9 réponses à ce sujet

[Vincent Laww]

I know there would be myriad of problems with having a Darkspawn compatriot, but it would be terribly interesting to have one. It would also be swell if it had some unexpected quality. For example, an Andrastean Darkspawn Monk/Priest, who believes in the Maker, and abhors his own kind. The only way he finds solace is doing virtuous tasks as an act of contrition. Also, one way to counteract the Taint from spreading from said hypothetical Darkspawn team mate would be for them have some kind of force field around them; that allows him to wander the surface without spreading the taint. So in short an intelligent, pious, self righteous monster who is capable of hunting down other monsters.

Modifié par Vincent Laww, 04 décembre 2012 - 02:38 .

[Kajagoogoo3]

Maybe the Architect?

[Vincent Laww]

The architect doesn't seem like an ideal Dragon Age companion. An example of a domesticated monster that pursues other monsters would be Alucard from Hellsing Anime series. Also having an ironic quality like a Darkspawn who believes in the Maker. When in actuality regular Darkspawn only idiolise the desiccated husks of the former old gods. I can imagine a Darkspawn in chantry priest robes using brass knuckles. He prays to the maker for evil that he undertakes. Anyway, that's just some wishful thinking on my behalf. I don't believe we'll be treated to any Darkdpawn team mates in the forseeable future.

[Vincent Laww]

Faerunner wrote...

I can see having a good-natured darkspawn that wants to help people, but why a self-loathing one? The Architect explained that darkspawn who haven't been "awakened" are slaves to their taint and have no idea what they're doing, so it's neither fair nor accurate to impose sentient morality on them. Likewise, darkspawn who have "awakened" have just as versatile morality as any sentient race, capable of good and evil, so it's just as unfair and inaccurate to paint them with the same broad stroke.

I personally think someone like the Messenger from DAA would be an excellent companion. The Messenger was a genuinely good darkspawn sent to warn the Warden about an oncoming attack near the end, and if you let him go, the epilogue reveals that he wanders the earth, helping random people as he comes across them. (He also inadvertently spreads the taint, but that's not something he can help.) I think having him or someone like him as a companion would be infinitely fascinating.

If not the Messenger himself, I personally can see a good Samaritan darkspawn that was banished from underground (for whatever reason), or got separated from his kind and wants the protagonist's help at first, or who wants the protagonist's help with something because he thinks setting up good relations between darkspawn and non-tainted races would be productive. Either way, in every case, someone who wants to help others.

Not a Chantry priest though. I find self-righteous Chantry clerics obnoxious at the best of times. We already have plenty of those ruining otherwise enjoyable characters, so I don't want them ruining a darkspawn companion as well.

Okay, well a Qunari-Darkspawn could be a compromise between a Religious Darkspawn, and one that doesn't pertain to the stifling beliefs of the Chantry. Having some sort of unique definable quality could be a real asset to the theoretical Darkspawn Team Member. Even just a simple deference in theDarkspawn Team mate's beliefs from standard Awakened Darkspawn/Stock-standard Darkspawn would be most welcome. Also it would be quite unusual to see how a Darkspawn team mate progresses in relation to dealing with human beings. Interacting with the main character and developing its own personal beliefs as encounters multiple problems and inevitable resolutions. Perhaps if the Main Character is a paragon, and does good deeds, the Darkspawn Team Mate first perceives the good deeds as illogical, but eventually comes to the conclusion that seemingly illogical actions can have beneficial consequences. If the Main Character is more inclined to be a renegade with murderous intent, the Darkspawn Team Mate could be more animalistic and determine that logical cold and calculating behaviour is preferable to illogical human behaviours etc. Either way it should make foran interesting predicament.

Modifié par Vincent Laww, 13 décembre 2012 - 04:02 .

[Vincent Laww]

The typical Stock-Standard Awakened Darkspawn seems to be unemotional, and resembles a living automaton. As if there newly gained consciousness is that of a child who is unaccustomed to this new level of freedom. They seem to adhere to logic instead of irrational illogical feelings that sometimes betide human beings. I want the potential Team Mate to look unique and act differently from what we've seen so far. After some consideration is difficult to assign a archetype to an Awakened Darkspawn.

As for good and evil assignations it tends to limit a characters potential by oversimplifying a concept. The Paragon and Renegade Paradigm can be present in a single personage. A good example of character who is performs both good/evil acts but has some redeeming qualities would be Loghain from DAO. He did what he believed was the best course of action to save his beloved Ferelden. In the process of saving his homeland he performed many contemptible actions. In the end he was the living embodiment of a character that embraces both good and evil means to accomplish his goals.

I would like to see a Darkspawn Character who is vastly intricate with myriad complexities. Who has a raging conflict ingrained into his very soul that balances between emotion and logic. The Darkspawn Team Mate should progressively evolve as he goes along accumulating experiences that should help mold this baseless entity. It would also be pleasantly suprising if there was some Darkspawn Humour involved. Perhaps he can be a Darkspawn Jokster, that could be his niche.

Modifié par Vincent Laww, 14 décembre 2012 - 05:12 .

[Rodulv]

A good-natured dual-wielding  Darkspawn Genlock, I imagine he will be a big hit...

The Dragon Age universe version of Drizzt Do'Urden. 

[LobselVith8]

Faerunner wrote...

I don't want a religious darkspawn companion. I find religious people annoying, period. We already have plenty of religious companions in the form of Sten, Leliana, Sebastian, etc. I would like to get to know the darkspawn as an individual and not another person that defers to institutionalized beliefs.

As would I. I don't see why a darkspawn companion would adopt one of the surface religions. There are many other facets to a hypothetical darkspawn companion worth exploring.

Faerunner wrote...

What do you mean "Standard Awakened Darkspawn"? We haven't spent enough time ineracting with any awakened darkspawn to learn their individual personalities, preferences, thoughts and opinions, let alone all of them. Throughout the game, we think all awakened darkspawn are evil and we talk to a few individually for no longer than 30 seconds. Only near the end do we finally learn that the Architect means well and that different Disciples have varied personalities. Some are jerks like the Mother's followers and the Architect's disciple that deliberately tricked Velanna into killing local humans for sport, some mean well but lack empathy like the Architect, and some are straight up good Samaritans like the Messenger, who winds up performing random acts of kindness in the epilogue. All of this is heard second-hand, not seen firsthand. That's hardly grounds for thinking they're all the same.

The view the protagonist has on the darkspawn could always play a role in how they are viewed as well, since I can see a Grey Warden viewing all darkspawn (including the Architect) as the fulcrum of evil, given their oath and mission, while someone not associated with the Wardens might be willing to give one of the sentient darkspawn a chance. I tried making my Hero and my Champion distinct enough that they had two very different views on this (given the options in Awakening, and the option in Legacy).

That said, I think the concept of a sentient darkspawn is interesting (along with the problems that would arise from spreading the taint, as we know from the example of the Messenger). I can see an 'awakened' darkspawn exploring the surface, whether the Architect is dead or not. Considering how vague a certain Grey Warden was to my apostate Hawke in Act III about his benefactors (when my Surana Warden executed the Messenger and killed the Architect), it made me think Warden Velanna finally made contact with her sister Seranni and the disciples of the Architect she was thought she could help.

Faerunner wrote...

Oh, you're a Mass Effect fan. See, I don't think in terms of blue and red, all good and all evil. You just do what you think is best in any situation and hope for the best. Depending on the darkspawn's personality and moral inclination, he may agree with you, disagree with you, or start out torn but learn more about himself and the world as time goes on.

I agree that I think it would be infinitely fascinating to learn more about the darkspawn's budding consciousness, his views of himself, his people, their place in the world, his (people's) relation with other sentient races, his view of other sentient races based on their own merit, etc. However, I don't think slapping religious beliefs is the best way to do that. I want to learn about the darkspawn, not re-hear more of the same religious diatribe that I've already heard from many other characters.

I agree. I would be more interested in learning about how an awakened darkspawn would see the world, and their reaction to having sentience; I think it opens up a plethora of possibilities.