107 réponses à ce sujet

[Ieldra]

Of course i am not really angry but it just annoys me a little that he would call this a dumb idea because it isn't 

 

And you never know i could be the person living next door   .

...yeah, but you'd never know.

[Heimdall]

Personally I wouldn't mind it so much if they delayed the Qunari invasion one more game. It could be a constant sword of Damocles in DA4, but it wouldn't actually take place until the very end. Sort of like the Nilfgaardian invasion in TW2, actually. I think it deserves a game of its own, and that Antiva, Rivain, Seheron, and Par Vollen should feature heavily in it. As a matter of fact, this would be perfect for my naval adventure idea   A revolution in Tevinter seems like a perfect preamble for such a game. And to be fair, I detest the Solas plot and want to be done with it instead of mixing it with a highly anticipated event.

 

CardButton, you've put a lot of work into this and it shows. I'd rather the Inquisitor didn't return, but I'm not ardently opposed to a dual protagonist and I like what I've read so far. I'll get back to you with specifics when I finish reading your "little" essay 

You're not the only one that loves the naval adventure idea 

 

To be clear, I don't want the Qunari invasion to finished in DA4, in fact, I think keeping it in the background (Slowly encroaching) in DA4 and bringing it into the foreground in DA5 would help build it up. 

[CardButton]

DISCLAIMER:

 

Okie-Doke!  Here we go with the whole story thing.  First thing I should note is that I originally wrote this as an architecture of a storyline, not an actual story itself.  The fundamental problems I had with writing a "fan-fiction" style narrative about DA4 with two PCs is that: 1) I only have theories to work with in regards to Solas' true intentions; 2) We the players/readers have yet to have a chance to experience Tevinter first hand and therefore there is a remarkably limited amount of information about the current Tevinter political and social situations, which in turn made it remarkably difficult to create anything more than a concrete story structure (like a skeleton) around it.  I simply could not use, what I do not know.  Finally, 3) Because I know so little about the setting beyond what is in the official content thus far I had a lot of trouble writing up appropriate companions for this story ... not in terms of function, but instead in terms of personality.  Followers for both PC's I know "what they should be" not so much "who they should be" and this is also partially because I'm more function oriented than form oriented in terms of the way I think so I don't write characters very well.  As such, it should be noted that while the Companion's introduction and brief descriptions of their function within the story is addressed, their role within the story is kept rather minimal ... and can be shaped to the stories needs.  This in a lesser degree applies to decisions as well, and since there were two PCs I widdled down the "Choices" a little bit to focus more on LONG TERM effects, rather than Short Term immediate results.  Hence the reason I went with the four additional passive reps listed above.  All decisions will have smaller influences on the game AND will have their own set of epilogues.  The passive byproducts of those decisions (unintended and intended consequences) will also have their own sets of Epilogue slides. 

 

In short what this "fan-fiction game" is, is a gussied up basic structure in which all the "Fluff" content ... Followers, Choices, Side Quests, could be built upon.  The only difference is I thought it would be boring to simply write it that way so I took a crack at writing my own "story" along with it.  Hopefully it turned out ... OK.  I've never messed with narrative things like this before.  Hope you enjoy and I also hope it doesn't anger you folks!  

 

 

[CardButton]

My Dual PC Storyline:

 

Prologue -“On the Road to Tevinter” (Inquisitor PC)

 

-“Story”- A reflection of a road once traveled while on the road forward.  The Inquisitor, now a refugee (one among many), traveling with a caravan along the Imperial Highway towards the Capital City of Minrathous.  Slipping in and out of consciousness due to the pain of the new lyrium additions running the length of their now crippled arm and up the back of their neck (to facilitate the prosthetic “Architect”, which was awaiting them at their destination) the Inquisitor begins their story in a very familiar place, the Fade, this time in their dreams and revisiting very familiar memories; The Exalted Council and the incidents surrounding Solas 10 months ago.  A Blue Palace … A Mountain Ruin … A Broken Library … An Elven Conclave.  Scattered memories that have led to what now is and propel events to come (the very events of “Trespasser” itself).

 

-“Content”- In short, this prologue is an abridged version of the final DA:I DLC “Trespasser” in order to allow players to play through a shortened, but concise, version of the DLC that had entwined the Inquisitor so fundamentally to the narrative of Solas.  Told in a series of memories within the Fade as the Inquisitor “dreams” this retelling will allow new and old players alike to experience its content and more importantly give them a chance to make those major decisions included within that DLC for themselves.  The “required” memories will transition from one to the next, altered slightly to allow for the necessary back-story to be portrayed, while narrowing the content enough to save for time.  Transitions between each scene can be done either through Fade transitions or transitions through Eluvians (within the Dream) and the sequence of events as described below are those that would best present the needed information (along with a single Codex edit to smooth out the narrative flow).  The cinematic content needed to make this work (I timed it) rounds in at about 24.5 minutes, so getting this down to the preferred quest length of 1-1/2 to 2 hour mark is perfectly doable.  The Inquisitor PC will be given a preset party of 3 and will begin at level 10 with a default class build to allow for a brief taste of high level play.  Finally, since this is a recap section much of the dialogue and set pieces can be recycled from the actual DLC itself, with a small bit of editing to make them more “Fade-like” in order to cut down on the costs a bit.

 

-1) The Opening and Exalted Council cinematics, followed by the Discovery of the Qunari Corpse (Mother Giselle dialogue and optional companion dialogue have been removed for the sake of time).

 

-2) The Crossroads and "Elven Mountain Ruins" sections with the final Qunari report found within the ruins being edited to mention "Dragon's Breath, the link to Fen'Harel, and the Viddesala", but these can remain vague.  (This is to facilitate both the post Elven Mountain Ruins cinematic and the Deeproads sections being cut).

 

-3) The Post-Deeproads section cinematic (the discovery of the Gatlock Barrels) and the "Shattered Library" section.

 

-4) Post Shattered Library cinematic (Qunari Spies and Anchor Pain) followed immediately by the Darvaarad Bridge Cinematic (post Dragon fight) and the final pursuit of Solas through the Ancient Elven ruins.  Includes Tutorial Boss Fight (Saarath).

 

-5) The Exalted Council final cinematic and Inquisiition decision, followed by the only "new" content within the Prologue which will be an extended version of the after credit scene which curtails a quick rundown of the plan of attack and the prosthetic “Architect”.

 

- Tutorial Mini-Boss – Saarath

- Inquisitor PC Choice: A “Wolf” in Sheep’s Clothing – Save vs Stop Solas

- Inquisitor PC Choice: Fate of the Inquistion – Disband or Retain the Inquisition

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DRAGON AGE 4: IMPERIUM

 

Act 1 Begin -“Kingdom of Slaves”

 

Act 1 Tevinter PC Content:

 

- Rumors: Strangness of Elves - NPC’s discussing an influx of Elven Refugees (Unusual in Tevinter).

- Side Quests: Depths of Tevinter – Quests based around lower and middle level slaver in Tevinter.

- Side Quests: Practice – Practice makes perfect, mage hunting is no different.

- Tevinter PC Companion Quest: Female Qunari Slave - (Reaver) - Love Interest – Hornless

 

Act 1 Inquisitor PC Content:

 

- Rumors: Movements of the Qun - NPC’s discussing military information about the Qunari.

- Side Quests: A Tale of Two Empires - History of Ancient Tevinter and the Ancient Elvhen Empire.

- Side Quests: Archon Aspirations - Assist Dorian in his quest to become Archon.

 

Main Quest 1 -“Humbled Origins” (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Origin Locations / Lower Minrathous

 

--“Story”- Corruption, slavery and illusioned by a grand narrative of the past, the once great Tevinter Imperium remains mired in stagnation.  These very things that had once made the nation so powerful now only served as shackles, inhibiting the country from moving forward, or moving on.  It is within this dismal environment that our Tevinter PC was born, was raised, fought for their country, and eventually fell … ruined and betrayed by the twisted system that had long since consumed Tevinter.  This PC: An Altus of the Lucerni faction, betrayed by those they once thought progressive allies; A Laetan Mage, condemned for a crime they did not commit, by the very Magisters who had committed it;  A Soporati Legionnaire serving with honor and standing against corruption, only to be spurned by their integrity and punished for their loyalty; Lastly a Liberati, a freed slave, who had worked so hard and for so long to obtain their freedom, only for it cast aside at their “Altus” employers earliest convenience.  Sold into the lowest depths of slavery, the “Servus Publicus”, the PC’s fate will be entwined with two others who wish to change the country to its very core.  A mentor, skilled in the art of slaying mages, will teach them the skills they need to fight their oppressors; and led by a broken mage, guilt ridden over mistakes she made in the past and desperate to redeem herself by redeeming the country she loves.

 

-“Content”- Serving as both the Origin Story and a Ostagar style situation this is the Tevinter PC's introduction to the game and the setting.  They as a citizen of Tevinter (of a number of different social classes) will provide DA4 something a Dragon Age game has sorely needed since Origins, an insider's perspective to a setting.  Unfortunately, due to the setting and the story I have written the Tevinter PC requires the use of a Human or Elf PC and as such will be restricted to those races.  Dwarves simply cannot be slaves in Tevinter (I'm stretching it a bit for the Dwarven Inquisitor PC as they are a Liberati, AKA a Freed Slave and a non-citizen servant) and the Qunari have been at war with Tevinter for over 300 years and even though they can be slaves it is doubtful one would be trusted to be a leader of Tevinter's people, especially considering the events that occur in ACT 2.  Both of these aspects are requirements for the Tevinter PC story-line to work, hence the restriction of race.  As penance for the lack of racial choice 4 Origin stories have instead been provided: Altus (Human Mage), Laetan (Human and Elven Mage), Soporati Legionnaire (Any), and Liberati (Any) and like with DA:O these origins will have subtle effects on the story as the game progresses.  Regardless of their chosen status the Tevinter PC will eventually find themselves plunged into the shackles of the lowest cast of slavery, the "Servus Publicus", and it is here that the PC will come in contact with Calpernia and her reformed "Praesumptors" who are working from the bottom-up to change the country.  She herself still remaining scarred from her fate in DA:I will be searching for redemption for her past mistakes (the Venatori) through her redemption of Tevinter itself.  Additionally Marius has returned to Tevinter for his own "purposes" and while remaining notoriously wanted by the authorities in Minrathous, he will serve as the Tevinter PC's combat tutor while working on his own assignments.  His friend and associate Tessa (who is still wanted, but is not as well known) will serve as a follower and a recruiter, serving under the Tevinter PC and Calpernia.  Whether your character still cares for their corrupted home and still wishes for change, wants only to improve upon their now miserable status in life, or simply desires to see Tevinter burn ... this small group of radicals now remains their only potential method to do so.  The Tevinter PC begins at level 1.

 

- Tevinter PC Talent Tree: "Mage Hunter" - Introduction to Mage Hunter skills.

- Tevinter PC Companion: Tessa Forsythia - (Duelist) - In a Relationship

- Tevinter PC Advisor: Marius - Mage Hunter Mentor - "Potential" Love Interest?  

- Tevinter PC Advisor: Calpernia - Love Interest (If she is not romanced she will end up with Marius).

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Main Quest 2 -"Slave Diplomacy" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Lower Minrathous / Minrathous Shipyard / Valarian Fields

 

-"Story"- "The Preasumptors", shadowy thieves of some notoriety within Minrathous, amazingly repurposed into an anti-slavery organization.  Calpernia and Marius had been busy since their return to Tevinter and were putting the groups previous "professional" skills to good use.  Skilled, subtle and now augmented with Mage Hunting techniques the once criminal organization were now proving a formidable force and were already suspected in a number of Altus and Laetan assassinations throughout the capital.  Unfortunately, a rebellion they were not, as the group still would require support from the very people they intended to free if they ever hoped to make any progress.  That would not be easy however as the slave factions of Tevinter were just as divided as rest of the populous and held great contempt for the each other.  Each slave group distinguishing themselves differently from the others in some desperate bid to retain some semblance of pride.  Approaching one group would assuredly damage relations with another and the Preasumptors had neither the resources nor manpower to approach them all ... a choice would have to be made.

 

-"Content"- First official work with Calpernia, Marius and their "Preasumptors" faction, the Tevinter PC works in secrecy under the burdens of their new shackles to help the slave rebellion gain traction. New connections and alliances will be required, but who to approach first?  The "Liberati" due to both their physical location within the city and their status within Slave Society would unfortunately make them unapproachable as things were now.  Their continued "freedom" was too dependent on the their loyalties to the members of Altus that had gifted them that freedom.  That left only two groups the "Praesumptors" could approach with any certain level of safety, both of who Calpernia was working tirelessly to obtain access to their "representatives".  The first option was the Tevinter PC's fellow "Servus Publicus" (unskilled laborers) who had far superior numbers, but lacked access to both the resources and will to focus that man-power constructively.  The other option, the middle class slaves of the of the Agricultural and Industrial sectors of the city, who were lesser in number but allowed access to the materials needed for prolonged rebellion.  A decision had to be made and to do so the Tevinter PC was being sent along with two superior agents to help further negotiations. Regardless of choice, once a connection has been established the "representatives" of that group will promise nothing concrete.  They have seen far too many failed slave rebellions to risk themselves in another that has yet to prove itself.  For the "Praesumptors" to prove this movement was different than its predecessors it would take something big, VERY BIG, to secure the slave factions full cooperation.  "I wonder if Calpernia has something in mind?"

 

- Tevinter PC Companion: Male Elf - (Spirit Warrior) - Love Interest - Representative for the Preasumptors

- Tevinter PC Companion: Female Elf - (Necromancer) - Love Interest - Representative for the Preasumptors

- Tevinter PC Choice: A Slave Alliance - Mid-Level Slaves vs Servus Publicus

 

Main Quest 3 -"A Gilded Collar" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / Three Imperators' Square

 

-"Story"- Awaking in their new quarters the Inquisitor is introduced to Minrathous and their new position as a member of the Pavus household.  As a member of the "Liberati" class the Inquisitor would be working for Dorian and as a "freed" slave, would retain certainly more autonomy than the traditional household servant, but care would still need to be taken to preserve their cover and not drag Dorian into too much political trouble.   To avoid drawing too much attention it had been decided that Dorian and the Inquisitor's remaining allies in the south would be the one's focusing on hunting for Solas and his agents, as they would be expected to continue their search for him regardless.  The Inquisitor's focus would instead be turned to discovering methods deal with Solas if and when he were to be found, as his ability to petrify his opponents at will would make any attempt to stop him superfluous until a such at tactical advantage was found.  Dorian had thus been working on a starting point for the Inquisitor PC to get them access to the magical records of the Circle of Magi, but it was still in the works.  First though, perhaps it was time to meet the master of the house, Magister Pavus, and get some information about his world.

 

-"Content"- Short introductory quest to Upper Minrathous and enhancing the setting.  The Inquisitor needs to allow for their body to recover from the implementation of the new Prosthetic and to allow the Trespasser PC to catch up in levels so combat will be relatively limited in Act 1 and be almost non-existent in the earlier quest.  As an outsider to Tevinter the Inquisitor represents a useful tool in regards to presentation of lore about the country without forcing information onto the Tevinter PC that they as a local should really already know.  Namely, the Tevinter PC is allowed to be written from an insider's perspective to Tevinter BECAUSE of the Inquisitor's presence serving as an outlet for exposition and lore.  As such the Inquisitor needs a little time to explore their new role and new setting and that is primarily what this quest is, as Dorian prepares to help you get access to the Circle of Magi to begin your research.

 

- First Letter from Home: From LI's left behind

- Inquisitor PC Talent Tree: "Architect" Introduction to Prosthetic

- Inquisitor PC Companion: Lace Harding - (Tempest) - Love Interest - Inquisition Contact

- Inquisitor PC Companion: "Handler" Male Human - (Champion) - Love Interest - Dorian Contact

- Inquisitor PC Advisor: Dorian Pavus - Love Interest

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Main Quest 4 -"Crash Course Academia" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / The Circle of Magi

 

-"Story"- Despite the risks it presented to both the Inquisitor's cover and Dorian's political standing, the Circle of Magi and its vast magical and historical resources still remained a tempting prize to the Inquisitor if they ever hoped to find a method to deal with a "demi-god" like the Dread Wolf.  Once upon a time it was the Temple of Razikale and held untold hordes of information that dated back even before the days of Andraste, there was no grander epicenter of knowledge in all of Thedas (outside of the DwarvenShaperate in Orzammar perhaps) and could provide any number of helpful tomes.  The problem was, the Inquisitor "wasn't" exactly in Tevinter (or they weren't supposed to be) and therefore a servant of the Pavus household (as high status as it was) would not be allowed to wander the halls of its libraries unsupervised.  Simultaneously, if Dorian accompanied them (or went himself) it would draw far too much attention to them both for the Inquisitor's search to prove productive "sometimes it's a pain to be so famous as the Inquisitor knew all too well".  The only solution, it was now time to do what no mage in the history of Southern Thedas would willingly do, break INTO a Circle of Magi ... hope it goes well. :3

 

-"Content"- Dorian has provided the Inquisitor with the means and instructions needed to delve into the libraries of the Circle of Magi with some chance of success (at great risk to himself).  Directions to specific areas within the hordes of magical information that may be of help has been provided, but even Dorian was unclear of exactly where to start regarding the search about Elven Gods, the Ancient Elvhen, and the ability to prevent or reverse petrifaction.  The Inquisitor's goal is to explore the halls of the Circle of Magi, gather what information they need, and get out with whatever information they can without getting caught.  A run in with a Magister Maevaris Tilani and her student (a young blood mage) however would prove an unforeseen complication and perhaps an asset towards these objectives and give the Inquisitor one more ally in their quest to stop/save Solas.  Unfortunately, in the end, the search itself would turn up very little ... the texts dealing with the Ancient Elvhen proved remarkably inconsistent, colored by the very biased interpretation of their prideful Tevinter authors and the volumes on petrifaction and methods to reverse it remained frustratingly absent.  Whether or not such studies ever existed or where absent through either theft or destruction, it wasn't known, but the search wasn't a complete waste of time.  Despite the obvious air of superiority and bias from its Tevinter author there remained a single text revolving around the "Dread Wolf" himself.  Inside it, information which led to a small town in the southern reaches of Tevinter, the Town of Solas in the "Silent Plains".

 

- Inquisitor PC Companion: "Protégé"- (Blood Mage) - Maeveris Contact

 

Main Quest 5 -"Archon Assassination, Anarchy" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Lower Minrathous / Upper Minrathous

 

-"Story"- As it turns out Marius was the one with a plan in mind to convey the power of the revolution ... a big one.  The repurposing of the "Preasumptors" thieves faction into an anti-slavery rebellion now made perfect sense as the group's innate skills and stealth proved remarkable assets in the trade of assassination.  Archon Radonis, leader of Tevinter, was a prime target if Calpernia's faction wished to make a show of force and prove their validity to their potential allies.  Assassinating him would not only remove the current leader of the Imperium as a factor, but prove that the "Praesumptors" had the capabilities to defy the corrupt system, not to mention freeing up Marius and Tessa from their wanted status.  There however was a political component for this choice as well.  The moderate reform faction of Tevinter, the Lucerni, led by Magister MaevarisTilani and Magister Dorian Pavus had proven to be a bit of a hindrance.  Their actions in pursuit of Top-Down moderate reform conflicted with of the Bottom-Up Tevinter rebirth agendas of the "Preasumptors", because they relied heavily on the stabilization and the strengthening of the Imperium for their success.  Where in contrast it was the instability that Tevinter currently found itself in due to years of neglect, corruption and centuries of war with Qunari that allowed the chance for more radical reform to take place, such as freeing the slaves of Tevinter (a goal that was not shared by the moderates).  The assassination of the current Archon would force the Magisterium to turn their gaze inward and elect a new replacement first, a process that could take time and bog down the moderates due to instability until a choice was made ... and by that point the Slave Rebellion would be a power to be reckoned with.

 

-"Content"- Assassination of the Archon plan.  Marius had been keeping tabs on important Altus since his return to Tevinter and the Archon himself is no exception (especially since the hit on Marius and Tessa originated from this man).  The plan is for the Marius and the Tevinter PC to sneak into the Circle of Magi with number of the organization's mage hunters (through a newly discovered entryway used for a previous theft) in order to poison the Archon and prove the potency of the current slave-revolt.  A recent addition, a assassin and another "Preasumptor Representative", had been recently added for support.  The poison unfortunately will only prove half effective and the Archon, despite being weakened is no slouch, resulting in a Mini-Boss encounter against him which will result in the deaths of quite a few of the "Praesumptors" before the Tevinter PC manages to strike him down.  Defeated and on death's door, the poison coursing through his veins, the Archon looked up at their murderer for relief ... of which the player has a decision to make: 1) Kill the man with dignity, which is more noble, but will result in far less infamy throughout Tevinter (assassinations of the Upper Class mages was a common occurrence after all) or 2) Make a statement with his death which will result in more fame and support, but is quite gruesome.

 

- Mini-Boss - Poisoned Archon Radonis

- Tevinter PC Companion: Male Dwarf - (Assassin) - Ex-Carta - Representative for the Preasumptors 

- Tevinter PC Choice: Final Blow - Death with Dignity vs Making a Statement

- Note: Marius assists on this mission

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Main Quest 6 -"The Path to Solas" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / The Silent Plains / Solas

 

-"Story"- Despite the recent death of the Archon plaguing the mind of Dorian (and assuredly Maevaris who was leaving to return to her home in Qarinas), his death at the hands of what appears to be a radical slave faction and lack of an heir to inherit his title had left the Magisterium in utter disarray; as many of the most prominent Magisters compete and bicker about who shall take his place. Strangely absent Magister Titus of AthValenis, who was considered by many a shoe in for the role, but even Dorian admitted to knowing little of what goes on in that mans mind and regardless there is nothing the Inquisitor can do to rectify the situation without exposing themselves anyway.  For the meantime he therefore insists they continue to pursue their only lead on Dread Wolf, in the town of Solas and shall keep in contact as best he can using the Communication Crystal (which he shall intermittently throughout the quest).

 

-"Content"- Exploration of the under-ruins of Solas now accessible after all these thousands of years is due to an active elluvian.  Solas, or his Elven agents apparently where already within the ruins and the Inquisitor would need to be careful during their exploration.  This quest is very lore intensive and will tell of the myth of Fen'Harel and provides an additional Ancient Elvhen back-story on the history of Fen'Harel and immediately after the creation of the Veil.  Gives hints as to what transpired in the transition of the legend of the Dread Wolf from savior the betrayer.  This is the place the Solas awoke after his millennium asleep "a small town to the North" and the first things he saw when he awoke were the remnants of the history of those who thought he betrayed them, there terror at their quickening, their horror at the world of the Veil and their sealing from the Fade.  Fragmented, these legends give a clearer picture of the immediate consequences of the "Fall" of the Ancient Elvhen civilization and give a somewhat clearer picture of who Solas was before he became the "traitor" of his race.  It turns out that the Solas agent within the ruins is the very same one that had discovered the Gatlock Barrels back in the Winter Palace during "Trespasser" and after a bit of dialogue a minor Boss Fight occurs and once completed the Inquisitor must the deal with the aftermath.  The Agent knew the Inquisitor's identity and as such they remained a threat ... but at the same time they could know much about Solas' network (though perhaps not his exact location due to his mobility) and they were in no small part responsible for preventing the bombing at the Winter Palace ... death was always an option, but their value while alive was certainly noteworthy.  Therefore the Inquisitor faces one of two decisions: 1) to capture the Agent and put her into custody of Dorian, which would certainly pose a large risk to the Inquisitor PC's secrecy, but could prove invaluable information on the movements of Solas; 2) Disable the eluvian and leave her trapped, locking her away deep these remote ruin and leaving her alive until such a time where she would no longer pose a threat (presumably after Solas was dealt with).  This would deny the Inquisitor potentially vital information, but assuredly preserve their cover for the foreseeable future and preserve a person (despite her intentions) who did save Exalted Council from destruction.Regardless of the decision, upon surfacing from the ruins into the cold night air the Inquisitor and the townsfolk of Solas are greeted with a strange spectacle to the north.  Through the dark, orange glows could be seen in the direction of the Capital.  Small fires burned across it.  Contacting Dorian with the communication crystal ... he doesn't respond.  "What on earth is happening to this country?"

 

- Boss Fight - Agent of the Wolf

- Inquisitor PC Choice: Agent of the Wolf - Apprehend the Agent vs Entrap within Eluvian

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Main Quest 7 -"From Hell's Heart..." (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Lower Minrathous / Three Imperators' Square / Upper Minrathous

 

-"Story"-  With the assassination of Archon Radonis at the hands of the Tevinter PC, Calpernia and her "Preasumptors" have received the full support they needed.  Even better, the confusion caused by his death and lack of Heir had left the magisters even more distracted in their squabbles to replace him than anticipated and very few, outside of a few members of the Lucerni faction led by Dorian Pavus, have taken it upon themselves to even investigate the actual group behind his death "corruption of the City indeed".  No matter, efforts to discover the truth where now being hindered just as much by the competition for power as they were by the evasive actions of Calpernia's and the Tevinter PC's slave factions.  To top it all off non-citizen refugees new to the city and unorganized groups of slaves from (fragments of the other faction you did not ally with) had voiced their advocacy for the cause and pledging their support.  Though many still remained concerned that this Slave Revolt, despite its new advantages, would end as so many others had in the past.  Regardless ... with a government leaderless and the country mired in confusion, there would never again be a better time for a revolution than now, when so many of the Countries remaining heads-of-state were busy fighting amongst themselves.

 

-"Content"- Slave Rebellion in earnest ... take the Three Imperators'' Square and the Upper City.   With hordes of slave rebels (either through pure force of numbers if you allied with the Servus Publicus or through better equipment and supplies due to the farm/industrial slave groups) clashing against a Legion that had been battered by 300 years of war and now found itself disorganized as it catered to the selfish whims of it unorganized and competitive ruling class.  Small fires throughout the city were kept mostly contained by the ancient architecture of Minrathous, but smoke filled the air obscuring sight and helping as the Tevinter PC and his party moved throughout the chaos towards the upper levels.  Fighting their way through the different sections of the CIty, the Tevinter PC arrives in the Upper Districts to find themselves faced with a single man, somehow remaining calm amongst all this chaos rallying anyone he can to him ... hero of the southern breach and co-leader of the moderate reform faction, Dorian Pavus.

 

 - Boss Fight - Magister Dorian Pavus

 

-"Act 1 END Story"- Victory!  The battle was not yet finished, but "freed" slaves now swarmed through the gates to the upper city and despite their tremendous losses to the magic of the remaining un-captured or surviving Altus, they were slowly but surely securing the capital.  The chains of slavery in Tevinter were falling apart and contact runners had since informed the Tevinter PC that both the Square and Lower City had thus far been secured and the Upper city despite the still heavy resistance of the ruling elite would soon be theirs as well ... "strange no word from the forces at the harbor?".  Magister Pavus kneeled on the ground defeated, injured but alive and remained glaring, yet oddly, confused by the actions of the slave radical in front of him "no point in killing an advocate for change, even an opponent, he may still prove useful in reconstruction" thought the Tevinter PC.  Before either had a chance to speak however a series of loud explosions rippled through the air, overshadowing the remaining sounds of battle.  Smaller detonations could also be heard throughout the lower levels of the city.  Both turned their gaze ... TOWARDS THE HARBOR!   Even from the upper city dark shadows (Ships) in the smoky night water could be seen moving towards the city, jettisons of fire spouting from their sides ... both Dorian and the Tevinter PC realized what this meant.  The rebirth faction led by Calpernia had apparently not been the only ones relying on the instability of Tevinter to make show of their gambit and they weren't the only ones using their enemies in-fighting to improve the chances for victory.  The Qunari had watched as the Tevinter people struggled desperately amongst themselves and waited for them to weaken each other in battle before making their move.  The mystery of why the Juggernauts, the 3 Golem Guardians of Capital had not activated would have to wait, because now, after 300 years of war ... the Qun was upon Minrathous.

 

ACT 1 END

 

BEHOLD MY OBSESSIVENESS LOL!  ACT 1, thats it, take it or leave it.  ACT 2: The Qunari Conflict, is on its way!   

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ONWARD TO THE ACT 2!

 

ACT 2 BEGIN - "THE IMPERIUM FALLS"

 

A small but important note regarding Act 2:  The Communication Crystal which was given to Inquisitor by Dorian during "Trespasser" will see the most use during this Act, for a number of reasons.  On a contingency for their assistance and disgruntled at the concept that now a 4 major players in Tevinter will know who they are (Dorian, Maevaris, Calpernia & Marius) the Inquisitor has insisted their Identity remain a secret from anyone else for the moment, including the Tevinter PC and his Party.  Calpernia and Marius agree for the short term only because they believe that the Inquisitor's presence being revealed could not only serve to damage the Inquisitor's mission, but also damage the legitimacy of the Slave Rebellion, as it could easily be assumed that the "Inquisitor" or the "Inquisition" was backing the revolution and suggesting the slaves did not accomplish their victory (no matter how short it was) through their own efforts.  There will be NO DIRECT communication between the two PCs during this period and the rather the game will use the communication crystal, Dorian, Marius and Calpernia as mediums for conversation.  The Identity of the Inquisitor PC will be made known to the Tevinter PC at the beginning of Act 3.

 

Act 2 Tevinter PC Content:

 

- Rumors: State of the High Lords -NPC's Discuss issues with remaining Altus and Officials

- Side Quests: Stabilizing the Situation - Your the hero of the Slaves.  Side quests to keep them calm and be their beacon in a time of war.

- Side Quests: "Requests" from an Ex-Magister - Dorian "humbly asks" for the Tevinter PC to look into some strange Elven activity he was researching, while he plans against the Qun.

 

Act 2 Inquisitor PC Content:

 

- Rumors: State of the Rebel Leaders - NPC's discuss their opinions on the Rebel Leaders

- Side Quests: Taking Stock - Resources are scarce, side quests acquiring them won't make you a hero, but it will help in little and subtle ways.  Go and get what is needed, by any means necessary.

- Side Quests:"Requests" from an Ex-Venatori - Calpernia request you hunt down some Qunari Agents, a person who doesn't exist should have no problem doing so and keeping their cover.

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Main Quest 8 -"Bottom Up Deconstruction" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Lower Minrathous / Minrathous Shipyard

 

-"Story"- 4 Days had passed before the Inquisitor PC and their group had managed to make their way back into the now Qun occupied Minrathous and traveling on the road without being caught by the invasion that now sprawled across the Sea of Nocen from the Capital all the way to Qarinas had proven no small feat.  Minrathous itself still remained partially contested thanks in no small part to the remaining Mages, forces of the Black Divine, and bastions of rebel slaves pitching frenzied, scattered battles all across the city.  Minrathous was proving a difficult location to hold, but still the Qunari had timed their assault perfectly.  Waiting till both the "Preasumptor" slave faction and Lucerni reform faction/Magisters had all but exhausted themselves against one another before striking ... their Arishok certainly knew what he was doing.  The Juggernauts that were meant to protect the capital from invasion had seemingly been disabled by Qun operatives even before the slave rebellion had begun, but it was yet to be determined as to how.  Despite the Inquisitor's previous affiliations with the Qunari, their invasion of Tevinter remained a critical problem in the search for, and how to defeat, Solas.  Their antagonism against all things magic, along with their history of destroying the cultural heritages of those they conquer would create un-scalable walls in the ways of the Inquisitor's goals; not to mention both Dorian and Maeveris (if she was still alive in Qarinas) were now at the Qun's mercy ... a thought that agreed neither with "Handler" or "Protégé".  The Inquisitor would have to take great care however to do as much as they could to assist Tevinter without ousting themselves, which meant "open conflict" with the Qunari was not an option.  Whether it was to preserve their cover, preserve their previous Qun alliance with the Inquisition, or simply not draw the wrath of the Qun on the South, the Inquisitor would need to be careful, but at this very moment the Qunari COULD NOT be allowed to take Tevinter.

 

 -"Content"- Experiencing small skirmishes through the streets against Qunari forces the Inquisitor eventually finds themselves meeting up with Calpernia, guarded by Marius and her remaining "Preasumptors" who are battling within the heart of the Lower City (an interesting reunion depending on your DA:I decisions).  Keeping in contact with Dorian through the communication crystal the Inquisitor had learned he was alive and had remained un-captured,  ironically traveling with the very group of slaves that had defeated him not 4 days ago (mostly, out of necessity).  Both Dorian and Calpernia's "hero" remained trapped in upper city partially due to the potential allies that still remained battling there, but time was running out if they wished to recruit them.  Through the combined efforts of Dorian and Calpernia's group however, a plan was hatched.  The Inquisitor, Calpernia, and Marius would assault key points in the lower city, doing as much damage as they can and to dislodge and distract the Qunari from the poorer districts.  Hit and run tactics, multiple targets, guerrilla warfare ... if the Inquisitor ever needed a good test for their new prosthetic's combat abilities this would certainly be it. "Don't get caught" In the mean time Dorian and the Tevinter PC would do what they could to find a way to rally the forces of the Upper City, which would be necessary if they ever hoped to push the Qun out of Minrathous.  

 

- Note: Calpernia assists on part of this mission

- Note: If the Agent of Solas was captured, they will remain in the "Preasumptor's" custody until the Qun is dealt with.  Side quests or additional dialogue will become available depending on this decision for both PCs.

 

Main Quest 9 -"Top Down Reconstruction" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / Circle of Magi / The Argent Spire

 

-"Story"- 4 Days of Hell in Upper City, on the run with Dorian Pavus (a temporary alliance of Convenience).  Despite his injuries slowing him down the Magister's help had proven invaluable, allowing the Tevinter PC and a small handful of allies to avoid the Qun for as long as they had, but safe spaces were running in short supply now.  The only other "saving grace" was the Qunari's desperate efforts to deal with the Altus survivors was keeping them busy throughout upper city and despite the Altus being outnumbered and exhausted they were proving remarkably resilient.  This is why the Slave Revolt had decided on a quick-brute force assault, capturing or killing as many upper tier mages as they possibly could in quick succession would have avoided this type of prolonged conflict, but when the Qunari began their assault many of those captured mages were released and in many cases, just like the Tevinter PC, they had begun fighting out of desperation with their would be slave captors (it seemed they all had found a common enemy in the Qunari).  The Qun's primary forces were still centered on the Upper City, splitting their focus between defeating the remaining Magisters and their Laetan mages held up in the Circle of Magi and the forces of the Black Divine who had rallied the remaining legionnaires to him within the Argent Spire.  Neither group could last forever though and if they were to be useful the Tevinter PC would need to move soon.  To that end Magister Pavus had been keeping in contact with an "agent" through a communication crystal who had recently allied themselves with Calpernia's remaining forces in Lower Minrathous ... though both he and Calpernia were remaining frustratingly vague on their identity.

 

-"Content"- Whomever it was that was currently helping Calpernia and Marius it would now be their job to dislodge Qunari positions in the poorer districts (which would only be possible because of the aforementioned Qun's heavy focus on the still partially uncontrolled upper city).  The Tevinter PC and Dorian's job, to get over their differences and rally the remaining bastions of holdout forces throughout Upper Minrathous to set up an organized push to "save" the city.  Time was not on their side however and a choice would have to be made if they wished to reinforce the positions of either major faction.  But who to choose, The Black Divine or save the Magisters?  The Black Devine would rally the people to the rebellions cause, but it was never the legion that was the core of Tevinters strength.  Sacrificing the Circle of Magi and its defenders would represent a critical blow to the Military power of Tevinter.  The few remaining Magisters and their Laetan forces would have both the offensive "power" and resources at their disposal to more efficiently deal with the Qunari within the country and help rebuild the nation afterward, but their survival would assuredly present a hindrance to the radical reform policies the slave rebellion had fought so hard for.  Either way the only chance would be to rally any slave, altus & legion holdouts they found along the way and reinforce their chosen "ally" and a strange Altus, who had seemed to have become oddly fascinated with the Tevinter PC had pledged themselves to that cause ... for the moment.

 

- Tevinter PC Companion: Male Human - (Knight Enchanter) - Love Interest - Altus

- Tevinter PC Choice: Religion vs the State - Save the Black Divine vs Save the Magister Holdouts

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Main Quest 10 -"The Bridge Between Two Peoples" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / 3 Imperators' Square / The Bridge of Minrathous

 

-"Story"- Now that the remaining Tevinter forces had been rallied and Qunari defensive positions in the lower capital had been weakened it was time to push the Qun out of the Capital.  However, to do so it would require the reclamation of two key points.  The "Juggernauts", the Giant Golem Guardian's of Minrathous, had not activated in the city's defense (presumably due to sabotage), which continued to allow swarms of Qunari reinforcements into the city from Dreadnaughts in the Harbor.  The "Juggernauts" would need to be reclaimed and if possible awakened if there were to be any chance to hold a city under siege.  The other location would be the Great Bridge of Minrathous which connected the Capital to the mainland.  In times of emergency it could be destroyed in order to isolate the capital from land invasion, but in the chaos that followed a slave uprising and the subsequent invasion of the Qun ... the opportunity had been missed to do so.  Regardless the destruction of the bridge was not the goal if the Capital ever had hope of dislodging the Qunari from the rest of the nation.  Tevinter would require it intact, which meant capturing and holding it.  Dorian's "agent" along with a few remaining "Preasumptors: would be placed in charge of discovering and activating the Juggernauts, while the rallied forces in Upper Minrathous led by the Tevinter PC and Dorian would be in charge of taking and holding the bridge until the harbor could be reclaimed.  "This is gonna suck..."

 

-"Content"- Reclaiming the Capital was necessary for the country to be reborn and as such the Tevinter PC would need to re-secure the bridge leading from Minrathous to the mainland.  If necessary the bridge could be destroyed, turning the Capital into an isolated fortress, but it would also cripple any hope of supplies and reinforcements coming from the farmland and garrisons to the south (assuming they still exist).  After all, even if this "agent" of Dorian's managed to reactivate the Golems the seas would still be besieged so it's doubtful they could expect assistance from the water.  Leading the hodgepodge force of Upper Minrathous the Tevinter PC would first need to re-secure the 3 Imperetors Square and then with whatever forces they had left would need to capture and hold the bridge until pressure was removed when the Juggernauts came online.  Calpernia, guarded by Marius, with whatever forces that remained to her in the lower district would do what she could in the mean time to further weaken the Qunari presence there, a presence the "Agent" had already previously severely damaged.  After that it was just a matter of holding one bottle-necked bridge from any additional Qunari that would dare cross from the mainland until the remaining Teviter leadership (the Tevinter PC included) devised a plan to break the siege of the whole country.

 

- Note: Calpernia assists on part of this mission

 

Main Quest 11 -"Juggernaut" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Lower Minrathous / Minrathous Shipyards / Minrathous Harbor

 

-"Story"- The hit and run tactics in throughout the lower levels of Minrathous had worked, at least to a certain degree.  By dislodging minor defensive fortifications throughout the lower district the Inquisitor PC and the "Praesumptors" had managed to prevent the Qunari from putting down roots ... and by keeping them mobile, they kept them very distracted, which allowed for Calpernia's "Champion" to gather the remaining defensive forces.   Despite this good fortune, for every moment they wasted more Qunari Dreadnaughts continued to bring more and more troops into the city from the Harbor.  Luckily, Dorian and the Tevinter Rebel had managed to gather a sizable resistance in the Upper reaches of the city and were just about ready to make their move.

 

-"Content"- By using the combined forces up the upper city and the remaining resistance groups left in the lower district the Tevinter PC would lead a force to reclaim the bridge that linked the Capital to mainland of the Valerian Fields to the South.  The Inquisitor's job would be do get to the "Juggernauts" and reactivate any of them they could if it was possible.  The question was, how best to go about it.  The Tevinter PC and their remaining forces would be getting hammered away at on the Bridge of Minrathous as the Inquisitor PC and Marius would attempt to re-wakening the Colossal beings in the Harbor.  Every moment they took to complete their mission would be another moment for more Tevinter forces to be butchered on the bridge ... if they took too long the Bridge would fall and all this would be a waste.  The Inquisitor then had a choice on their hands: 1) Risk gaining fame amongst the people and heightening the chances of ousting themselves to Solas' spy network by making leading a direct assault on the Qunari in between them and the Harbor, but by doing so they would save many lives doing battle with Tevinter PC on the bridge; or 2) Use the side streets pointed out by the "Praesumptors" to make their advance which was far less flashy and preserve the Inquisitor's secrecy, but it took quite a bit longer and that extra time needed would certainly result in many deaths on the Tevinter PC's front.  Either way the Inquisitor will discover that only one of the three "Juggernauts" remained in any condition to awaken and it would be one hell of a battle to release its wrath upon the Qunari fleet.

 

- Inquisitor PC Choice: Methods of Reclamation - Direct vs Indirect Approach

- Note: Marius assists on this mission

 

"INTERMISSION" 

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"INTERMISSION"

 

-"Story"- The Capital of Minrathous remained in shambles, but it was saved for now.  The Qunari blockade remained just outside the reach of the single Colossal Juggernaut stationed in the harbor, which was now surrounded by the twisted wreckage of the any Dreadnought that was unlucky enough to not get out of the its way. The Qun were periodically testing the mammoth beings defenses with cannon fire, but in the short term the creature remained highly resistant ... and agitated.  In the meantime there is planning to be done with the hodge-podge group that had now taken up residence in (Either in the Circle of Magi or the Argent Spire depending on which side the Tevinter PC saved).  An ad-hoc leadership of Minrathous had been compiled: a representative of the slave faction you sided with, a representative of the Black Divine OR a representative of the Circle Magisters, Calpernia (representative of the remaining Tevinter rebirth faction), and Dorian (representative of the remaining Lucerni reform faction), now discussed at length the best methods to break the Qunari invasion.  Which, with their current level of supplies and forces they could not hope to withstand at length.  Especially with the Qunari so firmly entrenched elsewhere in Tevinter.  Marius had no real social standing within Tevinter and with the death of Archon Radonis was now free to move independently and would serve as a solo-agent for both Dorian and Calpernia.  As for the PCs, until a game-plan was decided they had a little bit of "free" time to burn.

 

-"Content"- This is where the Tevinter PC is introduced into the Inquisitor PC storyline.  Due to the Inquisitor's insistence (much to Calpernia's distaste) it has been decided to not yet reveal the identity of Dorian's Agent, but instead would reveal vaguely as to the reasoning why they are there; a man hunt for a particularly powerful, arrogant, very bald Elven mage with unique magics and dangerous at his disposal.  Since Dorian was the one leading the investigation prior to the rebellion and Marius is now privy to the agenda of the Inquisitor's reasons for being in Tevinter (along with their voluntary assistance to Calpernia, it is revealed here that Marius and Tessa were sent in to Tevinter by Lellana as recruiters for the fight against Solas) ... they have both requested (with Calpernia's consent) that the Tevinter PC look into a few leads regarding strange Elven refugees, while they themselves focus on the FINAL GAMBIT of Tevinter.  The Intermission allows for free roam period of Act 2 for both PCs and like with portions of Act 1 freely allows switching between them.  There are plenty of jobs and cleanup that needs doing within Tevinter during a war, big and small, along with a few side-quests that will take you outside the city's boundaries.  This is a cooling off period that will serve as not only a exploration of the immediate effects of War and the after effects of the Qun's brief presence within the Capital, but also allow the players a few side-quests hunting down leads to Qunari/Elven agents and spies.

 

- Second Letter from Home: From LI's left behind

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Main Quest 12 -"The Eastern Front" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Eyes of Nocen / Qarinas

 

-"Story"- The Ad-hoc leadership of Minrathous had finally thought of a plan ... one that made both the Tevinter and the Inquisitor PCs squirm.  A report had reached the Argent Spire/Circle of Magi that somehow the Fortress of Ath Velanis and its dragon Magister Aurelian Titus had managed to fend off total defeat and remained locked in a losing battle of his own against Qunari forces.  Additional reports from agents elsewhere on the island suggested that Qunari High Military Leader, the Arishok, had taken up residence in the recently conquered Seheron city of Alam, where he overseeing the invasion.  The Qunari's method of organizing their people, trained from early ages based off innate talents exhibited in their youth, meant that their people were incredibly specialized and proficient in their careers by the time they came of age and therefore preformed them to with immense efficiency.  But there was a rigidity in this system that presented Tevinter with an opportunity.  The higher up on the job ladder you where in the Qun, the harder you were to replace ... this was especially true for an Arishok.  In desperation the Qunari had been forced within the last few years to elevate a Sten to the position because they could not train a true replacement fast enough (though this Sten had proven to be a remarkable tactician and leader in his own right since ascending to the rank).  Losing a second Arishok within a span of 5 years (the last one had been killed in the Free-Marches City of Kirkwall) would be a remarkable blow the Qun and stall out their forces until an additional replacement could be found.  So that was the plan, risk it all for a single attempt at Check-Mate.

 

-"Content"- Tevinter transport ships and frigates had been called back to assist, but were unfortunately deadlocked in the Seas east of the Eyes of Nocen.  The City of Qarinas had been hit sometime after Minrathous, but their lack of size and military strength had all but doomed the City to conquest by the Qun.  Unclear reports had been received that a few "refugees" had managed to make it into the Dwarven Embassy within the cities boundaries, but whether or not they existed changed nothing as it was now that captured city itself that stood in the way of the Tevinter PC and their forces from gaining access to Seheron.  Qarinas and the Eye's of Nocen would need to be liberated before the Tevinter PC could secure a route to Alam and the Arishok himself.  While in Qarinas the player will be given the chance to save Magister Maevaris Tilani (by request of Dorian) who remains trapped in the Dwarven Embassy.  To do so the Tevinter PC will have to sacrifice a portion of their already stretched forces and risk the ire of the slaves and soldiers under their command.  The trade off is that saving Magister Tilani also meant saving the Embassy itself, and with it a connection to the Dwarves of Orzimmar who could prove great assets in the path ahead.  If the player does not save her, her fate will remain unconfirmed until the epilogue DLC I've been playing around with.

 

- Tevinter PC Choice: A Formal Request - Preserve the Troops vs Rescue Magister Tilani

- Note: Marius will remain in Minrathous as a fail-safe. Guarding the ad-hoc leadership and preparing for evacuation should either PC "fail".

 

Main Quest 13 -"The Northern Range" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - The High Reaches

 

-"Story"- The Inquisitor PC has been charged with making the necessary sacrifice needed to allow the Tevinter PC the chance to take the King Piece of the Qunari side of the chessboard.  Moving in secret they will be sent north across the frozen peaks of The High Reaches with their goal being to reach the northern peninsula of the famous mountain range where a small boat was waiting to smuggle them to Ath Velanis.  A journey would not be an easy one, but it was not the first Mountains the Inquisitor had scaled.  The Inquisitor PC's job was not to save the infamous Fortress, but rather make it a target for heightened aggression by the Qun.  The Qunari invasion fleet was remarkably scattered.  Not including the losses they sustained in attack on Minrathous itself, they had devoted significant resources to the continued blockade of the Capital, the bolstering of garrisons across the Tevinter Countryside, and to the continued assault on Ath Velanis.  If the Inquisitor could manage to reinforce Magister Aurelean Titus' and his Cultists' position enough to make them once again a viable threat, then the Qunari would have no alternative but to re-allocate troops from their closest reserve force ... those defending the Arishok in his temporary base of Alam.  The Inquisitor would then merely need to hold off the assault as long as they believed possible and escape the same way they arrived before the fortress fell.  In short, Tevinter was willingly sacrificing its last remaining garrison on the island of Seheron in a desperate attempt to stall out the Qunari War Machine.  But in the mean time, there be mountains to climb!

 

-"Content"- Pretty straight forward mission, or at least it seems that way at first.  The Inquisitor PC will be headed north through the High Reaches in order to arrive at their objective on the northern shore.  The trek will not go smoothly.  Animals had been known to make their homes in those mountains and the Inquisitor's team were expecting it, along with running into a few Qunari patrols.  What they were not expecting is a Mini-Boss event centered on a High Dragon that had taken up residence in the area.  This is their terrain and they are well suited for fighting in it and the Inquisitor is on a time table, so the best the Inquisitor's party will be able to do for the moment is to force the creature to flee whenever it attacks ... and it will attack several times.  Players will just have to wait to kill the damned thing till Act 3.

 

- Mini Boss Event - High Dragon Harrassment

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Main Quest 14 -"Onion Trade" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Ath Velanis

 

-"Story"- With the exception of the High Dragon the trek over the mountains went about as smoothly as the Inquisitor had expected.  The boat and journey over the sea of Nocen had also gone well, due partially to all the haze and smoke drifting North by the battles to the South and East.  The Inquisitor was welcomed by a very pissy Magister Titus, who looked simultaneously relieved at their presence, insulted that so few had been sent to assist him, and ... there was something else?  A nervousness that the Inquisitor could not quite place.  No matter, there was little time to worry about it, first thing was to do whatever they could to bolster the Ath Velanis' diminishing defenses, then after finding a way to further antagonize the Qun.  "A show of force with dangerous looking magic could certainly work, they hate magic ...".  As a side note, it remained unclear if Dorian, Marius, and Calpernia had intended the Magister make it out of this situation alive...  All three seemed to hold some passive-animosity for the man (perhaps it was only passive because he was primarily a recluse), but at the same time they were well aware that he had a plethora of unique resources at his disposal that Tevinter could assuredly use in the future.  If both the Inquisitor PC and the Magister survived long enough to worry about it then a decision would need to be made, but until then there was work to do.

 

-"Content"- The Battle of Ath Velanis (dungeon zone).  Defensive horde battle like those found in "The Descent" and as parts of the Fortress falls the Inquisitor and Magister Titus (and his cultists) will be pushed further into the Fortress until they have no choice but to abandon it.  On the way towards the evacuation point cannon fire rips through the weakened architecture collapsing the ceiling onto the party and Magister Titus.  When the Inquisitors head stops ringing they find that while there were some minor party injuries Magister Titus himself has taken a heavy blow to his back, broken just above the Hips ... he will be hard to move and his survival is uncertain even if they manage to get him out.  The Inquisitor will then be forced to deal with the decision above.  The man is a Dragon Cult leader, but had done nothing but appear afraid and desperate about something other the Qunari since the Inquisitor's arrival; which was certainly strange since it certainly didn't match the "power-mad, arrogant, weirdo" that Dorian insisted that he was.  If he is saved the Inquisitor's fame would go up, but as a "servant" of the Pavus household Titus will be indebted to Dorian assuming he survives his injuries.  Unfortunately along with his salvation came the very real threat of the Dragon Cult re-surging as a religion.  If the Inquisitor PC does not intend to save him however leaving Titus alive however was both cruel and irresponsible.  No matter the horrible things he had done in his past and assuming he could survive his wounds, leaving a Mage of his caliber to become a "guest" of the Qun was too horrendous to consider.  The effects it would have on Tevinter and Titus himself would be nightmarish in the long run.  If he is killed, the Inquisitors' cover is preserved, but the stability and resources provided by a man of Titus' notoriety will die with him.  Regardless of the Inquisitor's decision a special event will occur that will reveal why the Magister had remained so shifty in Inquisitors presence.  If he's put out of his misery, the Inquisitor will discover a document clutched tightly, desperately, in his hand before they make their escape.  If the Magister's life is saved, he realizes that even if he lives through his injuries he will never be in a position physically to ever complete his life's ambition and presents the same document to his "savior" before slipping into unconsciousness. Upon looking at the document on the boat ride back it appears to be a map of a series of cave systems "deep roads perhaps?", leading to a single large chamber labeled with a single word scrawled across it ... "Razikale".

 

- Optional Objective: Experiment Log, The King of Dragon Blood - During the reinforcement process of the fortress an optional side-quest will be made available to discover what sort of research Magister Titus was working on during his isolation in this fortress.  They will find a number of notes detailing experiments done on a prisoner with "Dragon Blood" that was apparently done by Magister Titus ... which to his frustration proved a failure at achieving his desired outcome.   Though it does not mention what it was, only that the prisoner expired in the pursuit ... and came with some unforeseen consequences, but what?   "Dreamers ... what?"  "broken thoughts ... didn't become one, but awoke one ... unforeseen consequences perhaps ... who is speaking to me?" ... "it cannot be?! My mistress?!"

 

- Boss Fight - The Defense of Ath Valenis

- Inquisitor PC Choice: The Power of Faith - Rescue Magister Titus vs End Magister Titus's Suffering

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Main Quest 15 -"To Hunt an Arishok" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Alam

 

-"Story"- The voyage over the Eyes of Nocen had occurred with success, but they had taken some hits in the process.  Qunari naval forces had primarily been occupied enough with the Tevinter Frigates and the blockade of Minrathous to cover the Transports advance to the shores nearby Alam on Seharon, but not completely and that unwanted attention was costly for the Tevinter PC and their troops.  The forces at the Arishok's immediate disposal were certainly lessened upon their arrival, but the columns of smoke to the North-West revealed that the fortress of Ath Velanis was in the midst of falling, or had already fallen ... the Tevinter PC and the assault force would not have much time.  The remaining garrison at Alam was still sufficient enough to remain a substantial, but at this moment there remained very little options but an all out assault.  If the Qunari that had been sent against the Fortress returned before the Tevinter PC was done with taking out the Arishok, all this effort would all be for not and in all reality Tevinter would fall to the Qun.  Only one way ahead then, no clever planning, no back stabbing subterfuge ... this battle would be faced head on against a warrior who had once helped save the world from the 5th Blight.  Nothing more simple than that right?

 

-"Content"- This is a pretty straightforward enough quest.  The Tevinter PC must fight their way through the remaining Qunari forces and defeat the Arishok.  There is a twist to this though, the losses sustained in both the Inquisitor PC's decision on how to assault the Juggernauts and the Tevinter PC's decision on whether to save Magister Tilani, will affect the difficulty of this fight and the perceived success of it afterwards.  It is still possible to do quite well here if players are really attentive, but the Qunari forces and the Arishok himself will receive a stacking buff if in each of the decisions troops were sacrificed.  The Arishok himself turns out to be odd for a Qunari.  Hornless, with white hair and gold eyes (and very literal) he moves with extreme confidence and surprisingly fights with honor.  Like with the Arishok in Kirkwall, this hornless Qunari will be one hell of a tough fight, especially for the Tevinter PC who specializes in taking down mages ... not full plated warriors.  This Arishok (unlike his predecessor) should be "Sten" and relatively sympathetic (despite being the leader of the other side).  Regardless, upon his defeat an important decision remains for the Inquisitor.  With the Arishok kneeling before the Tevinter PC in defeat they must then decide to whether to execute him on the spot, or capture him as a War Prisoner.  The first option will gain enormous fame for the Tevinter from the people of Tevinter, as this is the man responsible for the rampant destruction throughout the country. Capturing him alive will be a less popular decision, but he could prove to be a valuable source of information about the Qun military tactics if he were brought back to Minrathous ... along with being a potential bargaining chip in negotiations with the Qun itself at a later date.  After all, he was sanctioned by the Qunari leadership to attack on Minrathous, it was not his choice alone.  Regardless of decision, the immediate results are this ... the Qunari now have the entirety of Seharon (outside of spies of course) and occupy both Alam and the wrecked fortress of Ath Velanis.  On the other hand they now remained headless (LOL if you killed Sten) and would be unable to mount another assault immediately onto Tevinter.  By the time they did find a replacement they had lost too much already to risk the attempt again, despite Tevinter's current state of weakness.  The war is once again stalled, at least for now, time to focus on rebuilding and perhaps another greater challenge.  If spared Sten's will remain a war-prisoner of Tevinter and like if Maeveris was not saved in Qarinas his ultimate fate will remain undecided until the final DLC.

 

- Boss Fight - Sten-ishok

- Tevinter PC Choice: Sten - Execution of an Arishok vs Prisoner of War

 

ACT 2 END

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difficulty with storytelling is to make it all fit.

Can I make a suggestion of a mission: "et tu brutus" survive the betrayel

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difficulty with storytelling is to make it all fit.

Can I make a suggestion of a mission: "et tu brutus" survive the betrayel

Yeah, I'll need to go through and fix a few things later, especially in regards to later origin content.  I was thinking ... that perhaps I'd give each PC a set of Personal Quests (like Companion Quests) to let them wrap up that stuff in the final act.  They will encounter their Origin antagonist in the second Act (I have the set pieces created to facilitate that already built in)

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Alright, so side note.  I might be go back and edit a "few" things to help facilitate for Marius and Tessa from the DA Magekiller.  Its not a big shift, they aren't exactly welcome in Tevinter anymore because of their "unique" relationship which leaves them sort of limited on placement.  I'm also not entirely sure what their role with the Inquisition was after the conclusion of the 5th book ... so there's that.  

 

Tessa may get relegated to the "Mentor" Tevinter PC follower role (potentially romancable), she's lower key than Marius in this regard and isn't from Tevinter therefore she will have more mobility.  As for Marius (also potentially romancable) I'll relegate him to an advisory role like Calpernia, for the Tevinter PC.  The story won't change much if either of these come to pass, just one extra Advisor (which brings the total to three, just like with DA:I). 

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Edit: i've gone back and edited the earlier content to include Marius and Tessa from Dragon Age: Mage Killer.  Both characters are pretty modular so they can be easily removed again from the story if need be, but I did feel they actually do flesh out the story a bit more after I put some additional thought into it ... so I switched it up to include them.

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Allright lets start getting the final ACT up ... it has also been edited to facilitate for Dragon Age: Magekiller.

ACT 3 BEGIN - "DEAD WHISPERS"

 

Act 3 Tevinter PC Content:

 

- Rumors: Current Events - NPC's voice their opinions on recent events ... namely they complain or grovel.

- Side Quests: Cleaning Up the Qun - Holdouts of Qunari forces remain stranded throughout Tevinter, hunt them down or force them to surrender.

- Side Quests: Reconstruction Efforts (Day) - Plenty of work to do for the "Hero of the People" in a post-war Tevinter. GET TO WORK!

 

Act 3 Inquisitor PC Content:

 

- Rumors: Current Events - NPC's voice their opinions on recent events ... namely they complain or grovel.

- Side Quests: Weakness in the Veil - Death and War attract spirits, the press up against the Veil and weaken ... though not normally to this degree.  Discover what is going on.

- Side Quests: Reconstruction Efforts (Night)- Plenty of work to do for a "Ghost" in a post-war Tevinter.  GET TO WORK!

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Main Quest 16 -"Signs of Recovery" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / The Silent Plains / Eyes of Nocen / Valarian Fields

 

-"Story "- The war was done ... for now.  Although it had been going on for three centuries prior so who's to say how long the forced peace would last?  With the Arishok's defeat, at the cost of the last major Tevinter holdings on Seheron, the Qunari finally broke their siege in favor or reinforcing their newly acquired territories and the people that came with them; at least until such a time when a new Arishok was chosen to fill the vacancy.  Back in Minrathous a week had passed and rather than coming home to what should have a been a time of victory, the Tevinter and Inquisitor PCs had returned instead to a shattered country.  The Qunari had succeeded in doing a remarkable amount of damage in their short time within the cities walls.  The thousands dead and injured had been expected with how severe the battles were, but it was the hundreds of citizens ranging in social class that had gone missing, presumably taken prisoner by the Qun, that had shocked the Tevinter PC more.  Ironically, with so many Magisters and Altus dead or missing, thanks in no small part to those Qunari, the remaining ruling caste was in shambles and the chains of corruption that once bound the Government of Tevinter so tightly were crumbling away.  For the moment the Capital still remained in the hands of the freed slave factions and "Preasumptors" led by Calpernia, but so much damage had been done to the cities' infrastructure that they had no choice but to turn to aid of the remaining Magisters: Dorian Pavus, Maeveris Tilani (if she was saved), Aerulious Titus (if he was saved), and the 3 or 4 that had been in the circle (if the Tevinter PC had decided to save them) to help with the reconstruction.  They would remain under house arrest, helping where they can, until the time came when a more official new government could be put in place.  But ... for the moment, there were more immediate matters for the two PC's to deal with first.

 

-"Content"- The identify of Dorian's "Agent" (though they had still had yet to be meet face to face) is finally revealed to the Tevinter PC, along with full details of the gravity of the Inquisitor's purpose in Tevinter.  Since Dorian is now under house arrest and remained remarkably busy trying to rebuild Tevinter in cooperation with Calpernia, it is decided that the Tevinter PC in tandem with Marius (now free from his bounty and burden of protecting the city) would be placed in charge of the search for Solas.  Their starting points would be based off the information that Dorian had uncovered before he was "interrupted" by other matters, along with intel provided by the "Solas Agent" under interrogation if the Inquisitor procured them from the crypt during ACT 1.  This is a pretty laid back quest, in general.  If the Tevinter PC completed the Dorian Elven side quests during the INTERMISSION in ACT 2 they would have already dealt with strange Elves within the capital itself, now they were going to deal with larger gatherings of them outside the city within the surrounding territories (The Silent Plains, Valarian Fields & Eyes of Nocen).  Why where they gathering in such concentrations in Tevinter now?  How long had they been there, was it before or after the war with the Qun?  Where they merely scattered fragments of Solas' organization or was there a central control location that had yet to be found?  The Inquisitor PC has remained mostly shut away or out in the fields, preparing for a trip to obtain some "power" they believed could be used against the Elven "God", which meant that these questions needed answering and it is up the Tevinter PC (who had become a hero to the slaves during Act 1, and was now considered by many the Hero of Tevinter in Act 2) to find them.  The Tevinter PC goes from Zone to Zone and initiates these agents of the Dread Wolf gaining pieces of information that when combined points them to a very remote and hidden location within the Great Forest/Ruins of Arlathan.

 

Main Quest 17 -"Preparing for Descent" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - Upper Minrathous / Lower Minrathous / Valarian Fields / The Hundred Pillars

 

-"Story"- Razikale?! Magister Titus had found Razikale, or at least what he believed to be her through a dream?!  The Old Tevinter Dragon God of Mysteries was said to have been locked away deep in the ground since the "Old Gods" betrayal of the Maker when they had released the Blight.  According to the Grey Wardens each of the Dragon Gods were systematically sought out by the Darkspawn so they could be tainted and turned to Arch Demon, which in turn started another Blight.  In fact those fools, so desperate because of Cory's false calling to make themselves useful one last time, had planned on diving into the Deeproads with an army of Demons to slay the un-corrupted Old Gods before they had a chance to awaken as Arch-Demons.  Apparently this had been something similar to what would have been Magister Titus' plan had he not been assaulted and trapped by the Qunari invasion "no wonder those cultists held out for as long as he did, he was preparing for a mass excursion into the deep roads and had supplies to spare".  Now it looked like it was the Inquisitor's turn to play fool, as they would be delving into those lost roads searching for a Dragon, but for a different reason.  Razikale (if the Wardens were to be believed), remained one of two yet to be corrupted Old Gods left, as she had yet to surface as a Arch-Demon.  Did that mean she still retained her sanity, if she ever had any to begin with?  If she could, could she be dealt with?  Surely a being as old as her would know a way to deal with Solas' new found powers, but what price would it cost to get access to that information?  The Dragon God of Mysteries would probably not be forthcoming with that information, unless there was something she wanted in return ... but this only mattered if they could be found.   Titus' map suggested the series of Deep Road tunnels that led to her "Cage" could be found somewhere under the Hundred Pillars.  The entrance into those deep roads would first need to be found and then supplies gathered, before the Inquisitor PC and party could make the trip.

 

-"Content"- Another pretty laid back quest, which primarily deals with searching for a access point to the deep roads within the Hundred Pillars and gathering supplies and information that would be needed to increase the chances of success when they made the attempt.

 

- Final Letter from Home: From LI's left behind

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Main Quest 18 -"A Dragon's Deal" (Inquisitor PC)

 

Locations - The Hundred Pillars / The Deep Roads

 

-"Story"- If any being in this world would know a method to bypass Solas’ abilities it would be something almost as old as he was, if not older.  A Dragon God.  A ruler of Old Tevinter.  A creature of legend stated to have led the the Ancient Magisters into the Golden City which tainted them for their sin.  This was one of those very beings responsible for the existence of Corypheus himself and now, strangely, the Inquisitor would require the help of one of those beings if they ever hoped to stop Solas.  "Elven God or no, he still was remarkably powerful".  Razikale, the dragon goddess of Mystery, even if Titus’ map is correct would a creature like that even make a deal assuming it had yet to fall to the Blight?  Was falling to the Blight it's intent all along, or did it revile the idea as any sentient creature would?  The Inquisitor and the world knew so little, but this was the only lead of merit the they had and they would be a fool not to pursue it.  So now, with preparations complete, into the depths of those lost catacombs they would go.

 

-"Content"- Battling their way through the Deep Roads the Inquisitor PC eventually finds themselves in the place indicated by Titus' map.  A large cavern with a single narrow path leading across an abyss to an island precariously placed above.  In its center, the creature stirred "Razikale?," whatever it was it appeared as a Dragon, just as legends said.  A dome of light kept the creature in, preventing its escape "why does that dome look so familiar?".  Moving closer the Inquisitor PC begins to notice strange blackened masses littering the perimeter of the "cage".  Dark spawn corpses ... their wounds seemingly self inflicted, black blood seeping eerily within the boundaries of the prison.  A voice in the Inquisitors head “you ... are not my servant?  Where is Titus?  Has the fool sent you in his stead?  No ... you're are here for another purpose ... no matter”.  Its only when the Inquisitor PC approaches the "Cage" do they begin notice something was wrong.  Whatever this "Old God" was, the creature was clearly tainted ... or at least in the midst of being tainted, with the self-inflicted wounds of the darkspawn presumably intended to expose it to their blood.  It's lower extremities held a sickly pallor, its scales molting off ... while the rest of its form still remained pristine and despite the creature's obvious disfigurements it is still a remarkable sight.  An example of the most "noble" dragon the Inquisitor had ever encountered.  In any event, they were "safe" for the moment and contact had been achieved, "I guess it was time to deal."  Despite remaining remarkably tight lipped about other topics, "Razikale" made no secret as to what her intentions were.  Her deal was straight forward, she wanted her freedom.  Not just from this cage, but from her wretched corrupted body.  She intended to shed the parts of her "self" that had fallen already to the blight, both the physical and spiritual, weakening her in the short term, but preserving her sanity and allowing a chance to find a replacement host at a later date, "makes sense her Arch Demon counterparts could body-hop, as could Corypheus, why couldn't she".  Razikale also made no secret her intentions upon attaining her freedom.  Once free and a new host had been procured she intended to free her last remaining sibling, Lusacan the Old God of the Night, before the blight could claim him ... little else but the preservation of the last of her kind (herself included) would entice her to part with the desired information and this was her price demanded.  In exchange she offered the means the Inquisitor would need to do battle against Solas "a chance to even the playing field a bit", she claimed, along with one other addendum.  The information given was not equivalent to the price paid, both parties recognized this and Razikale had a solution.  The Inquisitor would be allowed to choose one of two additional "additions" in exchange for her freedom: 1) A personal boon, a magic of the Old Gods to help them in their battle against Solas, or 2) A restriction to Razikale's freedom condemning her to never again play at god.  The choice was the Inquisitor’s to make and once decided a gaess would be created to ensure both parties held up their end of the bargain "for security "...

 

- Additional Option for WoS Inquisitors - Razikale pauses a moment, before the contract is formed and gazes at the Inquisitor quizzically … "perhaps there is another way".  “You are a vessel … who still remains half full and one that holds Elven Mysteries that interest even me. An ... alteration to our deal perhaps?"  As Razikale had previously said she would require a new host, a replacement body to pursue her brother's freedom ... perhaps the Inquisitor would make an ideal candidate?  In any other situation she would consume the host’s original mind and erode it till nothing remained, as would any Spirit or Demon who inhabited a mortals form, but the WoS presented an intriguing alternative to the hazards of becoming an abomination.  "That writhing mass of Ancient voices, one which remains barely a whisper to you, interests me far more than your petty thoughts and includes secrets I would gladly sacrifice a portion of my freedom to obtain.  The Gaess that compels you to obay Mythal might perhaps work for me instead and serve as a makeshift “Veil”, separating our two minds."  Razikale then offers an additional choice.  The Inquisitor becomes her new host receiving both her boon + the ability to partially restrict her and in return she gains access to their body and the information contained in the WoS.  She shall become a “room-mate” of sorts sharing your form equally, with all that entails, including control. The two of you would be shackled together, perhaps for an eternity ... provided both parties hold up their end of the bargain.  Something Corypheus once said flashes into the Inquisitor PC's mind "I will not suffer even an unknowing rival" ... unknowing indeed, who would have thought the Inquisitor would be given the option to obtain the powers of an "Ancient Tevinter God"?  The choice to accept that power however, and the price that came with it, is in the end theirs to make.

 

- Inquisitor PC Choice: Razikale's Deal - Personal Boon vs Restriction on Freedom vs WoS Abomination

- Note: The WoS Abomination Option was built to be unappealing, even more than the WoS itself was meant to be

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Main Quest 19 -"Tail of the Dread Wolf" (Tevinter PC)

 

Locations - Arlathan Forest / The Ruins of Arlathan

 

-"Story"- Thanks the extra info Marius had gained through his own independent escapades, the data gathered from the contact with the forces of Solas iduring the previous mission indicated a central command location somewhere deep within the Arlathan Forest, in the ruins of Elvhenan.  Elves (even the Dalish) often moved within those overgrown ruins as a sort of pilgrimage to visit the lands of their ancestors, so it was not unusual spot the, within the forest's depths.  Actually capturing them however, often proved remarkably difficult, due to the dense vegetation and hidden passageways that now consumed what remained of the great Elvhen capital.  This factor is apparently why the Inquisitor themselves had not explored the ruins.  Running into elves within that forest, which one was apt to do, would have proven remarkably hazardous to security of the Inquisitor's cover while they remained in Tevinter, as the probability of being recognized by one of Solas' supporters was much higher there.  Luckily the Tevinter PC and Marius had no such qualms about discovery (they were already famous after all) and now with the documents taken from the Elven operatives pointing the group in the right direction, it was time to discover where the source of this odd influx of elves was coming from.

 

-"Content"- The Tevinter PC and Marius move throughout the forests and ruins of ancient Arlathan running into more and more resistance with the Agents of Solas.  Just as with previous encounters the elves fight in small groups, quick, agile and rely on hit and run tactics to hinder the Tevinters advance and seemed particularly adept at fighting within this sort of environment.  "A stark contrast to the rigid, brute strength of the Qun".  Outside of the occasional sounds that came along with battle there was nothing but a deep silence to this place, a closeness that bordered on constricting, bogged down by the age of vegetation and decimated empire that lied below it.  The veil had always been thinner here, making the air feel heavy and uncomfortable.  Elves claimed not to notice, but the other races it felt as though time moved slower the deeper into the forest one went, oppressive and old, full of memories ... and sadness.   Reaching the top of a vista the Tevinter and their party are beholden now to something that should not exist within this veiled world, and intact and activated eluvian.  Surrounding it was what appeared to be some base camp, comprised of temporary shelters common to the Elven agents discovered in the field before, but on a much larger scale.  Dozens of elves moved to a fro within the clearing packing there and in the center ... surrounded by a small group of the very scouts that had been keeping an eye on them ... a single bald elf who seemed to be leading the others.  "Bald, pretentious, a heaviness in temperment, but an aura that just oozes the need to exposition".  The Tevinter PC thought Magister Pavus was kidding when he described Solas as such, but now that they saw this man there could be no doubt who it was.  The Tevinter PC better be careful or risk being turned into a resting place for bird droppings.  After a moment of watching Solas, a elf approached his station and gave him a report and just for a moment Solas seemed to turn and look in the direction of the Tevinter PC, "Could he have seen us, at this distance?  Or is he simply responding to his scouts reports on the trespassers in the woods?"  A flash of pale blue moved through his eyes and all at once he turned and entered the Eluvian, the rest of his agents quickly following suit.  Yet strangely, once they had all gone, the eluvian itself remained open... That bald bastard definitely knew the Tevinter PC was coming "not like they were being particularly secretive about it" and seems to have extended an invitation.  "I wonder what sort of trap he has planned for us?"  though the Tevinter PC "it might be fun to find out".

 

- Note: Marius assists on this mission

 

... and at long last we come to the finale!

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OK ... the finale I suppose.  Still will probably require some editing to make it more concrete, but for the moment the jist of it is already included. Outside of that, I hope you get a kick out of it ... because it is simply absurd LOL! 

 

Finale: Introduction

 

-"Story"- Regrouping in Minrathous the two parties gathered, meeting in person for the first time.  The two groups (both PC's and all 9 companions) along with Dorian, Marius and Calpernia, sat in attendance discussing the matter at hand.  The Inquisitor PC had apparently discovered a method to deal with Solas’ magics, at least to a degree that allow the parties a chance at defending themselves ... but they had remained frustratingly vague on exactly “what” that new method actually was.  On the other hand, the Tevinter PC had successfully managed to find the location of Solas himself and even managed to score an invitation for audience with the "Bald Wolf" … though what sort of trap he intended for them still remained a mystery.  After what seemed like hours of deliberation “I couldn’t have been that long, but then why did it feel like it?” the Tevinter PC sat gazing over the city from their vantage point within the Circle of Magi/The Argent Spire, noticing something peculiar.  A green haze, barely perceptible and hidden within the vibrant sunset of the evening, which seemed to appear and disappear as subtly as the wind.  It moved as if alive, like a trick of the light, dancing in through the atmosphere ... when suddenly a wave rippled its way across the horizon.  Green energy emanating from a central point to the east, moving outward and once it had passed it lingered in the air, crackling like ozone after a lightning strike.  It didn’t seem quantifiable as to what was described as the Breach, not nearly as severe as spectacle, but based on the descriptions of that event it could only possibly be the Veil … whatever this was. The Tevinter PC may not have known exactly what was going on, but they knew at that moment the time for deliberation was over.  Whatever Solas’ was planning, he was making his move and that meant so too was it time for both PC’s to make theirs.  Time to accept Solas' invitation.

 

-"Story"- Upon stepping through the eluvian both PCs (and chosen parties in tow) find themselves walking the halls of some ancient building in some ancient city lost to time.  Even while completely indoors for the moment the Inquisitor could not help but notice where they now found themselves, with the green ambiance now oozing from the very air they breathed.  They may not have recognized their exact location, but the Inquisitor had been here enough times to know what this place was ... The Fade (if you had OGB you also know that Eluvians can also connect to the Fade if enough power is applied), but something was very different this time.  The heaviness, the disorientation, the darkness intrinsic to the Fade, they felt FAR more oppressive here than any location the Inquisitor had yet to visit.  The laws of reality seemed to hold even less sway within these shadowed halls than they did even when they had battled the Fear Demon, as they constantly seemed to shift around them in a state of perpetual flux … old memories darting here and there, almost tangible.  “Strange how often I find myself here again … kind of loses its novelty after the first couple of times”.  As both PC's ventured towards the exit of the dilapidated building they began within the answer to their exact location soon became clear and the rather “ironic” punishment that Solas had intended for the Tevinter PC became obvious.  "You're wolf has a sick sense of humor" the Tevinter grimaced to the Inquisitor.   The two parties now found themselves in the very place the people of Tevinter had once stepped upon before when last they had visited the Fade.  The Black City/Golden City, whichever you’d prefer to call it, was a place of legend and dream and Solas had apparently intended to doom the Tevinter PC to follow in the footsteps of their nation’s greatest shame. "He always did have a tendency towards the grandiose," responded the Inquisitor.  At the other end of the ruin remained a single eluvian, still activated just as the last … the mirror their only way forward as if inviting them in.  Both PC’s and their parties took a breath and entered, one after the other ... to discover what cruel fate awaited them.

 

- Finale Note 1: This finale (including the portion above) and its included cinematics are the only point in the game in which the two PC’s will communicate with each other directly (where before they were using mediums to do it).  I wrote it this way for a number of reasons: 1) A prolonged conversation between two Player controlled PC’s will be immensely difficult to do for extended periods of the game, so I limited it to the final missions; 2) There was very little reason to have both PCs be in the same location at the same time before this point, due to the scale and requirements of the story; and 3) It’s going to be awkward for a Player to have to talk to themselves (which it will be in this situation).  Keeping the direct dialogue between the two to the minimum AND giving the Players enough to time to define the personalities of BOTH PC’s before they spoke face to face was paramount if this concept was ever to be attempt with a chance of success.

 

- Finale Note 2: The way these final missions work is that both parties will be present, but the player controls only one at a time depending on what of the two missions they are taking part (with the exception of something special in the final Phase of the battle against Solas).  Quest 20 "The Sin of Tevinter" will be a Tevinter PC controlled quest, with the Inquisitor PC and party serving as support and a source of banter and exposition on the Inquisitor's previous experiences in the Fade (with minor response options being allowed to the Tevinter PC) up through the Quest's Boss fight.  The reverse is true for the final Quest, Quest 21 "Fen'Harel", where the Inquisitor PC will be in control and the Tevinter PC providing the support and banter (this time questioning the Inquisitor PC on their relationship with Solas, again allowing for response) up through the point of the Boss.  They way boss fights will be handled with this system will be discussed in the actual quest sections.

 

- Finale Note 3: I played with the idea that Marius joining in for the Finale, but with two full teams included I eventually decided against it.  Simply too many moving parts as it is.  He instead will once again remain as a reserve unit, as realistically the only people that could hope to "assassinate" Solas should both parties fail to stop him ... were Marius, Calpernia, and Dorian.  This is the explanation for his lack of help within the final mission ... the "leaders" of Tevinter serving as a second (albeit lesser) chance at an attempt to ice the Dread Wolf (even if they could not prevent the Veil's collapse).
 

Now that that is out of the way, let's start this sucker!