g r e a t a n d r a s t e

You get sent from your home to spy on some religious get-together, you survive a nuclear blast then get accused of terrorism and it makes sense cuz your dalish and aren't andrastian but you didn't do it, then you close a literal hole in the sky, saving the world, and then become the leader of a religious semi-rebellion and literally become the chosen of some god you don't believe just so, down the line, you learn that your whole religion was based on slavery and your super cool religious tattoo is actually slave markings and your mage bestie? he's actually the bad god from your religion and is immortal cuz he sleeps a lot.

it's so desperate, and you understand this panic, you feel it. you have to figure out everything while being attacked so suddenly, and to protect people, and here is a man or a boy at the gates, and this is such a good way to present a new companion, when you don't have a breath or moment to figure out more. there are other things that matter.

and you see a fucking dragon. you're attacked by what seems to be an archdemon!

and then you meet this absolute threat that is the elder one (before they make him ridiculously non-present in the rest of the game). and you have to face him alone, and people are leaving. then there's a physical damage (i think the quiz has to have at least a misplaced shoulder, concussion and several broken ribs).

then the future inquisitor is all by themself. it's night, and it's freezing cold, and your people are far away. the scene with the inquisitor finding their path through the snow is my favourite in the whole main game. it's so lonely and desperate and dire just as the rest of the quest. the quiz has to process so much, but not to stop.

this quest lets you feel this imbalance of power, that not everything is served on a silver platter for the main character and nets them 10000 of influence. it throws this realization in the player's face, that the inquisitor is weaker, that their people are weaker. the inquisition has to claw away their lives. their salvation is just a sheer luck.

happy to announce i’ve finally lost it and spent a considerable amount of time making a dragon age inquisition mod that lets your inquisitor have they/them pronouns. if there’s anyone out there besides me who wants to use it, here’s the download link.

additional info and personal thoughts under the cut

Follow the links to vote!

Round 1:

1. Zevran Arainai vs. Oghren

2. Alistair Theirin vs. Aveline Vallen

3. Leliana vs. Carver Hawke

4. Morrigan vs. Bethany Hawke

5. Fenris vs. Briala

6. Anders vs. Gaspard de Chalons

7. Merrill Sabrae vs. Celene Valmont

8. Tallis vs. Brother Genitivi

9. Marian Hawke vs. Sigrun

10. Sebastian Vael vs. The Iron Bull

11. Cullen Rutherford vs. Loghain Mac Tir

12. Cassandra Pentaghast vs. Wynne

13. Anora Mac Tir vs. Thom Rainier

14. Solas vs. Andraste

15. Dorian Pavus vs. Raleigh Samson

16. Josephine Montilyet vs. Meredith Stannard

17. Sera vs. Ser Rylen

18. Bodhan Feddic vs. Jethann

19. Felassan vs. Corypheus

20. Varric Tethras vs. Karl Thekla

21. Abelas vs. Inquisitor Ameridan

22. Isabela vs. Delrin Barris

23. Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi vs. Orsino

24. Jowan vs. Marric Theirin

25. Flemeth (GILF) vs. The Architect

26. Flemeth (Swamp Lady) vs. Sten

27. Flemeth (Dragon) vs. Lace Harding

28. Nathaniel Howe vs. Vivienne de Fer

29. The War Table vs. Tamlen Sabrae

30. Teagan Guerrin vs. Warden Duncan

31. Garrett Hawke vs. The Arishok

like it’s no secret varric cannot stand this guy so the thought of cassandra piping up like “wait, wasn’t the champion also friends with the prince of starkhaven? you haven’t mentioned him at all”

and varric rolls his eyes so far back into his head he almost gives himself a migraine, then she insists “no, he is! I know I heard this, stop lying to me dwarf!”

he’s like “andraste’s nutsack, fine, but if you wanna hear about him I’m gonna need some financial incentive to jog my memory. he was so boring I often forget he was even there”

“you can’t be serious, are you saying you’ve completely forgotten everything about him?”