With their panel at E3, the DA:I website has been updated to include several never character bios. As you all know, we’ve had bios on Varric, Morrigan, Vivienne, and Cassandra for some time now. Which is fitting, considering three out of these four characters have been in previous Dragon Age games. Along with their character reveal trailer, they released the following bios:
Blackwall
The Grey Wardens hold a lonely vigil, enduring lives of hardship and sacrifice to protect the world from an evil that can never truly be conquered. Few would volunteer for this: the suffering, isolation, and promise of a violent death. But the path of a Warden is also one of valor, and those who give themselves to the cause are rewarded with the knowledge that they have become something more than they were. Blackwall is one of the rare few Wardens who chose, of his own accord, to pick up the shield. He believes so wholeheartedly in the noble ideal of the Grey Wardens that he would rather have this life than any other.
It’s clear right off the bat that this is a character who believes in something. That kind of Warden is very rare. Even The Hero would not have joined the wardens had it not been his or her only option. The Hawke sibling, Anders, both of them would have died had they not joined the wardens. So already we’re getting a lot about the kind of person he is. The presence of Blackwall, and the idea that your companions are bringing support along with them, kind of leaves open the question of whether we will see past warden characters appear in this game – especially in considering a possible warden related companion quest.
Iron Bull
Qunari are known across Thedas as the brutal horned giants who descended from the north to nearly conquer the continent. These ruthless followers of a harsh philosophy enforce their will through the Ben-Hassrath: their spies and secret police. One brilliant agent did it all, hunting spies, rebels, and deserters until the day he finally broke. To preserve a valuable asset, his superiors sent him to Orlais to observe and report… and the Iron Bull was born.
Today, Bull’s Chargers are famous mercenaries, fiercely loyal to the huge Qunari warrior who leads them into battles and taverns with equal enthusiasm. The Iron Bull still sends the Ben-Hassrath reports, but years of living outside Qunari rules have him wondering which identity is really him. Whoever he is, he’s more than happy to join the Inquisition and get paid to kill demons.
What interests me here, right off the bat, is the mention of the people who are loyal to Bull. It makes me think of all we’ve seen from DA:I thus far, that many character and areas come with their own fighting force, not just an individual character. Dragon Age is going back to it’s roots, putting armies at your disposal, rather than just a few psychopaths. I am also very interesting in learning the full story – Bull ‘broke’. That’s intriguing. And, of course, everybody loves a good identity crisis. I’m excited to see a Qunari character that wrestle with the idea of the Qun – in fact, I’m hoping he doesn’t have a 100% serious disposition, as Qunari have traditionally been portrayed.
Sera
Sera is impulsive and revels in the moment. For her, it’s not about what’s right, it’s about what’s right now. In the Friends of Red Jenny, she humbled authority and had fun doing it. But now the nobility are being not just selfish but blind. War, demons, a torn sky: these are more than troubling—they’re terrifying. Fortunately, Sera and her “friends” can be frightening, too, and if she needs to put an arrow through some baddies so regular people can sleep at night, so be it. Sera fights for those caught in the middle, but she also needs order restored. The world has to be normal so she can play.
So far, I like this character. Something that was sorely lacking in DA2 was the idea of the middle path – you had to choose a side, there were no other options. We lost the morally ambiguous decisions that were a big part of making DA:O so great. With the induction of this character, and the general plot of DA:I, we know that it will be all about the middle road. Sera has been one of the featured characters in marketing, taking a prominent place in the official trailer and being the first character with a teaser and a character profile. The profile can be found here. From it, we get more about her personality and general disposition, and a bit of a teaser as to how you end up meeting her. So far, I’m most excited to meet Sera. Okay, maybe I’m most excited to meet Bull, but I am still definitely exited to meet this chick.
What do you think about these bios? Any theories on the characters as of yet living is mystery? Let me know in the comments below. I’m going to go play Dragon Age. Good day.
The Paradoxical Paradigm 