Dragon Age: Origins: Thread III [some SPOILERS]

[Jon AS]

I guess they don't mix, except for Archdemons, of course.

"Archdemon" appears to be just a colourful name, not a true classification. The Archdemon is not a spirit from the Fade but a big dragon, "corrupted" by the Darkspawn.

I'm almost a bit sad that a lot of things in the background are kept deliberately vague and uncertain. Sure, it doesn't really matter for the story how Darkspawn came to be orginally, but I certainly would like to know...

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

"Archdemon" appears to be just a colourful name, not a true classification. The Archdemon is not a spirit from the Fade but a big dragon, "corrupted" by the Darkspawn.

I'm almost a bit sad that a lot of things in the background are kept deliberately vague and uncertain. Sure, it doesn't really matter for the story how Darkspawn came to be orginally, but I certainly would like to know...

I'd say it does matter. There should be a reason for the Darkspawn. There should be a reason for why they've been compelled to destroy everything.

As they are, they form the weakest part of the story. I suspect they kept them 'vague and uncertain' because they ran out of ideas.

[Jon AS]

I'd say it does matter. There should be a reason for the Darkspawn. There should be a reason for why they've been compelled to destroy everything.

As they are, they form the weakest part of the story. I suspect they kept them 'vague and uncertain' because they ran out of ideas.

Yeah, but given the way it is written, there is no in-story reason for any of the characters to know what the hell happened to create them. I don't think Bioware refused to give an objective explanation for them because "they ran out of ideas", keeping things in such a vague state is clearly a design decision. And considering that they did come up with one story (the Chantry version) for their creation I'd say they spend some time thinking about it.

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

Well given the fact that collectively the blight represents the games' main antagonist, i think more could've been done. But I've mentioned this before, so I'll stop complaining now.

[Rhom]

I'm starting to get into this game. This morning I did the events in the town of Redcliffe. I saved the game just as I was preparing to enter Redcliffe Castle.

Therein lies my question... I like Leilani with her ranged attack, but I seem to have run out of arrows and don't know where to get more at this point in the game. So she is now essentially a less effective Wardog or Sten for me, but she's the only one in my party that can open locked chests. I'm thinking I'll come across some stuff in the castle I'd like her to open. Is it enough of a concern that I should bring her along, or should I stick with one of my other heavies? My main is currently playing a tank role.

Which brings me to another concern of mine. Obviously Allistair is a templar/tank... so I don't need two of them, but I really like having him along for story purposes (and to listen to him and Morgana/Leilani argue). My role playing personality will need to come to terms with my min/maxer personality at some point I think.

[Relic]

Therein lies my question... I like Leilani with her ranged attack, but I seem to have run out of arrows and don't know where to get more at this point in the game.

The only arrows you equip are magical ones. Normal arrows dont show up in your inventory and are limitless and free.

Also, i have never unlocked a chest with a rogue that contained anything good. you can get generic equipment that you sell, and that's about it. maybe a few extra pots and maybe the occasional 30s.

edit - Shale is the best tank in the game. Allister is second best, from my experience, especially if you give him that 80 gold ring you can buy in Orzimmar. If you aren't using Shale and you are playing as a good guy you should sword and board Allistair all the way.

[Arakasi]

You don't need arrows to shoot a bow. You get an infinite supply of regular arrows. Break out the special fire/ice/etc bolts/arrows for hard encounters. Otherwise you're just fine with her regular stuff.

[Jon AS]

Well given the fact that collectively the blight represents the games' main antagonist, i think more could've been done. But I've mentioned this before, so I'll stop complaining now.

Actually I'd say Loghain is the main antagonist. The Blight is the major threat, but it's mostly there to give you a clear purpose, you can't really do anything about it until you've dealt with crazy old Loghain.

[Rhom]

Ah... thanks for the tip. I haven't been controlling Leilani directly, so all I knew was that I was out of arrows on the equip screen and the last combat ended with her equipped with melee weapons. Good to know.

[Arakasi]

Put her AI behaviour to ranged. That should keep her from equipping those pesky melee weapons. That or don't give her any melee weapons in her alternate weapon slot.

[Sebastian]

Yeah, but given the way it is written, there is no in-story reason for any of the characters to know what the hell happened to create them. I don't think Bioware refused to give an objective explanation for them because "they ran out of ideas", keeping things in such a vague state is clearly a design decision. And considering that they did come up with one story (the Chantry version) for their creation I'd say they spend some time thinking about it.

I think they're being vague on purpose. It's probably going to be explained in the sequel(s) and it has something to do with the Golden/Black City that you can see in the background when you're in the Fade.

[Daeric]

"Archdemon" appears to be just a colourful name, not a true classification. The Archdemon is not a spirit from the Fade but a big dragon, "corrupted" by the Darkspawn.

I'm almost a bit sad that a lot of things in the background are kept deliberately vague and uncertain. Sure, it doesn't really matter for the story how Darkspawn came to be orginally, but I certainly would like to know...

To get even more indepth about it, the "ArchDemon" is one of the old gods that were banished and buried under ground by the Maker, the time in between the blights is due to the darkspawns having to go randomly tunneling all over the place until they hit upon one and if I remember correctly there was I think 7 old gods and 5 have now being killed so theres a potenial 2 other blights.

I may be getting some the info mixed up but I do think thats the gist of it.

Edit: I'm pretty sure it does explain the coming of the darkspawn, through the explantion was very vague. From what I remember the first darkspawn came about due to some people basically invading the Makers city and corrupting it, they were eventually thrown out under a curse, twisting them into the first spawn.

Through again faulty memory and all may be getting that wrong, I really should just go to the wiki to confirm it :P

2nd edit : Darkspawn wiki

The version I was remembering was the version put forward by the Chantry and while the dorfs don't agree with it their explantion is they just appeared.

[a wooden chair]

Daeric, that is one in game interpretation of the events. One spread around by a religious organization who's main goal is to villify and exert control over mages. They blame the Tevinter Imperium for "corrupting" the Golden City of the Maker and creating Darkspawn but there is no solid proof in game beyond what the Chantry wants people to believe.

The Tevinter Imperium is based off the Old Roman Empire, and worshipped a Pantheon of Old Gods who bore the image of Dragons. The Chantry which was born in/caused much of the fall of the Tevinter Imperium is based off early Christianity and is monotheism.

This does not mean that Old Gods are actually dragons, or even real for that matter. Same with the Maker, or any of the Dalish Gods.

Archdaemons however -are- corrupted High Dragons, and there have been more than 8 High Dragons in the span of Dragon Age's history. One could attribute the very long period between blights as being due to the Neverran Dragon Hunters being more than successful in erradicating dragons to the point of almost non-existance.

I read one of the prequel books for Dragon Age (Dragon Age: The Calling) where they explain the Darkspawn hear a "song" that draws them towards where the Old Gods are, and that is their all consuming purpose between blights. It doesn't go on to explain much more than that sadly.

[Galactus]

I suspect there's going to be more revealed in the sequels. it IS called Dragon Age: ORIGINS after all. The implication is clearly that there will be more. (Considering A) Flemeth shapeshifts into a Dragon and B) the entire Morrigan Baby thing, I suspect Flemeth & Spawn is trying to somehow bring back an "uncorrupted" dragon)

[Merentha]

To get even more indepth about it, the "ArchDemon" is one of the old gods that were banished and buried under ground by the Maker, the time in between the blights is due to the darkspawns having to go randomly tunneling all over the place until they hit upon one and if I remember correctly there was I think 7 old gods and 5 have now being killed so theres a potenial 2 other blights.

Even better, those "Old Gods" of the Tevinter Imperium are possibly just giant Dragons, analogous to the cultists near Haven. Even the identify of the Maker is nicely suspect. The elven story about how a trickster god managed to seal away all the other gods sounds awfully like the Maker sealing away the evil gods. With the Old Gods being nothing more than giant dragons, what reason is there to assume that the Maker is anything but another ancient dragon? There are other myth stories that also make the Chantry's tale suspect, though I can't recall them off the top of my head.

[Ratty]

From the way Morrigan amongst others talks about the old Gods they do seem to have beena higher class of creature than the high dragons. Perhaps they were simply high dragons that were controlled/influeced by spirits from the fade, but they did seem to be special.

Bioware have planned for 2 years of DLV, what would everyone like to see.

Personally I'd like to see Highever whic is sipposed to be something like the second biggest otwn in Ferelden or thereabouts and plenty of story could come from there - especialy if you are a human Noble returning to your hometown and seeing your burned out castle. Also there was note in the dungeon at edcliffe talking about the bannorn of Rainsfrere that looked like a cut quest. Teagan is bann of rainsfrere I think.

[Odie]

Also there was note in the dungeon at edcliffe talking about the bannorn of Rainsfrere that looked like a cut quest. Teagan is bann of rainsfrere I think.

Yes. Bann Teagan is the bann of Rainsfrere. Don't tell the fangirls that he had a cut side-quest though, they'll be heartbroken ;)

[Deluge]

As far as the origin of the Darkspawn goes, I definitely got the impression that they were hinting at something which will be revealed later.

[Odie]

As far as the Origin of the Darkspawn goes, I definitely got the impression that they were hinting at something which will be revealed later.

The very first thing I screamed at the game was "BULLSHIT!" over the initial opening movie explanation of the Darkspawn.

But, this should come as no surprise to anyone who knows how I feel about religion :P

[Brude]

I wonder if in a sequel the next and possibly final Blight will involve two Archdemons. Of course, this would suggest that there are in fact only Seven Archdemons at all, but I could see where maybe two could be found/awakened at once.

As for possible future quests, expansions, etc., I could see them moving the story to Orlay or otherwise expanding the focus of the game to more of the world, though BioWare seems to like to limit these fantasy adventure games to certain specific regions (both Baldur's Gate games were kept pretty geographically local). Ferelden is a pretty limited sized kingdom, it seems. I imagine it being roughly the size of France, or maybe even only England.