I think it makes sense to go to Redcliffe first, but I also remember the first time I played dao, I didn’t go there until later in the game. By then I was already in a romance with Alistair, and the whole royal bastard revel felt so good in there, It felt more like a mid game twist than an after Lothering twist.

Lothering is such a fascinating place. It’s the arse-end of nowhere. It’s the last bastion of civilisation beforethe Wilds. Chasind aren’t welcome. Everyone from the headwoman to the templars possibly have Chasind ancestry. It has a tiny chantry but a whole contingent of templars. It has one pub. It has a library that multiple people think holds the key to ancient lost knowledge. It’s so out of the way that both Leliana and Malcolm Hawke think it’s a good place to avoid notice. It has no defences. People won’t leave for anywhere safer. It’s lost before you even set foot in it.

say what you want about dragon age but they really know how to name their locations. like yeah that thing sure is a Lothering