning his jobs, making connections to help him with those jobs, or just honing his skills, like his sensitivity to magic or his listening abilities.

meanwhile (also from the wigmaker job since veilguard didn't give us much of anything about Illario except for a mustache-twirling villain arc) we know Illario is easily distracted by the idea of a good time and thinks about things outside of work, but he also likes his contracts straightforward, without unnecessary risks and witnesses. he just wants to get the job done, celebrate, and go home. maybe not in that order. I don't tend to take datamined info as canon but according to that, he likes dueling and gambling, which he would need to be at least somewhat sociable to participate in since I doubt Thedas has invented fantasy sports betting yet. he seems to have more of an interest in activities outside the Crows, where Lucanis dedicates almost all of his free time to either working or preparing for work.

veilguard seems to be one of the first times Lucanis actually has new people to coax him out of his shell. it sounds like when he was younger, he spent more time with Illario and did more fun things with him like sailing and adventuring, but they seem to have grown apart somewhat since then. I can't help but wonder if it's due to Caterina's increasing age and the growing awareness Illario has of her favoritism toward Lucanis. maybe Illario always wanted to make a bid for the seat of First Talon and was trying to distance himself from Lucanis by spending less time with him, or maybe Lucanis was too focused on his work or away on too many jobs thanks to his new reputation as the Demon of Vyrantium. whatever the case, I can't help but wonder if the difference in their lifestyles is what cost Illario Caterina's favor. Lucanis was more willing to give up everything for the Crows, and Illario seemingly wasn't.

I wonder if Caterina would ever find it in herself to be proud of Illario, even a little bit, once she's faced with the fact that he can be cunning and ruthless and determined to lead, where Lucanis has always been content to just follow her. I wonder if she could ever admit that she played favorites and consistently underestimated and undermined Illario, or if she's too deep in her own bias to notice how like her Illario could be.

[felassan]

Dragon Age: "For our fans who want to learn more about our companions, we have an exciting announcement: #/DragonAge: Vows & Vengeance is an 8-episode narrative podcast featuring characters from Dragon Age: The Veilguard! Coming August 29 wherever you get podcasts. Subscribe now: [link] [Discord launch version of link]"

[source]

More info:

"Set in the vast world of Thedas, Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance was created in collaboration with BioWare and based on their award-winning video game franchise, Dragon Age. This 8-episode immersive fantasy series features a pair of heroes brought together by fate as they embark on a journey of revenge, redemption, and love. The series stars Mae Whitman as Nadia, Brigette Lundy-Paine as Drayden, and Armen Taylor as Elio. Nadia, a retired cat burglar, is lured back into action for the thrill of one last score. Unknowingly employed by the Dread Wolf, Nadia tracks down a powerful ancient artifact and both she and her lover, Elio, find themselves caught in a web of lies that threaten the entire world. When Elio is seemingly banished to the Fade - a mystical magical plane - Nadia desperately searches for answers on a rescue mission across Thedas."

[source]

More info on the podcast story:

"In this immersive fantasy series, a pair of heroes brought together by fate embark on a journey of revenge, redemption, and love. Set in the vast world of Thedas, Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance was created in collaboration with BioWare and based on their award-winning video game franchise, Dragon Age. Nadia, a retired cat burglar, finds herself back on the prowl after scoring the job of a lifetime. Unknowingly employed by the Dread Wolf, Nadia hunts down a powerful ancient artifact and both she and her lover, Elio, find themselves caught in a web of lies that threaten the entire world. When Elio is seemingly banished to the Fade - a mystical magical plane - Nadia desperately searches for answers on a rescue mission across Thedas. On her journey, Nadia finds an unlikely ally in Drayden, a bookish historian and writer with a troubled past and a mysterious connection to the Fade. Their journey to save Elio is arduous, dangerous, and at times, downright foolish. But with the help of some friends, our heroes find some of the answers they are looking for and a few they wish they hadn’t. Starring Mae Whitman, Brigette Lundy-Paine, and Armen Taylor, Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance was created in collaboration with BioWare and based on their video game franchise, Dragon Age. Since 2009, the award-winning RPG video game franchise has invited players into worlds of adventure, conflict, and companionship that inspire players to become the heroes of their own story."

[source]

In the official BioWare Discord BioWare added:

"Every week when there's a new episode we'll open a watch party discussion thread in ⁠vows-and-vengeance!" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

Info on the podcast from the latest BioWare Blog Post:

"Journal #5 Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance A New Weekly Narrative Podcast Starting August 29th Hey everyone, We’re back with more Dragon Age: The Veilguard news! We know that you’re excited to get to know more about our companions and embark on your own adventure to save Thedas. Starting August 26th, we’ll be hosting Companions Week on our social media to give you a deeper dive on our seven allies. In addition to that, how about another little side quest? We’re happy to announce our upcoming immersive fantasy podcast series, Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance, where you’ll meet a new pair of heroes, along with the 7 Veilguard Companions, brought together by fate as they embark on a journey of revenge, redemption, and love - all set in Thedas.  Beginning on August 29th, this eight part weekly narrative series stars podcast-exclusive characters voiced by Mae Whitman, Bridgette Lundy-Paine, and Armen Taylor, and also features all of our companions from Dragon Age: The Veilguard: Harding (Ali Hillis), Davrin (Ike Amadi), Bellara (Jee Young Han), Neve (Jessica Clark), Taash (Jin Maley), Emmrich (Nick Boraine) alongside Manfred (Matt Mercer), and Lucanis (Zach Mendez). Throughout the series, you’ll be able to learn more about each of their extraordinary backstories. This podcast is written by Will Melton and Jeremy Novick, with BioWare narrative support from Mary De Marle and John Epler. Check out the teaser for it here. When the first episode airs, you’ll meet Nadia, a retired thief unknowingly working for the Dread Wolf. Nadia and her lover, Elio, find themselves in the midst of something much greater than them - a threat to the entire world - until Elio is seemingly banished to the Fade. Enter: Drayden, a writer with an interesting connection to the Fade. Drayden and Nadia team up on an arduous adventure to rescue Elio from the Fade with a little help from some familiar friendly faces. Don’t miss a single episode - mark your calendars with the full podcast release schedule below: - 8/29 - Episode 1: Featuring Nadia, Elio, and Drayden - 9/5 - Episode 2: Featuring Harding - 9/12 - Episode 3: Featuring Davrin - 9/19 - Episode 4: Featuring Bellara - 9/26 - Episode 5: Featuring Taash - 10/3 - Episode 6: Featuring Lucanis - 10/10 - Episode 7: Featuring Emmrich - 10/17 - Episode 8: Featuring Neve Join us in the BioWare Discord Server for weekly “listening parties” in #Vows-and-Vengeance, where we’ll set up a discussion thread for each episode to listen and speculate together. Subscribe to Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance on your favorite platform so you don’t miss a single episode.  Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Castbox Pocket Casts Podchaser Player FM See you for Episode 1 on August 29th; chat soon.  -The Dragon Age Team"

[source]

[dalishious]

For those who haven't seen, we have a date for our first official gameplay reveal for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

We know you’ve been waiting a long time for this reveal and we’re so ready to show you what we’ve been up to. We’ll see you on Tuesday, June 11th at 8:00am PT at the Dragon Age YouTube channel with over 15 minutes of gameplay from the opening moments of the game that has you jumping back into Thedas on your new adventure.