#datv-locations

[ofhousekadara]

Treviso and the Antivan Crows

*This is part of a personal challenge for how I’d work largely within the existing framework to tweak things. It’s fun to think about.

For factions/locations, I am structuring them in terms of what the current world is like as well as some quests that I thought would be interesting.

Treviso

I love the look of Treviso but I would make two major changes: lean into the “life on the rooftops” aspect and removing it as the second prime area for the Evanuris (more on that below).

There would be expansive rooftops - to highlight how the Crows get around.  The rooftops would be a thriving place, with shortcuts you can find, many ‘nests’ on the roofs, and part of the market. Ziplines would criss-cross the towers and attics across the skyline. The armor and weapon merchants would be on the roofs, away from the Antaam's prying eyes, while the decor and food items would be in the regular marketplace. Ground visits would be reserved for fighting against the Antaam or special quests (like Cafe Pietra or visiting the Chantry). The strongholds would remain, but would act as checkpoints around the city. The largest concentration would be along the shores and the Drowned District. Within those strongholds/camps would be “centers of re-education/visitations” where the Antaam seek to use qamek to neutralize their opposition. As the Crows’ resistance to the Antaam progresses, the Antaam become more hostile, releasing the gas in pockets that are toxic when passing through, necessitating using the roofs until it is cleared.* The Butcher would be a prevalent figure throughout the game - not as a fightable entity until later, but his speeches and messages would be heard throughout town.

Treviso on its own would have an arc that is centered on the Crows rule over Treviso, for better or worse, and the Antaam conflict. 

Assuming Treviso still remained vulnerable to being blighted, then the rooftops would prove to be the safest place for citizens. The canals would have blight boils floating downstream as a constant reminder that the water supply is tainted. Upon getting rid of Zara, the Chantry would be used for triaging the wounded. However the Antaam hold on the city would be slightly weakened as they suffered casualties as well.

Enemies (unchanged)

Antaam

Venatori (around Chantry area and Zara contracts)

Darkspawn (conditional)

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The Crows

The Crows would exist as a morally grey organization that deals in death, full stop. They take contracts from those that can afford it and are not shy about throwing their influence around or making their kills known (The Crows send their regards.) Having them be around town constantly and be visible is not bad, as they would be intimidating. However, there are more justice-minded Talons and families that prefer their kills to be more clean/moral and improve Antiva for all. With the invading Antaam, broken off from the main force that is currently warring with Tevinter, they have decided to focus on disrupting the invaders and gaining more support (via freeing slaves, doing good will). Some citizens are still critical of the Crows, throwing in their support with the Antaam and the standing government.

Quest Types

*Re-Education/Visitation Centers: those are locations where qamek are found. This would be similar to the Crow quest for finding gaatlok. It would entail destroying strongholds where citizens are being kept.

Conspirators: Build up to Ivenci being the co-conspirator for the Butcher. He didn’t act solely alone. The player would be tasked with tracking down those who had a hand and continue to in the Antaam influence.

Outcomes are determined by Rook’s stance on the Crows and their influence. You can outright kill conspirators, imprison, or let them go. Killing them nets the most rep with the Crows while obviously letting them go will have negative. This could be driven by the player’s desire for less Crow oversight. Imprisoning would be a compromise between the government and the Crows, forcing the two to work together effectively. This would build rep with the citizens (which could be argued is a good thing for the Crows.)

Target Practice: Would be exclusively for a Crow Rook. This would be completing the task failed during the prologue.

**If Treviso is blighted, there would be quests for destroying blight in addition to finding fallen comrades.

[ofhousekadara]

Minrathous and the Shadow Dragons

*This is part of a personal challenge for how I’d work largely within the existing framework to tweak things. It’s fun to think about.

For factions/locations, I am structuring them in terms of world state is like as well as some quests that I thought would be interesting.

Minrathous + Dock Town

I was pretty disappointed that the extent that we really explore was only Dock Town.

Minrathous would be a primary location like Arlathan, with players being able to access High Town and Dock Town. Dock Town would be mostly for Neve’s cases and exploring the Catacombs, and the High Town area from the beginning of the game would be for Shadow Dragon quests and some of the main story beats.

Dock Town would remain a place showcasing the downtrodden and commoner experience, with dock workers, small merchants, and impoverished people. There would be a slave population working as well, with frequent Templar presence. Aesthetically, it would remain the same, with low magic. On the flipside, the High Town area would be expanded, with a focus on verticality and building atop elven ruins. It would be brighter with more upper class citizens around and finer amenities. (The attire would shine here like in Val Royeaux) If Rook is a qunari or elf, players would be treated with disdain, while humans and dwarves would have neutral responses. This location would be a chance to show off what magic could do in a controlled and defined way, as an alternative to the wild magic of Arlathan.

If Minrathous is left to fend for itself, the building damage would be increased a bit, requiring shortcuts to navigate the city and retrigger the waypoints. (*Not in a complicated way for gameplay sake. For example, if a waypoint was on the ground, now there's rubble in the spot and it gets triggered via a ladder.) Additionally, there would be more Venatori presence in areas that were relatively quiet before as well as evidence of blood magic and rituals, even in High Town. Latent magic would attract more demons. The SD hideout would not be affected entirely since it would be relocated, but the group would still be targeted with less members in the hideout or ambushes as a SD Rook. However, the chaotic state of the city has pushed some citizens to rally against the cultists and corrupt leadership. Some citizens will offer help for the Shadow Dragons against the Venatori. The idea is to provide a pros/cons situation for which city to help. The player would not know this necessarily, but it would be an opportunity for replay and also arguing Rook's stance.

Enemies

Venatori

Demons (Pride, despair, envy)

Mercenaries

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The Shadow Dragons

The Shadow Dragons would be an active freedom fighting group that is busier now with the Venatori threat on the horizon. Their primary hideout would be moved to the sewer area that is an extension from the pawn shop. This is a group with people from all walks of life, including some that were past slaves that you can talk to and learn more about. There are also some that are high ranking magisters and leaders who must be careful, so players would only encounter them during certain missions or in the High Town area. Neve is not officially a part of the group but is a contact for them in their work. This allows her to have enough distance to not compromise the faction as she encounters powerful enemies.

Quests

Slaver Auctions: Freeing slaves and other captured people from being purchased and used by the Venatori in their rituals.

Venatori Ranks: Following up on potential Magisters amongst the ranks of the Venatori. Keeping them alive provides information but they are still threats.

Rumors: Dorian has heard talk of magisters losing their powerful objects. Getting these things out of the hands of magisters is a plus, but where is it going? Following up on reports of elusive elves that may be Fen’harel agents.

[ofhousekadara]

Arlathan Forest and the Veil Jumpers

*This is part of a personal challenge for how I’d work largely within the existing framework to tweak things. It’s fun to think about.

For factions/locations, I am structuring them in terms of what the current world is like as well as some quests that I thought would be interesting.

Arlathan Forest

Arlathan Forest would remain largely as is (I honestly love this place). The one thing I would change is that the locations that open up as part of quests, remain open. For example, the way to Davrin’s uncle’s home is closed off after you leave or the funeral grounds. It would be nice from a gameplay perspective, to be able to collect what you didn’t the first time. The Arlathan map would be the largest area in the game, in terms of square footage, to allow for exploring the ruins and artifacts.

*A more radical take would be to make Arlathan the opposing location to Minrathous instead of Treviso. I think the wild magic that is referenced in the Forest and the encroaching blight could have made for interesting development and stakes. It seems like the first place Ghili chose to "test" on so it would have been nice to continue that thread. It could have been a way for how different clans viewed the events. Do some want to submit to the Evanuris in hopes of stopping the encroaching blight? The sorrow of recovering a location that is being damaged.

Enemies

Fade-touched animals

Constructs and sentinels. Sentinels of some form would be guarding each of the Time Horde chests.

Demons (rage and despair specifically**)

Venatori (in the latter part of the story)

Darkspawn*

**I miss the variety of demons that were present in other games, so it would have been nice to see a range depending on the area.

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The Veil Jumpers

The Veil Jumpers would be a mostly elven organization, focusing on recovering artifacts within Arlathan Forest before others who have shown an interest are able to. The forest is thick with ancient magic and unseen objects, making for a hostile and wondrous place that changes often. Due to the large amount of area that needs to be covered and the potential dangers, the faction have started to open up their ranks to those outside of the core Dalish clans, but the attitude towards this necessity is varied. So interacting as a non-elf would yield a number of responses, from being confronted with disdain or tentative welcome. Dwarves are tricky to be there, but useful since they aren’t affected by the magic. So oftentimes they are recruited for more difficult missions.

Quest Types

Overall, I really enjoyed the quests in Arlathan as well as the puzzles. I just wish there was more!

Find and Recover: Continuation of the quest where the Veil Jumper artifacts begin to act up. This would be a follow up for what caused this to happen - perhaps related to a Cyrian/Fen'harel agent subplot.

Clearing the Blight: After D’Meta’s Crossing, you would be able to help another small village using the boat and clearing the blight. This quest would jointly build reputation with both the Veil Jumpers and the Grey Wardens.

Stabilizing: A continuation of checking artifacts and locations, similar to the process of Bellara's first companion quest. Structures and artifacts become more hectic as the game progresses. This also allows for the area to be stabilized, allowing for small VJ groups to set up in those areas. While adventuring, players would come across them.

These quests would not be super involved, it would be similar to resetting the orbs in DAI. The idea would be fighting fade-touched constructs and then stabilizing what is causing the magic in some way, potentially using light puzzles.