Elessara
N3
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Post by Elessara on Jul 7, 2022 22:44:14 GMT
I still maintain that a lot of his bitterness stems from not being heeded or not meeting many who'd be willing to listen to him, rather than 'notelfiness', especially how quickly he can warm up to Inquisitor of any race who is kind to him and curious about what he has to say. IMO Lavellan being respectful and Solas willing to share his knowledge seems to be the first significant chip in his defensive walls. What's even better about that is the Tal Vashoth Inquisitor isn't Qunari. They're Tal Vashoth.
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Post by Iddy on Jul 8, 2022 0:24:29 GMT
What's even better about that is the Tal Vashoth Inquisitor isn't Qunari. They're Tal Vashoth. Not even that. Just Vashoth. I wish the game recognized the distinction more often.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 8, 2022 7:53:36 GMT
Not even that. Just Vashoth. I wish the game recognized the distinction more often. Oddly enough Solas is one of the few people who does this: • Solas: You are not Tal-Vashoth, Iron Bull, not really. • Iron Bull: Well that's a fuckin' relief. (if the Inquisitor is Qunari) • Solas: No more than our Inquisitor, who's parents left the Qun before he/she was born. You are no beast, snapping under the stress of the Qun's harsh discipline. You are a man who made a choice... possibly the first of your life. • Iron Bull: I've always liked fighting. What if I turn savage, like the other Tal-Vashoth? • Solas: You have the Inquisition, you have the Inquisitor... and you have me. • Iron Bull: Thanks, Solas.
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Post by Elessara on Jul 11, 2022 21:54:23 GMT
What's even better about that is the Tal Vashoth Inquisitor isn't Qunari. They're Tal Vashoth. Not even that. Just Vashoth. I wish the game recognized the distinction more often. Yeah, even I forgot about that distinction. I think part of the problem is in DAO, they were just Qunari and everyone thought that was the race. Then afterwards the devs were like, no no that's the religion, anyone part of that religion (regardless of race) is Qunari ... and then we didn't know what to refer to members of that race. So they default stayed qunari. I think the confusion it causes is actually on purpose.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 12, 2022 8:16:34 GMT
I think part of the problem is in DAO, they were just Qunari and everyone thought that was the race. Then afterwards the devs were like, no no that's the religion, anyone part of that religion (regardless of race) is Qunari ... and then we didn't know what to refer to members of that race. Initially we were told the race was the kossith. The reason no one calls them that is that the people of Thedas had only ever known the grey skinned giants as Qunari. Then a codex mentioned how it wasn't known if the modern qunari even resembled the kossith. Except that WoT said that there had been a colony of kossith in southern Ferelden prior to the First Blight, which it was assumed was destroyed by darkspawn, even though they didn't really affect Ferelden to the same extent as further north, and the females of which became ogre broodmothers. This would suggest that kossith did resemble qunari for the most part because of a clear similarity with the ogres. Still, may be the kossith also referred to the religion which pre-dated the Qun rather than the actual race. Which leaves us with Vashoth as the term the grey skinned giants use about themselves. I think the confusion it causes is actually on purpose. And yet the current team thought fit to change the name of Qarinas to Ventus because "people" found it confusing, after 3 games of using the former with the players not having a problem with it. Mind you, since the city isn't even shown on the map that was issued with Tevinter Nights, I think it is possible that it was totally destroyed by the Qun in their latest invasion, which makes you wonder why they bothered changing it at all. Anyway, with regard to the kossith/qunari/vashoth perhaps the reason it has been left confusing is that the origins of the race are rather obscure. There were clear hints from both Kieran and Corypheus that the race had been altered in some way and the result was a "mistake", plus further hints in Trespasser that possibly Ghilan'nain was responsible for carrying out experiments on sentient beings, so this might account for why the race doesn't have a fixed name from ancient times, like the others do.
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Post by Elessara on Jul 12, 2022 17:38:50 GMT
I think part of the problem is in DAO, they were just Qunari and everyone thought that was the race. Then afterwards the devs were like, no no that's the religion, anyone part of that religion (regardless of race) is Qunari ... and then we didn't know what to refer to members of that race. Initially we were told the race was the kossith. The reason no one calls them that is that the people of Thedas had only ever known the grey skinned giants as Qunari. Then a codex mentioned how it wasn't known if the modern qunari even resembled the kossith. Except that WoT said that there had been a colony of kossith in southern Ferelden prior to the First Blight, which it was assumed was destroyed by darkspawn, even though they didn't really affect Ferelden to the same extent as further north, and the females of which became ogre broodmothers. This would suggest that kossith did resemble qunari for the most part because of a clear similarity with the ogres. Still, may be the kossith also referred to the religion which pre-dated the Qun rather than the actual race. Which leaves us with Vashoth as the term the grey skinned giants use about themselves. I think the confusion it causes is actually on purpose. And yet the current team thought fit to change the name of Qarinas to Ventus because "people" found it confusing, after 3 games of using the former with the players not having a problem with it. Mind you, since the city isn't even shown on the map that was issued with Tevinter Nights, I think it is possible that it was totally destroyed by the Qun in their latest invasion, which makes you wonder why they bothered changing it at all. Anyway, with regard to the kossith/qunari/vashoth perhaps the reason it has been left confusing is that the origins of the race are rather obscure. There were clear hints from both Kieran and Corypheus that the race had been altered in some way and the result was a "mistake", plus further hints in Trespasser that possibly Ghilan'nain was responsible for carrying out experiments on sentient beings, so this might account for why the race doesn't have a fixed name from ancient times, like the others do. I honestly don't remember the term "kossith" popping up before Iron Bull mentioned it in DAI (which is why I didn't mention it in my post) and even then he said he doesn't think the current race he's from even much resemble them anymore. But it has been a long time since I've played DAO/DA2 and a couple years since I've fired up DAI so I could totally be wrong. Also, I said I think the confusion was on purpose because a lot of the in game information is presented as in game lore, which may or may not be the in game reality and we play as people from Thedas so having the players confused actually makes sense. I also have no idea about Tevinter Nights or what was or wasn't renamed because I didn't read it. Although renaming Qarinus to something else really would be more confusing to people who just played the games.
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Post by ladyiolanthe on Jul 17, 2022 1:12:31 GMT
I figure folks in here will appreciate this. Crown Laurel @crown_Laurel1@patrickweekes I have a pressing question regarding the tea I drank this morning. Would Solas be flattered or offended that I drank it out of a cup with his tarot card on it? Patrick Weekes @patrickweekesSolas would a) be concerned about his image being on a cup if it suggested people were worshipping him, b ) unconcerned about the tea, because he supports your right to drink the beverages you choose, and c) guiltily hopeful that he looked good and smart in the picture.
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Post by Solas on Jul 27, 2022 15:22:12 GMT
Extremely relevant to our interests gear.bioware.com/products/dragon-age-sola-jawbone-necklaceA replica of Solas' DAI jawbone necklace has been added to the BioWare Gear Store. [If you'd like to get it or other items from the store, drop me a lil PM and I'll give you a 20% off discount code ]
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Post by ladyiolanthe on Jul 28, 2022 1:51:40 GMT
Extremely relevant to our interests gear.bioware.com/products/dragon-age-sola-jawbone-necklaceA replica of Solas' DAI jawbone necklace has been added to the BioWare Gear Store. [If you'd like to get it or other items from the store, drop me a lil PM and I'll give you a 20% off discount code ] LOL, I love that the heading for the blurb is "Step into Solas' shoe." Because soooooo many people took the thing hanging from thongs around his neck to be a little elf shoe, lol.
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Post by Iddy on Jul 31, 2022 19:55:26 GMT
You know... I do respect players who liked Solas and romanced him before they knew he was important. They just saw that quiet nerd and thought he was cool.
Some time ago I saw this Tumblr post about how Solas is boring and people only romance him because he's got power. Obviously a flawed generalization.
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Post by Solas on Jul 31, 2022 21:20:04 GMT
bruh I remember those days loads of people said he was boring and the least interesting, least attractive LI. he got ragged on for being bald elfy mcsmuggins that's the deft execution of it on bioware's part, he gave an impression which to lots of folks was quite plain and uninteresting, like the humble apostate persona in-world he adopts in the Inquisition. I remember thinkin I love this nerd he's got a backpack with a mug on it and he wanders around napping in ruins to collect knowledge. at the same time I also remember thinking he was gonna drop some insane elf-related and general lore bombs, thinking that someone who has dreamed and seen 'fade records/echoes' of long ago and who is presented in the pre-release materials as being really intelligent is gonna Know And Tell Us Some Shit. I even thought that my intended PC would not be able to ultimately complete a romance with him. it's funny that now that we all know his true identity and plots etc that some folks still find him boring a classic bioware polarizing character. there are still some folks around this thread who were there in the Solas fandom pre-release as well. back in the day (I feel ancient now lmao) it was quite small.
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Post by Elessara on Aug 1, 2022 15:16:08 GMT
Yeah, I remember pre-release I was like, meh not going to do a Solas romance, bald doesn't do it for me. After I met him and talked to him in Haven I was like, ok change of plans definitely going to do a Solas romance.
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Post by gervaise21 on Aug 1, 2022 17:49:24 GMT
Yeah, I remember pre-release I was like, meh not going to do a Solas romance, bald doesn't do it for me. After I met him and talked to him in Haven I was like, ok change of plans definitely going to do a Solas romance. That was definitely a drawback for me but he sounded promising because I anticipated him knowing lots of interesting lore and since I was planning on my first run being as an elf, I thought he might have potential. Once I met him, the fact that he was so nerdy was part of what made him attractive to me, although I was also holding a candle for Dorian. However, since my first elf was female, I knew I didn't have a hope there, although I played it that she didn't realise until the meeting with his father. After that she gently chided him for leading her on, whilst I was thinking how he nearly ruined her romance with Solas with his flirting. Then I found this funny skit on You Tube. It hadn't occurred to me before that I was flirting with Dorian right in front of Solas and, let's face it, Dorian is rather loud so it is hard to believe Solas couldn't overhear our conversation. (I've posted it it before but it is worth doing so again.)
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Post by Elessara on Aug 1, 2022 20:13:30 GMT
Yeah, I remember pre-release I was like, meh not going to do a Solas romance, bald doesn't do it for me. After I met him and talked to him in Haven I was like, ok change of plans definitely going to do a Solas romance. That was definitely a drawback for me but he sounded promising because I anticipated him knowing lots of interesting lore and since I was planning on my first run being as an elf, I thought he might have potential. Once I met him, the fact that he was so nerdy was part of what made him attractive to me, although I was also holding a candle for Dorian. However, since my first elf was female, I knew I didn't have a hope there, although I played it that she didn't realise until the meeting with his father. After that she gently chided him for leading her on, whilst I was thinking how he nearly ruined her romance with Solas with his flirting. Then I found this funny skit on You Tube. It hadn't occurred to me before that I was flirting with Dorian right in front of Solas and, let's face it, Dorian is rather loud so it is hard to believe Solas couldn't overhear our conversation. (I've posted it it before but it is worth doing so again.) Oh, I figured he'd be interesting to talk to, for the lore if nothing else. Didn't figure I'd change my mind so fast I'd practically give myself whiplash though lol. Also, that video is hilarous!
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Post by Iddy on Aug 4, 2022 2:47:25 GMT
It just occurred to me... why does Lavellan use her clan's name as her last name?
Could it be because she is blood related to the elven noble family that started the clan?
That is, unless everyone in the clan has it as their last name on account of being part of the group, but then that would raise the question of why Mahariel isn't called [insert here] Sabrae.
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Post by ladyiolanthe on Aug 4, 2022 3:08:03 GMT
It just occurred to me... why does Lavellan use her clan's name as her last name? Could it be because she is blood related to the elven noble family that started the clan? That is, unless everyone in the clan has it as their last name on account of being part of the group, but then that would raise the question of why Mahariel isn't called [insert here] Sabrae. The Wiki explains all. With references! dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Dalish#Naming_customs
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Post by Iddy on Aug 7, 2022 1:14:12 GMT
So... the Keeper's First doesn't go out much, right?
Scouting, trading, fighting and everything that involves venturing out into the world usually is the hunters' job, unless there is an emergency. Then I can only assume the First tends to be a rather sheltered person with little knowledge of the world. How is someone like that qualified for making important decisions for the clan?
If you think about it, perhaps a hunter is the better pick for the job.
Speaking of the First, I also realize that the common assumption that Lavellan occupies that position could be wrong. As I understand it, every mage in the clan is taught by the Keeper and is, therefore, his/her apprentice.
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Post by xerrai on Aug 7, 2022 3:38:02 GMT
So... the Keeper's First doesn't go out much, right? Scouting, trading, fighting and everything that involves venturing out into the world usually is the hunters' job, unless there is an emergency. Then I can only assume the First tends to be a rather sheltered person with little knowledge of the world. How is someone like that qualified for making important decisions for the clan? If you think about it, perhaps a hunter is the better pick for the job. Speaking of the First, I also realize that the common assumption that Lavellan occupies that position could be wrong. As I understand it, every mage in the clan is taught by the Keeper and is, therefore, his/her apprentice. I'm not too sure about that. For some better off clans, maybe, but being Dalish is as much about survival as it is about recovering/learning old lore. I imagine every mage member of a clan has to know at least some other practical skill, if not several, to be of use to the Clan. At the very least, I would expect all First to have at least some basic knowledge just by sheer virtue of presumably taught something before their magic developed. And you have to figure a First would be doing something when they aren't practicing/learning. Probably for the reasons you mentioned, which they will doubtlessly know will be an issue in the long run. We also know of quite a few Firsts who leave the protection of their Clan, even if we exclude those who go into voluntary exile like Velanna. Taven, Neria, and the elf Inquisitor are notable examples. And quite notably, two of these firsts were all sent as emissaries while the other was able to make an exploratory convoy out of their own clan members with minimal to no issue. And I didn't get the impression of a First doing any of these things raised eyebrows all that much either. The nature of their assignments, maybe, but not the First taking part in them. So while it seems a First can only leave the camp with an explicit purpose in mind, they are, in fact, allowed to leave the camp and are possibly even encouraged to do so in certain situations. Like if they are being sent as a Dalish representative to a human settlement (since sending the Keeper is risky), or to guide an expedition to recover lost lore. I am willing to bet though that most clans would rather send their First out with other clan members to look after them or serve as backup.
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Post by Elessara on Aug 7, 2022 4:03:02 GMT
So... the Keeper's First doesn't go out much, right? Scouting, trading, fighting and everything that involves venturing out into the world usually is the hunters' job, unless there is an emergency. Then I can only assume the First tends to be a rather sheltered person with little knowledge of the world. How is someone like that qualified for making important decisions for the clan? If you think about it, perhaps a hunter is the better pick for the job. Speaking of the First, I also realize that the common assumption that Lavellan occupies that position could be wrong. As I understand it, every mage in the clan is taught by the Keeper and is, therefore, his/her apprentice. I'm pretty sure the game explicitly states that an elven mage player character is the First of Clan Lavellan. And Keepers, as leaders of their clans, would have to know some diplomacy and are trained in making the decisions they believe are best for the clan. Sending the First is the next best thing to sending the Keeper in that regard. I can honestly see arguments both for and against sending either a hunter or the First.
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Post by gervaise21 on Aug 7, 2022 7:39:07 GMT
Scouting, trading, fighting and everything that involves venturing out into the world usually is the hunters' job, unless there is an emergency. As others have explained, this is not necessarily true. Think back to DAO. After we returned from the ruins, with one person missing and the other badly injured, when we went back, Merrill, our First, went with us. If nothing else, a First might would be valued on any non routine expedition because of their healing skills and, for that matter, even on regular hunting trips. Whilst there is a degree of specilisation in skills among the clan, everyone would need certain basic skills to survive. Also, trading is not necessarily the skill of a hunter but more likely the crafts people or other camp based operatives like the Keeper and their First. Whilst the hunters are out collecting resources in the wild, these other clan members would be venturing to the nearest human settlement to trade for any items they need that cannot be sourced from the wilds. It is probably how they heard about the Conclave in the first place. On the matter of Lavellan specifically, though, I always felt it odd that the Keeper would send one of their few precious mages on such a long and dangerous enterprise. After all, we were based in the Freemarches and the Conclave was deep in Ferelden. So that would require a long journey over land and sea, necessitating coming into close contact with humans at some point. The Circles may have collapsed but the countryside would be crawling with Templars even more as a result, as turns out to be the case in Ferelden at least but remember that the Freemarches once had the main base for Templars in that region and not all died as a result of Meredith's madness. Not to mention that we have vallaslin, so difficult to blend in with the city elves, who are still confined to alienages anyway. Which would also be a problem when we finally get to the Conclave. I never understood how, whether we were a mage or not, we were ever even allowed entry to what should have been a carefully monitored affair but then Corypheus and his Grey Wardens managed to gain admittance, so security was obviously very lax. So from a practical point of view, I agree that it would be better to send one of the clan's hunters, who are adept at sneaking up on prey and moving through the forest without being detected but also, more importantly, are more numerous and so less of a loss to the clan individually if they don't return. I can only think that the Keeper felt mage Lavellan had better people skills than any of the clan's hunters, so would be better at talking their way out of a difficult situation through diplomacy should the need arise.
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Post by gervaise21 on Aug 7, 2022 13:06:08 GMT
I don't know if this has been discussed before but I have been giving some further thought as to why Solas is so vehemently opposed to the Qun. He can be critical of other regimes but not to the extent of going out of his way to foil their plans when, on the face of it, they didn't really seem to be getting in the way of his own. Now I think trying to escalate the war between Tevinter and the Qun was something done to further his own aims but I get the feeling he wouldn't be happy if the Qun won that confrontation. His main criticism of Tevinter would seem to be their system of slavery but if they were to do away with that, I feel he wouldn't regard them as any different to the other political set ups across Thedas, apart from the Qun.
Now it was Dorian who made the comparison between the Tevinter Imperium and the Evanuris and, on the face of it, they are both magocracies that, according to Solas at least, had/have slavery. However, this is a very superficial interpretation. For a start off, everyone in ancient Elvhenan was capable of doing magic to a greater or lesser extent. It is just the most powerful ones assumed control over the rest. Okay, you could argue Tevinter is the same but in fact, whilst the old Altus families cling onto their power, it is possible for someone to rise to their level in the Magisterium on merit, whether that merit is having powerful magic or the right contacts and sponsors among the elite. No one actually considers the members of the Magisterium are gods, even back in the time of the ancient Imperium and there was more than one instance of civil strife that resulted in changes to the status quo. Even among the Soporati it is possible for you to excel in whatever field you choose to follow, just not obtain political power. The only real thing that limits you in Tevinter is if you are not a citizen, in other words a slave or Liberati. Take that out of the equation and, as I say above, it is really no different to any other nation apart from the precedence given to magic.
Now consider the Qun and what he says to Iron Bull in criticism of it. "Even the lowliest peasant may find freedom in the safety of her thoughts. You take even that." "Surely, even you see, Iron Bull, that freedom is preferable to mindless obedience to the Qun." "You said this world would be brighter if all thinking individuals were stripped of individuality." "If a Ferelden servant decides that his life goal is to... become a poet, he can follow that dream! It may be difficult, and he might fail. But the whole of society is not aligned to oppose him! Your Qun would crush the brilliant few for the mediocre many!" And if the Charges are sacrificed: "The truth is, Iron Bull, you are Qunari. I cannot be disappointed in your decisions. As a mindless, soulless drone, you could never make any."
Solas is absolutely firm in his condemnation, not willing to accept any argument given by Iron Bull in favour of the Qun. Which has always made me wonder why he is so strident and committed in his stance when he found the Game of the Orlesian nobles amusing, despite the fact that many innocents are often killed in pursuit of it. Could it be that the set up in the Qun is far closer to what existed in ancient times in Elvhenan? Think about it:
Elves seem to have set roles in society and if they change them, they change their name along with it. Each god (leader) has their only area of society for which they seem solely responsible and their servants are marked to show they are under their control. Large enterprises are accomplished by the collective co-operation of those servants.
What we have never been told is whether someone actually chooses which god they wish to serve or role they wish to follow. We have assumed that because the Dalish choose their god and thus their vallaslin, that this was the same previously, but since the Dalish are not aware of the true nature of the vallaslin, perhaps service to a god was not voluntary, nor were they permitted to choose what role they wanted to follow but the god decided this for them. In other words, whilst the set up of the ruling elite may have been different, the general principles remained the same. A child was assessed at a young age, from which it was determined which god would be the best fit for them and from then on their path in life was determined by the chosen priesthood (tamassrans) of the gods. Most elves were happy to accept this because society was well ordered and they had all their wants supplied, whilst their god protected them from harm.
I realise this may not match what Felassan seemed to depict to Briala but you still have elite and servant roles in the Qun; its citizens simply accept the role they have been assigned in life as beneficial to the whole and do not question it. Also, Felassan would naturally couch his lessons in terms that Briala was familiar with and could understand. I am sure that even in the Qun, those occupying a similar role/status in society will tend to compete with one another for advancement in it. In fact we know that when it comes to promotion to the role of Arishok, this is expected of them.
So may be the Qun does reflect a similar system in ancient times but without the gods. I've also suggested elsewhere that may be Koslun had some connection with Solas, may be a follower of his who came upon the Kossith and tried to bring order to their chaos, thinking the problem with the philosophy in ancient times was the inclusion of the gods as authority figures, when the actual problem was the system itself.
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Post by Iddy on Aug 7, 2022 13:38:03 GMT
So... the Keeper's First doesn't go out much, right? Scouting, trading, fighting and everything that involves venturing out into the world usually is the hunters' job, unless there is an emergency. Then I can only assume the First tends to be a rather sheltered person with little knowledge of the world. How is someone like that qualified for making important decisions for the clan? If you think about it, perhaps a hunter is the better pick for the job. Speaking of the First, I also realize that the common assumption that Lavellan occupies that position could be wrong. As I understand it, every mage in the clan is taught by the Keeper and is, therefore, his/her apprentice. I'm not too sure about that. For some better off clans, maybe, but being Dalish is as much about survival as it is about recovering/learning old lore. I imagine every mage member of a clan has to know at least some other practical skill, if not several, to be of use to the Clan. At the very least, I would expect all First to have at least some basic knowledge just by sheer virtue of presumably taught something before their magic developed. And you have to figure a First would be doing something when they aren't practicing/learning. Probably for the reasons you mentioned, which they will doubtlessly know will be an issue in the long run. We also know of quite a few Firsts who leave the protection of their Clan, even if we exclude those who go into voluntary exile like Velanna. Taven, Neria, and the elf Inquisitor are notable examples. And quite notably, two of these firsts were all sent as emissaries while the other was able to make an exploratory convoy out of their own clan members with minimal to no issue. And I didn't get the impression of a First doing any of these things raised eyebrows all that much either. The nature of their assignments, maybe, but not the First taking part in them. So while it seems a First can only leave the camp with an explicit purpose in mind, they are, in fact, allowed to leave the camp and are possibly even encouraged to do so in certain situations. Like if they are being sent as a Dalish representative to a human settlement (since sending the Keeper is risky), or to guide an expedition to recover lost lore. I am willing to bet though that most clans would rather send their First out with other clan members to look after them or serve as backup. I know they have survival skills, but I was thinking about how there are certain things you only learn through life experiences such as noticing when someone is deceiving you. But yes, as others have pointed out, while they may not participate in everyday tasks they do join in whenever there is an important mission. I guess I simply forgot.
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Post by Iddy on Aug 7, 2022 13:44:48 GMT
So... the Keeper's First doesn't go out much, right? Scouting, trading, fighting and everything that involves venturing out into the world usually is the hunters' job, unless there is an emergency. Then I can only assume the First tends to be a rather sheltered person with little knowledge of the world. How is someone like that qualified for making important decisions for the clan? If you think about it, perhaps a hunter is the better pick for the job. Speaking of the First, I also realize that the common assumption that Lavellan occupies that position could be wrong. As I understand it, every mage in the clan is taught by the Keeper and is, therefore, his/her apprentice. I'm pretty sure the game explicitly states that an elven mage player character is the First of Clan Lavellan. And Keepers, as leaders of their clans, would have to know some diplomacy and are trained in making the decisions they believe are best for the clan. Sending the First is the next best thing to sending the Keeper in that regard. I can honestly see arguments both for and against sending either a hunter or the First. Where was it mentioned, though? The codex only says that she was taught by Keeper Deshana (by the way, is s/he male or female?)
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Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights
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Post by gervaise21 on Aug 7, 2022 14:20:01 GMT
Keeper Deshana (by the way, is s/he male or female?) I've always assumed so from the name but I suppose that is not a given. I had in the back of my mind that it was mentioned somewhere but I could be remembering that wrong. I still feel that sending your First, particularly if there isn't a spare, would be very risky considering how important it is to have a Keeper in waiting. However, if there was a spare and the First was a bit of a rebel, then the Keeper might think it a good way to keep them out of her hair and give them some responsibility at the same time. I played it that way with my male mage Lavellan. Unlike my female mage Lavellan, who was a diplomat and very careful not to antagonise the wrong people but also true to her traditions, he had great fun being subversive. If they wanted to call him the Herald of Andraste, he was fine with it so he could totally mess with their religion. I found it amusing because everyone did assume he was genuine (that's computer programming for you), so didn't think to question his assertion, even when he was making some very strange decisions in the "name of the Maker". I didn't antagonise Solas though, when I really should have done but the trouble was my guy was genuinely interested in hearing what he had to say and, as you know, Solas just loves an audience.
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Post by Iddy on Aug 7, 2022 15:32:15 GMT
Keeper Deshana (by the way, is s/he male or female?) I've always assumed so from the name but I suppose that is not a given. I had in the back of my mind that it was mentioned somewhere but I could be remembering that wrong. I still feel that sending your First, particularly if there isn't a spare, would be very risky considering how important it is to have a Keeper in waiting. However, if there was a spare and the First was a bit of a rebel, then the Keeper might think it a good way to keep them out of her hair and give them some responsibility at the same time. I played it that way with my male mage Lavellan. Unlike my female mage Lavellan, who was a diplomat and very careful not to antagonise the wrong people but also true to her traditions, he had great fun being subversive. If they wanted to call him the Herald of Andraste, he was fine with it so he could totally mess with their religion. I found it amusing because everyone did assume he was genuine (that's computer programming for you), so didn't think to question his assertion, even when he was making some very strange decisions in the "name of the Maker". I didn't antagonise Solas though, when I really should have done but the trouble was my guy was genuinely interested in hearing what he had to say and, as you know, Solas just loves an audience. I can't imagine any other way to play as Lavellan, honestly. S/He has to be a responsible person with minimally decent social skills, or otherwise the Keeper would never trust them with a task like this. That said, I do like your idea of having a character who is diplomatic but not necessarily nice. Yep. As much as Solas loves sharing knowledge, we can't deny there is an element of ego to it. He enjoys the sound of his voice. Oh, almost forgot. Perhaps they risked sending Lavellan because they simply understimated the risk. "Oh, she is just going to watch the meeting. What could possibly go wrong?"
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