Friday, June 1, 2012

Dragon Age: Origins Chapter 4 - I Promise You Won't Regret Joining the Party

...unless you aren't Morrigan, and then all bets are off.

The only thing I really have to announce is that as usual, I will be "trying" to post more often than usual. But I can't make any promises, because I have a lot of demands on my time right now. Which means I spend way too much time looking at eBay auctions and reading Internet forums I work a lot. So, anyway. On with the post.

Also, I really apologize that you have to click on each picture in the post to see what people are saying. This is something I didn't anticipate when I started playing through the game. I'll have to see if there's anything I can do to fix that.

Well, anyway. Morrigan and I had decided to travel to Lothering to see what we could find. But first...


What's this? An interlude in Denerim, the capital city?! What's going on?

Ah, I see. Looks like Loghain's moved up in the world.


But before he can really get started with his propaganda, Bann Teagan interrupts him.


Wait. Teagan, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in Redcliffe fretting over your brother?


Well, at least you're not the only one who's suspicious of Loghain's motives.


O RLY. The king is dead because of you. To reiterate: your xenophobia will destroy the country.


You tell him, Teagan! Too bad you're going to disappear back to Redcliffe after this, though.


Whuh oh. Look out, Teagan. Maybe you should go back to Redcliffe after all.

As Teagan was walking out, the queen tried to talk to him...



but he shot her down.


Looks like picking Daddy as your regent was a bad idea, Anora!

She tried to tell him Loghain was doing what was best, but...


BURN. Suck on that, your majesty!

And with that, the narrative went back to Larry & Company, who had just arrived in Lothering.


Apparently horses don't exist in this world. I'm playing through this game for the fourth time and I have yet to see any horses.












Oh, wonderful. Highway robbers babbling about a "refugee toll."


Looks like the idiot's got the right idea.

I agree.


Sorry, but I'm going to have to decline paying your toll. You know, because you clearly aren't government representatives.



I have rules too. And rule number one is, "I'm going to kick your ass."


Rule number two is, "I'm going to take all your money while I'm at it."

Good. I'm glad we could come to an understanding.




I suppose, if your definition of pretty includes a panicked village full of starving refugees inexplicably standing around being scared while a darkspawn horde prepared to destroy everything in its path bears down on it.


Oh, get over it, Alistair. Only weaklings get upset about all their friends getting killed.

Oh, come on now. She grew up in a swamp.


HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, poor Alistair.

So then it was time to decide what we should do first.


And then Arl Eamon, of course. Alistair thought we should go to him first, which doesn't seem like a bad idea. Morrigan said the four of us should just go attack Loghain directly, but I think we all know that would end badly. So, Eamon it is. Let's see what else is in this town!


The above was in response to Morrigan asking Alistair why he follows me when he's the more senior member. Exactly the question I had! But, of course, Alistair had no real answer. Oh, Alistair.

So then we found a templar with a curiously familiar voice.


Huh. I know you can't hear his voice or anything. But it's the same guy that voiced one of the party members (Fenris) in Dragon Age 2. Hmm, fascinating. His voice is barely different at all.

So then we found some kid who was looking for his mom.


I thought about sending him on a wild goose chase to find her, but in the end I told him to go to the Chantry. That's what it's there for, after all.

And then we found some crazy guy ranting and raving outside the Chantry building.



Fortunately I was able to intimidate him into running off before he could start a panic.

We also found a merchant who was selling basic necessities to refugees for inflated prices. There was a Chantry woman there trying to stop him, but what does the Chantry know about supply and demand? We shooed her off so the merchant could let the free market decide the price of goods, since that's the natural order of things, doncha know.

Eventually we made our way into the Chantry itself and met the Revered Mother.



I was hoping to get some help from her, preferably of the coin variety, but she was reluctant. Something about a price on the Grey Wardens' heads and raising Loghain's ire and...

The only thing she'd promise to do to help us was to keep our presence in the town a secret. Thanks for all your help! I'll be sure to remember this.

And then we stumbled into the local inn, the name of which I've already forgotten and can't be bothered to look up.

Curses! Some of Loghain's lackeys!

This doesn't look good for us. Fortunately, a strange woman interrupted us.

Who are you, strange lady? I suppose we'll find out after these, uh, inconveniences are dealt with.


I think that may have been the wrong thing to say.

That's definitely the wrong thing to say. And then the strange lady helped us, uh, "dispose" of Loghain's men.

Uh, okay then.

This probably would have been more obviously weird if I were playing the game with blood splatter turned on, as she'd be talking to me while covered in blood. But either way...she's just weird.



Say what now? For a second there I thought you said you were coming with us...

You sound like a crazy lady, and we don't want any crazy ladies on our important mission...


Sorry, but I'm not buying it. Go back to the Chantry and help some refugees, sister.


That was really weird. But whatever. We explored the town some more, and eventually we found...a man in a cage?
Why are you in a cage, my good man? And who are you?


So...you're in the cage because...



Okay then. Well, let's go talk to the Revered Mother and see about getting you freed so you can join my army. You know, because we're always looking for murderers to fight for us.

But first, let's kill some giant spiders!


Okay, now we can go talk to the Revered Mother. I always enjoy killing some giant spiders that need killing.


I...oh. Why do I want him to fight for me, again?



Clearly there's more to this story and I should give him the benefit of the doubt and let him join us. Very well. Gimme his cage key.


And if I can't get it from you one way, I'll get it another.

Ooh, she didn't like that at all. But at least she gave us the key.

Yay! Let's go free the monster.

Because I'm going to fight the Blight. Is that inspiring enough for you?


Yay! Welcome to the party, Sten!

And with that, we'd finished about all there was to do in Lothering. But as we were leaving...


You again? I thought we'd settled this. YOU CAN'T COME WITH US BECAUSE YOU'RE INSANE.


I chose the "Alistair, she's one archdemon short of a Blight," option, in case it wasn't apparent.



Haha! Okay, you have a point there. Welcome to the team, Leliana.

So we were finally on our way to...somewhere...on the Imperial Highway. But first, a random darkspawn attack!


And some poor dwarves were caught in the crossfire! Oh noes!


Nice to meet you, I guess.


None of your damn business, that's where we're going. But somehow I get the feeling I'm going to meet this guy again.

And that's where I stop for today! Next time: darkspawn dreams and hanging around in the party camp! Woo! Until then, heroes!





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