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[LobselVith8]

There was a discussion in a thread previously where the contrasting views about the fall of the Dales was discussed, and I thought I'd bring it up, since it might reflect the hypothetical Dalish Inquisitor.

 

In Origins, there are two accounts to the fall of the Dales: the human version, where the humans viewed the elves as the instigators for an attack on the town of Red Crossing, and the Dalish version, where the People (and even the elven Warden in conversation) can express that the war started because the elves wouldn't capitulate to the Chantry and convert.

 

Some posters felt that World of Thedas was an example of the developers saying that the human version was true over the Dalish version, because the text addressed the attack on Red Crossing was the inception of the war, while others (including myself) disagreed, because WoT didn't get into the schism between there being two versions of this historical conflict.

 

To be perfectly clear: I don't think we're given enough information to say with absolute certainly whether one historical account is correct over the other (although I know posters have their preferences).

 

I don't think the omission is necessarily a reflection that the developers were making a choice between the two versions, since WoT doesn't really delve that much into the Dalish cultural and religious perspective. For example, it doesn't get into the nuances of how the Dalish don't share the same views as Andrastians about the Fade (the Beyond) and Spirits and Demons (spirits), which we know about from conversations between Merrill and Anders:

 

Act I -

 

Anders: Maybe you don't really understand the difference between spirits and demons.

 

Merrill: Did I ask you?

 

Anders: Spirits were the first children of the Maker, but He turned his back on them to dote on His mortal creations. The ones who resented this became demons, driven to take everything mortals had and gain back the Maker's favor.

 

Merrill: Your "Maker" is a story you humans use to explain the world. We have our own stories. I don't need to borrow yours.

 

Act II -

 

Anders: Do Dalish honestly not recognize the difference between demons and beneficial spirits?

 

Merrill: We've never thought of the Fade as the home of our gods. It is another realm, another people's home. No different or more foreign than, say, Orzammar.

 

Varric: You can say that again.

 

Anders: But have you never studied the types of demons? They break down very clearly into different sins--

 

Merrill: Spirits differ from each other, just as you and Hawke and Isabela are all human. More or less...

 

There is a line about the Dalish and their view of spirits as dangerous in WoT, but it's not elaborated on for the uninitiated; you need to be familiar with the religious discussions between Merrill and Anders to even understand it's context.

 

Given that, I don't necessarily think that it means that the developers made a choice between the two historical accounts. With Inquisition still in development, I'm honestly hoping that the Dalish Inquisitor isn't simply a re-skinned Andrastian, but that he's a culturally (and potentially religiously) different person. A protagonist who says 'the Beyond' instead of the Fade, who sees 'spirits' instead of 'Spirits and Demons', who was taught a different historical account about the fall of the Dales than the humans and the elves in Andrastian lands, and who might revere Shartan while Andrastians revere Andraste.

 

As someone who is interested in the prospect of playing as one of the Elvhen, part of my interest is in the fact that they are different than their Andrastian counterparts. Their view of spirits, the Beyond, their faith in the Creators, their struggle to build a future and maintain a heritage that was nearly lost to slavery and invasion, and surviving on a continent where their faith in their religion alone is criminalized in human lands (not to mention the existence of free mages in the clan). Their different historical account about the fall of the Dales was interesting as well, and I'm hoping that the different points of view and cultural heritage is maintained for the Dalish Inquisitor.

[Allan Schumacher]

It isn't my opinion, it is WORD OF GOD. You can fight it all you want, I do jsut so dearly wish you would stop flodding the forums with your Dalish master race propaganda. It gets extremely tiring having to shoot you down every damn time.

 

I'll take this moment to remind posters that the new forum has significantly improved ignore functions.

 

Now, if you're concerned that ignoring a poster that you find aggravating will allow said poster to "spread propaganda and convince others that his perspective is correct" I also take a moment to remind people:

 

1) It's a video game lore.

2) People possibly aren't changing their opinions on anything anyways.

 

 

Take part in the debate because you enjoy taking part in it.  Not because you think someone is wrong and you have to protect the others from thinking what he says is true.