DA4 Behind the Scenes and Reading Between the Lines, Part 1
We’ve calmed down enough here at Wyrd Sisters Central to put together a few thoughts about the art and game scenes from today’s BIoWare update.
Here is what we’re thinking so far...
Rivain Revealed?
After doing some checking, we are thinking that these egg shaped domes are likely representative of Rivaini architecture (World of Thedas Vol. 2, p. 134).
This particular picture is interesting, as it seems to be a blending of another architectural style as well, (likely Antivan, as it is Rivain’s only neighbor by land).
Meaning this particular city would likely sit between the two countries. Looking at the map, a significant city that fits this description is the city of Ayesleigh. Ring any bells? Ayesleigh is actually the site where the elven hero, Garahel, slew the Archdemon of the 4th Blight, Andoral.
Could this be another view of Ayesleigh? It looks to be the same building (and mountain) but from the other side.
And here we have what is likely (in our opinion) one of the major cities in Rivain. Could it be Dairsmuid? Or possibly the island of Llomeryn?
This image from World of Thedas Vol. 2 (p 129) is not captioned, but certainly has design elements that resemble the city we see in the concept art.
And speaking of Rivain and the Rivaini...
Bela in the Sea
We have a very Isabela looking swimmer present here! And some other interesting folks as well!
Possible Dorian sighting here? Whoever he is looks to be wearing armor like Zevran’s Black Shadow costume, who by this point might have formed his own gang to take down the Crows. If it isn’t Dorian, this character owes both Dorian and Zev royalties for his sweet style!! You also have to wonder why developers would make two characters so similar in design, but this is still early in the development process.
And ummmmm....did y’all see the skeleton in the corner doing a swan dive into the ocean? We would be so happy if this turned out to be Audric from “Down Among the Dead Men” in Tevinter Nights!
Assassins in the Street
Speaking of our beloved Zevran, it sure looks like the man himself “Black Shadow-ing” up behind the man in the blue, green, and gold robes. It seems Zev’s people (or our people ^_^) have business with the lady in the litter. The architecture here looks (possibly) Antivan from what we’ve seen illustrated in the comics. Tiled roofs seemed to be a hallmark of Antivan architecture and that can be glimpsed here in the top left corner.
Who is the fellow smirking at the front of the litter with Zev and his Qunari lady friend? He has some traits in common with the fellow pictured here on the left...
Are these pretty people new companions? Associates of Zev’s? We seem to see possible variations of them in several pictures.
Decima would really like the Qunari man on the far left to be our beloved Arishock, the warrior formerly known as Sten, but who knows? Also, the guy in the front-center could be the underwater Dorian-knock-off again. If so, his style is becoming more distinct, and very HANDSOME!
This heavy stone architecture looks much more Teviter. The triangles on the building in the background as well as the robed figure and their guards also suggest this is the Imperium.
Other Exotic Locales
We were also excited by how many locations were featured in the concept art and game preview. Lots caught our eye, but here were some that really stood out to the Sisters today.
The Wardens at Weisshaupt
Weisshaupt in the Anderfels, am I right? I mean, the arid, desolate landscape? The huge gryffon carving? The tall-ass building you could fly a griffon off of? It’s gotta be Weisshaupt! YAY!
Could this be an inner chamber of Weisshaupt Fortress? Notice all the Grey Warden banners and the Wardon-y looking fellow. The table, however, has echoes of the war table at Skyhold.
And holy shit! Is that a freakin’ rift opening up outside the window? We knew there was trouble brewing in the Anderfels, but that would be a devastating development. Especially without an Inquisitor on hand. ;)
Not so “Stark” haven?
Okay, going out a limb here, but we really want this to be Starkhaven. Yeah, yeah. We know we saw Starkhaven in the Knight Errant comics, but let’s face it...not everything in the comics is canon (or Alistair’s eyes would be blue).
We were disappointed with how small, and rather ugly, Sebastian’s hometown was in the comic. What gives us hope that this could be Starkhaven is the waterfalls (which are vaguely represented in Knight Errant #3) and Genitivi’s description of the place.
Also, if Sebastian's armor was a city, wouldn’t it look like this? ;-)
There was so much to examine in the DA4 Behind the Scenes update, that we need to break this post up.
Stay tuned for more meta in Part 2. We’re putting the “Air” back in aravels, finding fine Dwarven Crafts definitely not direct from Orzammar, and your friendly neighborhood Titan Boi!
Rating: T (Is that how you do it? It’s like, maybe, PG-ish? Gosh, I never write anything below M! I don’t know what to do! Hahaha!)
I wrote this for a “Hug Your OC” challenge over three years ago and Morta thinks I should post it for Dragon 4ge Day, so here it is. I’m doing this because I love her AND Dragon Age, and would like to take part in the celebration, even if it is with this meager offering. Cheers All!
Decima
The sound of thunder reverberated through the air, and Elissa startled awake. Her eyes scanned the room. The stone walls around her were unfamiliar in the darkness. There was a flash of light, and soon after, another roll of thunder.
A low, yet familiar groan erupted beside her, and an equally familiar arm reached around her still reclining form, pulling her closer.
“Elissa?” Alistair's voice was deepened from his slumber.
“Yes. I’m here. The storm woke me up.”
He yawned. “At least we’re not in a bloody tent!”
She laughed, “Always a good thing.”
Nestling into his neck, she breathed deep, reveling in the masculine scent of him. To be here. For him to be here with her. It felt like it should be a dream. She smiled to herself, lightly kissing the warm skin on his neck.
Another groan, though this one much less sleepy than its predecessor.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” he said after a thoughtful silence.
She nodded, “I was actually just thinking the same thing.”
He kissed the top of her head and held her close as flashes lit the sky outside. “For so long I dreamed I’d wake up and find you here. Night after night. Over and over. The same dream.” His voice was thick as he spoke. “And each morning I would wake up and feel…”
“Bereft” She answered, knowing the feeling too well herself.
“Yes,” he croaked, his voice filled with emotion, “bereft.”
They remained like that for several moments, reveling in the euphoria of being so close. The presence of the other seemed to be strengthening their souls, like withered plants reared in darkness, finally feeling the edifying light of the sun’s rays.
After several moments, Alistair broke the silence.
“Lis?” In his voice she heard the vestiges of the uncertain 20 year-old Grey Warden recruit she fallen in love with so long ago.
She raised her head to look at him, her eyes meeting his. As she held his gaze, she saw his expression change. Before her eyes his hesitance vanished and was replaced by the sureness of a king.
“Marry me.”
It wasn’t a question. Nor was it a command. He instead gazed upon her with a certainty she could never recall seeing in him before.
Elissa felt her heart skitter to life.
“But Anora… The court… You’ve only just returned from Antiva. What would they say? What would it look like? “
At her words he abruptly sat up bringing her with him.
“To the Void with what it looks like!”
He took her hands, his thumb caressing her knuckles softly as he continued trying to keep his emotions in check.
“Duty robbed me of 8 years with the woman I love, and Maker damn me forever if I will live one more moment without her!”
Elissa looked up at him, her eyes wide, trying to find the words to respond.
After a few moments she answered softly, “You mean me, right?”
Alistair let out a burst of unfettered laughter, as an impish smile crept to Elissa’s lips.
“Of course I mean you!” His laughter still ringing.
Grinning she continued. “Well, good. Because if there is anything I can do to prevent your eternal Maker damning AND be your wife, then I wholeheartedly agree!”
He leaned in to kiss her, but stopped just before reaching her lips.
“That’s a yes, right?”
She nodded, “That’s a yes,” and closed the gap between them.
Flemythal! Our icon! The dea ex dracone. Our Dragon Goddess Grandma! So........what is her deal?
Honestly, we don’t think she is much of a ‘deep connection’ kind of person. At least, not anymore.
Consider her personal story: In the time of Elvhenan, Mythal seems to have been a fairly active goddess/leader, taking steps to prevent the other evanuris from doing massive damage to the elven people (looking at you, Elgar’nan and Falon’Din, in particular). She, and apparently her priests, knew the secret greeting to gain access to Fen’Harel’s rebel bases, thus implying that she supported their efforts to some degree (along with her being bff-ish with Solas). Mythal may have been working towards some kind of slow revolution while not totally undermining the old order (for good or ill).
Then she is betrayed and murdered, inspiring a quest for vengeance that has spanned millennia. What kind of treachery could create that level of anger and agony? People Mythal truly loved and thought she could trust absolutely? Comrades and companions, most likely. Friends and family. What would would that kind of betrayal do to your psyche?
Combine that with the fact that afterwards Mythal manifests like a spirit wisp (probably similar to what she pulled out of Kieran) and is likely reduced to her most basic spirit-like behaviors, obsessive and eternal in nature. Eventually she finds her way to Flemeth, whose grief and fury at her own betrayal echoes and calls to Mythal, creating a bond that shapes both into the being we know from Dragon Age. Much of her existence is defined by the will to survive until she has her revenge.
After all of that she’s lived through, it’s unlikely that Flemythal is able or willing to create strong bonds with the people who come into her life, whether they are strangers who need her help, the Dalish who still worship her, or even her own blood. Flemythal holds her own daughters at arms length, needing them to carry out her plans, caring about them in her way, but hesitant to trust them too much. At least, if Morrigan’s experiences are anything to go by.
With Morrigan, it obviously didn’t turn out so well. Yavana, however, embraced this approach, eventually fulfilling one of Flemythal’s goals of bringing dragons back into Thedas and adopting her mother’s more...mysterious mannerisms.
Flemythal’s suspicious nature (likely aided by her ability to read people’s history in the Fade, as she does with Anders and Fenris at Sundermount) allows her to foresee Morrigan’s murderous intentions via the Warden. She also anticipates Solas’ actions at the end of Inquisition, sending some of her essence (the most Mythal flavored part, no doubt) through the eluvian in the postscript.
All of this added up makes it unlikely that Flemythal is drawn to people through any deep connection. Instead, she seems to be a master opportunist, making the most of each moment presented to her. It doesn’t matter what the origin of the Warden is, Flemythal can steer them in right direction. Whatever the background of the Inquisitor or the manner of meeting, she will make the most of that moment. That is just who she is and how her circumstances have shaped her to be.
Probably the best example of how Flemythal operates is when she meets Hawke. A moment of curiosity brings an opportunity to perfect to pass up:
Even Flemythal is uncertain whether their meeting is fate or chance, but this unplanned moment is just the opportunity she needs in order to survive the Warden’s visit, in spite however the warden chooses to deal with Flemeth. Did it have to be Hawke who took her “horcrux" to Kirkwall? No. Hawke is just some random person who was tough enough to take down an ogre. That alone, however, was not enough to convince Flemythal that Hawke was worth helping beyond that moment. It is only when Bethany/Carver says they are all going to Kirkwall that the pieces start to fall into place and Hawke becomes more than a passing fancy.
This is the true brilliance of the Flemythal. This seeming stroke of luck obscures her contingency planning, which has layers and facets on a level only achievable by an immortal who has been burned too many times by other immortals. Plans set in motion decades before pay off for Flemythal at just the right time to ensure she escapes Morrigan’s machinations.
Flemythal is constantly looking over her shoulder and considering what could go wrong in the foreseeable future. [And, btw, what is the appointment she needs to keep? Most likely it is the Warden, but Morrigan may not be the only one gunning for this lady dragon.] She believes that betrayals and setbacks are always a possibility, so she weaves a tapestry of favors and debts, compatriots and cronies, to ensure that her plans don’t fall completely apart. [It may also be her nature. She always offers them a “choice’, after all.]
Consider the case of the Sabrae Clan. Flemythal knows where they are going in Origins/DA2 in spite of the fact that it has only been a couple of weeks at most since Ostagar when she runs into Hawke. The clan is bound for Kirkwall, and more specifically, Sundermount. But why the Free Marches? The Sabrae clan has lived in or near Ferelden for at least half a century, and perhaps for many generations. So why did Marethari take her clan to Sundermount? World of Thedas 2 revealed that Marethari owed Flemeth a favor for helping the Keeper avenge her people against Avvar warriors who attacked them 50 years before. Hence, the Sabrae Clan’s journey to Kirkwall. It was payback time for Marethari.
Marethari, however, was not entrusted with Flemythal’s “horcrux”. [And it is worth asking why. Would that have been too many eggs in one basket? Morrigan is a little busy at that point so why so many precautions to keep the amulet safe? Again, it may imply that Flemythal fears other pursuers besides her doubting daughter, ones who would recognize the soul amulet for what it is. Flemeth does mention evading pursuit when Merrill calls her forth at Sundermount. Again, Morrigan is in no position to keep tabs on her mother, so who is? Solas? Someone else?! Fun speculation material for another time.] Flemythal has no reason to believe that Hawke will fulfill their end of the bargain, and yet the fact that Hawke is traveling to Kirkwall and had no previous connection to Flemeth makes them the perfect courier. Also...did y’all notice that Hawke didn’t have to wait for Flemythal to make her amulet? She had it ready and waiting. This is a lady who believes in being prepared.
There are reasons, however, why you feel like there is a link or connection between Flemythal and the people she comes in contact with, Nony. Whether by chance or fantastic planning, she comes in contact with people on their way to becoming someone who will have a profound effect on Thedas, for good or ill. The Warden. Hawke. The Inquisitor.
This pattern continues into Thedas’ past, with Flemeth’s assistance to Calenhad, Dane, and Maric being prime examples. With Calenhad we can see one of her centuries long plots unfolding: the Dragon Age. Flemeth was born in 3:00 Towers, just 10 years before the Third Blight begins and about fifty years into the rule of the Pentaghast in Nevarra. Both events likely shaped her life as a mortal woman and as an immortal being, but let’s spend a moment on the more opaque connection: the Pentaghasts.
It’s likely that Cassandra’s family were already famed dragon hunters before ascending to Nevarra’s throne in 2:46 Glory. From there, the practice would have grown with the substantial sized Pentaghast family. By the time Flemythal sought out or was tracked down by Calenhad Theirin, it wouldn’t take a soothsayer to predict that dragons were in trouble. It is very likely that Flemeth guided Calenhad to one of the last great dragons sometime before 5:33 Exalted, thereby entwining his fate and that of his descendants with her dragon plans.
The dragons were so important to Flemythal that she sent her daughter Yavana to watch over them. Although there is no way to say for certain when Yavana began her watch over the Silent Grove, it would have to have been before the start of the Steel Age because she is associated with Queen Madrigal, whose murder inspired the name of the age.
The ruins in the Tellari Swamps were built after the fall of Tevinter (if we are going to put a date on Tevinter’s “fall”, it would probably be between Andraste’s Exalted March and the foundation of the Orlesian Chantry), specifically because there were already signs that dragons, especially Great Dragons, would be driven to extinction. (Did early Andrastians hunt dragons? That is very possible since dragons would have been associated with and revered by the Cult of the Old Gods. Iconoclasm in the flesh.)
It is very telling that Flemythal would involve herself with a group seeking to save dragons, “the blood of the world” (The Silent Grove 4, pg 10). It is also entirely possible that Flemythal chose to make a bargain with Calenhad because he had proven to be wily, tough, honorable, but ambitious enough to make his goal of uniting Ferelden foreseeable to the Witch of the Wilds. Tying his fate to the dragons seems like a gamble she would take and win in the end.
So how does this tie back to the original point?
Well, you would think that if there were strong connections between Flemythal and those she touches on their way to infamy, she would take better care of the Theirins.
Flemythal invested 500+ years into ensuring dragons’ survival. She planted the seeds of the dragons’ return in the up and coming Theirin dynasty, but doesn’t seem particularly invested in how long they reign. They were practically wiped out during the Orlesian Occupation and the line’s continued survival is shaky at best. Flemythal even told Maric in The Stolen Throne (pgs. 81-82) that she didn’t care who stumbled into her swamp, be it him or Meghren. If she was being honest and not merely ‘motivating’ Maric, Flemythal believed she could make due without Calenhad’s bloodline.
On the other hand, she did check out the battle at Ostagar and pulled Alistair and the Warden out just in time to save their lives. Was she watching the Warden? Or was it the last Theirin she planned to save? Alistair’s death would put a real damper on the recovery of the great dragons. And yet neither Flemeth nor Morrigan makes any moves to save him if a steely-eyed Warden signs off on his execution. Maric would have been with Yavana during the Battle of Denerim, but still, having a back up plan seems like a very Flemythal thing to do. The fact that she does not ensure Alistair’s survival suggests that either she didn’t need him or didn’t anticipate the possibility of his death. Which of those is the more likely scenario? My gut says the former rather than the latter.
Perhaps Alistair was just the most convenient option for awakening the dragons. Given how often the best laid plans go awry, it’s likely that Flemythal had several other contingency plans. What, or who, those may be remains to be seen.
Flemythal’s Future?
So what does all of this mean for future games, especially considering what transpired between Flemythal and Solas? Well, that depends.... Is Flemeth dead? Will Mythal pass to Morrigan, and would Morrigan accept the elven goddess? Could Mythal seek out a new host? We definitely have more questions than answers, at the moment, but we feel certain that she will be back in some form. Her fate is deliberately ambiguous. The scene notes from Inquisition’s post game scene suggest that Mythal’s god-hood will pass to Morrigan, but there is no guarantee that will actually happen. The game writers and designers know we fans data-mine the games so it could be a red herring or it may turn out to be the real deal. It could go either way depending on the needs of the story.
One thing the Wyrd Sisters agree on is that Flemythal is a great plot device; a deus ex machina character. She ties themes from all three games together and has knowledge that is essential to future story revelations. So whether we see Flemeth herself in future games or not, we can expect to learn more about her plans and to see Mythal again in some form.
We also expect to continue meeting and reading about individuals whose destinies were influenced by the Witch of the Wild. After all, extraordinary people cross her path with startling frequency. But are these meetings Fate or Chance? Even Flemythal can’t say which it is for certain.
