153431 réponses à ce sujet

[Caddius]

Lore question by the way:

 

Did blood magic already exist during the time of Arlathan?

 

When you ask Solas about blood magic, he says he doesn't use it because it dampens a mage's connection to the Fade. And I'm assuming the Veil was much thinner during the time of Arlathan, so cutting that connection off just seems unnecessary and counter intuitive to  elven magic.

 

I don't know, maybe the appearance of blood magic even ties into the taint and the betrayal Flemeth talks about.

In several Codex entries, the Magisters claimed they learned some of the intricacies of blood magic rituals from captured elves of Arlathan. This was building upon the foundation provided by either Dumat or the Forbidden Ones, depending on source.

*shrug* So basically we don't know for sure.

Can someone who has The Masked Empire tell us if Felassan makes any references to it?

I like the idea of blood magic being somehow tied to the Taint and Betrayal. It's used by Merrill to cleanse the Eluvian of the Taint in a ritual given to her by a demon.

[lynroy]

If it makes you feel better, I sometimes feel that way too when I hear people discuss popular choices - choosing Cousland origin, marry King Alistair, Lavellan being a mage in most Solavellan fanfics, etc.

 

Almost everyone I know IRL who's played DAO has chosen to play a Cousland (male or female, it doesn't matter) for their first PT so it gets rather lonely sometimes being the only one who's played the Mahariel PT. (You'd think with so many origins, people would choose something else other than the Human Noble origin.)

It is rather late in Ohio right now, so my own interpretations of posts are a tad...off. Ugh, trust me I am quite aware of the struggle of those who romanced Alistair but were non-human or a mage, I am one of those who struggled with that. My first PT was an elven mage and it ended with Alistair becoming king which more or less forced him to dump my Surana flat out. Then Morrigan left without the DR being completed...so you know what that means. Finally, I brought Alistair to the final battle and he sacrificed himself for my Surana. Long story short...that PT was traumatizing. However, I did finally make a Cousland and I fell in love with her as much as did with my first character. 

 

People find it dramatic for Solas to remove their vallaslin? Eh, to each their own. My character was pretty standoffish with those in her clan and cared little for the markings, so she gave it up since at that point she fully trusted Solas...which ended horribly. Magic and knowledge were what made my Lavellan who she was, not the markings.

 

I was just surprised that my post came off the way that it did since a negative thought never crossed my mind while I was making it. You just caught me off guard, lol!

Mahariel was my first playthrough as well. I like elves so when I got my hands on DAO for the first time playing as an elf was the obvious choice for me. I normally don't romance any characters on a first run just so I can see how the story and characters turn out, but I made an exception for Alistair because I really liked him. It ended up being similar to Zarro-Morningstar: Alistair made king, Al dumps Mahariel, no DR performed. When it came to the Archdemon though I couldn't let Al die so Mahariel made the final sacrifice. I still treasure that playthrough.

I was very torn with my Lavellan regarding the Vallaslin. A bit of shock and disgust for what they were, a bit of pride for the Dalish making them into something more meaningful. I admit I closed my eyes and blindly picked an option. Vallaslin removed.

 

Can someone who has The Masked Empire tell us if Felassan makes any references to it?

He does not.

[Aetheria]

MORE PLEASE

 

Edit: It would be helpful to indicate from the start that Corypheus's already been defeated though, just so the reader knows where they stand in the timeline.

 

Coming right up (hopefully)! Thanks for the comments! omg someone read a thing i wrote and thought it was sorta ok omg omg squee

 

I'll try and make it a bit clearer in the next draft that this is all post-game. I was thinking I needed a longer intro than 3 words, so that's probably a good spot to expand on.

 

I figured out a way to make your individual Lavellan a bit smarter: just don't pick the stupid questions.

 

 

I understand you are annoyed that the developers allow her to ask such things in the first place, but please understand that there's some players who don't know anything about the DA universe and BioWare must somehow satisfy them, too. Sure, there would have been ways around letting her ask silly questions (like having a companion do it), but those ways are more expensive and time-consuming (writing, recording, animation, etc). So let's just settle for "Better this than waiting even longer for the game to be released". Or let's call it "freedom" - the player can play an imbecile Lavellan or one who'd spent her life under a rock, never interacting with her people.

 

Some of the most silly-sounding options I think may not have been intentional, since at least the "who's Mythal" line was confirmed to be an oversight by the devs. That said, most of the "asking for exposition on things your character would know" options really are there for the benefit of players who don't know any DA lore already. I replayed DA:O's Dalish origin story recently and was surprised at how many times NPCs told me lore stuff that seemed like things I should already know - in comparison to the first time I played it, when I didn't notice any needless exposition at all. Sometimes it's just necessary, even though it can get a little clunky.

 

In Inquisition, when I accidentally picked a dialogue option that made my character ask for explanation of something I thought she should know already, I just decided to headcanon that she was quizzing the other character to find out what they knew.

[M-Taylor]

The 'Who's Mythal' thing is definitely a bug. I'm not sure if I'm remembering correctly but my first femElf (also my first play through) never had the option to ask the question and actually had a few insightful things to say about the Temple.

 

Then I came to the forum and was flabberghasted at the out rage over an event that I didn't even know was possible, haha. Either that or I just missed the option to ask the question, but either way, if you don't want your Lavellan to look like a simpleton, avoid that question I guess. Whether I managed to avoid the bug or just missed the question, I was quite satisfied with the Dalish responses to the Temple either way.

 

In fact I never really understood peoples grievances over a lack of Dalish options. I thought there was a huge amount and very definitely felt Dalish and the story felt organic towards my race choice. The only incident that I can think of that annoyed me was going to the Emerald Graves and Harding lectured me about what happened to the Dales. I was kinda sat at my screen like eh? you think I don't know?', but even then there was a Dalish response of 'We are the last of the Elvhen, and never again shall we submit', which felt apt and suitable response. Left Harding with 'oh, sorry... I forgot'. Really? Forgot my ears or my big **** off tree tattoo on my FACE?! haha

[flabbadence]

I have a question for you guys. Today I re-did the ball at Halamshiral and managed to reconcile Celene and Briala. But I noticed that when I did that this time, in having the follow up conversation with Solas, it skipped over the part where I get to ask who his people are etc. Anyone else run into this?

 

 

Lol, oops, I always do that.

 

The personality doesn't have to be generic. I just prefer it when neither the class or a first name is mentioned. You can get some pretty great fanfics out of it but it takes extra work I assume. I haven't written fanfiction in ages. I just feel it's too bad not many people like to write this way, I got a prompt I'm dying to have someone write but I feel like asking them to keep a specific class and name out of it is asking too much.   

 

I've only ever had all three working together, so I've only ever had one convo. I'll check it out my next playthrough.

 

As for fanfics, when I read DA:O ones I used to prefer generic PCs, so I can insert my own. But as time went on, I've come to prefer people writing their own characters. It just makes the fic come more alive for me, because you can feel how the writer's much more invested in this particular character than if they'd gone for a generic version. I already know my PC's story. I'd rather learn about about someone else's.

[Caddius]

 

He does not.

http://dragonage.wik...iki/Blood_Magic

So yeah, basically it's up for speculation in-universe as well. 

It would greatly surprise me if the Arlathan elves and gods did not know and practice at least some blood magic. A lot of Morrigan's more esoteric studies brush up against it, without crossing the line into flag-bearing Tevinter blood-gorged Magister territory. And she was tutored by an elven goddess.

Completely random side-note: I just finished Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, (Briala+Gaspard for the first time  ) and found the theater entries. One of which in particular was intriguing. Weren't we griping about the weirdness of two moons and Mythal's connection to all things lunar? 

Spoiler

Callista paces on the battlement over the lake. The sky is dark. She holds a cup of poison. Camallia is there, face veiled.

Callista: The dawn is late.

Camallia: It will not come again.

Callista: It must hide 'neath the clouds.

Camallia: It will not come again.

Callista: The queen thinks you dead.

Camallia, her back to the audience, faces Callista, and removes her veil.

Callista moans in fear. She drops her cup.

—From The Setting of the Light by Lumiere Bartlet

These lines are from a play said to have been one of the strangest works of its time. Bartlet was a writer of small repute who died when a fire swept through his pauper's hovel. The Setting of the Light takes place in the mysterious city of Demhe, implied to be another world that somehow becomes our own moon. Accidents, madness, and suicide plagued the first production, and some historians claim that the play's conclusion was at once so hauntingly beautiful and shockingly vile it sparked the Great Riot of Val Royeaux in 4:52 Black.

The truth will forever be a mystery. Only fourteen pages of the play remain.

—From A Compendium of Orlesian Theater, Volumw V: Lost or Fragmented Works by Magister Pellinar

http://dragonage.wik...rlesian_Theater

EDIT: An unspecified Witch of the Wilds is also credited with leading Calenhad to a Great Dragon and making him drink its blood. Which makes me think that Flemeth certainly has knowledge of it. Maybe it's something she introduced Mythal to, but I doubt it. The essence of blood magic seems to realize that there's power in your own blood. The rest is just logical extensions of that principle. The Old Gods/Forbidden Ones might have just taught them that there's specific spells only possible with blood magic, like mind control or turning a battalion of Arcane Warriors into your personal theater troupe. 

[Illyria]

I agree but clarification - isn't the body the ACTUAL Cole's body.  We find out he possessed it after Cole died, like Justice possesses the dead Warden.

 

It's been a while since I read Asunder and I've lost my copy of it but I am sure that Cole's body is one he made himself.  I think he even says that in game.  It's what makes him so remarkable - he's not possessing anyone, he just is.

[dragondreamer]

It's been a while since I read Asunder and I've lost my copy of it but I am sure that Cole's body is one he made himself.  I think he even says that in game.  It's what makes him so remarkable - he's not possessing anyone, he just is.

 

Yeah, it's confirmed in-game by both Solas and Cole that he isn't possessing anything.  He manifested his own physical body.

[flabbadence]

http://dragonage.wik...iki/Blood_Magic

So yeah, basically it's up for speculation in-universe as well. 

It would greatly surprise me if the Arlathan elves and gods did not know and practice at least some blood magic. A lot of Morrigan's more esoteric studies brush up against it, without crossing the line into flag-bearing Tevinter blood-gorged Magister territory. And she was tutored by an elven goddess.

Completely random side-note: I just finished Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, (Briala+Gaspard for the first time  ) and found the theater entries. One of which in particular was intriguing. Weren't we griping about the weirdness of two moons and Mythal's connection to all things lunar? 

Spoiler

Callista paces on the battlement over the lake. The sky is dark. She holds a cup of poison. Camallia is there, face veiled.

Callista: The dawn is late.

Camallia: It will not come again.

Callista: It must hide 'neath the clouds.

Camallia: It will not come again.

Callista: The queen thinks you dead.

Camallia, her back to the audience, faces Callista, and removes her veil.

Callista moans in fear. She drops her cup.

—From The Setting of the Light by Lumiere Bartlet

These lines are from a play said to have been one of the strangest works of its time. Bartlet was a writer of small repute who died when a fire swept through his pauper's hovel. The Setting of the Light takes place in the mysterious city of Demhe, implied to be another world that somehow becomes our own moon. Accidents, madness, and suicide plagued the first production, and some historians claim that the play's conclusion was at once so hauntingly beautiful and shockingly vile it sparked the Great Riot of Val Royeaux in 4:52 Black.

The truth will forever be a mystery. Only fourteen pages of the play remain.

—From A Compendium of Orlesian Theater, Volumw V: Lost or Fragmented Works by Magister Pellinar

http://dragonage.wik...rlesian_Theater

EDIT: An unspecified Witch of the Wilds is also credited with leading Calenhad to a Great Dragon and making him drink its blood. Which makes me think that Flemeth certainly has knowledge of it. Maybe it's something she introduced Mythal to, but I doubt it. The essence of blood magic seems to realize that there's power in your own blood. The rest is just logical extensions of that principle. The Old Gods/Forbidden Ones might have just taught them that there's specific spells only possible with blood magic, like mind control or turning a battalion of Arcane Warriors into your personal theater troupe. 

 

That's just really intriguing though. We all know elven blood's special, and yet you never hear about mass blood sacrifices that happened during Arlathan. There were slaves, yes, and although Andruil hunted them for sport and Falon'din waged wars to amass more worshippers, the only blood rituals you hear about aside from what comes from Flemeth comes from Tevinter. The people Elvhenan valued were the Dreamers, with close connections to the Fade, not those tied with blood.

 

Then again, if blood magic is different from Fade magic, then how can demons be the primary teachers of it? They don't have bodies of their own after all. They don't have blood. So where does that knowledge come from?

 

 

As for the theater bit, I just thought that was another example of Orlais being weird. But yeah, now that you mention it, I wonder if it's something more.

[Pinax]

(...)

I'd actually think it was awesome if making Cole more human, which is easily the more palatable choice, had bigger consequences down the line than making him more spirit. That would probably be more realistic.

I actually keep head cannoning that the decision to make Cole more human/spirit has an impact on Solavellan relation.

I mean... I said that before and I keep thinking that Solas is so hesitant on his romantic relationship with Quizzie because he's mostly afraid that it would alter his spirit, "change everything" and he's afraid that for worse.

 

There is this banter between Cole and Solas (appearing, as far I observed, also in non-Solasmance playthroughs):

 

Cole: It makes sense. It holds them as they die. But then it's a man, and he wants a woman. Why?

Solas: When they possess people, they often indulge in feelings they have never before experienced.

Cole: But it changed. It is blank, black, blunted from being. It never wanted before.

Solas: Have you felt no interest in women since you came through the Veil?

Cole: No.

And I also remember that Cole is referencing on Solas as being "bright". I think Solas is afraid that the romantic relationship with Quizzie with somehow "taint" his "brightness" of a spirit, if you know what I mean. I think he mostly leaves Lavellan not because she could interrupt some of his plans, but because he's afraid that their relation going deeper may alter him for worse, make him less himself and he doesn't want that as for some reason "the People need him" (but do they really?).

 

I think that the decision on Cole humanity/spirituality may be a good argument in this internal fight Solas (in my HC) has: like, look, Cole is more human now, but this did not change his nature; he can help, as he always wanted, but he can also learn. You can do this to (staaaayyyyy with meeeee)!

 

I appreciate though this HC would work only for Solasmancers.

[flabbadence]

HOLD UP can we talk about this banter for a second?

 

Cole: They can only return to the Maker if they become real. Why can’t they be forgiven as they are?
Solas: People say they lack the ability to learn or grow.
Cole: Yes.
Solas: But the more contact you have with this world, the more ability you gain. 
Cole: Why would they want to prove the Maker wrong? He’s already far away. 
Solas: It isn’t about right and wrong. It’s about attention, when you think you have been forgotten. 
Cole: And rolling the ball so it goes in the hole.
Vivienne: You should not encourage that thing.
Cole: Solas isn’t a thing.
Vivienne: I was not talking about Solas.

 

 

Who are they talking about, do you think? At first I thought it was humans, because there's that real bit again and wanting to be forgiven by the Maker. But then Solas says "they" lack the ability to learn and grow, and doesn't that chime into spirits more? And what is this about "rolling the ball"?

[Siha]

HOLD UP can we talk about this banter for a second?

 

 

Who are they talking about, do you think? At first I thought it was humans, because there's that real bit again and wanting to be forgiven by the Maker. But then Solas says "they" lack the ability to learn and grow, and doesn't that chime into spirits more? And what is this about "rolling the ball"?

 

Golfers, the incarnation of everything evil and soulless?

 

 

 

(Seriously: I've always assumed he means the faithful/religious ones, no matter what race. But I never thought about it much.)

[Illyria]

The conversation about Cole is turning into an Ouroboros. People choose either option based on their reasoning and preferences. Patrick Weekes himself said both sides have their good and bad. So let's accept it and leave it at that? This isn't the Qun and we're not trying to convert anyone to concede our points.

 

This is why Cole has my favourite Inner Circle quest.  There is no right answer to it.  I actually found it a harder choice than romanced!Alistair or my canon Hawke.

[Maria13]

Solas: I heard about your organization, Sera. I am impressed.

Sera: Is this a trick?

Solas: Hardly. But it is an opportunity. You have already divided your group's membership. That is wise. No one cell can betray all your secrets. The next step is to establish a rhythm.

When your enemies pursue, you vanish. When they become complacent, you harass them. When they are weak, you strike in earnest.

Sera: Where d'you get all this, then?

Solas: Do you wish to be unnerved by another tale of my explorations of the Fade? Or do you wish to learn something?

Sera: I don't know. Neither?

───────

Solas: Once you have the aristocracy weakened, Sera, you will have to redirect your lieutenants.

Sera: Oh, this again. All right, what am I doing?

Solas: Some of your forces, valuable until now, have no interests beyond creating disruption. Chaos for its own sake. They must be repositioned where they can do no harm, or removed if necessary. You replace them with organizers willing to build a new system and carry out the ugly work that must be done.

Sera: What? Why? What ugly work?

Solas: That is up to you. Do you wish to disrupt the nobility, secure a title? Or change the political structure entirely?

Sera: None of it! I don't want any of that!

───────

Solas: I do not understand you, Sera. You do not have an end goal for your organization.

Sera: Nobles get rattled, and people get payback. I play in the middle.

Solas: Why not go all the way? You see injustice. And you have organized a group to fight it. Don't you want to replace it with something better?

Sera: What, just lop off the top? What does that do, except make a new top to frig it all up?

Solas: I...forgive me. You are right. You are fine as you are.

Sera: You hurt my head sometimes, Solas.

Solas: Yes, I have been known to do that.

 

Hmmm...

 

For me this is constitutes the clearest textual evidence I have come upon so far indicating that Solas is actually Fen'Harel, he appears to be attempting instruct Sera (a natural political anarchist who loves to cause chaos for the sake of causing chaos) in the fine art of subversion (or perhaps we could also call it terrorism?) and the importance of having an endgame... We know Solas is a great chess player, this seems to indicate that he is all about the endgame.

 

The bit about replacing your former Lieutenants is particularly… Sinister and ruthless.

 

Perhaps this would explain some of his stranger approvals and disapprovals, he is not awarding them based on personal preference or morality but rather on their political practicality.

 

Perhaps I should start a new thread, this is at the other end of the spectrum from fluffy Solas.

[Illyria]

Oh--goodness! Thank you for your consideration, but you don't have to apologize. The fault is mine. I have something of a chip on my shoulder about seeing people discuss "popular choices," because I'm pretty used to making game decisions that are unpopular by most standards, then feel left out when everyone discuses... I don't know, how awesome it is to being a human noble (don't care for human PCs) / being happily married to King Alistair (non-humans who romanced him have no such option) / how dramatic it was to let Solas remove their vallaslin (which none of my elves can do because they value too much what the vallaslin represent now to discard them over what they used to be). And I'm standing over here like "... hi."

 

I was being a baby, you shouldn't have to apologize, and I shouldn't have put you in the situation to make you feel you should. I'm sorry. 

 

I kept mine too!  I did remove it once to see what she looked like (odd and much younger) but it suited the character to keep it.  And I romanced Alistair as a non-human mage (but kept him as a Warden so... I guess they were happy for 10 years.)

[Caddius]

 

Solas: I heard about your organization, Sera. I am impressed.

Sera: Is this a trick?

Solas: Hardly. But it is an opportunity. You have already divided your group's membership. That is wise. No one cell can betray all your secrets. The next step is to establish a rhythm.

When your enemies pursue, you vanish. When they become complacent, you harass them. When they are weak, you strike in earnest.

Sera: Where d'you get all this, then?

Solas: Do you wish to be unnerved by another tale of my explorations of the Fade? Or do you wish to learn something?

Sera: I don't know. Neither?

───────

Solas: Once you have the aristocracy weakened, Sera, you will have to redirect your lieutenants.

Sera: Oh, this again. All right, what am I doing?

Solas: Some of your forces, valuable until now, have no interests beyond creating disruption. Chaos for its own sake. They must be repositioned where they can do no harm, or removed if necessary. You replace them with organizers willing to build a new system and carry out the ugly work that must be done.

Sera: What? Why? What ugly work?

Solas: That is up to you. Do you wish to disrupt the nobility, secure a title? Or change the political structure entirely?

Sera: None of it! I don't want any of that!

───────

Solas: I do not understand you, Sera. You do not have an end goal for your organization.

Sera: Nobles get rattled, and people get payback. I play in the middle.

Solas: Why not go all the way? You see injustice. And you have organized a group to fight it. Don't you want to replace it with something better?

Sera: What, just lop off the top? What does that do, except make a new top to frig it all up?

Solas: I...forgive me. You are right. You are fine as you are.

Sera: You hurt my head sometimes, Solas.

Solas: Yes, I have been known to do that.

 

Hmmm...

 

For me this is constitutes the clearest textual evidence I have come upon so far indicating that Solas is actually Fen'Harel, he appears to be attempting instruct Sera (a natural political anarchist who loves to cause chaos for the sake of causing chaos) in the fine art of subversion (or perhaps we could also call it terrorism?) and the importance of having a endgame... We know Solas is a great chess player, this seems to indicate that he is all about the endgame.

 

The bit about replacing your former Lieutenants is particularly… Sinister and ruthless.

 

Perhaps this would explain some of his stranger approvals and disapprovals, he is not awarding them based on personal preference or morality but rather on their political practicality.

 

Though his vision of political reform as enacted by the Red Jennies seem Machivellian, it also seems streamlined to provide the best results with the least unnecessary suffering. (So...Machiavelli. )

I get the feeling he's had to deal with stubborn lieutenants in the past. Honestly, it just sounds to me like good practice. I wish more revolutionaries thought things out that well. 

As for the elven blood being used by Tevinter for its high magical potential and connection to the Fade: Well, my guess is that since the Arlathan elves were, y'know, elves, they already had that magic and connection in themselves. Meanwhile, the Vints had to tap into it en masse to do some of their most impressive magic.

[Illyria]

If it makes you feel better, I sometimes feel that way too when I hear people discuss popular choices - choosing Cousland origin, marry King Alistair, Lavellan being a mage in most Solavellan fanfics, etc.

 

Almost everyone I know IRL who's played DAO has chosen to play a Cousland (male or female, it doesn't matter) for their first PT so it gets rather lonely sometimes being the only one who's played the Mahariel PT. (You'd think with so many origins, people would choose something else other than the Human Noble origin.)

 

My first was a Tabris.  But then everyone except Morrigan died and as soon as I was in control of a mage I restarted as a Surana.  Dalish is my favourite but only when I used the Dalish Mage mod.  I've never been able to get into the Cousland origin in the same way I have the elven ones or the dwarf commoner origin.  And the one time I did roll a fem!Cousland with the intention of the fluffy King Alistair romance she ended up marrying him for political reasons and hooked up with Leliana.

 

I do like my mage/mage Solavellan, though.
 

[Maria13]

Though his vision of political reform as enacted by the Red Jennies seem Machivellian, it also seems streamlined to provide the best results with the least unnecessary suffering. (So...Machiavelli. )

 

 

Well yes it is practical but from another point of view it can also be said to be ruthless, and I note that in his chess game with Iron Bull he gives up virtually all his pieces in order to obtain that final victory. Perhaps because he is aware that Iron Bull is also an accomplished gameplay used to making sacrifices but Solas is capable of going even further and making all the sacrifices necessary to accomplish his objective something of which not even the macho Iron Bull is now capable.

 

This is pretty much Loghain territory.

[CapricornSun]

My first was a Tabris.  But then everyone except Morrigan died and as soon as I was in control of a mage I restarted as a Surana.  Dalish is my favourite but only when I used the Dalish Mage mod.  I've never been able to get into the Cousland origin in the same way I have the elven ones or the dwarf commoner origin.  And the one time I did roll a fem!Cousland with the intention of the fluffy King Alistair romance she ended up marrying him for political reasons and hooked up with Leliana.

 

I do like my mage/mage Solavellan, though.
 

 

Ooh! Nice! Hehe! 

 

The irony is, I would have played a mage Lavellan for my canon but since my Mahariel is a warrior and my Hawke is a mage, I decided that my PC this time should be a rogue. ^__^;

 

And out of my canon romance pairings for each game, Solas and Lavellan are the only ones who are of different classes from each other (archer/mage). Mahariel and Alistair are both sword and shield warriors, while Hawke and Anders are both mages.

[The Oracle]

Yeah, and look at how well that worked out for Loghain. How easy it is to fall on your sword either way. I get the feeling that Solas hasn't learnt from his previous failure.

[Caddius]

Well yes it is practical but from another point of view it can also be said to be ruthless, and I note that in his chess game with Iron Bull he gives up virtually all his pieces in order to obtain that final victory. Perhaps because he is aware that Iron Bull is also an accomplished gameplay used to making sacrifices but Solas is capable of going even further and making all the sacrifices necessary to accomplish his objective something of which not even the macho Iron Bull is now capable.

 

This is pretty much Loghain territory.

What's wrong with ruthlessness?

I do like the Loghain and Solas parallels.

It's worth noting that, with all of Loghain's ruthlessness in the rebellion against Orlais, in the end, he was vindicated. The rebels broke the occupying forces of the most powerful empire in Thedas. The Theirin Line was firmly reestablished. They started a new legend. Honestly, if the Wardens hadn't tainted themselves with that Orlesian escapade in The Calling, and the Wardens in general had firmly established across Thedas that they honestly do know when a Blight has started and they're the only ones who can end it, I picture the Fifth Blight ending even more swiftly than it did. Excuse me for fanboying, but I have this wonderful image of Loghain, the Hero of Ferelden, and Duncan working together as the advisors for the PC of King Cailan.   Poor Urthemiel, it'd be like going up against Drakon and Tevinter, but instead of being a heavyweight, he's the lightly perfumed amateur poet that hangs out with all the tough Old Gods.

Also worth noting that Loghain sacrificed the love of his life (in the giving her up sense, not the way Maric did.  ) for his goal, his country. And then he lost her for real. And his friendship with Maric was forever tainted by all of that, and the world ended up hating him for his heinous actions that made sense at the time, and the best it seems he can hope for is to die trying to regain some shred of dignity.

I think Loghain is like what Darth Vader's fall and redemption should have been like. A fall from hero that stung, dammit!

And now I think I've wandered into Team Cynicism territory.

Solas has already done that for Whatever Egghead's Endgame Goal Is.

I still can't figure out what Solas's plans are. None of the ones theorized seem quite right. Either they don't fit with his motivations and history (that we know of), or they lack the Pyrrhic grandeur vibes I keep getting from Solas.

[Illyria]

Ooh! Nice! Hehe! 

 

The irony is, I would have played a mage Lavellan for my canon but since my Mahariel is a warrior and my Hawke is a mage, I decided that my PC this time should be a rogue. ^__^;

 

And out of my canon romance pairings for each game, Solas and Lavellan are the only ones who are different classes from each other (archer/mage). Mahariel and Alistair are both sword and shield warriors, while Hawke and Anders are both mages.

 

To be truthful, I haven't actually completed that playthrough.  I think I got far enough in to complete Leliana's romance but then I lost the saves.  I did create her in the Keep though.  I'm interested to see how being married to Alistair but in a relationship with Leliana gets reflected in the game, actually.

[Addai]

Perhaps I should start a new thread, this is at the other end of the spectrum from fluffy Solas.

Oh, I think we can handle Darth Solas.
 
He says this very thing explicitly at one point. I can't remember the exact dialogue, but it's with the Inquisitor, talking about keeping your end goal in mind and not getting distracted by half measures.
 
As for Origins, I played a femCousland, but she was a thief and almost ended up with Zevran, so it was fun subverting her a bit. One reason I don't care for Trevelyan is there is no way to really do that, except Colonel has a nice back story with the Underworld perk involved. I always play mages, though. If that's conventional for Solavellan, so be it. There's enough dramatic tension in that story that it doesn't feel cheap.

I think that the decision on Cole humanity/spirituality may be a good argument in this internal fight Solas (in my HC) has: like, look, Cole is more human now, but this did not change his nature; he can help, as he always wanted, but he can also learn. You can do this to (staaaayyyyy with meeeee)!

I appreciate though this HC would work only for Solasmancers.

But that can work both ways. Lavellan has the opportunity to become more spirit-like due to the mark.

[Maria13]

What's wrong with ruthlessness?

I do like the Loghain and Solas parallels.

It's worth noting that, with all of Loghain's ruthlessness in the rebellion against Orlais, in the end, he was vindicated. The rebels broke the occupying forces of the most powerful empire in Thedas. The Theirin Line was firmly reestablished. They started a new legend. Honestly, if the Wardens hadn't tainted themselves with that Orlesian escapade in The Calling, and the Wardens in general had firmly established across Thedas that they honestly do know when a Blight has started and they're the only ones who can end it, I picture the Fifth Blight ending even more swiftly than it did. Excuse me for fanboying, but I have this wonderful image of Loghain, the Hero of Ferelden, and Duncan working together as the advisors for the PC of King Cailan.   Poor Urthemiel, it'd be like going up against Drakon and Tevinter, but instead of being a heavyweight, he's the lightly perfumed amateur poet that hangs out with all the tough Old Gods.

Also worth noting that Loghain sacrificed the love of his life (in the giving her up sense, not the way Maric did.  ) for his goal, his country. And then he lost her for real. And his friendship with Maric was forever tainted by all of that, and the world ended up hating him for his heinous actions that made sense at the time, and the best it seems he can hope for is to die trying to regain some shred of dignity.

I think Loghain is like what Darth Vader's fall and redemption should have been like. A fall from hero that stung, dammit!

And now I think I've wandered into Team Cynicism territory.

Solas has already done that for Whatever Egghead's Endgame Goal Is.

I still can't figure out what Solas's plans are. None of the ones theorized seem quite right. Either they don't fit with his motivations and history (that we know of), or they lack the Pyrrhic grandeur vibes I keep getting from Solas.

 

Well there's nothing wrong with ruthlessness in politics per se, it's just that this doesn't seem to gel very well with the fluffy side of Solas. And there is a fluffy side to Solas.

 

Ask around, I hated, Loghain. Could never find it in me to hate Solas.

 

There is a saying that goes desperate circumstances call for desperate measures. Replace the Orlesian empire with the gods and you begin to see that the process you have described above is pretty much is the same. And Solas seems to be well on his way to giving up the love of his life...

[CapricornSun]

To be truthful, I haven't actually completed that playthrough.  I think I got far enough in to complete Leliana's romance but then I lost the saves.  I did create her in the Keep though.  I'm interested to see how being married to Alistair but in a relationship with Leliana gets reflected in the game, actually.

 

Haha! Please inform us if you ever find out.

 

What I'm curious about is does Cullen say anything about a female mage Warden who romanced Leliana? Just wondering how interesting the situation would be knowing that the woman he was obsessed with back in DAO is now the lover of his fellow advisor.