Valmy's ADHD Dragon Age playthrough

[Valmy]

Well, both share some similarities.  DA2 is Varric telling a story of how it happenned.  Some details are left or transformed for the sake of story telling

He sure makes alot of assumptions about things he wasn't there for

Sort of like the Gospel writers and private conversations between Jesus and Pilat.

No, not really.  No matter the Inquisitor, he is not supposed to have any ties to previous characters.

So I just happened to get the only connection in the series so far. Awesome.

ah, forgot about that one.

I have no idea why they thought it was necessary to put Sandal there, they could have easily used the Tranquil for enchantment. I just think as a popular character they wanted to insert him in that little tribute to DA:O. Anyway it was cool to have his time there mentioned in DA2 even if the timeline is weird.

fixing bugs, releasing new content.  That kind of minor stuff smaller studios sometimes manage to do while EA can't.

Yeah they did that crap for DA:O as well. So many bugs in Awakenings they never fixed and in fact announced they would never fixed. Being used to old Bioware that really made me mad.

Supposedly, the dragons are all but extinct.  Some luck we got there

They were thought to be extinct and mysteriously have returned...either in force or Lorcan and Urien do indeed have terrible luck. Their return is why this is the Dragon Age though they do not make a big deal about this at all or what its significance is. I wonder if all those Dragon Cults somehow brought them back and are mass producing them somehow, that was kind of hinted at with the Haven plotline in DA:O.

Red lyrium.  More on this in DA:I.  Stay tuned for the next game
oh, they'll talk a bit about it in Chapter 2 & 3 too

Weird that the Tethras brothers didn't mention it. One would think that much Lyrium would be worth far more than that treasure hoard. But maybe Red Lyrium is unusable for some reason. Guess I will be finding out soon.

[Valmy]

This part of the replay will be about

Well actually not because my heroes only fall for women who do not believe in love. They know how to pick them.

Two references to Leliana's Song in this session (not to Leliana though) and one, mentioned previously, of Witch Hunt.

Urien is now a fat cat in his fancy estate he shares with his mother and his dog...oh and two dwarves. It is less kinky than it sounds. Bodahn and Sandal have moved in.



'Finally some refined culture and conversation'

Urien has his mission. Time to go around and gather his friends. First he visits Aveline back in the Viscount's palace. She is finding her calling as guard captain and wants him to help her unofficially investigate the continued research of Ser Emeric (who is absolutely NOT from Ferelden and was NOT in DA:O) into the missing women from Act 1. Sounds great.



'Urien Hawke always does the right thing! Unless doing the wrong thing would be funny or more fun.'

Pretty high praise from Aveline. Full Friendship with her now. On the way to visit Fenris Urien decides to stop by the Chantry and finds a notice on the board to help hunt down assassins trying to kill a mage named Sketch. Hey wasn't that the apostate mage's name from Leliana's song? I checked this time. Yes it is. How many mages could be named Sketch? Sounds sketchy.

Inside we find the Prince of Starkhaven from Act 1 and he has discovered who was behind the murder of his family. It turns out it is the Harimann family, the noble that Urien refused to murder in Act 1. Damn refusing to murder people constantly comes back to bite them. Only it seemingly was his daughter, the new head of House Harimann. Only didn't the Starkhaven Royals get murdered while Lord Hairmann was still alive? Oh well. Details. Note that Lady Harimann takes over despite having full grown sons. This world can never decide if it has amazing gender equality, even by modern standards, or women are treated like objects. Sometimes it does both in the same sentence. It is complicated.



'Welcome to the team blue eyes.'

Sebastian Vael is a rogue archer, so sort of like Varric only without the charming personality and advanced technology. Ah well. Guess I will be cycling through Varric, Isabela, and Sebastian as the party rogue. NOW I am sure I have recruited all the companions. They will be heading over to the Harimann estate once the team is assembled. Next: chez squatter.



'Flirting with Fenris?! NOOOOOOO'

They get there and Isabela is already there telling Fenris how she is keeping the tax collectors off his back. Then she flirts with him. Urien is overcome with jealousy. What about all the sexual tension they have surely been having over the past three years? Time to make his move. I mean they are perfect for each other. He has a fabulous beard; she has other fabulous assets. He likes to have a good time; she has all the restraint of a college student on spring break. He is a man of the world; she has sacked and raided most of it. He is loyal to his family and tries to do the right thing; she is um....well that's a grey area. Actually we have no idea what makes Isabela tick.

But Urien meets with Fenris and Fenris relates his concern about not being tracked down by slavers. Urien promises to help him all he can as they are good friends. Magical warriors are best to keep happy.

Next to the Hanged Man in Lowtown and Urien assures Varric he is staying in Kirkwall. Varric has kind of a mancrush on him so is happy to hear it.

Isabela is still looking for her relic and Urien promises to help her with absolutely no ulterior motives at all. Then she makes an admission.



'What man has not dreamed of a beautiful woman telling him he is 'all right'?'

So they meet back at Urien's place and make out in front of Sandal.



'Enchantment!'

Then a sex scene happens where Isabela keeps pulling out secret knives while they passionately claw at each other. It is not a new joke but I LOL'd. Well done. Better than the choir of angels we had in DA:O. Afterwards she talks about how her mother sold her to her husband and how being the possession of a man made her unable to commit ever again, even after Zevran killed the guy. She insists she and Urien were just using each other to get off. Even though they have been friends for three years. I guess now friends with benefits. She walks off upset Hawke brought feelings into this. Typical.

Next Anders, who is forming his revolutionary committee. He is a humorless, virtuous, skinny version of Georges Danton. Well ok I guess he is Maximillian Robespierre and Danton combined together...as if Danton was possessed by a Robespierre demon. Woah. Mind melting.



'The Insurrectionary Kirkwall Commune will storm the Tuileries Palace any day now'

Somehow the crazier he gets the more I kind of like him. Just a quick swing by Merrill, she is doing alright and asks about Bethany. Awww the only one who mentioned her. She hangs out a lot with Isabela which is an odd couple to say the least. Anyway the team is assembled. First they visit Ser Emeric to follow up on Aveline's business. When they get to the Gallows, Cullen greets Urien and congratulates him for returning the Amells to prominence.



'Yeah didn't that guy achieve some Amell prominence?'

Flattered by Cullen, Urien offers to put himself at the service of the Knight-Captain and the moderate Templars. Cullen tells him that unfortunately Meredith has closed ranks and now refuses outside help. Well then. Guess those mages might want some help.

Emeric is getting pretty obsessed with the murders. Emeric thinks an Orlesian Nobleman named Gascard DuPuis is behind it but all he has managed to do is get Aveline in trouble chasing down his leads. So now Urien will investigate him unofficially. Man law enforcement in Kirkwall sure loves hiring civilians.

While there he visits the Herbalist to find some rare ingredients and...damn.



'A flower, some ink, and the heart of a legendary and rare creature that my cousin likely destroyed the only example of? Get right on it.'

The Varterral went right from ancient legend the Dalish don't believe to something that hangs out with the Dalish and its heart is a common reagent. Obviously something changed in the last couple years . The Varterral was the final boss of Witch Hunt if you do not remember.

So now on to Hightown. Before investigating Gascard DuPuis, Urien decides to help Sebastian, throw the new guy a bone. So they go into the Harimann Estate and man things are messed up there. The three Harimann children have been lost to depravity. The daughter is a drunk, the elder brother wants to melt all the gold down and turn his servants into statues, and the youngest son is lost to sexual depravity.



'We are all just...horrified...by these sexually deviant acts...so very...wrong'

Well it turns out when expanding the house a few years back they broke into some kind of ancient catacombs and now demons have run amok. Same old, same old.

They make it to the end where we learn a Desire Demon is feeding Lady Harimann's lust for power.



'We are not so different, you and I'

And of course she is a mage. Once the demon is destroyed along with the matron, the Harimann kids apologize for their mother murdering Sebastian's family and offer their support in regaining his throne. Sebastian is conflicted, not sure he wants to plunge Starkhaven into war. So until he decides to return to the Chantry or lead a devastating dynastic war he will hang out with Urien and company.

While in the Harimann Estate they find a book on the Chantry Pope Justinia V.



'Hey I recognize that name!'

It is none other than Mother Dorothea from Leliana's Song. I knew it was a good idea to play that DLC.

While Sebastian decides, Urien gets a letter from Feynriel's mother that things are not going well with him and the Dalish. He has some kind of magical super fade power and is stuck in an endless dream. Urien has been recruited to the fade to go after him, always eager to risk his soul to demons to help. The Dalish have to perform the ancient ritual, that they actually recall, and the Keeper shows up in the Alienage to do the ritual. She is treated like a rock star which is bizarre since I thought the City Elves thought the Dalish were a bunch of weirdos stuck in the past and the Dalish thought the City Elves were a bunch of 'Flat Ears', Elves who had turned traitor on their heritage. But the thing goes down without comment so who knows? Anyway the Keeper, Marethari again from the Dalish Origin in DA:O, warns Urien that if the demons capture Feynriel he will become an abomination of unbelievable power and evil, and that they need to kill him in the Fade making him Tranquil if there is any danger of that. Huh since when did killing somebody in the Fade make them Tranquil? Urien says he just cannot bring himself to do that. She sighs and hopes he will not fuck it up too bad.

She then gives a final warning that the demons will try to tempt them. That should not be a problem for Anders, already being possessed and last I checked Demons do not cohabitate. Isabela assures us that she has a will of iron.



'Isabela's restraint is an inspiration to us all'

LOL good one Bioware. Anyway so back to the Fade, I look forward to collecting all my stat upgrades! But this time they make me solve puzzles to get them. The first one I have to chase a book around the first room. The second one is a strange barrel puzzle with no clue what I was supposed to be doing.



'So...um...the little barrels and big barrels erm...do things and I get a prize'

It took me awhile but basically I had to switch the locations of the big barrels and little barrels.

Justice takes over while Anders is in The Fade, it was good to hang out with him again even in Demonic Vengeance form. Eventually Urien finds Feynriel and gets him to see through the demon's temptations. Thus thwarted, the pride demon turns to Fenris and promises him power to take down his Tevinter Oppressors. Pfft whatever my loyal friend Fenris would never...



'DAMN IT'

Man his super magical warrior powers were pretty awesome to behold. Isabela and Urien were beating him down when he suddenly did a super move that killed them both instantly. Fortunately Anders revived them just as fast to finish him off. Damn Fenris. I will be taking you with me more often.

So one man down they repeat the whole process in another of the Demons traps for Feynriel. Once again Urien gets Feynriel to see through its ruse and this time the demon turns to the incorruptible Isabella, offering her a massive ship and crew of strapping virile men under her command.



'She gets sprung'

Isabela is on a roll this session. Well I guess we all saw that coming.

Anyway with the demons defeated Feynriel realizes the Dalish do not know crap about ancient magic and decides to go to the Tevinter Imperium for training. His mother is sad to see him go but understands. For some reason Isabela and Fenris being killed in the fade did not make them Tranquil. Which is good because that is stupid, I hope that plot point does not get brought up again. This quest was pretty weak on the lore.

Fenris and Isabela both apologize to Urien for betraying him and he assures them that under him they each get one free demonic possession. I mean Anders got one so it is only fair. They are both appreciative. Isabela's friendship is now also maxed. LEVEL UP!

I guess eventually Urien should get around to doing that thing with the Qunari the Viscount asked him to do.

[viper37]

Weird that the Tethras brothers didn't mention it. One would think that much Lyrium would be worth far more than that treasure hoard. But maybe Red Lyrium is unusable for some reason. Guess I will be finding out soon.

yes, you will be finding more about it soon, and in DA:I too. 

just keep playing and writing for now

[viper37]

For some reason Isabela and Fenris being killed in the fade did not make them Tranquil. Which is good because that is stupid, I hope that plot point does not get brought up again. This quest was pretty weak on the lore.

I think it applies only to mages, or only for Feynriel since he is a "dreamer".   It was a weird plot point anyway.

[Valmy]

yes, you will be finding more about it soon, and in DA:I too. 

just keep playing and writing for now

I just got a note to talk to Varric in his room at the Hanged Man so maybe that is when he mentions this. Looking forward to playing tonight

I think it applies only to mages, or only for Feynriel since he is a "dreamer".   It was a weird plot point anyway.

Yes it was. It made sense in the quest, for the purposes of creating choices of outcome and all that, but that was the first time that element was introduced.

I am having a much harder time with the combat in DA2 than I did in DA:O. DA2 on Hard is much much harder than Nightmare on DA:O. Alot of it has to do with the fact DA2 sends waves of foes at you for even simple battles. In DA:O I could easily control the battlefield so long as I was paying attention. In DA2 it is never really managed. Keeping my mage and rogues up gets very tricky, every time you think every monster is accounted for a new wave rushes in.  This makes it quite a grind. Very fun though. You can see how they responded to lessons they learned in DA:O and are doing more creative things with the combat system. The bestiary is still lacking though.

[Valmy]

Couple of things I might consider.

1. More aggressive use of healing potions to make sure people are not going down as much. That might get expensive but fights are so long and now only Abominanders can heal.

2. I am thinking about how to better use Isabela. She should be hiding in the shadows more and backstabbing. I will try making that her default combat state instead of waiting until she is surrounded by enemies. I just don't feel like the AI uses stealth rogues very well. I need to take a closer look at her scripts. Varric and Sebastian do decently when Urien can keep them reasonably left alone.

3. Maybe more focus firing on enemies. I generally do not like this unless a boss is concerned but the number of elites can get really out of control when you have a few waves including revenants and golems and the like.

Also might look at my specs a bit. Any recommendations?

[Valmy]

Ok so I think that made things work a lot better, I am doing much better. Might be able to get the difficulty back up to Nightmare soon. I have been playing on Hard almost exclusively.

Well so Urien heads down to meet the Arishok but it seems the Qunari have a patrol missing on the Wounded Coast.



'Yes I killed them all. Oh wait you mean recently?'

So he decides to go find the patrol before confronting the Arishok. Build a little good will. But before he leaves he goes to meet with some kind of mage underground movement he got a letter from earlier. They are a secretive bunch.



'In Denerim, Nubulis is a spring month.'

Well since the Templars are too cool for school might as well do a bit for the mages. The first quest is framing a radical Templar. At least it was funny. Besides that just a bit of saving an Apostate from Bounty Hunters. Nothing too controversial. I had not realized I was on the mages side but to be fair with Meredith illegally making harrowed mages Tranquil I have not been super eager to send mages to the Circle here.

One quick thing before they set off for the Wounded Coast, in Lowtown Urien had bought a House Tethras Signet Ring he had seen for sale. So he brought it to Varric and it turns out Bartrand had sold it to finance the expedition.



'I had no idea Dwarves were so formal'

So really that is the answer to the mystery as to why Varric was not answering the mail from King Bhelen and Orzammar, Bartrand had sold off the signet ring. It seems Urien just struck a major blow for international commerce.

So now on the way to find those Qunari...but the group gets ambushed by Tevinter Slavers looking for Fenris. Damn took them long enough.



'Yes I am going to betray an incredibly dangerous magical warrior who rips people's hearts out...literally.'

After the battle Fenris tortures a slaver to discover his former master's toady Hadriana has set up shop in some old slavers caves near the city. Urien decides to keep Fenris happy and go after them immediately.



'What happens when Blood Mages run the world'

Fenris shows the sacrifice to Merrill and insists she is in favor of this sort of thing. She says she is not and that she is a good person. Well...she is the one saying we should do all the blood magic and do deals with demons and not be afraid of the very obvious downsides of doing so. Ah Merrill what is up with you?

As they murder their way through waves of Tevinters (I mean I know this dude is a magical warrior but surely it would be cheaper just to make another one) they find an elf woman slave still alive. It seems Hadriana has killed all the other slaves to do her blood magic. Charming. Urien tells the slave to go to his house in Kirkwall. Fenris, for some bizarre reason, thinks Urien is taking on a slave. Urien tells him he is going to hire her as a servant.



'Urge to kill... fading... fading... fading - rising! Fading... fading... gone'

Just to underline how scary a guy Fenris is they finally find Hadriana and defeat her and her compatriots. She tries to bargain information of Fenris' sister if they swear to spare her life. Urien defers to Fenris' judgment.



'Seems legit'

So she informs him his sister's name is Varania and she is a servant to somebody named Ahriman in a Tevinter city named Qarinus. Hearing that she is not a slave Fenris is relieved and then rips Hadriana's heart out because...of course he did. Fenris is upset and says he thinks Danarius planted this information to sucker Fenris into going after his sister. He is upset and leaves. While they are there in the slave caves they find a Tevinter Chantry Amulet. Disturbingly this is a nice gift for Abominanders. So there IS a Chantry that lets mages roam free...in a country where mages rule with absolute power and commit horrible atrocities. Not sure why he would find that inspiring but...



'You could always ask Fenris about it. Can I watch when you do?'

Urien then goes to visit Fenris after he has cooled down a bit. Fenris is upset that hatred for Hadriana and Danarius still dominates him so completely. Slavery leaves quite the psychological mark. He then gets drunk and tells Urien about how he became free. He was separated from Danarius on the Island of Seheron in a battle against the Qunari. He fell in with a group called the Fog Warriors who are fighting for independence for Seheron from the Imperium and the Qunari. Fenris befriends them but when Danarius finds him he orders Fenris to slaughter them all...which he does. Then horrified by what he has done he flees. Danarius is weakened by the battle with the Fog Warriors and cannot immediately pursue him. Holy shit no wonder Fenris is so messed up.



'It does my heart good to hear you say that Fenris. And I mean physically.'

Ok so this left Urien and company in Hightown and hey they were investigating that murder earlier for Emeric so let's go visit Gascard DuPius. Naturally he is a blood mage and his house is full of fade monsters. How did the City Guard miss this? Aveline herself is puzzled by it. Eventually Urien and company burst in to the see blood mage with a terrified woman.



'I have to admit you are doing a great job appearing guilty...so congrats on that one.'

He is actually trying to track down the killer. He has been driven to blood magic and extremes in his desire for revenge against this same serial killer for murdering his sister. Sounds like a good guy to leave on the loose while we are still tracking this psycho down. So Urien lets him go.



'The more insane and dangerous people are the more Urien wants to use them as assets.'

Back outside Urien and company start heading over to the Gallows to talk to Emeric and let him know Gascard is not the killer. But they are ambushed by an all-female criminal band where everybody seems to sort of look like Leliana. That is just fabulous.



'It is ladies night in the criminal underworld!'

So lots of psycho women later the streets of Hightown are safe again. Urien moves on to the Gallows. Man it is hard to get anywhere in Act 2 without getting sidetracked. Wait weren't they supposed to be hunting for a Qunari patrol? Anyway.



'Damn it is almost like this whole conflict is stupid and counter-productive and cooler heads could easily prevail. At least it is obvious to Ser Thrask.'

Damn Meredith needs to be overthrown and this guy put in charge. It really is just one person driving this whole thing. And Urien still has not even met her yet.

While there they find Sketch, this time being hunted by Qunari for deeds he did not actually do in the Qunari Homeland.



'Sketch! Talked to Leliana recently? Sketch? Oh well'

Also it seems our caper to frame a fanatical Templar for Lyrium smuggling and goat fucking came to fruition.



'Ah yeah that was hilarious...er...I mean shocking. I am scandalized.'

However, they do not see Emeric there. Instead another Templar comes up to Urien.



'What I am not meeting Emeric tonight it must be...oh wait that's not good'

The killer has gotten to Emeric first. They rush to the meeting place and the deed has already been done.  A bunch of fade monsters struck him down. The Templars are now going after this killer hardcore and Urien informs them Gascard is not the guy. I think this is a pretty serious thing to follow up on but nothing to do now.



'Maker watch over you Ser Emeric, even if you were not the guy I thought you were in DA:O'

Urien did go down to Darktown to tell Gascard about this but he couldn't find him.

Ok NOW it is time to go hunt for those Qunari. But first they decide to stop on by the Dalish and see what they have for sale and pick up some Dalish tattoo ink. They are super happy to see Merrill.



'WHAT?! What has she done? Is anybody ever going to tell me anything?'

Again it kind of looks like Merrill loves demons and blood magic and the Dalish are too intelligent, or cowardly according to Merrill, to go along with it. But whatever else is going on Urien has no idea. While there he asked Master Ilen about the tattoo ink.



'I guess Master Ilen leaves his children in chests a few feet away from him and just lets anybody who walks by grab them'

Because that is, hilariously, how Urien got the Ink. He dropped it off later at the herbalist who expressed amazement the Dalish parted with it...um yeah they just kind of let him take it. What followed was a super long grind of really difficult battles. They explored the local area and Sundermount, where the Dalish live, is ridiculously dangerous. There are demons and fade monsters everywhere. A freaking Dragon lives on top of the mountain. The force field keeping Urien out of the cave at the top has been replaced by a wagon by the way. I feel for whomever pulled that wagon up there through all the demons and dragons. They really did not want Urien going in that cave.



'It's a beautiful day in the Dalish neighborhood'

There is an old dwarven Thaig entrance near the Dalish camp that was full of Revenants and Stone Golems and that was just too much. I had to go back and get Abominanders to do healing. After fighting through many really grinding fights they found a golem merchant and an evil tome. Ok remember that blood Mage Idunna Urien spared waaay back in Act 1 who tried to do mind control on him before Bethany intervened? Yeah well after she got arrested by the Templars she became a born again Andrastian and wrote Urien telling him about these evil tomes her blood mage mistress left behind. So he has found a few of these things around, there was one in the Viscount throne room and one in the Chantry...probably some kind of commentary on the state of Kirkwall institutions there. And there is one here. Urien has been destroying them and killing the demons that come after him when he does. Later they find a fourth one in a cave in the wounded coast. So they destroy this book and that is all the quest stuff they were able to do in that whole ordeal. So thanks for wasting my time Dalish

Now on to the Wounded Coast where they finally find the Qunari Patrol and find they had all been slaughtered by Fade Monsters. Man the mages have been busy with their constant acts of violence and atrocities in this game. They make it very clear that even though Meredith and these Templars need to be stopped, the Templars are definitely a needed thing. I still think the reforms I mentioned when talking about this way back in DA:O are still necessary though. As I observed back then they current system is too unstable and relies way too much on the Templars and mages not being horrible people. As can be seen here that breaks down when that is true, as I speculated back then. If you want to see what happens when the mages are let loose well the Tevinter Imperium is over there to observe.



'It is ok.They died for the Qun. Whatever that means.'

So with that they head back to Kirkwall.

[Valmy]

When they get back to Kirkwall Urien just has a couple quick things to do before going to the Arishok. Just a few quick things that shouldn't take minute. Varric lets him know he wants to talk to Urien at the Hanged Man. It seems Bartrand is back in Kirkwall for some reason and has bought a home in Hightown.



'What would make a nice housewarming gift? Pot holders?'

So they head over there and it looks run down and abandoned. Well Fenris lives close by so maybe it is a neighborhood aesthetic. Varric bursts in and starts shooting everybody down like a big damn hero.



'You wanna fuck with me? Okay. You wanna play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friend!'

With one mighty blow he kills three mercenary guards. Bartrand begs for forgiveness and reveals how jealousy made him do it all.



'I'm your older brother, Michael, and I was stepped over!'

Why does Varric keep making me think of Al Pacino movies? Anyway it turned out to all be bullshit and Cassandra is not amused.



'Oh please make her madder Varric she is so pretty when angry '

So in actuality (or not  ) Urien, Sebastian, Abominanders, and Varric storm Bartrand's house. Things are clearly a little bit off.



'Crazed? I mean yes anybody who would attack us is probably suicidal but it rarely actually says 'crazed''

Eventually they find a sane member of Bartrand's household, a dwarf named Hugin, who tells the sad story of Bartrand's descent into deranged madness.



'A singing idol? Nice what did it sing? Oh you mean...'

I have to admit it sounds kind of similar to what the Darkspawn say about the Archdemons. Bartrand was driven insane by this thing and so were the people around him. On his more lucid days he was desperate to get rid of it so he sold it to some woman in Kirkwall. He now has a desperate need of it so he moved here to get it back. He has summoned all the non-guard staff into his office, besides Hugin I guess, and has been doing something unspeakable in there for a few days. We go in and see Bartrand but no sign of the staff that I could see. A big battle occurs and Bartrand is defeated. He begs Varric for help finding the idol. Varric is outraged and appalled. Urien has a buddy who knows a bit about obsessive insanity and asks Anders for help.



'I know. A plot that might not involve demons is surprising to me as well.'

Still not counting out the demons. They do everything else. Bartrand is temporarily sane and begs Varric for help. Varric stops being angry at him and agrees to send for some healers and to take care of him. So we have Qunari, a crazy killer on the loose, a scary mind bending idol, and the whole Templar-mage thing going on. Good times.



'Oh yeah that to'

I bet the Templars bought it, they love Lyrium and maybe only being mostly insane is not sufficient yet. They need an idol of evil to really complete the Meredith executive vision.

Ok so that took awhile. Next Urien visits chez Merrill to give her a carved wooden halla he bought from Master Ilen at the Dalish Camp. Merrill is totally flustered and embarrassed she forgot it was Kirkwall Christmas.



'Now we know your weakness Merrill. Mwahahaha.'

When she inevitably gets taken over by a demon we shall give her a gift to take her down. Also glad to increase the blood mage demon lovers friendship with Urien. His friends are pretty scary people. If I were Leandra I would talk to him about that. Actually she does mention that his elf friends are both psychos. Considering Lorcan's elf companions I think a pattern is emerging.

So remember the Bone Pit Mine? Urien is part owner after the events of Act 1. His partner, Hubert, sent him a note that some bandits keep raiding their ore caravans despite all the protection money they pay the Coterie. Man what a rip off. He says he caught a worker giving shipment information to the bandits and Urien tells Hubert to bring him to Urien's house in Hightown.



'So...guess that means I am the good cop'

Urien convinces the man, a Ferelden from Lothering just like him, to tell us what shipment is going to be raided and Urien convinces him to pay off Hubert in exchange for his life. He agrees.



'Once you get tired of the protection racket game there is always a lucrative retirement doing part time consulting work'

The raid is going to happen on the Wounded Coast the next day so Urien and the consultant head out that way. They get there just in time to see the shipment destroyed but the bandits still there. More of that crazy Amell timing. 

The Consultant, named Lilley, recognizes one of the Bandits from Brekker's gang. Brekker is some kind of badboy Coterie Boss who plays by his own rules. I bet he is popular with the ladies. So Urien will meet Lilley later in Darktown to take care of that problem. They explore the rest of the Wounded Coast and discover a guard patrol led by one of Aveline's lieutenants named Harley under siege from another criminal gang named Evet's Maruaders. I swear the criminals in this world outnumber the citizens. Well with Aveline around they are not going to say no. Urien and the guards attack. There is a nice path around the bandit's flank so they smash an isolated group and then swing in to the marauder's rear.



'Just call me pincushion Amell'

That should make Aveline happy. They go back to Kirkwall. Surely Urien will see the Arishok this time. A quick visit to Darktown to take of...oh wait Lilley was killed by Brekker's gang. Ok slaughtering innocent wagon drivers is one thing but once you go after the consultation community you have gone too far. Urien breaks into his hideout and of course he has a blood mage employed.



'To be fair you haven't really put me in much danger of dying so far'

So that takes care of that. Hubert is happy Urien lived up to his end of the business and recommends he visit the mine and see how the workers are going. Sure...but seriously Urien really needs to meet the Arishok. But FIRST Urien stops by the palace and lets the guards know Evets' Marauders were defeated but Evets was not present. Weird he had to do this when Aveline was there but at least he got a reward. The guards tell him now Evets will try to kill him.



'I am sure eventually the entire city will want to kill Urien. No big deal.'

Sebastian wants to chat so Urien goes to the Chantry. He wants to rejoin the Chantry but the Reverend Mother is having none of it. Urien and he talk about reclaiming his throne again and it really sounds like he would prefer to remain true to his oath and rejoin the Chantry. He does not think Starkhaven really cares who the ruler is. Probably fair point but...



'Wait isn't that the conclusion you reached last time?'

Yeah so nothing was decided. Nice conversation there blue eyes. Ok so now to the Docks to visit the Arishok...but wait one more thing to do. Visit Sketch and let him know all the people trying to kill him have been taking care of. At several points during this Act they have found groups from various places around Thedas, from Denerim to Rivain, trying to kill him for various things he says he is innocent of.



'Why do you look so much bluer than before?'

So I guess the implication is Leliana has been telling stories about his adventures that are a bit exaggerated and are getting him into trouble.



'Good thing Urien doesn't have any friends who do that'

Funny all those random groups can find him but not the Templars....well actually totally expected.

Ok so NOW lets go see the Arishok. Urien informs the Qunari that fade monsters killed their patrol.



'That is Qunari for 'hey thanks a lot pal!''

Isabella skips out on seeing the Arishok again....hmmmm



'Oh ok let us know how that something goes!'

Fenris doesn't have anything to say to the Arishok this time. I thought this was supposed to be your thing Fenris? The Arishok has a message for Urien: the formula for that secret Qunari explosive was stolen. But it was a fake formula...that instead creates a toxic gas.



'Oh you Qunari and your practical jokes'

He thinks the dwarf from last time, Javaris, stole it and might make a huge amount and poison the city. Oh joy. What were they thinking? Urien asks Varric where Javaris might be found.



'Selling off territory, you know, what any legitimate business man might do'

So on to Darktown. The Coterie business rep informs us he has taken off through the tunnels out of the city. They kill his legion of guards, seriously man these dwarves each have their own private human army, and catch up to him outside of the city. He insists it is a crazy elf.



'Am I really supposed to be believe an elf would do something that psychotic?'

So they race back to the city and the elf was only planning on blowing up a part of the city. But it seems her plan of terrorism was thwarted and became another plan of terrorism and instead people are dying and being driven insane from poison gas. Urien and company descend into the gas cloud and fight through ANOTHER army of mercenaries to seal all the barrels. Not sure why the gas did not drive them insane. Ah well.

Then the crazy elf shows up. She wants the Qunari dead because of all the elves being converted to the Qun.



'A whole terror network has a conspiracy in the city to stir up chaos and war? I mean...another one?'

Man Kirkwall cannot catch a break. So once the crazy elf is slain they head back to the Qunari to report on what happened.



'Well kitties need pampering. That sounds reasonable Isabela see you later!'

The Arishok does not give two shits about what happened. He reveals why he is staying in Kirkwall.



'Somebody stole something from you eh? I wonder who that somebody might be.'

Ok lets think a second here. Isabela refuses to meet the Arishok. She is looking for a relic rather obsessively for unknown reasons. The Arishok is desperately seeking something that was stolen from the Qunari. Eh...probably not connected in any way.

So Urien goes back to report to the Viscount and the plot thickens even more. Man how many plots do we have going on at once? Some Qunari came to treat with him and things went well but...



'So the Qunari just vanished? Huh it is like there is a terrorist organization trying to start a war or something.'

Oh great. So they to get a clue from the Seneschal. He speculates corruption in the city guard would have to be involved for it to happen in the palace.



'It is a pretty wretched hive of scum and villainy. I mean Varric and Isabela live there.'

So it seems Aveline wants to talk to me. What follows is the most adorable quest ever. Only in Dragon Age man. Well maybe in Bioware games. So Donnic, the guardsman they saved in Act 1, has a thing for Aveline...or had a thing for Aveline. Aveline wants him to but cannot deal with being in love with somebody under her command and just does not have the guts to be direct. Under the circumstances I cannot blame her. The humiliation if it did not work out would be pretty severe. But anyway she has Urien go give him a gift and tell her how he reacts. Well he hates it. So then she gives him a cushy patrol to show him she loves him. But instead he just finds the patrol humiliating.  Urien and company are rather taken aback by Aveline's clumsy attempts to reach out to him.

Now Isabela and Aveline are both kickass chicks who take no shit and they tend to clash. Aveline is a warrior of honor, a force for law and order. Isabela is a libertine and a notorious pirate. So they go back and forth from time to time. Isabela is really enjoying this.



'Oh my. Rather disproportionate retaliation by Aveline there...and besides Isabela just has needs she never sells.'

And it just sort of goes downhill from there...or just gets better depending on your position.



'Splitting hairs? Is that really a thing?'



'A few more seconds and they will be dueling at dawn'



'Got to love Urien's expression there'

Ok so after everybody calms down they agree to have Urien invite Donnic to drink that night at the Hanged Man and have Aveline just show up. Wasn't there something else they were supposed to do at the Hanged Man? Huh.



'Oh right the corrupt city guard guy. Urien also has a gift for Isabella and there is another quest a bit off-screen. Urien really needs to visit the Hanged Man more often.'

So Urien meets Donnic for drinks and things are awkward. I would have thought Urien could at least have kept up a conversation.



'I heard somebody liiiiiikes you!!!11'

Aveline chickens out and cannot do it. Donnic decides Urien is interested in Aveline and trying to use him to get to her and is not impressed. Damn it Donnic he DID want Aveline but gave up because she wants you. And further he hangs out with Aveline all the time. Anyway Aveline says she cannot risk admitting her feelings. Isabela throws down the gauntlet.



'Awwww she is Aveline's friend after all '

So Aveline says she feels most comfortable on patrol so they decide to send she and Donnic on a patrol on the Wounded Coast. Urien will rush ahead and make sure they are not attacked on it so Aveline can make her move. Wahoo! Their quest is moving forward. Wait that wasn't the quest? Oh right the possible war with the Qunari thing. Well fortunately that corrupt guardsman, Orwald the Braggart, cannot shut up about capturing the Qunari. I mean if you are going to hire somebody to do some cloak and dagger you might not want to pay off the guy called 'the Braggart'. So they start a barfight with he and his friends.



'This will soon be edited to show that Orwald the Braggart shot first'

After the fight he admits a Templar paid him to nab the Qunari. The Templar used the seal of the Grand Cleric to show he had Chantry authority to do so. Now the Grand Cleric Elthina is a pretty harmless clergywoman almost to a fault. She is content to just let Meredith do whatever against Chantry law in its name. She is doing this seemingly in the faith that everybody will learn being mean doesn't pay or something. Seems to me the lesson is a bit lost when it is the institutions of the Chantry itself doing the mean stuff. But hey I am no theologian.



'Or anything at all really.'

Urien surprises his dear love...er...casual sexual partner Isabela with a model ship. I found it weird joking about her being serviced by a dozen seamen was a flirting line but Isabela admitted that was a worthy goal. Bah Urien can do the work of a dozen men. Or maybe he can find a potion or something to help him do so.

So on to the Chantry. So they go inside and are immediately confronted by Petrice, the woman who had the convoluted set up quest back in Act 1 involving the Qunari mage. She tells them the Templar was the Templar she was with in that quest, and tells Urien where to meet them and the kidnapped Qunari. They will show him why the Qunari must be provoked in this way.



'Yeah Petrice and her Templar are probably not going to be surprising us with a power point presentation'

So Urien figures he should let the relevant authorities know before he walks into this trap. First he tells the Grand Cleric and she leaps into action!



'Before or after me and all the Qunari are killed?'

Haha just kidding she won't do shit. At least she could pray for us or something. Next Urien goes to tell the Arishok.



'Oh you just happened to see a guy you knew from Antiva right now? What a weird coincidence. Well see you later Isabela.'

Urien informs the Arishok about the missing delegation. He takes it well.



'Oh so it's like that is it?'

So the Arishok gives Urien an ultimatum: handle this crisis or Kirkwall will be destroyed.

No pressure!

[Valmy]

With a bit of trepidation they set off for the ambushrendezvous point. Walking up they can hear the Templar, Ser Varnell, saying his anti-Qunari screed. They approach and Mother Petrice shows up and sells him out. Nice.



'Well I am glad somebody knows something for certain about the Qun'

So he has the Qunari envoys all strung up and is haranging them with a big crowd of fanatics. Urien has seen enough so he charges in. Abominanders approves because:



'That's right. The group of guys whose jobs are trying to control the most powerful people in the world are cowards. Thanks Anders.'

I mean isn't this the guy who keeps demanding we not judge mages based on the thousand years they turned the world into a racist slave state? Ser Varnell and his cronies start the battle by murdering the Qunari. Then he and his massive army of fanatics attacks. This battle is perfect for a berserker like Urien, he gets stamina from killing people and there are massive numbers of wimpy fanatics to kill. BOOM.



'Aveline's got this'

Aveline .

Major political crisis incoming! Mother Petrice ran off. Urien fetches the Viscount and he comes down to see the carnage. Viscount Dumar is getting really stressed out and seems powerless to do anything to check the out of control factions. What he says suggests he cannot really do much about that Chantry, even after Urien tells him Mother Petrice is behind it and he discovers it is just this one woman and her fringe faction. I guess that makes sense as it was clear he owed his position to Meredith and the Templars in the prologue. Since the Chantry also will not do anything to lessen the political crisis train I guess nobody will. The Grand Cleric seems content to let the Chantry itself destroy the city. Urien certainly won't take aggressive action, he is not the sort of guy to lead a revolution or political coup.



'Well to be fair I could have taken care of these fanatics three years ago...'

Urien's easygoing ways have come back to bite Kirkwall here. He works to keep his family going and his friends. He knows that Meredith needs to be removed and all that but he is hoping that the powers that be can do their job without him having to risk everything. Thus the tragic hero is made.

Back to the Arishok to tell him the bad news. I put Isabela in the party just so she can bail again.



'Ok see you back at the Hanged Man!'

This is Urien's erm...casual sexual partner and he will not confront her on this. He just respects her enough to let her reveal whatever she wants to reveal but again another situation is heading to a crisis and he is being passive about it.

The Arishok is impressed Urien defeated the extremists and did not hide the bodies of the murdered Qunari and took responsibility. His respect for Urien stays his wrath.



'Damn Arishok that almost brings a tear to my eye.'

So crisis averted...for now.

Now back to the main quest: getting Aveline laid. She may have courage and skills like a great hero she lacks the hero's usual social prowess. Urien and company clear out the beach for she and Donnic's patrol but she chats him up in a way reminiscent of me trying to pick up the captain of the dance team in High School.



'Hehe...you're handsome'

So eventually Urien and Isabela force the issue and Donnic walks off embarrassed. Aveline gets all horrified she is going to lose her job and lose the respect of the guard...but then Donnic comes around later and reduces her to a giggling school girl. Well the hero always gets her man in the end.



'Wahoo! I won Dragon Age II!'

I was looking for the credits to roll but then I realized I have to change the world or save Kirkwall or something. Ah well this was the real climax...erm ok maybe that came out wrong.

Urien and company go to the Chantry to talk to the Grand Cleric and confront Mother Petrice. She assures Urien this is not over. Pity.



'You tell her guys!'

The Grand Cleric won't do shit. I bet if Leliana was the Grand Cleric Meredith and all these nutters would be hanging in her subterranean sex dungeon. Pity.

So with that taken care of Urien returns home to find Uncle Gamlen there. Leandra did not meet them for their weekly get together and he is worried. Bodahn suggests she went to meet her suitor. Suitor?



'Lillies? MAKER NO!'

Urien hoped the Templars would track down the Lilly killer but now he has Urien's mother! He rushes to Darktown and this time Gascard DuPuis is there. He reveals he can use his blood magic to locate the killer...



'No shit!'

Gascard gives the lame excuse he did not feel strong enough after Urien killed all his shades but that is weak sauce, he could have come to Urien for help at any time. But no time to argue now. Gascard uses his blood magic and they rush back to the place Urien found the Orlesian's dead wife in Act 1. Hey that sounds like a place Urien could have investigated much earlier 

Seriously Urien is a horrible murder investigator.

So they rush through the creepy serial killers lair. First they find the woman Gascard had taken earlier in the act. Aveline's guards were supposed to watch her but the killer got her anyway...she has had her feet removed. Later they find his erm...living quarters I guess. After defeating all the fade monsters and disarming the traps they look around. There is a letter of enouragement and support from the Kirkwall Circle of Magi signed 'O'. Huh. Who is 'O'? Then they find a creepy shrine to a woman who looks like Leandra.



'Well that is horrifying. And friend of the Circle of Magi to boot.'

He is trying to rebuild a dead woman using body parts that resemble her. The Circle seems interested in his attempts to make this Frankenstein's Monster. Next they find him and he has built his demonic bride. Gascard confronts him and Urien asks the Lilly killer, a mage named Quentin, if he thought Gascard was going to let him get away with his crimes. Quentin laughs.



'Oh so another mage is pure evil? Shocking!'

Man mages you are making it very hard to support here. With the revelation that Gascard wants to join Quentin instead of kill him Varric has heard enough and takes out Gascard from behind.



'You are rapidly moving up the ladder of favorite Bioware characters Varric'

And then crazy man goes on his crazy bad guy speech.



'By creating a hideous unholy monster? Far from being impossible that is rather standard behavior for mages around here.'

What follows is a massive battle where waves of demons and fade monsters pour in while they do their best to hack down Quentin. With the killer dead Leandra returns to her senses and starts to die. Urien is crushed and apologizes for not coming sooner and not stopping the killer earlier.



''

Urien is overcome with soul crushing grief. Uncle Gamlen is really upset and goes on an anti-mage screed.



Urien reminds him of Bethany and he calms down. Gamlen says he will go tell Bethany since Urien is too upset to do it himself. This is rather stupid by Urien, by the way, he needs to bring her the letter from the Circle and find out who the killer's accomplices are. He is a bit out of skull right now though. His companions all step up admirably to comfort him.



'Damn Isabela you have all sorts of skills I didn't know you had'

I was glad to see that little moment of Isabela consoling him. And she did a surprisingly gentle and caring job of it. For this being a 'romance' Bioware has not really done much to show it. Granted under normal circumstances she prefers to avoid intimacy. Also the conversation system post-Origins prevents you from spending alot of time talking to them like Lorcan could do with Morrigan.

Anders, of course:



'Yes yes your mother...BUT DO NOT LET THIS IMPACT YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT I CARE ABOUT'

It is almost like Anders is unable to change his mind or change the subject.

I figure Urien spends quite sometime mourning and handling the arrangements around his mother's tragic death and dealing with his own role in it so we will just leave him there for now.

[viper37]

Couple of things I might consider.

1. More aggressive use of healing potions to make sure people are not going down as much. That might get expensive but fights are so long and now only Abominanders can heal.

2. I am thinking about how to better use Isabela. She should be hiding in the shadows more and backstabbing. I will try making that her default combat state instead of waiting until she is surrounded by enemies. I just don't feel like the AI uses stealth rogues very well. I need to take a closer look at her scripts. Varric and Sebastian do decently when Urien can keep them reasonably left alone.

3. Maybe more focus firing on enemies. I generally do not like this unless a boss is concerned but the number of elites can get really out of control when you have a few waves including revenants and golems and the like.

Also might look at my specs a bit. Any recommendations?

sorry for being so late.  you probably finished the game by now

Basically, yes, use healing potion. You can craft them at your home, once you got the required elements.
There are potions for health, stamina/mana and both at once.  Carry them all.

To hit something: Warrior is all strength, rogue is all dexterity and mage will always hit their target.  No other stats count when it's time to determine if you hit something.
To do damage once you've hit: Warrior is all strength, rogue is all cunning and mage is all magic. The higher these stats the more damage.
To evade damage, it's dexterity.
To determine if you do a critical hit, it's mostly cunning.  Except for mages, I don't think there are critical hits for mage.

The only real fights on hard were:
[spoiler]
- Varterhal (2 times)
- First dragon in the mine
- Last dragon in the mine, in Act III
[/spoiler]
These were really, really, really tough on hard.

You can still control the battlefield but you need to have the good specs and the good people:
Isabella is pretty weak until the end of Act 2, even Act 3.  There she got special abilities that let's her move around the battlefield stealthy and hit multiple targets.  There she's the queen.
Varric is good once you unlock his loyalty, there are a few Bianca options there that packs a punch and rejuvenate stamina.
Fenris, you need his lyrium tatoos to work for you.
Aveline, you'll be tempted to use her as guardian to take damage on behalf of your party, but I max out her other abilities before.
The little elf girl has some nasty blood/elven magic spell that can be pretty damaging for the ennemy, but also for her.  Be careful.
I always prefer Anders, due to his healing abilities.
Specialize first in lighting, second in fire.  Lighting is always the best option in this game, because no monster has immunity to this.  Contrary to fire and cold.  Although cold will be excellent against dragons and fire against humans.  But dragons are immune to fire and some demons are immune to cold.
Bethany is only available in Act 1
[spoiler]
also for the very end of Act 3 and one of the DLC[/spoiler]
I specialize her in lighting and her special ability that is very nasty.

There are a few weapons that keep upgrading their stats with you, use these.

My favorite party was always Fenris, Anders and Varric.   Doesn't matter if I play a mage a warrior or a dual weilding rogue. Well, in case of a rogue, I tended to use Aveline more often.  When doing Legacy, use Bethany, Fenris, and Varric.

Aveline is very good in the beginning as tank, but later on, Fenris surpasses her.

Isabella needs to cloack, then attack.  Rogue gets bonus when striking from behind.  You'll need to micro-manage her, contrary to an archer rogue like Varric.
Fenris charges through the ranks, Aveline stands and fight.
The Elf mage is good if she has lots of health, some staff combines her health with her mana to let her cast a little more.

[Valmy]

sorry for being so late.  you probably finished the game by now

Nope still in Act 2

I told you I am going through this slow. I have been busy.

Thanks for the advice. I have already been doing much of it but some good thoughts there. Those restoration potions are pretty great I guess I will stock up on them. My favorite party is Aveline, Varric/Isabela, Anders. Though, as I hope is obvious in this AAR, I try to use everybody equally. Fenris, Isabela, and Urien really chew through shit fast.

I think I am going to use Mark of the Assassin as an entre'act adventure. As in once Act 3 starts I am going to just do it and role play it happened at some point during the however long the time period skipped is...or at least that is my thinking without having any idea how Act 2 ends.

[Valmy]

Several months pass and eventually Urien gets over his mourning. Merrill wants to see him at her house. He arrives to discover she has the Eluvian from the Dalish Origin and Witch Hunt from DA:O in her house. Huh. When did she go back to the Brescian and get it? It was still there in Witch Hunt and...oh forget it.

It seems this is what she learned blood magic for: to restore the Eluvian. She says the Keeper had tried to convince her that they were supposed to forget the secrets of the Eluvian and all this is why she was cast out. She also says instead of blood magic she could just use a bunch of Lyrium...um pretty sure Urien could get you that but whatever lets do demon stuff intead. I am not surprised the Dalish are embracing ignorance.



'Of course you don't'

So she wants him to travel with her to her people and back her up while she asks the Keeper for help restoring the Eluvian. Remembering what Hubert asked him to do Urien visits the Bone Pit Mine just to see how things are going.



'Of course they did'

So they drive out the spiders. The miners go back to work. Also while they are there they find another evil book. Not surprisingly Merrill gets upset when Urien destroys it. Crazy demon loving elf.

Urien goes back to discuss the mine business with Hubert.



'Of course they are'

So they go back to the mine.



'Sure you might have uncovered dragons, giant spiders, and demon possessed corpses but how many new veins of ore have we found?'

So they defeat the undead...then the workers want new pick axes. So they go buy them new pick axes. OK now we are done. In response Hubert speculates that maybe he should hire security for the mine. Well lets not go crazy and start eating into profits here Hubert.

Back to Sundermount, that hill of horrors. The Keeper is not happy to see her blood mage protege but Merrill invokes some elfy custom where a member of the clan can use an elfy artifact if they perform a service for the clan. So what is it? Prancing through the forest? Making elfroot bouquets? Oh no.



'Oh is that it?'

That's right. In order to use this little elfy tool Urien has to defeat a monster of legend. It lives in a cave near where they found the other evil book earlier. Now for some reason the varterral had been letting their hunters go by unharmed but all the sudden it has started to kill them all. I wonder if Merrill had anything to do with it. So we find the dead hunters and a fourth living one, a former Denerim City Elf. Huh, was he in Origins? Yes he was, also from the Dalish Origin. His name is Pol and he sees Merrill and freaks out and runs directly to the varterral, being quickly killed. Well that is unsettling.



'Wait didn't Lorcan have to be level 35 to beat this thing last time?'

They defeat the varterral and get its heart to take back to the herbalist. Merrill mourns Pol's death and cannot understand why he treated her like a monster. They return to the Keeper and she is relieved they defeated the beast. Still hesitant to help Merrill in her blood magic quest of potential evil she does something annoying.



'Wait me?! Why do I have to be responsible this?'

Freaking authority figures around Kirkwall never take responsibility for anything. Merrill begs him to give her the elfy tool, called an Arulin'Holm and will help me repair the mirror somehow. Urien is hesitant after what the Keeper told him. But she asks again and finally he relents. I mean what is the worst that can happen by giving a blood mage everything she needs? Well in this case pretty much nothing. The Arulin'Holm does not seem to help Merrill restore the Eluvian at all. She is heartbroken all her friends and family now think she is a monster. So Urien reaches out to her.



'Urien is such a sweet talker'

Merrill thanks Urien for believing in her and being a friend. Urien once again sticks out his neck and trusts his friends against his better judgement. He just sees these people as family and his support group and needs to trust them. This will become more and more significant as time goes on.

Like now actually as Abominanders wants Uriens help again. Once they reach Darktown they go in search of the final evil book, the works that made the evil of Tarohne during the missing Templar trainees quest in Act 1 possible. They find the last one and it has a particularly ominous name and led to a particularly difficult fight.



'A demon whose name contains an 'X'? That means ultimate evil.'

Having Fenris in the group really helped here. It took awhile but once Xebenkeck went down she couldn't heal the bad guys anymore and they could wear them down. Whew that was alot of evil overcome.

Now that we have seen more of the worst in mages, let's go do something completely different.

Anders talks to Urien in his clinic. He has noticed the number of tranquil in the Gallows is increasing.



'OMG I KNEW it was against the law. I was so worried this was retconned just to make the Templars and the Chantry more evil'

Anders outlines a conspiracy to tranquil every single mage in Kirkwall being carried out by a particularly sadistic Templar named Ser Alrik. Urien doesn't buy it. Anders explains he is an especially evil Templar even going so far as saying...



'Really? Because it seems clear to me she is the most dangerous single individual in Thedas.'

Huh. Sometimes Anders suprises you. Anyway he wants Urien to help him break into the Gallows and find evidence of this plot by Ser Alrik. That seems like a crazy plan and Urien hesitates but Anders pressures him. True to form Urien eventually relents but has his doubts.



'What Urien forgets is everybody carries a journal describing their vile plots in video games'

For some reason this conversation gives Urien full friendship with Sebastian. Only Merrill left and she is close. It takes a certain type of agreeable charmer to befriend this remarkably diverse rogues gallery.

Anders leads them to a secret tunnel into the Gallows that Lyrium smugglers use to give Templars their fix. Anders outlines his grand plan on the way.



'I am pretty sure you could bring her severed heads of children and she would still claim neutrality.'

Well that good old Amell luck and timing are still in effect because they never get to the Gallows. Instead Ser Alric is down in the tunnels bullying a mage trying to see her parents. I mean really?



'At least in places where Grand Cleric Elthina is not in charge. Here the Chantry is pretty much down for whatever.'

Urien attempts to appeal to his sense of honor. Perhaps a peaceful discussion can...



'Oh right we have Abominanders in our group.'

Every mission with Anders eventually leads to killing Templars. Vengeance comes out and even after Alrik and his Templars are defeated he still wants more. Urien barely manages to calm him before he kills the mage.



'Yes...something to think about Anders'

Anders is horrified by the abomination he has become and runs off. The mage is terrified and Urien tells her to leave Kirkwall and go anywhere. I suggest Ferelden, their Circle of Magi is reasonable. He finds the incriminating letter on Ser Alrik's person.



'Anders was wrong.'

The Templars rejected Alrik's plan. But it is pretty telling he was even allowed to suggest it. Urien rushes back to Anders. He is preparing to leave. Urien stops him and shows him the letter. There is no Tranquil Conspiracy.



'Oh dear the Grand Cleric? Well please make sure I am there when you do that.'

Anders should take this right to the Divine or one of the other first enchanters or knight-commanders or really anybody but Grand Cleric Elthina. That just sounds like another Vengeance episode waiting to happen. But he doesn't seem to be in a hurry.

Awhile after this Urien gets summoned by Viscount Dumar once again. His son has defected to the Qunari, thus risking the Viscount being accused of being anti-Chantry and destabilizing the city.



Really Kirkwall is on a razor edge of all out war. Templar vs. mage and Qunari vs. Chantry. Urien prepares to head down to the Qunari compound and say something, anything, that might diffuse the crisis. I wonder if Isabela has any thoughts?

[viper37]

The Circle seems interested in his attempts to make this Frankenstein's Monster.

No, not exactly.  Someone in the circle is interested in his attemps to learn about "forbiden magic" because he believes the Templars are simply too oppressive, and Meredith in particular, in quashing all kinds of research.  Sort of like the debates we have about ethical and non ethical research.  Except no one here talks about using body parts to reconstruct the dead, so we pretty much stress about nothing important

[Valmy]

The Circle seems interested in his attempts to make this Frankenstein's Monster.

No, not exactly.  Someone in the circle is interested in his attemps to learn about "forbiden magic" because he believes the Templars are simply too oppressive, and Meredith in particular, in quashing all kinds of research.  Sort of like the debates we have about ethical and non ethical research.  Except no one here talks about using body parts to reconstruct the dead, so we pretty much stress about nothing important

True. I guess I shouldn't immediately think they are complicit. I have to say I am glad the Templars are too oppressive for this kind of research, this is the kind of thing they should be oppressive about. It is just driving me crazy I never get to meet Meredith. She is just out there, this incredibly dangerous cloud of illegal extremism.

[viper37]

sorry for being so late.  you probably finished the game by now

Nope still in Act 2

I told you I am going through this slow. I have been busy.

Thanks for the advice. I have already been doing much of it but some good thoughts there. Those restoration potions are pretty great I guess I will stock up on them. My favorite party is Aveline, Varric/Isabela, Anders. Though, as I hope is obvious in this AAR, I try to use everybody equally. Fenris, Isabela, and Urien really chew through shit fast.

I think I am going to use Mark of the Assassin as an entre'act adventure. As in once Act 3 starts I am going to just do it and role play it happened at some point during the however long the time period skipped is...or at least that is my thinking without having any idea how Act 2 ends.

I still recommend you wait for Mark of the Assassin.  There is one quest with a really, really, really extremely tough monster and the end game fight is even worst
And you have to take Talis, a rogue with her weapon set.  If I were you, I'd keep one or two of those potions for restat nearby (Maker's sigh, I think, available at the Emporium).  She lacks a little cunning to be an effective rogue, imho.

Usually, I start the basic side quests of Act III, then move on to Mark of the Assassin.