What did you do today in DA? [Spoilers]

melbella

And the next person in the Fade that will read that will have the same thought as I did with those notes:

Me: "Interesting, but it's not a part of the main quest."

Trying to follow Nightscrawl's story line order suggestions. Even without closing more than 2 rifts, I had 20 power. Neat thing: got the 4 power, Solas started whining, went home and unlocked the storm coast using it all up, then went out again. Solas never mentions Val Royeux again. Hooked up with the Blades of Hasserian. Sorely tempted to flirt with Jose, but I already have a cute little dwarf gal with stone sense I have planned for her, so I reeled it in. Was pleased with my "talking about my elf past" answer options. He loves the forest and walking around, and he's quite fond of his clan.

Got tired of wandering Hinterlands and Storm Coast trying to, what do you guys call it...harvest materials? so, off to the emporium. I was dumb and bought a bunch of blue vitriol, because I remember liking the metal. Got back to Haven, and realized what I wanted to craft required cloth and hide, not metal.

Decided to wait on Iron Bull until I'm to Skyhold; the Inquistion ain't got no money yet. Specially since I keep going shopping at the Emporium. Got the ladies. Ameridan likes Sera. And chose the "don't care about the idiot" option when speaking to De Fer, and got an epic "The Game" speech about the guy's clothes I'd never heard before. I like the idea of De Fer joining BEFORE closing the Breach and Skyhold. She's taking a chance, which reflects well on her character. After Skyhold, it's a bit of a sure thing. And she has zero chance of being the Divine, as I'm allying with the mages this play through. ^^

Also, picking the bottom right answers while arguing with Leliana about the spy makes her reactions seem so much more appropriate. I'd always chosen "this is the time for ideals" dialogue so it was nice to branch out on a character I feel more relaxed about. Not sure I've had a Soft Lel Divine yet.

Edit add: Oh yeah! Pulled a Solas on Fiona. It was funny. "We have NOTHING IN COMMON."   Ya know. Other than both being elves. And mages.

Yes, you can change the face at the Emporium whenever you like.  There might be problems if you had any mods thrown in, however.

The dissolve into nothing part, that's if Solas is romanced by an Elven Inquisitor. I read that in an interview with Patrick Weekes.

If an Inquisitor befriended him, he just does his bippity boppity boo magic on the hand then leaves.

It'll become one of those codexes that I open for the XP and immediately close again without reading.

Mihris is from The Masked Empire isn't she? Or does she appear in both novels? (I only read TME so far.)

It's a pity they weren't so versatile with Michel de Chevin, Gaspard, and Briala; nothing but talking heads who don't do much.  I thought Briala and Michel should've been temporary companions.  You would've thought Gaspard would go down fighting if you chose to side with Celene.  Oh well...so much for the books' impact on the games.

deadlydwarf

No doubt. I was happy that I had read the books first.  WHWM should have been called, 'Hope you read The Masked Empire!' Emprise du Lion is almost as bad. Imshael is a Forbidden One, the third we've killed in the series.  He's extremely powerful and old, not that you'd know it in game.  If you didn't read the book, you wouldn't care about the civil war or any of it.

Cole? Unless you make him human his story makes no sense. 'Hope you read Asunder kids!'

It's a major pet peeve of mine.

The point of view bounces between Cole and the main character Rhys.  Oddly enough, Cole's inner dialgoue makes more sense than his dialogue in game.  I think that's a side effect of Gaider writing the book and Patrick Weekes taking over his in-game writing.  Adamant Fortress plays a rather significant role in Asunder.  By the way, the Western Approach is far crappier than DA:I shows.  Particularly at night.

Minor spoiler from the book:


 

I found this on Tumblr. I had the same problem you did:

crimson-hope.tumblr.com/post/105755277870/okay-peoplepeople-who-make-a-lavellan-quick

Edit: I'll break it down for the site:

Contact: Not Cullen
Protect: Not Josie**
Duke: If you used Leliana for Protect, use Josie for the Duke.  Leliana will get your clan killed.
Stop the Purge: Leliana.  Cullen arrives too late.
Restore: Leliana
Protect Clan and Wycome: Cullen.  Josie will get your clan killed.

**If you used Cullen for Protect, you'll get Break instead of the Duke.  For Break: Leliana

I really hate that quest chain.  The only way I could see someone figuring this out without a guide is a whole lot of trial and error.

From the Diary of Kara Trevelyan:



I got the book scnee I got the book scene I got the book scene. It was funny I was thinking aside from the whole hiccups with Cassandra this has probably been my best playthrough and I am rather enjoying it making it my 'canon' PT and doing a lot of things in a new way. I am enjying how I am pacing the quests and then pacing the companion quests, of which I just have L to do I think. And the build I am rocking with Kara. 107 Dex and37 cunning. I ind of want more cunning/ critical chance BUT I am loving the kind of sniper aestetic this is giving Kara and loving the amount of pure carnage she does when she does critical hit. 1300 + on Red Templars.

Took a break from companion questing to knock off one of my favorite side quests, the Knight's tomb.

The Calling is a good one to read before doing Awakening.  It takes place before the Blight but it introduces key characters you run into in Awakening.  It also fleshes out Grey Warden lore and gives us a much younger and rascally Duncan.  (Think of the evolution of Obie Wan Kenobe in Star Wars...)

The game doesn't do too bad of a job of summarizing Cole's story.  That said, Asunder fleshes out how the mage-Templar conflict spread after Kirkwall.  It brings in both Wynne and Shale and Cole is a big part of the story.  Of Gaider's three books, I'd say Asunder is the best.