Dragon Age: Meet the Advisors – Josephine

The eldest daughter of a noble Antivan family, Josephine is a rising star among diplomats, skilled at forging alliances with tact, grace, and carefully cultivated favors.

Of all the advisers in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Jospehine (AKA Scribbles) is the only without a solid history in the lore. Having spent some time as an ambassador in the courts of Thedas, she is very familiar with politics in and out of Orlais. She is the Inquisitions administrator and ambassador, working through papers and politics to get (and keep) the backing of influential figures required to secure the power of the Inquisition. She is an optimistic sort, and fully believes that the Inquisitor is the best hope to end the chaos across Thedas.

She brings about a new sort of character to the DA universe. She is not a fighter. As an Antivan noblewoman, likely nearly as familiar with the Crows as she is with the courts, she’s probably not helpless. But she is most useful staying at the keep and doing paperwork and meeting with nobles and all that stuff most people would consider boring. She is a true diplomat. Most of the prominent characters in the DA universe are fighters, and many of the diplomat types seem untrustworthy (i.e. Anora). With the Inquisition, however, Josephine isn’t trying to gain any sort of power for herself. She legitimately believes in what the Inquisition is trying to do. That will make for a nice dynamic.

Josephine is an old acquaintance of Leliana’s, and they work very well together. And, while she and Cullen respect each other, their philosophies often clash. As for the Inquisitor, Josephine is available as a romance for an Inquisitor of any race or gender.

Overall, I’m excited to see what comes out of this kind of character. While she’s not my first choice for a romance, she does sound like a great friend to have.

Dragon Age: Inquisition will be released on October 7, 2014 for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Dragon Age: Meet the Advisers – Leliana

As always, Leliana will be voice by the lovely Corinne Kempa.

She is the shadow behind the Sunburst Throne—the one who watches and waits, who strikes when her mark is most vulnerable and least suspecting.

We first met Leliana in Lothering in Dragon Age: Origins. Orlesian Bard and former Lay Sister of the Chantry, she was on a mission to help The Warden complete his or her mission to end the blight. She can be romanced by either a male or female Warden, but only actively pursued a female Warden. Because of her possible involvement with the Warden, and because of slight changes in her disposition since the fifth blight, Leliana will not be romanceable for any Inquisitor.

As a major charatcer in the Dragon Age franchise, Leliana has had a lot to do with most of the major installments of the series. She notably appeared in Dragon Age II, Asunder, and The Masked Empire. For her involvement in each installment, read on.

Dragon Age 2

In DA2, Leliana is met by Hawke and Sebastian Vael in the Kirkwall Chantry. As the left hand of the Divine, she tells us that the woman is contemplating a new Exalted March. Regardless of the move the Divine makes, Grand Cleric Elthina is not safe in Kirkwall, and has been invited to seek refuge in The Grade Cathedral in Val Royeaux. She is seen again in Orlais during the Mark of the Assassin DLC.

In the Epilogue, as Cassandra leaves the Hawke estate, Leliana tells her that she has failed to locate the Warden-Commander of Amaranthine. As Cassandra has also not located Hawke, and thus they don’t have the support they were hoping for in this fledgling Inquisition, they consider whether to continue with their plans.

The Epilogue of DA2 takes place in 9.40 Dragon, and occurs prior to the events of Asunder and The Masked Empire (which happen within the same time frame).

The Masked Empire

Leliana meets with Empress Celene I at the University of Orlais to discuss the tensions between mages and templars. The Empress tells the Divine to make a statement at a ball thrown in her honor so that she can keep the nobles of the court from interfering. In return, the Divine asked that Celene end the elven revolt in Halamshiral. Leliana disagrees with the repressive tactics continually used against the elves, but knows that those in power must show strength to avoid chaos in this delicate time.

Asunder

At the ball thrown in the Divine’s honor, Leliana meets with Knight-Captain Evangeline and discusses the current unrest within the White Spire. She is called out to meet a friend from Ferelden (presumably Wynne) and ends up missing the attempt on the Divine’s life from an extremest in the Libertarian faction. She is seen again at the Divine’s side when Rhys, Adrian, Wynne, and Pharamond are granted an audience with the Divine to discuss what happened at Adamant Fortress. She keeps Lord Seeker Lambert from attacking Rhys.

When Lord Seeker Lambert prevents the vote calling for the independence of mages from the templars, all present (save for Evangeline and Wynne) are captured and taken into the dungeons. Leliana appears to help them escape, by order of the Divine. She meets Wynne, Shale, Evangeline, and Cole under the tower and takes Cole to free the mages. Like Rhys and Wynne, Leliana appears to have no trouble seeing Cole. Whether this was Cole gaining more control often his particular condition or something to do with Leliana remains unclear. She sends Cole to kill the three templars guarding the cells. After this, the two part ways as Cole half carries and injured Rhys and Leliana leads the able-bodied mages out of the tower.

Upon seeing Leliana, Lord Seeker Lambert realizes the Divine’s involvement in this ‘treason’ against the templars and decides to nullify the Nevarran Accord, thus making the Templar and Seeker order independent from Chantry law.

Leliana sings at Wynne’s funeral, and is last seen with Shale, Evangeline, and many former circle mages (now apostates) at the Adamant Fortress.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

In Inquisition, we see a Leliana who is hardened from the chaos of the world and the weight of her responsibility as a high ranking member (and one of the original founders) of the Inquisition. She is in charge of espionage and assassination for the Inquisition, and her many old friends may prove to be a big help to the organization. She is not quite the cheerful, optimistic young woman we remember. However, if you get to know her there is a chance she may let her guard down just a bit. But she is fully willing to put aside her own values for the sake of the Inquisition. She also understands that the organization cannot be divided, and this is how she tends to express her relationships with other members. She respect both Cullen and Cassandra:

It’s a little like Mom and Dad quarrelling behind closed doors, but presenting a united front to the kids.

And was responsible for bring Josephine onto the team. Her exact relationship with other members is yet to be seen, though assuming she remembers Cole she may be one of the seemingly few who accepts him without much question. Based on her history, it is also reasonable to assume she’s appreciate Vivienne’s fashion sense, Sera’s affiliation with the Friends of the Red Jenny, and Blackwall’s affiliations with the Grey Wardens.

All in all, I am very excited to see Leliana once again in the coming installment into the Dragon Age series. I hope to see romance-specific content for Leliana, as well as continued mentions of all of her ‘old friends’.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is coming out on October 7, 2014 for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Dragon Age and the People of Color ‘Debate’

The internet (namely, tumblr and twitter) have been abuzz as of late with an oddly large number of people freaking out about the ethnicity of a recently announced character for the upcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition. Much of the fan art for the character has made him look ‘more white’ than he was intended. This, naturally, caused a sort of uproar wherein the majority of people were 100% confused, spurring such comments as:

Dude. Dorian’s got olive skin, which is the usual southern European/Mediterranean colour, and you can bet your arse that we all identify as white.

…how is Dorian NOT white. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for poc character and I got super excited when I saw vivienne because not only is she black, she HAS features common of african ethnicity and not just a white person colored black…but Dorian’s a pastry white ass guy.

While there is much there to address, if you’re unfamiliar with the Dragon Age franchise, this is the character in question:

When I first saw Dorian, I thought he was white. And this is not so much his actual appearance, but a deeper issue that this has been revealed in media: I thought Dorian was white because I expected him to be white. He has some color to his skin, he has features not commonly associated with Caucasians or white people (rather, features commonly associated with Indian or Middle Eastern heritage). In fact, he looks like  me. And I am very much not white. Despite all of this, I assumed that it was just the lighting, and that he was another white character. And a lot of other people did too.

This is a problem.

And I shouldn’t have to tell anyone that this is a problem for them to realize that this is, in fact, a really big problem. We live in a society where there are so many white leading men that, unless we get a character that is outwardly black or Eastern Asian, the assumption is that he is white.

Since the above comments were made, several of the writers and developers on the game have come out to address the issue. John Epler, cinematic developer for BioWare, had this to say:

When you take a character that -is – a PoC and you draw them as white, you’re sort of saying ‘don’t care about you unless you’re white’. And that’s a feeling that people will take into their real lives. ‘Unless your’e white, we don’t think you’re worthwhile’.

This speaks to a much deeper issue than let on. As previously stated, the artists that drew Dorian as white did not realize he was not meant to be white. His skin isn’t noticeably dark, therefore he has to be white. In my eyes, the problem is not that people drew Dorian white. The problem is that everyone is so sure that he is white that they’ve become outwardly opposed to any other idea.

The logic, as seen in the first anonymous comment above, is that Dorian has light skin, therefore he is white. And this speaks to an issue that has been hugely prevalent in culture throughout the last century: passing. I talk more about that idea here. Specifically in the poem Passing by Tori Derricotte:

Why presume “passing” is based on what I leave out and not what she fills in?

Too many people need to know, and too many people fill in. In the case of media, it is very important as there are not many not-white main characters. By filling in his race, too many people have made a crucial mistake. And this is something we should talk about, and this is something that we should work on.

We see race in terms of black and white, and that has never been okay.

That being said.

There is another fundamental misunderstanding that has made this conversation a hell of a lot harder to have. People keep talking about white washing, and Dorian being a Person of Color and all that. But what most have failed to talk about is what, exactly, Person of Color means. Where I come from, it means black.When we get letters that talk about ‘people of color’ from colleges and the like, many have the response ‘but I’m not black’ and others, like me, feel the term is dated and weird. In my region, the only people who call all minorities people of color are the white people of the north end. Everyone else associates the term with people who identify with the black cultural identify. This predominantly includes people with ethnic ties to Africa, Jamaica, and South America. So for someone like me, and I’m sure for many other people, to hear that Dorian is a PoC, their first response is ‘but doesn’t look black’. And ‘reasonably’ so, as there have always been differences in social structure and slang across different regions (again, assuming a cultural identity based on appearance is a tricky thing to do). But pulling this entire idea into the area of ‘PoC’, everyone has latched onto this idea of black, and thus the central issue – the fact that he is not white and the shocking issue that so many people ignored his actual appearance as so many people expected him to be white – has gone largely ignored.

This is a problem.

I do not believe that they should have has to make Dorian darker. However, I do wonder why they didn’t. I’m not sure if that’s also a problem, or if it’s just the reasonable exercising of his country of origin (Tevinter) and the fact that the only Tevinters we’ve seen so far in the series have been darker than Fereldens and Kirkwallers, but not as dark as commonly associated with East Indians. And there is also the thought that Western media tends to latch onto the darker people in the Middle East and generally ignores the diversity that exists within skin tone and appearance.

There really is a lot going on here.

What is your take on the issue? And what does PoC mean to you? Let me know in the comments below.

Dragon Age: Inquisition – Companions and NPCs

As of June 23rd, every companion for DA:I has been officially named, and many NPCs have been announced and/or identified as well. Here I provide all the links to the discussions of the personality, roles, and, of course, the possibility for romance of each of these characters. Simply click on their name below, and you’ll get to where you want to go!

The Inquisitor

Companions| Varric Tethras – The Storyteller ♦ Vivienne, “Lady of Iron” – The Ambition ♦ Cassandra Pentaghast – The Believer ♦ Sera – The Wildcard ♦ Blackwall – The Resolve ♦ Iron Bull – The Muscle ♦ Cole – Spirit ♦ Dorian – The Redeemer ♦ Solus – The Mind

 NPCs| Coming soon!

Solas – The Mind

Solas is voiced by Gareth David-Lloyd, known for his portrayal of Ianto Jones in in Torchwood and Doctor Who. I’ve you need me I’ll be in the corner dying from joy.

He mastered his magic without the help of tutors, spending years exploring the spirit realm of the Fade and coming to an understanding of its denizens that few others could claim. He would be happiest left alone to sleep in ancient ruins, searching for memories and knowledge that has been lost for ages, but the Breach in the sky threatens all worlds.

“The Hedge Mage” – Solas is very much a free thinker. He is not Dalish, but he’s not from an alienage either. He grew up an apostate in a small village. He spent most of his time alone in the wilderness, and that is where he prefers to be. He’s self taught, and has spent a lot of time in the fade, coming to understand it as few mages do. Because of that, he can use magic in ways that most other mages wouldn’t even think of.

Solas found the Fade on his own, he went in without preconceptions, letting him explore the area and befriend spirits without the black-and-white mentality that holds back mages trained in the Circle.

Solas is a new kind of character to appear in the Dragon Age universe. We have had several kinds of mages, and several kinds of elves, all of them breaking the rules to some effect. All of them have viewed the Fade with the same sort of caution. The Keeper even has taught Merrill repeatedly that she cannot trust anything inside the Fade. Yet, Solas will explore the land of dreams, and even befriend spirits he meets there. To him, it’s not a black and white issue at all. This is good, this is bad, this versus that, us and them – to Solas, there’s always a bigger story. There is always more to it. As Solas would put it, “It’s more complicated than that.”

I am, at this point, 100% convinced that Solas is a romance option for the Inquisitor. And I really do intend on taking it. As a side bar – I can always tell who my favorite characters will be (Cole, Solas) and, so far, my favorite romance has always been the elf (Zevran, Fenris). I have a problem, you see.

Anyway. As for the rest of the Inquisition, Solas does not get along with Vivienne. She is cold toward him as only Vivienne is capable. She is very much pro-circle, and holds all the same views as the circle in regards to the fade. So, naturally, he thinks she’s close minded and she thinks he doesn’t know what he talking about. While I think he’ll generally get along with Bull, they will also get into disagreements over the freedom of thought and other things about Qunari beliefs. I have complete certainty that Solas and Cole will get along swimmingly. Solas being a lover of the fade, and Cole being a type of spirit demon guy. I’m looking forward to that.

I am extremely excited to see get to know Solas. How about you? What do you think of the newest (and final) companion of the Inquisitor? Let me know in the comments below!

 

The Inqusitior

Let those who would destroy us step into the light.

Overview

The Inquisitor is the protagonist of Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the third protagonist of a major game. The Inquisitor is the sole survivor of Breach tearing open during a peace conference at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. They emerge from the fade are found by Cassandra and her people. Though the Inquisitor is initially considered a threat, they eventually become the leader of the Inquisition, tasked with creating order and investigating the veil tears. On top of that, this character has the unique ability to close veil tears and manipulate the fade, expressed by a glowing green scar on his or her left hand.

Character Creation

The character creation will work very similarly to previous games. The character will choose a gender (male or female), then a race. Unlike in previous games, we can play as a human, elf, dawrf, or qunari. There is a specific story that goes along with each race. After that you choose a class. You can play as a mage, warrior, or rogue. As in previous games, a dwarf cannot be a mage.

The selection of race with determine the Inquisitor’s background. All that has been confirmed so far is a qunari inquisitor will be Vashoth (as opposed to Tal-Vashoth), Meaning that, while you are racially qunari, you were never introduced to the Qun. An elven inuisitor will be Dalish. It is assumed, as well, that a dwarven inquisitor is a noble, as their last name is Cadash.

You will also have the option to choose a voice for the Inquisitor. There are two recorded female voices, and two recorded male voices (one American, one British). One of the confirmed female voices is Alix Wilton Regan. She also voiced Comm Specialist Samantha Traynor in Mass Effect 3.

Role

The Inquisitor is a very powerful character. Of course they’re a badass, but they also have a huge amount of political power. You decide, as the Inquisitor, what kind of leader you want to be and what exactly the role of the Inquisition is. It is possible, if you try really hard to alienate everyone, to end the game with only one companion. It is also possible to end the game with a fully party. As seen in the 30 minute gameplay footage released a couple of months ago, your companions have big and palpable reactions to the decisions you make, and quick decisions can have huge consequences. For example, in the first gameplay trailer we see Varric leaning over dead bodies looking positively forlorn. In the gameplay footage, we learn that this happened as a direct result of a decision made by the Inquisitor. It was a decision that shocked your captain and one that Varric disagreed with. This was in issue where Cassandra would insist that the town needs the stronghold, and Varric would insist that there won’t be a town unless we leave the stronghold and defend the people. This makes me think that, when it comes down to it, you need to choose whether to protect to people of Thedas or to protect your assets and strongholds. It will be a bit more complex than that, but it’s certainly something we have to look forward to.

Unlike Hawke, the Inquisitor is not a ‘leaf in the wind.’

You aren’t waiting for the world to act upon you. You are acting upon it, both because you have an organization at your back. This gives you greater reach. You’re not walking into a camp and begging for help. You’re pounding down the gates of a castle and demanding that they come onto your side.

This will open up the options to really decide what the Inquisition is for. This is a new option in the Dragon Age franchise as The Grey Warden organization is about eight centuries old when you join it, and Hawke was simply thrown about by the poor decisions of others. As the Inquisitor, you are the founder of the organization, and you’re the one making the decisions that throw people like Hawke around.

Personality

There will be much less auto dialogue than in Dragon Age 2, something more similar to Mass Effect. Although, it is unclear whether or not we’ll have the same sort of personality options. I image those options will be extended, less one note, while still leaving the option for a witty or humorous response that has been present in every Dragon Age Game so far. When it comes down to it, you can customize this characters in ways you have before, and in ways that might be similar.

What are you hoping to see from the inquisitor? let me know in the comments below.

Dorian – The Redeemer

 

He wears the labels of “pariah” and “outcast” proudly, knowing that views of the Imperium are unlikely to change until and unless someone of his ability stands up to make a difference.

Dorian is a Tevinter mage who, unlike every other Tevinter mage we’ve met thus far, disagrees with what the Imperium is doing. He comes from a wealthy and influential family, and is a very powerful mage. He would be the “perfect mage” (and, subsequently, the perfect son) if not for a few key ‘flaws’. For one, he opposing everything the imperium stands for. He thinks the imperium is corrupt and wrong in what they do. Also, he’s gay. And he’s not ashamed of either of these things. He’s become a sort of pariah among the upper families of Tevinter.

His place in the plot is interesting. So far, it is clear that Dorian once studied under Alexius, a corrupt Tevinter magister and a major member of the Venatori. Not much is known about the Venatori. We know that they’re activities cause the Inquisition to have reason to intervene, and we know that at some point the Inquisitor can storm a keep run by the Venatori, and the faction eventually takes over Redcliffe Castle. This, again, is extremely interesting as it is said that Ferelden will not fall as long as Redcliffe stands. This brings question to the state of Ferelden and the exact level of involvement from Tevinter.

Because of the state of Tevinter (and the world) Dorian is generally a bit jaded. He’s sarcastic, witty, and very intelligent. Behind this, he’s a bit of an idealist. As in, he’ll still be disappointed when bad people do that bad things he expected them to do. He also dabbles in some Tevinter specific magic that most mages from other places might consider ‘distasteful’. Namely, spells involving spirits and the dead.

Because of his general personality, he and Vivienne come into conflict quite a bit. They’ll tear into each other, but, according to David Gaider, they’re the Statler and Waldorf of Thedas. Maker help us. His interactions with Iron Bull are also noteworthy, as Tevinter has been at war with the Qunari for centuries, and neither of these character are typical of their homeland. I image there will be others who don’t appreciate his quips, and those that really do (namely, Varric. Possibly, Sera). And I image do his his spirit/dead things related magic he’ll have at least something interesting going on with Cole.

So far, I quite like Dorian. And I quite like that fact that he’s definitely a romance option for a male Inquisitor. His personality type, right off the bat, is quite similar to Zevran. And I love Zevran. So I’m very excited to get to know him and the story surrounding him. What do you think of Dorian so far? Disappointed/excited he’s gay? Ready for all the dashing wit? Let me know in the comments below!

Cole – The Spirit

Cole is voiced by James Norton. Like several actors lending their voices to Dragon Age, he briefly appeared (and subsequently died) in an episode of Doctor Who.

All Cole knows for certain is that the world is full of pain and he must find his place within it. Those who wish to restore order and help the helpless will find him a strange but unwavering ally. Those who use their power for selfish reasons may never see Cole again—if they remember that he was there to begin with.

The most recent companion confirmed for DA:I, and so far he seems to be the cause of the most confusion. Cole is not new to the lore of Dragon Age, having appeared alongside Leliana, Shale, and Wynn in the novel Dragon Age: Asunder. If you haven’t read the book (and you aren’t planning to), check out this page for a rundown of the events. If that’s simply too much reading, allow me to tell you a bit about Cole’s involvement. You can also look at Cole’s page on Dragon Age Wiki.

Cole was a ghost in the White Spire (a circle tower in Orlais) who had been killing mages who were about to be made tranquil. These were basically mercy killings for people who were begging for death. No one could see or remember him, save for Rhys, Wynn’s son and an expert in spirit magic. Rhys befriended Cole over the course of about a year, prompting Cole to follow him when he leaves the Spire with Wynn, Evengeline (a templar), and several others to investigate the possible cure for tranquility at the adamant fortress. Rhys is eventually imrpisoned for a murder he did not commit. They think it was Cole, and when they find out it wasn’t (because it really wasn’t), Leliana and Cole free the mages imprisoned in the Spire, and eventually find and free Rhys. When they attempt to escape, they are found by Lord Seeker Lambert. Lambert uses the Litany of Andralla on Cole, making him visible – this is where the wiki page gets it wrong.

It says that Cole is a spirit using blood magic, but this is untrue. The Litany of Andralla only works on blood mages and demons. And Cole is not a blood mage.

When he realizes what he is, he fades away. But he comes back later to kill Lord Seeker Lambert, because lord Seeker Lambert is a slightly terrible person.

Basically, there was once a mage in the white Spire named Cole. This mage was raised poor with an abusive father. After he killed his father, he was found and taken to the Spire. There, he was brutally murdered. His pain was so acute that he called straight into the fade and brought up a spirit (or something) and they kind of sort of became one. Cole is a demon, but he generally acts like (and is trying very hard to be) a spirit. His character will explore that grey area between demons and spirits – something that was touched on in DA2 with Justice/Vengeance.

Cole wants to help people who are hurting. He may not always get it right, but he never stops caring. He will walk into the most painful moment of someone’s life and offer them comfort without hesitation or judgment. And then he will disappear from their mind and walk away, because it’s not about getting thanked, or even remembered. It’s about helping.

I can always tell who my favorite character will be one look at Wynn, Zevran, Fenris – now it’s Cole. I loved Cole in Asunder, and I know I’ll keep loving him in Inquisition. Aside from all that touching stuff, he is a very useful companion. He’s a skilled rogue with pretty rad mage/spirit/demons powers, as he isn’t quite constrained by human limitations. And he’s not just willing to defend innocent people, that’s the entire reason he’s here.

While I don’t quite get the divide, since there are so many fans who basically said, to quote the writer, Patrick Weekes, “Demon? LOL NOPE” – Cole is an optional companion. You’ll just find him somewhere, and he’ll want to help. You can turn him away or let him help. And, as in previous games, your companions will definitely have something to say about it. So far, their reactions seem mainly negative. Vivienne thinks he should be banished, and Sera refuses to even talk to him, calling him ‘it’. However, despite his thing about demons, The Iron Bull does try to help him out as he’s part of the team and kinda seems like a sad kid he’s very willing to try and take under his wing. So that’s a plus. I also imagine Leliana’s reaction to him will be at least somewhat positive, considering their interactions in Asunder.

As for his relationship with the Inquisitor. Some people are hoping for a romance, I can live without it. Nothing’s been said as of yet.

As you can probably tell, I am 100% excited to see Cole in inquisition. We have a similar outlook, you see. And I’ve been wanting a demon-like companion for a while now. And I like his floppy hat. What do you think about Cole? Will he join your team? Are you holding out for some kind of romance scenario? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Iron Bull – The Muscle

Bull is voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr., the voice behind James Vega in Mass Effect 3.

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.

I am perhaps most excited to get to know The Iron Bull. Second most excited, at least. Unlike every other Qunari that has appeared in the Dragon Age universe, Bull is described as laid back and friendly. As made clear from listening to Under the Horns – a preview of some of his dialogue and character. Bull is a Ben-Hassrath – a group of Qunari spies and secret police. He was the best, and he did it until the harsh battle became too much. He was then sent to Orlais to observe and report. Years later, he still sends the reports. But years outside the Qun have definitely changed him, and he’s not quite how yet. But he knows he loves to eat too much, drink too much, and have sex with whoever he thinks can handle it. He’s been described as the James Bond of Dragon Age.

What he does need are people he can trust to watch his back and friends he can laugh with. After surviving years of ugly, nasty fighting, The Iron Bull has learned not to take anything too seriously. Unless it involves demons.

The Iron Bull is scared of perhaps one thing: demons. Well, so far it’s been described as more of a ‘they freak him out’ because they’re weird and creepy and they possess people. That  being said, he gets along with just about everyone in the Inquisition, Cole included. They’re all part of the team, and if you’re on the team, you’re on the team. The only person he may be at odds with from time to time is Varric – and we all remember Varric’s experience with the Qunari. And, if you’re new to Dragon Age, let’s just say he saw them at their absolute worst.

Bull has been confirmed as a romance option for a male or female Inquisitor of any race. Let us come together and squee.

So far, I’m loving what I’m seeing here. Bull seems both interesting and awesome as a character, and I’m about that life. What do you think about Bull so far? Yay or Nay to a romance? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Blackwall – The Resolve

 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.

Grey Wardens are defenders of the people. This is Blackwall’s believe and his general disposition toward the idea of choosing a side to fight on. He is driven by morality. He doesn’t necessarily have to act, there is not circumstance that has forced his hand, so to speak, but he is going to do something regardless. It’s not because there’s no one else to do it. It’s because it’s his job and it’s the life that he chose.

He’s aware that in wars, the people who call the shots are often safe in their fortresses. It’s the soldiers who die. He’s seen people with power abuse it and use it to manipulate others, and he absolutely hates that.

Blackwall is described as generally guarded, but will loosen up around certain people. His propensity for sharing war stories over a nice drink may make him get along with those like Bull. However, his driven moral stances may put him at odds with some of those very same people. I’m interested to see how that turns out. Whether or not he is a romacne option for the Inquisitor is still up in the air.

In Blackwall’s character profile, they hint at the possibility his relationships to other characters evolving over time. Which gives that idea that the members of the Inquisition will have relationships have dynamic with each other as with the Inquisitor. This is something that I really like about DA2 (and Mass Effect) that I felt was actually lacking in Origins. Your companions talk to each other, their relationships changed over time. For example, Isabella and Aveline’s arguing evolves into friendly bickering. They hang out with each other when they aren’t following Hawke around. If Hawke does not romance Fenris or Isabella, the two start doing that sex thing. They talk to each other, they have preferences, and their relationships to change over time. I have to see this to a greater extent in Inquisition – as in, characters react not only to the decisions the Inquisitors make, but to the decisions other characters make.

Blackwall’s presence also brings to question the presence of the Wardens in the game. There are several clips in the trailers hinting at conflict with the Wardens. I wonder if they were able to remain neutral as, technically, the wardens aren’t supposed to get involved in the war. Their only job would be to figure out the deal with the hole in the sky. But the wardens were definitely up to something in the second act of DA2 (perhaps pursuing whatever it is Morrigan gives the Hero?). It gives question as to whether we’ll see Carver/Bethany in any sort of cameo, or any of the prominent Wardens of games past. Like Oghren, Nathaniel, and, of course, the Hero of Ferelden (assuming he/she survived the events of DA:O). At least, any of these are subject to be mentioned in passing. There aren’t so many Grey Wardens that they never would have met.

So far, I like what I’ve seen from Blackwall. He sounds like a good companion to have, and a good friend to have. Because he fights for the cause, Blackwall seems like one of those that will be fighting whether or not he joins the Inquisition. I’m very interested to learn more about him. What are your thoughts on Blackwall so far? Yay or Nay to a romance? Do you think his presence will have any bearing on the overall presence of Wardens within the game? Let me know in the comments below.