Dragon Age--Back in the Saddle

[cyrano]

So it had been quite a while, and while I could figure out how to move myself around the screen, I'd really pretty much forgotten what the hell I was doing. I was in Redcliffe for some reason, probably mopping up side quests that I couldn't remember, so I decided to Return To Ostagar.

Apparently I should have been there a few levels ago, because I wandered around and knocked some heads and poked at stuff, but the most damage I took was when I shot myself with a ballista. (Or possibly when I thought I was telling the party "Back the hell off because there's a trap" and they thought I said "Come check out all this cool loot!") I *think* I was just supposed to find Cailin's notes, but that was like two-thirds of the way through the module, and so I kept wandering until everything was dead. The frozen soldiers were kind of eerie. Also? I picked up the Joining Cup, and it's a gift. I think it should allow me to *induct new Grey Wardens*. Hi, there are *TWO* of us left.

Onward, to Haven! Where I am pretty damned sure I was supposed to have gone earlier. These people were punching me, with their bare hands. I felt bad about killing crazy homicidal cultists when most of them couldn't remember to pick up weapons, but negotiating wasn't really an option. Luckily, they weren't subtle about the "we are krazy kultists" vibe.

I sent Brother Genitivi back to Denerim (why isn't there a 'wait here for me because I killed all the villagers' option? Dude, the mountain top is too far a walk for your leg so we'll see you on the other side of the country? Seriously? Also, asking my HEALER MAGE what she can do for him and she says 'Well, I have a tin of Grey Wardens(tm) Band Aids. Look, this one has a picture of Sophia Dryden!').

Then there was the ruined temple and cavern crawl, where we had some nice creepy ambient effects and the threat level definitely stepped up. While the krazy kultist leader (Kreskin? K something.) was hard to put down, the almost TPK was the cultist mage who could shoot through walls--and that did not make me very happy. "Oh, you're holed up in a very defencible small area? Here, have a lightning storm while I hang out around the corner and down the hall. And also, a bunch of arcane bolts. Yay!"

And there were dragonlings and drakes (and, it sounds like, dragonmail in the future) and a Holy Carp Honest to Maker Dragon lurking overhead and watching us pass through the barrens.

And then we met the guardian of the Holy Grail Ashes. And we found out that if he had gotten off his ass and done something, we might not have had any krazy dragon worshipping kultists. Instead, he has been loyally keeping his vigil, and asking passers by deeply soul searching questions that force them to look deep inside themselves to question the comforting answers they've always given themselves. Or whatevs. For once, Wynne's dialogue wasn't annoying. Basically, she rolled her eyes at him verbally.

Anyway. We started the Gauntlet. The riddle part was fun, although I wish I'd gotten one wrong to find out what happened. Then there was more soul searching, and Tamlen showed up to tell me to forgive myself (luckily, the Guardian reminded me of who he was because that would have been awkward otherwise). He also said we'd never see each other again and I said thank the Maker, because when I *did* remember who you were, my main concern was that you'd reappear as some super powerful DarkSpawn Mirror Warrior and take your frikkin vengeance.

And the last room before the save was the traditional 'fight yourself' battle. I don't know what her damage was, but I had to repeatedly tell Leilani to shoot the healer mage and she kept saying "Okay, eez veree gud! I shoot zee warrior, non?" Once my girlfriend gets an idea into her head, there is no dislodging it. Finally I told her to shoot whoever the hell she felt like and *I* took down !Wynne. Which, I admit, had a certain level of satisfaction.

Comments

[amanda_lodden.livejournal.com]

Once my girlfriend gets an idea into her head, there is no dislodging it.

I would say this is true of many girlfriends, virtual and otherwise. I'd add "especially yours" but I wouldn't want to insult Carrie.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

For some reason, chosing women with a spine tends to include women with a spine and thick skulls. (:

[tersa.livejournal.com]

Hah! I was wondering if you were going to pick this up again, so I squeaked when your post showed up on my list. :)

You are doing things whacky and out of order, but the nice thing about the game is that it does allow for it.

And your posts make me giggle. Because, yes. :) And killing Wynne is fun.

(This website has the Ultimate pack (Origins+Awakenings+DLC) on sale for $25 right now and I'm sorely tempted because I keep wanting to get this for PC, fix my PC, and play with mods.)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

So is the 'yes' just a general sense of agreement?
(And I did, in fact, imagine you squeaking when I posted.)
I started writing this, not thinking I'd have a lot to say. But wow, the momentum just picked up. And I'm pleased with the way it came out. Makes me feel like a writer.

Holy Crap. The *whole* game plus Awakenings and goodie pack for $25? Hell, I may have to get that myself, just for Awakenings and the rest of the goodies.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

'Yes', a general sense of agreement. You said some stuff I wanted to respond to specifically but there would be spoilers, so. :)

I know how that goes, especially with regards to these posts. "It's short, I swear!" *BLORT*

Holy Crap. The *whole* game plus Awakenings and goodie pack for $25? Hell, I may have to get that myself, just for Awakenings and the rest of the goodies.

I know!

DA: Ultimate - $24.99

Which I may have to go buy now! After I commented, harleymae unexpectedly offered me her roommate's old computer, after he replaces it with an upgrade. I'd been talking to her about my desire to fix my computer/upgrade it enough to play DA2, since she's a hardware person, and I think she thought of me when it came up. She also thinks Alex's old computer is going to be good enough to play DA2. *squeak*

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Do you have any idea what would happen if I downloaded that stuff into the middle of my current set up with partially played games? It shouldn't wipe them out, should it?

Combining responses

[tersa.livejournal.com]

No clue. At the moment, I don't know how the PCs handle save files.

In theory, I can't imagine it would screw up your game saves, but...you might want to poke around on the EA DA:O FAQ/Support site or ask them about it. And I'd make backups off the computer of the save files, just in case you have to re-install off of media.

---

So he'd be a *polite* evil asshole.
"Oh, hey, buddy. Sorry about killing all your friends, but I'm raising an archdemon, see."

*snickers* Well, Tamlen was an incidental casualty, not actively a bad guy like the Kingdom Hearts asshole...but your point is made.

(Actually, thinking about it, DA is so far from KH in construct, I can't even think of a moral equivalent.)

(ETA: Also, I was thinking about your question to my 'Yes.' response and realized that it isn't much interaction, and I kind of want to provide that, but I'm having a hard time finding a third option between going 'Yeah, what you said!' and spoilers all over the place. I keep hopping up and down excitedly when I'm not sitting on my hands. :)

Re: Combining responses

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I completely understand "I am overflowing with response and you can't hear any of it." I get a lot of that as a GM. (:

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Oh oh oh! I just remembered. Um. Wotsisname from Kingdom Hearts, my best friend the asshole. I think *that* situation was influencing my feelings about Tamlen.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

LOLOLOLOL. But this is a Canadian game, so your best friend may not be an asshole like he would be in a Japaense RPG. ;)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

So he'd be a *polite* evil asshole.
"Oh, hey, buddy. Sorry about killing all your friends, but I'm raising an archdemon, see."