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Post by colfoley on Jun 30, 2020 4:07:23 GMT
One reason why it might be necessary to confront him in the Fade is that whilst he seems all powerful there, some spells may not work. For example, surely for petrification to work you need to be in the Waking World? It is also possible that it would not be possible to kill him permanently on the Thedas side of the Veil because of the strength of his Dread Wolf spirit, which would simply resurrect him. If anything I would imagine the fade would be the one place you wouldn't want to confront him, considering it's where he feels most comfortable and at home. At this point I think it's looking more likely we'll confront him after the veil is brought down because of how powerful he is within the fade. I actually assumed his magic drew on fade energy to fuel his petrification power in reality. If we were to confront him in the fade, it's hard to imagine how anyone could overcome his will and abilities as a dreamer, even if his petrification powers didn't work. The fade is his domain and has been for millenia. I actually find his petrification powers very interesting because it seems to imply that the magic he is using gives him the ability to take life by turning them literally into stone. It goes back to the Dagna line "lyrium and fade, linked". Knowing a lot of his magic depends on the power of the fade, it makes me wonder if maybe the Seekers or Templars will have a bigger role to play in the future. This is getting a bit tinfoily but I think a lot of the magic the ancient elves used was similar to the magic Valta "used" in the Descent. The elves harvested titans for their power and lyrium, and whoever had control of these lyrium sources held control of the empire. Tapping into the titan's network allowed them to actually become "gods" by allowing them to reshape reality through the fade and lyrium. And it also gave them the power of the titans, to create and control beings. "In this place we prepare to hunt the pillars of the earth. Their workers scurry, witless, soulless. This death will be a mercy. We will make the earth blossom with their passing."
This is why Elgarnan may have been considered the "first among gods", because he (potentially) killed the first titan and carved the body into a statue of himself. However, all this war might have come at a cost- the titans tried to fight back but became corrupted instead. Its an interesting thought with interesting ramifications. But I actually think the magic Valta used and the Fade based magic are specifically different from one another. Maybe mirrors but Dwarves got their magic from Titan blood...Elves got it from the Fade.
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Post by Hanako Ikezawa on Jun 30, 2020 4:27:16 GMT
So to you, millions of lives are of less value than one person’s connection to the Fade? It is just not something I want my character to do, regardless of the benefits. Similar to not wanting to torture a person to save others. I can understand that, and agree (though I think it should be an option because poetic justice). I don't think making him Tranquil or letting the Veil open will be a choice.
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Seethingway
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Mass Effect Legendary Edition
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Post by Grog Muffins on Jun 30, 2020 8:04:00 GMT
I've also considered Solas being Mythal's "left hand", particularly because he was able to traverse through all the different realms of the "gods", and the vague Dirthamen tidbits in DAI. To add a counterpoint though, with his high profile it would have been hard to keep his role as spymaster a secret (much like how Leliana is known to many outside the Inquisition). I think this would make it hard for many of the gods to trust him in person wholeheartedly, even if he was considered one of their own. If he really was a good spymaster, gaining the trust of the gods only for him to successfully seal them all away seems a stretch especially considering they would have been on high alert after Mythal's death. His relationships to the other gods sure is interesting to ponder though. I'm particularly interested in how Ghilan'nain ties into all of this, considering she's the one best set up (IMO) to take center stage in the future. I'm playing through Trespasser again and I've had Dirthamen on the brain a bit, especially his relationship with Solas. The two main areas that make me wonder about this are Dirthamen's temple and the first sanctuary in Trespasser, after the bridge that needs to be raised. In Dirthamen's temple there's a Dread Wolf statue right at the entrance and only murals of Falon'Din, no murals of Dirthy himself, and the first sanctuary in Trespasser has murals on two walls, Dread Wolf in the middle framed on either side by murals of Mythal, Dirthamen and Falon'Din. We know that Falon'Din was a bit of a vain knob (as per Solas, though was that really his only personality trait?), Dirthamen was probably close to Falon'Din (as per Dalish legends), Dirthy and Falon'Din were Mythal's children and Dhirthy and Ghilly had some kind of either rival or co-conspirator connection (as per codex entries from the Temple of Mythal). Your idea of Solas being a spymaster is interesting, because if anyone would fill that role, it would be Dirthamen. Maybe they worked together? At some point the Evanuris would have been trusted allies of one another. It always seemed strange to me that Mythal's temple had murals of all the Evanuris but Dirthamen's had only Falon'Din. Maybe Mythal's was meant to be more of a "this is my domain and I rule over all, including my fellow Evanuris, because I'm the all-mother", whereas Dirthamen's was just "I'm a recluse but here's my brother's face, I guess". Then why does Solas' sanctuary in Tresspasser, which is meant to help elves who want to renounce their worship of the Evanuris and get away from them, have murals of Mythal, Dirthamen and Falon'Din alongside him? It would make sense for it to have only the murals and statue of the Dread Wolf, but why the others, as well? Was it just a repurposed building that was convenient? I doubt it, since it would need to be hidden from the rest of the Evanuris so they wouldn't attack Solas' brewing rebellion. If Solas was so close to and cared so much for Mythal, it would stand to reason he would care about her children, if Dirthamen and Falon'Din were in fact her actual sons. Perhaps he seemed so angry when he said the story about Falon'Din in the Temple of Mythal because he tried making him see reason but Falon'Din was becoming more and more unsavory? Maybe the murals in that sanctuary in Trespasser were a hope on Solas' part that there was still something worth trusting about Dirthy and Fally? Argh, in Dagna's words, you know what's frustrating? Answers that aren't answers. I wish we had more stuff on the Evanuris and the relationships between them because this is getting kind of ridiculous.
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Post by wright1978 on Jun 30, 2020 9:47:38 GMT
The PC gets possessed by Andruil and we hunt and skin Wolfie. This really is the only thing they can do at this point without resorting to another ass pull Crucible 2.0. I don't understand why Bioware would go with another Reaper level threat in Solas where he can Freddy Krueger people in his sleep and Medusa people face-to-face. I've pretty much given up in being invested in the Solas story at this point. I think it could interesting, seeing dreams of the Evanuris' life. Reminds me of Raymond Feist's rift war series where one of characters ends up merged with a long dead demi-god.
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Post by telanadas on Jun 30, 2020 10:54:30 GMT
I've also considered Solas being Mythal's "left hand", particularly because he was able to traverse through all the different realms of the "gods", and the vague Dirthamen tidbits in DAI. To add a counterpoint though, with his high profile it would have been hard to keep his role as spymaster a secret (much like how Leliana is known to many outside the Inquisition). I think this would make it hard for many of the gods to trust him in person wholeheartedly, even if he was considered one of their own. If he really was a good spymaster, gaining the trust of the gods only for him to successfully seal them all away seems a stretch especially considering they would have been on high alert after Mythal's death. His relationships to the other gods sure is interesting to ponder though. I'm particularly interested in how Ghilan'nain ties into all of this, considering she's the one best set up (IMO) to take center stage in the future. I'm playing through Trespasser again and I've had Dirthamen on the brain a bit, especially his relationship with Solas. The two main areas that make me wonder about this are Dirthamen's temple and the first sanctuary in Trespasser, after the bridge that needs to be raised. In Dirthamen's temple there's a Dread Wolf statue right at the entrance and only murals of Falon'Din, no murals of Dirthy himself, and the first sanctuary in Trespasser has murals on two walls, Dread Wolf in the middle framed on either side by murals of Mythal, Dirthamen and Falon'Din. We know that Falon'Din was a bit of a vain knob (as per Solas, though was that really his only personality trait?), Dirthamen was probably close to Falon'Din (as per Dalish legends), Dirthy and Falon'Din were Mythal's children and Dhirthy and Ghilly had some kind of either rival or co-conspirator connection (as per codex entries from the Temple of Mythal). Your idea of Solas being a spymaster is interesting, because if anyone would fill that role, it would be Dirthamen. Maybe they worked together? At some point the Evanuris would have been trusted allies of one another. It always seemed strange to me that Mythal's temple had murals of all the Evanuris but Dirthamen's had only Falon'Din. Maybe Mythal's was meant to be more of a "this is my domain and I rule over all, including my fellow Evanuris, because I'm the all-mother", whereas Dirthamen's was just "I'm a recluse but here's my brother's face, I guess". Then why does Solas' sanctuary in Tresspasser, which is meant to help elves who want to renounce their worship of the Evanuris and get away from them, have murals of Mythal, Dirthamen and Falon'Din alongside him? It would make sense for it to have only the murals and statue of the Dread Wolf, but why the others, as well? Was it just a repurposed building that was convenient? I doubt it, since it would need to be hidden from the rest of the Evanuris so they wouldn't attack Solas' brewing rebellion. If Solas was so close to and cared so much for Mythal, it would stand to reason he would care about her children, if Dirthamen and Falon'Din were in fact her actual sons. Perhaps he seemed so angry when he said the story about Falon'Din in the Temple of Mythal because he tried making him see reason but Falon'Din was becoming more and more unsavory? Maybe the murals in that sanctuary in Trespasser were a hope on Solas' part that there was still something worth trusting about Dirthy and Fally? Argh, in Dagna's words, you know what's frustrating? Answers that aren't answers. I wish we had more stuff on the Evanuris and the relationships between them because this is getting kind of ridiculous. Yeah, I know what you mean! It's so easy to miss the environmental design when you first play through the game, but when you go back with full hindsight you just *have* to wonder if it was all random reused assets, or more intentional foreshadowing. The environmental design is done so well in DA because it allows so much creative freedom in connecting the dots in Thedas. I honestly could go on about it all for ages, I just have so many thoughts and crackpot theories because everything seems connected to everything. The elven ruins definitely sticks out to me too because it seems to be hinting at the fact that Dirthamen and Falon'Din were both trusted by Solas, seeing as their mosaics are directly inside that castle guarded by the spirit guardians. This is right before we see the mural of him removing the vallaslin, which implies it's also likely they knew about his rebellion. It's actually hard to imagine how Solas could have started a slave rebellion at all, considering his high profile and attachment to Mythal. It's already clear he didn't start the rebellion after Mythal's death, because you need her passphrase to enter his sanctuary. This is why I think it's highly possible they all conspired this slave rebellion together, and Mythal actually helped encourage/conceal his actions. Once the other gods got wind of their schemes (Elgar'nan perhaps, considering he seems the jealous type) it might have started a series of events that led to her death. Maybe Mythal really did want to do better when she realised the bigger picture and consequences of her and the other evanuris' actions. Or maybe she encouraged the rebellion because she knew it would cause rifts in the other evanuris, weakening their position of power while secretly strengthening her own. Solas' story about Falon'Din is interesting because it seems like the evanuris were already well on the way to becoming corrupted by their own power. Solas says "while one selfless person may walk away from power, no group has ever done so". He also says to you when you say you trust your friends, that he could " carve the angles of her face from memory". Is he talking about Mythal, or is he talking about the one who betrayed them? Ghilan'nain perhaps? She seems to have strong connections to Mythal and Dirthamen, and we already know she egged on the sinner to seemingly undermine Mythal's leadership. Or, maybe Falon'Din betrayed Mythal/Solas/Dirthamen to the other gods. Solas also has this line of dialogue "Only an ally can betray you, and a betrayal is always worse" which makes me think his rebellion also could have had a mole that led to its failure. It seems like he never even saw Mythal's death coming because he trusted in someone too much.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 30, 2020 13:27:57 GMT
The elven ruins definitely sticks out to me too because it seems to be hinting at the fact that Dirthamen and Falon'Din were both trusted by Solas, seeing as their mosaics are directly inside that castle guarded by the spirit guardians. This is right before we see the mural of him removing the vallaslin, which implies it's also likely they knew about his rebellion. This is an interesting theory because in fact, given their respective portfolios, they might well be allies that he would need. Dirthamen is the Keeper of Secrets, whilst Falon'Din is the master scryer and guide in the Fade. In fact given Solas affinity for the Fade, you would think that Falon'Din would be either a natural friend or rival. Plus we know that the Dalish tale has him trusted by both sides in the war between the gods, yet from the warnings given by the Evanuris in Trespasser that would seem highly unlikely. The Song to Falon'Din has a curious term when appealing to him: "Lethanavir". Is that the term for a "Master Scryer" which follows straight after, or something else? The codex about the two brothers suggests they are "twin souls" and I do wonder if they were really two aspects to the same person, one in the Waking World, the other in the Fade, in much the same way as I now regard Solas and the Dread Wolf. The Dalish myths would fit with this idea as they speak of Falon'Din going into the Fade "where Dirthamen could not easily follow". Their story frames this as being because of the Veil but we know this could not be the case. However, the codex about the Forbidden Ones does suggest that for your spirit to enter the Fade, you have to shed your physical form, which is why Dirthamen could not easily follow. So even if they were not the split soul of one being, it would seem that Dirthamen became the link between Falon'Din and the Waking World so he could remain in the Fade. If this is the case, then when Mythal "bloodied him in his own Temple", either she attacked Falon'Din via his priesthood or she actually entered the Fade in order to discipline him. Unless, of course, it was after Mythal disciplined him in the Waking World that he shed his physical form and retreated to the Fade where she could no longer touch him.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jun 30, 2020 13:40:25 GMT
If anything I would imagine the fade would be the one place you wouldn't want to confront him, considering it's where he feels most comfortable and at home Yet possibly overconfident because of this. Where are you most likely to catch him off guard but the one place he feels most at home in? Whilst there were spirits willingly following him and acting on his behalf, who is to say that all spirits will do so. The Mortalitasi was basing her claim on one experience and says they appeared spirits unlike any she had encountered before, even though they seemed to have the appearance of Spirits of Valor or Justice. That leaves plenty of other spirits not yet accounted for. In particular, the Spirits of Hope. WoT says that they are some of the strongest of benevolent spirits but rarely appear in the Waking World because so little attracts them there. When trying to counter Solas and save our world, what will we be most in need of: HOPE (plus if they don't find much in the waking world appeals to them, they might well not want the Veil removed to bring it any closer to them).
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Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by telanadas on Jun 30, 2020 14:13:07 GMT
If anything I would imagine the fade would be the one place you wouldn't want to confront him, considering it's where he feels most comfortable and at home Yet possibly overconfident because of this. Where are you most likely to catch him off guard but the one place he feels most at home in? Whilst there were spirits willingly following him and acting on his behalf, who is to say that all spirits will do so. The Mortalitasi was basing her claim on one experience and says they appeared spirits unlike any she had encountered before, even though they seemed to have the appearance of Spirits of Valor or Justice. That leaves plenty of other spirits not yet accounted for. In particular, the Spirits of Hope. WoT says that they are some of the strongest of benevolent spirits but rarely appear in the Waking World because so little attracts them there. When trying to counter Solas and save our world, what will we be most in need of: HOPE (plus if they don't find much in the waking world appeals to them, they might well not want the Veil removed to bring it any closer to them). hmm that's a fair point, I actually love the idea of him being swayed by a spirit of hope.
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Post by snapdragon112 on Jun 30, 2020 20:45:27 GMT
I’m enjoying the book so far - four stories in.
I have to say, I’m surprised that Callback seems so loved on here - I really didn’t like it! The whole thing felt too fanservicey, and more like an X-Men film where a huge bunch of characters team up, with little to no development. The author tried to represent the demon as scary - but it didn’t even seriously harm or kill one named character! Why would they be so scared of it when it was completely ineffective at fighting them?
The worst part for me was the attempts at humour (at least, I think they were attempts at humour?). For example, when the demon is trying to murder Sutherland’s friends in the rotunda and he is...making out with Shayd on the floor? Why? The whole thing felt like a cheese fest.
So far I really enjoyed Three Trees to Midnight, that was my favourite. I found the writing style very effective. Though I’m a little tired of the whole ‘oh that evil Qunari guy was acting without permission, he’s not a TRUE Qunari’ and so on - they did it in DA2, Trespasser and now Tevinter Nights. They should be more confident when making Qunari villains.
Down Among the Dead Men made me jealous of them visiting the necropolis - as a classist, I enjoyed the main character’s affinity for architecture!
I loved the Horror of Hormak too - but did anyone else notice that the chapter title called it ‘Hormak’ but the actual chapter called it ‘Hormok’ with an O? That’s a pretty big typo, if unintentional!
Sorry for my rambling!
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Post by ladyiolanthe on Jul 1, 2020 0:37:29 GMT
Yet possibly overconfident because of this. Where are you most likely to catch him off guard but the one place he feels most at home in? Whilst there were spirits willingly following him and acting on his behalf, who is to say that all spirits will do so. The Mortalitasi was basing her claim on one experience and says they appeared spirits unlike any she had encountered before, even though they seemed to have the appearance of Spirits of Valor or Justice. That leaves plenty of other spirits not yet accounted for. In particular, the Spirits of Hope. WoT says that they are some of the strongest of benevolent spirits but rarely appear in the Waking World because so little attracts them there. When trying to counter Solas and save our world, what will we be most in need of: HOPE (plus if they don't find much in the waking world appeals to them, they might well not want the Veil removed to bring it any closer to them). hmm that's a fair point, I actually love the idea of him being swayed by a spirit of hope. I think he may already have been swayed at least a little by a spirit of hope if you played as a Lavellan. All Inquisitors seem to be a symbol of hope to those who become their companions and followers, and I'm still uncertain as to whether "spirit" and "soul" are actually interchangeable for all races in Thedas, but I think they are interchangeable for elves, at least. So anyway, I do think that Lavellans have a spirit of hope that Solas actually can see (maybe a corrupted/perverted version of hope for the Lavellans who none of the companions get along with really well). Then there is the balcony scene, which all friendly Inquisitors get with Solas. I think the conversation holds rather more than metaphorical significance, at least when he has it with Lavellans: Solas: What were you like before the Anchor? Has it affected you? Changed you in any way? Your mind, your morals, your… spirit?Emphasis mine. The pause there seems like it might be significant to me. The Inquisitor answers obliviously because why would they think anything of it? He then replies: Solas: You show a wisdom I have not seen since… since my deepest journeys into the ancient memories of the Fade. You are not what I expected.
Inquisitor replies again, and Solas responds with this: Solas: You have shown subtlety in your actions, a wisdom that goes against everything I expected. If the Dalish could raise someone with a spirit like yours… have I misjudged them?
Emphasis mine again. Then if you did romance him, during the breakup, if you end the relationship with him, he replies: Solas: (Sighs.) Even in this, you surprise me. I shall speak no more of it. Still, know that whatever happens, you are a rare spirit in this world. Goodbye.
(Emphasis mine.) If you don't break up with him, forcing him to break up with you, one of the sad dialogue options leads Solas to say this: Solas: You have a rare and marvelous spirit. In another world-(Emphasis mine, for the last time!) Anyway, I do think he can actually see your spirit, and that it is likely a spirit of hope based on how the Inquisitor inspires hope in all about them, and based on his stating that your spirit is rare, when he has also stated that hope spirits are rare, earlier in the game.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 1, 2020 7:56:05 GMT
Anyway, I do think he can actually see your spirit, and that it is likely a spirit of hope based on how the Inquisitor inspires hope in all about them, and based on his stating that your spirit is rare, when he has also stated that hope spirits are rare, earlier in the game. Knowing about the spirit of a person, particularly elves, is what the Evanuris said about him: The Dread Wolf comes in humble guises, a wanderer who knows much of the People and their spirits. This is why when Solas says that he was not always the Dread Wolf I know he is speaking the truth. It also makes sense why he identifies with spirits and the spirit of a person more than anything else. Incidentally it is also why I so loved being in a romance with Solas because I felt that he was genuinely attracted to my Lavellan as she is in her soul rather than just superficially attracted to her because of her looks. The hope for Solas does lie in that aspect of him. Remember his tarot card for a romanced Lavellan who remains loyal to him shows Solas as we know him with a peaceful white wolf alongside him, so it is clear they nearly defeated the Dread Wolf that overshadows him. When they see him in their dreams it is only as a sad wolf, not the Dread Wolf. I just felt it a pity that you only get that from being in a romance. Since his comments about their spirit on the balcony can equally be made to a friend and he holds such store by how he perceives a person's spirit, then surely it shouldn't have mattered whether they were in a romantic relationship. The problem, of course, is that he doesn't feel there is anything wonderful about the spirit of an Inquisitor with whom he was not on good terms. So if the relationship he had with the Inquisitor is going to have any bearing on the outcome, then I would prefer they made a distinction between those who never liked Solas or respected him and those who saw him as a friend but were so horrified at what he was proposing to do that they naturally vowed to do everything in their power to stop him. They hadn't suddenly turned into a ruthless, vengeful person who hated Solas but it was part of their character, that he admired, that their concern for the world was their priority rather than Solas personally. Essentially, I am still unhappy with that final choice and the way it was defined. I felt there needed to be a third option that didn't lump my male friend Lavellan in with people who simply want to kill Solas. Solas already knows our world and the people within it have value, so why would I say I was going to prove him wrong? If that was with respect to why the world had to die, then his refusal to give me more information was making my task all the more difficult. Naturally he would swear to stop him, even if he would rather save Solas as well if he can. So I do hope that down the line it doesn't simply amount to our decision as recorded in the Keep because it doesn't allow for this sentiment in the Inquisitor. It is clear in May the Dread Wolf Take You that the canon world state is that of a friendly Inquisitor, since I can hardly see Solas sending his apologies to those he never liked or respected, unless it was done in a totally ironic way.
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Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by Shari'El on Jul 1, 2020 8:09:46 GMT
I think he may already have been swayed at least a little by a spirit of hope if you played as a Lavellan. All Inquisitors seem to be a symbol of hope to those who become their companions and followers, and I'm still uncertain as to whether "spirit" and "soul" are actually interchangeable for all races in Thedas, but I think they are interchangeable for elves, at least. So anyway, I do think that Lavellans have a spirit of hope that Solas actually can see (maybe a corrupted/perverted version of hope for the Lavellans who none of the companions get along with really well). Then there is the balcony scene, which all friendly Inquisitors get with Solas. I think the conversation holds rather more than metaphorical significance, at least when he has it with Lavellans: Solas: What were you like before the Anchor? Has it affected you? Changed you in any way? Your mind, your morals, your… spirit?Emphasis mine. The pause there seems like it might be significant to me. The Inquisitor answers obliviously because why would they think anything of it? He then replies: Solas: You show a wisdom I have not seen since… since my deepest journeys into the ancient memories of the Fade. You are not what I expected.
Inquisitor replies again, and Solas responds with this: Solas: You have shown subtlety in your actions, a wisdom that goes against everything I expected. If the Dalish could raise someone with a spirit like yours… have I misjudged them?
Emphasis mine again. Then if you did romance him, during the breakup, if you end the relationship with him, he replies: Solas: (Sighs.) Even in this, you surprise me. I shall speak no more of it. Still, know that whatever happens, you are a rare spirit in this world. Goodbye.
(Emphasis mine.) If you don't break up with him, forcing him to break up with you, one of the sad dialogue options leads Solas to say this: Solas: You have a rare and marvelous spirit. In another world-(Emphasis mine, for the last time!) Anyway, I do think he can actually see your spirit, and that it is likely a spirit of hope based on how the Inquisitor inspires hope in all about them, and based on his stating that your spirit is rare, when he has also stated that hope spirits are rare, earlier in the game. Yes, this. So much this! For a long time I've thought that maybe Inquisitor is a Spirit of Hope, but I wasn't sure where I got the impression from. Thank you for writing all of these down!
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Post by colfoley on Jul 1, 2020 8:16:22 GMT
Wait are we suggesting the the Inquisitor isn't....human? And that the original Inquisitor, whoever they are, died in the Fade?
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Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by Shari'El on Jul 1, 2020 9:37:56 GMT
Wait are we suggesting the the Inquisitor isn't....human? And that the original Inquisitor, whoever they are, died in the Fade? No, at least that's not what I think we are . More that most people, or at least elves, have a reflection? a part? of themselves that only exits in the Fade, a spirit of sorts.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 1, 2020 13:03:58 GMT
Wait are we suggesting the the Inquisitor isn't....human? And that the original Inquisitor, whoever they are, died in the Fade? Everyone must have some sort of spiritual element that simultaneously exists within the Fade, otherwise how do you account for Tranquil? Cutting the person off from the Fade severs them from some part of themselves, which is why they have no emotions and, as Pharamond described it, feel as though they are in a dream, not fully in touch with the world. In order to restore that connection it is necessary for a being from the other side of the Veil to make contact for it to be a permanent restoration. (I assume that because Justice was being channelled through Anders that is why Karl's restoration was only temporary.) Now Solas describes the world with the Veil as effectively a world of tranquil because the majority of people are not aware of this aspect of themselves and it is probably harder for him to discern it as well. In that respect his anchor was what allowed him to sense their spirit because it probably did give them a stronger connection with the Fade than usual. Probably everyone can to some extent be a personification of their most influential trait and that is what Solas can see. (Remember he only admires the spirit of some Inquisitors; with others either he does not bother examining it or is repelled by what he finds and they never get the balcony scene). Cole also mentions something about this, though. He says how it is hard for him to focus on the Inquisitor because it is like looking into the sun, so perhaps the anchor was helpful in warding off unfriendly spirits trying to reach them through the Fade. We never really discovered what that being was that assisted us. It took the form of Justinia because she was close by at the time of the explosion and thus it is assumed it was a faith spirit (or even Justinia's own spirit). Faith spirits are also said to be extremely powerful but not as powerful as Hope. That is why I say we have yet to meet a true Hope spirit but it is possible that we will in the next game.
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Post by ladyiolanthe on Jul 1, 2020 14:39:18 GMT
Wait are we suggesting the the Inquisitor isn't....human? And that the original Inquisitor, whoever they are, died in the Fade? Everyone must have some sort of spiritual element that simultaneously exists within the Fade, otherwise how do you account for Tranquil? Cutting the person off from the Fade severs them from some part of themselves, which is why they have no emotions and, as Pharamond described it, feel as though they are in a dream, not fully in touch with the world. In order to restore that connection it is necessary for a being from the other side of the Veil to make contact for it to be a permanent restoration. (I assume that because Justice was being channelled through Anders that is why Karl's restoration was only temporary.) Now Solas describes the world with the Veil as effectively a world of tranquil because the majority of people are not aware of this aspect of themselves and it is probably harder for him to discern it as well. In that respect his anchor was what allowed him to sense their spirit because it probably did give them a stronger connection with the Fade than usual. Probably everyone can to some extent be a personification of their most influential trait and that is what Solas can see. (Remember he only admires the spirit of some Inquisitors; with others either he does not bother examining it or is repelled by what he finds and they never get the balcony scene). Cole also mentions something about this, though. He says how it is hard for him to focus on the Inquisitor because it is like looking into the sun, so perhaps the anchor was helpful in warding off unfriendly spirits trying to reach them through the Fade. We never really discovered what that being was that assisted us. It took the form of Justinia because she was close by at the time of the explosion and thus it is assumed it was a faith spirit (or even Justinia's own spirit). Faith spirits are also said to be extremely powerful but not as powerful as Hope. That is why I say we have yet to meet a true Hope spirit but it is possible that we will in the next game. I honestly think that the elves have "true" spirits but that is what they have forgotten about themselves, and in some way, that is why Solas (and Abelas) has trouble seeing them as his people. I sort of wonder whether that is also why most elves have lost their magic. I do think the Veil may be... sort of like what Plato was getting at in his Allegory of the Cave - a constructed reality, shared by the prisoners chained to the wall (and I think this Codex supports that possibility). Modern Thedosians haven't known / can't remember any other way of existing, so they all "agree" that the Veil is real, and that reinforces the existence of the Veil. It's self-perpetuating. It's a big mind trick, which, since it was created by a trickster, seems appropriate. Interestingly, the Veil is known to be thinner at night, when most people are asleep - maybe because they aren't actively reinforcing the Veil with their belief while they are unconscious. Supposedly, spirits are more active at night as well... makes sense if the Veil is thinner, but what if it's also because a bunch of them that exist in the physical world have been temporarily unfettered from their mortal elf, human and qunari forms while those physical forms sleep? I don't know, but I hope someday we might find out. Along similar lines, I wonder if mages of every race (that can produce them) might somehow have connected / reconnected (not fully consciously) with their spirit, and that's how they can access the Fade and do magic. (This is one of the things that might support humans and qunari having spirits as well. Dwarves, however, I think are something quite different, and I hope we might learn what that is in DA4.)
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Post by ladyiolanthe on Jul 6, 2020 17:37:51 GMT
Maja Lüning @majaluningSome fan art I just finished for “The Dread Wolf Take You” from Tevinter Nights. #DragonAge4 @biomarkdarrah @patrickweekes Patrick Weekes @patrickweekesI love this! Poor Charter. I hope she’s okay.
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Post by necrowaif on Jul 6, 2020 21:46:53 GMT
Good picture, though I’ll be a bit pissy and note that the Carta Assassin is a touch tall for a dwarf.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 7, 2020 7:25:49 GMT
It's hard to tell when people are sitting at a table. A person can have a long body and short legs, so reduced height compared with the others when they stand up, or a shorter body compared with longer legs, which can make you think they are short until they stand up and tower over everyone else. Also you wouldn't say Varric was obviously a dwarf at this Wicked Grace table based on his height. Dwarves are delineated not just by height but body mass and features. On that basis the Carta dwarf may be a bit lacking.
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Post by Mithras on Jul 12, 2020 15:41:37 GMT
The PC gets possessed by Andruil and we hunt and skin Wolfie. This really is the only thing they can do at this point without resorting to another ass pull Crucible 2.0. I don't understand why Bioware would go with another Reaper level threat in Solas where he can Freddy Krueger people in his sleep and Medusa people face-to-face. I've pretty much given up in being invested in the Solas story at this point. I don't think we'll need something as drastic as the Crucible in order to deal with Solas. His forces seem to be composed, primarily, of elves and rely almost entirely on information and secrecy. The only huge threat seems to be his personal power and Dragon Age has had way to dampen and block magic from day one. It could be something as simple as "We found this amulet of Elgar'nan that will keep Solas out of your dreams and save you from being turned into stone. You now have a chance to defeat him but be careful, this will still be the fight of your life." And then it turns into your regular boss battle.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 12, 2020 17:18:09 GMT
I agree that there may still be ways to defeat him. For a start off, why does he need so many elves gathering to him if he already has the power and means to carry out his plan? I feel the reason we are being sent to Tevinter is that it is there that we are most likely to find his weakness. He kept on pointing out how much Tevinter owed to the elves by way of magical knowledge. We also know that much of the Imperium was built over elven ruins. Plus why do his agents still need to be active in Tevinter? So either they have something he needs or they may potentially have the means to thwart him.
There are also the Executors. Clearly they feel threatened by him but he is must also feel threatened by them if he silenced their representative before they could impart any new information and warned off Charter having anything more to do with them. I would agree that I would want to know a bit more about them before I would trust them but that doesn't mean they might not be able to offer some useful insights.
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Post by necrowaif on Jul 12, 2020 19:46:37 GMT
There is another possibility I want to raise: what if the secret to thwarting Solas lies not with elven magic, but with the Old Gods? I bet Tevinter has a ton of artifacts connected to the OG laying around.
I’ll point out that Solas does lose his shit at the thought of the Wardens seeking out the Old Gods.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 12, 2020 20:02:32 GMT
There is another possibility I want to raise: what if the secret to thwarting Solas lies not with elven magic, but with the Old Gods? Assuming that they had no connection with the ancient elves. We've been discussing that on the DA4 WIP Art thread. The Old Gods might well hold the key to thwarting Solas but that doesn't mean it wouldn't involve elven magic in some way, or more correctly ancient magic. Essentially any magic that existed before the Veil. Otherwise, if it is based on magic taught by the Old Gods post Veil then it is likely to involve blood magic. Mind you that would be ironic if the magic that has been outlawed and frowned on all these years is what finally saves Thedas. To be honest, I'd place more hope in Valta coming up with something through her connection to the titan. May be Valta combining her knowledge with Dagna's expertise and Sandal's enchantment. I wouldn't mind betting that Solas couldn't turn Sandal into stone. In fact didn't Sandal turn an ogre into a crystalline block with his enchantment? So at the very least perhaps he could craft something to protect our PC from petrification.
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Post by necrowaif on Jul 12, 2020 20:08:41 GMT
I actually believe Solas here when he says that nothing connects to the Old Gods to the ancient elves.
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Post by gervaise21 on Jul 12, 2020 20:17:25 GMT
I actually believe Solas here when he says that nothing connects to the Old Gods to the ancient elves. Read on the other thread why I think he was being evasive with the truth there. When he speaks of the "lore" he means later human lore and so he is entirely correct since human lore has very little about the elves at all and Chantry lore has none at all but plenty about the Old Gods. Of course it is possible that he is telling the truth and until more is revealed about the origins of the Old Gods, we won't know for certain but why would both he and Flemeth/Mythal be so concerned about the Old Gods if they had nothing to do with their plans and no connection from before the Veil? Solas doesn't seem to have any problem with the Avvar gods or with killing Hakkon, yet was beside himself at the thought of the Grey Wardens killing off the last two Old Gods, so he definitely knows more about them then he was prepared to divulge.
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