33 réponses à ce sujet

[illsteward]

Hello everybody!

*WARNING: This post sort of walltexted before I could have finnished it, sorry for that. Feel free to skip to the questions part and read only the bold part of each question first. Also, if something can be answered by "Read the books" or "Read the comics", please say it.*

 

 

First of all, I am not really sure if this belong s to Scuttlebutt or S, C & Ch forum, but since this is more broader cathegory, I'll post it here.

Yesterday night (or today very early morning, if you prefer), I have finnished my first DA:I playthrought. Needless to say, I was sort of dissapointed.

Doing a quick run, bascially going on the main quests as soon as you have the power and level recommended to do it, I admit to missing out a lot. This is how I play most games - first I blaze through the main storyline, then get second playthrougth where I tend to spend countless hours doing all I missed. YET - in most cases, the main quest line is coherent, somehow self-explanatory and self-cointained. However, upon finnishing DA:I, I have noticed that I feel like I know nothing.
I like the game a lot, and I am deffinitely going to start another inquisitor, but I'd like to ask if there is some pre-requisite reading (have all 4 books, but sadly no comics. I have only read the first two so far. Not enough time.) that I might have missed. Main areas I had quarrel with:

 

----------------THE QUESTIONS PART ------------

 

1) Cole. What? One moment, he is a spirit, another, he is a person, and for all I know, he could be a potato in disguise. I hoped to get some backstory out of him, but he keeps to himself so much that it's simply... Uggh...

 

2) Solas. Also makes very little sense. He doesn't seem to be particularly careful, yet no-one seem to know him, recognize him, or as much as notice him sometimes. And I mean in moments you'd expect that elven apostate with vast Fade knowledge will stand out.

 

3) Leliana. How the hell did she made it so far so fast? This one bugged me a lot. So the last time I see her, she is not even a regular chantry sister, she has been working as a spy for local chapter for a few years. Enters DA2 ending / DA:I, she is suddenly Sister Nightingale, Left hand of the Divine, spymaster of the Chantry. This is not like "Bob from accounting suddenly became the vicepresident". This is rather strange turn of events. Even if she would be the one who told the world about Urn of Sacred Ashes, the rocket rise in her position simply makes no sense. And yes, 12 years is not long enough for this kind of change, especially since the Divine had both positions already filled. Cassandra's standing makes way more sense.

 

4) Overall chantry reaction. Are they really so naive? Much like the first cleric you encounter, the entire Chantry seemed to be really panicked and have no real emergency plan and/or protocols in case the Conclave turns into bloodshed. They basically somehow invited the most elite, most powerful war leaders from all accross the continent, with seveal troops, yet don't really take any measures to secure that the whole thing doesn't backfire? I mean, even the Seekers are templars and their loayality will be seriously tested by the option to cut the heads of Mage rebelion. Hell, if what the Inquisitor was told is true, Justinia the fifth was held by Grey Wardens. I can swallow that almost every  Inquisitor got there as a thief or other random scum, but a bunch of Wardens and a darkspawn got there and no-one as much as bats an eye? Couldn't the Chantry at least hire some bodyguards, if they did not trust anyone inside the Order? Or were the Wardens her guard, which would make even less sense, given that the order went silent already? Also, later in the campaign, you still have Leliana and Cassandra, so how the hell did they not simply bow down and ask for directions, given that two of the highest-ranking members of the Order are right there?

 

5) Romance handling. I tried to get as much support from Cassandra as I could. I do get that no amount of background can fix this, but have I missed something, or is it normal that the Inquisitor gets friendzoned? O.o And does he gets friendzoned with all other characters?

 

6) Red lyrium. Drugs are bad, plotholes worse, mmkaay? Being the Deus Ex Machina-ridden (and in a few cases LITERALY Deus) story the main campaign is, I sort of did not expect any reasoning for what happened in the last few years (if I count correctly, Hawke gets the Memento in Act II of DA2, so Corypheus has been freed for at least six years now, and if we were to agree that it might have been in time with Carver already being GW, he'd been freed for four to six years now - one to three years until qunari invasion to Kirkwall, two until outbreak of the war and at least a year until the Conclave), but still - the only corrupted lyrium we see before campaign was well-contained in a small thaig that was lost so deep in Deep Roads that it's wonder it ever existed. Suddenly, kaboom, Red Lyrium all over the place. I mean - no wonder mages and templars went crazy. I just wonder there still are templars who are willing to wage a war, seeing that their precious little drug is now as commonplace as regular stone. Why they don't simply get high and let mages have their way?

7) Red. Holy. Templars. Did they came out of nowhere? Back when i got to the templar main fortress in Therinfal Redoubt, the game hinted that there are a few red templars in the fortress, but more may be waiting outside. Next few missions to gain power, I have crushed Red Templars and their supporters all accross Orlais and Ferelden, culminating with a few messages along the lines of "There will be no army", "You destroyed Corypheus's plan with templars" blah, blah... Then I get to the warzone (which I really enjoyed, even though at that time I hopend the game will end soon), and BAM - Red Templars. In hundreds. I can take it with Venatori, since they are an old cult came to power, but red templars are recent phenomenon...

 

8) The Elven artefact. Small orb rewritting history as we know it? Small elven orb carrying incredible power, that basically rewrites history of Thedas as we look at it. Due to the fact that it can open portals to Fade (and coupled with what is hinted in the Crossroads), allowing ones to physically enter at least Crossroads, if not Fade directly. This could have ment that ages before Tevinter tore down the wall of Veil, Dalish elves and their kin were taking their five o'clock tea in the Fade together with spirits and demons rather regularly. So, what was the difference? And was there ever a Golden City, or was it always like it is, much like Corypheus claims? Furthermore, the elves have Keepers and ancient ruins all over Thedas, and the orb was hinted to be not unique, so how come no-one have as much as heard about it before? I know that you could say BioWare pulled a Rowling on us, introducing ancient and documented things in the middle of telling, but that's not like them. Or maybe all other orbs are broken and only Solas kept his intact?

[leaguer of one]

If you have not finished the game do not read the rest.

 

 

 

 

 

1. Cole tells you where he came from the first time you meet him in shyhold. There's even a wartable mission based on it. And his ark is about hum find who he really is.

2.How can you prove him suspect? Him seeing in the fade covers all angles because the past can be seen in the fade.

 

3.Someone did not play da: awakening nor the dlc's for dragon age 2.

 

4.No one planned for a giant explosion to take all the leaders out. Of course, they made plans to protect themselves from an attack. Not one from the grey wardens and not one that can destroy and entire temple.

 

5. .... You just flirt with her and give her the gifts she asked for.

6.You get a person to take red lyrium. It's not that  hard.

 

7.Have you meet Morrigan yet?

[MiyuEmi]

I'll add as above - If you haven't finished the game, do not continue reading...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. There is a reason that only Solas has an orb.  Complete the game and watch the after credits scene.

[NauRava]

If it helps, you're not the only one with these feelings. I personally love the game but it's not hard to see that it story has huge plotholes if you have not readed the novels/all the codexs in the game. However, if you have played the game only once so far, I can tell you the next, more complitionist run will open up the story more. Or at least that's who it worked out to me.

But here some theories, hope they help: 

 

1) Cole backstory is told shortly in his personal mission, he's a spirit who took a form of an killed apostate (same way the spirit you meet in the Fabe took the from of the Divine, Compassion (Coles spirit name) was effected so strongly by the real Coles that it wanted to became him and so gave itself his form) but if you need more about him I recommend you to read the novels. 

 

2) Was there never a concrete proof him being what he was? All he told you could be rather easily found from the Fade and he did say he had traveled mosth of his life (he's physical age is around 40-50 years), so he would have had a lots of time to explore the Fade world. I know after the end credit scene it might seem obvious but from the start why would you doubt him? From the view point of your charater and others in the Inquisition, the idea of him being what he is should be and is ridicilous after all.

 

3) I assume you never playied Awakening or DA2. Lelianna didn't just goof around during the years after the DA:O.

 

4) Well, Chantry is an institute build mainly on authorities (Templars watch over Mages, Seekers watch over Templars and Divine watches over Seeker etc.) and when all their leaders and auhthories were killed at the Conclave, naturally there would be a chaos. And in chaos the most loudest (and usually most radical) people get the power and act stupidly. Plus, there was bodyguards (if your Inquisitor was a Qunari, they were there because they were hired as one of them) but I doubt they never expected an explosion that big. Nobody did, not even Corypheus since the explosion was an accident caused by his ritual going wrong.

 

5) You can't romance Cass if you have locked into another relationship (even a kiss, very openly flirting with the others might make her friendzone you) at the same time or you're playing a female (tho I think you probably knew that already). Cass is a hard nut to crack, her having a low self-esteem etc. and you have to be very straight forward with her to trigger the romance. 

 

6/7) I think this has a lot to do with whole 'Lyrium is alive and made of people/living things' theory and 'Red Lyrium is Blighted Lyrium' thing. It can be grown out of the people kinda like fungus can grow out of a tree (eww, I know right?). It also implied that Red Lyrium spreads and grows much faster than normal lyrium when injected into a living things. And not the all 'Red Templars' are originally Templars (you can found out that his people have capture normal humans in Empress du Leon and made new 'Red Templars' out of them), which could be why Corypheus had so many of them so fast. He could mass produce them, he was from the time of the First Blight after all and possibly knew more about it than everyone else alive.

 

8) There's a reason and bigger lore for that. Here has some vids that might help to see the bigger picture behind the ord. https://www.youtube....h?v=WkT8Pza89MA and https://www.youtube....h?v=NLKJthpfLZ8 Theories, I know but we need to remeber that DA team is probably saving the answers for the DLCs or the next game so right now we can just speculate.

[ashwind]

I'll add as above - If you haven't finished the game, do not continue reading...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. There is a reason that only Solas has an orb.  Complete the game and watch the after credits scene.

 

Actually that may not be entirely true. There is a banter between Dorian and Solas about the Orb(s) and it even gave some hint or suggestion as to what these orbs maybe.

[illsteward]

Quoting seems to be broke for some reason, so pardon my formatting... Anyway, thanks for both answers!

@leaguer of one:

1) Oh... He didn't get me much info and later on got very angry at me. I had to redo one mission so that he won't at least leave, so maybe that can be the problem.

 

2) I know that. But this is what bugs me. He is, by default, very powerfull mage who can see - and has seen - a lot of things, some of which happened hudreds of years ago. Yet no-one calls him on any kind of event, nor does anyone consult with him. That is what bothers me and makes me go all "whaaat"? Basically, the game deals a lot with Tevinter and Dalish history, and the Fade. You have an expert on both, yet you... cast him aside as a party member and don't question him?Strange...

3) I have played Awakening several times, and I do recall her leaving party to serve in the Chantry. As for DA2 DLCs, I have all but the Exiled Prince and don't remember seeing Leliana in Kirkwall at all (supposing the end scene occurs in Haven)... Except maybe during the wyvern hunt where she plays no significant role from what I remember.

4) Good point about the explosion. Even though, what started the war was exactly that (Anders blowing up Kirkwall's Chantry), so that would be the first kind of scenario I would expect some extremist to redo. Hard to prepare against it though, I'll admit.

5) Yeah, and in the end she calls me "friend" and that's it. Maybe I just screwed something...

6) "not that hard" - precisely. Possible side effects include death, paranoia, turning into monster. If an side effects occurs not listed here, please contact your local Crazy Templar Master and stop taking Red lyrium immediately. But then again, where it came from? The tearing in the Veil? It went really fast from "rare phenomenon" to "global hazard".

7) Yes, and I have even met her mother. I have even taken her to the battlefield, the temple and throught the final mission. So in this case, I must have simply missed something important in the dialog. Thanks for that!


@MiyuEmi:

8) The game became glitchy a lot during the ending. I do recall a post-credits scene of Solas and Flemeth standing before Eluvian. He states that he is sad that his orb broke. Rewatched it again on YouTube. He is sad that his orb broke, but I still didn't catch anything about the orb being unique... But yes, maybe it was unique because it was HIS orb. I am not really sure where I picked up why there should be more of them. Maybe missinterpretation of some earlier dialog.

[BountyhunterGER]

Okay, if you don't want to get spoiled - stop reading!

 

Still reading?

Well

 

1) Coles backstory is told in Asunder - I recommend reading it (best da book in my opinion).

2) Since there is a huge hole in the sky an elf with good knowledge about the fade maybe doesn't seem so strange.

3) Did you play Lelianas Song? The woman who helps Leliana to get out of that prison is Dorothea who later become Divine Justinia. After DAO Leliana works for her. She is a talented bard and friend of the Divine (someone the divine can trust) so why don't make her the left hand?

5) Depends on the character. Cassandras romance is pretty slow in the beginning compared to others.

[illsteward]

Not sure if quoting works. If not, this is response to BountyhunterGER's post:

 

1) That's what I wanted to hear! Thanks a lot!

2) I do say that he doesn't seems strange. What does seem strange is the lack of usage he gets. Damn, he should be an advisor instead of just a random companion. It would make much more sense for him to have say in the missions.

 

3) Right! That's what I missed. I kenw that the name "Sister Dorothea" had rung a bell, but I totaly didn't make this connection! Awesome!

[MiyuEmi]

Ashwind - Just said as it was never clarified that the orbs that Dorian mentions and the orb that Solas has are actually the same type of orbs.

[leaguer of one]

Quoting seems to be broke for some reason, so pardon my formatting... Anyway, thanks for both answers!

@leaguer of one:

1) Oh... He didn't get me much info and later on got very angry at me. I had to redo one mission so that he won't at least leave, so maybe that can be the problem.

 

2) I know that. But this is what bugs me. He is, by default, very powerfull mage who can see - and has seen - a lot of things, some of which happened hudreds of years ago. Yet no-one calls him on any kind of event, nor does anyone consult with him. That is what bothers me and makes me go all "whaaat"? Basically, the game deals a lot with Tevinter and Dalish history, and the Fade. You have an expert on both, yet you... cast him aside as a party member and don't question him?Strange...

3) I have played Awakening several times, and I do recall her leaving party to serve in the Chantry. As for DA2 DLCs, I have all but the Exiled Prince and don't remember seeing Leliana in Kirkwall at all (supposing the end scene occurs in Haven)... Except maybe during the wyvern hunt where she plays no significant role from what I remember.

4) Good point about the explosion. Even though, what started the war was exactly that (Anders blowing up Kirkwall's Chantry), so that would be the first kind of scenario I would expect some extremist to redo. Hard to prepare against it though, I'll admit.

5) Yeah, and in the end she calls me "friend" and that's it. Maybe I just screwed something...

6) "not that hard" - precisely. Possible side effects include death, paranoia, turning into monster. If an side effects occurs not listed here, please contact your local Crazy Templar Master and stop taking Red lyrium immediately. But then again, where it came from? The tearing in the Veil? It went really fast from "rare phenomenon" to "global hazard".

7) Yes, and I have even met her mother. I have even taken her to the battlefield, the temple and throught the final mission. So in this case, I must have simply missed something important in the dialog. Thanks for that!


@MiyuEmi:

8) The game became glitchy a lot during the ending. I do recall a post-credits scene of Solas and Flemeth standing before Eluvian. He states that he is sad that his orb broke. Rewatched it again on YouTube. He is sad that his orb broke, but I still didn't catch anything about the orb being unique... But yes, maybe it was unique because it was HIS orb. I am not really sure where I picked up why there should be more of them. Maybe missinterpretation of some earlier dialog.

 

 

2. Your thinking of origins. Awakening is the expantion. If you romance her she sends you a letter stating she was invited to meet with the divine for an offer.

3.He's a dreamer, That's part of the lore. They can go to the fade at will. No one calls him out on it because no one is there to contradict what he says.

6. I never said it makes the person stable. Ever red templer is doomed to die. We do know for Varric side quest it;s just blighted lyrium. It's normal lyrium gone sick.

7. Remember when you used her mirror the first time and she told you the place she takes you is with in the pocket of the fade and elven made? If the elves make that then....

[OriginalTibs]

Quoting seems to be broke for some reason

My guess is that you are using Internet Explorer. If you use a different browser to use these forums your quoting function will work. I normally use IE as well, but I also keep a copy of Mozilla Firefox for reading and responding in anti-Microsoft social environments.

[MiyuEmi]

About my comment, if I were a guessing woman, which I usually am!  I would say that Fen'Harel's orb is different than the Tevinter Orbs.  Fen'Harel's orb appears to have specific value as it's been proved that entering Eluvians does not take an orb, nor does entering the Fade.  I think Solas's Orb was a key and he gave it to Corypheus to 'charge it up' because, IMO, he would have to have put those other Elven gods in a very special type of fade that they could not escape themselves and he can't have broken the Eluvian or he would have no way to reach that particular corner he crammed them into.

[illsteward]

@NauRava:

 

Thanks a ton for this post! Here I was thinking that I zoned out for a good portion of the game. Glad to see this is not the case.

 

1) Got solved by BountyHunterGER. Thanks for the mention of Cole's mision though!

 

2) There has always been an abundance of proofs for his extensive knowledge. I just felt that it all went to waste for no good reasons.

 

3) Played both multiple times, never met her. Maybe the fact that I lack one Chantry-oriented DLC might have something to do with it?

 

4) That actually makes some sense. But yeah, I guess the whole explosion was kind of unwanted surprise. But as I laid in my previous post, unwanted, not unexpectable.

 

5) Didn't know that. Maybe did choose some romantic options with Lady Monselieur...

 

6/7) Yeah. So maybe it got spread as an infection - started somewhere, but everytime the host died, a new focus got created. That would make sense.

 

8) Thanks! So I guess this one was supposed to remain mystery!

 

 

 

@leauger of me:

2) Sure. I got that part well. Except the last time we met a dreamer, he wents crazy and possessed. But while it explains his abilities, it does not explain his forced insignificance...

 

3) Nope, I am thinking Awakening. I am just not sure if I ever romanced her, and even if I did, it must have been very long time ago. I should replay the games at once...

6) It's just that when you make the quarry mission in Emprisse du Lion, the success rate of creating those monstrosities seems very low, unless the person whom you fed them was in very good physical condition... Even a hidden defect excludes them and marks them for death. Hard to make army on those premises...

8) I think that was all for this point about orbs? Yes, I gues the Crossroads kinda explain that Elves were able to tinker with Fade in ways totaly unknown to modern Thedas. I guess the Eluvians were simply not the only portals they used. Which is more then likely.

[Joe_S]

8) I think that was all for this point about orbs? Yes, I gues the Crossroads kinda explain that Elves were able to tinker with Fade in ways totaly unknown to modern Thedas. I guess the Eluvians were simply not the only portals they used. Which is more then likely.

 Have you stuck around after the credits for the epilogue?  I think the significance of the orb becomes plainer there.

[Jestina]

After ME3...I doubt many stick around for the credits for fear of having a DLC advertisement thrown in their face.

[thedancingdruid]

Cole is from Asunder, as another stated.

 

I'm not sure Solas is supposed to make sense, even his very appearance seems off with not much to mark him as elven other than his ears. He doesn't have the large eyes or rounder, softer face as seen on other elves elsewhere in the game. I half expected him to be a spirit of the Fade itself. I guess in retrospect that might not be too far off maybe.

 

Regarding Leliana, you stated that you didn't have The Exiled Prince which is exactly what you needed to see Leliana in DA2. Exiled Prince opens up a quest called "Faith" in Act 3 where you meet Sister Nightengale, Left Hand of the Divine.

 

I'd also highly recommend Assunder, and also The Masked Empire. I understand you said your time is limited. I'd put The Masked Empire above Assunder if you enjoyed the Orlais mission and want more insight into Celene, Gaspard and Briala. Without the novel it's a blind choice. Assunder, however, will definitely give you Cole's entire background along with the previous Lord Seeker and insight into the Templar order's frame of mind prior to Inquisition, as well as fleshing out why the Chantry was so panicked. It also further fleshes out Leliana and her reason for wanting to help the mages. So it's a tough call, read both if you can. Gaider's work is a bit drier than Weekes, in my opinion, however they are both fantastic novels. Merciel's The Last Flight is a very easy 6-8 hour read but isn't necessary for Inquisition. It deals mainly with the 4th blight, through the eyes of an elven mage researcher working for the Grey Wardens prior to the Inquisition. Its value would only give more insight into the Grey Warden's epilogue slide.

 

As you can probably already guess, I have read everything. The comics are not necessary at all, well for Inquisiton, anyway, though they are great fun, unless you want to see the Qun attempting to re-educate Isabela and want background into the Theirin bloodline all the way back to Calenhad. I also thought it may have offered more insight into dragons, and it does, however, in Inquisition it seems they've been reduced to trophies. I'm still hoping this isn't the case.

 

Red Lyrium? Yeah, maybe just think of them like dandelions in the Spring. From one in the yard to dozens everywhere, seemingly overnight. Who knows. Apparently the Red Templars are the Cerberus of DA.

 

Hope you have fun with your next play through. Take your time enjoy...

[Joe_S]

Red Lyrium? Yeah, maybe just think of them like dandelions in the Spring. From one in the yard to dozens everywhere, seemingly overnight. Who knows. Apparently the Red Templars are the Cerberus of DA.

 

It is pointed out in Emprise that they're not using the quarry as a quarry so much as a farm -- they're using the workers as hosts to grow the red lyrium.  From that one can assume that a Red Templar, especially the horrors, has enough red lyrium inside to use it to plant it in other templars.  In fact, they threaten you with that during the battles.

[Jestina]

I don't know why they made a big deal out of Cole poofing around, because all rogues do that. Anyways, I just thought Cole was another cookie cutter emo character. He seems like the DA:I version of Fenris.

[thedancingdruid]

@ Joe_S Understood, you can also learn such from Fiona when siding with the mages. However, it is certainly a stretch from witnessing such to saying sure I'll chug the kool-aid too, why not. Especially for a purportedly, upstanding faithful templar don't you think?

[Mann42]

Did you make a point to talk to your companions (in Haven or Skyhold) in between every story mission?

 

Completionist playthrough or not, if you're not talking to your companions between story missions, you're only getting half the story.

 

I'm not saying it would answer all your questions, but I think it's why you're confused about Cole, Solas, and getting 'friendzoned' as you so inelegantly put it.

 

1 (Cole), 2 (Solas), and 3 (Liliana) are essentially answered by the characters themselves as you talk to them and/or do their personal arc. Solas is left intentionally mysterious because he has a role far bigger than this game (see end credits).

 

5 (Romance) could only happen if you weren't talking to your love interest after every story mission and not actively trying to get her approval up. 

 

4 (Conclave) is pretty self explanatory. First, both sides brought entire armies, and Justina was probably being protected at least partially by both factions. However, nothing in the (known) history of Thedas has had the power to destroy anything of the magnitude of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. There are no nukes, and the power created by the orb was literally unheard of prior to the destruction at the Conclave, so nobody would have expected or planned for it.

 

Second, even Grey Wardens had gone silent, they are still riding on the good rep the HoF provided after the end of the Fifth Blight, and while it might be unexpected, their presence at the Conclave wouldn't be that suspect, since the outright civil war between mages and templars is a rather big deal, and the wardens are generally still considered 'good guys'. Nobody had any reason, at all, to suspect them of wrongdoing, and if they had offered to be Justinia's bodyguard, I'm pretty sure nobody would have objected.

 

2 (Solas) and 8 (The Orb) seem to be left intentionally mysterious because they involve mysteries we're not yet supposed to know, but there's a ton of lore and knowledge if you actually talk to Solas and other party members.

[X Equestris]

Cory took the red lyrium from the thaig, as we find out in Varric's personal mission. Since it can use living things to grow further, this explains at least some of the explosive growth.

[Joe_S]

Especially for a purportedly, upstanding faithful templar don't you think?

 

If you side with the templars and read all the notes in the fortress, you learn that once all the officers were converted, they were planning to forcefully convert the other templars that didn't play along.  So in my mind, any red templars we encounter "later" (and later is relative since there's no linear progression in the zones) were most likely force-fed the red lyrium.

[thedancingdruid]

@Jestina I don't think Cole's comparison to Fenris is fair except in that they're both suffering from past ordeals. Anyone enduring such trauma would be emotional. But in actuality they're from complete opposite sides of the fence, so to speak. As to Cole's "poofing" it's more that those who have seen him forget doing such.

[thedancingdruid]

@ Joe_S I've done the Templar side as well. Still at some point along the chain of command no matter how high up they chugged the kool-aid willingly, especially considering what you find in the office. And when my Inquisitor held Denam's trial, he certainly wasn't being used as farming equipment. He was complicit. I can only sympathize with the OP that the templars may have been placed in an unfair all-go-completely-bat-bleep-crazy sort of light.

 

I have 100% completion, well, sort of, in my mind anyway. I'm missing 1 puzzle piece in the Hinterlands and 1 region in the Exalted Plains, though, both of those are not due to lack of trying, researching, and ultimately settling to wait for a patch. I sided with mages, played through, reloaded, sided with the templars, then stuck with the mages and finished. It clocks in at just over 160 hours, obviously not on a higher setting.

[Nefla]

I agree that it really doesn't make sense that they'd send every single important and high ranking member of the Chantry to the conclave. I mean these two groups are at war and you're trying to mediate between them. No one expected an explosion (although after Kirkwall they probably should have), but I for one would have a backup plan in case the mages and Templars just started killing each other on the spot and who knows, there could be several Anders-like people that think there can be "no compromise" and would murder the divine and the high ranking clerics.