Not running the game on optimal can do that, on this particular clip she would look better with a beard

I think in some areas we have to disagree, but definitely respectfully. I love this sort of discussion when it's polite. I firmly agree, btw, that the caste system is strangling Orzammar and needs to be jettisoned, but people at the top are rarely willing to give up control voluntarily, and the casteless stigma helps them keep control; people aren't willing to risk losing caste by rebelling openly. Remember, even during the Blight, the nobles of Orzammar were more interested in scrambling for position and keeping their control than in responding to the situation. Now, why the casteless themselves haven't openly rebelled is another question entirely (though perhaps they have in the past...?) You do see in Varric and some of the other younger surface caste dwarves signs of rejecting that system, though.

 

 

Catching up with your posts.

I always thought of Orzammar as being a lot like the Late Roman Republic, their society is firmly locked up and kept in check by the casts system and the final sanction of surface exile. Time to time the deshyrs may accept in their ranks a "****** novus", like the senate accepted non patrician members (Cicero for example) to keep the top non patrician class to rebel.

The lowest class are just to preoccupied by making a living to rebel, and I always thought that one of the reason the castless are not simply put to the sword is that their mere existance gives the servant casts a reason to be proud ("we might live in poverty, but at least we are not like living in squalor like these miserables castless") and a cautionary tale in case they start to have funny ideas ( akin to slavery in ancient Rome).

In this kind of society it's nearly impossible to climb the social ladder (but not totaly) but very easy to fall down to the lowest level, so that every member of a cast may have hope to raise as a "New Dwarf" and a great fear of sinking to the lowest of the low as a castless/ suracer.

This can go on for a long time, it's a self sustaining system, the castless are the only one who might want to rebel because they have nothing to loose, but then I guess a good massacre or a non intervention next time the darkspawn attack Dustown and the question is settled. Plus some castless are definitely well off (Carta boss for example) a change in society is a great risk to their business. To come back to ancient Rome, there has been slave rebellion, ponctual, localized and they ended up in slave blood, the largest and most famous being the Spartacus one, that ended up with 6000 crucifiction all along the Via Appia on roughly 200km, there wasn't anymore large rebellion after that.

The changes in dwarven society will come from the surfacers, Orzammar can not survive without them and a dwarven Caesar will want to get acces to the power.

Edit : Funny or sad, the forum blank the latin word for "man", what does that tell us about the use and misuse of language on today's internet.

I went through my scrolls, "Schmooples" is actually an old dwarvish slang word that means "emergency food supply"

...Bioware has been showing in turn each current religion in Thedas other than Andrastianism (pseudo-Christianity/Judaism/Islam) to be false, while not delving much into the truth of that religion?

 

In each dlc a major religion is explained - the avvar gods are spirits, the Dwarven god(s) are giant rock monsters, the Elven gods are mages...

 

The only religion that seems to be left as possibly something beyond the world as it is are the old gods and Andrastianism, and pretty much no-one worships old gods any more, and it's implied they were just dragons of some sort.

 

Add to this that Bioware (well, David Gaider, I supposed he's no longer on the DA team) has stated that they'll never confirm or deny the Maker's existence and it reeks of them being afraid to challenge monotheistic church-based religion, really.

 

I'm not sure. I might be reading too much into it, I'm just interested to see if anyone shares my suspicion/concern.

Regarding the Avvar and the Dwarves nothing is disproved, the Avvar know that their gods are Spirits, the Augur is quite clear on that in Jaws of Haakon, and the Dwarves never worshipped the Titans or the Stone, Renn is clear about that as well in the Descent.

Avvar and dwarves are not religious people they are spiritual people, saying that the revelations of the latest DLC proves that their belief are false is actually more of a Chantry point of view. If everything the Chantry believe in was proven wrong the Avvar and the Dwarves would still be OK with their Spirits "gods" and the Stone, spirituality doesn't need religion.

I don't think the game writers are afraid of challenging a religion, but the world of Thedas reflect ours and it is more difficult to disprove the existence of an all knowing, not intervening god than to disprove the existence of gods wearing togas and living on top of an actual mountain (in the case of the greek gods for exemple), which is one of the reason why the monotheistic religions of our world outlived and replaced older religions and managed to still be relevant to some in our very scientific age.

 

Considering the short lives of most threads that aren't dedicated to a specific companion/advisor, I think the people here have represented dwarf-dom quite well over the past year. I understand you're enthusiastic, but this is home; I have no interest in giving up everything we've built without much better reason. There are literally hundreds of screenshots of people's dwarven IQs on here, etc.

I am with Tishina on that, I have no interest in throwing this thread away to start anew. Maybe the Mods can change the name of the Thread if we expalin that the OP hasn't been around for quite some time.

On a unrelated matter, I have replay my Elrik since The Golden Nug went on so here are a few pics of him with "proper" dwarf gear at Haven and some of the new outfits in Shyhold (boy did he have a blast with his wardrobe, for such a snappy dresser that was a gift from the gods )

Spoiler

I am Ok with changing the name of the thread, although I have nothing against "dwarf support thread" as I never took it in the sense of "I play a dwarf I need support" but rather in the sense of "lets support the dwarves of DA because we ain't that many to play them".

I'd rather have a short name for the thread so I'll support Tishina proposition. In case here are a few propositions of my own.

Delving Deep : the dwarven community

Stone Halls of the Dwarfs( in game title of a book by Genetivi)

Children of the Stone

Crotchgazers( wait... scratch that one)

I can't stand any armor that takes away Bull's glorious belly.

Side note, who should my male DN romance? He's a stubborn middle child who's more interested in scholarship and fighting darkspawn than ruling Orzammar. In fact, I'm fairly certain he's allergic to politics.

Whoever he or she well damn please, and by that I mean whoever feels the more natural to that particular character. Maybe it's because I am an old p'n'p roleplayer who actually like the roleplay apsect but planing a romance makes no sense to me until you start to play and get to know your character and how he/she fells with the companions.

Nearly every time I planned a romance I either end up romancing someone else or even no one at all. I am probably not a great help there for you, but I would say don't plan and go with whoever feels natural after a few hours of gameplay.

I just want to point out that I'm glad to see this thread still growing stronger. We may be small in numbers, but we're devoted.

Yep, should we start to get badges and tatoos that says 5%, like the bikers got their 1% ?

I get a lot of enjoyment from the love people have for their characters. I would say elves are probably at the near bottom of races I'd play (if I ever moved beyond dwarves), but I follow a few elf fans on tumblr because of the sheer devotion and joy they get from their OCs.

Agreed, it is funny sometimes how a character just pop up in your head and you grow very fond of it.

Elrik, my favorite Inquisitor, just appaered out of the blue, I wanted a dwarf warrior, and after only a few moment in the character creator, he was here, with full personnality and backstory. It doesn't always happen like that, but when it does (for me at least) those character are the most fun to,play (I still have a few stained and torn paper sheets with my favorite paper RPG characters at home, all of them kind of appeared fully developped like Elrik... okay end of memoru lane trip )

"I am reading the **** out of this!" killed me.

Yep, this is now officialy my favorite line in all 3 DA games, Leliana, Josephine and Vivienne imitation were spot on. Miranda Raison did a fantastic job.

I tend to think that the best individual fighters are the Legion of the Dead, fighting darkspawn on their turf for century would qualify as toughest training ever.

The best standing army is probably the one the Dread Wolf will gather in the next game, because plot device.

I took a few screenshots of Fjal' during Trespasser:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

I think the armor actually...suits him?

That's one sexy dwarf. I think this armor suits him well, although like many armor in DA (and in most fantasy universe to be honest) it is probably a bad idea to actualy do any kind of combat in that outfit, (unless you are an oiled-up gladiator in an arena )

I'm just not getting the hate.  Everything he said was justified, and the DLC goes to great lengths to prove the the Inquisition is not the best at everything, or even necessarily the right tool for the times.  That it is, in fact, a deeply compromised organization with an over inflated opinion of itself.

 

Yes, the Inquisitor Gang saved the world two years ago.  And their efforts were, overall, appreciated.  But that's it.  Saving Orlais and Ferelden two years ago doesn't extend the right to trample all over their sovereignty forever more.  The Inquisition had a specific goal at the time, and that goal was achieved.  Their purpose was done.  Now, they're just a hammer in search of a nail.

 

The other thing is, the Exalted Council didn't just pop up overnight.  The political events of the DLC were at least two years in the making.  Possibly three or four, depending on the overall timeline of the DA:I base game.  Ferelden's concerns probably would have started when the Inquisition set up shop in a Ferelden castle, and Orlais when they took over a castle and a gold mine.  The events of the DLC are the result of at least two years of building tension between all the parties. 

 

The DLC even tells us, right at the beginning, that Orlais and Ferelden have been trying to get these issues addressed for the last two years, but the Chantry has been running interference for the Inquisition while the Inquisitor Gang decided what they wanted to do with themselves.

 

Toss in that the two parties with grievances against the Inquisition ALSO had longstanding grievances with each other, and conflicting goals in regards to the Inquisition, and what you've got it a situation that is going to be very stressful on the delegates.  So when Teagan says something like "You occupied a castle and we'd like it back" in the DLC, this isn't the first time it's been brought up.  It's just the most recent.  And what you're really seeing is years of built up frustration and concern.  Given that Ferelden, as a culture, are generally less diplomatic and more outspoken, vs Orlais with 'The Game', then Teagan and Prosper acted pretty much exactly as I would expect them to.  The Ferelden just put it right out on the table, and the Orlesian pretended to be nice about it.

Yep politicaly Ferelden and Orlais point of view is totally understandable, again any nation under the same circumstances will react the same ( just think at how people react to UN forces after a while in recent conflicts).

What bugs me is just that I find Teagan a little too much out of character from what I remembered from Origins, I guess I was excepecting more subtlety.

They totally ruined Teagon's character. He's a complete ass and got hit hard with the ugly stick. I know its been 12-13 years since the blight but damn. He reminds me of Loghain in Origins. If they wanted the person representing Ferelden to be a douch Queen Anora is pretty good at being a ****** completely on her own lol.

Which reminds me of another thing, why weren't the rulers of Orlais and Ferelden at the council? Yea, I understand the "ambassadors" but it just makes more sense to have the actual rulers there and not a representative so to speak (sorry that might be a little off topic, but thought I'd throw it out there)

Having representative is politically sound, no ruler want to get his/her hands dirty if things goes south.

The worst part for me is that I think both Orlais and Ferelden position are understadable, what country can look at a independant military organization at his doorstep and not being worried, especially with a organization whose goal and aim are unclear. But Teagan comes off like a bitter old git with a chip on his shoulder the size of The Iron Bull, whereas I remember him from Origin as a brave intelligent man, so while I can understand his (and Fereldan) opinion regarding the Inquisition, the way in which he expresses and defends this opinion is just too much out of character for me.

He actually looks like Rendon Howe now.

Exactly, I know 10 years have passed since Origins, but bloody hell what happened to Teagan, did he turn to smoking the Thedosian equivalent of crack to look that bad, we used to call him the Bannhammer and joke at how much fangirls he had on the old forum after Origins was released, time sure makes fool of us all.

Hello everybody, long time no see, feels good to read all your posts.

I would not be to pessimistic either regarding the possibility of playing as a dwarf again in a future game, multiple races was a demand from the fans after DA II, and worked well enough in Inquisition, I don't think it will go away.

As for dwarf lore and NPC dwarves I am not to worried either, with the Descent, and the lore that was in the base game (Hissing wastes, Valamar...) I am pretty confidant we will have some meat to chew.

Plus a lot of fan favorite have been dwarves :

Oghren was the only companion to come back for Awakening, Varric is the only one to make it from DA II to Inquisition, Sandal is always at the heart of some crazy theories on this forum, Harding and Dagna are well loved.

On top of that it looks like the next game might be set in Tevinter and were on Thedas do we find the biggest dwarven ambassy, in Minrathous. So I am rather optimistic for us dwarves enthousiasts.

Not sure how many people will have played Trespasser by now so spoiler alert

All I will say is stay for the credits and listen. Adorableness ensues!!

This may actually be the best part of the game.

Would be nice to have the score sheets for the new bard song as well like they did with the tavern songs.

That Scout Harding one is really nice.

Hello everybody, long time no see ( or read mor acurately), glad to see our little thread is still going, plenty of things to catch up with (that plus Trespasser, my sleeping hours grow shorter by the minutes )

Well I am a couple of hours into Trespasser with a Divine Cassandra and so far she has mentionned Varric quite a lot in dialogue, and in a way that allow our little ship to carry on sailing in my opinion.

Any of you agree with that?

There is a note by Duke Cyril which supposedly explains why the ruler isn't around. I got the dead emperor Gaspard glitch during my playthrough where I got Celene and Briala reconciled and the note said that Celene and Briala are too busy sleeping with each other to be at the meeting. Guess something went wrong.

Same for me, though I found a codex entry about Celene and Briala (correct rulers in my game). I guess I was right in my prediction that rulers of Orlais and Ferelden wouldn't show. (But I didn't dare predict they wouldn't even be correct rulers!)

Playing on PC and I am in the same situation as Kulyok and thesuperdarkone2, guess the bug is in the way the voice file is selected for that particular dialogue.

Downloading now from Origin France, 14.99 euros same as Descent.

Hello dwarves! 

 

So I was in the Winter Palace before 2 days, and there is this group of Orzammar dwarves or Surface dwarves that talk about Orzammar.

 

Now in my playthrough Harrowmont is the king (That son of a... lets continue) Now in one of the conversation one of the dwarves asked "How can Orzammar hold up like that any longer?" or somthing like that, and the dwarf near her answered somthing like "I dont know but the last time somthing happened in the Diamond Quarter, it was a fight for food" Its not a 100% copy of it, but it was about somthing between nobles being hungry or starving? And that they fight for food for their house? Somthing like that. Idk about you guys but somthing weird is going on there. 

Hello fellow dwarves, long time no see. Pleasure to see you all posting and kicking!

Harrowmont is a traditionalist, in the ending of DAO if he is King it is said that he refuse to have dealings with the surface dwarves and so the exchange between Orzammar and the rest of the world dwindle and so does Orzammar, starvation and civil war generally follow.

A cold hearted bastard is sometimes a better ruler than a kind one.

 

Karin Weekes ‏@KarinWeekes 3m3 minutes ago

Yeah, how ABOUT that dwarf Inquisitor, @PatrickWeekes ? ;D http://shinga.devian...ven-521405023 …

 

Spoiler

 

Patrick Weekes ‏@PatrickWeekes 16s17 seconds ago

.@KarinWeekes HAAAAAANDWAAAAAVE handwave handwave handwave! /exeunt Patrick, flailing arms wildly, pursued by a lore book

 

  That cartoon nailed it. Lore pay back is hell

I'll admit my passionate hate for Bianca is rooted in my love(well as much as you can love a fictional character) of Varric. I wanted to romance him with Hawke, when DA2 came out. I couldn't. So I was hoping to romance him in DA:I, I couldn't there either. So when Bianca came into the picture, I was just like, that's why I can't romance him? So yeah, maybe my hate for her is a bit irrational, maybe  Honestly I've given up all hope of a romanceable Varric and given myself totally over to Cass/Varric. I will go down with this ship 

I guess a lot of people feels this way, Bianca kind of feels wedged(like a salesman foot in your door)  into the story to stop the ramblings about Varric not being romanceable.

As for the ship, well, she's a beauty, I would carry on playing as she sinks

Funny thing, I don't hate Bianca, she is feisty, the right amount of sleazy, clever and apparently very skilled in marksmanship and craftmanship, I can see why her and Varric go together like a house on fire (literally, down to people running around screaming and furnitures being destroyed). They must have been a crazy duo in their younger day.

I just don't see why Varric cling to their relationship, she seems to have get the better part of the deal. He should have walk away a long time ago.

Then again this tend to proves that Varric might be a tiny (no pun intended) bit of a romantic, which in turn makes him a perfect match for Cassandra