Dragon Age VI: Siege Harder

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"What does that even MEAN? Varric must be stopped..."

[Giggling Ghast]

Sadly, it'll be a while before we hear anything new on the Dragon Age front. Bioware won't even say that it's in development.

[Morty]

We know it'll come out at some point, probably concern Solas and probably take place in Tevinter. But that's all inferred from the ending to Trespasser.

[Dienekes]

We know it'll come out at some point, probably concern Solas and probably take place in Tevinter. But that's all inferred from the ending to Trespasser.

I'm holding out hope we'll meet up with my main bro, I heard he's been making quite a name for himself back among those Qun loving fanatics.

[Bobby Baratheon]

Any chance Sten might make an appearence? Maybe a cookie-related invasion?

[darksolitaire]

Any chance Sten might make an appearence? Maybe a cookie-related invasion?

Can we even assume that save files from previous games are used? Sten is either eaten by Darkspawn, current Arishok or anything in-between. They will probably write him off or at best give him very small presence, like they did with Morrigan's Old God child which may or may not exist.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

How much spoilery stuff can be discussed here without spoiler blocks? Inquisition's been out a while, but I know that I haven't completely played it yet (though I actively seek spoilers).

[Giggling Ghast]

Have you played Trespasser? That contains considerable spoilers about the origin of the Veil and the elven "gods."

[Kish]

Can we even assume that save files from previous games are used? Sten is either eaten by Darkspawn, current Arishok or anything in-between. They will probably write him off or at best give him very small presence, like they did with Morrigan's Old God child which may or may not exist.

To my knowledge, the sten is current arishok, unambiguously and nonoptionally; where does "he was eaten by darkspawn" come from?

(And if it's just a Dragon Age 1 epilogue which doesn't prevent the Iron Bull from talking about how the new arishok is one of those weird hornless qunari, you can do what you like but I'm personally tossing it in the Retconned Bin with Cullen going renegade and turning into a serial killer. How minor and possibly-nonexistent Cullen was after Dragon Age 1 is left as an exercise for the reader.)

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Have you played Trespasser? That contains considerable spoilers about the origin of the Veil and the elven "gods."

No, but I've watched FluffyNinjaLlama's several videos on it. So I DO know the big secret.

[Bobby Baratheon]

I'm aware that he is (likely) the Arishok, but I'm hoping he could be a major player in the next game. Not a likely hope, as hopes go, but the Cubs did finally win so you never know

[Dienekes]

I'm aware that he is (likely) the Arishok, but I'm hoping he could be a major player in the next game. Not a likely hope, as hopes go, but the Cubs did finally win so you never know

Entirely unfounded guess: The Arishok is a big player in the same way the leader of the Krogan is a big player in ME3. He's important. There's a somewhat major quest about him. But he's written in a way that can be taken up by two people. One of whom is an awesome badass who is loved by players (or for Sten's case loved by some, hated by others, and tolerated by many) and the other is a total dingus.

[Kish]

I think the arishok formerly known as the sten may well be a major villain in Dragon Age 4. I think anyone who continues to hold out hope that now we'll get "actually qunari culture isn't horribly evil and someone can be fanatically loyal to it (and/or maintain that only certain people are people), without being a villain" is in for another dose of the disappointment the same belief led them to in Trespasser.

[Lethologica]

To my knowledge, the sten is current arishok, unambiguously and nonoptionally; where does "he was eaten by darkspawn" come from?

(And if it's just a Dragon Age 1 epilogue which doesn't prevent the Iron Bull from talking about how the new arishok is one of those weird hornless qunari, you can do what you like but I'm personally tossing it in the Retconned Bin with Cullen going renegade and turning into a serial killer. How minor and possibly-nonexistent Cullen was after Dragon Age 1 is left as an exercise for the reader.)

That's probably the outcome of leaving the sten in the cage. Not something they'd plan sequel plot points around.

[Dienekes]

I think the arishok formerly known as the sten may well be a major villain in Dragon Age 4. I think anyone who continues to hold out hope that now we'll get "actually qunari culture isn't horribly evil and someone can be fanatically loyal to it (and/or maintain that only certain people are people), without being a villain" is in for another dose of the disappointment the same belief led them to in Trespasser.

I'd be disappointed if he wasn't horribly lawful evil.

That said, I think the story can be done in a way that he can be an ally regardless.

After all, the setting is going to be Tevinter. The other place in Thedas that depicts certain people do not truly count as people. With a healthy dose of slavery and blood sacrifices.

If either the Tevinter or the Qunari start getting a coat of paint to make them look all friendly and nice, I'll boo Bioware myself.

[Inarius]

Entirely unfounded guess: The Arishok is a big player in the same way the leader of the Krogan is a big player in ME3. He's important. There's a somewhat major quest about him. But he's written in a way that can be taken up by two people. One of whom is an awesome badass who is loved by players (or for Sten's case loved by some, hated by others, and tolerated by many) and the other is a total dingus.

It would be even easier to do it that way for the Qunari considering everyones name is their job. Just make the stand in also be a hornless Sten like Sten is.

[factotum]

If either the Tevinter or the Qunari start getting a coat of paint to make them look all friendly and nice, I'll boo Bioware myself.

It's possible for individuals of a race or country to not reflect the country as a whole, as with Dorian Pavus in Inquisition, so who knows how Sten is these days? However, if he actually *is* the Arishok then he pretty much has to slavishly follow the Qun, at least on the surface, because otherwise he'd get deposed sharpish.

[Inarius]

It's possible for individuals of a race or country to not reflect the country as a whole, as with Dorian Pavus in Inquisition, so who knows how Sten is these days? However, if he actually *is* the Arishok then he pretty much has to slavishly follow the Qun, at least on the surface, because otherwise he'd get deposed sharpish.

Sure, but the Qun in general discourages that sort of behavior in its followers. Those who stray too far from the norm either get mentally reconditioned or leave and become Tal-Vashoth.

[darksolitaire]

To my knowledge, the sten is current arishok, unambiguously and nonoptionally; where does "he was eaten by darkspawn" come from?

That's probably the outcome of leaving the sten in the cage. Not something they'd plan sequel plot points around.

This. Unless you figure out that he broke out of his cage just as the darkspawn attacked, found his sword, scouted out the blight, single handedly fought his way trough half of Thedas and stole a ship so he could return and give his report to the Qunari just as the news of Arishok's death came back from Kirkwall.

[Dienekes]

This. Unless you figure out that he broke out of his cage just as the darkspawn attacked, found his sword, scouted out the blight, single handedly fought his way trough half of Thedas and stole a ship so he could return and give his report to the Qunari just as the news of Arishok's death came back from Kirkwall.

I think my main bro Sten totally could do all that. But would he? I don't think so, he was kinda set on suicide by darkspawn.

[Kish]

This. Unless you figure out that he broke out of his cage just as the darkspawn attacked, found his sword, scouted out the blight, single handedly fought his way trough half of Thedas and stole a ship so he could return and give his report to the Qunari just as the news of Arishok's death came back from Kirkwall.

You just quoted someone saying Bioware won't plan sequel plot points around "the sten never left the cage" being a serious possibility, said "This" without declaring an exception for that, and the rest of the post is still making a case that the sten isn't the guaranteed-Arishok based on that being a serious possibility.

[Giggling Ghast]

I'm certain the war with the qunari will inform the plot of DA4 but I don't think it will be a major focus, not unless they decide to hold off on Solas being the major antagonist for a theoretical DA5. He certainly wouldn't ally with them for his Evil Plan, whatever it may be.

As to whether Stenishok appears, they may decide that's an "either/or" situation. If you let Sten out, he's the Arishok. If not, some other qunari took the job, They've done that before with Tali/Mordin/Grunt/Legion/Garrus in Mass Effect and the Warden ally in DAI.

[darksolitaire]

You just quoted someone saying Bioware won't plan sequel plot points around "the sten never left the cage" being a serious possibility, said "This" without declaring an exception for that, and the rest of the post is still making a case that the sten isn't the guaranteed-Arishok based on that being a serious possibility.

...wat?

edit: ok, I re-read what I quoted and I actually misunderstood it. Carry on.

[Cozzer]

My thoughts on the future (and possibly, ending) of the series:

Spoiler: Spoiler for Inquisition and Trespasser

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My personal bet is that the final choice that the series is going towards is : more magic (Solas' option, maybe with the final MC doing things to make the transition less genocidal), less/no magic (Qunari option) and maybe a third choice to keep things more or less the same. And maybe a fourth, unpredictable choice, like something about the Titans.

I mean, in the end what makes Solas' plan evil isn't his goal, but what he's going to do to reach it. If you could remove the Veil... I don't know, gradually, or something that prevents the majority of people from dying, it wouldn't be automatically a bad thing.

On the other hand, strengthening the Veil wouldn't be an "automatically evil" choice. Sure, you lose magic, including healing magic and helpful magic in general, but you also lose demons and abominations.

It would be like the Mage-Templar conflict, just bigger.

[Giggling Ghast]

My thoughts on the future (and possibly, ending) of the series:

Spoiler: Spoiler for Inquisition and Trespasser

Show

My personal bet is that the final choice that the series is going towards is : more magic (Solas' option, maybe with the final MC doing things to make the transition less genocidal), less/no magic (Qunari option) and maybe a third choice to keep things more or less the same. And maybe a fourth, unpredictable choice, like something about the Titans.

I mean, in the end what makes Solas' plan evil isn't his goal, but what he's going to do to reach it. If you could remove the Veil... I don't know, gradually, or something that prevents the majority of people from dying, it wouldn't be automatically a bad thing.

On the other hand, strengthening the Veil wouldn't be an "automatically evil" choice. Sure, you lose magic, including healing magic and helpful magic in general, but you also lose demons and abominations.

It would be like the Mage-Templar conflict, just bigger.

Spoiler

Show

I'm not sure if Solas' plan is still to tear down the Veil. That was definitely his old plan, but the destruction of his foci might prevent him from doing so.

Keep in mind that his actual goal is the restoration of the elven civilization (and the eradication of all modern civilization). Tearing down the Veil was a means to accomplish that, but if that's no longer possible, he could be working on some other scheme.

[Cozzer]

@Jack

Spoiler: Again, spoilers for DA:I and Trespasser

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There's a line he says during the final dialogue with him in Trespasser that makes me think he's definitely still going to tear down the Veil, he just needs to find a new way to do it. He says that modern people are to him what Tranquils are to modern people.

This means that the Old World he wants isn't simply a world where the Elves have an empire, it's a world where magic is part of everyone and everything like it was during Arlathan. A world where lost marvels like the library you see during Trespasser are part of the everyday life. And so on.

I guess that now, after his orb has been destroyed, he's simply building his "army" so that he'll be ready to act whenever he finds a new plan. And I guess he'll find it just before the new game begins.

(Or he'll stay in the shadows, nudging things, for another game and his plan will start between DA4 and DA5, depending on how many other plots the authors want to tie up and in which order)

[Anteros]

Spoiler

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It's been a while since I played so I don't remember clearly, but is there any reason to think that tearing down the veil is even a good thing for the spirits living beyond it? I don't remember anything to indicate that they are suffering or even unhappy over there.

I mean, I know Solas thinks so, but he's an idiot and hardly objective.

@Jack

Spoiler: Again, spoilers for DA:I and Trespasser

Show

There's a line he says during the final dialogue with him in Trespasser that makes me think he's definitely still going to tear down the Veil, he just needs to find a new way to do it. He says that modern people are to him what Tranquils are to modern people.

This means that the Old World he wants isn't simply a world where the Elves have an empire, it's a world where magic is part of everyone and everything like it was during Arlathan. A world where lost marvels like the library you see during Trespasser are part of the everyday life. And so on.

I guess that now, after his orb has been destroyed, he's simply building his "army" so that he'll be ready to act whenever he finds a new plan. And I guess he'll find it just before the new game begins.

(Or he'll stay in the shadows, nudging things, for another game and his plan will start between DA4 and DA5, depending on how many other plots the authors want to tie up and in which order)

Knowing Bioware, the most likely thing is that they'll ignore it during the main games and resolve it as part of a DLC.

[Giggling Ghast]

I take it you didn't play Trespasser, Anteros.

Spoiler

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The Veil was created by Solas (ie. Fen'harel) in order to banish his fellow "gods" to the farthest reaches of the Fade. Thus, tearing down the Veil would be returning the world to its original state.

Modern Thedas would be utterly destroyed in the raw chaos, but Solas' plan was then to restore the ancient civilization of the elves using the energy of the Fade to rewrite reality.

[Anteros]

I take it you didn't play Trespasser, Anteros.

Spoiler

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The Veil was created by Solas (ie. Fen'harel) in order to banish his fellow "gods" to the farthest reaches of the Fade. Thus, tearing down the Veil would be returning the world to its original state.

Modern Thedas would be utterly destroyed in the raw chaos, but Solas' plan was then to restore the ancient civilization of the elves using the energy of the Fade to rewrite reality.

Spoiler

Show

I was talking about in the sense of whether ripping the fade is good for the spirits that live there or not. I don't give 2 craps about Solas or his plan.

[Giggling Ghast]

Well, the fourth game will probably have Solas as an antagonist, so ... sucks to be you, I guess?