ASUNDER DISCUSSION POST

[miri1984]

I will FULLY admit that I'm abusing my modly powers here, but I NEED TO DISCUSS STUFF. If you've read the novel, feel free to join discussion. If not SERIOUSLY SPOILERS. SO MANY SPOILERS. SPOILERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. DO NOT GO FORTH INTO THIS BLEAK NIGHT. I MEAN IT. I EVEN MADE A SPECIAL ASUNDER SPOILER TAG FOR IT.

DO YOU GET THAT?

SPOILERS.

Comments

[miri1984]

*hunts up her copy of The Calling, because of OCD reasons I MUST KNOW NOW!!*

Ok, this is from the end of the Calling:

"Well, I guess I like boring things." He grinned at her. "But I'd rather hear about you. The taint... when you left, you said..."
"It's gone," she said flatly. "The mages at Weisshaput weren't sure if it was because the First Enchanter's brooch sped things up artificially or... at any rate, all the corruption vanished. They don't think it's going to come back, either. There was test after test, but they think I may be the first Grey Warden that never has to endure the Calling again."

[scarylady]

Oh, fair enough. I withdraw that part of my criticism then :)

[miri1984]

:D Doesn't make the rest any less wrong.

I must admit I don't go into these books as much else other than a vehicle for imparting lore. I'm not a massive fan of his style, and I think he's far better at writing in-game dialogue and plot than he is at an actual story.

It's just nice to have stuff put down in stone. The part about the phylactery chamber pretty much exploded my mind. No mage in Thedas has a phylactery any more! Also little bits about what mages are capable of doing with spirits, more concrete things about demons, hints at what it actually FEELS like to be tranquil - these are all things that will make my fanfic writing and RP-ing a lot easier.

Sure the story was quite interesting, but I suppose I was mostly interested in it because I wanted to KNOW THINGS and was tired of just guessing them or glossing over them for fic :D.

[scarylady]

No mage in ORLAIS has a phylactery any more. Ferelden ones were sent to Denerim, not Val Royeaux, right?

[zute]

I got the feeling they had a couple of different places in Ferelden. Let's see, in the mage origin you find Jowan's in the tower but they're going to send it to Denerim, IIRC.

Then Anders thinks his is in Amaranthine for some reason.

I figured the basement of the Chantry in one of my fics... put pigs blood in it. Hee hee!

I always wondered how good their filing systems were. I bet they lose track of lots of them!

[scarylady]

Nah, they'd leave it to the Tranquil; I bet they have the best filing systems.

However, seeing as the Tranquil apparently have Opinions that has its own consequences, right?

[amhran_comhrac]

I think that will have SERIOUS, MAJOR conciquences. Although it also flies in the face of what we saw in game. (Well, more in Origins- the tranquil who just stood around while the tower was being ripped apart around them aren't being pragmatic, they're being utterly mindless).

That they can have an opinion, and apparently at least one has decided going against the templars was the pragmatic and correct choice, is likely to have major conciquences.

[miri1984]

In Origins, Owain survives, and the other mages who are captured by demons leave the room they were in as soon as you save them (if you manage to save them in time). I wouldn't be surprised if Owain was the one of the most capable, given he was in charge of the stock room, and it's possible he hid or actually did something to ensure that.

I mean being made tranquil doesn't make you stupid either, but by that token there would be some tranquil who were more intelligent than others, right?

[amhran_comhrac]

The thought I had, specifically, were the tranquil in the room with three shield-carrying statues who just say “thank you. That was an uncomfortable experience” after you kill all the demons, but were basically standing around motionless beforehand. Wouldn’t the logical thing to do to run or hide or really, anything but stand around?

[miri1984]

Aren't they thralled before that? Actually, they turn into shades if you don't save them in time... which raises another point... WHY DO THEY TURN INTO SHADES???

[amhran_comhrac]

They might be thralled, come to think of it.
But then... HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN IF THE WHOLE POINT OF MAKING THEM TRANQUIL IS TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING?
gah!
GAH!!

[miri1984]

David Gaider is messing with our heads again. I mean, I can see Tranquil being thralled, but turning into shades seems to be a thing that should not happen.

[amhran_comhrac]

Yes, exactly. since that would appear to be a form of possession- and making sure they can't get possessed is the whole reason for giving them the lyrium lobotomy!