10369 réponses à ce sujet

[Creature 1]

There have been very intelligent people who have been surprisingly successful at very difficult things, but people are limited by their technology. When da Vinci, no mental slacker, studied the respiratory system he was limited to describing the gross anatomy of the lungs. Thedas does not have the technology to construct microscopes, or to preserve, stain, and section tissue.



Dwarves at least don't have to deal with the Chantry, but above ground the Chantry rules, and suppresses the study of anatomy (from the wiki: "Indeed, the Chantry seems almost irrational in its fear of Blood Magic; going so far as to suppress anatomical study and ignoring more immediate or severe threats.") But to me the dwarves do not appear much interested in scientific inquiry, I think they're too busy trying not to get eradicated by the darkspawn (and slowly failing) and obsessing over caste and ancient history.

[Raonar]

Actually, dwarves know a lot about academic stuff. Imagine how much architecture and geology they know to be able to build all of those cities and Thaigs? And let's not forget that they can preserve records in Lyrium (whatever that means) and even make FLESH GOLEMS. So yeah, I imagine being able to make flesh golems implies at least some anatomical knowledge. there's only so much one can explain by magic after all.

[Creature 1]

If their materials science and chemistry knowledge were so far advanced as to allow study of microscopic anatomical features, they should have firearms and be beating back the darkspawn instead of relying on swords and bows and getting slowly killed.



It's your story, so write what you want. *shrug*

[Raonar]

Lol, it's not like it's HIM saying it it's the narrator )

[DreGregoire]

LOL. Dwarves are into more than just what a warden is exposed to and there is much information lost to the dwarves and the elves for that matter. And although the chantry is more in control of mages (only in Ferelden) doesn't mean they are able to stop the study of such things, just that they try to. I'm not saying that they have access to our modern technology, but that doesn't mean they couldn't have working knowledge of science. Even if explanations to us may appear more mystical than factual based.

[ZerbanDaGreat1]

It occurs to me that my fic isn't a proper Blightfic. The Warden isn't the main character and the Blight isn't the central conflict. It actually (Sarcasm:here's a mark of good quality) revolves around a selfinsert character. This character doesn't reveal his real name, going by Ven(tus) instead. He's hit by a car in our world and wakes up in the field just after the battle at Ostagar. It's not entirely clear if he's in a coma, though. Things changing beyond his control hint that he really has traveled to Thedas, but then again not only is he somehow an abomination but he has memories from before Ostagar.



Oh yeah, and he's in a relationship with Morrigan and set to become a Grey Warden. Says something that nobody's called me out for the freaky crap I've pulled.



Sorry for the self-absorbed hijacking. Back to the actual topic.



I've reached Orzammar, and I have a basic outline ready. First of all, any indication how long it would take to travel through the Deep Roads to the Anvil? Second, shouldn't there really be a LOT more darkspawn in that area considering you have to go through the Dead Trenches to get there.



Thirdly; my storyline has copious amounts of The Power Of Love/Friendship. Is that out-of-place in the rather grey areas of Dragon Age's world?

[Raonar]

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...

I've reached Orzammar, and I have a basic outline ready. First of all, any indication how long it would take to travel through the Deep Roads to the Anvil? Second, shouldn't there really be a LOT more darkspawn in that area considering you have to go through the Dead Trenches to get there.

Thirdly; my storyline has copious amounts of The Power Of Love/Friendship. Is that out-of-place in the rather grey areas of Dragon Age's world?

I put the deep roads thing to 1-2 months. The darkspawn are far fewer than usual because they gathered for the Blight (as shown when you reach the Dead Trenches. they're al down there and get led off by the Archdemon).

To your third question: i don't think it's out of place at all I've been using it a lot too (welll, mostly on the emotional level, whatever spells or magic the characters pull off isn't really fueled by the power of firnedship/love)

Modifié par Raonar, 11 février 2011 - 10:32 .

[ZerbanDaGreat1]

Raonar wrote...

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...

I've reached Orzammar, and I have a basic outline ready. First of all, any indication how long it would take to travel through the Deep Roads to the Anvil? Second, shouldn't there really be a LOT more darkspawn in that area considering you have to go through the Dead Trenches to get there.

Thirdly; my storyline has copious amounts of The Power Of Love/Friendship. Is that out-of-place in the rather grey areas of Dragon Age's world?

I put the deep roads thing to 1-2 months. The darkspawn are far fewer than usual because they gathered for the Blight (as shown when you reach the Dead Trenches. they're al down there and get led off by the Archdemon).

To your third question: i don't think it's out of place at all I've been using it a lot too (welll, mostly on the emotional level, whatever spells or magic the characters pull off isn't really fueled by the power of firnedship/love)

Two months? Really? That amount of traveling, the Anvil must be under Orlais! And yeah, there aren't as many darkspawn, but the Dead Trenches are literally packed with them. You'd think some would get through, especially after the Warden disables Caridin's traps. 

Ah. Well, Ven's unique power is friendship *is shot*. Everyone in the party, Warden included, is represented by one of the Major Tarot Arcana based on their personalities/personal journeys. When Ven becomes close friends with them he forms a bond based around that. 

In fact, I've been thinking about Major Arcana that the party would represent. Anybody care to weigh in? The only confirmed ones are;

Leliana: The Moon - it represents deception and lies, so it figures the bard would get it.

The Warden: Justice - she fights for what's right and always tries for peace first, another no-brainer

The Lovers: Morrigan - not just for the romance, but it also represents the Dark Ritual and the choice related.

[Raonar]

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...

Two months? Really? That amount of traveling, the Anvil must be under Orlais! And yeah, there aren't as many darkspawn, but the Dead Trenches are literally packed with them. You'd think some would get through, especially after the Warden disables Caridin's traps. 

Ah. Well, Ven's unique power is friendship *is shot*. Everyone in the party, Warden included, is represented by one of the Major Tarot Arcana based on their personalities/personal journeys. When Ven becomes close friends with them he forms a bond based around that. 

In fact, I've been thinking about Major Arcana that the party would represent. Anybody care to weigh in? The only confirmed ones are;

Leliana: The Moon - it represents deception and lies, so it figures the bard would get it.

The Warden: Justice - she fights for what's right and always tries for peace first, another no-brainer

The Lovers: Morrigan - not just for the romance, but it also represents the Dark Ritual and the choice related.

Sten: Strength/Fortitude (BIG no brainer).

Zevran- The Hanged Man

Oghren- The Tower (downfall, harsh times indeed).

Wynne- The Hermit (lol, anotehr no brainer)

Not sure about Alistair yet.

Modifié par Raonar, 11 février 2011 - 11:45 .

[maxernst]

Raonar wrote...

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...

Two months? Really? That amount of traveling, the Anvil must be under Orlais! And yeah, there aren't as many darkspawn, but the Dead Trenches are literally packed with them. You'd think some would get through, especially after the Warden disables Caridin's traps. 

Ah. Well, Ven's unique power is friendship *is shot*. Everyone in the party, Warden included, is represented by one of the Major Tarot Arcana based on their personalities/personal journeys. When Ven becomes close friends with them he forms a bond based around that. 

In fact, I've been thinking about Major Arcana that the party would represent. Anybody care to weigh in? The only confirmed ones are;

Leliana: The Moon - it represents deception and lies, so it figures the bard would get it.

The Warden: Justice - she fights for what's right and always tries for peace first, another no-brainer

The Lovers: Morrigan - not just for the romance, but it also represents the Dark Ritual and the choice related.

Sten: Strength/Fortitude (BIG no brainer).

Zevran- The Hanged Man

Oghren- The Tower (downfall, harsh times indeed).

Wynne- The Hermit (lol, anotehr no brainer)

Not sure about Alistair yet.

Strength would fit Shale as well as Sten, I think.  Maybe Sten coukd be the Hierophant since he represents such an organized and rigid society.  Then again, Wynne could be the Hierophant too, or the High Priestess.

Alistair...the Emperor is tempting for its literal meaning, but the figurative doesn't really fit.  I'm drawn to the Sun for him for no reason I can articulate.

Loghain - Death - an easy one since he either dies literally or is transformed

I suppose Justice might fit for a particular Warden, but for the Warden in general, the Fool is the obvious choice, since the Greater Arcana reperesent the Fool's Journey.

[Maria13]

What about the Chariot for Alistair, since he is quite a contradictory person who is torn apart by the twin impulses of love and duty, loyalty and vengeance?

Or the hanging man, for the Alistair of the US or execution endings?

Modifié par Maria13, 11 février 2011 - 03:33 .

[inquartata02]

 

Alistair...the Emperor is tempting for its literal meaning, but the figurative doesn't really fit.  I'm drawn to the Sun for him for no reason I can articulate.

He is kind of shiny. 

[ZerbanDaGreat1]

I'll just make a list of what I thought.



The Fool - The Narrator (since the fic is first-person)- his inherent value is zero, but holds infinite possibilities. Basically the main characters of Persona 3 and 4.



The Magician: Alistair - since it's about action and initiative, it nicely fits Hardened!Alistair. Plus in Persona it seemed to have an immaturity element, which fits Alistair as well.



The High Priestess: Wynne - really, it's obvious. It represents hidden knowledge, wisdom, female mystery and magic



The Lovers: Morrigan - as said before, both the romance and the Dark Ritual.



The Chariot: Sten - As a symbol of conquest, self-assertion and control. As the quinari are very war-based, and very stoic to the man, it makes sense.



Justice: The Warden - My particular Warden, anyway. It's a bit of a darker meaning, though, considering the strongest injustice in her life makes her pretty crazy.



The Hermit: Malcolm (another original character) - He's a Chasind Warden, so obviously he lives in the Wilds and works alone. But he's also disillusioned with life as a Warden, as he was conscripted and left a family behind, so he wants to leave the Wardens at any cost. Ven manages to convince him he can still do good in the Wardens, finishing the 'philisophical questions' part of the card.



Death: Ventus - One of the major points in the story is his growth and change as a person. Relatively near the end he fulfills the meanings by both dying and changing, in a way.



The Devil - Zevran: I'd argue this fits him because, like the card, he's a slave to his violent and sexual impulses. He tells you he's been such his whole life, and overcoming it is a key element in his romance. Also note that the card isn't necessarily bad.



The Tower: Oghren/Loghain - I'd agree about Oghren, but Loghain fits it just as well.



The Moon: Leliana - explained previously.



The Sun for Alistair isn't a stretch, since it represents happiness and optimism. Shale/Sten as Strength doesn't really work since it's more about strength through self-control and gentleness over brute force.

[Merilsell]

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...

I've reached Orzammar, and I have a basic outline ready. First of all, any indication how long it would take to travel through the Deep Roads to the Anvil? Second, shouldn't there really be a LOT more darkspawn in that area considering you have to go through the Dead Trenches to get there.

I have stretched the term weeks in my FF to avoid a exact time line, but in my personal mind until they have reached the exit of the Deep Roads in Orzammar again about 3 months have passed. No idea how the assembly has been held off so long but just look at the seize of the DR, for once. Even if you rarely pause/camp and march straight through, the distance would be still HUGE. Not to mention that there are several things that can slow you down (Injuries; hence needed recovering time, Darkspawn hordes, deepstalker, a blocked path etc)  So yeah, I find 3 months to be realistic...at least in my mind. Lol.

Thirdly; my storyline has copious amounts of The Power Of Love/Friendship. Is that out-of-place in the rather grey areas of Dragon Age's world?

Well my story is basically all about how a group of misfits are influencing each other and how their relationship/ friendship changes and let the personality of one grow and such stuff. It's fun.

And frankly said without the people around her, who are animating Lenya to rethink her view or telling her to STFU at times, my Dalish would have ended to be a bitter bi*tch just like Valenna. And that would be ....ugh.

Modifié par Merilsell, 11 février 2011 - 08:03 .

[Maria13]

THE CHARIOT

Basic Card Symbols

Triumphal "car" (chariot), armored warrior, sun/moon symbols, lingam & yoni symbol (the encircled rod on the winged shield), black and white sphinxes/lions/horses, sometimes at rest. A canopy of stars and sometimes a throne inside the car.

Basic Tarot Story

The Fool is close to completing what he set out to create long ago, back when the Magician revealed those tools to him. But enemies are now standing in his way, devious human enemies, bad circumstances, even confusion in his own mind. There's no more forward momentum; he feels he is fighting just to stay where he is. Walking along the shore, watching the waves come in, he puzzles over how to defeat these enemies and get things moving forward once again.

It is here that he comes across a charioteer, standing in his gold and silver chariot, his black and white steeds at rest. "You seem a victorious warrior," the Fool remarks. "Tell me, what is the best way to defeat an enemy?" The Charioteer nods out at the ocean. "Have you ever been swimming in the water and been trapped in that tide which pulls you out to sea? If you try to swim forward, head-on, you go nowhere. You swim forward, the tide pulls you back and, if you tire yourself out, you drown. The only way to win without sapping all your energy is to swim parallel to shore, and come in slowly, diagonally. So, too, when fighting in a chariot. You win by coming up alongside that which you wish to defeat." The warrior nods to his beasts. "Your steeds keep the wheels turning, but it is your control and direction that brings victory. Dark and light, they must be made to draw in harmony, under your guidance."

The Fool is impressed and inspired. He thinks he now knows how to win his own war. He thanks the warrior, but before he leaves, the warrior stays the Fool, "One thing more," he says, "no victory can be won unless you have unwavering confidence in your cause. And remember this above all, victory is not the end, it is the beginning."

[Merilsell]

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...
 
Ah. Well, Ven's unique power is friendship *is shot*. Everyone in the party, Warden included, is represented by one of the Major Tarot Arcana based on their personalities/personal journeys. When Ven becomes close friends with them he forms a bond based around that.

I know now why all this talk of Arcana's reminded me on the Persona-series, it's similar there. I love these games, especially Persona 4 had been a blast. <3

Err...yeah talk on.

[DreGregoire]

ZerbanDaGreat1 wrote...

Thirdly; my storyline has copious amounts of The Power Of Love/Friendship. Is that out-of-place in the rather grey areas of Dragon Age's world?

It's what you bring to it as an individual or as the individual you are representing. I read an interesting thing by a bioware person just yesterday that talked about how (in DA2) what the player brings to the game is what makes the true story. Heh, or something along those lines. Isn't a direct quote

[Glorfindel709]

So, Ive been considering something for my Dalish Mage story, though Im not sure how I would make it work.

My entire plan is to have this elf essentially become a Battle Magi, through training with the templars (physical fitness, some sword play, eventual incorporation of sword and staff fighting technique) in exchange for offering himself up as practice for the templar recruits to learn how to fight a rogue mage (which in reality is part of his plan to try and escape the circle tower and get back to his clan), a heavy reliance on spirit and primal magic, and basically striving to become one of the best offensive spellcasters that the Circle has ever turned out (all for the greater goal of escaping back to his clan and becoming strong enough to defend them from whatever tries to hurt them).

Then I thought, why wouldnt someone who is going to be acknowledged by Irving as one of the most gifted casters the Circle currently has (which he does anyway) and their only true Battle Mage not be sent to Ostagar to fight for the King?

So Im trying to come up for a way for that to happen as his introduction to the Wardens (is sent with Alistair and some of the other Wardens into the Kocari Wilds, gets slightly tainted etc) but dont know how I would frame the whole Jowan Blood Mage(Blood Magic that he learned with the Dalish Mage btw) thing unless I pre-empt it by A) Moving his harrowing forward followed by escape attempt followed by C) Getting caught and being thrown into isolation [which handily introduces Anders for the Awakening story] followed by D) Irving releasing him to go with Wynne and Uldred to Ostagar, though Greagoir orders the Templars to be ready to capture him and send him back should he try to pull a runner.

Jowan remains his friend through the "growing up in the Circle after being torn from his clan" chapters, but the Dalish Mage never takes part in the escape attempt because he's been in lock up for months and then is immediatly sent to Ostagar after gathering his things.

Any advice guys?

Modifié par Glorfindel709, 12 février 2011 - 02:39 .

[Maria13]

Not sure I've quite understood, Glor. You want suggestions as to how to combine a plot that involves your mage being sent with the Wardens to Ostagar with the game story Jowan subplot? Do I have the right of it?

[Sarah1281]

You could always have the Amell mage (who the Surana mage may or may not have much to do with) aid the escape attempt while Surana is off at Ostagar.

[mousestalker]

Unrelated question to all that has gone before: Is it revealed anywhere what the name of Ariane's clan is? Does anyone know?

[Glorfindel709]

Basically here is my thing: I want the Elf Mage(who was actually a Dalish elf captured by Templars as a young child when he used magic for the first time against a human kid who pushed him down and called him a Knife-Ear while the Dalish were trading in Gwaren to prepare for their move north) to be in the group of mages sent to Ostagar tp help fight with the King. I want the Jowan subplot to happen, because in the growing up in the Circle Tower chapters before 30 Dragon begins and the world goes to hell I want Jowan to be one of his best friends and the character that helps the mage realize that not all humans are barbaric traitors who think they're the greatest thing to walk Thedas and want to lord over him and I dont want to have to leave him in the Circle Tower, *but* I dont want my mage to help with the escape.



Thing is, with the way the character is I don't know how I'll justify him not helping his friend(and fellow book-taught blood mage) unless he has no idea that it happened. So my plan was either A) Have him go from lock up where he was confined after an escape attempt to being sent to Ostagar, with a brief meeting with Jowan being the only clue to the DEM and readers that something is wrong with him and then when they meet up in Redcliffe the whole thing gets explained *or* Have the Amell mage (who will also be a friend) take part in his escape and she gets conscripted into the Wardens by Duncan but doesn't survive either the Joining or the Battle

[Corker]

@mousestalker, she identifies herself as "Ariane of Solan's clan." Makes me wonder if 'Mahariel' was the name of the daddy Keeper before Marethari, in the DE origin.

[Maria13]

Why not have Jowan look even better and nobler by having him decide not to involve his friend in his escape attempt? Your mage only hears what happened after the event... After all, it does not seem likely that they would allow a mage who has tried to escape or has helped a friend try to escape out of the Tower even to take part in the battle. 

Duncan has to exercise the right of conscription to get the mage out after he s/he helped Jowan in the vanilla tale and Gregoir is none too pleased even though the mage manages to convince them he did not use blood magic...

[Glorfindel709]

You've got a point their Maria... and since he's Jowan and is always second guessing his decisions, there can even be a point during their goodbye when he seems like he's about to mention something but stops himself and just tells his friend to stay safe and good luck.



My rational for them allowing him to go to the battle is A) He's been in lock up for a few months, so they think he's probably realized the error of his ways and Teryn Loghain sent the request from King Cailan with a demand for not just healers, but effective offensive casters to aid the army during the actual battles. Sending one of their best offensive casters would seem like a good idea *shrugs*



I'm also trying to figure out the balance - I know that in the books Mages are hideously overpowered (Wilhelm sends *lightning* through the chest of a man in heavy armor that leaves a gaping smoking hole!) and Gaider never really went into what sort of drawbacks they have, so the ones Ive seen are "Oh crap, out of mana... lyrium lyrium lyrium...oooo pretty lights", really heavyduty magic weakens them to the point of collapse or coma, and of course the game mechanics of "Let's go smash the squishy mage".