What did you do today in DA? [Spoilers]

At camp in the evenings, we sit by the fire and Leliana tells stories.
That's usually the Que for Morrigan to skulk off to her tent.
But this particular night, Leliana admitted she had lied to me about why she left Orlais.
The whole thing sounded like another of her tales, but she looked sincere, when she spoke of being betrayed by her lover Marjolaine.
Huh! I knew it. Dam, this was one of those times I didn't want to be right.

This wasn't necessarily what *I* did today in Dragon Age so I hope it's not cheating, but I finally convinced my SO to try out DAO!! Yeah!! So this is a little of the run down, though he didn't get too far as of now!  :


First, he had to create our little hero. There was a ton of back and forth on the CC screen while I was watching in restless anticipation. After a selection, my dear SO was slightly disappointed that there weren't enough characters to name Thedas's newest star "Horaceamberson" (Me:  The characters have their own last name.  Dear SO:  That is his first name!    ) Some grumbling did ensue, however, after a short while Wallace the Dalish elf was officially born!  Upon Wallace's first encounter with the "shems" in the forest my dear SO casually checked with me what his "homie" Tamlen and the other Dalish thought of humans.  I could only get out a "There's some bad history between..." before three dead humans slumped to the ground.

Wallace then ended up convincing Tamlen that they ought to check out the cave the shems had mentioned.  As they descended deeper into the cave and fought off some giant spiders, and ransacked some cocoons, they found an interesting mirror.  Wallace encouraged Tamlen to take a closer look before tragedy struck, the "homie" having unexpectedly disappeared and Wallace waking up back with the clan days later.  Soon after waking up and hearing about how he was saved by a passing shem and the fate of Tamlen, Wallace seemed a little concerned and disheartened, telling the keeper he tried to stop Tamlen from messing with the cave/mirror. (I lol'ed so hard ). 

After meeting the Grey Warden that saved him, Wallace just couldn't leave his "best homie" behind and went once more to the cave to try and save him, only to discover his friend's future was taken from him. To add to the circumstance, Wallace realized he had become tainted and the only way to save himself was to leave with the Grey Warden Duncan.  



My dear SO made it to Ostagar with Wallace.  It's so entertaining watching someone play the game for the first time.  He already does things I'm always too "nice" to do, even after 10 characters, like kill the three shems lol.  I think it's going to be an interesting playthrough, and I feel like Morrigan is going to have Wallace's name written all over the place

Yes, I have that combo plus Grizzly End!  It can result in what I'd call "unexpected boss fights."  All of a sudden, a hedge mage is resistant to both fire and electricity and is quick to throw up strong barriers.  As a result, I never go anywhere without having two mages on my team.  Each has spells from two elemental trees and the staff has the power of the third element.  (Example:  my PC has fire and storm spells and a staff which causes cold damage.)  That said, unexpected boss fights don't happen all the time.  I actually went to Redcliffe twice to win the mages.  The first time was such a cakewalk that I had to reevaluate my use of the Golden Nug.  I decided to use nothing higher than Tier 2 schematics given that this was still early game.  Also, thanks to the "Take it slow" trial, my team was at Level 7.  (In the past, I was always higher than that.)  The second time through was better -- the team started to go through the health potions -- but the team was never completely wiped.

Then Katriel and her team went back to the Storm Coast to hunt the "Psycho Apostate" and got wiped!  Then the second attempt went better thanks to the "Grizzly End" trial.



Katriel and her team took on the highland ravager at level 9.  It was a tough fight; the team got wiped on the first attempt.  The second time went better but had to use tactical part of the time when the dragonlings entered the fray.  I went after all shards and got the superb belt of fire to help the fight.

I did that Haven yesterday with Katriel at level 10 and her companions at level 9.  That's early compared to previous PTs where I would start the fight at level 11 so I could use Tyrda's staff.

I'm still trying to follow some of the recommendations in the blog phoray posted.  I saved Fallow Mire for after Haven so I could see Cole's reactions.  I started that today. 

I recreated and fired up Garnet Cadash, dwarf and rogue extraordinaire. She is my canon character. Agnostic, smartass, Bull Rider and former Carta. While she's going to be going with the Assassination spec as an archer, she's no causal killer. She's fairly pretty and kind so the Carta would use her for making lyrium deals. One man tried to attack the polite-seeming dwarf. He didn't live to regret it, but he did leave her a very nasty scar over her left eye.

Garnet was my first DA:I character, conceived over a year before release. I love dwarves and when I saw the Cadash surname I knew I had to play one. She has a bit of Dagna's personality in her, in that she's completely fascinated by magic. She's not as bouncy and easily distracted as Dagna.

I'm not sure how much I'm going to play her, but I'll probably at least play off and on throughout the holiday week.

This is exactly what she looks like, except the new version has black eyeliner. I've missed her quite a bit.

My own problems with getting her approval this last playthrough not withstanding I was able to romance her with Benjamin quite easily doing exactly what you just did.  Not being the Chosen One and keeping the Wardens. 

That's good! Cullen and Blackwall and a smidge of Solas is all I've ever romanced. I'm finding her to be a tough nut to crack and was worried that myabe I just plain made the wrong character for her after all.

Oh... nope. Allied the mages. Refuse to be the Chosen One. Believe in the Dalish Gods. Kept the Wardens.  Still not certain who he'll put on the Throne, wonder who Cass even prefers... Ah. Either Gaspard, or the "romantic" option of Briala and Celene back together. That's a relief. May be able to pull this out after all. I really want a dance with her at Halamshiral.

She was my Quiz's best friend last PT. This PT, I'm a little sad to notice her being so suspicious of Cole and Sera and Dorian, my other best friends. I'm hoping she'll make up with Cole in banter over the game. 

I'm sure if I'd made an adrastian knight for her, we'd be making out already. As it stands, I wanted her with an Ameridan Equivalent. An elven mage Inquisitor dating the new Leader of the Seekers really appealed to me. 

I'm back and forth on whether I'll even recruit Viv on my pro templar play through I have planned. Will have to look at how the points fall from what decision when it rolls around. Still, guess it won't kill me to have a Viv Divine on a non canon play through... Wait, Murder Pope is Lel. Is Viv called Murder Nun?

So you don't want Lel or Viv? Why is only Dorian a problem?

What prompts Sebastian to try to take Kirkwall?  I've never gotten that.