Can You Talk About Misinterpretations Of Wynne And Zevran's Dynamic??? I'm Chewing On Your Analysis

no but how popular are maryden’s songs?? i know she’s playing in every tavern we go to but that could be a conveniently identical npc because inquisition didn’t have a ton of models lol

like what kind of notoriety does Scout Lace Harding have? is rook going to feel like they’re meeting, idk, billie jean. eleanor rigby. jolene herself

can i say, as i'm playing the veilgaurd, i really enjoy how every game varric's in he has a completely different relationship with each protagonist (not really spoilery under the cut but read at ur own risk)

in da2, him and hawke are BESTIES. they match each other's wit. they flirt (female hawke). they get each other into boatloads of trouble and always get each other out of it. varric never left hawkes side no matter what hawke said or did. they were equals.

in dai with him and the inquisitor, it always seemed like he held the inquisitor just a little bit at arm's length. yes, he was their friend and a part of their inner circle, but he always made it a point to mention that the inquisitor is "larger than life" and is more of a figure of legend than a person. he always gave advice the best he could, but obviously what would he know about being a "herald of andraste". they were not equals, at least if you asked varric.

in datv, he is clearly rook's mentor. any chance you get, he is always hyping up rook's abilities and leadership. making jokes if their feeling on edge. making sure they never doubt themselves. literally, any time you visit him where he's healing, he always has some real SWEET thing to say to you "are you sleeping?" "make sure you rest" "you got this kid". with varric, rook can be vulnerable. "if i hadn't made that choice, neve/harding wouldn't've gotten hurt" and varric makes sure you understand that that wasn't your fault and had to make a choice. they were not equals, at least if you asked rook. but varric would disagree.

(obviously i'm not done playing VG so idk if how i'm interpreting this is accurate BUT ALAS)

i appreciate how varric is seen differently in each game he's in, it makes him always really interesting to watch throughout each game!

the basics of tevinter politics and social classes, as laid out in world of thedas and a little elsewhere

the archon is the supreme ruler of the imperium. their authority and magical power is believed to be divinely granted. they choose their successors before they die, so they are usually the sons, nephews, brothers, cousins, or apprentices of previous archons. (this phrasing implies that, like the black divine, the archon is always a man, and certainly the several named ones we know all are, but i’m not sure if this is necessarily always true.) if an archon does not choose his heir before he dies, the magisterium elects the next; these candidates cannot be magisters or hold rank in the chantry. technically the archon can overrule the laws passed by the magisterium, but he rarely does this. his power mostly stems from families vying for his favour, as he has the unique power to appoint magisters at will. a man named radonis is the current archon; he’s appeared in comics and a war table mission.

the magisterium are the mage elites who regularly gather to govern the imperium and pass laws. magisters become magisters in several ways:

one is chosen from each of tevinter’s seven circles of magi. it cannot be that circle’s first enchanter

the imperial divine and every grand cleric of the imperial chantry gets a seat

magisters can inherit seats

as i mentioned, the archon has the right to appoint any new magister if he chooses

tevinter society breaks down into four major social classes.

the first mage class is the altus class. these are descended from the original “Dreamers”, through ancient and wealthy magical bloodlines. most magisters come from altus families. characters like dorian and danarius belong to this class.

other mages belong to the laetan class. these are mages who cannot trace their ancestry to the dreamers, and may belong to families with no history of magic at all. many vie for power despite their origins, and one third of the imperium’s archons have been laetans. (the first laetan to rise to archon was such an outrage it caused a seventy year civil war, but that was, like, 1500 years ago-ish. they’re more chill about it now.) it feels safe to assume that neve gallus, who says in tevinter nights that she doesn’t feel at home in a wealthy estate because she has more templars in her family than mages, probably belongs to this class.

the soporati are non-mages who are still full tevinter citizens. they are allowed to own property and serve in the military, but they cannot have a direct say in government or rise above the rank of mother/father in the chantry. they can however be civil servants and merchants. a mage born to a soporati family is instantly a laetan.

slaves are not allowed to own property, or to hold military rank even when armed and serving as a personal soldier or bodyguard. they have become a more even mix of humans and elves since andraste’s time. mages can be slaves. if a slave is set free, either by their living owner before a judge or by their owner’s will upon their death, they are considered liberati. liberati are still not citizens and cannot have political say or hold military rank, but they can join a circle of magi, get an apprenticeship in a trade, take apprentices themselves, and own property. fenris was a slave, while his sister varania was implied to have become one of the liberati.

there is also a large surface dwarf population in tevinter. they are not considered citizens, but instead regarded as foreign dignitaries however many generations their families have lived in tevinter. they have large embassies in every major tevinter city, which at least in minrathous, neromenian, and qarinus are completely subterranean, meaning residents can retain their dwarven caste and may never come above ground all their lives. minrathous’ close ties to the dwarves mean it even has a massive proving grounds, as well as enormous stone golems known as juggernauts to guard the city gates. more than anywhere else in thedas, the dwarves do get a political say, with an elected body of representatives called the ambassadoria who advise the archon and the magisterium. it’s the imperium’s reliance on lyrium which gives them this kind of sway.

DAI x BG3 matchups I need to see. I’m not good at writing crossovers nor am I clever at all. This is very much non-exhaustive and very much not the end point of these characters’ potential interactions with each other.

Karlach + Sera + Iron Bull

The absolute chaos. The absolute CHAOS. A powerhouse. Putting aside Karlach’s demon heritage aside, she and Iron Bull tossing back tankards and swapping war stories as vets that have been dealt shitty hands but continue to chug along despite it. Karlach and Sera connecting over growing up mainly on the streets and having soft spots for little ragamuffins. Plus they all talk about women’s tits a lot. I feel Sera would find Karlach sexy and funny.

Wyll + Cole

Like Solas and Varric, Wyll would take to Cole because he recognizes Cole’s desire to help others, even if his methods are a bit unorthodox. He would recognize Cole’s soul as gentle and kind, and his efforts to atone for the murders he committed in the Tower as proof of his humanity. He will join the Uncle-Dad Duo and complete the Uncle-Dad Trio. Cole would gravitate toward Wyll’s goodness in turn, and probably tell Wyll that him making a contract wasn’t foolish because in the end he saved a city, and if that was his desire, then he committed no sin in doing so.

Solas + Astarion

The messiest shit can only occur, and my messy bitch self wants to see it. Watch as Solas’s upright and stiff demeanor utterly bores Astarion. Watch as Astarion’s selfishness, penchant for violence, and casual disregard for the well-being of others utterly pisses Solas the fuck off. Watch as Astarion yawns or interrupts Solas’s lectures with a “yes, yes, we get it” or the most dramatic eyeroll and overwrought “ugh”. Watch as Solas and Astarion immediately sniff each other out as liars and schemers from first jump and hold each other at a distance, the tension spiking at random moments early in them knowing each other where the other prods at their falsehoods. Watch as Astarion is dumbfounded by Solas expressing his condolences to Astarion upon learning of Astarion’s enslavement to his master, because how could a man who holds such reproach for him still manage to feel pity? ‘It is not pity, but compassion, which you are at liberty to reject. That is your right as a free man, just as it is my right to feel it.’

In the best case scenario, Astarion calms down eventually, teasing Solas but still treating him like that friend of a friend that you grudgingly admit is useful. I think a part of Astarion would find Solas’s penchant dislike of him funny.

Vivienne + Astarion + Dorian

We are all doomed. The haughtiness will be scarcely contained. Dorian and Astarion are definitely flirting. Fucking? Not sure. But definitely flirting and enjoying killing bad guys, playfully arguing over wine, snickering over Solas’s shabby dress.

Shadowheart + Leliana

Tools forged to serve a religious order? Check. Crisis of faith? Check. Subterfuge preferred? Check.

Lae’zel + Cassandra

Soldiers recognizing soldiers. 🫡 ‘Why are the men around me so annoying.’

Minsc & Boo + Cole

Cole might be able to understand Boo! If not his speech, then his little hamster feelings. Minsc might be wary of Cole for the information that he manages to glean from Minsc’s head, but his unquestioned understanding of Boo would probably smooth that bump in the road, right?

Solas + Gale

A friend remarked that Gale would remind Solas too much of himself (prideful, ambitious) and thus they would not get along. There is that. I think that Gale would get a small smile out of Solas every now and then with his quips, because Solas himself is clearly a fan of banter; Gale would provide more of the energy in the same way Dorian does with his and Solas’s more civil banters. Gale and Solas also both hold a great measure of respect and adoration for magic as a force, an element, a piece of entirety that is beautiful for its own existence. Not simply just what magic can do for them as wielders of magic, but what it is and how it does so much to enhance a person’s understanding and interaction with the world, as precious as sight or sound.

Minthara + Iron Bull

Oh she will have him cowed in a goddamn minute. Oh man. Oh no. ‘Yes ma’am’, ‘no ma’am’.

Minthara + Cassandra

Oh this would be so interesting. Disciplined, serious bulwarks with little time for silly little men—Minthara would share Cassandra’s frustration and lack of amusement with Varric, though Cassandra would consider her suggestions to maim him.

Solas + Halsin + Iron Bull

I see potential here. Iron Bull and Solas already have a dynamic of Iron Bull’s “I have a pretty good idea of who you are, and it’s a liar” toward Solas, while Solas grudgingly respects Iron Bull’s strength and mental acumen in the same way you would respect a very intelligent bear—do not draw attention more than necessary, but stand tall lest it smell fear. Halsin feels like a softer Iron Bull, a mediation between the two. Like Iron Bull, his stature and build belies a thoughtful and sharp mind. Like Solas, he sees everything as connected, feeding into the other as part of a system, and would too feel a sense of loss at magic and mundane being so dramatically split as it is in Thedas—an aberration against what is natural. Also like Iron Bull, he’s frank with his sexuality. I’m certain the two would swap stories over booze. The trio would be arguably the three most mature and experienced in a room in any given situation. Not only that, but Halsin is far more actively in touch with his heart and honest with his feelings than Solas or Iron Bull. The latter two very much care about their loved ones, but with Solas it is under the surface and with Iron Bull it’s mixed up in cultural trappings of romance not being a “thing” in his culture, and thus both struggle with their feelings. Halsin however is very much in touch. There is next to nothing obstructing what his head and heart wants. He listens to his heart and he follows it. Solas and Iron Bull could learn a thing or two from him, tbh

Also I feel like Iron Bull, Halsin, and even Solas have a bit of a brat tamer streak in them so there’s that

Also Astarion would outright reject the notion of drinking Cullen’s blood cuz it smells like battery acid.

yall. in a few days we're getting new dragon age. new companions who will stick with us for years. new narratives to pull at our heartstrings and occupy our thoughts and drive us a little crazy. new banter to delight at, new jokes. new dialogue to pick apart for hidden meanings. new dialogue options that don't match the voiced lines. new locations to explore, new architecture to admire, new flora and fauna to study. new codices to collect. new spells to toy with, new builds to create. new npcs to meet. new outfits to gush over or criticize, to see in fanart over and over again until it's like meeting an old friend. old mysteries to finally solve, new mysteries to uncover and chew on for however many years. NEW LOREEEEEE

what is the walls of darkrown made of? wood?

there is literally no way that Alistair doesn’t carry snacks w him at all times like y'all would be walking around fighting darkspawn and the warden or someone is like “shit man I’m kinda hungry” and alistair’s like “hold on man I got u” and pulls a thing of Pringles out of nowhere

You say that gamers should buy something else if they don't enjoy a series or franchise. But to me, this is contradicted by you also saying that gamers would rather get angry instead of leaving. I don't get what you are saying here. Are you implying that gamers are too incompetent to find something else?

It's not contradictory at all. What people should do and what they want to do are often not the same, usually because it is easier and feels better to do what they want rather than what they should. My friends tell me they should go to the gym and exercise regularly, but they want to play games on the couch. They aren't incompetent, they knows how and why to go to the gym. They just don't want to, in large part because it is easier and more pleasant to play games on the couch than it is to go to the gym and exercise. Going to the gym and exercising regularly requires significant effort and actual action on their part. Staying home and playing games on the couch requires significantly less effort and action.

It is a similar situation for gamers entrenched in a franchise. The franchise is familiar and comfortable to them. They've already played it a long time and generally liked it. When things go sideways, it's easy to complain and get angry. It's easy to post angrily and make memes. However, the chances of getting a positive response to these complaints is practically nil. It often takes weeks, months, or even years to address the issues that players complain about if the dev team chooses to do so at all. In the meantime, there are new games regularly getting released that may serve a player's needs better than their current franchise du jour. Trying and playing a new game will achieve better results than complaining and doing nothing. However, this requires more significant effort and action on the player's part - they have to get the new game, install it, try it, learn the new foibles, and see if they like it. If they don't like it sufficiently, they'll have to repeat the process. Instead, complaining about the game they were playing and used to like is much easier and requires almost zero effort. The path of least resistance is often the most popular.

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I’m replaying the Jaws of Hakkon dlc and it really has me mulling over the sheer loneliness of our Inquisitor’s situation.

The Hero of Ferelden gained their title and status after they had already bonded with their companions and stopped the blight. Hawke is known for their dysfunctional polycule/found family. Rook is in the same boat.

But the Inquisitor became a symbol before they even had a chance to really get to know anyone. Every other protagonist leads a group of companions, meanwhile the Inquisitor leads a political and military force. Sure, they still become close with some of their companions and advisors, but everyone constantly reminds them of their status as a holy symbol and how intimidating and unapproachable it makes them.

You can literally tell Varric, Mr. Friends-With-Everyone, “I don’t need a disciple, I need a friend” and he’ll reply “If you knew how intimidating you are, you wouldn’t make it sound so simple”. Imagine how isolating it must be to keep hearing that.

Anyway here's the Guerrin timeline as best I can piece it together, if it's useful to anyone!

Updated 7/14/23 with corrections & additions.

~8:84 Blessed - Eamon is born. (The Calling - He's 15 at the time of the Battle of West Hill, which occurred in 8:99 Blessed.)

8:99 Blessed - The Battle of West Hill. Arl Rendorn Guerrin, Eamon's father, is killed in action. Maric Theirin is presumed dead but reappears in Gwaren, which is then taken by the rebels. The Battle of River Dane deals a decisive defeat to the Orlesian forces, though the conflict is not completely over. It will take several more years to completely drive out the occupying lords. However, Emperor Florian officially withdraws support for King Meghren.

9:02 Dragon - Eamon, 18, returns to Redcliffe to claim his place as arl, but find it still under Orlesian control, and works with the rebel forces to reclaim it. Isolde, the daughter of one of the Orlesian governors, is sympathetic to the rebels and becomes infatuated with Eamon, who does not return her feelings; nevertheless, she feeds information to the rebels, and chooses to stay in Ferelden after her family is driven out. Isolde is four years younger than Eamon, making her 14 at the time. (WoT v.2 p. 102, 106)

9:02 Dragon - Maric kills the usurper King Meghren in a dual, officially ending the occupation and winning Ferelden's freedom. (There is a noted discrepancy in the dates between the epilogue of The Stolen Throne, and World of Thedas vol. 1, the latter of which puts the duel at 9:00 Dragon. Given other events, the later date seems more plausible.)

~9:08 Dragon - Six years after their initial meeting, Eamon (24) meets Isolde (20) again in Denerim. They quickly become involved and are married. (WoT v.2 p. 103)

9:10 - Alistair is born to Fiona and King Maric. His parents give him up to be raised at Redcliffe Castle, inventing a story about his mother being a human serving girl. (The Calling.)

~9:20 Dragon - Isolde becomes pregnant with Connor after difficulty conceiving. This causes rumors about Alistair (10) being Eamon's bastard to resurface, and Eamon sends him away to a monastery to spare his wife's feelings. Connor is born soon after.

~9:29 Dragon - Short of taking his vows as a templar, Alistair (19) is conscripted into the Grey Wardens. (WoT v.2 p.79)

~9:30 Dragon - Connor Guerrin (10) shows signs of magic. Isolde hires an apostate, Jowan, to tutor Connor in secret. Eamon (46) is poisoned by Jowan and falls ill. (Origins.)

~9:31 Dragon - Following the Blight, Eamon decides to stay in Denerim, serving as an advisor to the throne, eventually declaring his brother Teagan the new Arl of Redcliffe. (Origins, WoT v.2 p.104)

?:?? Dragon - (If Connor is dead) Rowan Guerrin is born to Isolde and Eamon. After a difficult birthing, Isolde dies. (Potential Origins Epilogue slide.)

?:?? Dragon - Rowan Guerrin shows signs of magic and is sent to the Circle, though her father continues to visit her. (Potential Origins Epilogue slide.)