10 replies to this topic

[Lehcar]

So, the Gauntlet sequence where you meet the spirit of someone from your origin story is supposed to be a really... emotional moment in the story. For me, it's a very special little moment, even though I think they could have done a lot better with it in some respects.

The Dwarf Noble is absolutely perfect, meeting your dead big brother Trian, whom depending on what choices you made, you could have either killed yourself, or your asinine little brother Bhelen could have killed... both the possible dialogues you can get with him based on that are very good, but if you killed him yourself it's even better, it brings me to tears how he actually forgives for what you did. I seriously cried my eyeballs out first time I watched that. Of course, besides Trian, I think meeting your late father King Endrin would have really good too, very emotion stirring... but of course depending on what order one decides to do the different quests in, a first time player may or may not actually be yet aware of the fact that Endrin is dead by that point.

The Dwarf Commoner... sucks, in my opinion. I have yet to try doing the Orzammar portion of the quest before going to the temple, but frankly I just don't think Leske was a very good choice since he ends up utterly betraying you as a friend (to some crazy psycho b*tch no less) and you must kill him in defense of your life. That fact is why meeting his spirit in the temple fails to stir my emotions. But I think the Dwarf Commoner was difficult for the writers, because there isn't anyone in the Dwarf Commoner's origin story that they're very "close" to that ends up dying or at least having some misfortune fall upon them. So, I can't actually think of any characters that would have been more "fitting" for the spirit sequence... big bugaboo there.

The Human Noble was perfect, too. Meeting your murdered father Bryce Cousland... emotional, so very very tragic and emotional. I think the Human Noble's mother, Eleanor, also would have been an excellent choice, as would have been possibly Dairren or Iona depending on your choices, but out of those two Dairren especially.

City Elf, meh... doesn't make me feel anything, since Shianni is still alive and there's just really nothing about your relationship with her, and nothing for your meeting with her spirit to inspire any emotions. And it's kind of a wall-banger if you accepted Vaughan's bribe in the origin story and allowed her to be gang raped, because her spirit in the temple acts all solemn and gentle and forgiving with you; but then when you actually get to meet her in person again later on, she sure as heck isn't that friendly or forgiving towards you... (she made everyone in the Alienage hate your guts)

Dalish Elf was perfect. Well, it was still fairly emotional, but not a total tear-jerker because at that point, a first-time player likely isn't aware of what has happened to him. But then when he becomes a tragic monster later on... that makes for a real heartbreaker.

Mage origin, well... since Jowan is the only friend you apparently have, and since you don't know your family and no one close to you died or met with a terrible tragedy in the origin (it's probably the most un-emotional origin story out of them all), they probably couldn't have done any better than that.

What are your thoughts?

[Old Book]

Well said, Lehcar.

I really didn't like being "forgiven" as a Mage by Jowan. He was lying to my character the whole time, and lying to Lilly. His scheme would have gotten my character sent to the Mage's Prison if the character hadn't been recruited by the Wardens. So, yes, by far the weakest of the lot. I'd have rather spoken to Lilly. She was lied to by the man she loved, and possibly betrayed by my character; now she's rotting in prison for the crime of putting love above duty. Her conversation would mean something.

As a Cousland, I think they made the right choice. Speaking with my character's mother would have been more of a tear jerker, but also a little obvious as a choice. If it had been someone else, I think Iona would have been my choice (if my character had slept with her). She was killed right in front of the Cousland Warden after their night together, in his bedroom, under his protection, and her little girl is still out there. Talking with her would have been wrenching, even if they couldn't have had any real future together.

[RustyBlade]

I agree on all but the city elf but I play as a male character and I tend to think of Shianni as either a little sister or a kissing cousin or perhaps a bit of both, both/either being left behind (after being brutalized and raped) to suffer the purge of the Alienage and the subsequent enslavement of the survivors. At the time of the gauntlet, my character has no idea if she is alive or dead; all he knows is there was a purge and he can't get inside to check on anyone's well being - is she real? is she a ghost? I generally come away from it feeling a little guilty for leaving as I did (yeah, I know it's a game and I had no other choice.) Of course that guilt-mongering, fatherless step-child of a spirit warrior doesn't help either.

[danscott84]

I agree about the city elf. I would have expected either Neleros or Nesiara depending on your gender. Neleros was killed trying to save you, and Nesiara left alone after you are forced to join up. What future does she have? And when you get back later you find out she goes back home, and since the marriages are arranged, does she get another chance?

[Aurelet]

I agree about the city elf. I would have expected either Neleros or Nesiara depending on your gender. Neleros was killed trying to save you, and Nesiara left alone after you are forced to join up. What future does she have? And when you get back later you find out she goes back home, and since the marriages are arranged, does she get another chance?

I'd expect that would make me feel a lot more guilty since I was a real brat to him.

[brokenergy]

The Gauntlet spirit is the representation of reflection of your past deeds and how it affects the one most important to you. So Neleros or Nesiara don't really count as you don't really know them. The city elf feels guilty of not coming sooner to save Shianni because Shianni is like a sister to him/her (the city elf has no siblings) and beets himself/herself down for it. Even though Neleros or Nesiara are her/his fiancée, the city elf doesn't know them that well, so someone who has to live with the scars of rape the rest of her life is much more fitting than some one you met only in one day, don't you think?

[Shacary]

I agree, I cried with the HNF story, seeing my murdered father, It broke my heart, and Tamlem, wow that was heart breaking, I didnt want to go into the other room, I just wanted to stand there and mourn. Might sound silly but.. As for shianni, that worked for me too. Who hasnt experienced anger, pain, depression and hopeless helplessness at some point in their lives? if u havent count yourself blessed. I wanted to promise her [ just like the butterfly e ffect movie the main character apologizes to the grave of his childhood swweetheart} that I would do better, fix all the wrongs and plead for her faith to hang on... I have not played thru the dwarf lineage to that spot... now im totally curious and will have to finish it!
as for Jowan, ya he was totally ineffective to me, even if i pretended i had a crush on him once, he blew that bubble long ago, but as you said there is no one else... so... what can u do? i was amazed [ im not super religious ] how touched i was to BE in RPG and make it to the ashes. It was like nothing else, as tho i really had seen the face of God!!! good stuff, I hope Da2 has more personal interplays like this , man there will be lots to regret by then! LOL

[danscott84]

The Gauntlet spirit is the representation of reflection of your past deeds and how it affects the one most important to you. So Neleros or Nesiara don't really count as you don't really know them. The city elf feels guilty of not coming sooner to save Shianni because Shianni is like a sister to him/her (the city elf has no siblings) and beets himself/herself down for it. Even though Neleros or Nesiara are her/his fiancée, the city elf doesn't know them that well, so someone who has to live with the scars of rape the rest of her life is much more fitting than some one you met only in one day, don't you think?

I agree to a point, and that is based on what gender you play as. For the male, you rush to the castle after being knocked out. And because it went that far I agree that you should feel you did not fight enough in the first place. However, as a female you wake up in the castle with her, and split up by the guards. Soris comes to rescue you, then you have to fight your way to Vaughn's room. Perhaps there might be some guilt at not killing fast enough? But in that situation you have to know there was little more you could do than to slaughter Vaughn when you get there. So in this case Neleros does seem more significant because he is someone who you just met and gave his life to save you.

[brokenergy]

Yea, I know that Neleros would have been more significant in the Gauntlet (when playing a female CE) but you only just met this guy and your dad 'sold' you off to him (payed like 10~15 slivers or something in that amount to bring him here without 'hiccups') while you knew Shianni all your life. I felt nothing when he died by the guards even though it was sweet that he tried to save someone that he didn't know. Seeing Shianni being raped was the last straw for the CE (and me as the observer). Also remember that CE had a lot more combat expertise than Neleros (who was no fighter by the looks of it, ask the CE's dad) so it is probably be fair to say that even though that you were locked up, you could still technically fight by a couple of roguish moves while Neleros/Nesiara wouldn't do anything to worsen the situation for them.

[danscott84]

Yea, I know that Neleros would have been more significant in the Gauntlet (when playing a female CE) but you only just met this guy and your dad 'sold' you off to him (payed like 10~15 slivers or something in that amount to bring him here without 'hiccups') while you knew Shianni all your life. I felt nothing when he died by the guards even though it was sweet that he tried to save someone that he didn't know. Seeing Shianni being raped was the last straw for the CE (and me as the observer). Also remember that CE had a lot more combat expertise than Neleros (who was no fighter by the looks of it, ask the CE's dad) so it is probably be fair to say that even though that you were locked up, you could still technically fight by a couple of roguish moves while Neleros/Nesiara wouldn't do anything to worsen the situation for them.

On this we'll just have to agree to disagree.