By all means, I would probably jump at the chance, and be ready to move within the hour. Which is, of course, exactly what they would want.
Ah, ok. I thought you'd be the resistant elf or something.
The point with this is that the City Elves can advance past this step at a later date. It's much easier to acheive equality when taking baby steps rather than shoving foward. We only need to look at the Mage situation to see how that kind of thinking will lead.
"To Bill Brasky!" Wait wrong joke.......
While Gaspard is a compelling character, I at this point still don't favor him for emperor over Celene. Say what you wish about Gaspard's bravado and military accumen, that doesn't mean I want him running the country. I would love to have had a nice dinner with George Patton or Douglas McArthur and would have enjoyed myself greatly in their company. I wouldn't have wanted either of them within walking distance of the Oval Office. Celene has turned Orlais into the cultural capitol of Thedas in her 20 years on the throne and she is working very hard at pulling it out of many of its bigger issues as a society. I fear Gaspard would undue the cultural advances and that I cannot abide. A ruler should improve the country through more then military growth, I don't see Gaspard doing that.
The Dalish are the remnants of the independent kingdom of the Dales, while the Arlathan elves were the inhabitants of the kingdom of the ancient elven nation of Arlathan; there's a clear difference between the two.
Getting back to the actual line of discussion, it would be a shame if the uniqueness of the Dalish view of all spirits being dangerous was diluted to make it a mirror image of the Andrastian view of Spirits and Demons.
No, they'll maintain their "There's no such thing as a good spirit" mentality, but then that doesn't mean they have forsworn the use of them in the older times.
The Dalish are the remnants of the independent kingdom of the Dales, while the Arlathan elves were the inhabitants of the kingdom of the ancient elven nation of Arlathan; there's a clear difference between the two.
Getting back to the actual line of discussion, it would be a shame if the uniqueness of the Dalish view of all spirits being dangerous was diluted to make it a mirror image of the Andrastian view of Spirits and Demons.
Its actually more along the lines of how they view Abominations. Which would make some sense in context I guess. They have never said they weren't dangerous, just they can be dangerous if treated carelessly. He explicitly states they don't view them as evil.
The point with this is that the City Elves can advance past this step at a later date. It's much easier to acheive equality when taking baby steps rather than shoving foward. We only need to look at the Mage situation to see how that kind of thinking will lead.
Right, and that's my problem with it. It's shoving forward while at the same time doing nothing to address the core problem.
If you want to grab some land, give it to the elves, and call it an "independent state" while telling everyone who previously lived on that land or lives within the proximity to shut and deal with it, let's see how long it takes before we're back to square one.
It just doesn't make sense to me. As for the WoT mention about Dalish and spirits, "Unlike other spellcasters, Dalish mages do not use any magic involving spirits, as they believe all spirits are dangerous." (page 104) It follows the same line of thought that's expressed by Merrill, who says all spirits are dangerous, and chastises Anders by saying there's no such thing as a good spirit.
Spoiler
Which is why it is a shame, from a national perspective, that Celene put her personal desires ahead of her nation when Gaspard pressed his suit for marriage. Their arguments would have been legendary, no doubt, but if they managed to forge an accord, they would have completed the gaps in each other's ability to rule that would have been almost unstoppable.
True, which is why I am not yet convinced that that won't still be a possibility in DAI. Unlikely, but a possibility. Hey, if you can overlook your family killing each other for generations, what is a little rebellion in light of the good of the empire.
True, which is why I am not yet convinced that that won't still be a possibility in DAI. Unlikely, but a possibility. Hey, if you can overlook your family killing each other for generations, what is a little rebellion in light of the good of the empire.
Right, and that's my problem with it. It's shoving forward while at the same time doing nothing to address the core problem.
If you want to grab some land, give it to the elves, and call it an "independent state" while telling everyone who previously lived on that land or lives within the proximity to shut and deal with it, let's see how long it takes before we're back to square one.
Well, the area of the Dales--The Dales, not Halimshiral-is actually pretty sparsely populated these days and between Gaspard's forces and the forces of Jader, the population of the villages near the dales is plummeting quickly.
Its actually more along the lines of how they view Abominations. Which would make some sense in context I guess. They have never said they weren't dangerous, just they can be dangerous if treated carelessly. He explicitly states they don't view them as evil.
It's not the evil part of the dialogue, it's dealing with a denizen of the Beyond that doesn't really mesh with what we know so far. Merrill and WoT stress that the Dalish view all spirits as dangerous, to the point of avoiding schools of magic that involve spirits as a consequence of their cultural view. If you don't deal with spirits at all (which is why the Dalish avoid using magic that involves spirits), then you're not really in a position to be careless around them.
Which is why it is a shame, from a national perspective, that Celene put her personal desires ahead of her nation when Gaspard pressed his suit for marriage. Their arguments would have been legendary, no doubt, but if they managed to forge an accord, they would have completed the gaps in each other's ability to rule that would have been almost unstoppable.
Hey, maybe we can repeatr the Alistair + Anora combo with Gaspard and Celene. Maybe a bit too difficult now that the war has started, but still a possibility.
True, which is why I am not yet convinced that that won't still be a possibility in DAI. Unlikely, but a possibility. Hey, if you can overlook your family killing each other for generations, what is a little rebellion in light of the good of the empire.
Aren't they cousins?
True, which is why I am not yet convinced that that won't still be a possibility in DAI. Unlikely, but a possibility.
No. Orlais will be the first to experience the terrible splendor of the Grand Transfiguration.
Well, the area of the Dales--The Dales, not Halimshiral-is actually pretty sparsely populated these days and between Gaspard's forces and the forces of Jader, the population of the villages near the dales is plummeting quickly.
Based on that, and from the POV of an Orlesian noble or courtier, I can weave so many "justifications" to put down their little city-state it's not even funny.
It's not the evil part of the dialogue, it's dealing with a denizen of the Beyond that doesn't really mesh with what we know so far. Merrill and WoT stress that the Dalish view all spirits as dangerous, to the point of avoiding schools of magic that involve spirits as a consequence of their cultural view. If you don't deal with spirits at all (which is why the Dalish avoid using magic that involves spirits), then you're not really in a position to be careless around them.
Like I said earlier Lob, this may be a product of the isolation of the clans causing them to have different interpretations of various aspects of Dalish belief. Felassan says as much in the book.
Aren't they cousins?
They have a mutual cousin. Much like most of the European monarchies are related in some way.
Aren't they cousins?
You act like marriage between cousins of law and blood isn't common in our own history, Crud some families only married into first cousins.
It's not the evil part of the dialogue, it's dealing with a denizen of the Beyond that doesn't really mesh with what we know so far. Merrill and WoT stress that the Dalish view all spirits as dangerous, to the point of avoiding schools of magic that involve spirits as a consequence of their cultural view. If you don't deal with spirits at all (which is why the Dalish avoid using magic that involves spirits), then you're not really in a position to be careless around them.
Maybe that fear and the ignorance of spirit magic would explain why the Dalish we've seen so far fail spectacularly when dealing with demons, to the point some of them (coughMaretharicough) seem to have been hit by the Idiot Ball too hard. However, it's not as if other mages have fared much better when dealing with spirits.
Aren't they cousins?
It hasn't stopped real-life kings and queens before.
Aren't they cousins?
Wincest for Imperial stability!
No. Orlais will be the first to experience the terrible splendor of the Grand Transfiguration.
Based on that, and from the POV of an Orlesian noble or courtier, I can weave so many "justifications" to put down their little city-state it's not even funny.
True but Celene is young as is Gaspard. Both are strong enough handed that if they gave the dales to the CEs then they would uphold it. In 20 years or so, most of the nobility would have come to accept it-barring a war breaking out. Even in the 20 years that the university was open, the young nobles who attended it were already coming out with progressive and liberal ideas regarding the treatment of elves.
Wincest for Imperial stability!
Makes me jealous of them...
*Wanted Bethany for an LI*
*Wanted Bethany for an LI*
Having a mutual cousin hardly makes it incest.....
Maybe that fear and the ignorance of spirit magic would explain why the Dalish we've seen so far fail spectacularly when dealing with demons, to the point some of them (coughMaretharicough) seem to have been hit by the Idiot Ball too hard. However, it's not as if other mages have fared much better when dealing with spirits.
I don't see it as ignorance, but rather a cultural difference in the perception of the denizens of the Beyond. It's not as though Merrill is lacking in her proficiency because she's Dalish: Merrill is able to discern the nature of the Profane Abomination in the primeval thaig, and when encountering Torpor, Merrill immediately identifies it as a creature of Sloth.
It hasn't stopped real-life kings and queens before.
That doesn't really make me feel comfortable.
Having a mutual cousin hardly makes it incest.....
True!
They are not of the same womb, or even clan.
Just putting that out there, I would still be jealous of their "writ" based incest.
True but Celene is young as is Gaspard. Both are strong enough handed that if they gave the dales to the CEs then they would uphold it. In 20 years or so, most of the nobility would have come to accept it-barring a war breaking out. Even in the 20 years that the university was open, the young nobles who attended it were already coming out with progressive and liberal ideas regarding the treatment of elves.
Gaspard would never hand the Dales over to them. Not in a million years. And the bitterness of noble houses can last for generations, let alone a mere 20 years.
Gaspard would never hand the Dales over to them. Not in a million years. And the bitterness of noble houses can last for generations, let alone a mere 20 years.
If it benefited the Empire, He would.
That's the thing about Gaspard.
He is like Loghain in so far as he puts his Nation and his ideals of its place in the world above near everything, Including in later chapters as TME revealed, his own honor.
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