Dai,While you made good points there is one important thing you overlooked.. How could you trust a man that wants you dead? Sure that sorrowful look is meaningless in the grand scheme and if you loose the Landsmeet he orders your warden and Alistair's execution and in his glee he dooms Ferelden..
There's no need to trust. He is stripped of all title and power. He is tainted. He only has one path to travel at that point: The way of the Grey Warden. He wants Ferelden to survive and thrive. He thought only he could make that possible. Now that he is forced to follow your way, you don't have to trust him to keep to it. Or rather, I trusted him to give his life for his country. After everything else is stripped away, what you're left with is a skilled warrior who will die for his country, which is exactly what I needed of him.
As for losing the Landsmeet, we never actually get to see what he had planned. He said to take the Wardens outside to await execution, but who knows, he may have imprisoned them somewhere just in case. He has Ser Cauthrien take them to Fort Drakon when he could have had them both killed right then and there.
If you lose the duel he disobeys the rules of the duel and kills you.
I think that's more of a game mechanic. It's just the game over screen. The game cannot continue from a point of loss. You must win the duel to proceed. Also, the person who fought the duel is likely only knocked out, as is the case in any regular battle if a party member falls. Remember, you can have any party member other than Dog fight the duel with Loghain.
Actually Riordan don't have a point, Loghain is defeated man and a fail, not only fail to unite Ferelden, fail to defend his status and failed fighting to defend his honor, only waiting to be executed. Why want to recruit a failed man?
He's a skilled warrior and general of renown. Let him be of use. There are compelling reasons to have as many Grey Wardens on hand as possible to deal with the Archdemon.
Should The Warden is not there to the rescue, he's not there in the Landsmeet.
That makes no sense. He was there to help Riordan escape. So your point is moot. So he shouldn't be listened to simply because he needed your help to escape? That makes no sense.
The Warden and Alistair are the leading Grey Warden who took part in everything in Ferelden to fight The Blight, Riordan is just a failed character win which should The Warden don't be there, he's dead, by means he's INSIGNIFICANT to take account on. he's just "saved by plot" character.
As are the Warden and Alistair if saved from Fort Drakon by their companions.
He talks too much for someone who know nothing and do nothing, he's not the one who going all the troubles to gather an army ALONE. Someone who is in his position should not interfere someone who make all the efforts, he forgot his place.
His place is to defeat the Archdemon. Putting Loghain through the Joining helps in that effort. So he wasn't out of place and he knew exactly what he was talking about.
Alistair want Loghain being executed, Riordan should just let it be and everyone just focus on fighting The Blight after Loghain being executed. Riordan interference that lead to loosing a potential ally.
Riordan simply mentioned another option. It's up to you to accept his suggestion or reject it. He could have conscripted Loghain, but he didn't. He left it up to you.
His justification to interfere IS he thought everyone know how to defeat The Blight, that's why he suggest to recruit Loghain, he admit that if he know that everyone don't know he wouldn't interfere. That's a stupid excuse to interfere Ferelden matters, should he only need another Grey Warden to kill the Archdemon, he can recruit ANYONE
No he can't. There is no time to seek out other candidates. And he never assumed anyone knew how to kill an archdemon, which is why he only said that there are "compelling reasons" to have as many Grey Wardens on hand to deal with the Archdemon.
Once a Grey Warden always a Grey Warden, after all only Grey Warden can kill Archdemon, by letting Alistair executed Ferelden LOST ONE OF THREE chances to kill Archdemon. So by means Riordan is stupid by letting Alistair being executed no matter what the excuse.
Like Anders said, he can run away from the order but he can never run away from all those bad dreams
Loghain just lost duel with The Warden, he only survive because The Warden show mercy, should he fought Alistair and loose, his head being chopped off and end of his story, everyone then just focus on Ferelden succession and fighting The Blight without any drama caused by Riordan.
He silenced about Alistair execution, but making noise while Loghain to be executed, that's show he have biased mind...he want Alistair to be executed for reasons...and that's also show he's stupid, because Alistair is one of the candidate who can kill Archdemon, while Loghain is yet to survive The Joining
Ferelden lost Alistair as a chance to kill the Archdemon when he decided to leave, not if he was executed. After all, you can spare his life and he still won't show up to take the final blow.
Anders proves you wrong then. You can run from the order. Alistair ran from the order. He is no longer a Grey Warden. Then he tried to run from the dreams by drinking.
So what is your point, that Loghain is not as good a fighter as Alistair? Irrelevant. He is still a good fighter. As for Riordan, he is not able to mention his idea to Alistair because Alistair is too impulsive and bloodthirsty.
Riordan didn't want Alistair to be executed. Don't be ridiculous. He didn't protest the execution because Alistair had already decided to abandon his duty to end the Blight. If you notice, Riordan doesn't protest Loghain's execution either. He merely tells you that there is another use for Loghain. If you reject his advice, he allows you to execute him. He doesn't conscript him, for example.
I bring that up to show that recruiting Loghain don't give any benefitial result than not recruiting him in the game, it just a plot convenience. Loghain is just a "mystery companion" to be unlocked and his presence in the party don't give anything like what being propagated about him for his recruitment. Loghain didn't plan the assault on Denerim, didn't plan how to handle the Archdemon, didn't plan on how to handle the army of Darkspawn, he didn't make any military strategy at all....he plan NOTHING and just follow the team as party member...he don't even suggest anything. But what the excuse to recruit him? "Loghain is a good strategist, a general and a experienced fighter"....
Recruiting Loghain is just the same with like not recruiting him, no difference between having him and Alistair in the party. The plot afterward are THE VERY SAME.
You're wrong. Loghain is actually better than Alistair in battle. Also, if you speak to him in his room at Redcliffe he will go through some strategy. He will tell you that you should allow him to take the final blow, and this is even if you come to him with the information on the Dark Ritual. And of course he doesn't command anything. The Warden becomes the leader of the army.
The plot isn't the same. In one plot Alistair dies. In the other he lives.