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[The Xand]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before but has anyone else noticed the strong parallels between the Warhammer universe and the Dragon Age universe?

For example the Fade seems to be directly inspired by the Warp, that is to say it's an alternate reality where magic comes from, inhabited by dangerous demons lusting to acquire access to the material world and usually doing that through possession of mages by luring them with threats and promises. The way mages are treated is very similar to the way 40k's Imperium treats those capable of sorcery, ie by keeping them on a very short leash by rooting them out and either killing them or forcing them into the existing system as "sanctioned" mages.

Another similarity is the Dalish elves and the Eldar, how they are a wandering shadow of what they used to be, their homeland and city having been swallowed by catastrophe and lost to time and now they wander and aren't welcome and barely tolerated by humans.

The Darkspawn also seem to have some similarities to the forces of Chaos, having been tainted by the magical realm and now ruthlessly spreading their taint without much reason other than the chaos of it all, and to corrupt all those in their path.

Modifié par The Xand, 11 septembre 2011 - 07:38 .

[Wozearly]

There are some clear parallels, although the Fade seems a lot less hostile than the Warp of Warhammer / 40K, and it lacks the malevolent presence of the Chaos Gods. Equally, where the Warp is the source of taint in the Warhammer world, the Darkspawn are their own taint in DA.

The Dalish are more reminiscent of the Elves in Warhammer than the Eldar of 40k, as they're not trying to maintain balance in the world / galaxy through sensing the future and manipulating other races...

[Jedi Master of Orion]

I do see a few similarities between Warhammer 40K and Dragon Age, especially when there isn't always a clear cut good side, but Dragon Age is more like it's grounded in realism than over the top barbarism in Warhammer 40K. Sort of like most people are morally grey than universally evil.

I'm not quite sure I'd say the darkspawn are like the forces of Chaos either. I see what you're getting at but while they obviously aren't a direct parallel to either I'd almost suspect the darkspawn are more similar to the necrons. Since they seem independant of the threat of demons and leave everything in their wake destroyed.

Modifié par Jedi Master of Orion, 11 septembre 2011 - 09:57 .

[Xilizhra]

There are some similarities, but thank goddess that the Fade doesn't have the same "you'll never be able to do anything good ever again" qualities of the Warp, at least 40K's (the Fantasy Warp is more toned down).

Also, the Eldar and Fantasy's elves are both far more powerful than the Dalish, and would never submit to the indignity of living as second-class citizens in human communities. But I will say the similarities exist.

[The Xand]

Wozearly wrote...

There are some clear parallels, although the Fade seems a lot less hostile than the Warp of Warhammer / 40K, and it lacks the malevolent presence of the Chaos Gods. Equally, where the Warp is the source of taint in the Warhammer world, the Darkspawn are their own taint in DA.

The Dalish are more reminiscent of the Elves in Warhammer than the Eldar of 40k, as they're not trying to maintain balance in the world / galaxy through sensing the future and manipulating other races...

I never really saw the Eldar as being a balancing force though, whenever they interfered it was in vain efforts to try to steer events to their favour and prevent their craftworlds being destroyed.

I can see where people are coming from with the Fade being much less hostile than the Warp, but it's worth bearing in mind that similar to the Warhammer world, where the Fade is much closer to the material world it is never good, and it is still full of malevolent demons, many of significant power.

Jedi Master of Orion wrote...

I do see a few similarities
between Warhammer 40K and Dragon Age, especially when there isn't always
a clear cut good side, but Dragon Age is more like it's grounded in
realism than over the top barbarism in Warhammer 40K. Sort of like most
people are morally grey than universally evil.

I'm not quite sure
I'd say the darkspawn are like the forces of Chaos either. I see what
you're getting at but while they obviously aren't a direct parallel to
either I'd almost suspect the darkspawn are more similar to the necrons.
Since they seem independant of the threat of demons and leave
everything in their wake destroyed.

In the 40K universe though it's got very strong doses of morally grey as well however. The supposed "goodies" like the Imperium show strong similarities to the human nations of Thedas, the Chantry in particular seems to be very much like the Imperial Cult in 40K, with a similar intolerance to those not of the faith, and the way the Imperium treats mages is essentially the same with mages being rooted out and persecuted because of the threat that they pose to the world.

What you say about the darkspawn does ring true though. Seems like they share parallels between Chaos *and* the Necrons.

Modifié par The Xand, 11 septembre 2011 - 01:28 .

[Wozearly]

The Xand wrote...

I never really saw the Eldar as being a balancing force though, whenever they interfered it was in vain efforts to try to steer events to their favour and prevent their craftworlds being destroyed.

I'm not an expert on Eldar lore, but my understanding was that although they definitely DO act out of self-interest to protect themselves, their longer-term goals are about trying to prevent (or at least delay) the galaxy's decline and the spread of chaos.

For example, the Eldar have co-operated with the Tau to this end and have occasionally joined forces with other races to deal with a greater threat. Although its more usual for them to manipulate other races to fight their battles for them, eliminate potential risks, etc. And they'd gladly sacrifice a billion humans, or tau, if it meant saving one of their own.

I can see where people are coming from with the Fade being much less hostile than the Warp, but it's worth bearing in mind that similar to the Warhammer world, where the Fade is much closer to the material world it is never good, and it is still full of malevolent demons, many of significant power.

What the Fade and its demonic occupants lack is any overriding power and guidance behind their motives. The DA demons seek to cross the veil out of curiosity, or desire for power, or to experience the world of mortals. Although there is an element of heirarchy amongst demons, there is no real power structure or strategy behind their activities.

The daemons of the warp are highly similar, but with the four Chaos Gods lurking behind them there often is method behind their seeming madness - Chaos is so deadly because it can enthrall and entice anyone with the prospect of power, not just psykers / mages, and its overall goal is to turn the entire world (or galaxy) to its will.

[Anyrandomname]

If you look closely enough into any fantasy world , there are major similarities. There are still major differances, which are what really matter. As far as i know, there are no good guy daemons in warhammer. In DA, there are a few kinder demons and they are not attempting to destroy or subjugate the entire world. The Dalish and eldar or the Dalish and the elves from Fantasy are quite similar but the idea that they are a dying race has been in the fantasy genre for years. In the majority of books that have both humans and elves, the elves are a minority. This helps as we can relate much more to humans then we can to elves as they are prone to a different type of thinking.

Finally, the Darkspawn are only similiar to warhammer in the way that they are both instruments of chaos and destruction. Who are you comparing them to? Darkspawn vs heretics? CSM? Daemons? THey have just about no similiarties to any of these except maybe Khorne daemons in the idea that they are prone to mindless rage and that only the more powerful darkspawn have any intelligence at all. Darkspawn are not worshippers of pestilence, exotic pleasure or anything other then mindless bloodsheed. So I honestly dont see how the similarites are any more than you would expect.

[Dave of Canada]

I'd wish the Templar were half as badass as the Inquisition.

[The Xand]

Anyrandomname wrote...

If you look closely enough into any fantasy world , there are major similarities. There are still major differances, which are what really matter. As far as i know, there are no good guy daemons in warhammer. In DA, there are a few kinder demons and they are not attempting to destroy or subjugate the entire world. The Dalish and eldar or the Dalish and the elves from Fantasy are quite similar but the idea that they are a dying race has been in the fantasy genre for years. In the majority of books that have both humans and elves, the elves are a minority. This helps as we can relate much more to humans then we can to elves as they are prone to a different type of thinking.

It was more that the Craftworld Eldar were nomadic survivors of a great fall and clinging to the remnants of their culture that made me think of the Dalish.

Anyrandomname wrote...
Finally, the Darkspawn are only similiar to warhammer in the way that they are both instruments of chaos and destruction. Who are you comparing them to? Darkspawn vs heretics? CSM? Daemons? THey have just about no similiarties to any of these except maybe Khorne daemons in the idea that they are prone to mindless rage and that only the more powerful darkspawn have any intelligence at all. Darkspawn are not worshippers of pestilence, exotic pleasure or anything other then mindless bloodsheed. So I honestly dont see how the similarites are any more than you would expect.

Well for one they are tainted marauders that seek to taint the civilised world and everywhere they go they sow seeds of corruption and destruction. They could be easily likened to any of the forces of Chaos, in particular that of Khorne and that of Nurgle because of their excessively violent tendencies and because of their diseased and tainted nature.

[Jedi Master of Orion]

The Xand wrote...

In the 40K universe though it's got very strong doses of morally grey as well however. The supposed "goodies" like the Imperium show strong similarities to the human nations of Thedas, the Chantry in particular seems to be very much like the Imperial Cult in 40K, with a similar intolerance to those not of the faith, and the way the Imperium treats mages is essentially the same with mages being rooted out and persecuted because of the threat that they pose to the world.

What you say about the darkspawn does ring true though. Seems like they share parallels between Chaos *and* the Necrons.

I see the similarities between the Imperial Cult and the Chantry but it's significantly toned down. The Chantry doesn't have a strict "purge the xenos" policy nor do they have an inqusition that would obliterate entire nations to elliminate a few unbelievers. And while pretty much all human nations are racist agaisnt elves, Chantry doctrine  doesn't even really have any specifically racist policies unless you count mages.

In fact amongst their own populations, I don't really think the Chantry has any mechanisms for trying to enforce belief in the Maker. At least not anymore.Most of the times they've killed unbeleivers appears to have been when dealing with foreign populaitons who refused to convert, rather than their own population they suspect of heresy.

Plus my understanding is that the Chantry has much less direct authority over the the Andrastian nations than the Ecclisiarchy has over the Imperium.

Similarly the dalish may not think much of humans in general but they don't have the Eldar's defining trait of all consuming arrogence. And as such they probably wouldn't try to manipulate events to kill hundreds of thousands of humans to save a few of their own or many of the Eldar's other practices.

Essentially, the Warhammer 40K is about "There is only War" and all the species (with the possible vaugest exception in the Tau) are designed in such a way that their entire culturess are all based around being in an endless war with everyone around them in one way or another. In Dragon Age there there isn't always constant warfare between everyone there is always the real possibility of peace.

Modifié par Jedi Master of Orion, 11 septembre 2011 - 07:46 .

[Anyrandomname]

I know there are some similiarities but those have to be expected in just about any fantasy novel or game. THeres is always magic that is generally quite alike, there are usually the evil and chaotic monster and elves are in general a dying and rare race.

[Jedi Master of Orion]

There isn't really any similarities in the actual concepts in both series but every time I go to visit the memories in Orzammar I always think of the Kroot just because of the name.

"The Shapers sent us to serve."

Modifié par Jedi Master of Orion, 12 septembre 2011 - 03:16 .

[The Xand]

Well the main thing that sprang to mind was the Fade, it seems to have been directly inspired by the Warp in Warhammer. Most of the rest just seems lik ethe usual fantasy tropes, though since Warhammer was what really hammered out those tropes and in a very dark manner in the first place it is obviously the first and most major source of inspiration for the Dragon Age series, after Tolkien ofc.