Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part III – The Pros

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I apparently had a lot more to say about the negatives of this game than I initially thought. I apologize for the long Con post, and try as I might, I couldn’t make it shorter. I think I edited that post like 20 times.

Yeah.

Just a quick side note, I forgot to mention a character I was certain would be included in the new game. In the short story compilation, Tevinter Nights, there was a story about the Antivan Crows, and the house that one of the fans’ favorites comes from, Zevran. I looked everywhere, kept an ear open, and they only offered us a whisper of him because of his actions in game 1. ((sigh))

So let’s move on to the positives, of which I also found many. I’ll try to be more succinct this time around.**

Soundtrack

Ahead of the game’s release, the main theme was accessible for a listen, and I liked it upon the first play. I’ve enjoyed all the soundtracks for the Dragon Age series, and this one had the added benefit of being co-written by one of my favorite composers, Hans Zimmer. You can hear his influence on all the tracks, and it makes for an enjoyable listen.

Side note, I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Hans Zimmer live a few months ago. If you’re a fan of his music, I would definitely encourage going to his concert. It’s an amazing experience.

Character Creator

I like a good character creator. I enjoy making different characters and exploring all the options available, and The Veilguard’s is pretty good with the variety of choices – from hair to makeup, scars to tattoos, and vitiligo to heterochromia. This time around they included some looong hairstyles, and the movement in-game is quite a feat of technology. Hair moves like real hair, and I found myself in awe of it often. I also liked that in the creator they offered an environment/background adjustment to see how your character would look before you finalized the decision. This may not seem like a big deal, but when choosing certain colors, especially with makeup, stark light, or dimly lit areas may cause the colors to look quite different than you imagined.

Thankfully, they returned with the Mirror of Transformation that used to be only accessible at the Black Emporium. It is now at camp, so that should you wish to change anything, a hairstyle as time passes, or maybe your character’s eyes are a little too close or too far apart, you can make adjustments any time without having to leave home.

Different Factions

I was delighted to learn that the protagonist would come from one of six backgrounds – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, the Shadow Dragons, or the Veil Jumpers. I didn’t give it a second thought. I get to be a Warden again! As I mentioned in the Cons post, no matter which background you choose, you will be temporarily exiled from your group because of a noble action you took prior to the game’s start, but I like that interactions and specific dialogue options are available to you given your affiliation.

I liked playing as a Warden given the plot of the game and how much is relevant to that faction, in particular. The Sis is playing as a member of the Mourn Watch, a group we had only heard of previously. Also, each of our companions is from one of these factions, so interactions between them and with our protagonist offers more insight.

Spell Casting

Given a choice, I will always choose to play as a mage first. I like magic. Although, now thinking about it, my first ever Dragon Age character was a dual wielder…huh. Well, knowing what I do now of the Dragon Age world, and how it views mages, I have since chosen to play as one first with each new game.

The spell tree has a vast array of spells to choose from, many different from the previous games, and depending on your background choice, or the kind of mage you want to be, there are three different routes to take in order to grow your power. The graphics are beautifully designed and fun to see in action, and this time around combos with your companions are available to deal more damage.

New Companions

Since the first game, there are always companions you love, you sort of loathe, and some you kind of ignore. This time is no different. I ended up liking characters I didn’t expect, but the best addition was that some of our companions had their own companions. Assan (–> this adorable little nugget) can be played with, hugged, and booped, and you can play rock, paper, scissors with Manfred and they both must be defended at all costs.

Graphics

As I mentioned, the spell casting had lovely graphics, and without spoilers, Lucanis has an ability that allows him to sprout wings and they are beautiful. Locations and in-world items and features all look amazing and it made exploring quite enjoyable.

Gift Giving

In all of the Dragon Age games, finding meaningful gifts to give your companions is a sweet side quest to incur favor. This sometimes helps with the companions that generally don’t agree with your actions and choices, or it can hasten a potential love interest’s favor to advance the romance. What I appreciated this time is that the gifts you give are physically represented in each companion’s quarters, so when you visit, you can see the gift on display.

New Locations

Since the beginning, we’ve heard reference to a number of other countries in the world of Thedas and now we finally get to see them. Most of our companions in each game are from other places, and through them, we learn a little of each country’s culture and history. This game allowed us to visit distant lands and people, and there was some lovely design, each with their own aesthetic.

*Downside, the locations are not fully open world. Oddly, as part of the hand holding of the story, you know, for the kid gamers, some places were closed off until the story progressed to a certain point, and then those restricted areas would become available to explore. Even near the end of the game, maybe given some choices I made, or a missed opportunity, some of those areas were still closed to me. Huh? While this happened in previous games too, sometimes, it was glaringly obvious in game 4.

Romance developments

I was a little torn between two characters to romance, and when the choice needed to be made, I found it interesting that the companion I didn’t choose found love with another character. I won’t spoil it. There are also other companions who find romance with each other, and this is a nice detail that I like that they added because it’s more true to life. People confined to a specific group for a length of time tend to like others in that circle.

*Teeny downside, they removed the racial or sexual orientation preferences they had enacted in Inquisition. Previously, some companions liked only female elves, or only men of any race, but now, everyone is bi and likes everyone. Not exactly a con, but feels like a step backwards.

Armor and Weapons

The addition of tons of choices for both armor and weapons based on the factions we have been introduced to is a great side quest as you keep an eye out for those items as you explore the world. You can buy pieces or find them in chests, and most of the designs are interesting and beautiful and they add an extra layer of detail to the game. A little side note, if you love an armor set or weapon, but another offers better stats, like “hide helmet” you can use the armor or weapon aesthetic you like visually while the better option hides beneath.

I wore the pictured armor set, a lot. Commander Shepard’s elite military status in the Mass Effect series represented in Dragon Age gear, uh yeah. I’ll take that. Side note, there was Dragon Age armor introduced way back in ME2, so this armor was overdue.

Story Decisions

There are some interesting choices to be made, so while you can’t make a character hate you, there is an opportunity to harden one companion and make them less trusting of you for some time. You can also influence many of your companions’ story arcs which does allow for some replayability to see how an alternative choice may affect them and the story. Even the Inquisitor, during a conversation, can be swayed in how they may handle Solas when the time comes. Many of the companions have pretty decent story arcs, and they have multiple steps, which continues to garner more favor, so basically, they all love you by the end.

But, near the end, there are a few decisions that have dramatic effect on the story, and after so much hand holding and fluff, it felt like a nod to the earlier dark themes of the previous games. And also, slightly out of place, but I was happy to see them.

Solas’s Character Arc

I am a Solas fan. I think of him as such a tragic figure, and I like how his character was highlighted – his struggles, his loyalty to an old fried, the burden of responsibility held for a thousand years – he’s a deeply rich character. Now, the story didn’t go at all as I expected, and I’m not sure when BioWare decided to change it all up, and despite the lack to wrap up to so many other story lines, thankfully, Solas’s arc got resolution. I was happy for that, at least.

There’s a lot to dislike about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, let’s be honest, but there’s also a bit to like (I didn’t even mention the voice acting and the familiar voices), and there’s more to talk about as well. It’s a divisive game, and considering the extremely long wait for it, it is, sadly, disappointing. I had high hopes, too high, I suppose, and that’s why I, and so many others were disappointed. I love the series. You all know. Tattoos, fan fiction, merch…I’m dedicated.

I will play the game again, as I mentioned, there are some choices you can make that may make alternative playthroughs more interesting, or at least different, but not at the same level of the previous games, which is just disappointing. I don’t have another word, sorry.

What are your thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard or the other DA games, in general? Let’s chat!

Happy Gaming!

*A bit more con even in the pros

**15 rewrites and still too long…thanks for sticking with me!

1Mar2025

Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part II – The Cons

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’ve wanted to work in video games for years. Actually, it’s because of DAO. I just loved it. But I have no idea how games are made, besides the behind the scenes footage I’ve seen. It takes dozens upon dozens of people working in teams to not only write all the amazing characters and dialogue and story, but there are a variety of artists, and voices actors, and engineers, among so many others. I’m in awe of what they do, and in spite of all the negativity The Veilguard received, it’s still an impressive feat of creativity.

But it has its problems. So let’s start with those.

The removal of The Keep.

With game 3, BioWare included an out-of-game device called The Keep. Decisions made in the past two games could be chosen and altered, which in turn would have an effect on world of the new game. I don’t know what it takes to create and implement such a tactic, so when it was revealed that all our previous decisions throughout the three games would no longer be relevant going forward, fans were understandably upset.

We had choice. We picked certain milestone moments, and now those were being retconned and BioWare was instead making the choice of what would be canon and what was important, which apparently, wasn’t much. So many of the previous decisions had little impact on the story and weren’t even referenced.

The introduction of The Protagonist.

In Origins, you’re the Warden, in DA2, you’re Hawke, and DA:I you become the Inquisitor. In all three games, you could befriend or antagonize your companions, and in Inquisition, you could play evil. Offering the player these different choices and outcomes to the world and its inhabitants deepened the experience, and let you choose how you felt like playing. This offered replayability.

With The Veilguard, our new protagonist is “Rook”. BioWare returned to the idea of origin stories and varying races where your character will come from one of the larger factions in this world – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Shadow Dragons, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, or a Veiljumper. Their past actions, which are all honorable, btw, lead them to be temporarily dismissed from their order, where Varric, the all ’round fan favorite non-romanceable dwarf, recruits you to help track down the Dread Wolf.

They are only likable. You will only befriend your companions. You can choose different dialogue options between nice, sarcastic-ish, or brave, but none are evil. None are truly confrontational. And that limits the replayability. I chose to play as an elf mage from the Grey Wardens. That’s her, Peri, above. She was sarcastic most of the time.

Then there’s The Story.

At the end of Inquisition, we learn our companion Solas, is an ancient elf, a virtual god, aka The Dread Wolf, who wants to pull down the Veil that separates the mortal world from the magical one beyond. He erected it, to stop his fellow gods during a civil war, but it sapped the elves of their immortality and left them vulnerable to being overthrown, the loss of their culture, and eventual enslavement. They are among the lowliest of citizens in this world.

Solas wants to save his people, but at the expense of the rest of the world. Before the end of game three, he disappears, and it is up to the Inquisitor and their allies to save or destroy Solas and his plans. So in game 4, we open ten years later on his trail. He is making his move (finally), and we interrupt it, unleashing chaos as the gods he was keeping contained are now released. Wah wah.

The problem is, all the threads that were developed prior to game 4 no longer seem relevant. Elves were leaving in droves at the end of game 3 to join the Dread Wolf’s cause. There is no mention of them in the new game unless they are among the elves now living in their old home of Arlathan Forest, but that’s not clear. Also, the plan seemed more grandiose than just a relocation program.

Finally, there were comics and short stories that introduced new and familiar characters and story ideas, and for the most part, they are all absent from the game. Where are the talking darkspawn? My problem with the story is that they flipped the script and changed the focus on everything we had been building toward.

Where are our old Friends?

Where is Merrill the elven mage who was trying to unlock the secrets of the mirrors known as eluvians from game 2. The mirrors have played a role across all the games, but more predominantly in 3 and 4. Given her race and experience, where is she?

Our first encounter with the Qunari race is a character named Sten in game 1. Within one of the first comic series, he becomes the Arishok, a leader of the Qunari people. Given that the Qunari have now invaded a number of countries beyond their own, I was hoping he’d make an appearance again.

Game 3, Inquisition is a big game with a number of world shaping decisions, including the ability to influence who will be the next head of the church, The Divine. Three of your companions are being considered for this important role. This was a character that absolutely should have made an appearance since the world is pretty much going to sh*t. There has been cause in the past, and it’s been threatened, to call something referred to as Exalted March to quell uprisings and the like, and there’s no time like the present for their intervention.

Your protagonist from game 3, the Inquisitor does make a few appearances, which was absolutely necessary given their relationship with Solas. For my first game 4 PT, my Inky had romanced Solas so I could see what would happen if and when they were reunited. It’s through them we learn that southern Thedas, where we spent the last three games, is falling to all the chaos. There’s too much to get into with the Warden-turned-Hero of Ferelden and the sitting monarch of Ferelden from game 1 because of the choices and the post game title cards that hint at the future to some degree. Whoever you helped make the King or Queen will make a brief appearance in game 3, but with so much happening, and the regions we helped now under threat once again, where are they?

Then there are those like Fenris, an escaped elven slave from Tevinter imbued with lyrium tattoos due to a magister’s experimentation. He got his own comic series, and because he’s an elf, from a country we’re exploring, I expected to see him again. Where are any of the characters from game 3 that offer to help you track Solas down, like Cassandra? The Iron Bull – your own personal Qunari spy? Sera and her network of Red Jennies? Where is Briala, the once-lover and confidante of the Empress of Orlais, who was part of an underground movement to help the elves? So many missed opportunities.

And side note, I would have paid double if I knew I was getting my cinnamon roll, Alistair and my lion, Cullen back for any length of time.

The Dialogue is Weak.

As an inspiring professional writer, this is where I took the most offense. I wish I had some examples, but I remember often thinking, “Really?” They would over explain things, or reiterate a concept too many times, as if we didn’t remember, and this is why I believe it was written for a younger audience.

Where is the Love?

I endured a disappointing, poorly developed romance with the adorable Antivan Crow, Lucanis. He really got short changed. I met the voice actor at SD Comic Con, so cute, and Lucanis’s appearance in one of the short stories included in the book, Tevinter Nights is a highlight, which is why I was initially drawn to him. If you appreciate a slow burn, then this is for you, but compared to the previous games – the conversations that could be had, the butterflies when your love interest looked at your character a certain way…swoon – that didn’t really happen, except like once.

I’ve only pursued the one romance option so far, so I can only speak to how this one was written. I just wish they would have given him a little more attention.

And a side tangent to this, you could always speak to your companions in the previous games whether you were in camp or walking about. In this game, you could only have a conversation, and sometimes, I wouldn’t even call it that, when the companion has an exclamation point over their head to instigate the convo. Why are we taking steps backward?

That’s it? No DLCs?

Given the culmination of four games, I felt this installment ended rather abruptly. So much had happened, so many countries were affected by the events, and once the main threat was neutralized, the game just sort of ended. There was a little indication of how the world was moving on, but it felt shallow. Then it was announced that there wouldn’t be any more. No DLCs, nothing to wrap up loose ends. A BioWare writer “reassured” fans that Dragon Age isn’t dead, because it stays alive through their own work, and continued by saying that Dragon Age belongs to the fans now.

I’m sure that was meant to sound positive, but it left fans with sort of mixed feelings. Years ago, for the third game in the Mass Effect series, BioWare created a DLC specifically as fan service, and now we can’t get some sort of tie-in/wrap up/love letter? It just leaves me feeling slighted by a franchise that I have devoted a lot of time to, in addition to the emotional and financial investment.

Not topic related, but I had to share this.

Okay, and finally, just a few random annoyances: What happened to building our own gear and weapons? What happened to being able to color change not only our, but our companions’ gear? Why don’t our companions take damage? Why don’t we have to use lyrium vials or injury kits? Why do the dragons nose dive at you?

Oh my. That’s a little more “con” than I wanted to share. I usually like to end my posts on a positive note, but this is just to long at this point, so I hope you’ll stay tuned for the final part of this now series, The Pros.

21Feb2025

Rambling (Not Quite A) Review (Yet) – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part I

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

When the release of the new Dragon Age game was announced, after a long ten year wait, I was both relieved, that it was going to happen in my lifetime, and excited that I might get resolution on some of the story threads that had been woven through the previous three games.

Then, last summer, at San Diego Comic Con, a Dragon Age panel with voice actors from the games was scheduled. The Sis and I made it, met the actors, and got their autographs on an oversized print (see above). They were charming, and kind, and oh so positive about their experience and excited for us to play, that we left feeling hopeful for what was to come.

Fast forward a few months, and nearly everyone with an advance copy unleashed their negativity. I ignored all of it because I really didn’t care what anyone thought, I was always going to play it, and I would have my own opinion without being influenced by people who’s thoughts on it didn’t truly matter to me.

I didn’t buy it right away, which I sort of felt bad about, but I was deep into Baldur’s Gate 3, and I knew, regardless of how BG3 had me smitten, which was completely, I would turn away and play Dragon Age without a second thought. The Sis surprised me with it for Christmas, and after staring at it for a week, I succumbed. I finished my first play through, and I have some thoughts.

Strike that, I have a lot of thoughts. So many in fact, that I think I’m going to have to write this in (at least) two parts.

Sorry.

For those of you who have been with me for a while, you’re well aware of my relationship with the Dragon Age universe. I love it. I love the characters, the story, the lore, and the fandom because they create the most wonderful things. Not only do I have a bit of merch and write fan fiction, I also have a tattoo, and I don’t feel like I’ve even scratched the surface in any of those areas. I always want more.

When the first game, Dragon Age: Origins was released back in 2009, I hadn’t played a video game in years. I had had a lot on my plate for a while, but I saw a commercial for it and I knew.

I had to play it. And I loved it.

It was everything I liked – medieval setting with fantasy elements, dragons, magic, overwhelming odds, an eclectic band of heroes, while also being an RPG (role playing game), where your actions have actual in-world consequences – all the hours spent in this universe…it’s a decision I have never come to regret.

So let’s do a little overview of this world prior to the new game.

In DAO you choose one of six “origin” (human, elf, or dwarf) stories to play as, but no matter which route you chose, you end up being recruited to be part of an old world order known as the Grey Wardens. They are a fabled group, known for their sacrifice in the face of great evil, and in game one, the greatest threat, a Blight, is on the horizon. Hordes of darkspawn, LOTR-like orcs, are lead by an old god-turned dragon known as an archdemon. Only a Warden can kill an archdemon, and by game’s end, there are only a few of you left.

This was the introduction to this world and its people. It was dark and gritty. There were interesting characters, many of whom could be either recruited to your cause, or surprisingly, left for dead at the hands of fate, or your own. There were difficult decisions, and the story left a lasting impression.

Shockingly, on the heels of the success of Origins, Dragon Age 2 was released only two years later to mixed reviews. You play as Hawke, a refugee fleeing the Blight with their family, who becomes a champion to the city of Kirkwall and its people. For most fans, the two big negatives for this game were the lack of choice of race for Hawke, you could only be human, and the reuse of floorplans. Every dungeon was the same design, but honestly, with only two years to create a whole game from scratch, I don’t have much of a problem with it.

We are, again, introduced to some of the best characters, many who continue into game three, and beyond, including Hawke who ended up as the fan favorite protagonist of the DAU. In Act 2, an object is discovered that creates one of the biggest plot points for this world, and a war between the mages and their overseers, the Templars, ensues which, in turn, sparks the events of game three. In one of the DLCs, we are introduced to a creature who is thought of as one of the first ever darkspawn. He plays a major role in game three.

Dragon Age Inquisition was then released just three years later and was an instant hit. It won Game of the Year. It was pretty to look at, it was a fairly large open-ish world, and there was a huge story. The characters continued to be amazing, and the romance aspect was so well done, you actually felt butterflies when you interacted with your love interest. There were political and religious implications, the Grey Wardens were being manipulated and thus had become a threat, and Hawke made an appearance to help.

One of your companions is an elf named Solas. He’s wise and a bit sad, and if you play as a female elf, he’s a romance option. No matter how you play, you learn that Solas is, in fact, an ancient elf, more like a god, known to all from history as The Dread Wolf, who’s responsible for creating a magical barrier that separates the mortal world from a magical one. It’s referred to as the Veil and it plays a part in each game in some manner. Solas is the puppet master of game three, playing out his grand plan from the shadows with the creature from DA2 taking the lead. By the end of Inquisition, a choice is laid out before you, save or destroy your friend, Solas.

So, with ten years in development, expectations for game four, previously known as Dragon Age: The Dread Wolf renamed Dragon Age: The Veilguard were high. Behind the scenes, for years, there was a lot of concern as people who had been with the developer, BioWare for a long time left the company. There seemed to be quite a bit of upheaval, and anyone associated with any of the previous games were no longer present. Updates were few and far between, there were large gaps of silence, and delays continued, bringing expectations down.

And then there was Baldur’s Gate 3.

I feel like it changed the landscape on the whole. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever played, and its release the year before probably had an effect on gamers. We saw what was possible, and now we wanted it, from every game we were going to play going forward, to some degree.

I haven’t read all the details of the behind the scenes drama, but as a long time fan of the series, I can say, without any bias from outside sources, that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a disappointment.

I know. I’m sad about it.

There are a number of things to like, but they are slightly overshadowed by the negatives. The one that immediately stood out to me is that the game feels like it was designed for a younger audience. There was also a feeling of hand holding, if that a makes sense.

Since there were 15 years between the first and last game, you would think that the developers would have considered their fanbase and their advancing age. Yes, you want to make a game accessible to new fans, and old alike, but by game 4, with a continuing story line, maybe they should have kept that at the forefront of the process.

Okay, so that’s a lot of background, and I barely hinted at an actual review….oh my. I’m changing the name of this post, since it’s not that, not yet.

I hope you’ll stick around for Part Two.

18Oct2020

My Dragon Age 4 Wish List

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Dragon Age 4 “behind-the-scenes” snippet shows off concept art and works-in-progress - VideoGamer.com

For those of you who have been with me for a while now, you know of my long love affair with the series Dragon Age. I have taken part in nearly every aspect of the fandom – the love runs deep. Very few details have been released in the last couple of years in regards to the next installment since it was teased at the 2018 Game Awards. And when any little hint does come to light, fans analyze every minute detail for clues and concoct wild theories based on the scarce evidence.

The Art Of Dragon Age 4 - Concept Art and Making Of

December tends to be DA news month but Christmas came early this year when a number of images of concept art were recently released. You can imagine the subsequent frenzy that ensued. With the release of the latest novel, Tevinter Nights, characters both new and familiar were revealed along with story details that we could weave together in the hopes of understanding where the next game would lead us.

Dragon Age 4' Gamescom reveal highlights wild new landscapes and characters

In the FB group I’m a part of, people regularly prompt the members by asking what they want to see in the next game. Besides better hairstyles, which is a major pet peeve among us (I even wrote about it a while back), there are a lot of ideas floating around. With all this in mind, I’ve decided to share my own take on what I’d like to see in the next game. Here are my top 7. I tried to stop at 5 but that was difficult, so I’ll do my best to be concise.

*This will include spoilers if you have not read the comics and books, and with the understanding that the reader has played the games.

Every Dragon Age 4 Screenshot or Piece of Concept Art Revealed So Far

The return of the Hero of Ferelden. The protagonist of Origins, the tainted hero who saves the world from The Blight we learn, years later in Inquisition, is in search of a cure for what will eventually kill them. My hope is that we are given closure to this storyline and the character that brought us into the series in the first place.
The trouble with the Grey Wardens and the return of griffons. In the closing credits of Inquisition we learn that something is happening within Warden ranks and Weisshaupt has gone quiet. In the novel, Last Flight, we learn the fate of the griffons during the 4th Blight and the possibility of their return. I’m a fan of the Wardens, one of their symbols is part of my tattoo (I told you, the love runs deep, skin deep 😉 ), so I’d like to revisit the order and learn what’s going on.
The return of beloved characters. Dragon Age needs to follow Mass Effect’s format of reintroducing characters and bringing us closure, especially in light of the position many of our favorite companions have or may have found themselves in since we last saw them.
- Sten is now Arishok, as revealed in the comic series, The Silent Grove, and with the Qunari threat revealed in Inquisition and the war in Tevinter, he should make an appearance as the commander of the military.
- Zevran and the Antivan Crows. There is a chapter in Tevinter Nights that deals with the leaders of the houses of the assassin’s guild, one of them being the house of Aranai. Zevran has made an appearance, in some form, in all three games so with this history, and the disarray that the Crows may find themselves in since the enlightening chapter, he should reappear. There is concept art that shows a Crow, and he’s also an elf. ((wink wink))
- Fenris received his own comic recently, Blue Wraith, although there wasn’t enough of him in it for my liking. The story involves the Qunari and Tevinter so he should make an appearance. And fans would be thrilled. We love Broody!
- Merrill, I think, is a shoe-in for a reappearance. In DA2 she was working at restoring an eluvian, and after Inquisition, we’re all aware of their importance. As an elf with strong ideas of keeping elven traditions alive, she’d make a great recruit for the Dread Wolf’s army.
- Dorian & Isabela also appear in the concept art, and given Tevinter as a most likely location for the bulk of DA4, it’s only natural to presume Dorian would be a major player. Isabela has also made an appearance in all three games, in some way, and with her history with the Qunari I think it’s time to get reacquainted with the admiral.
The return of “The One” sacrificed to be left in the Fade. Depending on the world state you imported into Inquisition, you will be faced with a potentially difficult decision at the end of Here Lies the Abyss, a mission in which you choose between leaving Hawke, the much loved protagonist from DA2 or a Grey Warden, one of whom could be the adorkable Alistair, behind. If Solas succeeds in his mission to tear down the veil, it is my hope this character will be revealed escaping or strutting out of the Fade, given who it might be.
The Architect and the strange experiments with the darkspawn. The Architect was an intelligent darkspawn introduced to us in the Origin’s DLC, Awakening. He was attempting to free the darkspawn from their compulsion to awaken the Old Gods hence starting another Blight and actually started the 5th. He can just disappear at the end of the DLC and then we learned in Tevinter Nights that the darkspawn are experimenting on each other creating even more terrifying abominations. There’s something weird going on there, and I’m not sure I truly want to know why. But I do.
Learning the true purpose of the ancient Elven Artifacts that we turn on as we run about in Inquisition. Solas tells us that these globe-like items will help to strengthen the veil, but since it’s his intention to tear it down, what purpose do they really serve?
I hope we return to being able to use the Ability Wheel from Origins and DA2; the option to open the wheel of all those abilities you have acquired so you can actually use everything in your arsenal instead of having to pick and choose.

I Rank the Dragon Age 4 Concept Art on How Much I Want to Date Everyone - Gayming Magazine

With all I have to say on this subject, I couldn’t share all the artwork too, so here is a link to see all the beautiful designs.

Are you as excited as I am for the next installment? What are your hopes for Dragon Age 4? It’s still a ways off but hopefully there will be another book, or comic, or more hopeful news, like a release date in December (or all of the above) to tide us over. ((sob)) Want to commiserate with me? Let’s talk Dragon Age!

27Dec2018

Breaking Down the Dragon Age 4 Teaser Trailer

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

With the announcement, finally, that there would, in fact, be a Dragon Age 4, fans everywhere sighed with relief. At least there was confirmation, despite the few years’ wait for its release, and it gave fans hope. Some have wondered how it was that I had nothing to say about it. Believe me, I was ecstatic at the news. As you may have noticed with my limited posts this year, I’ve continued to be busy.

By the way, hi! Happy Holidays!

So about two weeks ago at the 2018 Game Awards, Bioware treated fans to the following teaser:

To the casual observer, or non-DA fan, it doesn’t seem like much, but for the devoted, myself included, there are plenty of small details to analyze and get excited about. Fan theories soon followed as each frame of the video was scrutinized, and I have done my best to avoid it all. After all, I have my own theories.

The Dragon Age games have been amazing at connecting events and characters, history and lore to create an immense, immersive world, and this trailer I believe does that as well. And while there are easter eggs galore, to explore each one would cause me to write a treatise, I’ll pick 3 topics to break down.

Let the wild speculation begin.

The Opening Image: It looks like a sunrise/sunset over mountains, which is a familiar landscape from Inquisition. Since the events of the third game were left open ended (which is why fans always believed there would have to be a fourth installment, I mean we just got around to who Solas actually was), this image could be interpreted a couple of ways. It could be symbolic – a sunrise is often considered a new beginning while a sunset is referred to as an ending. With the fate of the world dependent on the success of Solas’ plan to return the elves to their former glory by tearing down the veil, a new beginning for some results in an ending for pretty much everyone else. It could also be representative of a location of the next game. Skyhold, the Inquisition’s base of operations, is located within the Frostbacks, and regardless of your choice at the end of Trespasser about what to do with the Inquisition, it’s unlikely the keep would have been abandoned, and therefore still an element to consider in the next installment.

The Idol: The camera continues to move across a number of connected pieces – a skull, the pained face of, what looks like, Andraste – evident by the crown upon her head – and then red veins creeping upward. As the camera pulls back to take in the whole of the twisted idol, fans are offered an “ah-ha” moment that harkens us back to the days of Dragon Age 2. The red lyrium idol found in a primeval thaig that caused people to go insane is the same idol shown here. In DA2 just a shard from the idol caused Bartrand, Varric’s brother to do unspeakable things. What remained of the idol was repurposed into Commander Meredith’s sword, so we know that idol no longer exists, so why show us the idol at all?

Red lyrium was a major factor in Inquisition; the source of it and its effects were explored at length (finding it growing out of people was horrifying), so it’s a good guess that red lyrium, and the images represented within the idol will play a role in DA4. Andraste is the founder of the Chantry, and one of your companions from Inquisition is now Divine. Red lyrium in small, measured doses offers superhuman abilities, and is considered an anti-magic substance, and with the tenuous peace between mages and templars, perhaps by using red lyrium, those against mages will try to finally rid Thedas of magic.

The red veins also reminded me of blood magic, a much frowned upon use of magic in Thedas, with exception in the Tevinter Imperium. With the Inquisitor thrusting a dagger into the mapped region of Tevinter at the end of Trespasser, it’s also possible that the story of DA4 will finally take us there, to not only explore this other world and the magical freedoms and politics associated, but also to see our old friend, Dorian again. If you remember, he was part of a group looking to reform Tevinter, and we can be sure there are many opposed to the idea. And powerful mages going head to head definitely sounds like at least a side quest with perhaps another excuse to use red lyrium?

The Mural: The camera draws back further and a painting appears behind the idol; one that resembles artwork Solas once painted upon the walls in his space within Skyhold. The Dread Wolf appears on one side, the idol remains in the middle, and an elf stands in opposition. At first glance, I thought it might be Solas warring with himself, but upon closer inspection, the elf is white haired surrounded by fire. What we learned about Solas aka Fen’Harel during Trespasser was that he’s considered a god, and not just any god but the one that created the veil and tricked the other gods, trapping them behind it.

My guess? It’s another Evanuris, the god-like Elgar’nan finally released from his captivity. Known as the all-father and god of vengeance, whose symbol is associated with fire, wouldn’t he be the most logical choice to seek revenge upon Solas? With the idol between them, the theory that red lyrium could play a major part in DA4, possibly swaying the outcome, feels like an understatement.

I lied. I can’t end this without talking about…

The Words: And then finally, Solas speaks. “So, you found me at last. I suppose you have questions.” Each game in Dragon Age has a new protagonist, and because of the spoken words in the trailer, words that echo those already spoken to the Inquisitor during Trespasser, I believe we’ll be playing as yet another new protagonist in search of Fen’Harel…among other things. My reasoning, while I’d love to see my Warden again, that’s a dissertation for another day, is because Solas’ words feel as if he’s speaking to someone he doesn’t personally know. While Solas will most likely be aware of this new protagonist, they will be searching for him after all, they probably won’t meet until these fateful words are spoken.

And then the teaser ends with #TheDreadWolfRises. ((chills)) Boom! It’s all about Solas. I may have squealed a bit. Many fans have a love/hate relationship with Solas, but I find him interesting and the possibilities are so exciting!

A new Dragon Age is on the way! Eek! Sorry. I can’t help it.

Oh, there’s so much more to talk about, and this is already much longer than intended because you know I can talk Dragon Age all day long, but I’d like to hear your thoughts. Are you excited about what DA4 has in store? Do you agree or disagree with any of my theories? What did you see in the teaser? Let’s chat!

19Feb2016

I Finally Played DA: Inquisition DLCs

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

DAI I am so thankful for having such generous friends, like “D”, who let me borrow his XBox One in order to complete the Dragon Age Inquisition story line.

I still have a 360, which is by no means a bad thing, except to the multi-billion dollar gaming industry that dictates my game play. I love the Dragon Age series, for many of you, this is not new information – just type in “Dragon Age” into my search bar to see all of the devotion. I’ve already done a number of posts on the series, and so much more…

When it was announced that the DLCs for Inquisition, the extra content that gaming companies release that sometimes add a number of extra hours to enjoy, or not depending on the series, would not be released on older consoles, like my 360, I won’t lie, I was on the verge of tears.

Deep breath.

I had invested money and lots and lots of time to play the new game and then I was told I wouldn’t get any of the extras. Nope. Not having it. It was kind of a slap in the face. If the gaming companies are moving forward with the technology that comes with the newer consoles, then why did they even bother to release the game on the older ones? I’m not going to rant about this now, but know there is a rant a comin’.

Needless to say, the DA:I extras did not disappoint and playing on the One was superior; the graphics are amazing, the details crisp, the subtitles and codex much easier to read. I had one concern, moving over my character from the 360 to the One. I read a number of articles that all said the same thing, but they were all incorrect. I tried a variety of tactics to import the data, but they all failed, so if you’re like me, behind the times, let me give you a tip I received after talking directly with EA.

*If you started your game on the 360, you need to download the free version of The Black Emporium on the 360 before you can advance. If you have all the DLCs for the One, you will obtain The Black Emporium in the pack. Using the character you want to continue playing with, visit the emporium and create a new save. On the screen there will be an option for exporting via the emporium to the One. Nowhere did I ever find this information; most sites suggested using the cloud which, according to EA and my own findings, is incorrect.

You do need to have XBox Live in order to save this information to your account which is how the One will find it when you load it. Now, on the One, under Extras there is the “Import from 360” option. Character info will pop-up to ensure it’s the correct import and…Voila! I wasted hours trying everything else. Footnote, your character won’t import exactly, although it is pretty close, so I had to make a few changes which is why it’s good you start in the Black Emporium.

DAI JoH The first DLC is Jaws of Hakkon, a new region to explore in the Frostback Basin. There are a number of missions to complete while you search for the remains of the last Inquisitor, who is believed to have died in the area hundreds of years ago. You will learn a great deal of history during this time with tales of the Avvars, the creation of the Seekers, and the previous Inquisitor and his political ties, lineage, and reasons for being in such a remote location. The map is a bit confusing, as it is a place of peaks and valleys, so travelling from one location to another sometimes takes a little effort finding that one path.

With the new DLCs, you obtain new weapons and armor, but if you play these after the initial game, the armor ratings will be much lower than anything you currently have equipped, so use the schematics to build yourself something new, although most items remained of a lesser value than my current stock. My favorites were both of the Qunari armors; they show a little skin and really are nice looking on your female Inquisitor in particular, and Dorian, because everything looks good on Dorian.

There are a lot of things to fight, so I think I ranked up twice before leaving the area (one must have been a carry over from Descent which I played first, because so much fighting), and there are loads of crafting items to utilize. There are also more ocularum shards to find that will open a specific door in the area, useful before the boss fight. Lastly, instead of runes, there are now sigils that have both positive and negative effects. I didn’t use any, not yet anyway.

DAI Descent DLC number two is The Descent which takes place in the Deep Roads. If you’ve played the previous two games, you’re probably like me and sort of huff at the thought of traipsing through the Deep Roads yet again, just as the Wardens must. Wink wink. Those blasted darkspawn! And there are just. so. many and it is difficult. Even at my high rank, I had to drop down from hard to normal in some areas because the enemies were just relentless and never ending. I’m having nightmarish flashbacks just typing that.

I played Descent first, I’m not sure why, but if you’re early on in the game play, I would suggest visiting this area sooner than later because there is a ton of money to be made. I think I ended up with 100,000 gold in addition to some great new armor and weapons. You do have to be in Skyhold to access this mission from the war table, so you have a little time to rank up beforehand.

The Descent is a long, winding mission to solve the mystery of these random earthquakes that have started affecting the area. This is of great importance because the dwarves mine lyrium, the whole of their economy, which both mages and Templars rely on. You end up travelling further than anyone has before, and the landscape is quite beautiful and a little reminiscent of Blackreach in Skyrim.

Trespasser

The final DLC is Trespasser. This is the one I couldn’t wait to get to – the end. You cannot go back to anything unfinished once you begin, and you will receive a little pop-up at the war table with this warning. The story takes place two years after you have defeated Corypheus, having been summoned by the council to the Winter Palace to defend whether there is still a need for the Inquisition. After the events, you will have the opportunity to make this decision.

All of your friends have returned and you can interact with each, so make sure you talk to them multiple times to instigate cut scenes. I played first as my female mage who romanced Cullen. Great cut scene, fyi. There is also a great scene with Dorian, as well as a couple of fun things with Vivienne and Josie. There are dog treats to find which you will give to the mabari Cullen has taken a liking to that add perks such as cunning and magic, etc. but as this is the last DLC, I was confused as to why this was necessary. Your rank will be high, your armor and weapons will be top notch, and you will have so many abilities you won’t know which ones to choose from most of the time. This is one thing I wish they would have included from the previous two games, the ability to open the wheel of choices for all those abilities you have acquired so you can actually use everything in your arsenal.

This DLC is a great story for a number of reasons, one of them being that it continues to tie together other topics from the previous games. The eluvians, the elven mirrors that have played a role in each game, are your means of travel in Trespasser while you try to stop a pretty big threat. I won’t give anything away, but will only say that this paves the way for a great Dragon Age 4, which is years away, if at all, since it hasn’t been announced yet, and the creator of the series left Bioware a little while ago. 😦 So, wait, there’s a job opening?! Bioware, please announce at least the promise of a new game…there are still so many story lines that require closure!

I freely admit it that I will play these DLCs at least two more times with my other characters I’ve created so I can see the endings for each, or at least until my friend asks for his XBox back. This is the same friend I was able to encourage to play the game in the first place because of my (great) interest in the series. For gamers who like RPGs, start at the beginning with Dragon Age Origins, forgive Bioware for Dragon Age II, but still enjoy it, and then find your way to Inquisition where all these stories converge. You won’t be disappointed.

Game on!

22Dec2015

Dragon Age Fanfic Update

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

DA-Mage I’ve been updating my Dragon Age fanfic weekly over at AO3 (Archive of Our Own) and because I was initially sharing my writing here, I felt a little careless that I had ignored the updating here as well.

I write under a pseudonym on the AO3 because I wasn’t sure of what kind of writing I was going to explore through this avenue, and this may sound odd, but I thought I might be embarrassed.

Truth is, I really enjoy writing this story, and I have written a “mature” chapter (or two) which involves a little smut. I like that word. It’s totally tame, especially compared to some of the stories I’ve read on the site, but it was something I wanted to challenge myself to write. There’s a first time for everything, right?!

I will not be posting the more mature chapters here, but will share the link when they go up, as you have to choose acceptance for such content before continuing on the site. That’s for any of you minors out there. 😉

I appreciate your continued support, and would love your feedback when we get to those racier scenes as it’s so different and new for me, but until then, enjoy Chapter Two of Redcliffe and The Circle.

The village had been under siege for days from a horde of undead from the castle, and the lad had been on lookout duty awaiting reinforcements, as they were ill prepared to survive another attack. The people had taken refuge in the Chantry, hence the silence. We followed the path that twisted down the hillside past the windmill, as the boy tried to catch his breath amidst prayers and thanks.

The heart of the village had been built on stilts and it rose slightly above Lake Calenhad. I do not know why I found this odd. Perhaps because I could not understand how it was defensible? I found that having that idea was odd as well. The silence had been deceiving. From a distance the village seemed almost abandoned, but there was a great amount of noise coming from the Chantry, and we were informed that the leaders of the town could be found within.

Villagers and soldiers moved quietly about, looking beleaguered and downtrodden after many days of turmoil. The few knights present seemed to be gathering supplies and organizing what they could in preparation for yet another onslaught. A small training area was filled with young, inept men, and it was clear that if they were going to survive the night, they would need help.

The doors to the Chantry were heavy, probably reinforced, which was good, and took a little effort to open. The stench of fear was palpable. The villagers were like refugees in their own town, huddled together, praying for mercy. I overheard conversations of plans to leave the area, traveling to destinations outside Ferelden in the hopes they might outrun the evils here and the Blight. I heard mention of Kirkwall, a city across the Waking Sea that was taking in refugees, and it reiterated to me that no matter what, we had to succeed.

The moment that thought settled in my mind, I shivered. “No matter what” was a broad phrase with many meanings, but how many dire circumstances could one country survive? An undead army was on the march in Redcliffe, the Brecilian Forest had had werewolves, darkspawn were scorching the earth in droves with an archdemon at their backs, and civil war was tearing us apart at the seams. Then there were the other facts, such as the king was dead, the Wardens betrayed, and there were only five people (and a trusty mabari) trying to unite all the inhabitants of Ferelden against the Blight.

A man stood in the center of a small group of soldiers and Templars, clearly the one in charge. When the men disbanded, I saw him rub his face in exhaustion and frustration – the burden of responsibility. We could sympathize.

His name was Teagan, the brother of the Arl, and he remembered Alistair as a boy. His appearance softened, and he greeted us warmly, even referring to me as “my lady”. I was relieved that he bore mages no ill will, despite the magical nature of the attacks. He even made a remark about my beauty to which I could not help but blush. He was sly in his flirtation, and I was compelled to return the compliment. I was unsure how Alistair might respond, but it was all so new and unfamiliar, and honestly, it was harmless. I was starting to feel more like a woman, and less like a thing…it was nice to discover there was a distinction.

We learned from Bann Teagan that the castle had been inaccessible for days, and no one had been heard from, including the Arl and his family. He had been duty bound to protect the village and its people, but with many of the castle’s soldiers scattered in search of a cure for the Arl’s strange illness, they were unprepared and incapable of doing more than riding out the storm behind the Chantry’s walls.

We took it upon ourselves to do what we could to help the situation by recruiting those in the village who had abilities to lend. In our efforts we discovered an elven spy, who, after some persuading, offered us Loghain’s name as his contractor. That man had his claws dug deeply into every region; playing a game we knew nothing about.

I knew very little of the politics outside the Circle, we had our own, but from what I understood the Arl was a powerful man with a swaying voice in the political circles. This was one of the reasons Alistair suggested we seek him out. He would be a strong ally against Loghain, and that was something we desperately needed. Obviously, this is why he had been singled out with hostile intent, so he couldn’t offer us his help or stand against Loghain. Rescuing him now seemed a priority, and in order to reach him we would have to defeat this current threat.

Night fell, and what came with it was something I could barely believe.

My time in the Circle was a time of study. We were taught about demons and spirits and the dangers of blood magic, but for the most part, it was clinical, with the exception of the Harrowing. The Fade was an elusive entity, almost beyond study. The ever-present threat of possession and the possibility of becoming an abomination were always at the back of a mage’s mind, but within the Circle walls, for the most part, these things were just ideas. We, as mages, had little experience with fighting, let alone actually defending ourselves against a legitimate threat.

I’ll never forget that moment I saw my first darkspawn in the Kocari Wilds. My stomach sank, and with it my heart, that something so truly horrific could exist. They were beings of anger and hatred, with no other sense then to fight and kill. They had no language beyond the garbled noises they made, and yet they could unite and strike in formation, leaving death and devastation in their wake. They scorched the very earth and left twisted remnants of themselves behind as reminders to those lucky enough to survive, that true evil existed and was living among them. Or below them, as it were.

I learned quickly that they were almost as frail as any mortal, as they were made of flesh and bone just as we were, so when I got my first glimpse of the creatures that now stormed towards us from the castle, I almost felt a sense of relief. They were half skeleton beings with fleshy remains that hung like ribbons from various body parts. Some wore bits of armor and carried weapons and shields, but they appeared fragile in their bony state.

They descended upon us in a cloud of bright green magic, and as I struck them, I realized their frail state was merely an illusion. The magic that bound them was powerful, and it took more effort than I could have imagined to defeat them. Wave upon wave of the undead came from multiple directions, and for some time, I feared it may be never ending, but in the end we were victorious, but not without a few close calls.

Alistair, Sten, and Keiko had run into the thick of battle, and there were a couple of times when I saw them nearly surrounded and a panic and fear I had never felt before crept in. I would yell out commands to both Morrigan and Leliana and somehow we were able to hold back the impending doom that seemed inevitable. This would be one of those arguments for why it was best to avoid personal connections within ranks – impaired judgment – something I would deliberate over when I was alone.

I sent out healing magic when I saw each of them wane in strength or stamina, and I was overcome with relief when the last of the corpses were struck down with no others on the horizon.

The Circle had definitely not prepared me for this.

We reunited in the main square and I looked everyone over in case they needed additional healing, but other than being exhausted from battle, everyone was miraculously unharmed save a few minor cuts and bruises. I made a mental note to remember to ask the First Enchanter for more training in spells that would be useful in protecting my companions amidst battle when we traveled to the Circle for aid. Maybe even Morrigan could teach me a few new tricks. I would ask her when we were next in camp. For now, we had to plan our next move.

4Dec2015

Fanfiction Madness Continues…

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

Origins-WardenShield You may be wondering, “Why are you wasting your time with fanfiction writing?” And I would respond with a blank stare, before I started stumbling around for a way to make you understand. People who are “fans” of something, and I mean devoted fans, get it right away, for others it takes a little more persuading. Plus, I’m hoping the creators of the Dragon Age series will find me and offer me a job. 😉

Until a couple of years ago, I had no idea what fanfiction was. Surprising, right?! I had written an episode of the TV show Alias in college, but that was to build up my portfolio and to learn to emulate an existing voice, I never thought of it as fan fiction, although that is exactly what it was. I was taking characters someone else had created and I wrote my own story. I’ve been planning on writing a post on fandom, and this sort of ties into it, because there is no telling what will strike a chord in you.

Dragon Age to me is what Star Wars is to The Sis. I’ll expand more on this in the other post. As a fantasy enthusiast in a first person game, it’s easy to get swept up into the adventure and romance. Not all my friends like fantasy and sci-fi so they may not understand, but how does one not want to be chosen to save the world, wield magic, create unlikely alliances, and find romance with a powerful witch or a sassy assassin or a sweet warrior?! Well, I guess non-fantasy people.

Anyway…the other side of this coin is that as a writer, you have a fully flushed out world with fully realized characters, and there’s no pressure, it’s just fun to explore. I love to write, it’s what I want to do, but as writers we place so much pressure on ourselves to get it “right” that we often lose the spark, especially when we’re still considered novices. We don’t have anyone waiting for our next great piece, we don’t have fans coming to us in droves wondering what happens next…((pouts))

I’ve been doing a lot of this fanfic writing while at my serving job, because I often have long spaces of time with nothing to do. I can come and go in this story without feeling any loss of momentum, or having to get in the right frame of mind, and at least I’m writing something – and I really like it. To think about characters I have come to know in situations not previously explored is just fun. Which brings me to my next installment in the Dragon Age story. I hope you like it. If you want to see where the madness began, with a writing prompt image, click here.

RedcliffeVillage

Redcliffe Village

The village of Redcliffe was famous for its hilltop windmill, and after hearing about it for years from the Templars who traveled Ferelden in search of what they considered uncontrolled magic; I was excited to finally see the twirling sails for myself. What I was not excited about was the eerie silence of the village that followed. As a Circle mage, my life was limited to the walls of the tower; silence was my old friend. Approaching a place that should be bustling with life, only to find it quiet, was to put it mildly, unsettling – as was the conversation with Alistair before we moved any further.

He asked to speak to me alone for which I received some knowing looks from the rest of the party who continued forward, allowing us some privacy. I was immediately tense. I found it easy to continue to maintain my distance from Alistair while on our journey, and although done purposefully, I hadn’t thought he had noticed. The events in the cave, the magnitude of what lay ahead of us, in addition to my irrational thoughts about a nonexistent relationship weighed heavily upon me, and I felt it best to recapture my level-headedness, through distance.

The Circle, although full of people, allowed each of us a great amount of time to find solitude, especially as we grew older. As children, there were always elders to watch over us, but even as a child I remember keeping my distance from the others; the bitter taste of betrayal from my family lingered for some time. Being sent to a strange place, to be treated like a dangerous object, to never be free…I didn’t know that was what lay in store for me when the Templars came for me, but my parents had.

But I digress. I know I had grown quiet since leaving the Brecilian Forest, but it was a habit, a coping mechanism, or whatever you want to call it, because retreating to the safety of my own mind was where I found comfort. I had not intended it to be alienating, especially to my companions, and I said as much when Alistair asked if I was all right.

I was also troubled by how the world suffered. Being locked away, sheltered, I only had the smallest of insights into what everyone else had to deal with on a regular basis. So far, each time we traveled somewhere new there was a new threat. The darkspawn were a recent development, but villagers had to deal with civil war and in-fighting, dragon attacks, bad crops, bandits, and so much more while trying to raise a family and just live their lives. The Dalish had been dealing with werewolves and were continually on the move due to a variety of fears and threats.

The mages only had the Templars to worry about, and the constant fear of possession, and the threat of tranquility – our world was contained, limited. So much more could happen on the outside, and I found it oddly thrilling. When Duncan recruited me, I had no idea what he was truly offering me…I’m not sure if he knew either, but what he had done was open the world to me…and then there was Alistair.

Not only did he want to talk about me and my well being since the cave, he bombarded me with news so surprising I was left literally speechless. As if our challenges weren’t already great, he shared with me that he was the bastard half-brother of the late king, making him the last in the Theirin bloodline.

I can only imagine the look I had upon my face, because he had to stifle a laugh. He shifted uncomfortably under my scrutiny as I tried to make sense of what this meant. Not only did this completely change him in my eyes, it affected our entire mission. Maker’s Breath! He could be the next king and he was wandering the countryside, killing darkspawn…I wondered if Loghain knew, which of course he did. As Maric’s former friend and advisor, I was sure he was privy to any number of the old king’s secrets.

Alistair assured me that this changed nothing, that he was devoted to our cause and the Grey Wardens, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the beginning of something so much bigger. The Arl of Redcliffe would know what to do. Our only hope was that he had recovered from whatever strange illness he had contracted.

I joked with Alistair about being a prince and the look of horror that dawned was one of the funniest things I had ever witnessed.

And then it happened– closure, or what I hoped it would become. His confession was what I needed to regain that perspective I was so in need of, and I got it (although I soon discovered it was to be short lived). The decision had been made for me, and for a moment my heart ached at the loss. I swallowed hard, and with it, the intention of burying my growing feelings. I suppose Morrigan’s suggestion offered us at least a chance at something, a connection, but it rang hollow now. It always had.

There would be many who would want to utilize this information to their own benefit, even if he chose to remain a Warden, his name would always hold sway, and should he become king, I was a mage. He could also be considered a threat to those political factions vying for the throne for their own purposes, and a target for anyone wishing to exploit such a connection. We would have to do what we could to conceal this knowledge.

I stared at him for a moment, longer than I intended, as I tried to wrap my head around the idea of him becoming king. He was a strong and brave warrior, but there was a vulnerability about him, something Morrigan disliked in him, which of course I found endearing. He would need to be protected, and although I disliked the idea of telling all our companions, we had to watch over him. He could not be allowed to charge into the fray, or take unnecessary risk, although I would never tell him that.

We had speculated that we were probably the last two Grey Wardens in Ferelden, but now knowing that he was also the last in a royal line…and I thought we had problems before.

This post got really long, so if you’d like to read the rest of the chapter, you can find it here.

Have a great weekend!

30Oct2015

The Dragon Age Obsession Saga Continues…Part 4

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

As I’ve now finished a second playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition, I felt it was time to wrap up this series of posts. Here are posts one, two, and three which are in regards to starting the game and importing a history, character creation, and dialogue and romance options with companions to bring you up to speed. I am unable to discuss any of the DLCs because after the first one was released, Bioware decided not to release any others on the XBox 360, so I haven’t purchased any of them.

The anger I have about the gaming industry’s ploys to wrangle more money out of their gamers is real. I was not ready to fork out $400 for a new gaming console, but if I want to know the rest of the story, that is exactly what I’ll have to do, and because you all know I’m passionate about this story, I’m going to do it…very, very soon. ARGH! As this post is not a rant on that, I’ll save that for fuel for another day.

This post is about the grand scale of the story of the world of Dragon Age. Inquisition is part three and a culmination of the events in the previous two games where story lines and characters come together.

In Origins, game one, your protagonist is from one of six “origin” stories (2 human story lines, 2 elf, and 2 dwarf) in which each avenue ends with you becoming a Grey Warden, an old order of warriors chosen to fight a specific evil known as darkspawn and their archdemon, an old god twisted by their tainted blood. They live underground and are rather hideous, similar to Tolkien’s orcs. The presence of an archdemon is a time referred to as a Blight and when the Grey Wardens are needed most, as they are the only real solution to ending a Blight. In this first game, there are a number of obstacles to overcome while you try to unite the country against the impending threat, and there is treachery around every corner as the Wardens are declared traitors after an initial battle against the darkspawn.

There are a number of characters who you meet in game one that will progress forward through each game, some of them taking on major roles in Inquisition. Same can be said of characters from game two. Fun fact: if you’re game one character is a human mage, you will be related to the protagonist in game two.

In game two, you are a human whose family has escaped the Blight and traveled across the sea in search of a safe haven. The entire game takes place in and around the city of Kirkwall. Although many people didn’t care for this game, especially in comparison to Origins – you could only play as a human, there was a lot of repetition in the floor plans, and the primary single location of the city as the backdrop – this is where game three is setup; the conflict between the mages and the Templars. Without giving too much away, one of your allies takes drastic action that incites a war between the mages, who are considered dangerous and are required to live in prison-like societies called Circles, and their captors/overseers, the Templars.

Fun fact: there is a Dragon Age 2 DLC that introduces you to a powerful darkspawn named Corypheus. It was Hawke’s father, a mage, and the Grey Wardens who imprisoned him.

Game three begins 10 years after the events of game one. Your protagonist is found as the sole survivor of a terrible, cataclysmic tragedy where a resolution to the Mage-Templar War was supposed to transpire. A conclave was called at the Temple of Sacred Ashes in Haven, a village you will have discovered in game one. With no memories of what happened and a strange mark upon your hand, you are considered responsible for a number of the current problems, including a giant hole in the sky; a Breach in the veil, the line between reality and the spirit world, is the source of a demon invasion. An old form of justice, an inquisition, is formed to solve the many problems that the world now faces.

Everything you’ve learned from the past two games will pay off as you make your way through Inquisition. The things you know about the Wardens are relevant. A relic you found in game two has resurfaced with a vengeance. You will see old, familiar faces (Hello, Flemeth) and meet interesting, new ones (Well, hellooo Solas). The world of Dragon Age is vast and all encompassing, and you will discover how well it’s constructed. I instantly became devoted to the series because it combined things I love such as fantasy, medieval times, old world orders, magic, dragons, romance, and adventure, and then went above and beyond to make it a fully fleshed out universe.

As I’ve tried to end each of these posts with some relevance to writing, you will find, if you choose to play, how key world building is and character development. It’s key to think multiple steps ahead, whether you’re writing a single story or a series. How do people know one another? This may reflect in how supposed strangers speak to one another upon meeting – there may be a history there. What is their religious affiliation? How do they feel about the history of their people? Their government? What consequences do their actions have later? This is a good one to consider, especially in a serial. Actions taken by a character may have unforeseen consequences that may be fun to explore later. Think of the domino effect.

Consider epic tales like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. I would count Dragon Age among them. There is so much more going on than the happenings of one person, and you get to live it first hand, well, vicariously through your character. Your decisions have bearing on the world around you and shape it. You become a leader in each game; you build loyalty and friendships or enemies. You get to save the world, and maybe the boy too. 😉

Aren’t these a few of the reasons we write?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of posts as much as I’ve enjoyed talking about it. I could do so much more. I’m continuing my fanfiction shortly, so if you’re not inclined to play, you can follow along the journey of my Origin character as she tries to save the world and the boy. I will continue to post them here, as well as on Wattpad and Archive of Our Own (which I just realized needs to be updated).

Have a great weekend and Happy Writing!

20Sep2015

Writing in Character (Even If They Aren’t Your Own)

Posted in Posts, Tips by Rachael C Marek

I’ve been struggling to get into the head of my protagonist for the pilot I’ve been working on. I have a few big decisions to make, but have yet to settle on anything definitive. As the story is about sisters who have been separated – set against a space odyssey backdrop – I had this idea to begin or end each episode with the elder writing letters to the younger. I thought of it as an exercise, in the hopes it might give me more perspective on these characters as a whole.

While I’m at work, I often find I have large blocks of time to make notes, write scenes, story ideas, etc. and it was my plan to utilize this time for this specific purpose, instead I have begun to write letters from Dragon Age characters to each other.

Yes, yes, I know.

I’m currently on my second play-through of Inquisition, so I suppose it was just a matter of time. I had this random idea of what some of the current characters might say to their old friends from the first game, specifically, the hero, who is referenced in each game, but has yet to make another appearance. A number of other characters make appearances throughout the series, a few becoming major characters in Inquisition (game three, and the most recent).

My first letter is from Leliana. In Inquisition she is one of your advisors, but she was previously a companion, and possible love interest, and her growth as a character has been noted throughout the series. Her letter is a companion piece to the fanfiction I’ve been writing, so the letter is addressed to the mage of that tale. The second letter I’ve been writing is from Cullen, a Templar who, although has had only small parts in the previous two games, has become an advisor and love interest in the current game. As my protagonist of the fanfiction knows Cullen from their time together early on in the first game, I developed a story in my head that they have remained friends all these years.

I’ve written quite a bit in just a few days, and although it’s not truly relevant to my own portfolio, it’s a fun exercise to get me out of my head, and it helps to break up the monotony at work. I may post them, I haven’t decided yet.

As writers we have dozens of characters roaming around in our heads at any given time, and sometimes it’s difficult to know them all intimately. We have to figure out techniques to bring all their traits and quirks to light. In regards to my pilot, I’ve discovered I know some of the characters I wasn’t even focused on entirely much better than I thought. As I’ve been concentrating on figuring out the protagonist, I found a couple of interesting sites and tips to help understand our characters better and will share those in the next few days.

In the mean time, if you are struggling with character development, try having them write a letter. They could write to an old friend, someone they admire, a teacher they’ve always meant to thank, or maybe a letter to their past/future self. Who knows what you’ll discover.

Good luck and happy writing!