#artofdragonage

[eluviansandevanuris]

Opulence in Orlais

Luxury and fashion in Orlais is style over substance. Trends come and go with alarming frequency in the imperial court.

Tailors both despair and rejoice over the capricious nature of the imperial court. One month it’s all cream lace, rose coloured silks and pearl buttons and the next month some apostate mage swans into Halamshiral in black and all of the sudden every noble in Orlais is clamouring for gowns and doublets in darkened samite with gold embroidery and garnet embellishments.

Rather unsurprisingly, there is a large market for second hand clothes. Nobles carelessly order items to be destroyed, and when the items disappear from their closets, they assume that the task has been carried out.

But the servants know better.

Pieces are carefully taken apart and the fabric reused. Pearl buttons reshaped into pendants, solid gold clasps reforged into wedding rings and lace carefully collected to be sewn together for a wedding veil. The servants don’t dare to wear any piece in it’s entirety, if they were found to have kept the garments instead of disposing of them as they were told to...

Well...the punishment for stealing is the noose and there is more than one Orlesian noble who delights watching servants dance the hangman's’ jig.

Opluence in Orlais is wastage, it’s the heedless consumption of fabric, gems and time. 

It’s a unholy combination of callous disregard and ravenous appetites

Dareth Shiral

[eluviansandevanuris]

Fereldan Fashion

Fereldan fashion is fairly straightforward to me, it has the most of the medieval fantasy vibes™. It’s the least fanciful and fussy, sort of akin to the fashion of the North in ASOIAF vs the fashion of King’s landing.

In the Art of Dragon Age Inquisition it says

“Orlais has it’s fineries, Ferelden its fur”

If were assuming that Ferelden has one of the coldest climates in Thedas, then the fur is eminently practical. I live in a city that, in the winter, can get down to -40 degrees celsius, without factoring in the windchill. This is so cold you can get frostbite within minutes and you’re advised to stay inside. On these occasions I wear my great grandmother’s fur coat and it is the warmest thing ever and more importantly it completely insulates me from the windchill. Fur is possibly the best material there is to stay warm. So for Fereldans it’s a practical choice.

As far as general fashion, medieval fantasy vibes™, but more practical, less enormous sleeves and floaty little capes. 

Fitted bodices, fitted sleeves and long skirts with minimal flounce. There’s jewelry and little nods to the status of the wearer to be sure, but it’s less blatant then Orlais. Perhaps, if you look closely you can see that the fur mantle that Bann is wearing is made of silver fennec fur, or that Arlessa’s hair is pinned back with fine dwarven combs from Orzammar.

Luxury still exists in Ferelden, it’s just far more subtle than in Orlais.

Dareth Shiral

[eluviansandevanuris]

Hey, hey, hey Bioware...Where’s my crown?!

You can’t just give me a crown in the concept art and then not in the actual game, that’s just cruel.

[eluviansandevanuris]

Okay so I keep seeing the cropped version of this image, and man it is so much better uncropped.

Look at Blackwall absolute losing it, Cassandra highly disturbed and rethinking her life choices and the Inquisitor in the corner having a right giggle.

I really loved the wicked grace night that you had with your companions (aside from the weird stilted laughter).  But I really wish there had been more of those sort of whole party interactions.

Dragon Age, when it wants to be, can be a absolutely hilarious game, I just wish you could have had more of those moments with all you companions present.

Dareth Shiral

[eluviansandevanuris]

It’s here!

I am so excited to go through this, i’ve already taken a wee look and lordy there is some amazing concept art for fashion and architecture, as well as some deeply creepy art for the demons.

Also the concept art for the fade is waaaayyy freakier then what we got in the game, i’m getting some serious Dishonoured void vibes, but more eldritch.

ach i’m just so happy!

Sidenote: This is probably the first time in my entire life that Canada post has delivered something on time, weird times.

Dareth Shiral