50 réponses à ce sujet

[phishface]

All writing and art comes from somewhere. There's a whole lot of both in Dragon Age. So where does it come from - what inspires the writers and artists?

 

Some sources of inspiration might include the stuff below, though it's all guesswork. It would be interesting to have an insight from the people who have created this world.

 

1. Cole's appearance is quite similar to Jimmy Cauty's depiction of Legolas:

 

 

2. Cole often speaks (beautifully) in poetry, which to me is reminiscent of Gerald Manley Hopkins. For example, Spring.

 

3. The Veil is a tiny bit like the féth fíada from Irish mythology, which has also been called a veil.

 

4. Morrigan is a well known name from Irish mythology. She often transformed into a crow.

 

5. Some of the other names chosen for characters are interesting. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into them. Take Fen'Harel. It's superficially similar to Fenrir, the monstrous wolf from Norse mythology, who is a son of Loki, the trickster god. 'Harel' is a Hebrew surname, meaning "mountain of God". No idea what that means, if anything.

 

6. Corypheus is a form of Coryphaeus/Koryphaios. It originally signified the leader of the chorus in Greek drama.

 

7. Pavus is Latin for 'peacock'.

 

8. Valta is Finnish for 'power'.

[Andraste_Reborn]

Andraste is another Celtic goddess - she's the deity that Boudica prayed to before going off to burn down Londinium.

 

(She's also the deity I borrowed my handle from; I've been going by Andraste on the internet since 2000.)

[Andromelek]

Titans are clearly inspired by their homonym on the Greek mythology.

Devs said that Vivienne's outfit was inspired by Maleficent.

The effects of drinking dragon blood (source of power and knowledge) may come from Siegfried drinking Fafnir's blood on the norse myth.

This one is little tricky, but there is an Ainur called Yavanna that is responsible of the first growing things (plants and trees), Yavana (without one of the "n") is (if I recall correctly) an hindu term that was used to address the Greek speakers, both more or less fit with the Witch, who cares for Dragons rather than for plants saying that their blood is "the blood of the world" and is able to speak an unknown language.

The Chantry is an allusion to the Catholic Church, the Exalted Marches are like the Crusades and the Qunari seemingly an equivalent to the Ottomans.

Elves also seemed inspired by LotR's lore but they turned to be a lot of morons in comparison.

[riverbanks]

Elves also seemed inspired by LotR's lore but they turned to be a lot of morons in comparison.

 

Actually, they originally (way way back when Origins was still under development) claimed that the depiction of elves as the downtrodden opressed class in DA universe was supposed to subvert the Tolkienesque/RPG cliché of ~all powerful all mysterious~ godlike elves.

 

Of course, as the series goes on, it seems DA elves are turning out to be the exact same kind of Tolkienesque/RPG ~all powerful all mysterious~ godlike elves cliché they were trying to subvert, but... there was an intention in there of avoiding this trope, once. Pity it didn't last.

[Tielis]

Actually, they originally (way way back when Origins was still under development) claimed that the depiction of elves as the downtrodden opressed class in DA universe was supposed to subvert the Tolkienesque/RPG cliché of ~all powerful all mysterious~ godlike elves.

 

Of course, as the series goes on, it seems DA elves are turning out to be the exact same kind of Tolkienesque/RPG ~all powerful all mysterious~ godlike elves cliché they were trying to subvert, but... there was an intention in there of avoiding this trope, once. Pity it didn't last.

 

Yes, because everyone was trying to subvert the Tolkien elves at that time.  WoW was wildly successful, so everyone jumped on that train.

 

Honestly, I think it's as tired a trope as the Drow.

[ComedicSociopathy]

Our suffering. 

[Gervaise]

I've never really understood why the Qun are thought to be based on the Ottoman Empire.    To my mind they have always made me think more of Communism, with Koslun being Karl Marx and the Tome being Das Kapital or The Communist Manifesto.

[QueenCrow]

Elves also seemed inspired by LotR's lore but they turned to be a lot of morons in comparison.

 

Tolkien was inspired by Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda.  In the Medieval Icelandic text, elves are powerful magical beings who are very hard to differentiate in the story from Vanir gods.  They interbreed with humans and the resulting offspring are human in appearance who have significant magical powers.  

 

Tolkien's dwarves were also inspired by the Prose and Poetic Eddas and J.R.R even borrows some of the dwarf names from the Poetic Edda for The Hobbit.  It's the Medieval text that describes dwarves as proficient miners and skilled craftsmen.

[Andromelek]

I've never really understood why the Qun are thought to be based on the Ottoman Empire.    To my mind they have always made me think more of Communism, with Koslun being Karl Marx and the Tome being Das Kapital or The Communist Manifesto.

Maybe a merge of both, they are like ottomans since they both conquered a large territory from their counterpart for a while (Tevinter/Spain), none of them allowed women to fight, they are rigid on their beliefs, and are more advanced technologically, as well as more hygienic.

Tolkien was inspired by Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda.  In the Medieval Icelandic text, elves are powerful magical beings who are very hard to differentiate in the story from Vanir gods.  They interbreed with humans and the resulting offspring are human in appearance who have significant magical powers.  
 
Tolkien's dwarves were also inspired by the Prose and Poetic Eddas and J.R.R even borrows some of the dwarf names from the Poetic Edda for The Hobbit.  It's the Medieval text that describes dwarves as proficient miners and skilled craftsmen.

Thanks! Now that I think about it, wouldn't be the Old Gods an allusion to the Nidhogg? You know, sealed underground, big mess if they rise, but still necessary.

[sniper_arrow]

Based on the DA Wiki, DAO was inspired by the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

[catabuca]

Based on the DA Wiki, DAO was inspired by the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

 

Yep, the idea of a hoard of seemingly mindless monsters threatening the world, and those in power fiddling while Rome burns.

[Andromelek]

Based on the DA Wiki, DAO was inspired by the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Which was also inspired by Tolkien's work which as Lindraen said, was inspired by Prose and Poetic Eddas, I think those are the primordial precursors.

[QueenCrow]

Maybe a merge of both, they are like ottomans since they both conquered a large territory from their counterpart for a while (Tevinter/Spain), none of them allowed women to fight, they are rigid on their beliefs, and are more advanced technologically, as well as more hygienic.

Thanks! Now that I think about it, wouldn't be the Old Gods an allusion to the Nidhogg? You know, sealed underground, big mess if they rise, but still necessary.

 

That's a really awesome idea!  You've inspired me to think about it, and I wonder if the Titans in Dragon Age are inspired by Jötnar/Giants, especially Ymir, whose body and blood was is so important to the earth as the stories go.  And I wonder if we're heading toward some kind of Ragnarok event with the Evanuris and Old Gods.

 

That'd be cool, even if scary, or especially because it's scary.

 

Thank you for the daydreaming inspiration!

[Marika Haliwell]

Andromelek can i correct you ? Tevinter is based on the Ancient Roman Empire , Antiva is inspired by Spain .

[Andromelek]

Andromelek can i correct you ? Tevinter is based on the Ancient Roman Empire , Antiva is inspired by Spain .

Of course you can however I will explain myself, I didn't mean that Tevinter is Spain, I was pointing out that Ottomans conquered Spain for a time while Qunari conquered Tevinter, perhaps I should have used Ottomans taking over Jerusalem instead?

And Antiva is a merge of Spain and Italy, judging for their accent.

[Andraste_Reborn]

The Qunari have never conquered Tevinter - are you thinking of Rivain?

[Andromelek]

The Qunari have never conquered Tevinter - are you thinking of Rivain?

They did conquered part of it, and, well, I admit I have taken a comment from another thread that said that Qunari did submitted Tevinter during the Qunari Wars, my bad, still, I do believe thei are an allusion to Ottomans.

[Andromelek]

That's a really awesome idea!  You've inspired me to think about it, and I wonder if the Titans in Dragon Age are inspired by Jötnar/Giants, especially Ymir, whose body and blood was is so important to the earth as the stories go.  And I wonder if we're heading toward some kind of Ragnarok event with the Evanuris and Old Gods.
 
That'd be cool, even if scary, or especially because it's scary.
 
Thank you for the daydreaming inspiration!

It could be, although their abilities to creation seems more on fit to the greek Titans, however one thing can have more than one inspiration, so, it could be a merge.

On Ragnarok's matter, I was exactly thinking the same when Cassandra said that the dead would rise in the end of the days, something similar happens on Ragnarok.

[rpgfan321]

This is very interesting topic

 

The concept of Paragons very much reminds me of east asian cultures as those countries have rituals where families honor ancestors on the days they passed away. They also have the concept that those ancestors watch over them even though their mortal bodies turn to dust. It's very spiritual. 

 

Not to mention the caste system found in Orzammar is reflective of the one find in India.

[QueenCrow]

It could be, although their abilities to creation seems more on fit to the greek Titans, however one thing can have more than one inspiration, so, it could be a merge.

On Ragnarok's matter, I was exactly thinking the same when Cassandra said that the dead would rise in the end of the days, something similar happens on Ragnarok.

 

I think you're right about the merge.  There have been many parallels drawn between similar Indo-European traditions of war between gods that involve rebellion of a group against a dominant or elder group.  Titans vs. Olympians is always included in that traditional narrative, as is Aesir vs. Jötnar or Aesir vs. Vanir, Virabhadra's rebellion and conquest against the early Vedic gods and even Lucifer's rebellion in Christian tradition.  I'm sure there are more that others can add to the list that might be inspirational to war between gods in Dragon Age, or the idea of rebellion in Dragon Age.

 

Likewise, what you've pointed out about Cassandra fits most traditional ancient traditions regarding death, along with Nevarran/Andrastian ideas.  Nice catch on that one.

[QueenCrow]

This is very interesting topic

 

The concept of Paragons very much reminds me of east asian cultures as those countries have rituals where families honor ancestors on the days they passed away. They also have the concept that those ancestors watch over them even though their mortal bodies turn to dust. It's very spiritual. 

 

Not to mention the caste system found in Orzammar is reflective of the one find in India.

 

Thank you!  As someone not very well educated in Eastern tradition, I really appreciate your help with it!  If you think of other parallels, please send them my way!

[BansheeOwnage]

 

5. Some of the other names chosen for characters are interesting. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into them. Take Fen'Harel. It's superficially similar to Fenrir, the monstrous wolf from Norse mythology

 

8. Valta is Finnish for 'power'.

Fenrir is also the exact elven word for wolf (hence Fenris, also).

 

Valta means power? Kind of scary.

 

And I'm really surprised Andraste is a real word/figure.

[NeverlandHunter]

There are definitely tons!

I think Morrigan and Alistair have a lot of parallels with Morgan La Fey (Morgana) and King Arthur.

The Crossroads have always reminded me of the Wood between the Worlds from the Chronicles of Narnia.

People have often pointed out that Thedas is practically an upside down Western Europe.

The name of the Old Gods sound like the names of angels from the Bible.

Dumat, the Dragon of Silence and the archdemon of the First Blight

Zazikel, the Dragon of Chaos and the archdemon of the Second Blight

Toth, the Dragon of Fire and the archdemon of the Third Blight

Andoral, the Dragon of Slaves and the archdemon of the Fourth Blight

Urthemiel, the Dragon of Beauty and the archdemon of the Fifth Blight

Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery

Lusacan, the Dragon of Night

And they become archdemons instead of being archangels 

Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raziel, Lucifer, ect.

[M4RVELOUS_MiKE]

The writers were clearly inspired by the elves of Tolkien's universe. The Uthenera is really a remake of the elven voyage to the undying lands. And the human precursors in the Necromenians were clearly inspired by the Numenorians.

 

One story aspect however that might have passed below the radar that many might have missed is that Blackwall's entire character and background story really is a near carbon copy to that of Cheradine Zakalwe, a character out of Iain M Banks Culture series. If you haven't read Use of Weapons I promote it warmly.

 

With regards to the Titans; Dragon Age 4: Titanomachy anyone?    

 

 

[NeverlandHunter]

Fenrir is also the exact elven word for wolf (hence Fenris, also).

 

Valta means power? Kind of scary.

 

And I'm really surprised Andraste is a real word/figure.

Yeah, she's interesting. Here's a page on her!

There's definitely parallels, especially with Queen Boudicca too!