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[Eivuwan]

To be honest, I'm moving on from DAI in general.

 

Yeah, the only thing keeping me interested is that I want to finish reading Looking Glass. Once that's done, I probably won't be thinking about DAI until the next game comes out.

[Cee]

We definitely won't be getting anything else for a long time, so aside from casual replaying, there's not much we could cover at this point without going in lots of circles. Though I am still interested in theories, appreciation, and doing some writing but because I'm invested in my own characters and use it for my skills. Still, I'm not tired of any of it yet, and I can be easily sucked back into many feelings.

[Patchwork]

Spoilered because this was a lot more wall of text-y than I thought...

 

 

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I've wondered about something - it was my running theory before everything in Trespasser came to light, actually - and it's got a few holes now but I might as well put it down.

 

I wonder if people and spirits aren't binary things, but two halves of the same whole. Like, people act as though they are binary things - people are spirits who became people and such. But let me propose a slight tweak that "spirits are people" theory - people people, the people Solas talks about, whole and healthy - are spirits and a physical form? That everyone has a "spirit," and everyone has a "body," and before the Veil, mostly everyone's spirit and body was perfectly in sync with each other. It's how Solas can be both a spirit, but also "grow up" - because he was never only a spirit. He always had a body, and that body grew just as any other does, but he also had a soul - a spirit of Pride, or Wisdom, or whatever. That we can't think of Solas as "just a spirit" or even "a spirit that's taken physical form," because it implies that a spirit is "whole," and the body's maybe just an add-on. But what if that's not the case, and spirits nowadays are just as shattered as people are?

 

"But Ella!" You're probably not screeching at your computer screen because that'd be weird. "We know spirits are fine. We've talked to plenty of them. Oh, sure, you got your nasty old demons, but the non-corrupted ones seem pretty alright." Are they, though? We know that a lot of spirits seem to be lacking a sense of identity, individuality - they name themselves after things, "Compassion," "Command," "Wisdom," but don't really take names for themselves, right? And Solas says that only spirits that have a strong sense of self can survive in the physical world - almost as though spirits that don't are lacking something. And what's odd, is that what they lack is the exact opposite of what people nowadays lack. People lack magic, mutability - they're too real, too physical. Spirits though, spirits lack permanence, lack stability - they are not real enough. It follows, then, that they way to fix them is to combine them. People - Cassandra, Josephine, Vivienne - are just... shards. But so are spirits - Wisdom, Faith, Command. They're severed halves of a single whole, lacking what the other has too much of. 

 

Which means that Solas is that perfect whole - a body completely in sync with it's spirit. It also means that Solas is a perfect abomination - a physical being that has completely entwined with it's metaphysical "partner." It's because of this that so many demons seek to come to the real world and possess something - they want to be whole with their physical half. And it's why so many abominations end up going crazy - because it's like trying to cram together two puzzle pieces that don't fit. Even "good" abominations like Wynne and Faith still think of themselves as separate beings. They might be a better match than most abominations, but they still aren't just right for each other - or maybe they are, and the Veil keeps them from fully intertwining. 

 

It explains a lot of other things too - the way Solas says Lavellan has a marvelous spirit, despite having a body and being a physical thing - because she does, she's just not completely in touch with it. It's why he seems to use "soul" and "spirit" interchangeably, despite them being very separate things in Dragon Age. It explains that dev comment on how there are "different opinions" on Solas being possessed (Which you'd think would be a pretty straight forward call.) It's why he says Sera is "apart from herself" - which wouldn't make much sense if she were a spirit given physical form, because her entire "self" would be right there. Why he says he grew up, even though he should've been born fully grown if he were just a spirit. Why Cole says he is in both places, even though (Like Sera) he should be all "right there." And it might even be what Solas is trying to restore - he doesn't want to lower the Veil so spirits can come here without worry. He wants to do so everyone can reconnect with themselves.

 

It might even explain Justinia in the Fade - she's both a spirit of Faith and the Late Divine, because Justinia's soul was a spirit of Faith. 

 

There are some issues with the theory, though - for instance, Trespasser contains a reference to "brothers of the air," that haven't taken physical form - which wouldn't make sense if they have to have physical form by necessity. And there are spirits that have lived for thousands of years, despite bodies obviously not living so long (Although, perhaps they are the souls of people who have died already). And of course, there's Cole. Don't know where to begin with Cole.

 

Eh, just figured I'd throw it out there anyway.

 

I definitely think that everyone, except the dwarves, have a physical self and a Fade self. It's why even non mages dream in the Fade. Perhaps in the time before the Veil the elves were fully aware of both parts and ones with strong magic could use those selves interchangeably. 

[CapricornSun]

We definitely won't be getting anything else for a long time, so aside from casual replaying, there's not much we could cover at this point without going in lots of circles. Though I am still interested in theories, appreciation, and doing some writing but because I'm invested in my own characters and use it for my skills. Still, I'm not tired of any of it yet, and I can be easily sucked back into many feelings.

 

I'm not tired of it either. The Solas and Solavellan fandom on Tumblr is still active and continues to fuel my inspiration to do art and stuff. I'm also staying here for some of the theories that some of the people come up with. That, and I'm still gonna play Trespasser which is gonna give me loads of feels and tears. (Then I could finally make some Trespasser-based artworks of Tala and Solas after that. )

[Flemmy]

Okay, last batch of art before I go to bed.

 

Evanuris by nipuni. A gorgeous artwork of young Solas.    Apparently part of a bigger picture. 

Spoiler

Source: http://nipuni.tumblr...rawn-solas-with

 

Drool

[Ellawynn]

Moving on from DA's inevitable, especially since we won't be getting much material for a long while.

 

Really, all I do now is check this thread and reblog the occasional DA item that crosses my Tumblr dash. My usual "fan" routine - browsing forums, going through Tumblr tags, actively seeking out fanworks - I stopped doing quite a while ago, before Trespasser.

 

It's hard for any one work to really keep my attention for more than a few weeks.

[NightSymphony]

I'm not tired of it at all. Playing it again on my computer brought back so many feelings. I'm getting close to Trespasser time. I will probably take a break after I finish and play something else for a while, but I'm still going to be coming here and sharing art. I also plan on replaying my Cullen romance and doing an Ironbull romance eventually. I might even make a male Lavellan and romance Dorian or Cassandra at some point. I will never get tired of this game..lol.

[Cee]

I'm not tired of it either. The Solas and Solavellan fandom on Tumblr is still active and continues to fuel my inspiration to do art and stuff. I'm also staying here for some of the theories that some of the people come up with. That, and I'm still gonna play Trespasser which is gonna give me loads of feels and tears. (Then I could finally make some Trespasser-based artworks of Tala and Solas after that. )

 

 

Oh yes, there will be many feels. The community is definitely still active, which is great to see. And looking forward to your art too!

 

Solavellan got me back into fiction writing, which I'm glad for. The feels were a good catalyst for trying again.

 

I even ventured into feelsy smut writing a bit, but that had nothing to do with Solas. Again, there are so many layers and feels and such involved with Solavellan that I'm more into writing happy times discovering love with her girlfriend and then end of DAI aftermath/Trespasser aftermath and its effect on Nirwen, and her family and friends.

[TheyCallMeBunny]

I don't think I will ever fully tire of it, but I suppose it will not engross me as much as it does just before/after the game is released. However, when I become a fan of something I'm usually very dedicated - I mean, I've been a fan of the Scarlet Pimpernel since I was 14, I read the last book when I was 18, and since then there has been nothing (no books, movies, nothing) but I still read every little scrap of anything connected to it. I sometimes feel that I'm the only obsessed fan of the series left in the world.   As soon as they start releasing new info on Mass Effect: Andromeda I will be monitoring it extensively, but I will still spend a ridiculous amount of time hanging around here. So sorry people, but you are stuck with me!    

 

[almasy87]

I'm getting a little tired of this theme of the protagonist being the good guy who has to redeem/stop Solas. Let's destroy everything together or have Solas be the one who was actually in the right.

I'm definitely on with that.
Bring it on Solas, I can't wait to destroy Thedas

*whistle* 

[Cee]

I don't for a moment expect things to be that simplistic anyway.

 

I think the decision is one of intent, and however they handle the next game, dual protagonist or something else, that will be a part of it. But I expect things to be much more complicated than 'protagonist must stop or redeem'.

[CapricornSun]

So while waiting for my PS4 to finish downloading this huge update file for DA:I, I've done this 2015 Summary of Art thing.

 

Spoiler

Source: http://sunnyartthing...ry-of-art-thing

 

 

I must say, 2015 for me is definitely the year of DA:I, Solas, Solavellan, and the Solavellan hellspiral. And smut. 

 

EDIT: Blank template here if anyone wants to do it.

[Kadan]

Since I was late getting into DAI the end isn't in sight yet for me. I didn't even start until April because of work and school commitments. I will probably have to take a break in Feb-April due to work, but I'm not done with this yet.

 

I'm a die hard fan once I become a fan. I don't fall easily, but when I do....

 

Not to say I won't play other games in the meantime, but I'm not ready to give up my obsession enjoyment of the game just yet. And not just for the Solavellan either, the whole game, all the characters, I'm planning on exploring more of it. 775 hours is just the beginning. I haven't even gotten to Skyhold yet in my first FanFic. So I'll be around for a while.

[roselavellan]

I'm not sure that a spirit of a person has to be defined by a single emotion like creatures from the Fade seem to be. A person's spirit can be made up of all emotions and it's different from person to person, perhaps that complexity is part of why Fade spirits seek dreamers in the Fade. 

 

Not that I have a say in this, but that would be my preferred form for a spirit. Even if spirits can develop complexity, as midnight tea said. I like to think that Solas' was somehow born (if as a spirit) unique, and not a just a spirit of wisdom. 

 

A spirit may grow in complexity, but that doesn't mean that they can't have a core - something they've originated from, or hold dear to their heart. That doesn't mean that that single emotion or concept defined them all; but it's still something that they find important to who they are. 

 

Solas, after all, asks Inquisitor "is Cassandra defined by her cheekbones and not her faith?"

 

We do know that Cass is defined by more than just her faith - in fact, for a faithful person she can be amazingly skeptical and pragmatic, but her faith is still something that is essential to her being who she is.

 

And look at Leliana - another possible Faith. If human Inquisitor asks Solas about them during the balcony scene, he mentions "Leliana has a brilliant mind, but her faith was damaged. For her it's a game of tactics now." Restoring her faith (not just in religious sense, but her faith in people or value of mercy) in her personal quest is crucial for her to remember her core principles and not stray into becoming a twisted version of herself (... almost like a spirit becomes a demon, only somewhat more complex, ey?). She says after successfully softening her in Valence "I've almost lost myself".

 

But why then call them spirits of wisdom/faith/hope or whatever if they are not defined by that single trait? Also, if he started out as a spirit of wisdom, how did Solas evolve into something that complex, including this enormous inclination of his towards personal freedom? And why do the others not evolve in that way?

 

Perhaps I'm also biased against the idea of those spirits because I see the demons in-game and they seem incredibly one-dimensional, most (with the exception of desire demons in DAO) without even the ability to speak, though I don't know if that is by design or just to save resources.

 

Is anyone else becoming so distanced from the game that they don't care if Solas destroys everything? I'm getting a little tired of this theme of the protagonist being the good guy who has to redeem/stop Solas. Let's destroy everything together or have Solas be the one who was actually in the right.

 

I'd love for Solas to be right, tbh.

[Uirebhiril]

I'd love for Solas to be right, tbh.

 

 

While I hope there's more to the story than "yep, bye everyone, ancient elf party happenin'," if Solas is doing it because it's the only choice to otherwise save the world or because it's absolutely necessary for whatever reason, wouldn't he just have said so? I guess we could argue for manipulation and misdirection -- amass an army to stop me, and that way I can use it against the actual big bad thing to save us all -- it would still be hard to understand why he doesn't just explain what's going on. So him being right... anything is possible. But about what?  

 

I really just don't want to be the great hero-savior that knows better than an ancient being who saw everything. if it only comes down to him stopping because I begged or because I slit his throat, I'd be disappointed. I was already put out enough by how we got to casually walk up and spank Corypheus. That was a pure waste of a villain.

[CapricornSun]

Okay, before I got to bed, I decided to do a little test run and recreate my Lavellan using screenshots (i.e. cellphone pictures) of the sliders from my PS3. And wow, she looks different! 

 

Spoiler

She looks pretty awful in the character creation screen. 

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I think she looks much better outside of the character creation screen though. The eye colors are much more vibrant than in the PS3 version.

Spoiler

 

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Well, at least now I could see that she definitely has some sort of freckles on her face or something. Anyway, I'll try importing from my PS3 save tomorrow and see how she ends up looking from there.

[roselavellan]

While I hope there's more to the story than "yep, bye everyone, ancient elf party happenin'," if Solas is doing it because it's the only choice to otherwise save the world or because it's absolutely necessary for whatever reason, wouldn't he just have said so? I guess we could argue for manipulation and misdirection -- amass an army to stop me, and that way I can use it against the actual big bad thing to save us all -- it would still be hard to understand why he doesn't just explain what's going on. So him being right... anything is possible. But about what? 

 

Hmm, dunno, but two possibilities come to mind. And I'm thinking of the scenario where removing the veil is essential to protect the world from... whatever greater evil or misfortune might be in store for it.

 

1) Perhaps he may be inadvertently right. Not a very satisfying reason, of course, but he will still be right.

2) Maybe he has judged that it is better not to tell you for whatever reason - he does play his cards close to his chest. Maybe strength in numbers isn't what he needs, and he thinks you will be an obstacle for some reason (he may underestimate you still... remember all the times he says "you surprise me, Inquisitor"?).

 

I really just don't want to be the great hero-savior that knows better than an ancient being who saw everything.<snip>

 

.... lived through everything, and practically made modern Thedas... Completely agree there.

[roselavellan]

Since I was late getting into DAI the end isn't in sight yet for me. I didn't even start until April because of work and school commitments. I will probably have to take a break in Feb-April due to work, but I'm not done with this yet.

 

I'm a die hard fan once I become a fan. I don't fall easily, but when I do....

 

I'll definitely still be a fan, and will still replay DAI... but for the moment I've hit my feels limit, so I need to distance myself for a while.

[Garnet]

I've been having trouble getting into my newest playthrough and just keep making new elf girls instead of playing the actual game.  I think I need a hiatus from it, but I'm still so hyped from Trespasser and plan on playing through at least that portion again and I still love drawing Solas and Nia even though..I have no confidence in my drawing ability. But when I run into someone who is a fan of Mass Effect and Dragon Age (Sometimes when I wear my N7 hoodie, someone says something.) I get all hyped up about it again. I'm a little excitable when it comes to these games.

[almasy87]

Somewhat relevant to the thread...



It made me think of the Blanketfort
You can just close it up when you want to be left alone with all your hellspiral feelings and be miserable

[Janic99]

Full video by request  

[_Lucinia]

Yay Sunny you can finally see all of the DLC, so happy for you!

I kind of echo the sentiment of moving on from DAI.  I have several play throughs at various stages of completion that I constantly run out of steam on.  I guess I played too hard/much from release up until February. 

I decided to finally try out some mods since the game won't be getting anymore patches.  Nothing too crazy.  Just some eyebrow, hair, and eye mods.  So far it seems to be rekindling the fire for this Darkest timeline Necromancer Lavellan I had started a few months ago.  Trying so very hard not to meta-game and pick dialogue etc that fits this Inquisitor's personality.  I have a tendency to make essentially the same choices in BioWare games over and over again, because I enjoy that particular outcome too much and I struggle with walking a different path.  Pro-mage (again) but I didn't cheese it with Viv by saying the things I know get approval with her.  For the first time ever I got the furniture moving scene!

Anywho Anahi Lavellan is romancing Solas and for the first time in a Solavellan PT I plan to drink from the Well and keep the Vallaslin.

 

Here's a before and after of her makeover:

Spoiler

 

The fuller eyelash mod has also given Solas fuller eyelashes, and I find it a little distracting lol.

[almasy87]

Yay Sunny you can finally see all of the DLC, so happy for you!

I kind of echo the sentiment of moving on from DAI.  I have several play throughs at various stages of completion that I constantly run out of steam on.  I guess I played too hard/much from release up until February. 

I decided to finally try out some mods since the game won't be getting anymore patches.  Nothing too crazy.  Just some eyebrow, hair, and eye mods.  So far it seems to be rekindling the fire for this Darkest timeline Necromancer Lavellan I had started a few months ago.  Trying so very hard not to meta-game and pick dialogue etc that fits this Inquisitor's personality.  I have a tendency to make essentially the same choices in BioWare games over and over again, because I enjoy that particular outcome too much and I struggle with walking a different path.  Pro-mage (again) but I didn't cheese it with Viv by saying the things I know get approval with her.  For the first time ever I got the furniture moving scene!

Anywho Anahi Lavellan is romancing Solas and for the first time in a Solavellan PT I plan to drink from the Well and keep the Vallaslin.

 

The fuller eyelash mod has also given Solas fuller eyelashes, and I find it a little distracting lol.

Oh wow.. I am like you and pretty much always do the same stuff. I admire you for daring to change. I keep doing the mage path, taking always the same decisions and saying the same things, except for who drinks from the well.

Actually if I did something different this time, is getting Celene killed and fighting Florianne. All the other times I made the three of them work together and disgraced Florianne in public.. :]

But I could never make a decision such as keeping the Vallaslin or so XD

Also yes, Solas with longer lashes looks quite good and dreamy to me XD

AH yeah.. I'm trying to get the cookies scene with Sera with my Lavellan. I never got it with her with my previous Elf.. (I did with Trevelyan) which resulted in her not having a special scene with me in Trespasser..

I wonder if I can do it but it started out badly (she called me a ****** cause I rushed to the mages and all that). Slightly worked it up to her being friendly but the scene is not popping yet. So I went to get all her Caches.. still nothing. I did 2 judgements which brought her up (Blackwall's and the goat guy) - still nothing :/
I've only got WPHW left in where  will drink from the well so that will upset her but I plan to just blatantly lie to her and tell her I believe none of it upon returning to Skyhold.. Then I have Samson's judgement left, and when she will ask me about the Vallaslin I will also lie and tell her what makes her happy. I hope that will be enough D:

(I pretend that my Lavellan considers Sera like a small child and prefers just discussing stupid things with her and not share any of her real worries with her like she does with others.. sigh)

[_Lucinia]

Oh wow.. I am like you and pretty much always do the same stuff. I admire you for daring to change. I keep doing the mage path, taking always the same decisions and saying the same things, except for who drinks from the well.

Actually if I did something different this time, is getting Celene killed and fighting Florianne. All the other times I made the three of them work together and disgraced Florianne in public.. :]

But I could never make a decision such as keeping the Vallaslin or so XD

Also yes, Solas with longer lashes looks quite good and dreamy to me XD

AH yeah.. I'm trying to get the cookies scene with Sera with my Lavellan. I never got it with her with my previous Elf.. (I did with Trevelyan) which resulted in her not having a special scene with me in Trespasser..

I wonder if I can do it but it started out badly (she called me a ****** cause I rushed to the mages and all that). Slightly worked it up to her being friendly but the scene is not popping yet. So I went to get all her Caches.. still nothing. I did 2 judgements which brought her up (Blackwall's and the goat guy) - still nothing :/
I've only got WPHW left in where  will drink from the well so that will upset her but I plan to just blatantly lie to her and tell her I believe none of it upon returning to Skyhold.. Then I have Samson's judgement left, and when she will ask me about the Vallaslin I will also lie and tell her what makes her happy. I hope that will be enough D:

(I pretend that my Lavellan considers Sera like a small child and prefers just discussing stupid things with her and not share any of her real worries with her like she does with others.. sigh)

Yeah the roof scene can be tricky to get on a Pro Mage Lavellan.  On my canon redo I saved all of the Hinterlands help quests for after I recruited Sera so I could get some approval with her there.  I also had to fib and agree with her on that play through just to not lose approval.  I am really trying not to meta game on this PT so I am just going to get over Viv and Sera not liking this Lavellan lol. 

[midnight tea]

But why then call them spirits of wisdom/faith/hope or whatever if they are not defined by that single trait? Also, if he started out as a spirit of wisdom, how did Solas evolve into something that complex, including this enormous inclination of his towards personal freedom? And why do the others not evolve in that way?

 

Because it's still something that resides at their core? Maybe because it's still what makes them keep going, or what they spur in others? Many times throughout the game people say how much existence and actions of Inquisitor gives them hope.

 

And in Thedas hope doesn't appear to be in abundance - it's one of reason why spirits of Hope are considered rare; there's not enough hope within people to interest them with the physical world. Yet people need it in order to believe themselves to succeed - which is very important in DAI, where we need an entire organization and people uniting themselves to fight a unique threat that was never seen before and a hope that they can pull through, in a world plagued incessantly with big problems, from wars and demons, to Blight.

It may also be a reason why Solas is so fascinated with Inquisitor - how the hell did a spirit like theirs even manage to grow or thrive? Yet it's only approved one that makes them so baffled - if Inquisitor is disliked, it seems that Solas still sees something in them that "is banging on the wall, screaming" while Inky does all the things he disapproves, but he's not surprised that a person even with their rare spirit has never really reached their potential (even i he still appreciates that they don't give up).

 

As for differences - the reason they're all different is perhaps because they have different experiences. While genetics play their role in who we are, we're all basically a sum of our experiences and that makes us different. I assume it's not really that different from a spirit; depending where they grew, and what or whom they've interacted with makes them complex in a different way.

 

Just look at Nightmare and Cole - we have enough information no Nightmare to suspect that it's likely a twisted Compassion, but it went through a different evolutionary road than that of Cole. Cole still worries that they're no different, so much that he's deeply unnerved by it after Adamant, but he never turns into a glutton for someone's trauma and doesn't take it to increase his power, as our actions help him reinforce his identity, be it as a human or spirit. I'd like to note that Nightmare is called... well... Nightmare, while we know that Compassion is usually twisted into Despair. Personally I think it's what happens with "default" spirits who haven't yet gained enough personality, like Cole - when they become complex, whatever they're twisted into also becomes more complex.

 

Perhaps I'm also biased against the idea of those spirits because I see the demons in-game and they seem incredibly one-dimensional, most (with the exception of desire demons in DAO) without even the ability to speak, though I don't know if that is by design or just to save resources.

 

And I definitely think that there are demons (and spirits) that are very simple one-dimensional - simply because they haven't grew in complexity. Cole even says that most spirits are pretty inert when it comes to personality growth - they just stick to what interests them, in a pretty narrow sense. And Solas tells us that to explore more Fade and find interesting areas, one must be interesting himself.

 

Basically, spirits like Cole, as well as Solas himself, appear to be more proactive than regular spirits. They want to interact with more things, find out about them or the real world.