Valmy's ADHD Dragon Age playthrough

[Valmy]

Funny since both Solas and the Iron Bull turned out to be villains in my playthrough.

Solas is always a villain...

Indeed. That was the whole joke in the video.

[viper37]

Dragon Age 4 not officially confirmed

"I can not confirm nor deny at this point".

I'm more excited about the AAR than the game itself 

[Valmy]

Awww thanks

But yeah I am pretty pumped for DA4. And like you mainly to write my AAR about it

I expect it to be announced officially during the EA Play event in a couple weeks and be released in 2018 sometime.

[Valmy]

Ok so I guess we should talk a little bit about the DA4 stuff that has come out over the past few years.

First there is this trailer from 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw3lrXlti-8

So it has this Elfy mural in it:



So if you look at Solas' Tarot cards from DA:I



You can see that has Efly Solas with his staff going up against his Dread Wolf persona with three eyes. I am not sure why Dread Wolf has three eyes.

It kind of looks like Solas is trying to save or preserve the world from his instinct to destroy it entirely. Or perhaps just allow some of it to be preserved while the the veil rips apart and all the fade fuckedupness streams in.

Then we seem to have the idol from DA2:



Which now that I really look at it looks like Mythal 

Kind of surprised I never noticed that it looked like Flemeth/Mythal before but to be fair that whole connection was not that close to my mind in DA2 (though looking back in my AAR I did make that connection at one point but not entirely seriously).

The trailer makes it look like the red lyrium is spreading further in the idol perhaps suggesting the increased spread of red lyrium.

It is in the middle of a circle, which I think represents the veil, which kind of suggests that the idol is representing the gold/black city which I think is obviously the ancient elf city of Arlathan which I guess is being corrupted into a red city. There are seven locks on the circle/veil around the gold/black/red city and five of them are gone while two are still there. So based on that here is my take based on this image and my memories of this game series I played five years ago :

1. The ancient Magisters did reach the Gold City and released the elven Gods from their prison to some extent (maybe their essence of corruption or something). Seven of those Gods became the Archdemons somehow. I made this point back in my AAR that the seven of the Evanuris correspond to the Old Gods/Archdemons, I still think this is true. Maybe Solas must destroy the two remaining Archdemons to break the veil and bring Doom upon the World? Remember five of the Archdemons have been defeated in the blights already. Two remain. Which ones? I will look all that up later.

2. Andraste is Mythal. She is a version of the Flemeth type ladies. This just occured to me when I saw the close up of the idol. Granted this doesn't exactly work as she doesn't show up until a bit later after the ancient magisters reached Arlathan in the Fade.

Also this idol of Mythal shows up in Trespasser:



And hey that kind of looks like the sunburst the Chantry uses:



3. Solas/Fen'Harel is the Maker, or at least he is the source of this religious figure. Which I guess is literally true as he did create this world by creating the veil.

4. The Red Lyrium is corrupting the entire world with the Darkspawn taint, along with the fade itself. This is going to greatly complicate Solas' goals of recreating the elfy world.

So yeah that is some hot theory-crafting takes from me. I clearly go hard in wild and crazy speculation, but I think it kind of fits.

But it is not like I have gone back and read every single thingy in the lore to see if this all fits Just going by some memories and a quick glance at the DA wiki.

There is also a behind the scenes look video, another trailer, a book, and some rumors about DA4's development I will talk about later as I look at that stuff.

[Valmy]

Also I recall that Solas was really and weirdly annoyed about the Grey Wardens and their plans to pre-empt the last two Blights by seeking out the remaining Archdemons. I guess I will go back and try to remember what that was about. With this image here there might be a connection to how the Archdemons and the blights relate to his goals and the Evanuris.

So yeah

[Caliga]

I'm still playing DA: Inquisition.  THANKS FOR THE SPOILERS

[Valmy]

I'm still playing DA: Inquisition.  THANKS FOR THE SPOILERS

Damn. Told you that game was long.

[Caliga]

 

I was just messing with you... I know via other spoilers I saw by mistake how Solas's story plays out.

I AM in fact still playing the game though.

[Valmy]

I mean I grinded through 293 hours in DAI. No worries Cal.

But seriously should I add spoiler tags? I just figured everybody who cared about Dragon Age has either played DA:I already or never plans on playing DA:I by now 

Every time I kind of feel the urge to play some Dragon Age again I think about how long and grueling DA:I was and then think better of it 

[viper37]

No spoiler tags, it's a thread about Dragon Age AARs, people should know...

I like the refresher course!  I forgot a lot of lore related stuff since last I played this game!

[Valmy]

Ok so I guess before I go read that literary masterpiece that is the short story collection "Tevinter Nights" let's review which Old Gods have already been killed by the Grey Wardens before the games:

First Blight: Dumat the Dragon of Silence. Corypheus was a big fan, always calling out to Dumat for power. So which of the Evanuris is Dumat? Why it has to be Dirthamen the Elven God of Secrets. We visited his temple in DA:I if you recall. Dumat's constellation from DA:I was called "Silentir" or Silence and was a man holding a horn and a wand.

Second Blight: Zazikel the Dragon of Chaos and also freedom. His constellation was "Kios" and was supposed to be an ill omen. This is either June, the Elven God of Crafts and Building or Ghilan'nain Mother of the Halla. Both Gods are very benevolent according to the Dalish but, as we know, they don't know shit. So this is what DA:I said about them:

Of June:

The pages of this book—memory?—describe a heated argument between a group of well-dressed elves inside an elaborately arched pavilion on an island floating in a void. In the distance, haloed by a blizzard of light, thousands of elves are maintaining an elaborate magical ritual that pulls raw essence from the Fade, funneled into a sphere in the air. Through the lens of the sphere can be seen a world of indigo waterfalls and rust-red jungles, and a temple palace so frescoed and cleverly carved, it is a masterpiece in itself.

The well-dressed elves' shouting grows so loud, it can be heard over the magic. One leaps at another, howling and pulling out a knife burning with prismatic flame.

"Architects of the Grand Sonallium (a gift from Blessed Sylaise to Clever June as thanks for a great favor) in friendly debate over the color of the palace's roof trim."

From the ancient elf library in Trespasser. Notice that June is called "Clever June". Interesting

and:

Each elven "god" represents an aspect of their ancient civilization, each story a metaphor for this aspect. June's is least understood. Depictions stretch back to ancient Arlathan, but he appears most seldom of all their deities. Dalish legend says June is a god of crafts and building, but the oldest depiction have none of the tools the Dalish associate with him.

June's role may have changed over time, or simply cannot be understood today. As the elves fell, ancient Tevinter spared little thought to preserving any Dalish culture not convenient or understood.

—From A Treaty on the Pagan and Heretical Customs of the Elven by Senallen Tavernier of the University of Orlais, commissioned by Empress Celene

Which is a codex entry you get in the Temple of Mythal. So June does not necessarily have anything to do with crafts or building.

As for Ghilan'nain:

Ghilan'nain kept herself apart from the People. She used her power to create animals none had ever seen. The skies teemed with her monsters, the land with her beasts. Andruil hunted them all, and after a year of killing, approached Ghilan'nain with an offer: the gods would share their power with Ghilan'nain, but only if she destroyed her creations, for they were too untamed to remain among the People. Ghilan'nain agreed and asked for three days to undo what she had made.

On the first day she struck down the monsters of the air, except those she presented to Andruil as a gift.

On the second day she drowned the giants of the sea, except those in deep waters, for they were too well-wrought, and Pride stopped her hand.

On the third day she killed the beasts of the land, except the halla, whose grace she loved above all else.

This is how Ghilan'nain was made youngest of the gods.

—Story of the elven god Ghilan'nain, author unknown

From the Temple of Mythal.

So...chaos and freedom? This one is tough but it is not like all of them are going to be super obvious. We are dealing with the ancient memories of the Tevinter religion being beings from even older memories of Arlathan after all.

But the Constellation Kios which is supposed to refer to Zazikel has this for its codex entry in DA:I:

Referred to as "Chaos" in common parlance, the constellation Kios is thought to represent the Old God Zazikel. These stars have often been depicted as ill omens; thus, in the Towers Age, a movement within the Chantry sought to change the constellation to a representation of a dove. It did not gain traction. According to folklore, the priest behind the effort fell from a bridge and died shortly after Divine Joyous II made the decision against her. I maintain that this never actually happened and is nothing more than astrological superstition.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

So the Constellation kind of resembles a dove or a winged creature. So perhaps we are talking about Ghilan'nain, the creator of the creatures of the sky.

Third Blight: Toth the Dragon of Flame. His constellation was "Toth" and the codex entry in DA:I said:

The only constellation to maintain its ancient name in the present day, the constellation Toth directly corresponds to the ancient Tevinter Old God known as Toth, the Dragon of Fire. The depiction of this constellation varies, usually represented either as a man aflame (in agony, presumably a victim of the Old God) or as a flaming orb. Scholars in the Divine Age attempted to officially change the nomenclature to "Ignifir" (this is why some old texts record it as such), but the attempt never caught on, even after the eradication of Old God worship in the Imperium.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

A flaming orb? Well that seems to be Elgar'nan, the all-father, Elven God of the Sun and Vengeance. It is kind of interesting that the Dalish think Elgar'nan is the leader of the pantheon while Tevinter considers Dumat/Dirthamen to be the leader.

Fourth Blight: Andoral, Dragon of Slaves. His Constellation is called Servani, DA:I says:

Referred to as "the Chained Man" in common parlance, the constellation Servani is traditionally represented by a man dragging a heavy chain behind him. This is thought to be an ancient Tevinter representation both of Andoral, the Old God of slaves, and of the Tevinter system of slavery itself. The representation of Servani has been used by the Trisalus guild for well over two thousand years (according to their claim), and is visibly imprinted upon the armor of both Juggernauts, the giant golems guarding the gates to the city of Minrathous.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

Well this is another tough one. The Dragon Age Wiki also says that Andoral is the Dragon of Unity. Which...ok I think I am going to guess Sylaise. The Elven Goddess of Hearth, domestic arts, family and fire. She is the protector of the people, the healer according to the Dalish. So it would be kind of fucked up if that protection was actually oppression but that is kind of fitting with these Gods actually being evil. Also we found this in the Temple of Mythal in DA:I:

Sylaise, whose heat rivals Elgar'nan's light.
Sylaise, whose temples rival Mythal's cities.
Sylaise, whose breath rivals Andruil's spear.
Sylaise, whose skill rivals June's craft.
Sylaise, whose fire cannot be quenched.

We give ourselves gladly to your service.


—Song to Sylaise, found in the Temple of Mythal, author unknown

Giving ourselves to your service eh? Notice as the goddess of the hearth, fire is also an important aspect. I just think the flaming orb of Toth fits better with the Elf God of the Sun.

Ok so now we get to the Old God spirit absorbed by Kieran and later by Flemeth and then by Solas as well as the two Old Gods still out there somewhere in the Deep Roads.

[Valmy]

Fifth Blight: AKA the final boss of Dragon Age: Origins. This is Urthemiel the Dragon of Beauty though I don't remember where in the game you learn this. His Constellation is Bellitanus.

Referred to as "the Maiden" in common parlance, depictions of the constellation Bellitanus vary from one Age to the next. It has always been considered fashionable for prominent women of the day to be declared the Maiden's personification: Queen Madrigal in the Exalted Age, for instance, and Queen Asha before her. None of these women would likely appreciate the fact that Bellitanus is believed to have originally referred to Urthemiel, the Old God of Beauty.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

Ok so we met the Magister who was most dear to Urthemiel and who accidentally woke him for the Firth Blight and that was the Architect from Awakenings. An Architect designs things to build. Hence I see the connection the Elf God June who is the Elf God of crafts so I think Urthemiel is June.

Ok so now the two big ones who I think will feature in the DA4:

Sixth Old God/Evanuris Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery. Her Constellation is Eluvia:

Owing primarily to the popular Orlesian tale of the same name, the constellation Eluvia is commonly referred to as "Sacrifice." During the Glory Age, folklore told of a young woman saved from a lustful mage by being sent into the sky by her father—after which the mage killed him (hence the sacrifice). The daughter became the constellation, depicted as a seated woman with her head in the clouds. Prior to this tale, Eluvia was thought to represent Razikale, the Tevinter Old God of mystery, and the constellation was the source of many superstitions involving the granting of wishes.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

Ok so this is the Elven Goddess Andruil, the Goddess of the Hunt. To prove this I have this poem from the Temple of Mythal in DA:I:

Veilfire writing from a ruin in the Arbor Wilds; the script is so ancient it defies translation.

There are whispers from the Well of Sorrows. It's impossible to understand the entire text, but certain parts suddenly reveal a shadow of their original meaning.

"She shook the radiance of the stars, divided them into grains of light, then stored them in a shaft of gold. Andruil, blood and force, save us from the time this weapon is thrown. Your people pray to You. Spare us the moment we become Your sacrifice."

There is a brief image of an elaborate golden spear, glowing with unbearable heat. Then it fades.

So there we have Andruil as a Goddess of Sacrifice as alluded to in the Constellation connected to Razikale.

And then there is also this from the Temple of Mythal:

One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking The Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss. Yet even a god should not linger there, and each time she entered the Void, Andruil suffered longer and longer periods of madness after returning.

Andruil put on armor made of the Void, and all forgot her true face. She made weapons of darkness, and plague ate her lands. She howled things meant to be forgotten, and the other gods became fearful Andruil would hunt them in turn. So Mythal spread rumors of a monstrous creature and took the form of a great serpent, waiting for Andruil at the base of a mountain.

When Andruil came, Mythal sprang on the hunter. They fought for three day and nights, Andruil slashing deep gouges in the serpent's hide. But Mythal's magic sapped Andruil's strength, and stole her knowledge of how to find the Void. After this, the great hunter could never make her way back to the abyss, and peace returned.

—Translated from ancient elven found in the Arbor Wilds, source unverified

So there we have Andruil shrounded in the void and all forgot her true face. Hence Dragon of Mystery.

Seventh Old God/Evanuris Lusacan, the Dragon of Night. His constellation is Tenebrium:

Called "Shadow" in the common parlance, likely due to the ancient association of the constellation Tenebrium with Lusacan, the Old God of darkness and the night. It is odd, however, that the depiction for this constellation has always been an owl and not a dragon, even in the Tevinter texts. This lends credence to the widely-held belief that Tenebrium was a name meant to supplant an older, elven association—perhaps with the elven god Falon'Din, sometimes represented in tales as a giant owl. There is, of course, another explanation: owls are nocturnal hunters, and among earlier people, were considered terrifying omens of loss.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

I mean it says it right there, he is Falon'Din the Elven God of the Dead.

A couple things about Falon'Din:

First from the Temple of Mythal:

Dirthamen and Falon'Din are linked in Dalish legend as inseparable twin brothers. Scraps of elven stories from after the fall of Arlathan—transcribed into Tevinter and recently lent to our fair University—refer to them as "twin souls" but draw no family connection. The oldest stories never even name them directly, referring to Falon'Din as "Dirthamen's shadow," and Dirthamen as "Falon'Din's reflection."

The little we understand implies their bond was not romantic, beyond even the strongest friendship. The legends of Dirthamen and Falon'Din may have been an allegory for complex elven relationships we lack context to comprehend.

—From A Treaty on the Pagan and Heretical Customs of the Elven, by Senallen Tavernier of the University of Orlais, commissioned by Empress Celene

So Dirthamen's Shadow and shadow is the common name of Lusacan's Constellation.

And then this poem from the Temple of Mythal:

The People swore their lives to Falon'Din
Who mastered the dark that lies.
Whose shadows hunger
Whose faithful sing
Whose wings of death surround him
Thick as night.

Lethanavir, master-scryer, be our guide,
Through shapeless worlds and airless skies.


──Song to Falon'Din, found in the Temple of Mythal, author unknown

Shadows and the dark that lies. I mean we already know this is Falon'Din from process of elimination but that is pretty clear. I mean "Whose wings of death surround him Thick as night." That is a Dragon of Night right there.


The Forgotten Eighth Old God

I talked about this during my AAR but when you find the "Draconis" constellation you get this codex entry:

Called "High Dragon" in common parlance, the constellation Draconis is always depicted by a dragon in flight. Recently, it has come into question whether this was the case in the ancient Imperium. Most Tevinter dragon imagery was reserved for the Old Gods, so why would they dedicate a constellation to dragons in general when specific dragons were held in such reverence? This speculation is fueled by older drawings showing Draconis as more serpentine in appearance, perhaps depicting a sea creature or an unknown eighth Old God that was stricken from historical record.

—From A Study of Thedosian Astronomy by Sister Oran Petrarchius

So this secret forgotten Eighth Old God is Mythal/Andraste/Flemeth. That seems obvious enough but then you even have that cult in Haven in DA:O that declares Andraste to actually be reincarnated in that High Dragon. Remember? So hey maybe they were pointing to something...

So anyway I know I started thinking about this way back when I was going through the Temple of Mythal in my DA:I AAR but that image for DA4 sort of made me call my shot.

[viper37]

great reasoning.  But EA has ample times to fuck things up, released a game so buggy none of it will matter

[celedhring]

I admit I could never finish DA:I, I got bored 80+ hours in

[viper37]

It's not as good as the 1st opus, but it has its qualities.