What did you do today in DA? [Spoilers]

Went back to the Storm Coast with Blackwall, Solas, and Sera to search fro Grey Wardens. We found some sites where they had camped, but the Wardens themselves were long gone.

While in the area we closed a rift, set up a couple of campsites for the Inquisition, and solved an Astrarium puzzle. We spotted a dragon fighting a giant, and Sera wanted to watch, so watch we did. The dragon flew off when the giant had just a sliver of health left, so we moved in a finished off the giant. Good times

I have created two protagonists simultaneously, Vasco Ryder and Ebon Hawke. The idea is to switch between the two games as mood strikes me. I am not feeling energetic enough for MP, so I just want to hang in a couple of pleasant SP games, without feeling pressure to finish the run. Andromeda and DA2 are the most pleasant and suitable for chilling.

I was really uber tempted to make it Ebone Hawke, but I resisted. I did not do much customization wise, but male protagonists come out good looking if you go for dark hair/eyes, and there is always the Black Emporium. He is a Warrior, I intend Sword and Shield with a minimized cast of characters used (not recruiting Isabella, leaving Aveline to her duties, ignoring Bethany, and letting Anders run his clinic if I can). Focusing mostly on Merrill and Fenris to see if I end up falling for one of them.

Initially, I sort of planned to have a different run, with chivalrious Hawke doing Templar leaning choices, but... meh. It did not go all that great last time with an Aggressive Anti-Mage, so why get on my own nerves. I'll pick whatever looks the most pleasing. Ideally, I'd see Fenris rivalry path, but I am not going kill myself over it. If he betrays me, whatever, I don't care.

See, that's exactly what I want to avoid. I don't want to spend the whole game working for a specific outcome. I just want to do whatever the heck I want. Let NPCs do what they would.

Inara saved some inquisition soldiers from an Avvar tribe and fought their leader. With her was team fun: Dorian, Sera and Iron Bull. After her return to Skyhold, Cullen told her about Samson and that he stopped taking lyrium.

^ I like the look of the qunari in DA2. Pity they didn't keep it. The body paint...yummy.

I played Inara a bit more and she surprised me: I wanted to go after Jospehine with her, but she has her own opinion and is going after Sera - I thought Sera and a mage would be desastrous, but the topice never came up so far. So well, instead of Scribbles, she might end up with crazy bee-lady

Inara is human, so no problem there. I always thought, that Sera had a problem with mages too, considering her disapproval, when you ally with the mages. But I just remember, she disapproves too, when you ally the templars (Lia conscripted the templars, that made Sera very happy) , so I guess she is more mad at both fractions because the fighting mostly hurts the little people

Yes, it seems, she has not really a problem with mages, she is afraid of magic, but  she doesn't seem to have as big a problem with magic as with the Dalish culture

fylimar  I would definitely agree with Catilina; the worst match-up with Sera is a Dalish of any class.  Unless your Dalish Inky is a complete sell-out, the Arbor Wilds will kill the relationship.  Mages, Sera can forgive; the Dalish gods no way.  Sera is squeamish about magic, but can tolerate it so long as you support her Red Jenny endeavors.

As to gaming, I've spent the last week on a PT of Mass Effect 1.  Someday I'll go back to finish up Trespasser with Revas.  For DA, I have been doing a slow reading of "Last Flight."  Three things this book is good for:  1. The fate of the griffons;   2. Insights into blood magic and how it affects the mage who uses; and 3. The story of Garahel, the GW hero of the fourth Blight.  This book may finally answer the question about why Solas hates the Wardens.  (Remember, during the first conversation with Solas at Haven, he asks what kind of a hero your Inky will be.  When you mention a hero riding in on a steed, Solas says he'd have you be a hero who flies around on the back of Griffon (but "...sadly they're extinct!")

Cleared out most of what I had left of Crestwood, really just the dragon to go.  I found some time for heroic walking...






Then I headed to the Western Approach to meet up with Hawke and Stroud.

I'm sure this situation will end well...


Spoilers for big images

In the Forbidden Oasis, you do get to pick up some useful gear that provide elemental resistance that might be useful in dragon fights.  If you find every shard, you'll get a belt that will be useful in Trespasser.  Note, this is a location that's very useful for "farming" on many different levels.  Prior to the battle of Haven, it's a good place to harvest a Tier 2 metal for crafting purposes (paragon's luster).