34 réponses à ce sujet

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

I've wondered about this since Ostagar back in DAO. The quest you get to obtain a mabari if you start in any origin besides Cousland has you dealing with a mabari who has drunk darkspawn blood while fighting and will soon need to be put down because of it. As far as I am aware there is no way to ingest darkspawn blood without becoming tainted. so, the dog was tainted. And that's basically a death sentence, which is why the kennel master is talking about putting it down as a mercy killing. But this is where things get interesting, cus apparently there is another option. A flower, white with a red center. A flower that can apparently "help dogs who get sick from biting darkspawn".

 

So, let me get this straight. There is an herb that can heal the sickness you get when you ingest darkspawn blood? How is this possible? Is this flower, and however the kennel master prepared it, the long sought cure for the taint?

 

The other option, I suppose, is that it instead made the dog a mabari version of a Grey Warden. But you'd think that'd still require Archdemon blood, too, so...

 

Just what is up with this mystery flower?

[Crimson Vanguard]

Also blood magic. Blood magic can purify the taint. Grand Enchanter Fiona is also an ex Gray Warden and her taint is cured. Merrill used Blood Magic to purify the Eluvian. And Garahel's sister used Blood Magic to purify the Griffon eggs during the 4th Blight.

[thats1evildude]

Amusingly, that flower is referenced in The Last Flight as a possible cure for tainted griffons, but then dismissed as "mere legend."

 

My impression was that the dog was still tainted; it just helped him survive longer.

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

Amusingly, that flower is referenced in The Last Flight as a possible cure for tainted griffons, but then dismissed as "mere legend."

 

My impression was that the dog was still tainted; it just helped him survive longer.

Even that would be an accomplishment in and of itself, though.

 

I wonder. Plants take in and hold the chemical properties of their surroundings. Perhaps these flowers only grow above old god prisons or something? Or have some connection to blood magic having happened in the area? Areas with a thinned veil? I mean the Kocari Wilds creeped everyone out for a reason and it wouldn't surprise me if the veil was thinner there. Any of these things could potentially allow it to effect the blight, be it curing it or just making a canine version of a grey warden.

 

I'm pleased it got mentioned in Last Flight. (I still have to read that one.) As for the flower being a legend, is it considered a legend that it even exists or just a legend that it can cure the taint? Having seen it actually exist and also effect the taint, be it curing it or simply prolonging the dog's life, I think the assumption its legendary in either respect is more likely an unreliable narrator moment than, say, a retcon. But still curious which aspect is supposed to be legendary.

 

And did anyone ever bother to ask the devs this question before? About the flower in general, I mean. The plant itself clearly hasn't been forgotten since it appears in the books. I wonder if this means there's something truly to this?

[In Exile]

The quest is likely just an artefact of the tortured development process in DAO. There's a lot about Ostagar that's just total and complete nonsense because of all the re-writes. For example, the sheer incompetence and study re: Loghain was supposed to be because he was mind controlled by the AD, and be initially conspired with Arl Howe (later Bioware says he didn't until after Ostagar). The DR is also a late addition - before you just had to track down a magical anti-AD sword the GWs use.

[LorenzEffect]

Perhaps the dog trainer was mistaken, and the dog wasn't even tainted to begin with? Although that would be a pretty unsatisfying answer.

[Evil Asch]

Valya rummaging through manuscripts... "Well ****."

[Hydwn]

Amusingly, that flower is referenced in The Last Flight as a possible cure for tainted griffons, but then dismissed as "mere legend."

 

My impression was that the dog was still tainted; it just helped him survive longer.

 

As I recall, it came up in a discussion on how the joining for griffins has to be different from that of humans.  It's possible that the flower only effects a joining ritual for dogs, and that Dog became an effective canine grey warden the way lyrium and archdemon blood mixed with darkspawn blood makes a human grey warden.  

There might be similar things for other species.  Dragons reist blight, Frederic of Serault tells us, which is likely why Cory had to corrupt his using red lyrium.  Ser-Pounce-a-Lot once fought off a genlock.  Have to wonder if he could have been blighted.

[Treacherous J Slither]

As I recall, it came up in a discussion on how the joining for griffins has to be different from that of humans. It's possible that the flower only effects a joining ritual for dogs, and that Dog became an effective canine grey warden the way lyrium and archdemon blood mixed with darkspawn blood makes a human grey warden.

There might be similar things for other species. Dragons reist blight, Frederic of Serault tells us, which is likely why Cory had to corrupt his using red lyrium. Ser-Pounce-a-Lot once fought off a genlock. Have to wonder if he could have been blighted.

A genlock lost to a *****? Really?

[Illegitimus]

A genlock lost to a *****? Really?

 

No, not really.  The cat clawed it's nose.  

[springacres]

As I recall, it came up in a discussion on how the joining for griffins has to be different from that of humans.  It's possible that the flower only effects a joining ritual for dogs, and that Dog became an effective canine grey warden the way lyrium and archdemon blood mixed with darkspawn blood makes a human grey warden. 

^My headcanon about Dog in a nutshell.  It makes a lot more sense than assuming he was cured of the taint, anyway.  Besides, what Warden WOULDN'T want their faithful mabari as a member of their order?  (Well, I suppose apart from Wardens who don't like dogs, but...)

[Ranadiel Marius]

^My headcanon about Dog in a nutshell. It makes a lot more sense than assuming he was cured of the taint, anyway. Besides, what Warden WOULDN'T want their faithful mabari as a member of their order? (Well, I suppose apart from Wardens who don't like dogs, but...)

Wait a second, doesn't Barkspawn spend Awakening repopulating the Mabari race? That would seem to go against Barkspawn being a Grey Warden since they are virtually sterile. Unless he failed in his mission. In which case you head canoned the Mabari race to extinction you monster!

[springacres]

Wait a second, doesn't Barkspawn spend Awakening repopulating the Mabari race? That would seem to go against Barkspawn being a Grey Warden since they are virtually sterile. Unless he failed in his mission. In which case you head canoned the Mabari race to extinction you monster!

Yeah, I just realized that.  On the other hand, since the ritual for four-leggers is different from what the two-leggers go through, maybe the taint didn't render Barkspawn sterile.

 

...It's a stretch, I know, but that's my headcanon and I'm sticking to it.

[Kezza]

What about Avernus? He remained a Grey Warden for years while having the Taint and extending his life to a few hundred years through the use of blood magic. He even weaponised the Grey Warden taint over the years.

[springacres]

What about Avernus? He remained a Grey Warden for years while having the Taint and extending his life to a few hundred years through the use of blood magic. He even weaponised the Grey Warden taint over the years.

I'm not sure that qualifies as a cure per se, though it might eventually lead to one.

 

However, my canon Warden refuses to have anything whatsoever to do with blood magic.  He's a little fuzzy on whether things like the DR and the Joining constitute true blood magic, but he sees no such gray areas with Avernus' research.  His belief is that if you're doing something that requires torturing others or using blood to power spells, not only are you doing it wrong, but the rest of your life is going to be very short and painful.

[Treacherous J Slither]

I'm not sure that qualifies as a cure per se, though it might eventually lead to one.

However, my canon Warden refuses to have anything whatsoever to do with blood magic. He's a little fuzzy on whether things like the DR and the Joining constitute true blood magic, but he sees no such gray areas with Avernus' research. His belief is that if you're doing something that requires torturing others or using blood to power spells, not only are you doing it wrong, but the rest of your life is going to be very short and painful.

Why do you think using blood magic is "doing it wrong", and why would this result in a short and painful life?

[Ranadiel Marius]

What about Avernus? He remained a Grey Warden for years while having the Taint and extending his life to a few hundred years through the use of blood magic. He even weaponised the Grey Warden taint over the years.

I seem to recall that it is implied/stated (perhaps in DA2?) that Avernus is reaching the end of his ability to hold it back and he will either die or sucumb to the Blight in a couple of years. So he does not have a cure, just a way to slow it.

[springacres]

Why do you think using blood magic is "doing it wrong", and why would this result in a short and painful life?

As a player, I can see arguments for and against the use of blood magic.  I haven't used it in my playthroughs yet, but I can see some of its potential.

 

My canon Warden, however, is an elvhen Circle mage who holds blood mages, and particularly the magisters of the Tevinter Imperium, responsible for the fact that mages are feared throughout most of Thedas.  He doesn't believe blood should ever be used to power spells, and his knee-jerk reaction to any blood mage can best be described as KILL IT NOW, because he doesn't think magic that potentially allows the caster that kind of power over someone else's mind and body should ever be necessary. 

[Treacherous J Slither]

As a player, I can see arguments for and against the use of blood magic. I haven't used it in my playthroughs yet, but I can see some of its potential.

My canon Warden, however, is an elvhen Circle mage who holds blood mages, and particularly the magisters of the Tevinter Imperium, responsible for the fact that mages are feared throughout most of Thedas. He doesn't believe blood should ever be used to power spells, and his knee-jerk reaction to any blood mage can best be described as KILL IT NOW, because he doesn't think magic that potentially allows the caster that kind of power over someone else's mind and body should ever be necessary.

Ah I see. So what you posted earlier was more your characters belief and not your own? *shrugs* If you say so.

Control is just one of blood magics many applications but apparently it's the one that scares people the most. Understandable.

[springacres]

Ah I see. So what you posted earlier was more your characters belief and not your own? *shrugs* If you say so.

Actually, that's a good question.  He's a longstanding OC of mine and it's sometimes hard to separate his views, ideas and opinions from my own.

[Treacherous J Slither]

Actually, that's a good question. He's a longstanding OC of mine and it's sometimes hard to separate his views, ideas and opinions from my own.

That's impressive. You are quite the role player ma'am. Kudos.

[springacres]

That's impressive. You are quite the role player sir. Kudos.

I'm a woman IRL, but thanks.

[Treacherous J Slither]

Fixed d(^_^d)

De nada.

[Azarias59]

Some have speculated that the curing of Fiona's taint was due to her being pregnant with Alistair, who is a descendant of Calenhad and thus has the blood of the dragons (or something of that sort). And dragons, as you surely know, or resistant to the taint. Though that is not to say they are completely immune.

[WardenKelda]

My theory is that pregnancy in general would 'cure' the taint. Working in much the same way as Morrigan's dark ritual which draws the archdemon soul into a foetus and renders it safe, a warden woman getting pregnant by a non-warden male would cause the taint in her to be split in two and weakening an already weak taint to a level which is negligible. Rendering the baby more likely to survive the Joining if undertaken and the woman no longer able to sense Darkspawn.

 

Of course in practice it would be rare as all get out. Since a. Women Wardens are rare b. a relationship with a compatible non-warden male person has to exist c. the Warden would actually have to get pregnant and carry to term.