Kintsugi Plays Dragon Age... Inquisition?! (on hold)

(whoops, i mislabeled 3 as 2. you meant the confused one, right?)

 

I vote for confusion. We just don't know wtf is going on here

 

I believe the subtitles/my recording skipped a line - it sounded like Robin said "she reached out to me, and.." before trailing off, at which point Leliana asks "a woman?"

 

Me too, Robin.

 

>Investigate
>How could it stop this?



>Investigate
>You still think I'm guilty?






>_?

 

3

 

>Do I have a choice?




"I can walk, you know."




This kid mourns his clothing options.


The last two or three times I've played through this intro, there's been a completely inexplicable three-second shot of this post. Why???

 

I am probably not supposed to giggle as much at that bald guy doing a jig as I did.

 

Heyy, Seeker, does this Divine-inspired kindness extend to not arresting random kossith who haven't done anything wrong except be in the wrong place (and don't even remember being in the wrong place??) Just a thought.

Spoiler: Codex - The Qunari

The people of the Qun are, perhaps, the least-understood group in Thedas. The Qunari Wars were brutal, but so was the Chantry Schism. So was the fall of the Imperium. Some of this misunderstanding is an accident of nature: The race we call "Qunari" are formidable. Nature has given them fierce horns and strange eyes, and the ignorant look on them and see monsters.

Some is an accident of language: Few among the Qun's people speak the common tongue, and fewer speak it well. In a culture that strives for mastery, to have only a passable degree of skill is humiliating indeed, and so they often keep quiet among foreigners, out of shame.

But much of it is a result of the culture itself. The Qunari view their whole society as a single creature: a living entity whose health and well-being is the responsibility of all. Each individual is only a tiny part of the whole, a drop of blood in its veins. Important not for itself, but for what it is to the whole creature. Because of this, the Qunari most outsiders meet belong to the army, which the Qun regards as if it were the physical body: arms, legs, eyes and ears, the things a creature needs in order to interact with the world. One cannot get to know a person solely by studying his hand or his foot, and so one cannot truly "meet" the Qunari until one has visited their cities. That is where their mind and soul dwell.

In Seheron and Par Vollen, one can truly see the Qunari in their entirety. There, the unification of the Qunari into a single being is most evident. Workers, whom the Qun calls the mind, produce everything the Qunari require. The soul, the priesthood, seeks a greater understanding of the self, the world, and exhorts the body and mind to continually strive for perfection. The body serves as the go-between for the mind, the soul, and the world. Everyone and everything has a place, decided by the Qun, in which they work for the good of the whole. It is a life of certainty, of equality, if not individuality.

—From the writings of the seer of Kont-arr, 8:41 Blessed

Spoiler: Codex - Divine Justinia V

Formerly the Revered Mother Dorothea of Orlais, Divine Justinia V rose to power after the death of Divine Beatrix III in the year 9:34 of the Dragon Age. Little is known of Dorothea's background before she joined the Chantry as an initiate, but she proved to be a liberal and daring thinker, willing to take a former bard and lay-sister, Leliana, as a close advisor. A headstrong devotion to her own agenda and rumored support of the mage rebellion earned her no small dislike from the powerful priests long used to controlling access to the Divine.

In the year 9:40 of the Dragon Age, Divine Justinia called a summit, intending to negotiate a truce between the mage rebellion and the templars splintered from the Chantry. The Divine Conclave was held at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, the most holy place in Thedas. Before a resolution could be reached, a cataclysmic explosion destroyed the Conclave, consumed the temple, rent the sky, and shattered the world's hopes for peace.

Divine Justinia V perished in the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The Chantry flounders, leaderless, in the wake of her death, and its fate grows increasingly uncertain. If order is not restored to Thedas, Justinia V might be remembered as the Chantry's final Divine.

Spoiler: Codex - The Breach

What does it mean to pierce the Veil, that which separates our world from the realm of dreams and demons? For the average man and woman, it is a frightening thought to consider just how fragile this separation actually is.

The Veil is not a physical curtain, not a structure limited to a particular place—it is everywhere. It is in their home, in the streets where they walk, in farmers' fields as well as remote mountain vales. At any moment it could be torn to shreds, allowing demons and other horrors to flood into our world like water through a burst dam.

Known lore tells us that small rifts can be sealed... but what about a large one? What if some catastrophic magical event created a rift so large and horrific, it weakened the integrity of the Veil as a whole? Such a "breach" would threaten our entire world, turning concerns about occasional demonic intrusion into a charming anecdote compared to the monsters we would then face.

If there is anything to be done, any reason we should look at magic with fear, it is for that possibility more than any other.

—From The True Threat of Magic by Lady Seeker Alandra Vael

Spoiler: Codex - Adaar, the Vashoth

The Qunari in Par Vollen live under the Qun, a religious and philosophical doctrine dictating every aspect of their society. Robin Adaar's parents left that restrictive life before she was born, settling in the Free Marches and raising their child outside the Qun. Qunari brought up outside their society are still feared, shunned, or misunderstood by most people in the south. The average citizen of Orlais or Ferelden assumes they are cold-blooded thralls, or vicious bandits.

When Robin manifested a gift for magic, her parents arranged for a mage among the Tal-Vashoth to teach her how to control her talents. She joined the Valo-kas mercenary company as a young adult, making a name for herself over the years as a capable and powerful mage. Robin was hired to provide protection at the Conclave, as a neutral party to stand between templars and human mages.

After the disastrous explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes that killed the Divine, Adaar was the only survivor. Rumors that the mysterious mark on her hand is a sign of the Maker's favor were spread by those who claim they saw the divine prophet, Andraste herself, lead Adaar out of the Fade.

Spoiler: Codex - The Conclave

It has been a year of little more than chaos. Yes, the mages voted to dissolve the Circle of Magi—but I will point out: this vote came only after increased restrictions were placed on them following the unfortunate events in Kirkwall. What other choice did they have? Yes, the Templar Order abandoned their duties and elected to pursue the mages to bring them back in line—but after a thousand years in which their sole role was the mages' keepers, what else could one expect? They envisioned the war over quickly; a single battle that would see the mages' resolve crumble, after which they would meekly return to confinement. That did not happen. This conflict could drag on forever, with advantage on neither side. Both templars and mages see this, and thus they have agreed to come to the Conclave.

This is our chance. Words need to be said which have not been said; a compromise must be reached because there is no other choice. I believe this with all my heart. I am not without fault in all this; perhaps I pushed too hard for reform, or not hard enough. The Maker has seen fit to give me another chance; I will not squander it. The Temple of Sacred Ashes is where together we will make history, and with luck we will be remembered kindly for it.

—From the journals of Divine Justinia V, Dragon 9:41

Spoiler: Codex - Cassandra Pentaghast

Lord Seeker Lucius,

I am fully aware of the intent behind your predecessor’s declaration. Lord Seeker Lambert pried the templars away from Chantry control and led them into an assault upon all mages, for reasons you both find justified. I, however, am uncertain when the Seekers of Truth went from guarding against injustice to perpetrating it. If you truly believe that this is not the case, I suggest you look out a window at the chaos this war has caused, and ask yourself if Thedas will recover even if you are victorious. I remain at Divine Justinia’s right hand, and will stay there even if you brand me a traitor. I am sorry, but there is too much at stake to swerve from the path we willingly followed at the Chantry’s foundation.

—From a letter by Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast to Lord Seeker Lucius Corin, Dragon 9:39

 

(To be continued! Because, having gotten to the first point at which I can save, I have to run to an appointment.)

 

Not an enormously helpful map, at the moment.





I love these makeshift barricades. That one's just a wagon!

(That's from those soldier folks heading down past us.)






^Cass. This game doesn't telegraph who's speaking as much as DA2, so I'll try to make it clear.


^Robin.

 

(sigh of someone who's played this intro twenty times) I'll just head across the bridge then, will I?

That guy flies into the air BEFORE the pulse hits.

 

I'm sure NOTHING bad is happening there, and demons will certainly not appear! :::DDD

 

Left-hand: special mage option (presumably rogues etc can't say "i don't need a knife," although that would be badass) and the right-hand options are just regular path icons.
>_?

 

>2

 

>3

 

>You need to trust me.




>:|







>:[

 

>4
edit: aw, ninja'd.

 

Spoiler: Codex - Vitaar

After extensive study of the Qunari specimens you kindly provided, I've come to the conclusion that the painted markings on their face and body are not, in fact, solely for ceremonial purpose, but provide a practical benefit. Oh, I'm certain there is some cultural significance to the patterns and colors they choose, but the Qunari do nothing without purpose, yes?
They call these markings "vitaar," which in their tongue means "poison armor." It's called this because the markings are magical in nature and actually harden their skin to an iron-like quality without hindering flexibility, and my analysis says the paint consists largely of poison. It's mixed with something else—blood, perhaps their own?—and that neutralizes the poison, but only for one with Qunari physiology. Anyone else would perish almost instantly (which reminds me: I'll kindly require another body slave). The process activates the magical qualities of the poison, which provides the protective effects, almost in the same manner that lyrium runes do.

How this works, and whether it can be used for our purposes, will require further study. Perhaps some live specimens this time?

—From a letter written by Nameria Origanus, apprentice to Magister Varas, Dragon 9:32

thanks tevinters


One sec, Cass, I know the world might end but I gotta pick up all these plants and rocks.

Spoiler: Codex - Elfroot

Elfroot was first used by the elves of Arlathan, hence the name. The root gave their medicines particular efficacy, so when the Imperium conquered the elves, the magisters adopted its use and its popularity spread to all corners of the empire.
Elfroot is a hardy plant with large green leaves that grows wild in many places. It's so common that it tends to show up in most gardens and fields, almost like a weed. Unlike a weed, however, most people appreciate having access to the wonderful little plant. The roots can be used with very little preparation. Rubbing some of the juice on a wound, for example, will speed up healing and numb pain. And chewing on a slice of root treats minor ailments like indigestion, flatulence, and hoarse throats.

There are several varieties, but the most useful for herbalists are the Bitter, Gossamer, and Royal Elfroots.

—An excerpt from The Botanical Compendium by Ines Arancia, botanist

You are vastly overestimating my tactical abilities, friend!!

What happened to flanking?? I would have a better time with this if, for example, if you came up behind them instead of standing over there with your shield.

Spoiler: Codex - Wraith

Like wisps, wraiths are sometimes thought to be the remains of spirits or demons that have been destroyed. They cannot shape the Fade around themselves, nor are they capable of mimicking forms they see in the minds of dreamers as many weaker spirits do. Instead, they are the scavengers of the Fade, dwelling in the shadows of stronger beings, feeding on scraps of thought and emotion.
—From Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons by Enchanter Mirdromel

 

MY GUY!!!!







>_?