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Post by Guardian on Jun 28, 2024 23:21:55 GMT
Musing on the 7 companions, does each come with some magical item or creature specific to them? Davrin - Assan the griffon Emmrich - Manfred the skeleton Taash - Special horn that replaces her missing right one (it could be more than simply aesthetic) Bellara - Magical arm band (also possibly a magical puzzle box) Neve - Her prosthetic leg in shape of a serpent Lucanis - Magical coat that sprouts wings as a form of defence Harding - Newly acquired magical abilities (could be inherent or from a magical item) Now I can respond to this. I like where you're going. Is this the dirty (half or so) dozen to invade the black city and put things right? I'd be down for that
While it wouldn't surprise me if they made Rook "the betrayer", this is my most out there theory and it is wild: The Inquisitor will be the betrayer (if on good terms with Solas). I still do feel the Inquisitor is going to take a dirt nap, but maybe the Inquisitor is the betrayer. Of course, if your Inquisitor wants to kill Solas, that is what pokes a hole in this theory. It is yet another "out there" theory by me. But just tossing something that crossed my mind now and then after reading all the theories of a betrayer.
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Post by themikefest on Jun 29, 2024 3:12:08 GMT
Musing on the 7 companions, does each come with some magical item or creature specific to them? Davrin - Assan the griffon Emmrich - Manfred the skeleton Taash - Special horn that replaces her missing right one (it could be more than simply aesthetic) Bellara - Magical arm band (also possibly a magical puzzle box) Neve - Her prosthetic leg in shape of a serpent Lucanis - Magical coat that sprouts wings as a form of defence Harding - Newly acquired magical abilities (could be inherent or from a magical item) Now I can respond to this. I like where you're going. Is this the dirty (half or so) dozen to invade the black city and put things right? Ah yes the dirty dozen. Reference to the ME2 squadmates. That's only if their loyalty missions are completed otherwise I call them the distracted dozen since they care more about worrying their personal problem hasn't been taken of instead of being focused on the task at hand that could lead to their death or the death of another. If there's a quest to invade the Black City, would the main character and companions return to Thedas to start the next blight? In comes Inq to vanquish rookspawn and the companion darkspawn.
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Post by helios969 on Jun 29, 2024 5:21:20 GMT
Now I can respond to this. I like where you're going. Is this the dirty (half or so) dozen to invade the black city and put things right? Ah yes the dirty dozen. Reference to the ME2 squadmates. That's only if their loyalty missions are completed otherwise I call them the distracted dozen since they care more about worrying their personal problem hasn't been taken of instead of being focused on the task at hand that could lead to their death or the death of another. If there's a quest to invade the Black City, would the main character and companions return to Thedas to start the next blight? In comes Inq to vanquish rookspawn and the companion darkspawn. You heard it from themikefest folks, daddy issues confirmed. Oh, yeah...every dies playthrough gonna happen. Rookspawn...good name for a pet.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 29, 2024 7:25:58 GMT
Andruil is the God of sacrifice... that does not fit. With a Grey Warden? You have to be kidding me. It is almost a perfect fit. "In death sacrifice". A Warden has to make the ultimate sacrifice to end the Blight. Davrin hunts monsters, particularly blighted monsters. Not to mention the link is even more on the nose if Andruil was originally responsible for bringing the Blight into the world.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 29, 2024 7:45:58 GMT
Another thought that recalls an earlier theory of mine. What if every time an Old God dies, if the essence isn't captured in the Dark Ritual, it returned to the Fade and rather than reuniting with the corresponding Evanuris, as the Warden's action causes their death as well, it instead reverts to the nearest living Evanuris? That could be the nearest adjacent god on the circle or the one with whom they are most closely associated in the pantheon. On this basis the following occurred: Dumat (Dirthamen) went to either Elgar'nan (Lusacan) or Falon'Din (Andoral) Zazikel (Andruil) went to either Sylaise (Toth) or Ghilan'nain (Razikale) Toth went to Ghilan'nain Andoral went to Elgar'nan Urthemiel (June) went to Ghilan'nain (both closer on the circle and attracted to essence of Sylaise) or Kieran and then Flemeth (Mythal) Hence Flemeth saying that the Old God soul was snatched from the jaws of darkness. Also, absorbing June would help to level the playing field somewhat, particularly if she always intended on merging with Fen'Harel, as each of the surviving gods would then have the same number of essences in addition to their own (2), whereas if the Warden does the ultimate sacrifice it would make Ghilan'nain stronger with 3, against Elgar'nan with 2 and Mythal/Fen'Harel with just one extra. Following this logic it would mean every time we kill a "god" it makes the surviving gods stronger. Then ultimately we have to confront the god that is powered up with all the other 8. Further thought. The two Evanuris that have been released are now on the outside but if killed and their dragon (Old God) has also been killed then their essence will return to the Fade to unite with...duh, duh, dur.....Fen'Harel/Mythal.
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Post by colfoley on Jun 29, 2024 7:52:57 GMT
Andruil is the God of sacrifice... that does not fit. With a Grey Warden? You have to be kidding me. It is almost a perfect fit. "In death sacrifice". A Warden has to make the ultimate sacrifice to end the Blight. Davrin hunts monsters, particularly blighted monsters. Not to mention the link is even more on the nose if Andruil was originally responsible for bringing the Blight into the world. I didn't really consider self sacrifice so you are certainly right about that aspect fitting as well.
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Post by helios969 on Jun 29, 2024 8:11:39 GMT
Hence Flemeth saying that the Old God soul was snatched from the jaws of darkness. That could simply be they're banish to the Void. I'm getting the sense that there is a malevolent force behind the pantheon just waiting...perhaps one of the Forgotten Ones. I think of the following codex: There are no gods. There is only the subject and the object, the actor and the acted upon. Those with will to earn dominance over others gain title not by nature but by deed.
I am Geldauran, and I refuse those who would exert will upon me. Let Andruil's bow crack, let June's fire grow cold. Let them build temples and lure the faithful with promises. Their pride will consume them, and I, forgotten, will claim power of my own, apart from them until I strike in mastery.Not much else on this fellow but the visceral nature of those words comes through...maybe he's collecting those lost souls. DA5 final boss.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 29, 2024 9:03:43 GMT
Not much else on this fellow but the visceral nature of those words comes through...maybe he's collecting those lost souls. At least we are agreed that someone is probably collecting those souls. I think Gelduran was simply one of Solas allies in the past that he betrayed as the Dalish story suggests in order to achieve his aims. Perhaps it was deliberate because he didn't want people like Anaris and Gelduran to take over after the Creators were gone, so he used them and then discarded them when they were no longer useful to him. However, if the codex about the elves in the Tirashan is to be believed there are a group out there who appear to be worshiping gods other than the ones we are familiar with and this may be one or more of the Forgotten Ones. Certainly they had worshipers in the time of the Dales and the other Dalish shunned them because they were seeking a twisted and terrible strength from dark rituals associated with these gods. So, did that mean these "gods" were actually granting these gifts or just other demons in the Fade were doing this and claiming their identities? There is an awful lot concerning the interaction between the spirit realm(s) and the waking world that we and probably even the people in Thedas don't know about, apart from perhaps Solas and those like him. Still, perhaps Emmrich will be able to give us some insights.
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Post by azarhal on Jun 29, 2024 11:11:05 GMT
With a Grey Warden? You have to be kidding me. It is almost a perfect fit. "In death sacrifice". A Warden has to make the ultimate sacrifice to end the Blight. Davrin hunts monsters, particularly blighted monsters. Not to mention the link is even more on the nose if Andruil was originally responsible for bringing the Blight into the world. I didn't really consider self sacrifice so you are certainly right about that aspect fitting as well. I always theorized that Andruil being the goddess of sacrifice wasn't about animal/blood sacrifice like some love to say, but "paying the price/cost" for X (gaining power, magical help, Andraste's sacrifice...) since it's an underlying theme of the series.
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Post by helios969 on Jun 29, 2024 11:47:20 GMT
I think Gelduran was simply one of Solas allies in the past that he betrayed Doesn't that pretty much describe all of his relationships?
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 29, 2024 13:28:47 GMT
Doesn't that pretty much describe all of his relationships? Yes, whatever he might say I think he earned that name Dread Wolf. Also, whilst I do not deny the Evanuris were probably a bunch of tyranical, abusive ass****s, I think this quote from them sums up Solas to a tee: " Beware the forms of Fen'Harel! The Dread Wolf comes in humble guises, a wanderer who knows much of the People and their spirits. He will offer advice that seems fair, but turns slowly to poison... ." I would still like to know how the Viddasala knew so much about him, even if she mistook him for an agent of Fen'Harel rather than the Dread Wolf himself. I've suggested elsewhere that perhaps they caught one of his other agents and tortured them for information because otherwise how did she know things that he had not revealed up to then to anyone, not even the Inquisitor and yet confirmed what she said was true only a short time after? Alternatively, perhaps the Viddasala managed to persuade a rather gabby spirit to divulge what they knew. Not all the spirits can be trusted Wolfy.
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Post by Black Magic Ritual on Jun 29, 2024 14:29:53 GMT
Doesn't that pretty much describe all of his relationships? Yes, whatever he might say I think he earned that name Dread Wolf. Also, whilst I do not deny the Evanuris were probably a bunch of tyranical, abusive ass****s, I think this quote from them sums up Solas to a tee: " Beware the forms of Fen'Harel! The Dread Wolf comes in humble guises, a wanderer who knows much of the People and their spirits. He will offer advice that seems fair, but turns slowly to poison... ." I would still like to know how the Viddasala knew so much about him, even if she mistook him for an agent of Fen'Harel rather than the Dread Wolf himself. I've suggested elsewhere that perhaps they caught one of his other agents and tortured them for information because otherwise how did she know things that he had not revealed up to then to anyone, not even the Inquisitor and yet confirmed what she said was true only a short time after? Alternatively, perhaps the Viddasala managed to persuade a rather gabby spirit to divulge what they knew. Not all the spirits can be trusted Wolfy. Maybe the Executors have been guiding the Antaam Faction this entire time? I would've thought myself the Executors are remnants of the Lusacan Priesthood and are hiding in Donark, but this seems unlikely if we won't get around to exploring it
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 29, 2024 17:17:09 GMT
Maybe the Executors have been guiding the Antaam Faction this entire time? I would've thought myself the Executors are remnants of the Lusacan Priesthood and are hiding in Donark, but this seems unlikely if we won't get around to exploring it The clues seem to point more to a connection with Ghilan'nain. The Executor seemed to think the Ben'Hassrath would fear them but that could point to the fact they are capable of controlling the qunari in some way and if they are behind the actions of the Antaam then it would seem that fear is justified. I think the strange occurrences in Antiva referenced in the 2023 trailer are likely to do with Ghilan'nain, as are the attacks occurring on the coast of Rivain. As for the Lusacan priesthood, it now seems more likely that they are going to be connected with Elgar'nan in some way and perhaps have been lurking somewhat closer to home. Also, if I am right about the absorbing of other god essences then there could still be a connection with the God of the Dead hinted at in the codex concerning Tenebrium. I'm convinced that something is going to happen at the Grand Necropolis connected with Elgar'nan's return.
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Post by Black Magic Ritual on Jun 30, 2024 0:07:24 GMT
Will Tevinter try and find new alliances in Veilguard to help them against the Qunari and possibly Solas and the Evanuris? It's unlikely it'll be a nation aligned to the Southern Chantry, so 2 possibilities stick out to me
Donark Kal-Sharok Maybe the three will agree to unite - Let's call it The Vyrantium Pact?
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 30, 2024 6:51:37 GMT
According to Dorian the Vints were always proud of the fact that in the past they dealt with the problem alone. They didn't form an alliance with the south to drive out the Qunari and never signed the Llomerryn Accord. This meant the technically they had never stopped being at war with the Qun. However, we know from Tevinter Nights that an unofficial alliance had already been made with the Mortalitassi of Nevarra. Whether the top Mortalitassi had actually approved that ritual or whether it was just a private initiative by a few lower ranked individuals, the idea of the collaboration was to drive back the Qunari out of mainland Thedas. At the time Nevarra wasn't directly threatened but clearly those mages could see the direction it could take once Tevinter had all but fallen. As it was they were anticipating that eastern Tevinter would be entirely under the control of the Qun by the end of that year and also northern Antiva, which suggests that at the time the Antaam had already broken the Llomerryn Accord, so the Nevarran mages were not in breach of it in helping Tevinter. If Vyrantium did fall, and it was under siege in the Missing, then I think an official alliance between Tevinter and Nevarra could be on the cards. I imagine Orlais might also be brought into the alliance at that point because everyone would be threatened by the aggression of the Antaam. In fact the southern Divine might even call for an Exalted March because the Freemarches would also be under threat and they are considered the bread basket of Thedas. In fact I'm surprise the Divine hadn't already called one in reaction to the invasion of Antiva. Regardless of the attitude of Par Vollen, that was in clear breach of the Llomerryn Accord and, once again, if the Antaam conquered Antiva, the Freemarches would be next. If she has not, then I can only assume she was willing to believe the denials of Par Vollen that they had not been in favour of the attack and their assurances that they would deal with the rogue Antaam in Antiva. Obviously the Divine would not declare an Exalted March purely on the basis of the attack on Tevinter because they were not part of the Llomerryn Accord but the moment the Antaam moved into Nevarra, that ought to have triggered it. Perhaps that hasn't happened yet.
What I am more interested to know is what the Magisterium have been doing to counter the Antaam? There is little point in anyone agreeing a pact with them if they are proving so effectual in defending their own country. Better to dig in and defend your own borders. I would leave out the Donarks. Whoever is up there is clearly independent of the politics in the rest of Thedas and until we hear evidence to the contrary it would appear that the Qun have not been able to expand their colony beyond that isolated coastal settlement. Kal-Sharok are no doubt already supporting Tevinter with supplies of lyrium and magical weapons. I don't think the dwarves there are so numerous that they would want to risk their forces on the surface but they could certainly ensure the Deep Roads were secure so the Antaam could not use them, even if they wanted to. They might also help Tevinter with the movement of troops and supplies through the Deep Roads. The Anderfels might help out, although again I am not sure their population is large enough they could spare soldiers that would make much of a difference. However, their citizens are said to be among the most devout Andrastrians in all Thedas, so if they saw it as a holy war then they might offer to join the fight against the Qun. They would certainly make for good shock troops because they are generally tough and skillful through the need to survive on a daily basis in their inhospitable country.
So, I await with interest to see what the writers have set up as the political stage at this point. It may be the Magisterium did finally get their act together and managed to halt the advance of the Antaam at Vyrantium, so now it is just a prolonged war of attrition in southern Tevinter. It is also possible that the increased relevance and acceptance of the Venatori may have come about because they were the only ones taking active steps against the Antaam and achieving any degree of success. After all, it would seem their main base of operations was Vyrantium, so the future credibility of their cult could hinge on being able to successfully defend it.
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Post by Hanako Ikezawa on Jun 30, 2024 8:24:18 GMT
In fact I'm surprise the Divine hadn't already called one in reaction to the invasion of Antiva. Regardless of the attitude of Par Vollen, that was in clear breach of the Llomerryn Accord and, once again, if the Antaam conquered Antiva, the Freemarches would be next. If she has not, then I can only assume she was willing to believe the denials of Par Vollen that they had not been in favour of the attack and their assurances that they would deal with the rogue Antaam in Antiva. Even with Par Vollen not being involved, you’d think the Divine would still call an Exalted March just against the Antaam after they invaded Antiva. Would also test Par Vollen to see their true loyalties by seeing how they respond. And if the Divine doesn’t respond, that’ll shatter the Chantry since why would Antiva stay allied with them when st their moment of need they’re left to the wolves? And the other nations would think if they do that to Antiva would they abandon us as well? My guess as for why it hasn’t shown up yet is simply because for campaigns that large it takes a lot of time to gather up all the troops and resources, and even longer to move them all. Especially since it’s most likely by land do they don’t have to worry about the Antaam fleets.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 30, 2024 13:06:39 GMT
My guess as for why it hasn’t shown up yet is simply because for campaigns that large it takes a lot of time to gather up all the troops and resources, and even longer to move them all. It depends how much time has passed since Antiva was invaded. The Crows were anticipating invasion in Tevinter Nights, which was meant to be set not long after the events of Trespasser (I thought). It certainly couldn't have been that long because it tied in with the events in the comics featuring Vaea and her adventures definitely started around the time of Trespasser. Viago and Teia were in Ventus when the Antaam attacked but then obviously returned home, which is when the events of Eight Little Talons must have been set because Strife's intelligence also suggested that was where the Antaam were headed next. We know from the short story As We Fly that they invasion had begun and Treviso was under attack, so that would clearly be a trigger for the Divine to take action. Unfortunately, they didn't give a set date for that story. Nevertheless, if DAV is set in 9:52, I would have thought that should have given several years for the leaders of southern Thedas to agree on a plan of action and move their forces accordingly. As I said, the Freemarches is a very important agricultural area when it comes to the southern food supply, so if nothing else they would want to shore up the defenses along their borders. I wonder if the reason they wouldn't have gone any further is that they were awaiting a request/permission from the King of Antiva, who in turn would consult the Merchant Princes and the Crows. We know from "help" given during Blights that the forces didn't always return home after the danger was over and instead used the presence of their armies to annex the nation/state affected. So, I suppose it is possible that King would want to give the Crows the chance to deal with the threat before calling upon outsiders. After all, it wouldn't look good to admit the Crows aren't capable of defending Antiva. It does seem as though the fairytale castle was located in Treviso not Antiva City, so if that was exhibiting strange magic and that was actually the reason the Antaam invaded, perhaps they wouldn't have moved on any further south, particularly if Tevinter had got their act together so the Antaam were finding it hard to maintain their assault on two fronts (which always struck me as a bad strategy to me). It is also possible that allies from the south were invited by the King to help stop the Qunari advance and so that is the reason it hasn't got much further than Treviso.
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Post by Hanako Ikezawa on Jul 1, 2024 1:30:25 GMT
My guess as for why it hasn’t shown up yet is simply because for campaigns that large it takes a lot of time to gather up all the troops and resources, and even longer to move them all. It depends how much time has passed since Antiva was invaded. The Crows were anticipating invasion in Tevinter Nights, which was meant to be set not long after the events of Trespasser (I thought). It certainly couldn't have been that long because it tied in with the events in the comics featuring Vaea and her adventures definitely started around the time of Trespasser. Viago and Teia were in Ventus when the Antaam attacked but then obviously returned home, which is when the events of Eight Little Talons must have been set because Strife's intelligence also suggested that was where the Antaam were headed next. We know from the short story As We Fly that they invasion had begun and Treviso was under attack, so that would clearly be a trigger for the Divine to take action. Unfortunately, they didn't give a set date for that story. Nevertheless, if DAV is set in 9:52, I would have thought that should have given several years for the leaders of southern Thedas to agree on a plan of action and move their forces accordingly. As I said, the Freemarches is a very important agricultural area when it comes to the southern food supply, so if nothing else they would want to shore up the defenses along their borders. I wonder if the reason they wouldn't have gone any further is that they were awaiting a request/permission from the King of Antiva, who in turn would consult the Merchant Princes and the Crows. We know from "help" given during Blights that the forces didn't always return home after the danger was over and instead used the presence of their armies to annex the nation/state affected. So, I suppose it is possible that King would want to give the Crows the chance to deal with the threat before calling upon outsiders. After all, it wouldn't look good to admit the Crows aren't capable of defending Antiva. It does seem as though the fairytale castle was located in Treviso not Antiva City, so if that was exhibiting strange magic and that was actually the reason the Antaam invaded, perhaps they wouldn't have moved on any further south, particularly if Tevinter had got their act together so the Antaam were finding it hard to maintain their assault on two fronts (which always struck me as a bad strategy to me). It is also possible that allies from the south were invited by the King to help stop the Qunari advance and so that is the reason it hasn't got much further than Treviso. Hopefully out of these it’s the last one, if for no other reason that they’ve been talking about Exalted Marches since Origins and this would be the best time to see one. So half of Antiva is under Antivan and Chantry control and parts the Antaam which is why the Crows are doing their strike force style missions while the armies are fighting for control. Wonder if Rivain is under Antaam occupation at all since if they made it to Treviso that cuts Rivain off from the rest of Thedas.
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N3
"Begone, spirit! I will not play your games."
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect Andromeda, Anthem, Mass Effect Legendary Edition
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Ice-Quinn
"Begone, spirit! I will not play your games."
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icequinn
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect Andromeda, Anthem, Mass Effect Legendary Edition
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Post by Ice-Quinn on Jul 1, 2024 3:42:56 GMT
Hear me out: Bellara is a traitor. She's actually not a delight. She's one of the old gods, helping Solas, because they are star-crossed lovers, have been since waaay back then, when Solas still had hair. Solasmancers will lose their freaking minds and their screams will tear down the Veil between games and real life, exposing us to all kinds of demons and spirits from the Fade and crap, and that's how the world ends. /period.dot
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 1, 2024 10:10:01 GMT
Wonder if Rivain is under Antaam occupation at all since if they made it to Treviso that cuts Rivain off from the rest of Thedas. I wonder about that too. One of the annoying things about the short stories in Tevinter Nights is that Herold had the Plan had a messed up time line. At the end of the story Bharv hands over the amulet to Vaea to take north, so I asked Nunzio if that was a second journey she was making but he said no, it was the same journey as she had made that took her to Ventus just before the Antaam's invasion there. That was odd, because in the short story mentions how Tevinter relics had been uncovered and scattered by the chaos the Antaam were causing in the north, which had given increased work for the Lords of Fortune. Also, they had been asked to recover the amulet and take it back to Tevinter to help the wounded there, so the war had already begun. It was frustrating that the writer of the story hadn't taken continuity into account when involving Vaea, which was unnecessary as Bharv could have handed it over to any Inquisition agent. Then, presumably he returned to Rivain, which may or may not have been affected by the war, since the hospital tents Bharv remembers were, I think, in Tevinter. You would think the Antaam would attack Rivain at an early stage but there may have been strategic reasons not to. Outside of the capital city on the coast the Chantry doesn't have much influence and it would seem the Rivaini are happy to coexist with the Qunari provided they don't impact too much on their traditional culture. For reasons of expediency it would seem the Qun were happy to oblige as it was something they could return to once the rest of Thedas had been conquered. The isle of Llomerryn had been a base of resistance in the past but perhaps if the Antaam left the coast alone, the navy there would keep out of any conflict too. Also, I am unclear how much naval support the Antaam enjoys if they genuinely don't have the backing of Par Vollen. Certainly, Kont-aar was not involved in the conflict and they were aligned with Par Vollen on the other side of the Northern Passage, which is why Solas' agent appeared to be trying to provoke the Qun leadership into entering the war. So it will be interesting to see how the writers have dealt with it. I would note that during the 4th Blight Antiva was overrun by darkspawn and yet it would seem that Rivain was largely untouched. It was certainly never mentioned in the narrative of Last Flight. I've often wondered if that had something to do with the magical protection given the country by the Rivaini Seers. However, perhaps there is another reason why the darkspawn avoid it. According to the 2023 trailer and associated text on their website, for some reason the coasts of Rivain have been a particular target of dragons and we even see Taash attacking one there. Could the two things be connected in some way?
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 1, 2024 10:22:58 GMT
Further thought concerning dragons. In his comic series, DG had Yavana declare that the blood of the dragons was the blood of the world. It would seem they changed that to the Titans, unless the dragons were originally the "children" of the Earth/Titans. She also said that in ancient times the dragons ruled the skies. So may be they were the offspring of the earth above ground as the dwarves were below it. There are some reasons to suspect this. They have a resistance to the Blight and uncorrupted Titans actually repel darkspawn. They go underground to hibernate. Is it that they feel more secure there and have some sort of attachment to the Deep Roads? According to the video series Absolution the blood of a dragon is very potent in blood magic rituals. I know a single dragon has a lot of blood but even so. Perhaps, therefore, the reason the Evanuris adopted the form of a dragon is because they are not only powerful but associated with their enemy that they just defeated. Mythal also devised a way of taming the real dragons so that they would serve the Evanuris, just as she did with the dwarves. No doubt Ghilan'nain also used dragons and dragon blood in her rituals to create monsters. It is possible to co-exist with and obtain the co-operation of dragons as the cultists did at Haven, so where did they obtain this knowledge?
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 1, 2024 18:47:16 GMT
Reflections on old theories concerning Solas' mural from the 2020 trailer. Presumably this wasn't prophetic so is it something he painted after being trapped in the Fade? Otherwise, if it was painted prior to releasing the gods, he must have expected them to look like they do. So, the central part is easy enough to understand. It is referring to his attempt to destroy the Veil, which broke the prison within the Black City (I assume). The reason the circle is only partly destroyed is because the ritual was interrupted. Perhaps the gods had already got that far, so that is why he need to move them to a different secure location but instead they escaped. However, he also painted Meredith and Corypheus. Was there a significance in that? Meredith was corrupted by red lyrium. Is that pointing to the fact that the "female" figure above it was likewise corrupted. Is that what sent Ghilan'nain mad so perhaps her harmless breeding programs concerning animals of the forest turned into monster creation? Meanwhile, I've suggested on the Emmrich thread the connection between the "male" figure on the right, with the beetle/skull motif of the Mourn Watch. So, Solas has twinned him with Corypheus. Is there some sort of connection there? I've already suggested that perhaps he absorbed the essence of Dumat/Dirthamen but another possibility is that it wasn't Dumat talking to Corypheus from the Fade at all but Elgar'nan trying to kick start the process that would lead to his freedom.
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Post by colfoley on Jul 1, 2024 19:16:58 GMT
Reflections on old theories concerning Solas' mural from the 2020 trailer. Presumably this wasn't prophetic so is it something he painted after being trapped in the Fade? Otherwise, if it was painted prior to releasing the gods, he must have expected them to look like they do. So, the central part is easy enough to understand. It is referring to his attempt to destroy the Veil, which broke the prison within the Black City (I assume). The reason the circle is only partly destroyed is because the ritual was interrupted. Perhaps the gods had already got that far, so that is why he need to move them to a different secure location but instead they escaped. However, he also painted Meredith and Corypheus. Was there a significance in that? Meredith was corrupted by red lyrium. Is that pointing to the fact that the "female" figure above it was likewise corrupted. Is that what sent Ghilan'nain mad so perhaps her harmless breeding programs concerning animals of the forest turned into monster creation? Meanwhile, I've suggested on the Emmrich thread the connection between the "male" figure on the right, with the beetle/skull motif of the Mourn Watch. So, Solas has twinned him with Corypheus. Is there some sort of connection there? I've already suggested that perhaps he absorbed the essence of Dumat/Dirthamen but another possibility is that it wasn't Dumat talking to Corypheus from the Fade at all but Elgar'nan trying to kick start the process that would lead to his freedom. I've always been under the assumption that the connection between the five was the desire to breach the Fade and get through to the Black City. Afterall, given Veilguard, it seems likely that is the goal of the two 'god' figures...and thus it seems to be the goal of four of the five figures at the least so it almost stands to reason, if it wasn't Meredith's goal, then it is the goal of whoever is behind the Red Lyrium 'voice'. Which if my theory is right that it has to do something with the Titans it has interesting connotations. We also know that bringing down the Veil, partially, woke a Titan in the Descent, so its possible that whoever is behind Red Lyrium wants revenge against the Evanuris so badly they wouldn't mind releasing them, which also could awaken all its brethern. Alternatively it could also relate to the Blight. As we're in a similar position as four of the five characters are at the least blighted. And the fifth figure, the Dread Wolf, also has that red tint to his teeth which is interesting in itself...is he blighted or not? Is his eyes being clear suggesting that he is resisting the mental corruption of the Blight and using it to his own ends? Or is that just the latest example of his own hubris that he finally believes he can control the Blight but will eventually succomb like all the others? From here the theory pretty much remains the same with the Blight/ Red Lyrium being linked to stuff that can bring down the Veil...so is this just a natural consequence of it spreading all over Thedas? Or like the above is there some malovolent force also wanting to tear down the Veil for its own ends? Heh just realized if you approach the problem from the opposite end it could also work for the two figures as well wanting access to something within the Fade they believe they'll need to achieve their own objectives, in that case bit of a Pandora's box analogy.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 2, 2024 7:35:37 GMT
Or like the above is there some malovolent force also wanting to tear down the Veil for its own ends? If Solas wants a return to the world that existed before the reign of the tyrant gods, then that was a world in which the Titans were active. So, they may not be behind the efforts to remove the Veil but will awaken because of it. Then perhaps their actions together with the influx of magic from the Fade will be able to cleanse the world of the blight. That is what the Order of Fiery Promise believed, that the current world was corrupted beyond help and the only way was to destroy it with fire and return it to a state of paradise. (It was never clear if they were simply talking spiritual corruption, material corruption or both). It is also possible that a malevolent corrupted Titan may have wanted to free the corrupted Old Gods in order to release the blight fully upon the world because the blighted creatures are now its children. So it wanted the Black City to be broken into to infect the world, not to tear down the Veil which would be contrary to its aims. Remember how in the Calling the Architect wanted to end the conflict by infecting the entire world with the Blight? Perhaps the corrupted Titan was speaking to him subconsciously. Further reflections on the mural. Why did he paint the two Evanuris up side down. Was he pointing to their corruption? However, thinking about the various images. Corypheus has the orb that Solas intended using to tear down the Veil but his misuse of it resulted in its destruction so Solas could not longer use it. Instead he turned to the idol. He recovered it from the body of Meredith and used the ritual blade to weaken the Veil, allowing him to transfer the remaining Evanuris from their old prison, before he removed it entirely. However, Rook disturbed the ritual and Solas lost the blade (presumably to Rook although that has yet to be confirmed) and is now allegedly trapped in the Fade. I say allegedly because who told Rook this was the case? Solas presumably, when he also explained how he was able to get into Rook's mind. Without someone who can independently verify that fact in world, I am being asked to trust the word of the Dread Wolf. Hmm. So, assuming this mural is something Solas painted to pass the time wherever he is located, might the upside down other two gods be an indicator that once they are dead (hence the inverted image) that is when the Dread Wolf will finally be able to destroy the Veil, either because this has now given him the power to do so in his own right or because he needed his stooges (the Inquisitor and Rook) to deal with his enemies first. Perhaps even a combination of the two, so the other two gods are destroyed, their essence passes to him in the Fade and now he has the power of all seven gods within him. Thus, to save our world we are ultimately going to have to confront the super powerful Fen'Harel in the Fade or possibly the Black City itself. Does that really sound such a crazy theory? One final thought, the Dalish have always believed the Dread Wolf patrolled the Beyond (Fade) feasting upon the souls of the dead. Perhaps not all the dead but certain specific ones. What if he deliberately dropped the blade for Rook to find because that is the weapon they will need to kill the other two gods and release their essence to return to the Fade?
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 2, 2024 9:14:43 GMT
I'm starting to revise my pairing of Evanuris with the Old Gods. If I go with the idea that Sylaise is Andoral (not quite sure why but bear with me) but keep June as Urthemiel, then Falon'Din becomes Toth. He wasn't ever associated with fire but I am now following a different line of reasoning, having see the reptilian appearance of Emmrich's robes from the back, the fact that the scaled ones appeared to worship fire and the Mortalitassi may have been a revival of a much older cult based in that area. The Old Gods of the Kingdom of Neromenian were Dumat, Toth and Lusacan. So, going with my idea that the first two may have been absorbed by Lusacan when released to return to the Void where he was imprisoned, that would make sense as their priesthood worked together, so there must have been some sort of alliance between the gods. Also Toth and Dumat arose in and around the Silent Plains of southern Tevinter. Then we have Razikale, the patron goddess of the Kingdom of Tevinter, likely in allegiance with Zazikel as this was originally perceived as a goddess of freedom, later becoming the god of chaos, and Zazikel arose in the Anderfels on the west side of Tevinter. Then Andoral rose in northern Antiva, just south of Arlathan Forest, and was probably the patron of the Kingdom of Qarinus, which was united with Tevinter and Neromenian when Darinius married the Queen of Qarinus. Given the association between Andruil and Arlathan, and with Sylaise (allegedly her sister according to the Dalish), then that would explain the alliance between those 3 gods. That just leaves June/Urthemiel who was imprisoned far to the south beneath Ferelden. Probably June was never really that aligned with the other 6 but could be persuaded to do their bidding if it fed into his desire to create things. Mythal seemed to have her power base in the south of Thedas and so I think he was probably more her ally, helping to create her marvelous cities, and thus allied with Fen'Harel as well. So that is another group of 3. June was likely tricked into helping the others kill Mythal and that is why she wanted to rescue him and take him back to herself. Thus, my idea that she wanted to save Urthemiel in particular, not any of the others. Likely June was worshiped in the very south of Tevinter but also possibly in Qarinus as well, which is how he was brought into the pantheon but was always something of an outlier to the rest. Anyway, that is my latest theory for what its worth, mainly because of starting to get a vibe of snakes/scaled ones being connected with the Grand Necropolis, even though the death cult there repudiated fire when it came to the disposal of the dead. Perhaps fire was associated with life more than death and they didn't approve of burning the corpses which destroyed them. It is the only part of the theory that is a bit tenuous.
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