#newwillinium

[dalishious]

.... Do we know how Dalish feel about Andrastianism? We know that they disdain the Chantry, for VERY VERY good reasons, but I never got a feel for how they thought of the religion itself or those that worship Andraste and the Maker. Conversely we have Chantry figures who see the Dalish and their religion as savages who need to be brought into the chant, are fascinated to the point of exoticism of the Dalish, or wish to syncretize the Dalish into the Chantry.

Both Merrill and Velanna express similar feelings--disdain for the Chantry because of the harm its done to their people, but respect for Andraste as a historical figure--as well as Merrill’s general confusion about why no one in the Chantry questions/discusses the Chant. I actually find one of the most interesting differences between Andrastians and the Dalish is how the Chantry is like, all about blind faith and just accepting what is said, whereas the Dalish literally celebrate discussing and examining the Elven Pantheon.

One of my favourite banters between Merrill and Sebastian is also were she’s just like “what exactly does your Chantry do” lol.

Merrill: What does your Chantry do?

Merrill: I mean, you keep saying how great it is. Anders and Isabela tell me to stay away from it. But what does it do?

Merrill: Among the Dalish, the Keepers teach the children, preserve our history, perform magic. The priestesses here just... sing.

Sebastian: The Chantry does many charitable works. It cares for widows and orphans—

Merrill: Who in the Dalish would just be part of the clan, like everyone else.

Merrill: I just don't get it.

[tepkunset]

*sniffs imperiously* As an American I’ll have you know that we measure distances in minutes. Not something as simple or reasonable as feet or inches.

(There is nothing simple about feet or inches)

We do too LOL i.e. “the nearest store is a half hour away” but I know that at least city people must say things like “that’s five blocks over” because I’ve heard it on TV plenty of times. I just don’t actually know how far away that is

[dalishious]

Do we know if Loghain loved Celia like he did Rowan? Or do you think it was a marriage of mutual respect and attraction if not love? It would be interesting to figure out what kind of relationship Anora saw growing up and how that might have affected her and her expectations in her future marriage.

I genuinely don’t think Loghain and Celia were overly in love, though I do think that they probably had love for each other, if that makes sense? Like Maric and Rowan’s relationship at least originally. I think he probably saw Celia as a strategic choice at first, honestly. Here’s a woman who told him to get his shit together and then personally led reconstruction efforts, and respected that. So why not make her Teyrna, sense she had more interest in Gwaren than he did? I don’t think there was any animosity between them, I think they did have mutual respect, care and attraction, but not in any way “true love.”

And oh, I do for sure think that upon reading more about their relationship in WoTv2 it had some influence on Anora, given her marriage with Cailan had similarities. Celia was the real ruler of Gwaren just like Anora was the real ruler of Ferelden, with both Loghain and Cailan being more of just the figurehead, for an example.

[dalishious]

So watching a stream of Dragon Age Origins in the Brecilian Forest and we had a nice little discussion in the chat about how the Architecture of the underground temple really didn't fit any Elvish, Chasind, Avvar, or Alamarri architecture that we had seen throughout the game. But someone mentioned how the Elves and Humans might have lived together in the Temple before Tevene existed and that it was the place where the "Eldest" came to rest. Do you think that that might be Solas or Falon'din?

I believe the ruins were once like the Well of Sorrows, but that was lost when Tevinter built their own shit over it: [Link]

As for why the architecture looks like how it is: the meta answer is that they simply re-used assets from elsewhere in the game, such as the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

[dalishious]

So I forgot this character existed but what do you think about Roderick Asignon from Dragon Age Inquisition? From my own view he looked to be an officious arse...: but not a bad person over all. Just someone who was **massively** over their head and desperate to have someone else be in charge. Still he redeems himself by trying to save someone in the siege of Haven and ends up saving... pretty much everyone do to his renewed memory.

Yeah I don’t think Roderick was a terrible person, just a man with a lot of self-importance that doesn’t know how to handle the power he never should have had (but everyone ahead of him was killed). I would also agree that he redeemed himself in the end, providing an escape for everyone at Haven. But I think it would have been interesting if we didn’t see him change his mind about the Inquisitor. If his actions weren’t like “ah yes now I have seen the light, you are indeed the chosen one,” but just a man who wanted to save everyone for no reason besides lives being at stake.

[dalishious]

... I’m honestly curious because I don’t think I’ve ever seen it expressed anywhere, inspired by your Sundermont ambient dialogue post, just.... how much of Thedas had the Elvhen settled? I know without a doubt that they at the very LEAST had from the northern tip of Tevinter to deep in the south of Orlais.. But did they settle all the way down into the Wilds as well? Or further south into what are now Chasind and Avvar lands?

“Before the fall of Arlathan, even before Arlathan itself, the civilization of the elves stretched across all of Thedas like a great, indolent cat.”--Codex entry: Ancient Elven Armour (DA:O)

“There was a time,” [Fiona’s] eyes flashed crossly, “when elves lived forever. Did you know that, as well? We spoke our own language, built magnificent wonders across all of Thedas, had our own homeland—and this was long before the Dales ever existed.”--The Calling, pg 105

Thedas as a continent has always been home for elves, (and probably dwarves below the surface.) Humans and qunari came from elsewhere.

[dalishious]

Perhaps a dumb question but..... Ypu know how Flemeth has the soul/spirit of Mythal within her? Is that the case with Solas too? Is he puppeting around some random Elf’s body? This question was inspired by looking at his concept art and how that might be what he used to look like in the past.

I don’t believe that’s the case, given the frescoes we see in game depict him how he looks like, and how he talks about having been asleep and then waking up. (Because putting up the veil took out all his energy.)

Although I do like the idea of him having hair like this in his younger years -

[dalishious]

So I noticed something. . . The Dowager Mantillon is killed by Briala in the name of vengeance for her parent's murder right? So why is there a Dowager Mantillon in Inquisition who seems to hold great sway in the Council of Heralds as well as having a long sordid history of deceased husbands? Are they meant to be the same person through a lore accuracy mistake? Is the Inquisition Dowager Mantillon simply a daughter or similar relative?

I’m pretty sure they’re supposed to be two different people, but it is confusing