105 réponses à ce sujet

[Ieldra]

Earlier, I said that maybe I don't feel as connected with my DAI companions as with my DA2 companions. Well, it turns out I missed about four of the final companion scenes in my first playthrough, and I have to rescind that statement. Dorian, Cullen, Cassandra, Cole, Solas, Josephine, Leliana, Iron Bull - they all feel real to me now. Vivienne, well, she distances herself, and I don't recall any scenes apart from her personal quest. Blackwall, I can't connect to and I also haven't seen much of him outside his personal quest. Sera, she's quite real but I don't like her very much.

 

Quite remarkable, the talk with Cassandra about what will come after, and how I make decisions. Quite personal, that scene.

[Ieldra]

Also, I wish there was an option to keep headgear on in interactive scenes. I would rather like more screenshots like this one:

 

[Ieldra]

I'm nearing the end of my second playthrough, with only Emprise du Lion and Arbor Wilds left to be done.

 

I've just killed my clan with a wrong war table decision. That....hurt. I'm going with it, but that I can't talk about it with anyone, that.....sucks. You'd think this Inquisitor who is friends with many of her companions would get a chance to cry on someone's shoulder. Perhaps....the LI? Even more so if it's Solas? I think this was a serious oversight or a cut that shouldn't have happened.

 

Speaking of Solas, his romance is....small. It works well if integrated into the normal friendship path but it's forever since I had any meaningful talk with Solas, romantic or not. Some of the smaller stories told alongside the main plot tend to get lost in the big world and the long game. It would be better if these story arcs wouldn't be so spread out. I'd rather have a romance and companion story that ends somewhere in the middle of a game with a defined state and no further content except a repeatable "express affection" scene, than losing the connection to it because of long delays between interactions. The non-romantic companion stories work well that way, only most of them are too short overall. DA2 did this better with several connected quests per companion. Cullen's story stands out in that regard, at least on the pro-mage path, since you have his lyrium story arc, the romance and the questline to find Samson and foil his plans. As a result, Cullen feels more a part of the overall story than anyone else, with Dorian a close second because of his involvement in "In Hushed Whispers".

 

Also, the war table operations take up far too much time to be finished within a regular playthrough. Even more than I my first playthrough, I find myself exploiting the fact that the war table operations use the real time clock, and doing things like dipping into the game for ten minutes before I go to work in the morning to start the next batch of operations, so that they're finished when I get home in the afternoon and can continue playing. This becomes even more of a problem if you want to use the same advisor for the lengthier missions.

 

The odd missing talk like after I destroyed my clan notwithstanding, I continue to be impressed about easily I slip into the roles of my different Inquisitors and how easily I can make them different from each other without having to carefully plan ahead. The differences from the race/background combinations are also very noticeable, this elf feels very different from the earlier human in spite of both being mages. I still miss DAO's playable origins, but responsiveness within the main game is significantly improved compared to DAO.

Anyway, after the ME trilogy and DA2, I was beginning to think roleplaying and a voiced protagonist can't ever be combined successfully. This works well most of the time in DAI, except that in some conversations, the paraphrasing requires metagaming and advance knowledge in order to make an informed decision. I know what David Gaider has said about toggles, and for that reason I've been careful about suggesting them, but in this case I think a toggle to have the first spoken sentence shown in advance would be worth the effort and significantly improve roleplaying, especially in conversations about complex topics. Or they could just give us longer paraphrases. No, I will never shup up about this.   

 

One more thing I haven't experienced in a Bioware game since DAO: when finished with a playthrough - or as the ending casts it shadow backward if you have advance knowledge - I feel like at the end of a book I've come to love. There is this sadness that it's all over and I have to take leave of the characters and places of (this variation of) the story, but...it's all good. Apart from the inevitable sadness about the fact that it had to end, I leave the story in a good mood, reflecting on the choices I've made and the kind of world I leave behind, and on how things may go on for my Inquisitor.  DA2's ending was ok but I didn't really connect to it for various reasons I don't need to get into here, while ME3's...well, let's say I don't want to feel like that at the end of a story ever again. Discounting the disconnected boss fight (which I notice but don't count because boss fights are rarely more than a chore for me) DAI's is...just right. Not that there aren't some things I would like to see which aren't there, but their absence doesn't change the core experience. At its core, DAI's ending works very well for me. I also very much appreciate the post-credits scene. It wouldn't be the same without that.

 

Now off to wrap up this playthrough. Oddly enough, it appears I'm losing my touch for finding things. I still have only one mosaic completed - the one from the Western Approach. I miss one or two pieces of every other region-specific one, most annoyingly one piece from the Hissing Wastes and two of the scattered notes from there. On the other hand, it appears that you can buy some missed Codex entries in one of the shops in Val Royeaux, and as opposed to my first game the list is almost empty in this playthrough.

 

Oh, and before I finish this: Dorian's quest doesn't trigger for me. Mother Giselle usually gives you the information that starts it but it hasn't happened in this game. If this is approval-related that should not be a problem since I'm on good terms with Dorian. That's the second frequent bug in this quest - the other one being that the encounter with Dorian's father fails to trigger if you enter the tavern in Redcliff with him.

[DeLaatsteGeitenneuker]

I'm nearing the end of my second playthrough, with only Emprise du Lion and Arbor Wilds left to be done.

 

I've just killed my clan with a wrong war table decision. That....hurt. I'm going with it, but that I can't talk about it with anyone, that.....sucks. You'd think this Inquisitor who is friends with many of her companions would get a chance to cry on someone's shoulder. Perhaps....the LI? Even more so if it's Solas? I think this was a serious oversight or a cut that shouldn't have happened.

 

Speaking of Solas, his romance is....small. It works well if integrated into the normal friendship path but it's forever since I had any meaningful talk with Solas, romantic or not. Some of the smaller stories told alongside the main plot tend to get lost in the big world and the long game. It would be better if these story arcs wouldn't be so spread out. I'd rather have a romance and companion story that ends somewhere in the middle of a game with a defined state and no further content except a repeatable "express affection" scene, than losing the connection to it because of long delays between interactions. The non-romantic companion stories work well that way, only most of them are too short overall. DA2 did this better with several connected quests per companion. Cullen's story stands out in that regard, at least on the pro-mage path, since you have his lyrium story arc, the romance and the questline to find Samson and foil his plans. As a result, Cullen feels more a part of the overall story than anyone else, with Dorian a close second because of his involvement in "In Hushed Whispers".

 

Also, the war table operations take up far too much time to be finished within a regular playthrough. Even more than I my first playthrough, I find myself exploiting the fact that the war table operations use the real time clock, and doing things like dipping into the game for ten minutes before I go to work in the morning to start the next batch of operations, so that they're finished when I get home in the afternoon and can continue playing. This becomes even more of a problem if you want to use the same advisor for the lengthier missions.

 

The odd missing talk like after I destroyed my clan notwithstanding, I continue to be impressed about easily I slip into the roles of my different Inquisitors and how easily I can make them different from each other without having to carefully plan ahead. The differences from the race/background combinations are also very noticeable, this elf feels very different from the earlier human in spite of both being mages. I still miss DAO's playable origins, but responsiveness within the main game is significantly improved compared to DAO.

Anyway, after the ME trilogy and DA2, I was beginning to think roleplaying and a voiced protagonist can't ever be combined successfully. This works well most of the time in DAI, except that in some conversations, the paraphrasing requires metagaming and advance knowledge in order to make an informed decision. I know what David Gaider has said about toggles, and for that reason I've been careful about suggesting them, but in this case I think a toggle to have the first spoken sentence shown in advance would be worth the effort and significantly improve roleplaying, especially in conversations about complex topics. Or they could just give us longer paraphrases. No, I will never shup up about this.   

 

One more thing I haven't experienced in a Bioware game since DAO: when finished with a playthrough - or as the ending casts it shadow backward if you have advance knowledge - I feel like at the end of a book I've come to love. There is this sadness that it's all over and I have to take leave of the characters and places of (this variation of) the story, but...it's all good. Apart from the inevitable sadness about the fact that it had to end, I leave the story in a good mood, reflecting on the choices I've made and the kind of world I leave behind, and on how things may go on for my Inquisitor.  DA2's ending was ok but I didn't really connect to it for various reasons I don't need to get into here, while ME3's...well, let's say I don't want to feel like that at the end of a story ever again. Discounting the disconnected boss fight (which I notice but don't count because boss fights are rarely more than a chore for me) DAI's is...just right. Not that there aren't some things I would like to see which aren't there, but their absence doesn't change the core experience. At its core, DAI's ending works very well for me. I also very much appreciate the post-credits scene. It wouldn't be the same without that.

 

Now off to wrap up this playthrough. Oddly enough, it appears I'm losing my touch for finding things. I still have only one mosaic completed - the one from the Western Approach. I miss one or two pieces of every other region-specific one, most annoyingly one piece from the Hissing Wastes and two of the scattered notes from there. On the other hand, it appears that you can buy some missed Codex entries in one of the shops in Val Royeaux, and as opposed to my first game the list is almost empty in this playthrough.

 

Oh, and before I finish this: Dorian's quest doesn't trigger for me. Mother Giselle usually gives you the information that starts it but it hasn't happened in this game. If this is approval-related that should not be a problem since I'm on good terms with Dorian. That's the second frequent bug in this quest - the other one being that the encounter with Dorian's father fails to trigger if you enter the tavern in Redcliff with him.

Any possibility of you doing a nonmage, nonhuman/elf run and reporting on it?

[Ieldra]

Any possibility of you doing a nonmage, nonhuman/elf run and reporting on it?

You mean a dwarf or qunari rogue or warrior? I have plans for a dwarf rogue, but so far I don't plan to write extensive commentary on her. My qunari will be another mage. I have no interest in playing warriors.

 

What is it specifically that interests you in a dwarf/qunari rogue or warrior playthrough?

[DeLaatsteGeitenneuker]

You mean a dwarf or qunari rogue or warrior? I have plans for a dwarf rogue, but so far I don't plan to write extensive commentary on her. My qunari will be another mage. I have no interest in playing warriors.

 

What is it specifically that interests you in a dwarf/qunari rogue or warrior playthrough?

It just adds variety. Dwarves are very underrepresented. Specifically, there is a lot of interesting dialogue that is dwarf specific, would be a shame if you wrote nothing about it. Personally not that interested in the Qunari bit but that could work as well. As for mages (just my opinion); every Tom, Dick and Harry plays them (I am also aware as to why) so a carta thug warrior would make for an interesting change. All up to you but I would like to read about a dwarf here (I am biased, dwarves are my favourites).

[Ieldra]

It just adds variety. Dwarves are very underrepresented. Specifically, there is a lot of interesting dialogue that is dwarf specific, would be a shame if you wrote nothing about it. Personally not that interested in the Qunari bit but that could work as well. As for mages (just my opinion); every Tom, Dick and Harry plays them (I am also aware as to why) so a carta thug warrior would make for an interesting change. All up to you but I would like to read about a dwarf here (I am biased, dwarves are my favourites).

Well, my next Inquisitor will be the dwarf rogue. It's a bit harder to get into the dwarf mindset with regard to Fade-related things so I don't really know what she'll be like yet, but she'll exist. I'll also ally with the templars in that playthrough. We'll see how much I'm motivated to write things up. I have two weeks free starting Friday so it may just happen.

 

As for mages, my preference for them may be older than most people here have been alive. I won't change just because they've become popular. Also, lore-wise mages are a lot more interesting in DA than in most other fantasy settings, and the conflict about them touches themes I have strong convictions about. There is no way my "personal canon" characters on Thedas wouldn't be mages.   

[DeLaatsteGeitenneuker]

Well, my next Inquisitor will be the dwarf rogue. It's a bit harder to get into the dwarf mindset with regard to Fade-related things so I don't really know what she'll be like yet, but she'll exist. I'll also ally with the templars in that playthrough. We'll see how much I'm motivated to write things up. I have two weeks free starting Friday so it may just happen.

 

As for mages, my preference for them may be older than most people here have been alive. I won't change just because they've become popular. Also, lore-wise mages are a lot more interesting in DA than in most other fantasy settings, and the conflict about them touches themes I have strong convictions about. There is no way my "personal canon" characters on Thedas wouldn't be mages.   

A lot older? I am old or do you mean your reasons for mages are older? Curious; could you expand on that? 

[Ieldra]

A lot older? I am old or do you mean your reasons for mages are older? Curious; could you expand on that? 

I've been playing rpgs on electronic media since they exist, which is, depending on when you start counting, something about 30-40 years ago. I've had a preference for mages since the beginning, because I have such a strong appreciation for the increased autonomy they represent and for the theme of seeking knowledge others would try to forbid. Society fears the autonomous individual it can't control because she has knowledge beyond the normal human ken. I count following that path a virtuous endeavour. As a rule, my mages do not seek to rule. They hate to see people suffer and are more likely to help than hinder in preventing or mitigating suffering. However, they do seek to be as independent from others' rule - particularly if it's inspired by religion - as they can become, and to those who would try to prevent them, they will become implacable enemies.

 

Not that this is the only type of character you'll find me playing, but you can see how that ties nicely into some themes featured in the DA games.

[DeLaatsteGeitenneuker]

I've been playing rpgs on electronic media since they exist, which is, depending on when you start counting, something about 30-40 years ago. I've had a preference for mages since the beginning, because I have such a strong appreciation for the increased autonomy they represent and for the theme of seeking knowledge others would try to forbid. Society fears the autonomous individual it can't control because she has knowledge beyond the normal human ken. I count following that path a virtuous endeavour. As a rule, my mages do not seek to rule. They hate to see people suffer and are more likely to help than hinder in preventing or mitigating suffering. However, they do seek to be as independent from others' rule - particularly if it's inspired by religion - as they can become, and to those who would try to prevent them, they will become implacable enemies.

 

Not that this is the only type of character you'll find me playing, but you can see how that ties nicely into some themes featured in the DA games.

You appear to be even older than I am...but yes, I can see this perspective. Mages are actually my least favourite class because they are so above the norm; to me a rogue or warrior conquering adversity is much more impressive and impactful than a guy who can flick his wrists and make fire and lightning come out of them. RPG-wise the others seem more of a struggle and thus more defining...but that is just me.

[King Killoth]

been reading this for an hour now.. gotta say Im very entertained by this.. and gotta say you made a very good story with a very nice Inquisitor

[Ieldra]

I just got a number of scenes I missed in my first playthrough in short sequence:

 

First, I saw the spirit side of Cole's quest, and the follow-up meeting in Val Royeaux. Then I talked to Iron Bull and got his final scene where he was attacked by assassins, and after that, I talked to Cassandra and got the Guilty Pleasures mini-quest. ROFL. And I'm thinking these three scenes may encompass what I love most about this game, apart from the roleplaying: through its stories, it gives you meaningful things to think about - and it makes you laugh. It's occasionally deep, and beautiful, and sometimes simply fun, all in several different ways. None of Bioware's games has done it that way before, it's a big step forward in the evolution of video game storytelling. Where ME3 didn't find the right balance, DAI succeeds. Now if only video games could do away with clichéd antagonists (Corypheus had promise, but he became that in the end)... 

[Ieldra]

....and this is the story of how I accidentally solo'd the Highland Ravager. I almost can't believe this really happened.

 

I should mention that I didn't know anything about that dragon or the details of the area because I hadn't explored in it my first playthrough - I had become impatient to finish the game. I only knew that it was the highest-level dragon in the game. I had crafted two elemental staffs - one fire and one frost - to be prepared for anything, and killed the two other dragons in this area in fairly short order. I thought, ok, if I was Bioware I'd make this one a fire dragon, not just for variety but because it would be odd to have the strongest dragon not being of the classic kind. So I equipped my frost staff and proceeded to scout the area. I stepped through one of the windows of the coliseum and found myself on a ledge. I thought, hmm, a deep pit, and it doesn't look as if I can get down from here, but let's look around. I jumped down to another ledge....and saw the dragon down below. My party members - Cassandra, Iron Bull and Sera - were still further up, but I found I could target the dragon from here. So I thought, why not give it a try. 

 

So I did. My party members didn't follow me down to that ledge, so even Sera couldn't help me, but it turned out I had found a lucky spot: I could blast the dragon with my cold spells - I had always been specialized in cold - and my staff, while her fireballs couldn't reach me if I didn't step too close to the ledge, and neither could the wind generated by her wings pull me down. So I continued attacking, taking down her guard again and again, while my party members were occasionally hit by a fireball but not so often that they died before I ran out of healing potions. Needless to say, the summoned dragonlings couldn't reach me either. After almost half an hour, the dragon was dead, I was down to 1 healing potion - not for me, only for my companions -  and my mage was at 50% health, having taken one fireball to the face before she found how far she had to stay away from the rim.

 

There were still the dragonlings, though. My party members were wounded and I didn't want to jump down and take lots of damage only to be killed by a wandering dragonling, that would be insulting. But.....looking around I noticed that the dragon skull with the loot had materialized a few steps away from me on another ledge I could jump to.

 

So we collected the loot, left the dragonlings behind and reached our camp loaded with some really nice pieces of treasure. 

 

As a sidenote, I also completed my Bottles of Thedas collection.

[Ieldra]

I am walking through the temple of Mythal, finding I missed quite a few interesting things in my first playthrough where I was impatient to get to the end at this point, among other things some conversations with Morrigan you can initiate. I also brought Solas who is - unsurprisingly given what I know about him - oddly hesitant to talk. I don't know how much the impression he knows more than he reveals is informed by my meta-knowledge but this Dalish Inquisitor is in a romance with him, she'd notice such odd behaviour.

 

Yet again, I am absolutely delighted about Morrigan. She's been noticeably more distant in this playthrough where she hasn't got a child, but - as in my first playthrough - a little wiser and less harsh than in DAO and otherwise her usual mysterious self. She remains easily my most favorite character of all Bioware has ever made. I just hope her drinking of the Well of Sorrows won't have some really bad repercussions down the line, since my Dalish has become disenchanted with her people's history enough that like my human Inquisitor, she won't do it herself. 

[Ieldra]

I'm finding that "What Pride had Wrought" is one of those rare missions whose story content you'll appreciate more in subsequent playthroughs. Exploration and combat content may be unexceptional, but story-wise it's fantastic, very appropriate for the last real mission in the game. I keep reeling from the revelations and I'm still far from integrating all of them into the picture of Thedas I carry around in my mind. I wonder what mindset you'd need to drink from the Well. I haven't found it yet, for neither of my two Inquisitors, though I do want the knowledge badly. 

[Silcron]

I think you'd need Morrigan's mindset ot drink from the well. I was going to do it, but the moment they said "bound to Mythal." My inquisitor backed down.

BTW, if you think mentioning Inquisition is odd, well, I'm spanish, so being in what would be Torquemada's place while being atheist is, well, jarring to say the least. (It's compulsory to study the Inquisition in highschools? I know I studied it there but I can't remember if I also did in primary school). Though being able to tell people I don't believe in the Maker and that the game allows all those kinds of roleplaying helped a lot. I don't think I would have been able to stomach a second playthroguh if not.

Also, what is your favourite specialization so far Ieldra? I've tried the mages' ones with the companion and I have to go with knight enchanter. I love that they rely on spells to be in the thick of combat instead of DAO's passive. Now, if only I could do away with the staff or pull a Gandalf...

[Ieldra]

I think you'd need Morrigan's mindset ot drink from the well. I was going to do it, but the moment they said "bound to Mythal." My inquisitor backed down.

BTW, if you think mentioning Inquisition is odd, well, I'm spanish, so being in what would be Torquemada's place while being atheist is, well, jarring to say the least. (It's compulsory to study the Inquisition in highschools? I know I studied it there but I can't remember if I also did in primary school). Though being able to tell people I don't believe in the Maker and that the game allows all those kinds of roleplaying helped a lot. I don't think I would have been able to stomach a second playthroguh if not.

Also, what is your favourite specialization so far Ieldra? I've tried the mages' ones with the companion and I have to go with knight enchanter. I love that they rely on spells to be in the thick of combat instead of DAO's passive. Now, if only I could do away with the staff or pull a Gandalf...

Yes, that was my Dalish Inquisitor's reaction as well. I want to see that outcome at some point, but have no idea what kind of Inquisitor I can come up with.

 

With regard to "Inquisition", yeah, I can vaguely appreciate how it must feel for you, and like you, being able to shape the organization and roleplaying different beliefs turned it from "unplayable" to "enjoyable in spite of the problem".

 

I've played Rift Mage and Knight Enchanter so far, and I am not impressed with the Rift Mage while loving the Knight Enchanter. Doing away with the staff is also on my wishlist but I don't think we'll see it in this game. It would help if all those "staff blades" we can make actually were blades.

[Ieldra]

Meanwhile, I've seen the non-DR outcome of Morrigan and Flemeth's encounter. It's even more poignant than the DR one, but its mix of endings and beginnings, old sorrows and ominous apprehension. *Shudder* I don't want to be in Morrigan's place in this version.

 

Also, I got the final scene of Solas' romance. The removal of the valasslin is very symbolic for my Inquisitor, as she has become disenchanted with her people's past. Most of the scene is very well written and presented, too. The breakup, however, is not so well done. I knew that it would happen and was prepared for it, but this short "BTW, I'm going" impresses me as - most unlike the Warden's and Morrigan's in DAO - a bad breakup, one that inevitably leaves hard feelings on my Inquisitor's side. I wonder what happened to make it so? I can't believe it was intentionally written that way. 

[Medhia_Nox]

@Ieldra:  I think you have to look at it from the perspective of a being that finds you, a mortal, ridiculously short lived.  You're about as permanent to him as any random encounter with a stranger on a bus is to us.  I think making it anything other than cold would do a disservice to his existence as a being far beyond the reasoning of mortal beings. 

 

Sure, he can love you passionately for the few seconds (of his existence) that he knows you - but he's loved before, probably hundreds of times even before he took a nap.  He's also seen love play out again and again in the Fade... good love, bad love, etc.  Experience lessens the importance of a thing oftentimes.  He's probably forgotten more lovers than anyone would ever have.  

[Ieldra]

@Ieldra:  I think you have to look at it from the perspective of a being that finds you, a mortal, ridiculously short lived.  You're about as permanent to him as any random encounter with a stranger on a bus is to us.  I think making it anything other than cold would do a disservice to his existence as a being far beyond the reasoning of mortal beings. 

 

Sure, he can love you passionately for the few seconds (of his existence) that he knows you - but he's loved before, probably hundreds of times even before he took a nap.  He's also seen love play out again and again in the Fade... good love, bad love, etc.  Experience lessens the importance of a thing oftentimes.  He's probably forgotten more lovers than anyone would ever have.  

I don't know. I think I could accept this being short, if he didn't say "I've distracted you from your duties", as if that was all I was. It's like your RL lover breaks up with you, saying that your work really should consume your whole life and that's why he's leaving. I really hate it if people go all "It's for your own good" at me, when it is, in fact, all about them. I'd have preferred it had he gone all mysterious. Anyway, given that he probably has a thousand years of experience he should've come up with a better line.

 

I was seriously tempted to choose the "f*ck you and good riddance" response, only Lilaeya didn't want to lose control in front of him at this moment.

[Ieldra]

All right, Lilaeya Lavellan's story is done. As I hoped, Solas did give her reason to think he's more than he appears, and he also said "What we had was real". OK, I think I can live with that. Lilaeya has secured a beautiful home and position of power, and I.....am left, yet again, with that feeling of sadness at having to say goodbye I only have when favorite stories end, which I haven't experienced from a game for years. Soon I'll embark on another playthrough with a dwarf Rogue, which I've been asked to write about. I will try to do that, but Lilaeya' story will stay with me.... and I hope for some DLC to return to my characters at some time.

 

[Medhia_Nox]

@Ieldra:  Well, considering the elven empire lasted 8000 years, and the Tevinter empire 2000 or so.... he's possibly over 10,000 years old.  It would stand to reason that even if the elven gods are just transcended once-mortals... that they're founders of what the elves were and therefore became their "gods".  

But, is he wrong?  Isn't what you do (I don't mean your "job")... all you are?  He's never going to be a committed lover... and regardless of your roll, a relationship takes two people.  He gets to choose his part in it.  So sure, he's saying:  "Don't define yourself by love, go do something else, because if you decide to define yourself by love with me - what you have done in this world - is wasted, because I'm not sticking around." 

 

BTW - totally not saying he's not a douche about it.  I'm just saying that broader perspectives can often seem douchey - especially when they're so out of touch as Solas has been.  

[Jayce]

Great read, Ieldra. Thanks.

[Ieldra]

@Ieldra:  Well, considering the elven empire lasted 8000 years, and the Tevinter empire 2000 or so.... he's possibly over 10,000 years old.  It would stand to reason that even if the elven gods are just transcended once-mortals... that they're founders of what the elves were and therefore became their "gods".  

 

But, is he wrong?  Isn't what you do (I don't mean your "job")... all you are?  He's never going to be a committed lover... and regardless of your roll, a relationship takes two people.  He gets to choose his part in it.  So sure, he's saying:  "Don't define yourself by love, go do something else, because if you decide to define yourself by love with me - what you have done in this world - is wasted, because I'm not sticking around." 

 

BTW - totally not saying he's not a douche about it.  I'm just saying that broader perspectives can often seem douchey - especially when they're so out of touch as Solas has been.  

Helios in Deux Ex 1 says "We are our choices" when you ask what will become of you when you merge with it, and I tend to approach roleplaying from that perspective, but my duty - and that's what Solas speaks about - is definitely not all I am. Nor are the things I do from love. In fact, what I do out of preference, without being bound by duty, self-appointed as that may be, or by love, that defines me more.

 

Anyway, it's not a dealbreaker, I just think this could probably have been handled in a more appropriate way (by the writers), even when you consider Solas is several thousand years old. When I consider DAI's ending, I'm much more annoyed that the story devolves into an outright blatant insult to atheists by Corypheus' adoption of the stereotypical "Hollywood atheist "stance - when he reveals his hypocrisy by calling to Dumat, the damage is already done. It is, in fact, the only part of DAI with which I have a serious problem. The rest of the game handles its controversial themes nicely, but as much as love the rest of the game, I dislike the final encounter, and not just for that reason. 

[Ieldra]

Now embarking on my third playthrough.
 
Rune Cadash [ IPA: 'ru:nə ka'daʃ, most notably not "ɹu:n" or "ɹu:ni" ]
 

 
Finding herself chained after barely escaping death is not exactly an unfamiliar experience for Rune. Life in the Carta has never exactly been pleasant, and their reach is long, so she's never been able to escape their clutches, even on the surface, but it's preferable to an existence as a beggar on the streets of Dusttown, which is the only alternative for a casteless dwarf of Orzammar. Having a magical mark that kills her, well, that's just how things usually go for people like her. If this sounds like fatalism, it's not completely wrong, but it doesn't mean she's not going to fight against the whims of a cruel fate to the best of her ability, if only to give fate, or the gods, or whatever, the middle finger before she goes. Faith? Bah. If any of those figures exist people believe in, she certainly doesn't owe them any thanks, and as for the Stone, it's solid and dependable, but it hasn't got a mind of its own in her experience. Asked for her attitude towards the world and its events, she'd say "Sh*t happens. Well, not always sh*t, but mostly." She's never been in a position to make anything happen, or not happen. That's just how things are.
 
Only not anymore.