I agree, but at least some cultures are trying to create better cultures rather than bring back bad ones.
Which ones? If anything Tevinter seems set on old values and the Alamarri looked far better than the current "descendants".
The most advances ones seem to be Orlais and Par Vollen which makes Elvhenan the classic age with a lot more advance magic development.
Which ones? If anything Tevinter seems set on old values and the Alamarri looked far better than the current "descendants".
The most advances ones seem to be Orlais and Par Vollen which makes Elvhenan the classic age with a lot more advance magic development.
Well, Ferelden has been somewhat progressive.
Rivain and Antiva have been more progressive as well.
Orlais has been more progressive under Celene's rule.
Orzammar becomes very progressive under Bhelen.
Can't really say one way or another about the Anderfels since they are rather isolationist. Same with Kal-Sharok.
The Free Marches and Nevarra appear pretty stagnant.
Qunandar is definitely stagnant.
Tevinter is trying to go backwards.
And the non-nation people like the Avvar are set in tradition so stagnant.
I agree, but at least some cultures are trying to create better cultures rather than bring back bad ones.
The Dalish already do have a new culture that is better than that of their ancestors.
The Dalish already do have a new culture that is better than that of their ancestors.
And they want to trade that one in to recreate what their ancestors had.
And they want to trade that one in to recreate what their ancestors had.
I'm pretty sure the plan is just to hold on to what they are able to fit in their current one. If they learn their ancestors kept slaves, that doesn't mean they are all going to suddenly decide slavery was a great idea. It's hardly an all or nothing situation.
Both Felessan and Solas are sad about the loss of Arlathan despite also being aware it had serious problems.
Junebug,
I'm wondering if you've played JoH yet?
I have not but I will when it goes on sale :3 I hear there's a lot of lore additions in it.
I have not but I will
when it goes on sale:3 I hear there's a lot of lore additions in it.
Yes. A lot of nice lore, especially stuff that you'd add to the rant 
. Worth it when you decide to buy.
The fact you get the "Property of *insert Elven deity name here*" tattoo when it is a voluntary ceremony means no matter what, you are/were Pro-Dalish. If you later are skeptical, it just makes the character look like a hypocrite.
I'm with you at "I'd rather be a city elf," but this is over-generalizing. If you try to neatly judge individuals by the flaws of the society that they belong to, it too easily becomes black and white fanaticism.
A person can belong to a culture without supporting all its aspects, especially if they're born into it and don't have a wide array of alternatives.
Dalishes' biggest problem is not that they are murder-hobbos, it's that Bioware insists upon making them terrible at being murder-hobbos.
It's like that old Dalish folksong:
Nothin' beats the hobo life
Stabbin' shems with my hobo knife...
Almost every one of the OP's complaints are directly attributable to the game being designed for a human-only protagonist and the other races being added mid-way through the development cycle. They clearly didn't manage to adapt the story and reactions of/to the inquisitor enough to fully integrate the consequences of playing as a non-human into the game. The fact that an elven inquisitor is more affected than Qunari or a Dwarf is because the story revolves so much around elven history.
So then... The question becomes: Was the decision to add the ability to play as non-human races mid-way through development the right one? If yes, should they perhaps have had the elven Inquisitor be a city elf instead of a Dalish? That would've minimised some of the problems that the OP mentions.
If they can make an oxman the leader they can make anyone the leader.
Well, Ferelden has been somewhat progressive.
Rivain and Antiva have been more progressive as well.
Orlais has been more progressive under Celene's rule.
Orzammar becomes very progressive under Bhelen.
Can't really say one way or another about the Anderfels since they are rather isolationist. Same with Kal-Sharok.
The Free Marches and Nevarra appear pretty stagnant.
Qunandar is definitely stagnant.
Tevinter is trying to go backwards.
And the non-nation people like the Avvar are set in tradition so stagnant.
Ferelden in not progressive, it is in the middle-ages, unless I missed something. Rivain and Antiva seem a lot more accepting but than again there is no game in those countries so it is hard to judge. Orzammar even with Bhelen is still isolated to an extent and it has been years since any major technological development. Qunandar technology is not stagnant at all, it is more about extreme ideals. The Avvar are far more accepting of magic and know more about it, than a circle mage in my opinion and they did created a dragon-spirit that could destroy Orlais so...
I think the dalish will never go back to the classic age, preserving their history was important because it was lost and assimilated by humans. This is normal behavior under those circumstances.
So then... The question becomes: Was the decision to add the ability to play as non-human races mid-way through development the right one? If yes, should they perhaps have had the elven Inquisitor be a city elf instead of a Dalish? That would've minimised some of the problems that the OP mentions.
Having played Lavellan and Adaar...I'd still say yes. Personally, I'm willing to bend what's in-game and fill in some of the gaps myself. (For example, Lavellan not knowing about Mythal though I think that was a bug, Adaar receiving a much warmer welcome from the faithful than I expected, etc.) Even though the differentiation between the racial backgrounds is incomplete, IMO there's enough of it to enhance the replayability of the game and change the RP experience if you're willing to extrapolate a bit.
As for Lavellan specifically, IMO s/he still isn't as much of a cosmic butt-monkey as poor Hawke 
Elfy-stuff aside, I think the Inquisitor potentially has the easiest time of the three (four if you count the Orlesian Warden) Dragon Age PCs.
Personally, while I have several issues with DA2, Hawke's lack of agency in the broad sweep of Kirkwall events wasn't one of them. I enjoyed the change of pace from most video game stories.Having played Lavellan and Adaar...I'd still say yes. Personally, I'm willing to bend what's in-game and fill in some of the gaps myself. (For example, Lavellan not knowing about Mythal though I think that was a bug, Adaar receiving a much warmer welcome from the faithful than I expected, etc.) Even though the differentiation between the racial backgrounds is incomplete, IMO there's enough of it to enhance the replayability of the game and change the RP experience if you're willing to extrapolate a bit.
As for Lavellan specifically, IMO s/he still isn't as much of a cosmic butt-monkey as poor Hawke
Personally, while I have several issues with DA2, Hawke's lack of agency in the broad sweep of Kirkwall events wasn't one of them. I enjoyed the change of pace from most video game stories.
Also for me, on hearing the setup for DAI, I planned my Lavellan as someone who was already doubting her faith before the conclave, and had actually sought to attend in order to see other perspectives on the world. I'd hoped to turn her into an atheist as the game went on, and as it turned out the story fittied my plan really well, right down to romancing Sera. I recognise that my case is an outlier, though, and the lack of follow-up on issues such as the Lavellan war table missions was still an issue even for her.
Hah, I see we've approached our Llavellan playthrough similarly 
As for war table mission - it would be nice it if there was a follow up, but according to what Mike Laidlaw wrote on his twitter, the reason why there isn't any is because they've completed war table missions after they've locked voiceovers, so they couldn't go back and add anything.
If they wrote the war table missions after the voice acting was done, why did they write missions that would have required extra voice acting?
If they wrote the war table missions after the voice acting was done, why did they write missions that would have required extra voice acting?
It's a good question. Maybe they've had something planned, but plans have changed? No idea, really.
In my opinion, the female Dalish First has the richest story to offer in the game. Not only is there huge cultural significance in drinking from the Well of Sorrows, the female Dalish Elf is the only Inqusitor that can romance the Dread Wolf himself. There are going to be more DA games and Solas/Mythal/Flemeth will return. Just like Kieran enriched Inquisition, The female Dalish First Inquisitor's relationship romantically and culturally with these characters and themes will be stronger and make for a better story in the future.
I still think human male mage is the best for the Inquisitor
Actually I have no problem with the plot points at all, killing all the clans or even making the retcon about the mages(if there was indeed one).
The problem is that the Inquisitor feels too human, DA:O had some nice dialogues and side missions where you felt that the game acknowledged your status in society and your anger, like saying to King Cailen, "you are not my king" and so on. Overall I think it is the lack of options and favoritism that makes DA:I even worse in that aspect.
Agreed with the OP for the most part about it being the best story, though I saw most of the victim-blaming as "in universe." Destroying a homeland for Red Crossing was grossly disproportionate at best, and I thought that came through. Dorian's embarrassment whenever he realized that what his people had stolen from the elves, right down to their magical techniques was priceless. The abuse heaped onto the modern elves for supposed ancient crimes also seemed grossly out of proportion, but again I interpreted that as "in universe."
As for the gods, the elves can now say their gods existed for certain, which puts them one up on the Andrasteans
I also liked the the reveal about the gods in ancient times. The fluffy-bunny Dalish gods never seemed convincing. I kind of gathered that they retconned their history. As for Solas, he's imaginably bitter. He thought he was doing the elves a favour by destroying their gods, and now they use his name as a curse-word. Worse, deep down it likely stings worse because he knows they're right. His decision destroyed them, and after the first playhrough I interpreted his anti-Dalish stuff to defensiveness and misdirected guilt.
I've played all the origins now, and I like the Lavellan story best. It will likely be my canon, when I finally do it.
The "PC is too human" thing was worse in DA:O IMO, all the non-human PC's were pretty much human nobles after their origin stories finished apart from the occasional "oh, your a elf/dwarf" comment from people & the slightly different reactions when going back to Orzammar as a dwarf or the Alienage as a city elf
No, it was not just little dialogues, there is a real continuation of your introduction story if you are an elf or dwarf when going back to you preview home, I expected this with DA:I but it got relegated to war table missions. Not knowing who is Mythal break the game completely for me and some lack of options about your heritage, a thing that I did not felt in DA:O.
Let me say that all my canon PTs are always non-human but this time I made one a human noble because it just felt right.
I'm with you at "I'd rather be a city elf," but this is over-generalizing. If you try to neatly judge individuals by the flaws of the society that they belong to, it too easily becomes black and white fanaticism.
A person can belong to a culture without supporting all its aspects, especially if they're born into it and don't have a wide array of alternatives.
Ironic accusing someone of becoming a black and white fanatic towards a culture that is based on that concept. 
I'm pretty sure the plan is just to hold on to what they are able to fit in their current one. If they learn their ancestors kept slaves, that doesn't mean they are all going to suddenly decide slavery was a great idea. It's hardly an all or nothing situation.
Both Felessan and Solas are sad about the loss of Arlathan despite also being aware it had serious problems.
We'll see.
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