Okay. I have a lot of opinions right now about the next game. My dash is full of people wanting their Inquisitors back for DA4, for many reasons. I’ve said before that I would not be angry if we don’t get them back, but now I feel I need to clarify. I will not be surprised.
I’ve watched Weekes’ recent interview, and I love listening to him geek out and have fun. But, I did listen. So here it is.
I don’t like getting invested in a new protagonist time and time again–it makes it hard to invest at all. I can; it’s the nature of interests, but when I put so much effort into a character only to lose them over and over (not necessarily through death)–I will have a hard time touching the new game for a long time, meaning I will not immediately jump in and buy it. I don’t replay DAO much because the game is long and I can’t invest in my wardens the way I had at first. I know where their stories can go. I can sit in the keep and make plenty of them for a new worldstate. I replay DA2 because it is short and sits on the same level as essentially comfort food for me, but I don’t get too invested in my Hawkes when I do it. Not anymore.
But then there’s Inquisition. I can’t stop playing, even with Trespasser. I’m super invested! My Lavellan and Trevelyan are fun to play! And part of the fun, for me, as a player, is not knowing where they are going next. Their story is finished… but unfinished. I want to play my Lavellan opposing Solas’ plan, doing her level best to save him. And, I remember reading way back last year that Bioware had been studying the movement of one-armed amputees and how they could move and fight with that. They have looked into it! Losing their arm should never prevent them from being a main player character and it would help make sense that they need to relearn their skills all over again.
I spent a long time investing in my Inquisitors, and honestly, I would be happy to continue them forward. The rule about Thedas not being one person’s story makes sense, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have one person’s story be multiple games and then move on to someone new after that. I want a complete story. DAI does and doesn’t feel complete–it feels like a complete origin story of epic proportions, like a complete setup for the next part of the Inquisitor’s story. My wardens and Hawkes were done by the end of their games (and DLC). But it really does feel like the Inquisitor isn’t done yet–they still have goals and a stake in things, and it wouldn’t make sense for the next person to have the same stake in, say, Solas, as the Inquisitor does.
As a player… I don’t want my Inquisitor in a supporting, sideline role to handle Solas. I want them to struggle for Solas directly–he is their friend, their love, their enemy. Yes, we are moving on to a new part of Thedas and likely new companions. I’m okay with that–the companions feel wrapped up. It’s the Inquisitor who… well, isn’t. They are and they aren’t. It’s strange. At this point, the new protagonist “rule” for every game feels arbitrary with how Trespasser left things. I was more ready for a new person after the end game, but now, after Trespasser, I feel… like I’m sitting on a cliff waiting to get nudged off or pulled back and I don’t know which I want.
Losing an arm isn’t going to make me not want to play them, nor should it stop them from being a hero. Also, the Inquisitor is the first protagonist in Dragon Age with no defined age. I want to play someone who has been around the block, who is older, experienced. The Warden and Hawke have rough canon ages that start them pretty young; the Inquisitor does not. You can play that grizzled warrior who has been around the block before with them, and if their story is continued, then you can do so even more. That would be great!
The Inquisitor is left with finishing Book One, maybe even Book Two with Trespasser–I would like to see Book Three (through Five, if we’re going for a Trilogy or a five part series) for them. Playing a few games as one protagonist’s complete arc would make me very happy, and ready to play as a new protagonist after that. I need a defined and definite ending to the story.
Another thing! I would love to play a story like Leliana’s Song for Solas–playing AS Solas during the events that led up to the creation of the Veil? HOW AWESOME WOULD THAT BE?!?!
“Rest now as our honored brother once more. A wreath of daisies at your
brow, the letter she carried in your hand. Whoever guides you, whoever
guides her, may your souls meet once more in the beyond.“ - Elandrin and Adalene
Dear Bioware, when I said to my friend that I wanted to know the truth
about what happened at Red Crossings prior to DA:I’s release, I didn’t
mean it was alright for you to rip my heart out with some Starcrossed
Lovers and a huge misunderstanding.
Girl In Red Crossing By the inimitably talented @ingridbeast for anyone else who has felt personally victimised by Bioware finally giving us this story for Red Crossing.
I’m actually speechless. The painting is beautiful and that song fits the mood so well.
So, keep in mind I’m very sick right now so my brain is kinda addled and I haven’t even bothered to look up whether or not a theory like this is already floating around the internet. It probably is, and others have probably explained it far better than I, but that’s okay! It doesn’t hurt to rant about my fun vague (VERY VAGUE) thoughts anyway, right? Also, if anything I’ve said is wrong, please correct me!! Well… here I go!!
Theory: Qunari blood is the key to curing the taint and the Calling.
The only known person to become cured of being a grey warden is Fiona - an elf, who fucked our good old King Maric. Maric’s ancestor - King Calenhad - drank the blood of a high dragon (after being told to by a certain someone), and their entire bloodline now seems to carry the power of that dragon blood. When Fiona and Maric did the THING, she became pregnant, and was somehow cured of being a warden and no one understands how because this has never happened before so everyone was like what the fuck Fiona and she was like geez whatever.
It stands to potentially reason that somehow having the taint AND a dragon blood fetus somehow didn’t mesh well. We know from Morrigan’s ritual, fetuses are pretty capable of absorbing heavy magic shit. And that was a tainted fetus absorbing an old god’s soul. This, on the other hand, would be a fetus created with dragon blood; I’d say there’s a decent chance that has the power to absorb the taint, and the dragon blood somehow cancel it out or something, idfk, this is all fun speculation.
Regardless of your Inquisitor’s race, The Iron Bull tells you (when you meet him for drinks after slaying your first dragon together) that HIS theory on his own race is that the Qunari may have some dragon blood in them, mixed in somewhere along the line by the Tamassrans who control all breeding amongst Qunari.
As a Qunari Inquisitor, you learn through interactions with Kieran and Corypheus that your blood “does not belong to your people,” and that your race, as a whole, was a “mistake.” Kieran says that he “recognizes your blood.” The boy, when he says this, has the soul of an Archdemon - an old god/ dragon, rather. Is it possible that the dragon in him can recognize the dragon blood in others? Now, Corypheus’ remark - that “your race is not a race. It is a mistake.” - comes alongside the comment “What do they call you? A Qunari?” This implies heavily that the Qunari did not exist at the time when Corypheus was still a human magister, yet he does know of their existence, as a mistake; an experiment - created possibly for some greater purpose?
I need to do some research on the timeline to flesh the WHEN out a little, because I’m bad with history in terms of specific ages (help, anyone?), but it seems as though the Qunari may have been created - dragon blood mixed with Elvhen blood - and that such an experiment may have happened in Ancient Tevinter, It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Tevinters used Elvhen blood in their creepy ass experiments, am I right? There are codex entries detailing experiments on Elvhen slaves, such as the one (found in the Fade, I believe) about Corypheus hiimself using the blood of elves for his greatest feat, or something along those lines. This theory that the blood of dragons and elves were used to create Qunari is not really new amongst fans - but what was the purpose? Could it possibly have been to find an antidote for the taint?
Most importantly: No Qunari (as far as I know, and plEASE correct me if I’m wrong so I can just shut this down completely and stop making a fool of myself) has ever been a Grey Warden. Similarly, there is absolutely no record of any Qunari having the taint in any form. Ever.
So, my conclusion: Becoming impregnated with a Qunari fetus might cure people of the taint. Maybe (hopefully) not just fetuses though. Maybe just the blood alone, somehow might work. Drinking the blood? Fusing it with magic somehow? Idk. But, either way, Qunari could possibly have been created initially for that purpose exactly, and they may potentially become essential to curing the taint and stopping the Calling (which is what your Warden is currently on a mission to do. They wouldn’t make that a point in Inquisition, AND bring up all this Qunari blood stuff if they weren’t eventually gonna be important. Or… maybe they would, but speculation is still fun).
Anyway, I’ve seen several people speculating vaguely about Alistair’s blood in particular being a cure to the taint, but I’m just jumping right past that and wondering - what if the Qunari can cure the taint as a whole race? What if they were even created FOR the purpose of curing the taint? I don’t know. And hey, maybe I’m starting to get really carried away. But it sure is fun to think about anyway. Thanks for reading my mumbo-jumbo!
have you seen this panel from the comics ?
Wow, this is a really cool theory!
Here’s some other things to consider:
1.) Physiologically, Qunari do share some traits with elves. They’re the only other species we’ve seen with pointed ears, but they also share the same flat faces that elves have had since DA2.
2.) Elves being more susceptible to the Qun makes more sense now. They’re not just jaded, there might be some sort of spiritual connection there.
3.) This Bioware Forum discussion talks about a War Table mission i DA:I where you find out that dragon’s blood is resistant to Darkspawn taint.
4.) If dragon’s blood makes Qunari immune to Blight, that might explain why they’re immune to the myriad of poisons used in their vitaars.
5.) Iron Bull theorizes that the Qunari left their homeland to flee the Kossith. Kossith have been described as both pre-Qun Qunari, and also not looking like the modern Qunari. It’s possible they are more closely related to dragons than elves. The reason I say this is because the Qunari have a strange relationship with dragons; they think they need to be eradicated because they are chaotic destruction, but they also marvel them. Heck, loved ones split a dragon’s tooth as a sort of token of affection. The Qunari also revere any Qunari born without horns, seeing them as special and intimidating. Putting all that together tells me the Qunari subconsciously value those of them that appear more elvish and less draconic, like there’s some sort of buried recognition and revulsion of their tainted selves. Why else would they follow a religion that makes them into cogs of a machine? They don’t trust themselves with freedom.
Some maybe holes in your theory:
1.) Qunari women can still be made into broodmothers, thus creating ogres. If they’re totally immune, wouldn’t that make them useless as broodmothers?
2.) There are in-game rumors of Tal-Vashoth becoming Grey Wardens, no documented proof you’re right, but rumors.
Anyway, just some thoughts on the matter! Smart work, @kinkyfenris!
2nd playthrough of Inquisition, trying to switch up my usual team (elf bf Solas, precious son Cole, and uncle Blackwall) but GOOD LORD NONE OF THEM GET ALONG. My usual team gets along but I put one other in (except Varric) and they do nothing but insult each other. Dorian wants common ground with Solas and asks about spirit servents???? Bull hits on Cassandra????? Vivienne hates everything I do?????? Sera calls Cole an “it”?????????
In the event the Inquisitor drinks from the Well and subjects themselves to Mythal’s will, when Solas takes Mythal’s (and Urthemiel potentially) spirit, does that place the Inquisitor under Solas’ control?
If that is so, and Solas is romanced by the Inquisitor, could that be viewed as an act of liberation? Solas makes a lot of incendiary remarks about any sort of service and enslavement (the Well, Tevinter, the Qun) but is also the God of Rebellion. He offers to remove a romanced Inquisitor’s vallaslin because they are misinterpreted slave markings to a God he (might have) overthrown. Given all this, and his reaction to an Inquisitor drinking from the Well, it would make sense that a benefit to taking Mythal’s soul would be claiming the Inquisitor’s geas in order to release them… or not if things go sour.
